The Grammar of Sacred Space in Asia and the Islamic world
The same basic questions are being asked in all these places and more: How do we build for eternity? What does sacred space owe to heaven, and what does it owe to earth?
What to Look for When Inspecting a Japanese House
I’ll be upfront about something: I did not get a professional inspection on my Otaru house. I walked through it once, in winter, with snow on the ground, and looked at the rooms, turned on a few faucets, checked that the lights worked. Brief. Cursory. The kind of walkthrough where you’re already emotionally committed and …
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My First Meal in India: Standing Tall at Prince Chaat
I stepped off the plane in Delhi with zero expectations of how quickly India would win me over. The air was thick with heat, honking horns, and the distant scent of spices. Jet-lagged but buzzing with excitement. The screens on the Air India flight from South Korea had broken and I found myself sharing a …
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Japanese Houses Are Not Built to Last — And That’s the Point
A 40-year-old house in the United States is normal. A 40-year-old house in England is new. A 40-year-old house in Japan is a tear-down. This is the single most disorienting thing about Japanese real estate for Western buyers. The house you’re looking at — solid foundation, intact roof, functioning plumbing — is valued at zero. …
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Hokkaido’s New Chitose. The Airport That Became a Destination.
New Chitose is the airport you actually want when your flight is delayed, when you’ve got three hours to kill before boarding, when you’re arriving with family who need somewhere to be for an afternoon. It’s the airport where locals from Sapporo will drive out specifically to eat at the ramen dojo or pick up Royce’ bread, because the airport versions are genuinely that good.
Can You Make Money Renting Out a Japanese Property?
Maybe. But probably not the kind of money you’re imagining. When people hear “I bought a house in Japan for $20,000,” the next sentence out of their mouth is usually about Airbnb. They picture a ski-season rental near Niseko, a canal-district listing pulling ¥15,000 a night, passive income flowing while they sit on a beach …
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