the writings, musings, and photography of a dream smith
is for zairyou, or the Japanese word for ingredients. Life in Japan can be a wonderful experience, but not everyone who comes here loves it, or understands it. Beyond the obvious language and custom barriers, there is also the physical barrier (if you look foreign, then you will always be foreign) and social barrier. Some people…
is for yuki matsuri, or the Japanese word for snow festival. Of all the trips I've made to Japan, my seven-day-stint in Hokkaido has got to be the most memorable. I talked briefly about it in my F is for 冬 post earlier this month, but today I'm going to share a few snippets of the…
is for batsu, or the Japanese word for wrong, typically written as 'X'. As a teacher, I use "batsu" a lot. But I'm not going to use this post to talk about what was "wrong" with anything; rather, I'm going to talk about my misconception about teaching in general. When I first arrived in Japan,…
is for fushigi, or the Japanese word for wonder. There are so many wondrous, marvelous places in Japan; too many to speak of them all in a post like this. Since coming to Japan, I have gone to so many interesting places and had so many wonderful experiences. I can only hope that when I…
is for jihanki, or the Japanese word for vending machine. Summers in Kyoto are quite hot, and winters are frigid. When you're outside trying to get from place to the next, staying hydrated and warm is no easy feat. It can seem hard to justify a cafe visit or stop-in at a supermarket for a…
Ariel Hudnall 