Why Are there so many Empty Houses in Japan? Beyond the Akiya Dream
Why does Japan have millions of empty houses? Beyond the cheap akiya myth lies a story of inheritance, depopulation and the future of rural communities.
Three Days in Angkor, and Everything Beyond
Angkor was the reason I went to Cambodia. It was not the reason Cambodia stayed with me. Those days in Siem Reap became a journey through history, beauty, craft and a country I already know I want to return to.
Ogasawara Islands, Tokyo: Japan’s UNESCO World Heritage Hidden Gem Explained
Of all the places I’ve travelled, this journey stays with me the most. Reaching Chichijima, one of Tōkyō’s remote Ogasawara Islands, takes twenty-four hours by ferry. No flights, no internet, only sea and silence. Yet in that distance I found something I hadn’t expected: the rare kind of connection that doesn’t need a signal.
Japan’s Pottery Villages: A Guide to Traditional Ceramics and Clay Culture
Smoke rises from a kiln in Mashiko, and the scent of clay and cedar hangs in the air. In Japan’s pottery villages, earth, fire and human hands still shape one another. Slowly, stubbornly, beautifully.
What is a Kissaten? Japan’s Traditional Coffee Culture Explained
In a city that rewrites itself each decade, a few rooms still resist the clock. Behind fogged windows and heavy curtains, the air smells of roasted beans and tobacco; a record hums faintly through the static. These are Tōkyō’s kissaten 喫茶店 — traditional coffeehouses that survive on ritual, reputation and the quiet loyalty of regulars.
Akai Ito: The Japanese Red Thread of Fate
Japanese culture is not necessarily renowned for its romanticism, yet it contains many deeply emotional and poignant tales. Among these, the legend of a red thread stands out: A mystical bond that is said to unite the fates and souls of two people inseparably, transcending time and space. This beautiful metaphor reflects the profound connections that exist beyond the visible world.
Back to Abbeyglen: A Meeting with Ireland’s Past
In the rugged hills of Connemara stands an ancient castle that once offered refuge to Ireland’s forgotten children. Today, its weathered walls warmly welcome travellers from every corner of the globe. When I met a man who had grown up there as an orphan, the country’s complex and often painful past suddenly felt vividly close and deeply personal.