阪神淡路大震災 (Hanshin awaji daishinsai) - Hanshin Awaji Great Earthquake

The recent events in Japan with the 東北 (とうほく - Touhoku) 地震 (じしん - jishin - earthquake) come as another tragic reminder of the devastation that can be caused by natural disasters. Being one of the most 地震-prone countries in the world, Japan is shaken by hundreds of tremors every year and unfortunately, some are orders of magnitude worse than the usual cupboard-rattling shake. In the face of all the destruction, I think the resilience and ingenuity of the Japanese people is to be admired; early warning signals, 地震-resistant buildings and a rapid response to the crisis surely all played a part in minimising the losses. You don't need to look too far to see where all the experience came from - in 1995, the 阪神淡路大震災 became one of the most infamous chapters in the history of 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) and formed the basis for future 地震 response across Japan.

Japaneats その8 - 河豚 (ふぐ - fugu) - Blowfish

Most people have heard of 河豚, a highly poisonous fish and Japanese 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) delicacy for the world's more adventurous diners. Its infamy is well known and at times, it's hard to separate fact from fiction; for every uneventful dinner story, you'll have one where none lived to tell the tale. In Japanese, 河豚 is nicknamed "鉄砲" (てっぽう - teppou - "gun"), feeding its popular image as a culinary game of Russian roulette. Whether the notoriety is earned or not, I figure it's worth trying at least once if you're here but it's really up to you whether you risk pulling the trigger.

日本の四つの季節その4：冬 (にほんのよつのきせつそのよん：ふゆ） - The Four Seasons of Japan 4: Winter

冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) is the first and last season of the Japanese year, its icy fingers officially taking hold in December and refusing to loosen until the start of 春 (はる - haru - Spring) in early April. Like 夏 (なつ - natsu - Summer), 冬 takes up more than its fair share of the year and it's just as uncomfortable, particularly for people used to living south of the Equator. Having said that, it can be extraordinarily beautiful, it plays host to one of the most spectacular festivals of the year and best of all, noone will notice your クリスマス (Christmas) kilos under that big coat. Grab your scarf and gloves, because it's cold out there.