Backyard Coffee and Jazz in Kyoto

I live in Sweden (as an expat), and I often struggle to explain to outsiders why I think it’s one of the least interesting places I’ve ever been to. There is something missing that I can’t usually grasp with words. This article has made it crystal clear; this kind of thing is non-existent here. Everything is impersonal, distant, matter-of-fact. Next time someone asks me I’ll link this article.

(The next obvious question is always “why are you still there?” and the answer is because it’s a great place to work.)

You can have all the infrastructure, safety, and efficiency in the world, but if everything is polished and impersonal, it can start to feel kind of sterile