I've just retired from 40 years in Japanese higher education. I'm happy, however, because I'm completely healthy. I just had a catheter operation that fixed the irregular heartbeat that was concerning for several months.

I still belong to the EU-Asia digital partnerships grant project, and a long presentation on Japan to students from California is scheduled for May.

I'm already back to outdoor activities, as you can see with these photos of sakura cherry blossoms in the castle ruins park near our house.

https://www.alojapan.com/1233125/osaka-and-toyama-make-nytimes-list-of-places-to-go/ Osaka and Toyama make NYTimes list of places to go #English #Fukushima #Japan #news #nippon #NTV #Osaka #OsakaTopics #TV #大阪 #大阪府 The New York Times published its “52 Places to Go in 2025” on January 7, and featured Toyama City as its 30th destination among various destinations from around the world. The article introduces the Toyama Glass Art Museum, which was designed by Kuma Kengo, and the Owara Kaze no Bon festival, which is held annually…

The Japan Pavilion at the World Exposition in Osaka, which will feature exhibits linked to the six-month event's theme of "designing a future society for our lives," has been completed. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/31/japan/osaka-expo-japan-pavilion-completed/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #2025osakaexpo #osaka #masakazutokura

https://www.alojapan.com/1231882/all-origami-butterfly-locations-in-assassins-creed-shadows/ All origami butterfly locations in Assassin’s Creed Shadows #Assassin'sCreedShadowsGuides #guides #news #Osaka #OsakaNews #pc #PlayStation #xbox #大阪 #大阪府 You’ll be asked to find 10 origami butterflies as part of “The Butterfly Collector” quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows that you can pick up once you reach Osaka. It’s part of the People of Settsu board on your Objectives menu. In Osaka, you’ll meet a woman who has hidden the butterflies aroun…

https://www.alojapan.com/1230842/future-city-pavilion-for-expo-2025-osaka-kansai-revealed/ Future City pavilion for EXPO 2025 Osaka-Kansai revealed #English #Fukushima #Japan #news #nippon #NTV #Osaka #OsakaTopics #TV #大阪 #大阪府 The first images of the exterior of the Future City pavilion for World Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai have been released. The large pavilion, which is part of the Expo that begins next April, is 150 meters (492 feet) long, 33 meters (108 feet) wide, and was built facing Osaka Bay. The origami-styled mesh screen cladd…

https://www.alojapan.com/1230216/massive-life-size-gundam-statue-revealed-for-the-osaka-expo/ Massive ‘Life-Size’ Gundam Statue Revealed for the Osaka Expo #BandaiNamco #culture #Editor'sPick #Gundam #Osaka #OsakaKansaiExpo #OsakaTopics #space #tech #technology #大阪 #大阪府 このページを 日本語 で読む On October 23, Bandai Namco Holdings (HD) gave a press preview of the assembly of a life-sized Gundam statue’s head. Bandai is set to showcase a pavilion inspired by the world of the popular anime Mobile Suit Gundam at the 2025 Osaka-Kan…

Michelin’s latest guide for Kyoto and Osaka awards stars to 172 restaurants, including Japan’s first star for Mexican cuisine. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/03/28/food-drink/michelin-kyoto-osaka-2025/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #fooddrink #michelin #kyoto #osaka #finedining

On the morning of March 27, cherry blossoms have started blooming in Osaka! This is the same date as usual and 3 days earlier than last year. #sakura #cherryblossom #osaka

A discrepancy relating to the handling of visitors' personal information has been discovered in the privacy policy of the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion at the 2025 World Exposition. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/26/japan/osaka-expo-privacy-policy-errors/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #2025osakaexpo #osaka #personalinformation

Osaka police on Tuesday arrested a 29-year-old Japanese man who had been detained in Thailand for allegedly tricking a Japanese high school student into committing fraud from Myanmar. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/25/japan/japanese-myanmar-fraud-arrest/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #fraud #japanesepolice #osaka #myanmar #thailand

Enhancing women's participation in society will be an important theme of the 2025 Osaka Expo, which starts in mid-April. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/25/japan/osaka-expo-women-empowerment/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #2025osakaexpo #women039sissues #osaka

The Osaka District Court has rejected a petition for damages for coercive interrogations in an embezzlement case in which a former company president was later acquitted. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/21/japan/lawsuit-coercive-interrogations/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #pressance #shinobuyamagishi #osaka #lawsuits #daisuketabuchi #japanesecourts

I think we all have these narratives in our heads and it can be hard to get out of your own head and out of those narratives and patterns. Travel gets me out of that though. Holy shit did travel get me out of that in 2024. Japan was wonderful but I have vivid memories of this urban colourful loneliness in Osaka. This journey burned my pain away and made it excruciating at the same time. A big fire is a big reset.

While I’m waiting for my instagram to finish importing, here’s #HirohikoAraki ‘s #fountainboy in #osaka #japan . I can’t wait to go back in October. #JoJosBizarreAdventure
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https://pixelfed.social/p/Plasticbluemusic/807709665361777064

Osaka police plan to arrest a Japanese man held in Thailand for allegedly forcing a Japanese high school student to participate in a fraud scheme in Myanmar on suspicion he imprisoned an acquaintance in Osaka last year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/03/18/japan/crime-legal/myanmar-arrest-osaka/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #myanmar #osaka #fraud #humantrafficking #japanesepolice

It's sunny in Osaka right now! #tenki #weather #osaka

晴天大阪☆ #tenki #weather #osaka

The upcoming World Exposition in Osaka Prefecture offers an opportunity for small manufacturers in the prefecture to showcase their sophisticated technologies to the world. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/03/17/companies/local-manufacturers-expo/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #2025osakaexpo #osaka #manufacturing #clothing #tech