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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
By Pokere Paewai Welcome back to Media Bug. The new year is upon us and I hope everyone had a good break over the holiday period. I also hope everyone out there is safe, snug, and wrapped up under the kotatsu. I’m gonna do something a little bit different in this version of Media Bug. … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
By Brent Peters Well, this didn’t take long. Three articles in, and I’m recommending something I find equal parts incomprehensible and phenomenal. Unlucky Morpheus, for the many people unaware, is a band whose selling point is the combination of technical solos, operatic motifs, and Gothic-inspired lyrics. I have now described the band better than its … Continue reading
By Robert Kondo Continue reading
Good Morning Aomori 