About This Blog — and the Person Behind It
Hi there! I’m Kenji — a regular guy in my 40s, living somewhere in the heart of Japan. 🗻
Not Tokyo. Not Osaka. Think rice fields, mountain views, green tea, and the kind of quiet that big cities have long forgotten. I live in the Chūbu region — central Japan — where the pace is slower, the food is fresher, and people still say good morning to strangers.
Why I Started This Blog
Honestly? It started with sushi.
I’ve been obsessed with washoku — traditional Japanese food — my whole life. Sushi, sashimi, grilled fish, miso soup at 7am… for me, Japanese food isn’t just something you eat. It’s a whole philosophy. It’s about seasons, simplicity, and respect for ingredients.
One day, I was trying to explain to a foreign colleague why I drove 40 minutes just to eat at a particular sushi restaurant. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. That moment made me realize: people outside Japan don’t fully understand what we have here. And I wanted to change that — one article at a time.
So in 2020, I started writing. In English. Which, I should warn you, is very much a work in progress. 😅
What I Actually Do When I’m Not Blogging
I’m a working adult with a regular job — nothing glamorous. But my real passion lives outside office hours.
On weekends, you’ll probably find me:
- 🍣 Hunting down the best local sushi or sashimi spots (I take this very seriously)
- 📺 Watching anime or reading manga — yes, even in my 40s, and I have zero regrets
- 🎌 Exploring local festivals, shrines, and the kind of “strange Japan” moments that remind me how wonderfully weird this country is
- 🌏 Learning about foreign cultures — because understanding others helps me understand my own
I grew up watching samurai dramas on TV with my grandfather. I remember my first time walking into Akihabara as a teenager and feeling like I had entered another dimension. I’ve eaten yakitori at tiny street stalls at midnight and attended festivals where grown men carry enormous portable shrines through narrow streets, shouting at the top of their lungs. These experiences shaped who I am — and they’re the kind of stories I want to share here.
What You’ll Find on This Blog
This blog covers the Japan I know and love:
- Washoku — Japanese food, recipes, and the culture behind every dish
- Japanese culture — from samurai history to modern-day manners
- Manga & Anime — because pop culture is culture
- Otaku culture — a world often misunderstood, but endlessly fascinating
- Strange things in Japan — the quirky, the baffling, the uniquely Japanese
There’s no strict agenda here. I write about whatever catches my attention, makes me laugh, or makes me want to say: “Wait — does the rest of the world know about this?”
A Note on My English
My English is self-taught and far from perfect. You might find awkward phrases, unusual word choices, or sentences that a native speaker would never write. But I think that’s okay. Language is a bridge, not a wall — and I’d rather build an imperfect bridge than never try at all.
If something sounds strange, please be patient with me. And if you spot a mistake, feel free to let me know. I’m always learning. 🙏
Let’s Connect
If you enjoyed something on this blog, have a question about Japan, or just want to say hello — I’d love to hear from you. Use the contact form and I’ll do my best to reply.
Thanks for being here. It genuinely means a lot.
— Kenji 🍣
