Amy Chavez - The Japan Times

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Mar 17, 2007

Winning formula prevails in the midst of diversification

As I near the end of my winter stay in Niseko, I am left with a nagging question: Has Niseko been ruined by tourism?

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Mar 10, 2007

Onsen -- a rubber ducky's dream

Bath time: Run the bath water, throw in some bath salts and jump in. If this is your idea of bath time, then you and your rubber ducky have been deprived.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Mar 3, 2007

Niseko -- growing up like St. Moritz

If you asked the town of Niseko, Hokkaido what it wants to be when it grows up, it would say St. Moritz, Switzerland. Now there's a town with a vision. And due to what I call "Why not?" town planning, it may even get there. I have faith that Niseko will someday join the European Union.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Feb 24, 2007

Young ice crystals on their best behavior

What do you think Hokkaido people do in the wintertime for entertainment? Being such a cold place, you'd think they'd specialize in trips to Tahiti. But no, all over Hokkaido during the coldest months of the year they hold snow and ice festivals.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Feb 17, 2007

Niseko -- snowflake Mecca

It snowed 30 cm last night. And another 30 cm today. Nature is expressing herself.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Feb 10, 2007

Livng 'E.R.' on Japan's northern island

My current job as medical translator at a ski resort in Hokkaido means that most of my job takes part in the emergency room. I am living my own "E.R."

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Feb 3, 2007

Making the streets safe in Hokkaido

I came to Hokkaido for the winter to take a job in medical translation. I work in Niseko, the powder snow Mecca to skiers and snowboarders. And when they face plant in the powder, ski into a tree, or huck a cliff and land improperly, I go to the hospital and help interpret between doctor and patient....

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Jan 27, 2007

Never visit a Hokkaido home in the a.m.

Just when I thought I knew everything about Japanese toilets, I came to Hokkaido. Boy, do I have a lot to learn.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Jan 20, 2007

Beware roof avalanches and snow plows!

I was skiing in that famous Niseko powder snow up to my knees, floating on air, when I heard "Don't hurry love, you'll just have to wait. . . ." Ah, Phil Collins. My cell phone was ringing. I ignored it and continued skiing down. ". . . it's a game of give and take. . . ."

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Jan 13, 2007

Niseko -- the souls of melted snowmen

Here I am basking in central heating in Hokkaido. I came to try out Japan's rugged north for the winter where only five percent of Japan's population dares to live, along with 3,000 higuma, or brown bears. Hokkaido is famous for its wide-open spaces and dairy cows.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Jan 6, 2007

Don't be a bore, go whole hog in 2007

Akemashite oink-oink! Happy Year of the Inoshishi, or wild boar. Hopefully, your 2007 will not be a wild bore, however.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 30, 2006

Hakodate -- home of the Twinkle Lady

As I left Hakodate for Niseko, the whole city was draped in the first snowfall of the year. And it was one furious snowfall.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 23, 2006

Keeping it short and casual in Aomori

Last week I told you about how I met Santa Claus in Akita-ken. After receiving my gift from him, I continued on my journey North in the quest for central heating.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 16, 2006

Land of Akita dogs and Santa Claus

I've had it! I'm not going to sit around freezing to death in my uninsulated Japanese house again this winter.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 9, 2006

Unmasking life's many battles

I finally did it. I wore one of those masks because I caught a cold. Actually, not a cold, but a vicious stomach virus. But I couldn't help wondering: Who dunnit? Who didn't wear a surgical mask and passed their virus on to me?

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 2, 2006

One man's trash, another's treasure

I remember my first years in Japan rummaging through the garbage on "sodai homi no hi" (big garbage day) I couldn't believe the things people threw out: perfectly good furniture, practically unused stereos etc.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Nov 25, 2006

Living among aliens on Planet Japan

Japanese entrepreneur Daisuke Enomoto was going to pay $20 million to go into outer space. Not me. I can go into outer space anytime I want. All I have to do is walk out my door.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Nov 18, 2006

How to tell if you are Gaijin-Japanese

In the U.S. we use the term Japanese-American to refer to Americans of Japanese descent. The Japanese use the terms nisei and sansei to denote second- and third-generation Japanese. Then there is hafu to describe those who are "half Japanese" and half something else (such as mermaid?).

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Nov 11, 2006

The mysterious red light heeded by few

Big news for our island: They've put in a traffic light! Now, I've always been under the impression that there must be oncoming traffic to justify a traffic light. But hey, this is Japan, maybe they drive differently here.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Nov 4, 2006

Charmers of the Inland Sea

My landlord drives a ferry. Having grown up on an island in the Inland Sea, it was only natural for him to take up a job on a boat. Many islanders become captains of ferries, cargo ships, and tug boats. Ship captains in Japan can retire at age 55 and get a very nice pension. The problem is, it's hard...

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