Todd Phillips

All About Todd Phillips: I’m an English educator and part-time writer who has spent half his life in Japan. My passions include rugby, cricket, windsurfing and snowboarding—and of course my Japanese wife who teaches me on a daily basis the quintessence of being Japanese, something I admire but can’t quite grasp... yet.

What I like about Japan: I love the food here and the thought and preparation that go into it—my favorite dish being shabu-shabu, a very healthy meal that's made more delicious by dipping the boiled pork and green vegetables into ponzu, a citrus-based soy sauce. I’m also a sucker for sushi, especially ikura, also known as salmon roe.

9 Things to Know About Rugby in Japan

Riding the back of a stunning victory over South Africa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Japanese rugby has never before enjoyed such popularity among the Japanese public.

12 Things to Know About Teaching Kindergarten

Teaching English

Teaching English in kindergarten in Japan is a whole different ball game!

The Bridge Beneath the Sea

Bridges Greater Tokyo

Umi-hotaru is a man-made wonder built to relax and entertain the tired traveler.

7 Reasons to Love WaniKani for Kanji

Learning Japanese Technology

Wanikani (literally “alligator-crab”) is a web application that uses mnemonics and space repetition software (SRS) to help users memorize approximately 2,000 kanji and radicals, plus over 6,000 Japanese words in two years or less!

Past Features

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All About Weird Japan

Japan is a weird and wonderful place! These videos from Wanderlist are just a small taste of what you can expect when you visit!

Stories to Experience National Parks of Japan

More than just a collection of some of the country's most stunning landscapes, Japan's National Parks tell the story of the diverse ways in which Japanese culture developed in harmony with nature throughout the centuries.

Spring in Tohoku

Food, history and some incredible late-blooming cherry blossoms—Tohoku in spring has it all!

All About Cherry Blossoms in Japan

Savor the 'sakura' nation.

All About Japan's Temples & Shrines

Explore Japan's enduring spiritual history.