The school year here in Japan ends at the end of March, which means it was time for the 3rd year students to say goodbye to their time in high school. Being a teacher attending a graduation for the first time really made me pause and reflect on my own experience graduating.

I’ve talked about the food here in Japan a few times in passing, but it’s time to finally dig in. I’ve settled into a few go-to spots, and there’s still plenty of Japanese foods I’ve yet to try, but I can declare with certainty, Japanese food is damn tasty.

Like any culture, Japan has its share of social norms. Rules or practices that everyone is expected to know, or quickly learn, and follow. Theoretically, these guidelines are meant to form a common understanding of how one is supposed to behave.

It’s been 4 months since I left Canada. This is easily the longest I’ve been away from home, the previous record being maybe just 14 days. Between the snow making me nostalgic for home, and settling into a bit of a routine here in Japan, I miss home.

I was on the train riding from Tokyo station to my new home in Ibaraki when I first heard “Oh yeah, we were voted least attractive prefecture again this year” from the person riding with me. This certainly set off alarm bells in my head. What do you mean the place I just uprooted my whole life to go to was the worst in Japan?

I knew this would be a problem eventually, it’s plagued writers everywhere since the dawn of time afterall. After three months of writing, posting once, then twice, finally three times a week, I’ve been hit with writer's block.

I, like most people, am many things. However, one thing I’m not, or have ever been really, is terribly motivated.

After taking in the nightlife of Osaka, I wasn’t moving very quickly the next morning. I was struggling to decide how I wanted to spend my day, my body was telling me just to stay in bed all day. After going back and forth for what felt like ages, I decided to check out Den Den Town.

Free time, it’s something we often feel we never have enough of. We think of all the things we want to do when we get a chance. Yet sometimes, that time comes around and I’ve got not a single clue about how to fill it.

I woke up on my last day in Kyoto somewhat reluctantly. I knew there was still so much left to see in the city, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to leave. My hotel in Osaka was already booked though, so ready or not, it was time to go.

It was my first day back to school after a quick weekend trip to Tokyo. I had gone to Ikebukuro with a friend, a new area of Tokyo to explore. It was a fun little trip, going to a few bars, a Pokemon center, and even a Denny’s.

After an excellent day in Kyoto, I woke up sore, but full of energy. In just one day I had already seen enough that made me glad I took this trip. This was my last full day in Kyoto, and I was ready to explore more of the beautiful city.

I'm sure we'll all have those days, you don't want to get out of bed, you feel sluggish, and nothing seems to go your way. One Friday morning I was having exactly that kind of day.

Waking up in a Kyoto hotel room I was so excited. Today I would visit the Fushimi Inari Shrine and get to experience Hatsumōde, the first shrine visit of the new year.

I’ve talked a fair bit about my travels and my life here in Japan, but I’ve yet to really talk about something I do every day, my job. I’m working as an English teacher with the JET programme.

For the first time in my life (this blog is documenting a lot of firsts), I’ll be ringing in the new year not with friends or family, but in a new country. New Year’s is the biggest celebration of the year here in Japan, and I was excited to experience it first hand.

I knew I would have to make this decision eventually, but I didn’t know it would be so soon. Do I stay another year here in Japan? After having this decision weigh on my mind basically since I got here, I decided yes, I would stay here in Japan until August 2025

After an incredible time in Shibuya, I awoke feeling the weight of two days packed with exploration and discovery. I didn't know it yet, but my day in Shinjuku would be a brilliant conclusion to my first adventure in Tokyo.

I arrived in Japan November 6th, so it’s been about 2 and a half months since I started my new life in Japan.

Apologies for leaving you with a cliffhanger in part 1! As I was writing out this Shibuya entry, I'd quickly reached 7 pages, far too much for one post. Let's pick up where we left off and dive back into my day in Shibuya.