My “iPhone diet” is going surprisingly well, and I’ve managed to lose 12 kg (25 lbs) so far. On this diet I’m basically eating anything I want, but making sure I record what I eat in an iPhone app called Daily Count, which gives me visual feedback about how many more calories I’m allowed for the day. The other day I went to the onsen (hot springs) with my son, and he suddenly started dancing while singing “Everybody Dance Now,” which is what we do in our family when something good happens for some reason. I asked him why he was doing the victory dance, and he nodded towards one of the other bathers, who happened to be quite a big larger than me. At 93kg (205 lbs), my weight is slightly above average for the U.S., but in Japan where people are so thin, I’m really huge by comparison, making seeing someone larger than me in the bath a noteworthy event. I’ve actually been asked in the past if I was a professional wrestler — sigh.
What is Christmas in Japan?
The Christmas holiday means different things to different people around the world. Japan is by and large a nation of...