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Yuko Naito
COMMUNITY
Dec 2, 2001
What's hot on the slopes
According to Masataka Shiwaku of Victoria Wardrobe, a snow-wear retailer in Tokyo's Kanda Ogawa-cho district, this year "many people seem to be thinking of renewing their skiing or snowboarding wardrobes."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Oct 21, 2001
One wrong move and you're whacked
What would you do if you were suddenly assaulted on the street? Could you defend yourself even if the attacker had a knife?
COMMUNITY
Oct 14, 2001
High-flying ad man comes down to earth in Shikoku
Eleven years ago, Toshihito Takahashi was a high-flying advertising copywriter with a leading Tokyo agency, one of the select few whose work regularly appeared on the nation's TV screens.
COMMUNITY
Oct 7, 2001
Going with the furo
Sitting in a tub of clear, near-scalding water up to your neck might not instantly appeal to those new to Japan who are used to stretching out in a warm sea of suds and playing with their plastic ducks. However, taking a bath that way is more than a hygienic chore for the people of these islands; it's...
COMMUNITY
Sep 9, 2001
To hide or not to hide - the balding man's dilemma
For most men, the mere mention of going bald provokes a quickened pulse-rate and the onset of hyperventilation. To say the thought of hair loss scares most males is to dramatically understate the case.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 26, 2001
Hope for the best . . .and prepare for the worst
Think about how difficult it would be if all our lifelines -- water, gas and electricity -- were suddenly cut off. In the event of a major earthquake, we would have to do more than just ponder these hardships. And it would go on for longer than you might think. After the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake,...
COMMUNITY
Aug 26, 2001
Don't panic: Know what to do
As long as you are in Japan, which has about 1,500 active faults, you are at risk of experiencing a major earthquake at any moment. It could come while you're at home or at your workplace, at a movie theater or in a subway. Wherever you are, you must stay calm and determine what to do next.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 12, 2001
Treat your feet
Be they fashion- or health-related, there are products galore to answer our every foot need. In Japan, many are wrapped up in trends, traditional culture and daily habits.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 5, 2001
The big day
When 645 guests descended on Tokyo's New Takanawa Hotel last month to celebrate the marriage of 46-year-old former pop idol Hideki Saijo to Miki Makihara, a 28-year-old "office lady" he'd been dating since the fall, the starstruck media gushed at length over the "super gorgeous" event.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Aug 5, 2001
Getting (hic) hitched in the sticks
Imagine you are a bride. At your wedding reception, you visit each table for "candle service." Lighting one on each table you greet guests, all of whom congratulate you, clapping their hands. This would be a scene from an ordinary reception. But what if half the guests are nodding off? Such was my case....
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jul 29, 2001
Just when you thought it was safe . . .
If you live in an old apartment or condominium complex of fewer than 10 units, you might want to check the tap water. Pour some into a clear glass and take a whiff. Does it smell of chlorine? If it does, you don't have too much to worry about. It might not taste good, but at least the chemical smell...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jul 22, 2001
Fighting the good fight for all
In the pantheon of Japan's fictional action heroes, it would be hard to find one better known or loved than Ultraman.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jul 1, 2001
Pull me a cold one
When the mercury rises, nothing hits the spot like a cold beer, especially when chugg-a-lugged at a beer hall or an outdoor beer garden.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jun 24, 2001
Reaching out to the world
Japan is often criticized for simply doling out large sums of money to international relief and development activities and rarely contributing human resources. There are, however, more than a few Japanese who become actively involved in international cooperation as overseas volunteers.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jun 24, 2001
Help is on the way
At the mega-corporation Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. there is a standing offer to all employees: the option of taking three months to two years of unpaid leave for "social welfare" volunteer activities.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Jun 24, 2001
Soft toys are us
Lightweight soft toys made of colorful fabrics are not only fun for small children to play with, but they are safe as well. They won't break even though children throw them around and won't hurt if they hit them.
COMMUNITY
Jun 10, 2001
Chic designs enliven condominium choices
With its outside walls clad entirely in wooden louver boards, a four-story building that opened last week in Tokyo's quiet Tomigaya residential district could easily be mistaken for a chic new gallery or boutique.
COMMUNITY
Jun 3, 2001
A new lease on life
Prosperous economies produce waste. Throw in rampant consumerism and a laissez-faire attitude toward the environment, and you've got the makings of a serious problem. Welcome to Japan. A host of treasures awaits you . . .
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
May 27, 2001
Make your rest assured
Ever have difficulty falling asleep at a friend's house because of an uncomfortable pillow?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
May 27, 2001
Now I lay me down to pose
On a spring afternoon two years ago, freelance photographer Maki Umaba encountered an unusual scene on a train -- all the passengers on the car except herself were dozing. Some might have just closed their eyes, but others were sleeping soundly.

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Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?