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November 22, 2024
 

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Amy Chavez

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Amy Chavez
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 8, 2011
When you go shopping and nothing 'looks right'
Most people feel older on their birthday. Not me. I feel older on New Year's Day. Perhaps it's because I wake up a bit under the weather from the previous night's festivities. I look at myself in the bathroom mirror and think, Who's that?!
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 1, 2011
Your 108 misleading karmas
Happy New Year! Did you visit a temple (or shrine) on the first of January, and ring the bell 108 times, per Japanese tradition? The ringing of the bell represents the 108 bonno — defilements of man. Have you even wondered what exactly the 108 bonno are? Here is a list:
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Dec 25, 2010
The perfect gift for the Traditional Book Snob
Merry Christmas! I hope Santa brought you an e-book reader. If he didn't, turn him in to the police. Because Santa doesn't know what's good for you. Let me explain.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Dec 18, 2010
A giant salamander sermon
Japan has the world's longest life span. Even their animals live to be elderly. Japan' oldest giant salamander, who lived in Okayama, passed away in August this year — at 100 years old.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Dec 11, 2010
Aging naturally and gracefully
The current Visit Japan campaign, where the government hopes to hit 10 million foreign visitors by the end of 2010, should be courting the American baby boomers — 78 million people between the ages of 50 and 70. We could call it the Visit Aging Japan Campaign.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Dec 4, 2010
Secret life of ikebana
Several days ago, I started finding yellow stains on my clothes. I'd be stain-free when I woke up in the morning, but by the end of the day, I'd look down and see a yellow stain somewhere on my shirt. Sometimes it was just a faint suggestion, other times it was a big stripe of yellow. They started appearing...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 27, 2010
Wandering on a pilgrimage-centric island
"Therefore, wander!"
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 20, 2010
Everyone chime in . . .
Classes start early on our island — 6 a.m. every day, even on Sundays. At least that's what any teacher visiting for the first time would think. This is because there is a "chime" that sounds over the island's PA system at 6 a.m., which lets islanders know that it is time to wake up. The chime happens...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 13, 2010
Getting around the soul of Japan
I go to Kyoto once a year. I get lost in Kyoto once a year. Kyoto makes no sense to me. I'm more of a Tokyo girl. Give me a handful of subway lines and trains to navigate and I'm fine. Give me just two and I'm lost.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 6, 2010
Japan's pension program
Today I'd like to explain to you Japan's pension program, where you put in ¥14,660 per month in the hopes that later when you retire, you will receive monthly payments of around ¥60,000 until the day you die. Or so the theory goes. Remember the chain letters that say if everyone sends a dollar to Joe,...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Oct 30, 2010
Exploring the back of your mind
It had been in the back of my mind for a while now. I had to call an old Japanese friend to thank her for a gift she sent me recently. The problem was, I couldn't remember her phone number.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Oct 23, 2010
Megijima, where the wild, cute things are
Megijima (Woman Tree Island) is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea where 200 very quiet people live. It is said that long ago Megijima harbored demons. No wonder there are only 200 people left. The island was made famous by the legend of Momotaro, the Peach Boy.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Oct 16, 2010
The Last Mosquito — of this season
Under a full moon, a welcome breeze rolls in off sea and slips through the screened-in window on the second floor. After billowing the curtains, the breeze dances over my bed before rolling out the window on the other side of the room. Autumn is the best time of the year for sleeping.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Oct 9, 2010
One possible sign of aging
Japan, long a society obsessed with age, is now obsessing about — old age! By 2055, it is predicted that half the population will be over 65! OMG, what can you do?!
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Oct 2, 2010
You too can become a millionaire!
In the present economic downturn, you might feel you don't have much to look forward to financially. But I'm here to tell you — don't despair! You have a lot more money than you think you do. It's just a matter of finding it.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 25, 2010
The off-season and other things that go off
Now that the summer is officially over, and we've entered the off-season in the Seto Inland Sea, you're probably thinking there is not much to do here on these sun-kissed islands. Actually, you'd be surprised.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 18, 2010
Hey, you — go home!
This is one of the few modern countries in the world where you can go back in time without ever leaving the current century.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 11, 2010
Benzaiten — Tomboy Goddess of the Sea
Our motorboat skimmed over the smooth water of the Seto Inland Sea. We were on our way to the mainland and I was attempting to apply last-minute beauty aids — nail polish to my fingers and toes. That's 20 appendages and, on a motorboat occasionally met by waves from passing cargo ships, that means...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 4, 2010
Breakfast problem with foreigners
When I started booking foreigners into the Japanese inns on our island, the minshuku owners all had the same fear: "We don't know how to make a Western breakfast!"
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Aug 28, 2010
An insane asylum for tourists
As the world spins faster and faster on its axis, threatening to cut off our supply of gravity and fling us into outer space, Japan is left wondering what to do next.
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.
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.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
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.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

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