An island off the coast of COVID-19 presses pause on tradition
Smaller towns in Japan aren't having to deal with the pandemic directly, but its effects are still being felt on lifestyles as festivals opt to cancel celebrations.
My life on the run from COVID-19
Right now I am in voluntary self-quarantine after returning from overseas. When I flew into Kansai International Airport from the island of Bali on March 23, Indonesia wasn’t on the list of countries with known coronavirus infections, and local authorities had not yet asked ...
Eco-friendly gift-giving in a society that's overwrapped
We're all trying to do our best to help the environment, but some efforts may take more than just buying something with the word "eco" attached to it.
There's a case for climate concern but not everyone in Japan is ready to go the extra mile
The people living on Shiraishi Island are already recycling, composting and reusing their plastic bags. How do we convince them to take the next step in environmental awareness?
A Japanese tradition to greet the new year
One new year tradition that has managed to stick around is making mochi, just make sure to watch your hands while you do it.
Waves of change washed over the Seto Inland Sea during the 2010s
Attracting international tourists used to be the goal. Events and trends over the past decade, however, have caused a small island to rethink their tourism strategy.
Are Japanese classes in the countryside cram school worth moving out of the city?
It seems like a good idea, move to the country and focus on Japanese. And it works, it just depends on what kind of Japanese you want to learn.
Lifestyles on the Seto Inland Sea change with advancements in the fishing industry
When I first came to Japan, I was stunned by the beauty of the Seto Inland Sea. Its thousands of peaked islands look as if they'd dropped straight from the sky and settled like gum drops on the water. Stretching 450 kilometers from Osaka ...
An island festival steeped in history
In 1185, Japan's Taira (Heike) and Minamoto (Genpei) clans played out the final battle of the Genpei War, the result of which would have a profound effect on Japan ushering in its first shogun with Kamakura as the shogunate. In the latter part of the ...
Humanity is sure to come through for those on a modern pilgrimage
As I made my way up the steep road to Kakurin Temple — aka Temple No. 20, I realized how foolish I had been to have bought a bicycle. Rising at dawn, I had ticked off temples 18 and 19 of the 88-temple Shikoku ...
A Buddhist priest reflects on growing up on Shiraishi Island during a time of war
Living on an island that was too small to receive direct attacks didn't stop the people living there from having to take extreme measures.
One woman's story illustrates the bittersweet charm of life in the Seto Island Sea
Mitsuko Amano was born in year 19 of the Showa Era (1944). World War II was still a year away from ending, and at the time nearly 2,000 people made their living on Shiraishi (White Stone) Island, the place she called home in the ...
