The end of an era in driving convenience, Japan’s Obon Buddhist holidays, and everything you wanted to know about what a kimono is
The end of an era for this particular gaijin has come. In the past, foreigners were permitted to drive in ...
Tag: culture
Ways that America steals ideas from Japan, the Japanese language as “most difficult in the world” and what color are your eyes?
I've written about how Japan's society often seems to follow behind the U.S. in many areas, usually running about a ...
Observations on the Japanese and music culture, things you learn as an ESL teacher, and comparing San Diego to Japan
One observation I've made about Japan in the 15+ years I've spent there is, they pay a little more attention ...
On reverse culture shock, phases kids go through in Japan, and all about Japanese TV
It's always fun being back in the U.S., because I get to experience that rarest of sensations, reverse culture shock, ...
More on the language of men and women, the Jerusalem of Otakuism, and all about sex and nudity in Japan (cool!)
There are subtle nuances in how we use language, and the speech we choose to use says something about all ...
The lack of patriotic songs in Japan, what happened in our prefecture during WWII, and a useful word for Atari fans
The Fourth of July celebration was a lot of fun, a rare treat for me since Anime Expo usually falls ...
Anime Expo update, advice on traveling in Japan, on the idea of Japan as “#81” and two words every pop Japanologist must know
We're still here at Anime Expo in Long Beach, and it's been a real blast. Monday is the last day ...
Getting ready for Anime Expo, all about Japanese name endings, tips on gift-giving, and thoughts on Japan and the iPhone
Most people know that the Japanese put the ending -san on the end of names for politeness. There are quite ...
Japan’s latest “boom” is Tae Bo, all about the Three Great Unifiers of Japan, and managing by studying Japanese history
Japan is the land of the boom, and you never know what will be popular next. Right now the country ...
Our plan to “reform” our home in Japan, the joys of getting citizenship, and times when Japan just throws you for a loop
Our plan to "reform" (remodel) our house in Japan is continuing apace, as we prepare to redo our bath area, ...
Dire straights for the Nova Bunny, Japanese test culture and manga artists, and all about Japanese democracy
The teaching of eikaiwa, or English conversation, is quite an industry in Japan, and there are many schools where people ...
All about “castle towns,” the use of euphsmisms in daily life in Japan, and funny English you can try at home
As with Europe, Japan has had a long history which has left its mark on cities and towns today. Most ...
Understanding group culture through photography, all about Social Security in Japan, and would you like “lice” with your bento?
The Japanese are a very group-oriented people, and one of the worst things a person can be is nakama-hazure (nah-kah-mah ...
Star Wars group geekout update, the linguistic roots of Japanese, and psychology through TV commercials
The Star Wars Celebration IV convention is in full swing, and here in Los Angeles tens of thousands of fans ...
What a difference an elongated vowel makes, Jamestown vs. Sekigahara, and other cultural observations from a cunning linguist
What a difference an elongated vowel can make. Japanese is quite different from English, having had a totally unique developmental ...
Weird new products in the U.S., getting Japanese onomatopoeia on the brain, and what to the Japanese think of us?
Whenever I come back to the U.S., I like to cruise the grocery stores to see what new products have ...
Thinking about “conformity” some more, making English easier for students to learn, and the Brazil you can visit from Tokyo for 1000 yen
I've written about conformity in one form or another a lot recently. The word isn't one that Americans probably have ...
Jet Lagging in the USA, ways that Japanese reflect total social harmony, and would you save your baby’s umbilical cord?
Well, once again I've made the hop from Japan to San Diego, which takes about 24 hours from door to ...
Gaijin battling to be the “King of Akihabara,” silly thoughts on Japanese company names, and life sometimes being fair in your favor
One Japanese TV show that never fails to please is TV Champion, which pits exceptional people against each other in ...
Japan, education and conformity, thoughts on memorizing various stuff, and the enigma of barley tea in the summer
Japan is a country that's very focused on education, and I've always observed that parents seem to put more energy ...
The history of family names in Japanese, why there are so many last names in use here, and the Japanese connection with Auld Lang Syne
Names in Japanese are quite different from what we're usually used to in the West. Right off the bat, the ...
Shared experiences through anime and manga, on raising kids who are “half,” and understanding an aspect of Japan through Newsweek
Anime and comic books -- which are collectively referred with the term "manga" in Japanese -- are an inseparable part ...
Bizarre urban legends of Japan, funny English words the Japanese invent, and where are all the pregnant women?
Urban legends are funny things, sometimes leading millions of people to believe something that just isn't true. When Gerber started ...
Japan’s amazing adaptions of “black culture,” all about gestures used by the Japanese, and what’s the currency of Japan?
The Japanese are very good at taking outside culture and adapting it to fit their own needs, and they have ...
