Studying Japanese with Games: MH Stories 3 Cutscene Breakdown

Recently I have been trying to start studying Japanese with video games again. Some would say I lack discipline, but I find st

20 Years of Blogging at Jamaipanese.com

When I started this blog in February 2006, it was intended to be an online journal where I keep track of my Japanese studies a

2025 Year in Review

2025 has come and gone, and what a year it was. Writing my 2025 Year in Review is a bit difficult (and late) this time around,

Kanji Starter – Kanji Pictographs Book

Kanji Starter by Daiki Kasuya had been sitting in my Amazon wishlist for years. Seeing it pop up on social media and most rece

I sort of met Goku

Goku; the hero of planet earth, originally sent from Planet Vegeta to conquer us, but now the greatest warrior in the universe

Life Logger – Python Project Update

A couple of years ago, my interest in personal data security combined with learning the Python programming language birthed Li

I graduated from Hiroshima University

Recently, I graduated from grad school in Japan with a Master’s degree from Hiroshima University. It seems like just a f

Addicted to Portmanteaus

Hello, my name is Kirk and I can’t stop making Portmanteaus. There is something about smashing two words together to cre

Thesis complete and wrapping up Graduate School

Two years ago I wrapped up my time on the JET Programme, went home to Jamaica and returned to Japan shortly after, for the sta

Hiroshima Peace Igniter Program

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing oh Hiroshima, and the Hiroshima Peace Igniter Program was launched

Went to Hokkaido and Sapporo charmed me

If visiting the 4 main Japanese islands are like collecting the infinity stones, then my recent trip to Hokkaido for an academ

Kyoto: One Day Itinerary

I had a two-day trip to Kyoto recently. The 1st day was forgettable as it rained all day and I mostly went to places I have be

My time as a Hiroshima Study Abroad Ambassador

From April 2024 to March 2025 I was a Hiroshima Study Abroad Ambassador (HSAA). Being a HSAA allowed me to learn more about Hi

Tea Ceremony in Japan

Tea ceremony or Sado is a highly ritualized practice that embodies Japanese aesthetics, philosophy, and spirituality. The tea

Volunteering at a Food Bank in Japan

Recently, as part of my work as a Hiroshima Study Abroad Ambassador, I got the opportunity to volunteer at a Food Bank in Japa

2024 Year in Review

According to my 2023 Year in Review post, my plan for 2024 was to “shine my brightest and do my best”. 2024 was a

Visiting my “home town” in Japan

Shimane is my home prefecture and Ama Town is my “Furusato” or home town. I spent many memorable years living in A

I spent the night on a Shinkansen

On July 22nd on the Tokaido Shinkansen, services were suspended between Hamamatsu and Nagoya stations due to a derailment invo

2023 Year in Review

I ended my 2022 year in review post by saying that in 2023, I wanted to ”…prioritise myself and cultivate healthy connecti

Jamaipanese goes to Graduate School

I recently started a new chapter in my life after wrapping up a very memorable number of years living on a remote island in Ja

100 followers on Twitch

I have streaming on Twitch “consistently” for the last few months. The result? I became an affiliate in March and recently

The end of the rural island era is coming

I was supposed to only be here for 2 or 3 years but the universe had other plans. My pre-launch blog post shared how happy I w

It’s gonna be a Lovely Day

I have noticed that I struggle with my emotions at this time of the year. It’s by no means unique to me. The start of a

I passed the JLPT N4

I have some good news! I passed the Japanese Language proficiency test N4! Passing the JLPT N5 greatly boosted my confidence a