One of the interesting differences between Japan and America is the relationship between seasons and scary things. In Japan summer is the season of scaring, which was kind of a culture shock for me. The way it was explained to me, summer is hot, so people seek out scary experiences to cool them down, which …
Hellooooooo, Shikokuchuo City! My name is Sean Montgomery, and from here on out I’ll be your new Coordinator of International Relations! I’m a high-tension, beer-swilling, manga-loving, rather loud guy from Upland, California (near Los Angeles). I moved to Matsuyama about 5 years ago, and now I’m ready for a brand new adventure right here in …
It doesn’t feel like that much time has passed, but somehow I find myself on the brink of saying goodbye to Shikokuchuo. It’s been a wonderful experience, filled with great people, fun events and lots of new discoveries. I’m sorry I couldn’t introduce more of those discoveries on this blog, but I’m sure my successor … Continue reading
Observing how American customs and traditions have been assimilated and adapted into Japanese life is one of my favorite parts of living in Japan. It’s always surprising to find a bit of America in an unexpected place. One such location is Bunbuku Chagama in Kawanoe, a beef stew restaurant. Now, I know that beef stew … Continue reading
One of my most exciting discoveries upon moving to Shikokuchuo was the Gujo Observatory. It was early June when my friend and I happened upon it on our way back from Suiha Highland. The sun was just setting as we drove down the switchback roads leading home. On a whim, we pulled into the Gujo Observatory parking … Continue reading
Living in Japan has made me me nostalgic for many things. I miss being on the same continent as my family, I miss my two puppies, I miss my friends, I miss wide open roads and central heating, but one of the things I miss the most is Mexican food – especially burritos. The thought … Continue reading
When I first learned that I’d be moving to Shikokuchuo-shi to work as a CIR my immediate reaction was to look it up on Wikipedia. In doing so I learned several important things: 1.) It was in Ehime (a prefecture I hadn’t heard of but that seemed to be famous for mikan) 2.) That the … Continue reading
