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November 22, 2024
 

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Amy Chavez

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Amy Chavez
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Aug 21, 2010
Pen mightier than samurai sword
You've probably heard that Japanese people are shy to speak English because they are afraid of making mistakes. Every night before I go to bed, I pray that this English language phobia will spill over into English writing. As one visitor to Japan said to me, "You could spend your life correcting all...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Aug 14, 2010
Vinyl forever — it really sticks (to your legs)
"Dozo, please take a seat," said the guy at the city hall. "Thank you," I said, not making a move. He rounded up some papers and came back to the table, "Dozo, please take a seat." But I just stood there, while he sat down.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Aug 7, 2010
Why not ride the sushi train to work?
It is not the fault of the Seto Inland Sea islands themselves that they are suffering from declining populations. It's the glossy brochures put out by local governments that are to blame.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 31, 2010
Ogijima, man-tree island of art
One of the greatest opportunities to visit the Seto Inland Sea is from now through Oct. 31. During this time, the Setouchi International Art Festival beckons you to discover up to six islands in Kagawa Prefecture and one in Okayama Prefecture.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 24, 2010
The art of sweating in Japan
Visit Japan — come join the sweating masses!
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 17, 2010
At post offices in Japan, it's case by case
"Hello, this is the city post office on the mainland," came the voice on the other end of the phone. "Um, about that international package you sent from the island today . . ."
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 10, 2010
Why I like Japanese soccer fans
The rainy season is my favorite time of the year. I just love to walk out the door and see the flowers in my garden wearing those big huge grins. But that's not the only reason I like the rainy season — it's a great excuse to stay inside and watch sports. The fact that the World Cup always falls during...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 3, 2010
Meet the party gods on our small island
I've always gotten along well with my neighbors on the island. This is especially important because my neighbors are all gods: the Mountain God, Kompira-san, Juichimen Kannon, Senju Kannon and Myoken-sama. I have to put up with a few loud parties every now and then, but overall, we get along extremely...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jun 26, 2010
Big birds have big fun
With the evening breeze, the water laps against the heron's legs
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jun 19, 2010
An unconventional BBQ — grill them all
The cool spring has definitely cut into the barbecue season here on the island. I'm not resentful, just peeved. Mother Nature obviously doesn't eat meat.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jun 12, 2010
Returning favors is indeed a thorny issue
I look out my door in both directions before I leave the house. Once I am out of the house, I go straight to where I am headed and come straight back. No stopping to talk to neighbors. I don't even answer the door anymore. I'm hiding — from gifts.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jun 5, 2010
Haishima — abandoned islands
It's springtime on the island and the fishermen have their boats up on stays above the water. During high tide, they can drive their boats onto the stay and tie it down. As the tide goes out, the boat is left on the stay, exposing the bottom of the boat for cleaning. As they scrape off the fuzzy green...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 29, 2010
Exploring the Inland Sea for the tree of knowledge
During the nice spring weather, I like to explore the Seto Inland Sea by boat. I have been wanting to visit a certain island in the Shiwaku Island chain in Kagawa Prefecture for some time now.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 22, 2010
The Island of Heavenly Fields
I live next to a heavenly field. So do lots of other people on my island.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 15, 2010
Are we Kobo Daishi freaks?
"You're wearing a Kobo Daishi T-shirt," the Buddhist priest observed.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 8, 2010
The era of the 'small woman' is gone forever
Japanese people are definitely getting taller, along with the people of other countries around the world.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 1, 2010
Cat's guide to attaining enlightenment
After so many years in Japan, I have come to realize that it is not so hard to achieve enlightenment. As long as you're a cat.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 24, 2010
How you reclaim land here: Just say, it's mine!
If you think Japan is small, imagine how small it used to be. You may not be aware of this, but Japan is a lot bigger than it used to be, thanks to a phenomenon called landmass growth.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 17, 2010
You know you live in the countryside when . . .
Okayama Prefecture is considered Japan's inaka (countryside). When I first came to teach at a university here, my students, who were all from the local small towns, would introduce themselves as being from inaka, and then laugh as if this was the funniest thing in the world. To me, the word "countryside"...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 10, 2010
Navigating the Seto Inland Sea ferry services
Someone wrote to me and, rather emphatically, told me to give them the ferry schedule for Matsuyama (population 420,000), Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku to Shiraishi Island (population 659) where I am. I was sorry to have to tell him that swimming would be faster.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Russia fired experimental ballistic missile at Ukraine, Putin says
Ukrainian firefighters work on a spot following an airstrike in Dnipro on Thursday.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.
'Tokyo Swindlers': Get deep into the minds of real estate con artists
In Ko Shinjo's "Tokyo Swindlers," a group of con artists manipulates real estate giants into falsified deals within the highly competitive, quick market.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

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

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