A father & son, classic rock, electric guitars, and some groovy eyewear… lots of eyewear; A narrative that should fit together effortlessly, right? Not so much. Turns out the reasons I feel so at home and attached to this place are more layered and nuanced than one would expect from their local eyewear provider.

I can’t really explain the reasons why Lisbon and Istanbul felt immediately familiar to me the first times I visited, or why Seattle and Dubai have always made me feel uncomfortable, they just do. What I can share are all the things about my town that have made me feel wam and welcomed since the first day I arrived.

Coming & Going, it’s literally in our name. Our geographic region is called Wakasa, a word of Korean origin which means coming and going. Nara, the ancient capital of Japan, is also a word of Korean origin. It’s one of several indicators that points to the fact that our port and valley were one of the earliest entry points for commercial and cultural trade with the Korean peninsula and China.

Finding a quality cup of coffee anywhere outside your own home in Japan before 10 AM can be a bit of a fools errand. In more rural areas it’s just a foolish waste of time…

Obama is blessed with one of the highest ratio’s of temples to residents in all of Japan. Each tiny hamlet tucked neatly into the folds and valleys of the hills that surround has its own…