Kagoshima Prefecture: Dormant on the Surface, Active Below
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Kagoshima Prefecture: Dormant on the Surface, Active Below

  Who are you and where are from? What year are you on JET? Where do you teach and what level? Hello! My name is Shane Allen. Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I came to rural Kagoshima by way of the neon lit Las Vegas, Nevada. I am currently here on my second year teaching in…

Better Know a Ken: Ibaraki or Ibarrrrragi!
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Better Know a Ken: Ibaraki or Ibarrrrragi!

In Ibaraki, my home for the last 9 months, it’s both common and fun to say the prefecture’s name with a long, rolling “r” while switching the “k” for the “g”: “Ibarrrragi!” Despite the energetic name, many people may not know much about Ibaraki-ken. However, they might know our prefecture’s mascot, Mito Komon. Other than…

Better Know a Ken: What is Miyazaki?
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Better Know a Ken: What is Miyazaki?

Miyazaki? What is that? Do you mean Hayao Miyazaki, the famous animator or perhaps his son, Gorou Miyazaki? Or perhaps you are more familiar with the words Hamasaki (Ayumi Hamasaki), or Miyagi? No, I meant Miyazaki, as in Miyazaki prefecture. Before I came to Japan, I also had no idea about this prefecture. Now, I would like to introduce you to wonderful Miyazaki Prefecture and all it has to offer.

Better Know a Ken: Mie
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Better Know a Ken: Mie

Opening my mail box to discover that I’d been accepted to be an ALT by the BOE of Kuwana in Mie, I was very happy. Yay, I have a job! But, where is Mie? I did as many recently accepted JETs probably did, and googled the location of my future home.

There wasn’t much about Mie on the internet, but I did find a map, information about the former asthma capital, Yokkaichi, and the mythical birthplace of Amaterasu, Ise…