Tag - japan-lite

 
 

JAPAN LITE

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Apr 2, 2011
This earthquake still felt all over Japan
When my friends back home contacted me to see if I was OK after the March 11 disaster, I told everyone the same thing. "We're OK. We live 500 miles (800 km) from the disaster zone. We haven't been affected at all." We didn't even feel the earthquake, not even slightly. We have had no blackouts. We continue...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 26, 2011
Hey, look! No loot!
People around the world have marveled at the lack of mass-looting in Japan among the survivors of the recent earthquake and tsunami. Many people are still asking: Why was there no mass-looting?
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 19, 2011
What it means to be 'prepared'
Japan has repeatedly been referred to as the "most prepared nation in the world" for an earthquake or tsunami disaster. The government has been praised for its readiness via earthquake/tsunami drills, for the prompt organization of the Self-Defense Forces, and for its preparedness to send in doctors...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 12, 2011
A possible cure for memory loss
Gumonji is a Shingon Buddhist practice that is easy to explain, difficult to imagine, and nearly impossible to carry out. You still want to try it? Well, OK.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Mar 5, 2011
Kyudo — hitting the target
Spring is on the way with flying arrows. Which proves that islanders living in Japan's Seto Inland Sea area don't just sit around doing nothing all day (well, not every day anyway). On March 6, Awashima Island (population 300) will host a Japanese archery festival called Momote, a tradition that goes...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 26, 2011
Here's Japan's big, white hope
I read a piece of news the other day that makes me feel that "Japan as No. 3" may finally be headed in the right direction.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 19, 2011
The new pair seat surcharge
My neighbor Kazu-chan recently booked a trip to Bali with her friend on Garuda Indonesia. She said the travel agency she booked through charged her ¥3,000 to sit next to her friend. And her friend also had to pay ¥3,000 to sit next to Kazu-chan. This was called a pair seat.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 12, 2011
How 'bout that sumo?
The March Grand Sumo Tournament has been canceled due to bout-rigging. The May tournament is now in doubt as well. Who knows, sumo may be the world's first canceled sport.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 5, 2011
Lotus — showing the way to enlightenment
We all know that the lotus flower is a symbol of Buddhism, but is that all there is to it?
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 29, 2011
O-soji in the year of the dust bunnies
Why is it that we always clean our houses before guests come to visit? If you're like me, it takes guests to prompt me to give things a shine. It just goes to show how low our standards for ourselves really are.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 22, 2011
How you twist and shout in Japanese
If you like to twist and shout, you'll love the Japanese language. Even if you don't know any Japanese at all, here are some easy expressions that can launch you into premature scream mode with little effort, with just a tad bit of grunting on the side. Charge on, shall we? Shrills: Kawaii!
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jan 15, 2011
Facing your unlucky years
If you're hoping that 2011 will be your best year yet in Japan, think again. I hate to be the one to drop the bomb here, but the Shinto odds are against you. As a matter of fact, 2011 may be your most perilous year yet. Here is why:
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...

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Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'