Inside One of Japan’s Roadside Sex Shops (NSFW)
I could feel my throat turning to sandpaper as my shirt wrapped its arms tighter around me. Another ball of sweat dislodged from my forehead, hurtled down the slope of…
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The Cape Toi Fire Festival
“I don’t see anything.” “Just wait for the next wave. Ok, now go! Move your hand around!” A tiny spec of blue suddenly appeared under the water. “Woah! I see…
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Takanabe Sunflower Festival
At different times in my life, August has either represented the approaching autumn, or the coming spring. And as if to echo those transitions, it has marked my most exciting…
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Bougie in Busan, Part 4: Gwangalli Beach
As I waited for Madelyn to finish freshening up, I watched night descend on Gwangalli Beach from the window of our Airbnb. Directly below, talking moths swarmed around the glow…
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Bougie in Busan, Part 3: The Temple by the Sea
“Do you have a bathroom?” I asked breathlessly. “Eh?” A woman and two men sat at a table in the restaurant, presumably waiting for customers to start their day. I…
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Bougie in Busan, Part 2: Yongdusan Park
“Almost there!” I panted over my shoulder. The narrow escalator that carries people from Gwangbok-ro Street up to Yongdusan Park was under maintenance so we were walking up the several…
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Bougie in Busan, Part 1: Gukje Market
“Get the vision, get the vision, get the vision, come -,” I executed the last of The Kills’ new album with a tug of my earphones when we touched down…
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Tomogashima: Japan’s Real Castle in the Sky
“Do you see the jellyfish?” Mark pointed excitedly into the water. I mumbled an acknowledgement, afraid that if I opened my mouth, something other than words would come out. We had…
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A Quick Guide to Osaka’s Korea Town
As we stepped out of the train station and into the attached undercover market that snakes towards the centre of Tsuruhashi, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. I was…
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Nagoya Castle and Hommaru Palace
After destroying an entire tower with the flick of his tail, Godzilla approaches a tall, white building with full force. But then he stumbles and falls into instead, nonetheless sending…
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A Quick Guide to Osaka’s Hipster Town
There is no Japanese word for ‘hipster’, which, ironically, is about as hipster as you can get. The closest you’ll find to the Western pejorative here is “ultra individual” (超個性的) or “one who…
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