Blog category for various hobbies / interests. [Parent Category: The Mikan Blog]

Tell Me About the Rabbits

Tell Me About the Rabbits

Anna Sheffer

From fox villages to cat cafes, Japan has a reputation for animal tourism. And one of the most unique examples is Okunoshima — an island overrun with rabbits — located between Ehime and Hiroshima prefectures in the Seto Inland Sea. After hearing rave reviews, some friends and I decided to visit the island in mid-March.

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Never Give Up: the Japanese community theatre experience

By Rowan Carmichael

Musical theatre isn’t easy. You have to be able to sing, dance and act, as well as give the commitment that any performance requires. To do a musical, you need a “Never Give Up” kind of mindset. I had the chance to be in a musical about a man with that very mindset — Sogo Shinji, the founder of the shinkansen. “Full speed ahead! The Shinkansen Dream ~The Story of Kiku and Shinji,” centered on Shinji’s motto “Yuufazu” (有法子 “Never give up” in Chinese) and how he never gave up on Saijo, his wife, or the shinkansen.

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A Gamer’s Guide to Leveling up Your Japanese

By Rowan Carmichael

Want to level up your Japanese? Everyone has their own method, but there’s nothing like making your hobby a +1 bonus to language learning. Some JETs come to Japan, or even start learning the language, because they love games, so time to level up the gamer way.

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