Monthly Archives: April 2023

Interesting Japanese Playground Structures #40 – Egypt Park

Many of the parks and children’s playgrounds in Japan, particularly in Tokyo, are quite poor compared to other countries in terms of space, surroundings and a lack of grass. However, a handful of them do tend to possess extremely creative structures … Continue reading

Posted in Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

This Unique Fish Shrine Is A Great Plaice To Visit

From time to time one needs to trout themselves to a day out so earlier this year I went to one of Tokyo’s neighbouring prefectures. It was a ridiculously early start as I left home just after 5:00 am and took … Continue reading

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Visiting Every Station On The Quaintest Rural Line In The Greater Tokyo Area

  Whilst all city stations in Japan are generally in very good condition, the countryside ones can be a different story. One such place that I’d seen online which looked like it was stuck in a bygone era was located … Continue reading

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This Piglet Cafe in Tokyo Makes You Squeal With Joy!

Seeing the words “pig cafe” may make some people think that this is a place specialising in pork-based dishes but thankfully this is just the latest in a never-ending line of animal-based cafes in Japan.   First there were cat … Continue reading

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TF Flashback: The Northern Delights of Vietnam – Hanoi, Sapa & Halong Bay (2013)

Vietnam is a deceptively big country – over one and a half thousand kilometres from north to south, although only around 50 km wide at its narrowest point. With these long distances in mind, I could only ever get round … Continue reading

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Alphabet Dating In Japan With My Wife Who Was Still Completely Unaware Of The Task At Hand! (S02E03 K-O)

  Season one (as well as the prequel season zero) of alphabet dating certainly pushed the boundaries of what a “date” is, and that continues in season two with some very tenuous examples for each letter of the alphabet. For … Continue reading

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12 Hours In Niigata City: Fine Views, Castle Ruins, Architecture, Statues, Football, Local Sweets & Friends Reunited!!

When I started to plan this trip to Niigata I was expecting to stay in the city centre but the high prices of hotels there meant that I had to look further afield. It was a blessing in disguise really … Continue reading

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This Star Wars Galaxy Is Not So Far, Far Away As It’s Just In Tokyo (But For A Limited Time!)

  For the last few years now, Star Wars has been all about the medium of TV with Disney Plus churning out shows at quite a rapid rate. In just the last 15 months or so there has been ‘The … Continue reading

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Watching The Non-League Football Team Inspired By A Japanese Cartoon Hero!

The iconic Captain Tsubasa has appeared in various comic book magazines, cartoons and video games since its creation in 1981. It became one of the most memorable manga and anime worldwide, and really helped popularise football in Japan. Some of … Continue reading

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It’s Taken 25 Years Longer Than Expected But I Have Finally Seen Ash Live In Concert!

The mid to late 1990s was my favourite era for music and I was lucky enough to have seen pretty much every band I wanted to (Oasis, Blur, The Verve, Shed Seven, Suede, Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers, Cast, Ocean Colour … Continue reading

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