 Ten essential experiences to have in the prefecture we call home. Affectionately known as the bellybutton of Japan, Hyogo is a treasure trove of fun and adventure. Thanks to an expansive train network, several ferry ports, innumerable bus routes and its own airport, Hyogo is a very accessible prefecture – which is ideal because there…
For the last year, with the help of various contacts, I have been reaching out to Hyogo JET alumni, pestering them about what they have been doing since finishing up on the JET programme. For me, it has been inspiring to learn about the career and life paths of our ALT contemporaries. [Alumni – if…
Sushi is probably Japan’s most well-known cuisine and in the country you are spoilt for choice, with such a huge variety of price, quality and venue. For the freshest fish it makes sense to eat sushi straight off the boat, and Japan’s incredible wholesale markets are ideal for this. For many, Tokyo’s Tsukiji market is top of the list…
Hey there Hyogo, As I sat down to write this, my final Editor’s letter, a huge thunder storm began. Out I went onto my balcony to watch the lights and marvel at the view which just never gets old. Sure, I was procrastinating, I’ll even admit to indulging in a little melancholia. But that’s natural…
  Leaving home for university coincided with my father discovering the entertainment possibilities of the Internet. Subsequently we have maintained a rather sweet father-daughter e-mail communication sharing YouTube videos, rugby match reports and location-related news articles. One such e-mail pinged into my inbox in February: a scanned clipping from the Times about Japanese research…
Greetings! Now don’t hate me, but I have been craving the arrival of the rains for some weeks now. I know, I know, spring is a delightful time of year in Japan and I should savour it while it lasts, but I just can’t. I think it’s partly that the season starts so gloriously…
 This month former Hyogo Times editor, Australian born, Matthew Stott took the time to answer a few questions about his life since leaving Hyogo. Matt was based in Tarumi 2007 – 2010 when he worked at Akashi and Takatsuka Senio High Schools. 1)   What did you do immediately after leaving JET? My…
 This month we meet Scott Dixon from the USA who resided in Sasayama 2007 – 2010. What did you do immediately after leaving JET? Panicked. Then, after applying for just about every job possible, I stupidly booked a one-way ticket to New York and hoped for the best. Luckily, I landed a…
 The Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海), surrounded by Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, is a veritable treasure trove of adventure. You can take the longest suspension bridge in the world, Akashi-KaikyÅ, to Awaji Island to feast on onions. From Awaji, or Shikoku’s Tokushima prefecture, there are the turbulent Naruto whirlpools where Japan’s fastest currents make one…