Shrinking the Earth and watching Football, all about the word “sumimasen” and the four islands of Japan
That old planet Earth, she just keeps on getting smaller and smaller, and it's a lot of fun to sit ...
Tag: bathing
Going to ge a haircut and learning about Japanese culture instead, when Japanese people must become bold, and using songs to master Japanese
People talk about convergence all the time, of things coming together in a more convenient form. Living in Japan, one ...
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 ...
Thoughts on raising bilingual kids, comparing of names between Japan and the West, and what Carl Sagan has taught me
It's hard raising bilingual children in a country where English isn't used on a daily basis, except on signs that ...
Thoughts on my father and Buddhism, the Mac-PC connection with being bilingual, and our cute American, Japanese daughter
Sunday was my father's meinichi, the anniversary of the day he died nine years ago (although Japanese are always puzzled ...
Good things and bad about living in Japan, more ways Japanese look to the West, and social benefits of love hotels
There are a lot of good things about living in Japan. Good food, from sushi to sashimi to Indian curry. ...
Multiple meaning of “wa,” raising bilingual kids, and what cute culture has to do with the rock band KISS.
Many English speakers know the Japanese word wa (和） which means harmony and peace, and in some cases additionally refers ...
Coming to Japan from San Diego, changing Japanese views on alcohol, and Japan Autumn Report
Coming to Japan meant adjusting to many new things, from vending machines that accept the equivalent of $100 bills then ...
A very Buddhist way of looking at your house pets, how to beat the Chinese at kanji, and thoughts on Japan’s future
Pets are a part of our household in Japan, and currently we've got a dog (faithful old Sakura) and two ...
Things that can always freak a gaijin out, the Japanese penchant for talking over songs on the radio and what is a “real house”?
No matter how long a person lives in Japan, there are always things that can bring on what expats here ...
Conflicting themes in the medical industry in Japan, all about convenience stores, and how our brain names objects
Japan is a land of conflicting themes, of high tech phones and glittering gadgets alongside abandoned pachinko parlors and that ...
Commomorating Karaoke Culture Day, a cruel joke on the population front, and all about mixed bathing in Japan
Japan is a big fan of naming special days to create awareness about things we take for granted, like Sweet ...
Lessons we could learn from Japan about “safety driving,” pointing with the middle finger, and trivia on Japanese toilets
I've often thought that there are some really good ideas in Japan that the rest of the world could learn ...
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 ...
Seeing Japan through iced coffee goggles, relieving stress through coloring books, and how we gaijin can save Japan from its falling birthrate!
Whenever my wife and I try a new restaurant we order aisu kohi, which we use to judge the dedication ...
Challenges of international marriage, housing issues in Japan, and all about Japanese bread (pan)
My wife and I face various daily challenges because of our kokusai kekkon, or international marriage. As an American I ...
The end of Comicon again, thoughts on math and the abacus, and strategies for communication
It's that time of year again: the crowds have gone home, the D.C. Comics banners have been pulled down, and ...
What you can learn about public baths from Street Fighter II, Japan and Yellow Cabs, and the end of 0%
There are many things to like about Japan: beautiful temples, delicious food, cherry blossoms, and Hello Kitty bento boxes. But ...
Learning to count chopsticks in Japanese, the meaning of GOD HAIR & MAKE, and Japan’s new yaoi boom
When you learn a language as different from English as Japanese is, some things are going to be challenging, such ...
Back in Japan with culture shock, all about Japanese dialects, perceptions between countries and A-Kon wrap up
Well, I'm back in Japan now, the land of sushi and small cars and very cute things. No matter how ...
Our trip to Tokyo, Japan’s strange connection with Peru, alcoholic green tea, and what Jabba the Hutt can teach you about linguistics
We wanted to do something fun with the kids over the weekend, so we shinked (gaijin-speak for "took the Shinkansen," ...
The subject of international marriage in Japan, how foreigners live in Japan, and fully perceptions of other countries
One subject of interest in Japan is kokusai kekkon, or international marriage involving a Japanese and a person from another ...
Experiments with Japanese literature, my impressions on positives and negatives education in Japan, and squid ink pizza
Coming to Japan brought many surprises for me, and not just the usual things like beer vending machines and ikasumi ...
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 ...
