Frustrations common in Japan, and the current state of Pachinko, the national gambling game of Japan
Anyone who's ever worked in a Japanese organization for any length of time probably knows the frustration of having a ...
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Thoughts on television in Japan, April and “newly harvested rice,” and that cultural question, what color is the sun?
Television (which turns 80 today) in Japan can be quite entertaining, and sometimes its fun to sit back on the ...
The history of Valentine’s Day in Japan, thoughts on why the Japanese are so harmonious, and a really cute picture of the Yamato
You probably know that they do Valentine's Day a little differently in Japan than in the West. Here, Feb. 14th ...
A Yakuza gang war in Tokyo, my trip to the concrete jungle of Tokyo, and how the wisdom of China is at work in Japan today
Japan has a reputation for being a peaceful place with very little in the way of violence, giant monsters emerging ...
All about our bath in Japan, the concept of Japanese-style “trust,” and what’s up with Vermont Curry?
Bathing is very important in Japan, and almost all Japanese take time to enjoy a slow bath at the end ...
What the Japanese think of Americans, our trip to Guam, and ah, the smell of kerosene in the morning
As an expat American living away from my home country, it's sometimes interesting to ask the Japanese people around me ...
How Japan’s writing system works, a summary of the past few years in kanji, and Japanese learning to deal with “hen na gaijin”
Kanji (KAHN-gee), the Chinese characters that the Japanese use to express most words in writing, is fascinating to Westerners because ...
American uniqueness vs. Japanese uniformity, a new debate on “beautiful Japan” and the little joys of living in Japan
Just as Americans are accustomed to thinking of our country as a union of semi-soverign states, each with its own ...
A delicious food that brings people together, naughty words in Japanese, and the tragedy of “ijime” in Japan
Last night we went to a friend's house to have one of my favorite dishes, nabe (NAH-beh), a word that ...
The social problems of “hikikomori,” a Japan population update, and budding awareness of a scary holiday
One social problem that's being talked about more and more in Japan is hikikomori (hee-kee-KOH-MOH-ree, 引きこもり), a Japanese term that ...
More on the concept of “senpai” including “gaijin seniority,” and the cutting edge of the female pachinko market
I talked last time about the invisible lines drawn between the three social groups in a Japanese school or organization, ...
Typhoons and destruction in Japan, Respect for the Aged Day, and a death sentence for Japan’s scariest cult leader
Typhoon season has arrived in Japan, with Typhoon No. 13 (named "Shanshan" by the American weather service, although no one ...
The hierarchy of language in Japan, trouble for “unhurried education” and, is my wife a Desperate Housewife?
Hello again from Japan, where, when two people say the same thing at the same time, they're then supposed to ...
New “keitai” phones for my family, all about Japanese names, and the Pluto – Gamilon connection
Saturday was "new keitai day" for our family, and we all went down to the local "au" store to get ...
The custom of gift-giving in Japan, the problem of Japanese forgetting kanji, and my kids’ approach to bilingualism
One complex subject in Japan is that of gift giving. The Japanese are very much into exchanging gifts, and the ...
August and Yasukuni Shrine, a very Buddhist holiday, and small drinks and Japanese girls’ butts
Well, I've made my little hop across the Pacific, and am once again in hot, humid, kawaii Japan. When people ...
Benefits from Japan’s homogeneous culture, drawbacks to living in Japan, and the Japanese futon defined
Japan is, by and large, quite a homogeneous place. I've travelled from Sapporo to Hiroshima and have seen much of ...
The subject of patriotism in Japan, bilingualism and the mystery of translation, and J-Culture in H-Games
One debate going on in Japan right now is what role patriotism should play in society. Currently, Japanese are perhaps ...
Japan and “acting your age,” all about Japanese seaweed, and the official dictionary of Japan
I've written before about how the "eyes of others" (hito no me) can be a strong force in keeping Japanese ...
Traffic safety week, things you have to get used to in Japan, and all about the Yakuza
Japan has one of the lowest birthrates of any modern nation, with just 1.38 children born per couple, which will ...
American magazines in the Japanese news marketplace, creases on your eyelids, and the truth about slurping noodles
Japan is a very literate nation, and there are many daily newspapers and weekly magazines that report and compile the ...
Thoughts on Tokyo, the truth behind internationalization, and the triumph of inefficiency
I went into Tokyo on business yesterday, and as is often the case, I was amazed that the city is ...
This year’s Meat Day celebration in Japan, my lust for American cell phones, and the meaning of “recycle” in Japan
The Japanese often play with numbers in interesting ways, converting the numerals into sounds to make messages. Through a phonetic ...
Cold and snow in Japan, the Japanese vs Albert Einstein, and Japanese studying “best practices”
Hello from freezing, windy Japan! The country has been hit by a cold front of Siberian winds that have chilled ...
