Articles

A Chinese IT engineer in Japan reflects on job-hunting amid worsening China–Japan tensions, explaining why he left China’s restrictions and politics for a freer tech environment, his mixed feelings about identity and prejudice, and his hope to build a stable life despite limited options.

A personal site using Astro, Sanity, and Cloudflare Pages hit long build times as content grew. To avoid redundant rebuilds from frequent Sanity webhooks, the author built a deferred build system on Cloudflare using Durable Objects as a webhook relay with configurable delay, URL, and token via headers, creating a reusable webhook delay trigger for multiple projects.

An easy, home-friendly guide to building ramen broth inspired by Fukushima, explaining why ramen is labor-intensive in Japan and how to DIY a simple version. It outlines two main stocks—meat-based (bone broth) and seafood-based (kombu, shiitake, dashi, katsuobushi)—and suggests mixing them in a 3:1 ratio for depth. It covers seasoning sauces (soy/mirin, spices) and topping ideas (braised meat, vegetables), plus the assembly steps: cook noodles, add lard and sauce, pour stock, add toppings. Emphasizes layering multiple umami sources as the core secret to a flavorful broth. You can skip from start to finish with a practical home method.

I upgraded from Remix to React Router 7, switched to Magic Link login, and added Map Mode. I boosted performance and refactored the CMS to SvelteKit with AI endpoints and gpt-5; Unsplash uploads are automatic.

Since moving to Japan, I've shifted from Chinese SNS due to account bans and unappealing content, especially on platforms like Weibo. Domestic SNS often focuses on trivial celebrity news rather than substantive issues. Now, I rely on foreign media like WSJ and The Economist to stay informed about global and domestic events, despite the challenges. Learning Japanese has been part of this transition.

After nine months, I finally obtained my Japanese driver's license. Although Japan's process is costly and complex, I opted for a cheaper foreign license exchange. Despite past driving experience and taking several tests, challenges included right-hand driving, language barriers, and manual transmission. Ultimately, switching to an automatic vehicle was key to passing. Next, I aim for a motorcycle license.

The new blog's search feature was launched after initially missing from the plan. meilisearch was chosen for its multi-language capabilities, AI integration, and content recommendation. The solution involves using Edge Functions for database operations, allowing for effective keyword and semantic searches.

The Degeneration of Civilization argues that prolonged isolation can lead to cultural and technological regression, as seen in Tasmania, the Americas, Japan, and Polynesia. The author suggests that China is repeating this historical cycle of isolation and censorship, resulting in a distorted civilization with limited global influence. The writer stresses that openness promotes progress, while isolation leads to cultural impoverishment.

After living in Ueda for over four months, it's clear that its climate is superior to the other five cities where I've resided. Ueda offers comfortable weather, excellent air quality, and manageable temperatures, especially at night. Compared to the harsh climates of Karamay, Xi'an, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Nagano, Ueda stands out as the most livable place, surrounded by mountains and water.

After completing the second version of the site with Next, which had issues like Strapi's handling of multilingual slugs and EXIF data storage, a more complex third version was developed over intermittent work spanning a year. The new site architecture involves SvelteKit-based CMS, Supabase for the database with RLS, and Remix for the frontend. Future plans include adding more login options, optimizing code, and improving user interactions.

This article explains the author's choice of Japan over other countries based on various factors. The author's language skills, profession, and financial situation influenced the decision-making process. The USA was ruled out due to high costs, while Singapore and Dubai were deemed unsuitable. Australia and New Zealand had challenges with job opportunities. The Netherlands was attractive but had height concerns. Canada was initially favored but later became less feasible due to cost implications. Ultimately, the affordability, job prospects, healthcare, and quality of life in Japan led to it being the chosen destination.

After two and a half weeks in Japan, here are key tasks before and after arrival: **Before Going to Japan:** - Secure Certificate of Eligibility and start preparations. - Rent a house in advance, address potential issues with renting to foreigners, and handle initial deposits. **After Arriving in Japan:** - Complete residence registration and health insurance setup. - Arrange home utilities and buy furniture/appliances. - Acquire SIM card and broadband, facing potential setup delays. - Open a bank account, possibly requiring student ID. Adjusting to life in Ueda, a small city with decent urbanization, Amazon deliveries, and accessible services. Living costs are high but manageable.