The French Community in Tokyo

This was back in May when I was invited to attend a music event being held at Institut Français du Japon in Tokyo. A bit difficult to see how busy it was but the courtyard of the Institute being used as a music venue to host Orelsan was packed. It was as though all French expats living in Tokyo gathered here. And they knew all the words to what the rapper had to say.

Happened on May 10, 2018.

Going on a Weekend Getaway to Xi’an, China

I took the last Friday of March and the first Monday of April off from work to spend a long weekend in Xi’an, China. China is such a huge country that you possibly cannot see everything in one go even if you had a month vacation time but Japan’s proximity to it gives us somewhat of an advantage and I occasionally do extended weekend visits.

There are direct flights between Tokyo and Xi’an but because of airline alliance, etc. and change of schedule by the airline beyond my control, I took a rather long journey to my destination spending a whole day travelling which included changing airports in Shanghai. Wasn’t simple but I got there in the end.

Happened on March 30, 2018.

Tokyo Cherry Blossoms 2018

They are the most beautiful thing. I did not get to see a lot this year and didn’t party under the trees but here is a very small viewing experience of this year’s cherry blossoms in Tokyo.

Happened during the week of March 26, 2018.

Cuisines of the World in Tokyo: a Kurdish Night

My two very good friends and I go out every month to try a new cuisine that is foreign (to us) and regional (with a couple of seasonal exceptions) and preferably run by someone local from the particular region and we have been doing this since I can’t remember when – maybe in the last five or six years and we are running out of regions to visit.

This past January our theme was Kurdish cuisine and we visited a Kurdish restaurant called “Mesopotamia” in Itabashi, Tokyo.