Small Town America thrives in Japan. Some life and marketing lessons learned at the Yokota Air Base Friendship Festival The Yokota Air Base Friendship Festival is small-town American Culture on steroids. After spending a weekend working with a charitable organization at the Yokota Air Base, Tokyo, I came away with…

I didn’t see it coming. I’ve entered full-contact Karate tournaments, run marathons, survived college football training camps, bungy jumped and built a small business in a foreign country (Japan.) Still, nothing caused me more trepidation, nor was anything more challenging than being a father to a Japanese daughter. When I…

My experiences with Japan’s men in blue One evening in 1992, I answered a knock on the door and met two Japanese police officers. They asked me about my whereabouts the day before. I had been in Korea on business and had returned only a few hours before the police…

Lessons in Life from two great Coaches Early in my career (1990), my firm had the opportunity to recruit American football coaches for two Japanese corporate teams. Yes, the Japanese play American football. (An Anglican Missionary name Paul Rausch introduced the game to the Japanese in the 1930s and started…

Things to know about Marvel’s first Ambassador to the land of the rising sun. One of the advantages of living in Tokyo is the opportunity to encounter famous and exciting visitors to the city. Yes, New York, London, and Vancouver offer equal chances to meet people, but there is a…

We can’t avoid death, taxes, and the tradition of gift money Remember receiving a few dollars in a card from Grandparents at Christmas or on your birthday? This practice is common and critical to navigating through important events while living in Japan. Cash gifts are inherent in the cultural fabric…

An accident and a near miss There were 300 thousand motor vehicle accidents, with 2610 fatalities in Japan in 2022. Travelers on the streets of Tokyo regularly witness these sometimes tragic and consistently disruptive collisions. I left my home early for a Monday morning run several years ago. The air…

The Japanese gangster who sold his skin Recounting a bittersweet and surreal day in Tokyo In my experience, very few days capsulated the roller coaster of emotions that I experienced on a warm May Sunday afternoon in Tokyo over two decades ago. After traveling from my home in Kawasaki, I…

Consider treating yourself to a few luxuries. Accommodation, dining, local transportation, and shopping in Bangkok are available at bargain prices for travelers in Thailand. There are also opportunities to enjoy luxury goods and services at prices far lower than in North American and European cities. We’ve decided to take advantage of the first-class experiences offered in Thailand…