Kyle Von Lanken was born and raised in a peaceful Chicago suburb. His Japanese studies took him from universities in Hawaii to Japan, eventually settling in rural Niikappu, where he continues to be fascinated by Japanese culture from a Hokkaido perspective.
For good or bad, when you marry your Japanese spouse you marry their family as well.
The sweet taste of Japan's northern island.
We all get stuck when studying a language, but it's how you get going again that is key to success.
A sample of delicious meals from Hokkaido.
Why is Engrish so different from English?
Famous for it's winter weather, there is so much more to Hokkaido that is waiting to be discovered.