Monthly Archives: June 2011

Olympus E-P3 PEN Preview

Published June 27, 2011
The first images of the soon-to-be-announced Olympus E-P3 micro 4/3s camera have been leaked online! I must say it looks gorgeous, just like my long lost E-P1. The styling is very similar, but Olympus have finally added the missing features I’ve been craving for since the launch of the original PEN series cameras.
Posted in Photography | 8 Comments

The Best Resources for How to Learn Japanese

Published June 23, 2011
Learning the Japanese language can be very fulfilling, but there is no doubt that it is challenging. With self-study and learning Japanese online for free becoming more and more popular, it can be tough for the beginning student to find good quality resources.
Posted in Japan | 21 Comments

Urbex at the Grain Tower Battery

Published June 21, 2011
Way back when I was first beginning the hobby of Urban Exploration in the UK, I visited a site fairly close to home. The Grain Tower is located on a mud-flat at the east end of the Isle of Grain and is a well-known spot for exploration. Access is only for a few hours at […]
Posted in Haikyo / Ruins | 11 Comments

Touring Lake Biwa on a Mama Chari Bicycle

Published June 16, 2011
A couple of weeks ago I headed out with a group of friends from work to take on the challenge of touring Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan, just north of Kyoto. All on a cranky old Mama Chari too – the sort of bicycle old ladies like to ride. With the weather on […]
Posted in Adventure, Japan | 21 Comments

Thoughts on Discussing Other Cultures

Published June 9, 2011
“To ask is a moment’s embarrassment, but to not ask will bring a lifetime of shame.” So goes the Japanese proverb: 聞くは一時の恥、聞かぬは一生の恥. (Thanks to Jake Adelstein for pointing me to it.) It’s an issue I’ve sparred with my entire life, and it doesn’t look set to end any time soon. Just when is it okay […]
Posted in Japan | 22 Comments

The Foul Stink of the Japan Snake Center

Published June 3, 2011
The Japan Snake Center isn’t really a haikyo, or it shouldn’t be. An active facility with a rather steep 1000 yen entry fee, some of Japan’s foremost experts on snakes come here to work. They hold bring-your-snake-day pet contests and open lectures on measures dealing with Japan’s poisonous snake, the mamushi. Not surprisingly, it’s also […]
Posted in Haikyo / Ruins | 25 Comments