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 Amy Chavez

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Amy Chavez
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Gourmet Trails
Aug 26, 2017
Treats and traditions on the trail in Kyoto
I stood under the looming Shinto torii gate with my guide Mish Haddad, an expert on Kyoto culture with a passion for the local food. Our goal was to both hike and eat our way along the Kyoto Trail from Fushimi Inari Shrine (Marker 1) to Kiomizudera Temple and end at Ginkakuji Temple (Marker 47).
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 30, 2017
Red tape must go if Japan is to woo seafaring visitors
Japan has no system in place for admitting small craft into its waters. As a result, pleasure boats are, across the board, treated the same as commercial ships.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Gourmet Trails
Jul 22, 2017
The Kumano Kodo: Hot spring-boiled eggs and ancient bento along the trail
I alighted at Kii Tanabe Station to hike the Kumano Kodo, a wooded trail through Japan's spiritual heartland in Wakayama Prefecture that leads to the Three Grand Shrines of Kumano: Hongu Taisha, Hayatama Taisha and Nachi Taisha.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jun 25, 2017
Remembering the life and works of Boye De Mente, a giant of writing on Japan
Any Japanophile will have at least one of the 30 or so books authored by Boye Lafayette De Mente during his long and prolific writing career in Japan.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 28, 2017
In Kyoto, a jarring one-off encounter or the tip of the iceberg?
Kyoto is adapting to meet the needs of hordes of tourists, but importing foreign customs purely for profit is not the way to go.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 23, 2017
There's something about Miffy, the gender-bending bunny
Tackling the mysteries of why Japan is one of the largest markets for Miffy merchandise — and whether Miffy is a boy or a girl.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 26, 2017
The confessions of a Japanese-to-Hungarian translator
Over some Hungarian wine, a translator who does not wish to be identified spills the beans on the juicier bits of her job.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 26, 2017
At the site of WWII Japanese POW breakout in Australia, a space for peace
In the early hours of Aug. 5, 1944, more than 600 Japanese POWs attempted an escape, knowing full well that most, if not all, would be killed before they could reach freedom.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 29, 2017
Caroline Kennedy's legacy in Japan will be her message of equality and reconciliation
Caroline Kennedy left a deep impression upon Japan and will long be remembered for her positive role here.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Dec 25, 2016
Discovering the mystery behind 'Goat Island' in the Seto Inland Sea
There was a man living on a small island in the Seto Inland Sea who had a goat. He was not an old man, and he didn't know much about ruminants, so when his goat grew bigger, and its stubbornness exceeded its usefulness, the man started looking for a way to get rid of it. Rather than roast the goat, he...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Nov 27, 2016
Finding fishy enlightenment and sustenance on the Mackerel Trail
The Wakasa Road is a historical trail that helped advance Japan's culture and cuisine. The Wakasa region of Fukui Prefecture, on the nation's west coast, was one of the strategic miketsukuni regions of Japan that produced food for the emperor in ancient times.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Oct 23, 2016
Uninvited pair of animal invaders leave island in a tizzy
When a boar and a deer show up offering diversity and hope to repair our ecosystem, we should be honored that they'd even consider taking up residence here.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Sep 25, 2016
If you don't feel accepted in Japan, join the far-from-exclusive club
If you feel you've never been accepted in Japan, then welcome to the club: Many Japanese people don't feel accepted here either.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Aug 28, 2016
Japan's men and women must stand together against the scourge of sexism
Sexism is one of the scourges of the nation. Fortunately, it's a problem that can be tackled through education. So why isn't anyone doing this?
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 24, 2016
Cruel wind of circumstance blows islanders’ plans off course
The story of how one small accident heralded the abrupt end of a seafaring lineage.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jun 26, 2016
Never mind Japan's looming pension disaster — here's a cute squirrel
On our island of just 529 people in the Inland Sea, we have one post office and one bank. The bank, run by the almighty JA (Japan Agriculture), shares an office with the JA dry goods store, which offers everything from rodent poison to a new water heater.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
May 29, 2016
Plenty of blame to go around for the young and older alike
The 50s must be the point where you can no longer blame things on young people and so switch to blaming middle age.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 24, 2016
Guesthouses are proliferating in Japan's countryside, but at what cost?
To ensure they can continue working into their twilight years, many owners of traditional Japanese inns are keen to change their business model.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 27, 2016
Seto Inland Sea island finds salvation through art, but on its residents' own terms
Until recently facing a shrinking, aging population, Ogijima is growing thanks to its thriving community-based art scene.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 29, 2016
Alarm over the death of a doctor ripples across the Seto Inland Sea
The death of the island's only doctor has come as a major shock to the islanders of Shiraishi and beyond.

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