Like everywhere else in the world, Iwate has been suffering from the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Many projects were put on hold, and the prefecture worked tirelessly to get aid to businesses struggling to stay open during stay-at-home requests. But this is the age of Zoom and remote work, so we were able to log online and keep things going. 

　COVID-19 is raging across Japan. Now that there is an remote-work environment in place, and because people want to avoid contact with others, we are starting to move away from those famous Tokyo jam-packed trains, and are changing our views about life in the rural areas.
　In Europe, there’s...

What if, on a trip overseas, you found yourself getting sick and needed to go to a hospital? What would you do if you couldn’t communicate your symptoms or describe your illness?

There are many foreign residents who have trouble communicating medical terms in Japanese, or who might not know all the differences between Japan’s healthcare system and their own country, making it a nerve-wracking experience to see the doctor.

As those of us here in Iwate welcome the winter months, everyone wants to make their indoor spaces as warm and cozy as possible. Rustic home cooking is a great way to do that, especially as we all spend more time at home rather than eating out. But what does Japanese comfort food look like?