Japan Archive

0October 27, 2011
Harajuku Autumn

I was a chikan virgin no longer. Being at the receiving end of a chikan incident is essentially akin to having someone feel you up while travelling by train. I had heard…
0September 13, 2011
Fuji-san

Somewhere between the eighth and ninth station I thought I would give up. My body was covered in a thin film of sweat. I smelled. My hair stuck to the…
0August 13, 2011
Fussa, Japan: Tanabata Matsuri

The shudder of a thousand plastic ribbons blowing in the breeze resonated throughout the streets. It was the Tanabata Matsuri, a large summer festival celebrated all through Japan. Behind me were…
1July 8, 2011
Nakano, Japan: On Broadway

It is only eleven o’clock and it is already well over eighty degrees Fahrenheit. In an effort of reduce as much energy as possible, the lights in the train are…
0June 10, 2011
Super Dollfie: A Glimpse into Japan’s World of Ball and Joint Dolls

I stood before a polished glass display case looking into the vacuous eyes of a doll. Her hair was a fine shade of burgundy, brushed with care to ensure that…
0May 26, 2011
Mai Dreamin: Surviving the Akihabara Maids

Akihabara is easily one of my favorite places to visit, if only for the fact that I see something bizarre and novel every time that I go there. On this…
0May 16, 2011
Looking to Ueno

Although it is at the height of popularity during the Sakura Matsuri, or Cherry Blossom Festival, Ueno Park is also a site for weekly events that many visitors may miss…