Manic Asia Archives

Summary graphic: A woman hangs fish for display at Jagalchi Market in Busan, South Korea.

13 Photos: The Women of Korea’s Jagalchi Market

On: 11/30/2012

Busan is said to be the San Francisco of Korea. It’s a city of 3.6 million and a hub of education and commerce, but much life there remains based on the sea. That’s very apparent at Jagalchi Market, the biggest fish market in Korea.

Summary graphic: A woman looks out from a ferry to the skyline of Busan, South Korea.

The Mysteries of the Kampu Ferry, Part II: Entering South Korea

On: 10/02/2011

In: Asia, South Korea

Amid the rocky outlying islands, international cargo ships, massive construction works and the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, the Hamayuu made its way toward the docks of Busan, our gateway to mainland Asia.

Summary graphic: Two young boys walk the deck of the Kampu Ferry at night.

The Mysteries of the Kampu Ferry, Part I: Leaving Japan

On: 09/19/2011

In: Asia, Japan

Sitting in Hiroshima Station at lunchtime, watching our okonomiyaki cook on the griddle, the sense of constant departure was palpable and welcome. We needed to be in Korea, and in many ways that was a world away.

Summary graphic: A man drives a small transportation cart through an industrial space. He is wearing a full-length leather butcher’s apron and staring into the camera, perhaps with disdain.

The Frantic, Gruesome Heart of Tsukiji Market

On: 04/03/2011

In: Japan, Photo Essays

The tuna auction floor of Tsukiji fish market is supposedly tourist-friendly, but we ventured into other areas to capture the behind-the-scenes action.

Hiroshima: City of Life

On: 03/13/2011

In: Japan

What had once been a nuclear wasteland was now simply Hiroshima, and everywhere you looked were the signs of a living city that wasn’t haunted by its past.

Summary graphic: One man carts a hand truck of tuna steaks through a bustling area of Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market. Another man dressed like a salaryman walks in the opposite direction.

The Great Tsukiji Tuna Chase

On: 11/16/2010

In: Japan, Photo Essays

If you go into the frantic heart of Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, you get to see so much, including this worker hauling tuna steaks (and heads) out into the daylight.

Summary graphic: Two photos from Tokyo. On the left, a man holds up a sign for an electronics case on a downtown street. On the right, a salaryman lays passed out at a train station… at the start of morning rush hour.

Photo Gallery: Manic Tokyo – Day One

On: 10/04/2010

In: Japan, Photo Essays

45 photos from The Manic American’s first day in Tokyo, including Shinagawa Station, Akihabara hawkers, and the view from the Tocho.

The Amazing Kindness of the Taiwanese People

On: 08/29/2010

In: Taiwan

The Taiwanese people we met while traveling through Taipei, Hualien, and Fulong were so friendly and helpful that it was almost off-putting.

Summary graphic: In the outfield stands of a crowded baseball stadium in Tokyo, fans of the away team hold up translucent umbrellas and wave flags to support the Yakult Swallows.

You Want to See… Japanese Baseball?

On: 08/16/2010

In: Japan

You often hear about how there are two types of baseball fans in America: the die-hards and the casual fans. We expected this to hold true in Tokyo. We were wrong.