Columns All About Sharks: Weird Sharks! What do a goblin, a viper, and frills all have in common? They make up some weird-lookin’ sharks. Today Kaye introduces three of the odder sharks. JETFUEL: JETFUEL – 15 May 2023 In this month’s deep dive, Matthew breaks down the energy consumption of the Shinkansen, especially in comparison …
Happy spring! The cherry blossoms have bloomed and we’re well on our way to warmer temperatures (please). In case you don’t already have hanami plans, here’s a few well-known sakura matsuri. Enjoyyyy~ Tsugaru Side Nanbu Side Columns All About Sharks: The Number One Sharks! Kaye introduces four new sharks which are renown for being number …
As mentioned in March Volume II, spring is a time for new beginnings. Time moves ever onwards and with it our lives move inexorably towards horizons new. With that in mind… Hello everyone! I’m Alex, first year ALT in Hirosaki–the little city in the shadow of Mt. Iwaki. I’ll be helping Hayley out as editor …
To all my Aomori peeps, either fresh and green like an avocado or well aged like a mature Parmesan, congratulations on making it through the heart of winter. We might not be completely scot-free (it snowed in Aomori City on April 1st last year, the cruel joke) but it is rather warm for mid-March and …
Ricefield Snow Art, Inakadate, Aomori 📷: Hayley McVicar New Column: All About Sharks The first new column of the new year starts today! Let’s give a big baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo (have fun singing that all day mhuahaha) welcome to Kaye Scheidler, second year Hirosaki JET. This column is going to …
Welcome back to Good Morning Aomori and Happy 2023! I hope everyone was able to relax and enjoy some quality time with their kotatsu over the holiday season. We may still be hibernating as the weather outside truly is frightful (there’s currently a blizzard raging in Aomori City), but there’s tons of winter festivals to …
Winter is upon us. Its beauty, its furry–its all here. As I sit in the office looking at dreamy pictures of blue bird days on Hakkoda in years past, the reality and ferocity of winter assails the windows just outside by means of a lovely little whiteout. All this to say, happy winter everyone! I …
New Column: Hana Madoi A new monthly (sometimes bimonthly) column from second year JET and new GMA writer, Mina Wagner, releases today! In Hana Madoi, Mina will spotlight the plants found here in Aomori with a focus on the flaura of the season. Think sakura in April, cosmos in September, and–as you can see by …
New Column: Sakura, Soseki and Shingeki No Kyojin A new monthly column from second year JET and new GMA writer, Marco Blasco, launches today! In Sakura, Soseki, and Shingeki No Kyojin, Marco aims to understand aspects of Japanese culture through the media and pop culture that incorporates it. It will be less of an explicit …
Happy fall/autumn everyone! I hope you’ve been enjoying the cooler morning and evenings and the slowly relinquishing grasp of that extreme summer humidity. The leaves are starting to change and I personally am of the conviction that Aomori is one of the most underrated places to enjoy koyo, or the changing of the leaves. Every …
The time is nigh!!!! As a third year living in Aomori City who has yet to see Nebuta (no it’s fine, I’m so jetlagged, I’ll see it next year…smh), I’m losing my cool. Not that I had any coolness to begin with really. But ya’ll I’m so pumped, as evidenced by my insanely packed schedule …
It’s time for ajisai!!!!! When I arrived in Japan many moons ago, sadly I was Group B and it was August. Not only did I miss Nebuta (I’ll never forgive myself for not fighting through the jet lag on August 7th), but I also missed the wondrous season of hydrangeas. Although it is accompanied by …
Personally I can’t get enough of the rice fields in any season (winter included), but especially once they’ve been flooded and they’re just sprouting through. Is there anything more Japanese countryside in the summer than that? Considering I’ve never experienced a summer festival in Japan (thanks COVID), I think so. Get out there and enjoy …
Columns The Pilgrim’s Book: Gentei Gentei Gentei Pokere explains the significance of gentei, especially relating to goshuin, and introduces seven more, slightly well-known shrines and temples around Aomori. Media Bug: Tacos and Chainsaws and Bears, oh my! Brent introduces various short manga he has enjoyed via three deep dives and six haiku reviews. Nom Nom …
Columns The Pilgrim’s Book: Goshuin Manners In the third installment of The Pilgrim’s Book, Pokere walks us through the basic manners one should follow when requesting a goshuin. He also introduces us to our friendly neighborhood temples and shrines around Aomori Prefecture. Chrysanthemum Roots: Open for Submissions: Gekiga and Japanese Comics In Brent’s final installment …
New Writer Hot off the grill! Read all about it! Etienne van Rooyen is defrosting Miso Hungry and serving up his own interpretation. Every month Etienne will be translating a recipe from Japanese to English and testing it out to teach us the process and present the results. In today’s first edition, Recipe Translations from …
Columns Aomori AJET Events: AAJET Hanami 2022 Your new Aomori AJET council is hosting their first event of the year: hanami! Read on for the details of when, where, cost, and extra activities, including embroidery kits and a nomihoudai! The Pilgrim’s Book: A Brief History of Goshuin This month, Pokere teaches us a bit more …
Columns Media Bug: The Girl with the Yellow RosesPokere takes a look at Yoshiya Nobuko, specifically Kibara (Yellow Rose), from the collection of tales from Hana Monogatari (Flower Stories), giving us a little taste of the shojo and yuri genres. Negative Space: Making the Rough Guide to Aomori CoversAsthrea offers us a unique look into …
New Column: The Pilgrim’s Book A new monthly column from current Media Bug contributer, Pokere Paewai, starts today! Every month, Pokere will teach us a bit about the history of goshuin and then offer some of his recommendations around Aomori Prefecture. Columns The Pilgrim’s Book: What are Goshuin? In the first edition of this new …
Columns Dark Tales from the Desk(warmer): Cat Bones Years ago, I was living in Japan while doing some translation work for a Shibuya-based company. I worked 14 hour days, 6 days a week, and was still seen as a slacker. The money was good, though my coworkers treated me like hell, so I stayed for …
New Writer Fresh out of the oven like a fully-loaded, twice-baked potato: first-year JET, Kat Stevens, is taking over the column Nom Nom Tabemono starting today! Each month, Kat will cook something oishii and teach us her recipe, sprinkling in some trivia, adding a dash of budgetary awareness, and serving it alongside an adorable onigiri …
Columns Media Bug: Sakigake and SakugaIn the final installment of Media Bug this year, Pokere takes us through Cromartie, a parody of the yankii manga genre from the 70s and 80s, and explains the brilliance behind limited animation. Negative Space: Homework for LifeAsthrea shares the most important lesson she’s learned from the YouTube course she’s …
Hi, I’m Hayley Hello, everyone! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Hayley McVicar (she/her). I am currently an RR in East Tsugaru and a high school ALT in Aomori City. During December, I will be learning the ropes and taking over posting duties from the current Head Editor, Joshua Dolphin, …
New Column: Chrysanthemum Roots A new monthly column from GMA writer Brent Peters launches today! In Chrysanthemum Roots, Brent will explore the history of Japanese media. Cels at Work: Animation Before Astro Boy, the first article in the series, focuses on the birth of Japanese animation, taking a look at the often-overlooked early days before …
Columns Aomori AJET: Ajigasawa Cabin PartyAJET shares the details of their upcoming Cabin Party, the traditional welcome party for new JETs in our prefecture. The event will be on November 6th, and it includes a BBQ, costume contest, bingo, bonfire, s’mores, and jello! Mediabug: The Prince and the RavenPokere introduces us to an anime in …
Columns Dark Tales from the Desk(warmer): I’m done with my boyfriend’s body pillow collectionBy Roo Hamilton.Wilbur and I started dating a few months ago. We’d met at a games night at a mutual friends house and he seemed alright. We were spooky in the same ways and I got goosebumps when he rolled the letters …
Retiring Writer: Clarissa Combe This issue we say goodbye to yet another columnist: Clarissa Combe. Clarissa has contributed her travelogue, Down the Archipela-go, to GMA since July 2020, providing an insider’s guide to the many prefectures she has visited on her quest to see the entire country. I highly recommend looking through the archives of …
Retiring Writer: Peter Davies When I first started looking for a GMA photographer over two years ago, I had no idea someone as talented as Peter Davies would take on the position. In future years when I’ve moved away from Aomori, I know I’ll be digging back through his Photo Diary whenever I want to …
Rokunohe. 📷: Peter Davies Columns Dark Tales from the Desk(warmer): You were on the busBy Roo HamiltonI know you didn’t see me sitting behind you; I am as invisible as the child by my side.… Media Bug: A Golden God Among MenPokere takes a look at Golden Boy, a comedy about a freeter who roams …
JETFUEL – 15 May 2023 The Shinkansen: Examining Bullet Trains in Japan The Shinkansen has had a significant impact on Japan’s transportation landscape, providing a safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient mode of travel. The success of the Shinkansen has been a model across the world, and has inspired other countries– notably China– to bolster their high-speed … Continue reading
By Etienne van Rooyen Introduction: Hello again, everyone! I hope you all had a great Golden Week holiday. Unfortunately, it’s back to the grind. Fear not! I’ve prepared for you a delicious tofu recipe translation to tide (and warm) you over as we move from spring to summer. Please indulge in a “Chilli Sauce Flavoured … Continue reading
Kaneki and Anteiku Not long after Kaneki’s surgery and becoming a Ghoul, he meets some fellow peaceful Ghouls from a café called Anteiku. They run the 20th Ward of Tokyo and do not kill in order to feed. They respect human life, and only do what they must in order to survive. There, he meets … Continue reading
By Kaye Scheidler Hello and welcome to the next installment of All About Sharks! This time we’re looking at three very weird looking sharks. Owing to their unique physiologies and the way they’ve evolved, they might not even look like sharks to you, but I assure you they are. So without further ado, let’s dive … Continue reading
JETFUEL – 1 May 2023 By マシュー Matthew.Brunstad@gmail.com LinkedIn Continue reading
JETFUEL – 15 April 2023 – Wind Energy Figure 1: Mean Wind Speeds of Japan ### By マシュー Matthew.Brunstad@gmail.com LinkedIn Continue reading
By Marco Blasco Let’s talk about my favorite manga of all time—Tokyo Ghoul by Ishida Sui. Me and Tokyo Ghoul have an interesting relationship, so I want to write a small series on this column here, but let’s start at the beginning. Why, of all manga, is Tokyo Ghoul my favorite? If I had to … Continue reading
By Etienne van Rooyen Introduction Hello everyone! Spring is in full force as winter ends, and the cherry blossoms bloom! In a change of pace, the translations below are desserts. You’re probably wondering: How can you use tofu as an ingredient for dessert? Or simply: tofu + dessert =?. I thought the same thing, too … Continue reading
By: Kaye Scheidler Welcome back to All About Sharks! In this month’s volume, we’ll look at a few of the most remarkable sharks out there. They’re considered the best in one particular aspect. What’s the fastest shark? How about the biggest? You may know the answers to those questions, but if we turn those questions … Continue reading
Japanese Energy Transition & Future Usage of Environment Log JETFUEL – 1 April 2023 By マシュー Matthew.Brunstad@gmail.com LinkedIn Continue reading
by Kat Stevens Two things led to my consumption of whale meat in Japan: the realization that it was my only chance and a bargain price of 467 yen. In the US, whale meat is illegal. Despite what Flipper or Hayden Panettiere might have to say on the subject, Japan has a long history of … Continue reading
By Etienne van Rooyen Introduction: It’s that time of year again as we wind down the school year. There are plenty of graduation ceremonies as many of us start to shake off the winter blues. Our prayers for warmer weather have been granted as well. It’ll be sad to see some of our best (or … Continue reading
JETFUEL – 15 March 2023 – Nuclear Part II I asked a coworker– a lifelong resident of Northern Japan– what he thought about the possibility that a growing number of nuclear power plants may resume operation in Japan. “It worries me… but it may be necessary.” Continue reading
While the deep piles of snow might say otherwise, it is finally spring here in Aomori! Starbucks has released its annual set of sakura goods, and schools everywhere are festooned with cherry blossom decorations for graduations. And yet, we are still nearly a month away from hanami and cherry blossom festivities of any kind. In … Continue reading
By Marco Blasco For this month’s article, I wanted to look at something a little different from previous posts. I am the type of person who, when I like a song, will listen to it on repeat until it is burned into my brain. I love to sing, so remembering the words to songs is … Continue reading
By Kaye Scheidler Last time on 「まるごとサメ事典」we looked at Chapter 0 and learned some general facts about sharks. Their anatomy, habits, and how to identify them. Now, we dive into the bulk of the Encyclopedia which is made up of 60 short articles on various species of sharks. I’m going to be picking these a … Continue reading
Japanese Energy Transition & Future Usage of Environment Log JETFUEL – 1 March 2023 Next week’s issue of JETFUEL will be an analysis of Japan’s nuclear energy industry, part two of two. If you would like to be added to this email list or know someone who is interested, shoot me an email. As always, … Continue reading
By Etienne van Rooyen Introduction: Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday period. I know many travelled home, travelled Japan, or just chilled (literally) out under your kotatsu. I spent way too much time and money zipping around ski fields and ice rinks, but I had a fantastic winter vacation … Continue reading
By Marco Blasco If you have found yourself anywhere near the world of video games in the past ten or so years, and are a fan of the action adventure genre, then I think you’d be hard pressed to not have heard of Dark Souls. Originally released in 2011, it was the game that launched … Continue reading
By Kaye Scheidler Welcome to this new column all about sharks! Brought to you by me, Kaye Scheidler, your local shark enthusiast and my source material for this column 「まるごとサメ事典：The Encyclopedia of Sharks」, a wonderful middle-grade book that I bought at Sendai aquarium over winter break. In this column, we’ll be looking at the many … Continue reading
Good Morning Aomori 