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November 22, 2024
 

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Eric Margolis
Eric Margolis is a writer, book editor and translator from Japanese who is based in Nagoya. His writing has been published in The Japan Times, The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Slate, The New Republic, Tokyo Weekender and elsewhere.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Jan 24, 2022
Landed a gig teaching in Japan? You may need a crash course in curriculum creation
Schools that are under strain from both budget shortfalls and the pandemic don't have time to walk new teachers through every step of the process.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jan 21, 2022
Translator trip-ups: What do they mean for learning Japanese?
Have you ever had trouble precisely translating a word? While it may prove difficult in the moment, you're likely getting a free lesson in Japanese culture.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Jan 17, 2022
What you need to know about the omicron surge in Japan
The number of new COVID-19 cases is rising and while you're not as likely to be hospitalized, it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Dec 13, 2021
Park life: Growing Japan's green spaces through private investment
Green spaces nationwide increased fivefold between 1970 and 2010, but that growth has slowed to a trickle over the past decade.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Dec 6, 2021
An Afghan in Japan's plea to the world
What would you do if you woke up safe and sound in Japan only to learn that your home country was collapsing into chaos?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Nov 28, 2021
What temples and shrines mean to an outsider
Temples and shrines offer a closeness with nature that can provide spiritual comfort to those who are far from their own religious communities.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Nov 26, 2021
When Japanese borrows the words from another language, but not their meanings
Loanwords can prove tricky in Japanese. Once a word is imported, it can take on a whole other meaning to that of the language it originated in.
Japan Times
PODCAST / deep dive
Nov 3, 2021
How Japan is already being impacted by climate change
Japan Times contributor Eric Margolis walks us through how Japan is already being affected by climate change.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
Oct 4, 2021
Creativity and collaboration flourish at the Japan Writers Conference
Being held online for its second year, the Japan Writers Conference helps budding artists with the practicalities of the creative process.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 30, 2021
Words that mean how they sound: The power of onomatopoeia
You may not understand exactly what's being said when you hear onomatopoeic words in Japanese, but you'll most likely have an idea of what they mean based on how they sound.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Sep 20, 2021
New job? Be sure to read the fine print
Foreign teachers of English in Japan are good at sharing cautionary tales on messenger boards, but the best thing you can do to avoid any pitfalls is read your contract.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 6, 2021
Using Japanese to discuss victory and defeat at the Tokyo Olympics
It's not accurate to say that anyone who doesn't medal at the Olympics is a loser, but the language of winning and losing is very much a part of Japanese.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 23, 2021
Explore the vocabulary of beginnings ahead of the opening ceremony of the Olympics
The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics may have you thinking about new beginnings and fresh starts. It's time to raise the curtain on some new vocabulary.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jul 9, 2021
Grow your Japanese with care, like the plants in a garden
Before you start planting seeds, make sure you know if you want 'yasai' or 'hana' — and make sure you know what those even are.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Jun 4, 2021
Dress like Naruto? Great cosplay. Speak like Naruto? Hmm, chotto …
With anime's popularity booming, some may see it as a shortcut to learning Japanese. But you wouldn't necessarily learn English from Donald Duck, would you?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Longform
May 31, 2021
Cool Japan campaign at a crossroads 10 years after setting sights abroad
The government-funded initiative's future looks uncertain given its mixed results so far in promoting Japanese culture overseas.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
May 31, 2021
What's behind housing discrimination in Japan?
Japanese real estate agents sometimes don't want to try to deal with non-Japanese renters, which is why specialist companies are popping up to help.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
May 17, 2021
Renting, building or renovating: Tips to get the best roof over your head
If you plan to stay for a while in Japan, there are several routes you can take when it comes to finding a place to rest your head.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
May 14, 2021
When you find the right notes to learn Japanese, even karaoke can be your classroom
From children's lullabies to visual-kei, writing out lyrics and singing along to Japanese pop can help you with everyday conversation.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
May 10, 2021
Japan’s undeterred housing market is full of opportunity for foreign residents
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many foreign residents to think about what they want to do long-term in Japan. For some, buying property is the answer.
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.

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

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world
mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

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