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About Us

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Immersive experience at TeamLab Okinawa – a unique blend of art, technology, and interactive digital installations. Capturing
Doug and Pam dining at an authentic restaurant in Uji, Japan – a city famed for its matcha, rich culinary traditions, and sce
Doug with Totoro – capturing a whimsical moment with Studio Ghibli's beloved character. A nod to the magic and nostalgia of J
Pam Woldow & Doug Richardson
A Lifelong Love of Japan

 

We are both “recovering lawyers” who, after our initial careers practicing law, built a long track record of successful collaboration--first as legal consultants to law firms and legal departments around the globe, and now as bloggers united in our deep love of Japan.

Pam: A "Japanese Encyclopedia"

I blush when someone calls me “a Japanese encyclopedia,” but I have spent decades trying to live up to that label. I first came to Japan when I was 20,  after a devastating knee injury ended her career as a principal dancer in New York. To escape my disappointment and misery, I sought a distant and utterly foreign setting for healing and employment. Japan became my revelation.

 

In the course of a busy career as a trial lawyer and globally-recognized legal consultant, I returned to Japan time and again, each time feeling as if I was coming home. I have  lived, worked, and studied in Tokyo, Himeji, and Kyoto and have avidly explored Japan's geography, history, and diverse culture, always wanting more and never getting enough. 

I have studied Japanese language in both the U.S. and Japan, and remain entranced by Japan's  diverse food, architecture, performance art, and contemporary trends.

Doug: Counterpoint and Complement

In our travels and writing together, I serve as Pam's complement and counterpoint, providing the practical perspective of an experienced world traveler who is still learning--often the hard way--how to navigate the unique challenges of Japanese and language. 

 

A  former federal prosecutor and nationally-recognized executive coach, I was an award-winning Dow Jones columnist for over 20 years before embarking on my current career as a novelist. .My debut novel won a 2023 Literary Titan award and five other literary awards,  and I have now completed three more novels, each enhanced by my experiences in Japan.

Experiencing Japan

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