Slate has an article on the missing centenarian scandal, and it could have been better. Go read the writer’s take. Unfortunately, the subtitle is wildly inaccurate, “macabre Japanese trend – mummify grandma and collect the pension – what America can … Continue reading
Posted in Crime
Adachi-ku is really not that bad
Many of you know that Adamu lives in the Ayase neighborhood of northeast Tokyo. I also lived there for two years until moving to the west side of town earlier this summer, mostly at the behest of my new wife. … Continue reading
George Psalmanazar, the famous fraud of Formosa
One of the more entertaining characters I’ve run across in my studies of Taiwan is has been George Psalmanazar, one of the famous hoaxers of all time. Born around 1680, nothing factual is known about his early life, even his … Continue reading
Japan’s second-oldest man actually a 30-year-old “partially mummified” dead body
This is already widely reported, but just thought I would share an amazing, terrifying story that happened pretty close to where I live. Basically, the headline says it all. Back in June, some local workers visited the home one Sogen … Continue reading
Watching for thieves in Ayase
This is the scene outside my apartment these days. Apparently, the Tokyo police are using a new tactic in efforts to catch bicycle thieves and purse snatchers near Ayase station. The van is equipped with high-powered cameras that can take … Continue reading