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A Japanese skink in between the cracks of the foundation of the ruins of Usuki Castle (Oita Prefecture). Unlike most skinks in Japan, this one lacks the rainbow stripes against the black body. He was running away when I took his picture, but I guess he wasn’t worried enough to pass up a meal.

As I still have a decent amount of material about Japan that I have yet to post, I plan on running this blog until I exhaust my reserves. After that, I haven’t decided whether or not to maintain it as a static archive or to keep on posting. In any case, I have some time … Continue reading »

I’m in an internet cafe in an airport in Korea, and I feel disembodied. My keitai no longer works, my apartment is as clean as the day it was first constructed, and I have turned in my gaijin card. There is no changing my mind now. Leaving Japan feels like I’m leaving home. Going back … Continue reading »

link (via Gorilla Mask via Warm Milk Comics)

There’s something to be said for small pictures taken with a cell phone. The first cameras on mobile phones were nothing more than toys, but I was able to get a lot out of my Mitsubishi D251 before it finally lost its picture taking capabilities. I actually preferred this model to its predecessor, the sleeker … Continue reading »

Today was the last day of work for some of us in the office, and to commemorate this occasion I am posting Huw’s “Countries of the World” flashcards. The flashcards are appropriate for elementary school level students, however, the spoofs are obviously not meant for anything other than entertainment value. If you are easily offended … Continue reading »

Question 1 What has the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the legs of a tiger, and the tail of a snake? Hint #1: Eating it is thought to cure the hiccups (I wonder what it tastes like and how it is prepared. I imagine it would make a decent miso-based nabe…). … Continue reading »