I have this café completely made up in my head. The afternoon sun hits these worn wood tables through the front windows. You hear low chatter, spoons clinking against pottery, and whatever quiet music is playing in the background. It smells like dark coffee, warm cake, and cinnamon. The cups are handmade, a little crooked,…
Category: Japanese Culture
Between Japan and Korea
Ever since I got back from Korea, people keep asking me the same thing: “So… which did you like better, Japan or Korea?” Honestly, I don’t have a real answer. I’ve been lucky enough to visit both, and they’re both special in totally different ways. I love them for different reasons, and I don’t think…
The Everyday Mindfulness of Japan
I remember one afternoon in particular. I’d ducked into a tiny café somewhere in Kyoto. It had maybe just a few seats, a handwritten menu, and soft late-afternoon light coming through the window. I ordered an iced matcha and a soft red bean paste sweet with cinnamon, wrapped in mist-warabi dough. They went together better…