I totally get it. For the beginner, learning the Japanese language can seem totally overwhelming. There are 2 phonetic syllabaries (alphabets) of 46 base characters? Thousands of kanji (Chinese characters)? Urgh. ‘I’m just going on a 10 day trip to Japan. It’s not even worth trying.’ Slow down there a moment. You don’t need to Read more
Sometimes potential Japanese students ask: ‘Why can’t I pay lesson-by-lesson?’. After all, a block booking of 10 lessons of 90 minutes can seem like a large initial outlay of money (not to mention the commitment of time). I totally understand why busy people would ask to pay lesson-by-lesson, and that’s why I’d like to talk Read more
Do I Have Time to Learn Japanese?
Concerned about being able to understand and converse with the locals when they head to the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan this September, students have been asking me ‘How long will it take me to learn Japanese?’ and ‘Is it worth learning Japanese for a short trip?’. I know what you are expecting me Read more
Japanese Vinyl Printmaking
Tea ceremony? Flower arranging? Taiko drumming? London might just be the best place outside of Japan to learn a traditional art or craft! Interest in time-honoured Japanese arts continues to escalate; there’s just something so refreshing about the need to be present that is embodied within traditional arts. Instant mindfulness! These groups and foundations will Read more
Passion - Yamato Taiko Drummers at The Peacock
Emerging from the Yamato ‘Passion’ Japanese Taiko drum performance, my cheeks actually hurt from smiling. So touching was the troupe’s camaraderie, the exuberant energy, and polished professional delivery that I was grinning ear-to-ear for much of the show. It was moving in more ways than one – the intense vibrations from the massive drums could Read more
Has Spring Truly Sprung? There's only one way to find out... cherry blossom viewing!
Admiring the springtime blooms is a bit of a national obsession common to both Britain and Japan. They are being rapturously received in the UK in 2019 as we speak, and the first wave of cherry blossoms has started in Japan. Here in the UK we are known for seasonally swooning over daffodils, snowdrops and Read more
Happy New Year! Is 2019 The Year You Learn Japanese?
Are you thinking about learning Japanese this year? Studying the language and culture is an enriching experience which will absolutely open your mind and heart to different ways of thinking and doing things. However, January isn’t always the right time to start. Even though you might be feeling pressure to act on your 2019 resolutions Read more
Massive Ichiba Sake Fridge
The good news about making Japanese food at home: so many Japanese dishes are actually really easy to put together! Sometimes it even seems like more of an ‘assembly job’ than ‘cooking’, per se. Thus, the (kind of) bad news: this means the quality of each ingredient really shines through! So, you’ll want to source Read more