A pundit to expound from, a forum for your tales and a space to tell all. Let everyone know what you think and know whether they like it or not.
Blair Sly
I always get nostalgic in winter. It starts as dissatisfaction with the cold, the yearning for sunshine, but the thoughts always go beyond that. Wistful childhood memories, recollections of places I’ve been and people I’ve met. (more)
Posted in December 2005
Colin Mateme
As you all know, this year marked the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War II. I majored in International Relations and History at university and have always wanted to know a few things about Japan from a Japanese perspective. (more)
Posted in December 2005
Cecilia Fernandez
Climbing Mt. Fuji was one of the things I had always wanted to do in Japan. On Thursday August 25th, my friend Nobethu Jolobe from South Africa, who lives in Tsu , Mie Prefecture, where I lived before coming to Wakayama, told me that due to the possible typhoon some people had withdrawn from her planned journey up Mount Fuji. (more)
Posted in October 2005
Masayoshi Ohtani
Since the advent of digital cameras, used film cameras are becoming less and less expensive. Digitals are handy for sure, but tend not last for a long time. How many people use 5 year old digital cameras? (more)
Posted in October 2005
WIN Staff--Translated by Julian Richards
The hardest thing about speaking Japanese is the use of keigo (honorific Japanese). You have to choose your words based on an instantaneous judgment of both your position and that of the person you are talking to. (more)
Posted in August 2005
Colin Mateme
When I arrived in Japan seven months ago I did not know what to expect. I read as much as I could about the country and the people before I left South Africa so that I would be somewhat mentally prepared for what I was about to experience. (more)
Posted in August 2005
Sebastian Bednarczyk
My name is Sebastian and I’ve been in Wakayama as an exchange student for over three months now. It’s been some seven years since I was last in Japan and seeing it again brings back many good memories. (more)
Posted in February 2005
Blair Sly
It is often said that culture is like an iceberg, floating in the ocean. The part of the iceberg that is above the water is visible and apparent, but in reality, this makes up only a small part of overall mass. (more)
Posted in February 2005
Robin Godfroy (Translated by Martin St-Pierre)
Imagine the Chateau Versailles, where high powdered wigs and stunning decors are the backdrop against which Marie-Antoinette, with her long blue satin dress and scintillating necklace, becomes a star played by Mao Daichi in this Japanese production at the Shimbashi Embujo in Tokyo; a theatre built in 1925 as a stage for geisha productions. (more)
Posted in February 2005
Julian Richards
There was a sense of optimism at the Forum on World Heritage Registration held in Shirahama in early November. The World Heritage Registration of the Kumano and Koya areas will likely lead to increased tourism, particularly over the next 2 years. (more)
Posted in December 2004
Rikako Takagishi
Translated by Julian Richard
There is something I endeavor to do every time I prepare a meal. That is to use seasonal ingredients as much as possible and to bring traditional foods and dishes to the dining table every chance I get. (more)
Posted in October 2004
Martin St-Pierre
On July 2, 2004, the UNESCO World Heritage committee gathered in Suzhou, China to announce that the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes called Kumanokodo in the Kii Mountain Range had been granted official status along with 12 other sites worldwide. (more)
Posted in August 2004
Blair Sly
When I was young, I used to associate culture shock with the movie, The Jewel of the Nile. (more)
Posted in June 2004
Ceridwen Trinder I recently spent two weeks on an intensive language course in Iwade. (more)
Posted in June 2004
Ayumi Ino Native English speakers may wonder why Japanese people speak such a poor English despite many years of learning it at school. Japanese people, on their part, also complain that they can’t speak English fluently enough to reward their hard study for years. (more)
Posted in June 2004
by Chiaki Yamamoto
“Hey, You!” I didn’t realize at first that someone was shouting at me. A girl came running toward me, looked me in the eyes and said; “ Don’t give up! You have the right to study here!” She enunciated every word clearly to make sure I understood what she was saying (more)
Posted in April 2004
by WIN Staff
Most people think the last big tidal wave to hit Wakayama occurred on January 30, 1945, where 998 people perished. On May 24, 1960, a powerful (8.4 Richter scale) earthquake in Chile triggered a massive tidal wave that crossed the Pacific Ocean and hit many Pacific Rim areas. (more)
Posted in April 2004
by Julian Richards
Since late September members of the environmental protection group Sea Shepherd have been in Taiji, a small village in southern Wakayama, documenting and attempting to stop the annual whale and dolphin hunt. (more)
Posted in February 2004
by Naoe Naka
We often have misconceptions about others, even those who we consider our friends. However, many Japanese seem to have even more false impressions of people who visit or live in our country temporarily, in other words, non-Japanese. (more)
Posted in February 2004
by WIN Staff
1. Did you know that the last tidal wave (Tsunami) to hit Wakayama travelled at an estimated speed of between 500 and 600 kilometers per hour and was caused by an 8.5 (Richter scale) earthquake? Where was the epicenter of this earthquake? When did it occur?
(more)
Posted in February 2004
by Ruzana Binti Saat
Although Europeans claim that the kite was first invented by a Greek man named Archytas, kite-flying has had a long and impressive history in Asia, more specifically: Japan, China, Malaysia and Indonesia. In Japan, kites are not merely for the sake of people's fun but they have indeed brought along the strong cultural influences.
(more)
Posted in August 2003
Kinga Klein
Bunraku is considered to be a national form of the puppet theatre in Japan and is one of many ways for people to experience Japanese culture.
In my country, Hungary, puppet theatre is mainly for children. (more)
Posted in June 2003
Rebecca Benoit
Following the Hanshin earthquake in 1995, many people in Canada tried to contact their friends or relatives in Japan but were unable to do so. In order to create an emergency response group, the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo and consulate in Osaka decided to establish a warden system to contact Canadians living in Japan should such an event occur again.
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Posted in June 2003
Robert Moore
When the animated feature, Spirited Away, was released in the US last September it was met with high acclaim, elated fans, and an Oscar nomination. It is the latest mega-hit film from Studio Ghibli, a Japan-based animation production company that has generated an immense following both in and out of Japan. (more)
Posted in April 2003
Joanne Jefferson
I like smoking. In fact, I like smoking a lot. In Japan the smoker is rarely made to feel like a leprous obscenity smoking their way to an early grave. From the gloriously cheap price of a packet of cigarettes, the absence of health warnings emblazoned thereon, to the friendly ashtrays squatting beside the check outs at the supermarket, (more)
Posted in April 2003
Hannah Kunert
??I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I?
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.?
(more)
Posted in February 2003
Li Jue
We Chinese call our New Year?s celebration the Spring Celebration or Spring Festival. It marks the beginning of spring and a brand new year in the Chinese calendar.
(more)
Posted in February 2003
Holly Francis
It was a fairly random and spontaneous decision that my friends made to visit me in Japan over the Christmas break. Kiwis living in Paris, I had visited them there in the spring and adored Paris.
(more)
Posted in February 2003
Hannah Kunert
?Well, why don?t we have Christmas here? Come on, a real Aussie Christmas in Wakayama??
(more)
Posted in December 2002
Christine Morrissy I stand to face the final editing deadline. Sometimes it feels as though I?ve been in Japan for just a few short weeks; sometimes just a few weeks short of eternity! The paradox that is Japan. We?ve all... (more)
Posted in December 2002
Mutsumi Torii I often tried to gain my driver?s license, but I could not pass the driving test while I was in Toronto, Canada. As many people know, Toronto is a big city, and has quite heavy traffic. But roads... (more)
Posted in December 2002
Translated by Michael Minzak In order to draw a line between two places of existence, a place where Gods exist and where they don?t, a representative symbol with particular significance; the "Shimenawa" has its place. Its origin may be derived... (more)
Posted in December 2002
Chika Hiramatsu In the section ?Things to Do?, a Noh Play is introduced. The play takes place every year. The main features this year are Sengoro Shigeyama and other performers. Let?s make use of the opportunity to enjoy this traditional... (more)
Posted in October 2002
Mark H. Rooney A year ago today, I returned to my home in the mountains of Wakayama. I had just spent ten wonderful days drumming with an extraordinary group of people, sharing an amazing experience. I was still high from... (more)
Posted in October 2002
Nicole Marie Hirono Salsa is the world's most danced dance. In nearly every major city in the world you can find salsa classes and places to dance it. It is not only dance, however, but a style of music with... (more)
Posted in October 2002
Matthew Healy As the sun rises and the tide-lip of sunlight advances down the hill, everyone turns to feel the warmth hit their faces. We also get the first sense of who we all are, what kind of motley assembly... (more)
Posted in October 2002
Sachi Tahara (translated by Yuki Fujiyoshi) ?What do you want to learn from this class?? In America, teachers seem to always ask students this question at the beginning of their semester or lectures. I think it was good that I... (more)
Posted in October 2002
The first World Cup of the twenty-first century has come and gone with some pretty surprising results. No-one was surprised when Brazil, the perennial favourite, took home the most coveted prize in sports today but who could have guessed that... (more)
Posted in August 2002
Rodeo originated from the daily chores of cowboys of bygone days. This has now evolved into a true sport. They ride wild horses, bulls and catch calves with ropes while riding galloping steeds. They also compete for best time while... (more)
Posted in August 2002
Two weeks ago I visited the ?World exhibition of books for children? in Wakayama?s Kintetsu Department Store. I was told that there was a big canvas on which a Bulgarian fairy tale was presented. Well, there was a canvas. And... (more)
Posted in August 2002
On March 7, 2002, my friend, Jenny and I took a trip to Hakata and Nagasaki, Kyushu. Jenny is a friend I have known for one and a half years and one I will always cherish. Besides sight seeing, the... (more)
Posted in July 2002
As I pack my things to return home I reflect on this past year. How did I ever make it through the year without for the most part my S.O. (significant other) in this case my husband Mike. Mind you,... (more)
Posted in July 2002
Many ALTs have complained to me that they have experienced a "crisis" of identity while in Japan. Before leaving for Japan, ALTs are made aware of all the psychological challenges they will encounter while in Japan. ALTs are made aware... (more)
Posted in July 2002
"Japan is a himo culture," she says as she ties one more around my waist. Hair up, jewelry off, obi tightly tied and fan in right hand: everything must be just right before we leave the house. Tonight is Japanese... (more)
Posted in June 2002
A Phenomenological inquiry into the onto-genetic structure of Hello Kitty When I first arrived in Japan I was surrounded by what at the time seemed like a semiotical soup of all things small and cute. I had a very difficult... (more)
Posted in June 2002
On the eve of the World Cup tournament, it is important to understand some of the historic events, which led to the current hooliganism problem. Although there is a high level of anxiety in Japan towards hooliganism and potential violence,... (more)
Posted in June 2002
Time sure flies. I have been in Japan for half a year. Since I came here, I have experienced many new things and have had a wonderful time. Gradually, I have got to know Japan and have improved my Japanese.... (more)
Posted in June 2002
Not well known, or even noticed by the average foreign visitor or tourist, is manga (comic books) ? a mainstay of Japanese pop culture. You really can't avoid encountering manga at some point if you stay in Japan for any... (more)
Posted in May 2002
Perhaps I'd watched too many Kurosawa films, or got a little too involved in my Edo period studies at university, but the Japan I had expected was somewhat different from the one in which I found myself for the first... (more)
Posted in April 2002
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, for the ultimate Japanese cultural experience, what could offer you more than a trip to the Pachinko hall? The Pachinko Parlor stands grand, glistening in the rain. Rows upon rows of cars and scooters lined... (more)
Posted in April 2002
This is a story of when my friend and I went to Thailand a while ago. It was our second visit there so we knew a bit of its culture, weather, food, and about the friendly people. We took only... (more)
Posted in April 2002
Before coming to Japan, I made up a Must-Do list; staying overnight in a Capsule Hotel was on top of the list. I thought it would be an experience that I would never forget, and it was! To me, the... (more)
Posted in March 2002
Kanji in Context: A Study System for Intermediate and Advanced Learners (Koichi Nishiguchi, Tamaki Kono, published by The Japan Times) is, as its title suggests, not very suitable for students who are just starting to learn kanji. However, for those... (more)
Posted in March 2002
In Romania, Dracula films were not legal until the 1989 revolution. Stoker's book was not translated into Romanian until 1992. The dictator was afraid that he might be compared with Dracula. As a primary school student, during one of my... (more)
Posted in March 2002
Continued from November 2001 Tanpopo （タンポポ） Released on November 23, 1985 A truck driver stops by a faltering Chinese noodle shop. He is attracted by the beautiful widow, who runs the shop by herself. He and others try to make... (more)
Posted in March 2002
Akiko Sakaguchi lived in America with her family for over a decade. During this time, she worked for the public school system as a Japanese translator and interpreter for 9 years. She also volunteered with various organizations and was frequently... (more)
Posted in January 2002
Until I came to Japan, I was never very interested in the bottoms of cups, vases, or any other sort of ceramic piece. And until I came to Japan I didn't have problems with accidentally dumping old water and decaying... (more)
Posted in January 2002
I spent time in December describing to my students some of my experiences with Christmas. It has been interesting for me to sit down and really think about Christmas as a child and as an adult, and to see how... (more)
Posted in January 2002
If knowledge is power, and knowledge comes from information, then what about misinformation? Doesn't that also contribute to knowledge or rather, misknowledge? One characteristic I have found common to many Japanese people I have met is that they possess the... (more)
Posted in December 2001
In Japan, the passage of time is marked by the changing of extreme temperatures and climates of the different seasons and by the changing colors of the leaves. It is amazing how climates can transform not only the landscape by... (more)
Posted in December 2001
The historic events of the last two months have transfixed the world and have led to the reexamination of the issues the developed and developing nations face in the 21st century. One issue that has been overlooked due to the... (more)
Posted in December 2001
"We live in the shadowlands. Happiness is around the bend in the road, over the brow of a hill." The film is sensitively directed by Richard Attenborough, while the soft tone photography by Roger Pratt perfectly captures the subtlety of... (more)
Posted in December 2001
Kites. It's another one of those crafts on the long list of Japanese traditions whose popularity has faded in the modern era. Yet anyone who has seen how fast a trend can take off in this country can imagine how... (more)
Posted in November 2001
Old Time in Arochi really rocked on Saturday, October 13th, as WIN held its annual party. Definitely the event of the year for the international set of Wakayama, the evening brought people from all over the world together to talk,... (more)
Posted in November 2001
Itami Juzo was born in Kyoto on May 15, 1933, the son of Itami Mansaku, a famous movie director and scenario writer at Toho Movie Production. During his high school period, he met Oe Kenzaburo who later received the Nobel... (more)
Posted in November 2001
"We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie…" -verse from John McCrae's In Flanders Fields (May 1915) Sept. 11, 2001 -- 6am: I woke to the... (more)
Posted in October 2001
I generally dislike sending out these group messages. I always would rather talk to everybody one on one. But I need to communicate with everybody on this list in the wake of this unthinkable event. First of all, what can... (more)
Posted in October 2001
More than thirty years ago the American Rhythm and Blues singer Aretha Franklin released what turned out to be a very popular love song titled "Respect." She tells the man she loves that she will give him what he wants... (more)
Posted in October 2001
A year has already passed since I arrived in Japan and I've learned a lot of things about the Japanese culture and the particular way of life in this part of the world. I have always been interested in forming... (more)
Posted in October 2001
Upon arriving at the Kagaonsen station in Ishikawa prefecture early in July, staff holding a big welcome plate saying "gokurosamadeshita", "irashaimase" led us to another bus to the show floor. I realized I was involved in something more than just... (more)
Posted in October 2001
The first question I am asked most often is, "Why did you come to Japan?" I usually reply with my standard answer of, "To teach English of course!" The second question I am asked most frequently is, "Why are your... (more)
Posted in September 2001
A German language club in Wakayama City is looking for a new teacher. The club, Deutsch- Japanische Gemeinschaft, was formed in 1981 by a person who had worked in Hamburg. The students would like to continue their study for sight... (more)
Posted in September 2001
The four seasons of Japan are very enjoyable since many activities of Japanese culture can be seen in these four seasons. In summer, the weather is at its worst. The weather is hot and humid. The air is very thick... (more)
Posted in September 2001
I have read several parting articles in this newsletter and now it is my turn. I have to say good-bye now. I am happy about going home, meeting my family, my friends, and dog, and visiting around all the places... (more)
Posted in September 2001
Welcome to Japan and the Wakayama community! What an exciting time for the new arrivals! I would love to be in your shoes, but time is marching on and I'm actually looking forward to what I will be doing for... (more)
Posted in August 2001
"Hello! Texas! Texas! What about these fine Edo period fish hooks? Hey Texas! Here are some nice antique fluorescent pink plates! What about these eh, Texas? Hey Texas. Authentic!" Well, as tempting as that may be I try to tell... (more)
Posted in August 2001
It is getting to be the time for me to say goodbye to Japan. After living here for two years, I will return to my home country, the United States, in July. With my experience nearing its end, I am... (more)
Posted in July 2001
While in Japan I have had a wonderful chance to try many things unique to Japan. I am always willing to try new things and have taken up the challenge of knocking off my Top Ten 'nihon shika nai' (only... (more)
Posted in July 2001
Today I am thinking about leaving Japan, and I wanted to put down some feelings and impressions. On the whole I have mixed feelings about Japan. In every way. I have eaten some of the most delicious food ever, and... (more)
Posted in July 2001
Outside the arena in Osaka, local rock n' roll bands line the wide sidewalks. It's a Sunday, the opening day of the Haru Basho, the spring sumo tournament, and Jay and Sheila are sitting on the small grassy hill across... (more)
Posted in June 2001
As an undergraduate, I studied photography and business administration. I didn't study English as a course, but taught myself. My purpose for learning English has been "communication." I wanted to talk with people from other cultures. After acquiring moderate ability... (more)
Posted in May 2001
Spring is my most enjoyable season; it always gives me a new lease of life after the semi hibernation that winter seems to bring upon me. Slowly I am able to wake up that little bit earlier as the days... (more)
Posted in May 2001
Browsing through the various chapters of a "Japan As It Is" handbook I came across an interesting article. It was written about a Dr. Tsunoda Tadanobu of the Tokyo Medical + Dental University and how he observed how the left... (more)
Posted in May 2001
The sky grew dark and ominous outside the Taiji Elementary School gym that Saturday afternoon in late December. I waited in dread for the arrival of our visitor, one of Wakayama-ken's top-ranking instuctors of Iaido (traditional Japanese "sword drawing way").... (more)
Posted in April 2001
Technical Mistake Last month there was an article in WIN about "kanashibai". I'd saved a friend's account of this experience to use as a reference, but unfortunately sent it to WIN by mistake. The following is the article I really... (more)
Posted in April 2001
Perhaps you have seen the TV program where 50 angry gaikokujin are "debating" strange aspects of Japanese society. Last week's program, for instance, had as guests, 50 over-weight Japanese men and women. As the show highlighted a 170kg guest's typical... (more)
Posted in April 2001
I was going to write about the time I was sumo wrestled in a musical box museum near Kobe by the Vice-Principal of an elementary school I visit, but it speaks for itself really, doesn't it? However, I did find... (more)
Posted in April 2001
I don't know where to start. I'm so busy with work, taking care of us and our home, that it has been difficult just to find time to sit down and write this. I want to tell you that you... (more)
Posted in April 2001
We have finally reached the month of March. Perhaps the temperature has begun to rise just enough to make your house feel "cold" as opposed to "downright freezing." On the downside, many of us have realized we will probably have... (more)
Posted in March 2001
Question: What is an elementary school like in the USA? Time to offer my little anecdote of reflection. First, this commentary attempts to address the unfounded discontent that has struck me of late for no particular reason. Living a life... (more)
Posted in March 2001
Being an Australian, and seeing as Australia is endowed with deserts and hot weather, I am more comfortable with bikinis and beaches than with snow and skis. Therefore, it was with trepidation that my Andy and I trundled off to... (more)
Posted in March 2001
"Naked." my co-worker whispered the answer to the question I was asking in my head as we hurried from the car to the Yubara Onsen hotel in Okayama prefecture. When I first accepted this teaching position in Japan, I never... (more)
Posted in March 2001
I am currently living and working in Japan. Three nights ago I experienced what I think must be 'kanashibari' Originally from Australia, I have there a couple of times experienced sleep paralysis ie. waking up to find that I can't... (more)
Posted in March 2001
Bleary eyed, I peered at the strange faces dotted around the room I was standing in. They appeared to be peering back at me. However, that could have been due in large part to sleep deprivation, and my near death... (more)
Posted in February 2001
I was observing kyuudou (Japanese archery) practice a few months ago in Tanabe at the city range. It was quite relaxing to watch young students serenely firing arrows that could easily rip a man's arm off. Everything is done in... (more)
Posted in February 2001
Every month contributors to this publication come and go, but a cherished few will manage to grace these pages, offend, exit as graciously and unimpressively as they entered, and then actually be invited to contribute another article. In attempting to... (more)
Posted in February 2001
Two points on the map, and all the spaces in between. Paint a picture in words of all the places I've never been. It's inevitable that the search for Japan should lead me to literature. After all, it's happened before.... (more)
Posted in February 2001
Did you ever wonder why the kanji for manju is the same as the kanji for head? I never did either. In fact, I can't even read Kanji but when I learned the history behind it, I thought it was... (more)
Posted in January 2001
Japan appeared to me for the first time in secondary school's readings. Later in the University I studied this country thoroughly. With every page that I've read about Japan, it reveals to me a wonderful place that is at the... (more)
Posted in January 2001
You can take nenkyu to get you out of school for a couple days, but for most of us there are no vacations from being foreign. Until you've achieved "bi-culturality" (which for many of us would require surgery) living in... (more)
Posted in January 2001
O'ha all, (That's ohaiyo to all you out of touch non Shingo mama fans) Having been requested to submit an article for this newsletter, I thought I could perhaps delight/bore you with the following article. It's all I could come... (more)
Posted in January 2001
I disagree with Mr. Matsushita that Japanese elementary school children should not learn English, but I agree that the current language learning environment is not suitable. It is never too early for children to begin to learn a foreign language.... (more)
Posted in December 2000
The first day of school, I got a couple of small omiyages from Yu-chan and the other students. Yu-chan is a deaf girl in one of the schools I go to. Every time I go to that school, she becomes... (more)
Posted in December 2000
Sometimes it takes dancing about in one's kitchen and screaming in the shower just to realize that 'I am living my life.' No matter how much we waste our time idling between lessons and 'occasionally' in them, in 'meetings', watching... (more)
Posted in December 2000
It's funny. You know that JET journal that most of us don't use, well I still carry mine around. I've been back in the States for 3 months now, and the last usable date in my appointment book was October... (more)
Posted in December 2000
We are on our very last quarter of a two year stay in Japan. As I go about planning & worrying over the sorting, disposing, packing etc for our return to India, I find a not so tiny part of... (more)
Posted in November 2000
Getting up at 5:30 on a Saturday morning, after a totally shattering week and a rather lively 'enkai' the night before, is maybe not really that amusing. Nevertheless, I can say with absolute certainty that the day that followed the... (more)
Posted in November 2000
I'm not a vegetarian so I guess I can't really tell you why I became one or what my reasons are for cutting meat out of my diet. Quite simply, I am strange and anyone who knows me will verify... (more)
Posted in November 2000
For those who are interested in arts and crafts, Japan is a veritable treasure trove of creativity and ingenious design coupled with a unique sense of artistic and cultural perfection. It takes just a little research and an affinity with... (more)
Posted in November 2000
My experience in Japan has had its ups and downs, but on the whole it has been the most marvelous time in my life. About nine months after I came here to be an English teacher I decided to immerse... (more)
Posted in October 2000
Sigh. They did it again. They succeeded in vandalizing my apartment from the outside again. I didn't think that there was anything else they could do to me. I thought I was in the clear from any really serious damage.... (more)
Posted in October 2000
As I stood on the fishing boat, I wondered if I would ever find my sea legs. My stomach followed the rocking of the ship at anchor. It was a failure of the cerebellum, that part of the brain responsible... (more)
Posted in October 2000
The other day a grandmother of a three-year-old child consulted me about the child's English study. She said her daughter, the child's mother, wanted her to learn English from three years old. I asked the grandmother if she thought it... (more)
Posted in October 2000
I want to share my impression about Japan's culture. Before coming here, I did not have any contact with this country, so my intention was to open myself to new ideas. I must remind you that I am a teacher,... (more)
Posted in September 2000
I have lived in Japan for the most part since early 1993. I have been able to meet a lot of people and I'd like to share with you a bit about some of them. As there are so many... (more)
Posted in September 2000
A long time ago, when I was in high school, I came across a book called (I think) The Adventures of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton. It's a book of detective stories with a quiet little English country priest as... (more)
Posted in September 2000
I came to Japan for the second time in October 1998. Though this time I am in Osaka, last time from 1993 I stayed in Tsukuba in the Ibaraki prefecture for about two years. Thus, I have stayed nearly four... (more)
Posted in September 2000
Summer time, when the living is easy… The person who wrote this song definitely did not have Japan in mind when he wrote this song because summer is absolutely not easy here. It is horrifically hot and humid! I come... (more)
Posted in August 2000
Japanese Prime Minister Mori caused quite a stir recently when he described Japan as a "divine nation with the emperor at its center." For many, his comment contained not one but several objectionable points. Some feel that the "kami no... (more)
Posted in August 2000
During Golden Week, my friend and I loaded up her car with much more than we needed and headed out for a three day road trip to the Ise peninsula in Mie-ken. There's just something about road trips, maybe it's... (more)
Posted in July 2000
The use (or misuse) of language can sometimes produce some pretty interesting outcomes. I've listed below a few instances gleaned from my months of living in Japan. Mouth vs. mouse I once had a Japanese colleague ask me to check... (more)
Posted in July 2000
People find the Japanese summer difficult to bear because it is very hot and humid. I think the Japanese have been devising various measures to help pass the summer in comfort since long ago. We can still use these old... (more)
Posted in July 2000
Like most maxims, one hardly needs an explanation. Suffice to say that living in, or visiting, a foreign country enables one to experience at first hand other cultures and belief-systems - cultures and belief-systems that in many cases question our... (more)
Posted in June 2000
My name is Kristy Murao and this is my first year on the JET Program as an Assistant Language Teacher. I was born and raised in Richmond, British Columbia, which is located very close to Vancouver on the west coast... (more)
Posted in June 2000
I would like to talk about something that I have had the opportunity to witness over the past few months. It's an activity that most of we foreigners don't get to experience first hand and probably never want to. I'm... (more)
Posted in June 2000
I always relish my early morning bike rides on the weekends. It's the only time I can enjoy the peace and tranquility of an otherwise noise-polluted area. It's also a perfect time to hear the gentle rhythm of the ocean... (more)
Posted in June 2000
15 months I arrived as a stranger in a strange land. Now I am about to leave ` a friend from a friendly town. Everything was new to me. I knew very little about this country and nothing about Wakayama.... (more)
Posted in May 2000
I have just finished reading Sarah McOlimon's article in the last issue and I loved the sweet pleasure that she found in little moments of her stay in Japan. It reminded me of some of my own sweet moments. Let... (more)
Posted in May 2000
Recently in Japan, there has been a renewed interest in the practice of the Way of Tea. There may be simple reasons for this resurgence. Amidst a plethora of technological advances and modern comforts, we still find ourselves restless or... (more)
Posted in May 2000
I've recently felt like I have a lot on my mind, but I was unable to focus on exactly what. Now I know what that thing is. This summer I will be leaving Japan and returning to my home country.... (more)
Posted in May 2000
Given that I'm not one who is usually lost for words when handed an opportunity to vent, moan, whinge or just generally ramble on about anything that tickles my fancy, as I'm sure my friends will attest, here I am... (more)
Posted in May 2000
Armed with a brew of Yorkshire tea I sit awaiting inspiration as an approaching deadline evokes heavy nostalgia of procrastinated University essays and all night review sessions in the Senior Honours library. I was never one for punctuality and doubt... (more)
Posted in May 2000
From the cerebral fog I com, hand in hand with myself, to tell you a story that I will never forget yet will never remember as clearly as will Mutsuko. It was Christmas morning 1999. Mutsuko was coming up the... (more)
Posted in May 2000
"Moo ichido onegai shimasu?" "Moo yukkuri hanashite kudasaic" "Gomen nasai. Nihongo o wakarimasen!" Because of my limited Japanese skills, I've used these lines again and again during my six months here in Japan. Language- wise, I was helpless when I... (more)
Posted in April 2000
I found out about WIN by accident one day; searching for who knows what on the internet I came across something that I was quite pleased to find: an organization that promotes international understanding, something that more people should look... (more)
Posted in April 2000
I pushed the limits of the Nankai envelope and lost. I spiralled down out of the night sky and crash landed in Koyashita. far, far short of my mountaintop goal. With a cursory glance at the timetable as I left... (more)
Posted in April 2000
When my family commented that my speech has slowed I initially dismissed it as a habit born of life as an ALT, but more likely is the alarming notion that my brain can't find top gear anymore! In spite of... (more)
Posted in April 2000
Hello, How are you doing? I'm doing pretty good here in Las Vegas. Some of you readers might remember me. Well, after studying for two years at Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas, I finally graduated with BA in Social Work.... (more)
Posted in April 2000
Reading 'The Times' - a British broadsheet - on my flight back to Japan after having spent the winter break in France and England, I was struck by the level of back-slapping and the number of self congratulatory articles regarding... (more)
Posted in March 2000
Tell me if you can relate. It's a cold, milky morning, and I've woken up late again. It's a frantic struggle to get everything together and get out the door in twenty minutes. Along the way to work I stop... (more)
Posted in March 2000
I am frequently told that I talk far too much, and for the most part it's a true enough statement. You can imagine my surprise then when, faced with writing this article, I found I had absolutely nothing to say.... (more)
Posted in March 2000
March is sotsugyo season in Japan. For a gaijin student, this month will be the most difficult time to pass (at least for gaijins who have already completed their study/term in this country). It is an important month where they... (more)
Posted in March 2000
You are stupid and will never know Japan. You do not and cannot speak Japanese. You are a hamburger-eating, gun-wielding Christian American. Sound familiar? Welcome to the world of Japanese stereotypes. Stereotypes and generalizations, although often attained indirectly through a... (more)
Posted in March 2000
I have been wracking what is left of my atrophied brain to come up with a topic that has some semblance of interest to people other than myself. I used to be able to spit out a 3,000 word essay... (more)
Posted in February 2000
Have you ever tried catching the underground railway (MTR) during rush hours in Hong Kong? The experience is overwhelming when you are squashed like sardines in a can. It is much like Japan when there are train conductors pushing passagers... (more)
Posted in February 2000
It's January 1st, we are moving into the new millennium, into the 21st century. But what does this actually mean? Does it only mean that we have to change our calendars again, or that we just come up with a... (more)
Posted in January 2000
"Smiling is infectuous, you catch it like the flu, when someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too. I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin. When he smiled, I realized I'd passed it on to him.... (more)
Posted in January 2000
It really is. Mention that you live in Wakayama to those (Gaijin or Japanese) living north of here and they decry it by saying "Oh, cthe country!" But that is one of the big attractions of living here: on the... (more)
Posted in January 2000
I wish or I wantc. To teach about Japan in my country To teach my poor Japanese to Chilean people To have energy to write letters to my Japanese friend To have a wife and a child To find a... (more)
Posted in January 2000
I tuned in to an education program on Saturday, Sept.. 4. The title which attracted me was "Nihonjin no eigowa kokoga warui." (There is something wrong with English education in Japan.) There were guests who came from various countries. Students... (more)
Posted in December 1999
For the most part, my experiences through the JET Program thus far have indeed given me further understanding of Japanese culture. I am a firm believer that the best way to understand a culture is to be immersed within it,... (more)
Posted in December 1999
It is said "LOVE" is a splendorous thing. I wish I possessed "LOVE", the love that will always make me feel happy. "A MOTHER'S LOVE", they say, makes a child happy. But I heard only these words from my mother,... (more)
Posted in December 1999
My wanderings have brought me to a small village in south central Honshu, the largest island of Japan. My rustic little village is located by an emerald green river which twists its way through steep valleys on its path to... (more)
Posted in December 1999
Last month I experienced my first insight into Japanese festivals, the first of which was a night festival in Gobo. This involved a lot of waiting and bonding with the crowd as it was packed in a small area outside... (more)
Posted in December 1999
Last Update 2005-12-01T01:11:19 GMT+09:00
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