Venture capital only works for specific types of businesses at a particular stage — Working with a lot of young founders (and some not so young, too), I’m always encouraged by their enthusiasm and innovation. But at the same time, I get frustrated that everyone seems to think that venture capital (VCs and angels) is the only way to get their business off the…

The public baths are fantastic but avoid the Blue Lagoon tourist trap — Of the dozens of countries I’ve visited over the years, none has been as memorable as the week my wife and I spent in Iceland. From the stunning green of the countryside in summer with gorgeous waterfalls everywhere, to the quaint, tourist-friendly city of Reykjavik, to the northern lights of…

“Nevermore” Quoth the Yatagarasu — Growing up in Maryland, I’ve been a fan of the Baltimore Ravens football team ever since the day they were christened. Not only do I appreciate the team’s stifling defense, but as a mystery writer, the team’s name holds special significance to me. As far as I’m aware, the Baltimore…

Selfless writing resonates on Medium while selfish writing gets ignored — As editor of Japonica, a popular publication on Medium, I read a lot of articles to evaluate for publication and promotion. I can usually tell after the first paragraph whether the article will be popular with readers. On Medium, it’s usually not (sigh) the quality of the writing that brings…

Fix these basic problems first before looking for investors — I spent last week listening to 100 pitches for early-stage startups. I’m exhausted. My angel groups typically invest in roughly 1 out of every 100 applications. That means 99% are passes. For at least half the pitches, it’s obvious within a minute that they’re no-goes, so instead of listening closely…

The Japanese government defines what makes Japanese food special — Last week, I wrote an article listing the 4 elements I think make Japanese food distinctive: rice (米), soy sauce (醤油), miso (味噌), and dashi (出汁). The 4 Iconic Elements of Japanese Cuisine There’d be no Japanese food without these distinctive ingredientsmedium.com It turns out the Japanese government has its own view on the matter, and listed 4 characteristics of wa-shoku — Japanese cuisine — when…

There’d be no Japanese food without these distinctive ingredients — There is no question that Japan has one of the greatest cuisines in the world. But if Japanese food is more than ramen and sushi, what exactly is it? The following 4 components impart iconic Japaneseness to a wide variety of dishes, turning simple, fresh, seasonal ingredients into a treat…

A multi-sided geometry of love and pain set in rural Ishikawa — Like Kanazawa, David Joiner’s previous award-winning novel, The Heron Catchers is set in Ishikawa Prefecture, mostly in the town of Yamanaka Onsen where he once lived. The novel begins in Kenrokuen, the famed garden in Kanazawa, one of the three great gardens of Japan, where Sedge, a Japanese-speaking American, is…

European Artists in the Late 19th Century Fell in Love With Japanese Ukiyo-e — I’ve always loved both paintings by Van Gogh and Hokusai’s ukiyo-e (浮世絵) woodblock prints. But I never realized the deep connections between the two until I stumbled across Van Gogh’s painting of a geisha. It made my head spin. Perhaps if I’d taken a few classes in art history instead…