March 2023– date –

In the popular places for cherry blossoms in the peak season, you can see many blue ground sheets spreading all over under cherry trees. Even though a good spot is secured somehow, most people just enjoy drinking and eating, and only few people look up cherry blossoms. This is the reality of cherry blossom viewing parties in contemporary Japan.

I must confess, I don't understand art at all. We argue the true value of a museum is not authenticity, but the quiet, surreal experience. Discover the Simulacra Paradox: The Otsuka Museum displays every masterpiece as a durable ceramic replica, allowing you to see the Mona Lisa without the mob. This is the true, subtle luxury: processing the surreal world of art in quiet, deliberate comfort.

Why does a Japanese person who hates the smell of raw fish insist you visit his mountain-surrounded hometown for the best sushi? I explore the Sushi Paradox, noting the scientific mystery of our elusive tastes (I love fishing, but won't touch the catch!). While Hokkaido's seas are bountiful due to colliding currents, the logic is in logistics: Asahikawa, the inland distribution hub, gathers the best fish—the quality too high to stay on the coast. Come to Asahikawa for the best sushi! (I’ll order the cooked egg.)