Halloween is firmly behind us, and the ghostly costumes and plastic pumpkins are packed away. And now – in countries like Switzerland and Japan, where Thanksgiving doesn't exist to provide a buffer – nothing stands between us and the overwhelming, glittery dominance of Christmas. Well, almost  nothing. First, we must navigate that seasonal no-man’s-land where society collectively debates: Is it socially acceptable to play Mariah Carey already? My answer: Yes. Japan's answer:

Last week, my wife and I went to see Back to the Future  in concert – 40 years after its premiere. Forty years! Sometimes I do feel old. As the orchestra launched into that epic opening theme and the DeLorean thundered to life, I felt chills – partly from nostalgia, partly from the dawning realisation that humanity has somehow managed to invent AI that writes poetry, but not a single functioning time machine. And frankly, some days, I'd love to travel back – ideally to an era

Let’s set the scene. It’s the third day of a long weekend – that blissful stage where you’ve lost all sense of time and start to believe you might never have to work again. My wife and I had just purchased a shiny new washing machine at our local tech wonderland, also known as the electronics store – where reason goes in with you, but somehow never makes it back out. All that was left was to pay. Simple, right? A quick beep of the credit card, and we’d be home to enjoy the t

One of the things I’ve always loved about Japan – apart from the polite people, super-efficient trains, and vending machines that sell everything short of life insurance – are the gigantic  electronics stores. These are not just shops. They are cathedrals of consumer technology, temples where you can lose yourself for hours among the latest gadgets, futuristic household appliances, and mysterious contraptions you didn’t even know existed but suddenly can’t live without. The u

Last month, I once again did my civic duty (or privilege, as I prefer to view it) as a Swiss citizen: I voted in a national referendum. Other countries argue over national elections every few years and then leave it to the lawmakers to make the actual decisions. But not so in Switzerland, where democracy is served four times a year, fondue-style, and every citizen is invited to dip their bread into the bubbling pot of policy. On the electoral menu this time: The introduction

Living in Japan as a Western foreigner can be rather interesting. People spot you, freeze, and then quietly decide not to engage unless absolutely necessary. It's entertaining, frustrating, and occasionally useful, depending on how much social interaction you're trying to avoid that day. No matter how long I've lived here, my face will always be a dead giveaway that I'm not from around here. And with that comes a whole bouquet of assumptions – mostly about my ability to speak

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 the country, getting engaged, and – most

Last week I made the bold decision that our loyal, 8-year-old car had earned its pension. Time for a shiny new replacement, I thought. A monumental decision, to be sure... at least for me. My dearest wife was considerably less enthused. While she made a contribution to the choice of colour, the rest was left to me as the sole driver: the heroic expedition to the Mazda dealership, the epic quest for the perfect chariot, and the gladiatorial battle with the salesman over the pr

It’s official: The Japan Meteorological Agency has confirmed that Japan just survived (barely) its hottest summer on record. The national average temperature from June to August came in at a sweaty 2.36°C above the norm. That may not sound like much, but trust me, in meteorology it's colossal. And this wasn’t a one-off. This comes hot (pun 100% intended) on the heels of the previous  hottest summers of 2024 and 2023. Japan is now on a three-year winning streak in the "World S

🗻 Mountains: A Matter of Ownership and Space Sure, the Swiss Alps are world-famous, but here's a surprising fact: Switzerland only owns 14% of them. But in true Swiss efficiency, that 14% covers 60% of the country, which really drives home how compact Switzerland actually is. Say "Japanese mountains", and Mt. Fuji immediately jumps to mind, although the gloriously symmetrical volcano is by no means the only peak in the land – it just happens to be the most iconic one of the

So, here's a fun fact: around 11% of Swiss citizens live abroad. That's right – roughly one in ten people born in the land of cheese, Toblerone, and punctual trains have packed their bags and said "Thanks, but I'm off." And the trend is up. Now, this might come as a shock. After all, Switzerland is often seen as an Alpine utopia (albeit an expensive one!) – a place where cows wear bells, mountains look like postcards, and everything runs so smoothly it's suspicious. But appa

Last week, I talked about the British "apology reflex" – th at charming Olympic sport where two strangers bump into each other and then spend the next five minutes locked in a duel of “No, I insist, it was my  fault!” until someone either dies of politeness or misses their train. So, what about Japan, I hear you ask? Well, here it’s a bit different. If you collide with someone on the street, you’ll usually get a quick 「すみません」(sumimasen) or 「ごめんなさい」(gomen nasai), maybe with

Last week, I reflected on how different cultures handle small talk. Just a day later, I was reminded of this in the most unexpectedly sweaty way: while trying to pay for a bottle of water at a convenience store: I confidently stride into my local 7-Eleven, parched from my 37°C walk. I grab a bottle of chilled mineral water, in a bid to avert heat stroke, head to the counter and whip out my phone like a digital samurai, Apple Wallet ready. Confidence at 100%. Me: BEEP! Wait… n

I’ve just returned from a two-week holiday trip to Switzerland and the UK, and once again, I'm left marvelling at the wildly different ways humans choose to interact – or not. One of the greatest joys of travel is not just the food and the sights, but observing how people in various locations engage in that ancient ritual called small talk . So, grab a metaphorical chocolate (you'll see why), and join me on a virtual tour through the highs, lows, and awkward silences of inter

Summer has kicked off in earnest, temperatures are soaring, and hydration has become a competitive sport. Health experts are telling us to drink lots of fluids, so naturally, many of us are reaching for ice-cold beverages – some of which may contain more alcohol than hydration, but they, it's the thought that counts, right? As I sit here with a frosty glass by my side (non-alcoholic, I swear – after all, it's still morning), I find myself reflecting on the wildly different

🌿 Obsession with Botanical Beauty Swiss and Japanese homeowners treat gardens like tiny works of art, but the expectations come with different levels of pressure. Japanese gardens strive for zen-like tranquility, featuring rock arrangements, koi ponds, and perfectly raked gravel that looks too flawless to be accidental. But of course, these serene wonders require space, and that is a rare commodity in metropolitan areas – so unless you’re secretly a billionaire, good luck f

The other day, I made what I believed to be a casual, innocent comment to my wife. You know, one of those soft suggestions disguised as idle musings. I merely said, "It's been a while since we had a proper full English breakfast." Translation: My soul is dying inside, please send bacon. I wasn't demanding. I wasn't even requesting. It was just a subtle cry for help – a whisper, really – in the general direction of cholesterol. Thankfully, my wife heard the bacon distress sign

Earlier this week, the Japanese Meteorological Agency cautiously announced that the Tokyo region had "likely entered the rainy season." "Likely?" I thought. Looking at the monsoon-level deluge outside, I was pretty certain that we had DEFINITELY entered the rainy season. But I suppose meteorologists aren't in the business of guarantees. They wouldn’t want to be flooded (pun intended) with complaints like, "Excuse me, where are the promised torrential downpours? All I got was

Last week, my wife and I went to the opera – expecting culture, drama, and, inevitably, an overpriced glass of champagne (but that's part of the experience). What we didn't expect was a full-scale disaster preparedness briefing before the curtain even rose. The announcement, delivered in both Japanese and English, wasn’t just about turning off your phone or refraining from illegal filming. No, this was a detailed monologue on earthquake resistance, fireproof architecture, and

At first glance, Switzerland and Japan seem like long-lost cousins –  both obsessively clean, absurdly punctual, and so devoted to their train schedules that make the rest of the world feel a twinge of envy. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that beneath their polished efficiency lies a delightful clash of logic, tradition, and quirks that make their differences as entertaining as their similarities. 🏳️ Flags: Minimalist and Bold Let’s start with the flags, the visual