Children's Day

Happy Children's Day everyone! Yes, it's May 5th, a national holiday and some startling news has come out on this day to celebrate all things "children." There are far less than at any other time here in Japan. Yep, that's right! Due to Japan's declining birthrate, it's apparently the 28th year in a row with the lowest , under 15, population.

Japan's child population falls to record low
TOKYO —

The number of children aged under 15 is estimated to have totaled 17.14 million in Japan as of April 1, marking a record low for the 28th straight year due to the declining birthrate, according to a government report released Monday.Read more...


Last weekend, I went to Nara Prefecture with my wife and inlaws. We had a great time wandering through the countryside. This wasn't random rambling though, we had a purpose. We visited the historical village of Asuka.