Bright Life! Bright Life!
When we think of progress we immediately think of numbers- how much more money did I make, how many pounds did I lose, how many words did I write? We like progress that we can quantify. Ironically, one of the things holding us back from progress is something unquantifiable and quite abstract. So what could [...]
I started running in 2018 when I came to Japan. I hardly knew anyone, the closest gym was a 40-minute drive away and I thought running would be the best way to explore the abundance of nature that was around me. Before then, I didn't run. Ever. Even in the gym, I’d choose to walk [...]
I’ve been hand-writing letters since I was 16, when my friend moved a couple of hours away for college. I decided it would be cool to write to him, even though we could always message and call. It was like retro and cute af. From then, writing became a bonus way to keep up with [...]
White pythons dwelling in castles, monkey mountains and now… owls!? That trip to Beppu was certainly animal-orientated! On our way home from Beppu we stopped off in the small onsen town of Yufuin. This town is often preferred by travellers when compared to its...less...polished neighbour (but I prefer the raffishness of Beppu). For me, Yufuin [...]
This week's post is a special one! I'm sharing my super awesome, surprisingly easy fitness and weight-loss strategy with you guys. I've been pretty consistent in following this self-made plan for the last six weeks now and I'm happy to say that I'm already seeing results! I've lost 7kg (15 pounds) so far, without major [...]
It’s like laughing at something that looks funny from a distance, then having it run at you full force and realising that you were laughing at a giant fucking cave troll. COVID-19 wiggled into my consciousness at the end of January. Before then I was focused on going back to the UK for Christmas and [...]
Good morning Starshine, the Earth says hello! Hearing this first thing in the morning is hell for some people. You know them, maybe you’re even one of them, the grumpy-lidded morning hater, quilt pulled to chin as though allergic to morning itself. My sister is one of those people and so is my mum. Well...my mum [...]
A volcano, historical Japanese estate, sapphire blue ocean, UNESCO museum, a cute Starbucks…. Sengan-en has it all. I visited this feudal estate, built in 1658 by Shimadzu Mitsuisha of the Shimadzu clan, before Ste went back to the UK. It was recommended by my awesome friend and Kagoshima connoisseur, Lydia. Her recommendations are consistently brilliant [...]
Why is Totoro so popular? Is it Ghibli’s magically simplistic yet detailed anime style? The elegant soundtrack drawn from "Western classical, Japanese classical, and electropop-minimalism"? Is it the mesmerising weaving of Japanese culture with humour, entertainment and reverence? Or is it our fat, fluffy Totoro himself with his big ol’ smile? Whatever the reason, Totoro [...]
Monkeys, monkeys, monkeys, everywhere you look there are monkeys! Of course, I’m talking about Takasakiyama, Beppu’s famous monkey mountain; full to the brim with one of the most Instagrammable features of Japan- Japanese macaques. On my recent trip to Beppu, I decided to visit the park, after missing it during my first trip (apparently the [...]