It’s a rainy day in Tokyo and the delicate sakura flowers are in season, quietly blooming. A symbol of new beginnings, ephemerality, and the sheer beauty of nature; cherry blossoms fill me with hope as well as a strange longing for things that don’t last. Ah, sentimental musings for a…

Welcome to my mixed place. From my identity, interests, thoughts (and feelings) — everything is a little mixed. I’m Emma, a Japanese-Kiwi with a bit of an Aussie accent, forging (stumbling onto) my own unconventional path. From studies in classical ballet and neuroscience, I’m now working at a creative agency…

Roe v. Wade (1973), the landmark case which made abortion legal in the United States was overturned by the Supreme Court on Friday, effectively removing the constitutional right to an abortion in some states. This is a short compilation of things that I’ve been reading to learn more about the…

A reminder to trust myself, hands-free — One day in October last year, I had a revelational moment on my bike. This is what I jotted down that day. Today was the first time I rode my bike hands-free. I had tried before, letting go of one hand and then a few more fingers, down to the…

My experience as a newbie-resident in Tokyo — I’m Japanese-Kiwi but haven’t actually lived in Japan since I was little. Now, I’ve made the move to Tokyo (which was a feat in itself), and wanted to share some thoughts / experiences as I go. A quick note on COVID-19 With another surge in COVID-19 cases, Japan still has pretty strict international border rules…

A rare sight for Tokyo as snowfall blanketed the capital in white on Thursday 6th Jan. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a heavy snowfall warning for the region, which hasn’t happened since 2018. According to Kyodo News, 10cm of snow had accumulated in Central Tokyo by Thursday evening, causing disruptions…

New Year’s is likely the biggest event in the Japanese national calendar. Officially, only Jan 1st (元日 ganjitsu) is a public holiday, but most businesses and stores are closed between Dec 30th and Jan 3rd. This New Year’s season is known as お正月 oshōgatsu. It’s a time filled with tradition…

As we all know, the prospect of international travel has come and gone in waves, that is, waves of COVID-19 infections. But with the emergent COVID-19 variant Omicron causing global concern, Japan has banned entry of foreign residents and enforced stronger quarantine measures for returning Japanese nationals. If you’re eligible…

“Joining a start-up is very different from joining an established company. The main difference is the lack of structure in a start-up, which has an impact on work hours, processes, and working relationships. …