Ambling Around Aomori

By Clarissa Combe A little under a month from now, I’ll be packing my last bags into my car, hitting the road, and driving over 1000 km to the small seaside town of Beppu in Kyushu to start a new job and a new life melting in the sweltering heat for half of the year. … Continue reading →

Kicking Back in Kyoto

By Clarissa Combe Kyoto was the first place I visited in Japan. A few weeks after I arrived in Kobe for my year abroad in 2015, I popped over to Kyoto for the day with a few friends, changing trains in central Osaka before heading north through picturesque fields and small towns towards the ancient … Continue reading →

Thriving in Tokyo

By Clarissa Combe So far, this mini journey around Japan in the written form has taken us to many lesser-known destinations, most of which have been in the Tohoku region. As the chairwoman of the rural Japan and Tohoku fan club, it’s hard not to espouse the wonders of northern Japan at any given chance. … Continue reading →

Frolicking in Fukushima

By Clarissa Combe Fukushima: a prefecture best known for its worst day in recent history. When you tell anyone back home you plan on travelling around Fukushima, their response is almost always the same worried inquiry about the safety and the radiation levels — a fact I confirmed for myself when I told family and … Continue reading →

Introspecting in Iwate

By Clarissa Combe This month takes us on a very short hop over the prefectural border to Iwate. Given Aomori and Iwate’s close-knit geographical relationship, many Aomori JETs have already made the journey south and are probably far more knowledgeable than me. However, Iwate is one of my favourite and most-visited prefectures in Japan, so … Continue reading →

Healing in Hyogo

By Clarissa Combe The second stop on our prefecture-by-prefecture journey around Japan takes us down south to Kansai. No, this month’s article doesn’t cover the power siblings of traditional Kyoto and rambunctious Osaka, but rather their slightly more unassuming and awkward cousin, Hyogo Prefecture. The first thing that most people think of when asked about … Continue reading →

Yearning in Yamagata

By Clarissa Combe Give a perfectionist a list, and they will be inexplicably compelled to tick off every box. Give a completionist the knowledge that there are 47 prefectures in Japan — all with some unique culture to offer — and they will be possessed with a determination to visit all 47. Find a website … Continue reading →