Nagasaki's Premier English Language Magazine
by Anna McMullen Hello! I’m Anna from Texas, and I live on Goto Island. There are a lot of rice paddies on Goto Island, but before coming to Japan, I had never seen a rice paddy before. Therefore, I did not know almost anything about rice. What about you? What do you know about rice? What does it… Continue reading
By Maggie Bullen Regardless of whether it’s mid-January when the air is icy and the ground is cold, or whether it’s the middle of June when commuters press themselves against the air vents on the train to escape the heat; the winter robes are always on for the performers at Universal Studio Japan’s Wizarding World… Continue reading
By Palina Kot I have been living in Japan for just 2 years, and I am still trying to understand the Japanese soul. Being a foreigner means not just to face a language barrier, but to also be confronted with cultural differences. It also raises misunderstandings. So to communicate with people better I started to… Continue reading
by Anna McMullen Hey y’all! Anna from Texas here. I’m writing from Goto Island, a ferry ride away from Nagasaki City. During the winter season, I have been talking to my Japanese friends, students, and co-workers about Japanese Christmas traditions. Some of the differences between our traditions surprised me! Here is what I have learned so far. … Continue reading
by Patrick Wong With average daily temperatures ranging from 7-11°C (45-52°F) the winters in Nagasaki can be a little chilly. What better way to combat the cold than to take part in one of Japan’s oldest traditions of onsen? You might be thinking, “What exactly are onsen?” Onsen are naturally occurring hot spring baths in… Continue reading
by Deanna Timmons The long history of sumo dates back over 2,000 years ago, and is the national sport with religious ties to Shintoism. You can see these Shinto ties in the opening ceremony with salt tossing to purify the ring, with the stage itself sitting under a makeshift Shinto shrine roof. The attire of… Continue reading
By Ashley Noelck While many readers are likely familiar with famous Japanese beverage brands, such as Sapporo and Asahi, other Japanese spirits rarely have the same recognition. However, since 2008, Japanese Whisky sales have doubled due to a rapid increase in international demand. Today there are 13 whisky distilleries in Japan, six of which have… Continue reading
by Steven Jankowski What does it mean to “volunteer”? One dictionary defines it as “to offer (one’s time or labor) freely or for no pay,” or “to express or offer without being asked or obligated.” Whether you’re donating your time at a local community center, lending a hand along a beach picking up garbage, or… Continue reading
by Kate “You are so brave.” That was one of the first things we were told at our pre-departure orientation some four months ago. More than a few eyebrows were raised and looks were shared among our small, fledgling group. It was the first opportunity for the Assistant Language Teachers on the JET Programme leaving… Continue reading
By Tshegofatso Motsuenyane On March 3rd, Japan will celebrate Hinamatsuri, also known as ‘Girls Day’ or ‘Dolls Day.’ It is an annual religious festival where families pray for the health and happiness of their young daughters. Families usually celebrate by displaying hina dolls and eating traditional sweets such as Hishi-mochi (a tiered rice cake) and hina-arare (colored… Continue reading