Otome Inari: Miniature Torii Gates and Sacred Fox Messengers

My main highlight was visiting Otome Inari Shrine within the complex. It features a hillside tunnel of vibrant red torii gates, similar to Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari, which I recently checked off from my goshuin wishlist. These torii, though no less spectacular, are not as tall as the ones in Kyoto, so please watch your head when walking underneath, or you can also stroll alongside them. Stone fox statues (kitsune) are all over the grounds of the Otome Inari Shrine hill, as foxes are said to be sacred messengers of Inari, the deity of rice and business prosperity.

Nezu Shrine’s Cultural Treasures & Collecting the Goshuin Stamp

Many structures of the main Nezu Shrine, such as the gates, wall, and other artifacts, are designated Important Cultural Properties by the government, having survived centuries of Tokyo’s history. Before leaving, I picked up a Goshuin (honorable red seal) with the shrine’s name and the date to remember the day. I am quickly filling out my Goshuincho I picked up in Hokkaido!

10 Video Games to Get to know me

Super Metroid
Still my best game of all time, even though it is more than 30 years old now. I replayed in recently while streaming on Twitch and fell in love with it again. I love games about collecting power-ups and making yourself into an overpowered badass in the end.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Speaking of being a badass, Sekiro is an amazing experience. It unfolds almost like a movie and shows how video games can be works of art. Sekiro interactions with all the main characters, bosses, locations, etc., come together to make a masterpiece in my eyes.

Final Fantasy 8
Everyone raves about Final Fantasy 7 but Final Fantasy 8 is the better game in my eyes. It arrived at a time when I was an angsty teen, and the story of Squall and Friends was my 100+ hour 4-disc escape. Those summons looked amazing in CGI and Ultimecia is bae.

SWOTOR
MMORPGS were all the rage not long ago. I could quite get it the fantasy ones like Warcraft and Everquest, but give me the world of Star Wars to prance around in, and I played that game like a job for almost 3 years, to where I was leading a 100+ member guild with members all over the globe. Good times.

XCOM 2
Turn-based and strategy games have been a staple of my PC gaming journey since my mom spent a small fortune to get me a PC in 2001. XCOM 2 is the turn-based strategy game that I have revisited time and time again to play. It is a genre-defining title.

Valkyria Chronicles
Video games made from anime are a dime a dozen, but the best adaptation of an anime to a video game, to me, is Valkyria Chronicles. The anime itself isn’t a classic, but the video game is very unique and really engulfs the player in the story. I really felt I was a member of Squad 7 defending against invasion from an evil empire.

Sword of Hope
This game, to my knowledge, is the first RPG I ever played. Stubbling through the story, fighting the bosses, and figuring out the puzzles on a Game Boy in an era when you couldn’t just search for the answer online when you were stuck made this game have a great impact on me.

Clair Obsure Expedition 33
Expedition 33 has all the ingredients of a video game I would really like. An amazing story, unique graphics, engaging mechanics, high replay value, and interesting characters. Highly recommended and always a joy to experience even if playing on the easiest difficulty or watching someone else play.

Monster Hunter Tri
The gateway drug to my Monster Hunter addiction. Monster Hunter was still unknown in the West but huge in Japan. I followed it for months and bought it as soon as I could. I played Monster Hunter Tri mostly solo but would love to replay it one day. Also, it has some of the best box art for a video game ever.

Broken Lines
I’m a strange choice of a game, probably mostly unknown and very niche. Broken Lines reminds me of the days of getting PC game demos in magazines to try but unearthing a banger that brings enjoyment even if it’s not mainstream. It’s a simple, enjoyable game, short and sweet, with multiple endings depending on your choices.

Thank you for reading this far. Follow my gaming activities on YouTube and Twitch @Jamaiplays and join my Discord.

Visiting Yasukuni Shrine

Beyond the stamps, the visit itself was quite unique. Right away, I noticed the heavy security presence around the perimeter and grounds. Yasukuni Shrine is easily the most heavily patrolled and guarded Shinto shrine I have ever visited, giving the experience a noticeably different vibe compared to the quiet, laid-back atmosphere of most shrines across Japan.

Limited Summer 2026 Stamps

Given Yasukuni’s complex history, walking through the massive torii gates and seeing the grounds in person gave me plenty to reflect on. Overall, it was a memorable stop on my journey, both for the experience and the new stamps in my collection. Have you ever collected limited seasonal Goshuin on your travels in Japan or visited Yasukuni Shrine yourself? Let me know in the comments below!

The Good: Grogu, Giant Serpent, and opening night hype

I don’t regret watching it on opening night. There were definitely parts that kept me entertained, and my absolute favorite scenes involved Grogu and the Anzellans. The action sequence featuring Din Djarin and that pale water serpent was epic and felt like the high-stakes adventure I was looking for. Disney certainly profited from my fondness for these characters, and seeing them on the big screen had its moments. Even the Razor Crest is back?

The Bad: The Hutts

However, every time a Hutt appeared on the screen, I wanted to throw up. The terrible CGI worms, their voices, the action scenes involving them: EVERYTHING about them felt off. It completely dragged the experience down for me. I may have celebrated a little too much in the theater when those damn Hutt twins didn’t survive to the end of the film.

Is The Mandalorian and Grogu worth watching at the theater? If you are a die-hard fan, sure. But overall, I wasn’t satisfied, and I don’t know if I’d want to do this again.

Revisiting it, streaming the experience on my Twitch channel, and recording my playthrough over multiple sittings was something I wanted to do for a very long time, but I just couldn’t find the right time between life and other games. After recently seeing the credits in and thoroughly enjoying the single-player goodness of Capcom’s Pragmata, the urge to return to an old favourite became too strong to ignore. I needed to see if the crown still fit and if Super Metroid was as awesome as I remember it.

The Timeless Blueprint of Planet Zebes

Playing through Super Metroid after all this time truly highlights how exceptionally well the game has held up and exactly why it remains an absolute cult classic. From the moment my gaming bae Samus Aran lands on a rain-slicked and very hostile planet, Zebes, the atmosphere is unmatched.

Just like I noted in my Pragmata review, there is a distinct, unmatched brilliance to hand-crafted, tightly connected, and linear (or in this case, expertly non-linear) experiences. Modern open-world maps often feel bloated, but Super Metroid is a masterclass in level design. Every corridor, hidden wall, and elevator ride feels entirely deliberate. It doesn’t rely on modern hand-holding or maps cluttered with objective markers. Instead, it respects the player’s intelligence, guiding you naturally through its upgrade loop as you amass missiles, energy tanks, and iconic suit abilities.

Nostalgia Fix vs Modern Gaming Slop

Maybe my age is showing a bit here, but playing this classic again made me realize how much I miss the days when games were complete experiences right out of the box. I miss when video games were celebrated for their tight mechanics, immaculate pacing, and atmosphere, rather than being bloated with shiny graphics, endless DLC fests, and live service slop designed to keep you “ticking boxes.” Super Metroid doesn’t demand your attention with daily log-ins or battle passes; it captures it purely through brilliant gameplay. Stepping back into Samus’s power suit gave me the perfect nostalgia fix, but it also did something else: it left me hungry for more.

What’s next after Super Metroid? Looking Ahead

Now that the credits have rolled and my trip down memory lane is complete, I’ve realized that a switch has been flipped. One run through Zebes wasn’t enough to satisfy the craving. I’m already planning to revisit a few more of my old favorites in the coming months to see how they hold up to the test of time. But before I dig too deep into the retro archives, I think it’s time to test my reflexes again. I simply can’t get enough of this franchise, so my next stop will likely be heading back to Metroid Dread to tackle Dread Mode once more. Let’s see if my gaming skills can keep up with the ultimate challenge!

Did you play Super Metroid back in the day, or have you revisited it recently? How do you think it holds up against modern titles? Let me know in the comments below! Be sure to follow my gaming exploits live on Twitch @Jamaiplays and subscribe to the journey over on YouTube @Jamaiplays.

What is EkiTag? Pokémon for Train Lovers

EkiTag is an innovative app that allows you to collect digital station stamps across the country. By simply using your phone’s NFC function at participating railway stations, you can “check in” and unlock beautifully designed digital art unique to that location. It’s essentially Pokémon for travelers, encouraging you to explore, discover hidden gems, and document your journey through the Japanese rail system.

I recently sat down with my Bon Bon Show co-host Aaron to discuss this phenomenon in detail. You can listen to our full breakdown on Episode 18 of the Bon Bon Show, where we dive into how the app taps into the local “stamp rally” tradition through events, promotions, and crossovers. Currently, my collection is mostly centered around Tokyo, but I fully plan to “catch ’em all” as I travel further afield. If you enjoy gamifying your travels, will you join me on this EkiTag quest? Check out a sample of EkiTags I have collected so far below.

My Gunpla Kits

Over the years, I have documented several of my own builds and additions to my collection here on the blog. Whether you are a veteran builder or just curious about getting started, here is a look back at some of the Gunpla and Gundam-related projects featured on Jamaipanese.com:

• Gunpla Diorama Base Complete
  Taking things to the next level by building a custom home for my kits! This base adds some serious “wow” factor and makes any Mobile Suit look like it’s right in the middle of a battlefield.
• HG Mobile Suit Gundam Demi Trainer
  Building the quirky student-bot from The Witch from Mercury. It’s got a cool, chunky industrial look that’s a total blast to put together.
• Chibi Gundam Aerial
  Proof that tiny is mighty! This “chibi” Aerial is super cute but still manages to pack in all the iconic details of its bigger sibling.
• RX-78-2 Gundam Gold Injection Color Model Kit
  The classic “Grandpa” Gundam gets a flashy makeover! This kit uses a special gold plastic that makes the original hero suit shine like a trophy.
• Gundam Wing Leo Model Kit
  Showing some love for the ultimate “grunt” suit. The Leo might be basic, but its simple design makes it a fun, quick build for any Gundam Wing fan. YouTube build here.

• Chibi Unicorn Gundam
  The complex Unicorn Gundam gets shrunk down! This SD (Super Deformed) version is a great way to see this legendary machine in a fun, squashed-down style.
• Unicorn Gundam Finally Complete
  Victory at last! Check out the final shots of this intense build—it was a challenge, but seeing the finished product makes it all worth it.
• Planet Cubicle Exploration Update
  A quick tour of my workspace “command center.” It’s amazing how a few well-placed kits can turn a boring desk into a personal sci-fi paradise.
• Gundam Astray Gold Frame Chibi Figure
  Checking out the Astray Gold Frame in a pocket-sized format. That black and gold combo never fails to look absolutely sharp!
• Gundam Wing Heavy Arms – Master Grade
  his model is from the Gundam Wing Endless Waltz movie just before the suit got some major upgrades.

• Gundam Astraea Type F Figure
  A look at the bright red Astraea Type F. It’s got an aggressive “prototype” vibe that makes it stand out from the typical blue and white heroes.
• SD Gundam 00 Exia Figure
  The Exia is ready for its close-up! This tiny version of the Gundam 00 star is perfect for adding a bit of Celestial Being flair to any shelf.
• Gundam Wing – Heavy Arms Kai Figure
  Heavy Arms is my favourite suit from the series piloted by the coolest pilot Trowa Barton. I acquired the remodeled and upgraded Heavy Arms Custom used in the Endless Waltz movie.
• GN-X III A-Laws Gundam 00 Figure
  Checking out the “bad guy” suits! This GN-X III figure shows off the sleek, alien-like tech used by the A-Laws in the second season of 00.

Hugh Williams: The Everyman Hero

In an era of super-soldiers and literal gods, Hugh Williams is a breath of fresh air. He isn’t a marine or a superhero; he’s a simple man doing an extraordinary job. He is an engineer arriving with a team on the moon to investigate an issue, and then BOOM! Things get crazy. This groundedness makes his relationship with Diana feel earned. Their bond is wholesome, building slowly through small interactions as the story develops until it eventually becomes a real tearjerker (no spoilers). Seeing a “regular guy” protect a mysterious girl robot android lifeform like Diana reminded me of the dynamic between Sekiro and Kuro a protector bound by duty but fueled by something much more human.

A Masterclass in Gaming Level Design

Open-world games seem to get all the praise these days, but Pragmata reminded me why I love contained, linear experiences. The world is tightly connected and expertly hand-crafted. There’s a deliberate feel to every corridor and chamber (like Metroid Dread) that you just don’t get in sprawling, procedurally generated maps.

The pacing here is impeccable. Much like my experience with Monster Hunter Stories 3, the game doesn’t overwhelm you at the start. Instead, it slowly fleshes out its systems—weapons, lore, music, and even your base or “Shelter”, at a rate that keeps you hooked without feeling like you’re “ticking boxes.” Most of the lore is tucked away in notes and recordings, rewarding those who take the time to look around, although admittedly I wish the story was told using more cinematics, but the spectacle of that final boss fight made up for it a little.

While the story and gameplay might not be “revolutionary” in a technical sense, they don’t need to be. The execution is what matters. The hacking mechanic involving Diana adds a layer of depth that kept the combat from feeling repetitive. Pro-tip: Use the overdrive ability often! It’s the key to mastering the game’s rhythm.

The “Responsible Gamer” Verdict

As someone who balances gaming with work and life responsibilities, I really appreciated how Pragmata respects the player’s time. The “return to shelter” mechanic makes it easy to jump in for a session, make progress, and jump out without feeling lost. Technically, the game is a dream on PC. It runs incredibly well, featuring a wide array of settings and toggles that allow you to tune the experience to your hardware, in my case a very averagely specced gaming laptop.

Pragmata: Final(ish) Thoughts

Pragmata pulls inspiration from many places: the atmosphere and corporate greed of Aliens, the “parental” journey of The Mandalorian and Grogu, the precision of 2D Metroid and the fantastical nature of Guardian of the Sacred Spirit. But at its heart, it is a story about a man and a little girl against the world (or the moon?). If you appreciate well-designed, linear adventures with a lot of heart, Pragmata is a journey worth taking. Find me unlocking all the things in Pragmata and other games while streaming on Twitch @Jamaiplays.

Free Japanese Book Club in Shinjuku

Every Saturday afternoon, Japanese learners gather at the Shinjuku Multicultural Plaza to dive into stories. The sessions usually run from 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM, and best of all, the club is completely free with no sign-up required. It is a very welcoming environment where NPO staff are on hand to help you find the right level; as long as you know a little Hiragana, you can jump right in. Reading these “graded readers” is a satisfying way to build vocabulary and improve reading speed without the pressure of a formal classroom. Great for my JLPT N3 prep. If you are in the Tokyo area and looking for a community-driven way to sharpen your skills, I highly recommend checking out a session with the Tadoku Book Club (website here).

Have you tried extensive reading yet? Let me know your favorite Japanese book recommendations in the comments!

JLPT N3 attack

I’ll be honest with you guys, I haven’t been studying as seriously as I should have lately. Life in Tokyo gets busy, and sometimes the textbooks gather a bit of dust. However, I am now in super-focus mode. The JLPT N3 test fee is 7,500 yen, and since it’s held all over Japan, there are no excuses left.

When it comes to the sections, I’m feeling good about listening. Between daily life and gaming, my ears are tuned in. But, as usual, grammar is proving to be incredibly difficult. It’s the final boss I need to defeat to level up my Japanese.

Join the Challenge

Are you planning to take the test at any level this July? Let’s do our best together! Whether you are aiming for N5 or N1, the grind is real. Thanks for the support on the vlog, and stay tuned for more study updates! 一緒に頑張りましょう！