Memory, longing, and life between two countries The other day my wife and I went to see Bryan Adams in concert. This guy really rocks. And I don’t just mean in a 'good for his age' sense – which is usually polite shorthand for 'still upright and not entirely embarrassing'. No, he genuinely rocks. Especially when you consider that he’s 66. Sixty-six! An age where most people start complaining about their knees, their eyesight, and music all sounds the same these days. Meanwhil

Mountains, identity, and Swiss nostalgia abroad If there is one thing Japanese people know about Switzerland, it is this: Mountains. Alps. Snow. Yodelling, possibly while skiing downhill. As soon as they find out I’m Swiss, the conversation inevitably drifts upwards. Literally. 'You must have grown up surrounded by mountains.' 'You probably went hiking every weekend.' I usually nod politely, because explaining reality takes longer than smiling. The truth is this: yes, Switzer

Searching for Swiss comfort food in Japan Growing up in Switzerland, bread wasn’t just food. It was infrastructure. Bread had a starring role at breakfast, a reliable supporting role at lunch and dinner, and a quiet cameo appearance whenever someone felt a bit peckish. With roughly 200 officially recognised types of bread, there was enough variety to keep life interesting, balanced, and pleasantly crumb-filled. One thing united all of them: it had to be fresh. This wasn’t dif

Missing Swiss flavours while living in Japan No matter how long we live abroad, how well we master the language, or how convincingly we nod at jokes we don’t quite understand, our stomachs eventually betray us. Assimilation may work on the outside, but deep inside, the gut is waving a little national flag and shouting, “Feed me what I grew up with!” Take my Japanese wife. Though our daily meals are mostly Western, she is occasionally seized by an undeniable, primal urge for p

Marking years abroad and life in Japan On 30 September, I will be celebrating my 29th Japaniversary – that's right, 29 years since I started a new life in the Land of the Rising Sun, with almost zero language skills and no job, but with a Japanese wife and a suitcase full of optimism. Now, I hadn't just stumbled into Japan like a confused tourist looking for Mt. Fuji. I had visited twice before. The first time was to spend a few weeks with my then-girlfriend, criss-crossing t

Swiss heritage, family ties, and expat reflections Most Swiss families have a coat of arms. If you’re from a country where heraldry is reserved for castles, crowns, and the nobility, this might raise an eyebrow (or two). But in Switzerland, heraldry isn’t just about ancient battles it’s about tradition… and, let’s be honest, a healthy dose of fashion. The whole coat of arms business began in the Middle Ages, when knights figured out that being fully armoured had an annoying

Family history, identity, and living abroad Switzerland doesn't just march to the beat of its own drum - it toots its own alphorn when it comes to passports. While most nations are content to ask for your place of birth, the Swiss couldn't care less about that. Instead, they demand your 'place of origin' - a quaint, mythical Swiss hamlet your ancestors might have called home centuries ago. Every Swiss citizen proudly carries their 'place of origin', known as Heimatort in Germ

Swiss flavours, nostalgia, and memories carried across Japan When you spend your childhood in any given country, you inevitably grow up with what I would call the 'taste of your childhood': Certain foods that are typical for that particular place, which will always remind you of the time when you were growing up, and which are not quite the same anywhere else, or may not be available at all. So if you choose to make another country your permanent home, almost inevitably you w

Half a lifetime navigating Japan, identity, and the Swiss abroad This month marks 27 years since I set foot in Japan, together with my Japanese wife, to make a fresh start in a country that I knew little about, and where I had merely spent a few weeks previously while on holiday. I thought that I would use this occasion to start a blog to share my experiences of living in this fascinating - and sometimes confusing - country. It might seem an odd decision to pick the 27-year