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Maiko at Kyoto's Yasaka Shrine
2008-02-04 09:02:00 ??????????????On a cold overcast Sunday in early February, crowds flocked to Kyoto's Yasaka Shrine to witness the annual "mame maki" (bean throwing) ceremony to welcome spring.At one pm, the assembled maiko, or apprentice geisha, tossed out small packets towards the crowd as part of "setsubun" holiday. According to the lunar calendar, "setsubun" falls on the day before spring. Ceremonies are held every year on February 3rd.The three women pictured at right are exiting following the end of the ceremony. They are about to make their way through a crush of tourists and photographers as they head back to their homes in Gion.The woman pictured below is about to throw out one of the packets (you can just make it out in her right hand). Hands outstretched, a shriek goes up every time one of the "flowers of the night" scatters her gifts to the crowd waiting below.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi Coats...
Japan This Week 2/03/08
2008-02-03 09:50:00 ????? Insecticide-tainted gyoza dumplings from China sicken 175 people in Japan .NY TimesHuge Hello Kitty statue goes on view in Tokyo store.The Daily YomiuriThe Strange Kinoko Dance Company, on tour in the US, often dispenses with the stage.Washington PostDirty doctor and kinky nurse serve up sexual favors for patients.Mainichi ShinbunJapanese police pay tribute to anonymous donor.Christian Science MonitorLast week's Japan newsJapan Statistics1,060,741 new houses were built in Japan in 2007, a 17.8% fall from 2006, following tough new building codes introduced in June.Source: Construction and Transport MinistryPeople over the age of 65 accounted for 47.5% of those killed in traffic accidents in 2007. Overall there were 5,774 traffic deaths in 2007,a drop of 9.6% from 2006. 35% perished in cars, 33.8% died while walking and 17.9% were killed riding motorbikes.Source: National Police AgencyThe average monthly wage of salaried workers dropped 0.7% in 2007 to 330,212 yen. Regualar wage... More About: Politics , Week
Hanging out the radish
2008-02-02 11:54:00 ????Even in Tokyo , aspects of the countryside find their way into the landscape. Winter might be cold in here, but most days are brilliant sunshine - enough to even get a tan in if you're out in it long enough! So here was someone taking advantage of the rays to dry daikon, or giant white radish, from the railings at the top of their three story building.The daikon has been a staple of the Japan ese diet from about 400 years ago. Its bland looks belie considerable nutritional value, particularly vitamin C, and, of course, it is rich in fiber. Its most common form in Japanese cuisine is grated (daikon oroshi). It is also popular boiled. Boiled, it is best known in the form of oden, a kind of vegetable stew, where it is simmered slowly for hours and hours until it falls apart easily under the chopsticks - a treat with a dab of mustard.Dried daikon, as seen here, is not so common on the Japanese table, but the drying process accentuates the vegetable's natural sweetness. The process t... More About: Radish
Byobu (decorative screen)
2008-02-01 13:36:00 ??Byobu, or decorative screens, have a long and distinguished history in Japan.They are used as a backdrop for flower vases or pottery and are an essential part of the tea ceremony and ikebana (flower arranging).This byobu is hand painted and made in Kyoto from quality washi (Japanese parchment), fine wood, and gold leaf.The maker is Tomokazu Kurashima, who was born and raised in Kyoto. Using washi byobu (Japanese parchment especially made for use in byobu folding screens) he creates miniature screens in his Kyoto studio.Using only a brush and Chinese ink on Japanese paper, Kurashima paints each screen individually. This work has as its motif a Japanese maple tree.ByobuYahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Byobu Kyushu More About: Screen
Katakana
2008-01-31 11:24:00 ????Japan ese has three alphabets: Chinese characters or kanji (??), hiragana (????) and katakana (????).Hiragana and katakana are phonetic syllabaries made up of 46 characters. The first five characters of both hiragana and katakana are the vowels a, i, u, e, o. The rest of the letters are a combination of a consonant and a vowel, for example, ka, ki, ku, ke, ko and n ? - the only singular consonant.Katakana is literally "fragmentary kana" and is square and angular in shape in comparison with the more rounded hiragana.Katakana is often taught in Japanese kindergarten and, along with hiragana, is learnt before children begin on Chinese characters in the first grade of elementary school.Katakana is usually used in the following ways:* to transliterate foreign loan words from English, Chinese and other languages such as television?(??? - terebi), radio (??? - rajio), fried rice (????? - chaahan), Chinese noodles (?-?? - raamen), part time work (????? - arubaito)?etc.* foreigners', exc... More About: Language
Todaiji Temple Nara
2008-01-30 03:08:00 ??????Todaiji in Nara is one of Japan's most famous and most-visited Buddhist temples.The main hall - Daibutsuden - is considered to be the largest wooden building in the world, though this 1709 reconstruction is a third smaller than the original structure which was completed in 752.The Daibutsuden contains the awe-inspiring Daibutsu (Great Buddha), a colossal bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana first cast in 746. Parts of the present statue were later recast during the Edo Period (1600-1868). The statue is 16.2m tall and consists of 437 tons of bronze, 130kg of gold, 75kg of mercury and 7 tons of vegetable wax.The designer of the original Buddha was a Korean artist from the Paikche Kingdom, Kuninaka-no-Kimimaro. The building is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.Todaiji is the headquarters of the Kegon sect of Japanese Buddhism and Vairocana Buddha is considered by followers of the sect to be the spiritual body of the historical Buddha - Gautama Buddha or Sakyamuni in Japane... More About: Temple
Japanese monkeys in a cage
2008-01-29 02:45:00 ???????Outside of zoos and pet shops, I have rarely seen wild animals kept in cages in public spaces in Japan. I do remember bears caged in an Ainu Village in Hokkaido some years ago, but it came as something of a shock to see red-faced Japanese macaques imprisoned in a cage in Nagahama Castle Park on the shores of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture.The smell of animals' faeces and urine was strong as the wind blew in from the lake and the monkeys did not look happy nor, one of them, in the best of health.Next to the monkeys was an empty cage. The sign posted on the wire explained that the cage had held a deer in captivity for 22 years and it had recently died.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Nagahama Shiga Japanese monkeys More About: Monkeys , Cage
Nagoya Speed Dating Sat. Feb. 2nd at STEPS in Sakae!
2008-01-28 08:18:00 Nagoya International Speed Dating Returns Feb. 2nd!! Date: Saturday February 2nd, 2008 Time: 6-9pm registration from 6:00 to 6:30pm Place: STEPS, a new exciting club in the heart of Sakae Hasegawa Bldg. 2F, 3-2-29 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya PREPAY FEE:2500 Yen Gentlemen, 1500 Yen Ladies Price includes 1 free drink!! 30 couples only! 30 men and 30 women! Reserve and prepay to join! AT THE DOOR: Men 3000 yen, women 2000 yen Dress code: Anything (Casual, etc) Reservations: Pre Paid spots are Gauranteed! only 30 men and 30 women. Reserve and prepay to secure your spot. Nagoya Speed Dating is a great way to meet new people in the Aichi, Gifu and Mie Areas! At Nagoya Speed Dating, you will receive a number, an assigned table, and a personalized Speeding Ticket form. When the host says to start you will have between 3 to 5 minutes to talk to the person at your table. When the time i... More About: Japan , Tokyo , Kyushu , Nagoya
More Japanese Manhole Covers
2008-01-27 13:19:00 ???????We can't get enough of Japanese manhole covers. As committed drainspotters we hope to bring you a steady diet of Japanese manhole covers throughout the year.The following Japanese manhole covers were shot in Shimane Prefecture in the south west of Honshu.See more Japanese manhole coversYahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Shimane manhole manhole cover drain More About: Covers , Manhole Cover , Manhole
Japan This Week 27/1/2008
2008-01-26 23:56:00 ????? Japan 's Nikkei index has shed a third of its value since July, and the Tokyo Stock Exchange has lost $1.3 trillion in value, equivalent to the entire economy of Canada.NY TimesJudge quits after biting woman in sex shop.The Daily YomiuriIn a truly tragic case, a young woman commits suicide in Osaka after her child was killed by an intruder in a robbery.Japan TimesHead of driving school arrested over groping his young female students in Love Hotel car parks.Mainichi ShinbunHigh levels of mercury found in New York sushi.New York TimesLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsThere are approximately 520,000 cigarette vending machines in Japan.Source: The Tobacco Institute of JapanOver 1 million tablets of MDMA or Ecstasy were seized in Japan in 2007, the highest number on record.Source: National Police Agency102 blood donors tested positive for HIV in 2007 from a total of 4,939,548 donors.Source: Health, Labor & Welfare MinistryThe most popular names for new born children in Jap... More About: Politics , Week , 2008
New Registration System for Foreigners
2008-01-26 03:07:00 ????????The "gaijin card" that all foreigners resident in Japan must carry as a form of identification looks set to disappear--or, rather, be updated.Justice Minister Kunio Hatoyama said on Friday: "We're moving toward deciding to abolish the current system."The government announced yesterday that a new registry system for foreigners will be introduced. The new system will be similar to the system for Japanese nationals, which includes marital status and address for a household not just on an individual basis.The purpose is to make it easier for communities with large number of foreigners to keep track of whether, for example, children are enrolled in school.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Gaijin ID Card More About: System , Registration
Nagoya Friends party - TOMORROW! 1/26
2008-01-25 07:41:00 Nagoya Friends is holding it's 48th party in Nagoya!PARTY AT Date: TOMORROW NIGHT!! January 26th, 2008 (4th Saturday) Time: 18:30 - 21:00 Drinks will be served between 6:30pm-8:45pm. Place: Shooter's Bar (Pola Bldg, 2-9-26 Sakae, Naka-ku (very close to Fushimi Station)Fee: 3000 YenDress code: Anything (Casual, etc) Reservations: Not necessary but recommended and appreciated. Just show up to the party! Over 25,000 Yen worth of exciting prize giveaways each month!There will be free food along with free drinks (beers, wine, cocktail drinks and juices). Our party is not a dinner party, but we will have light food & snacks. Quantities are limited, so please come early! Please free to come alone or bring your friends. EVERYBODY is welcome to join regardless of nationality/gender. Reservation is greatly appreciated. About 125-150+ people are expected to attend. Approximately 55% female and 45% male, 70% Japanese and 30% non-Japanese. Pictures from previous Nagoya Friends Parties. Map... More About: Party , Nagoya , Tomorrow , Tomo
Japanese: the almighty adjectival
2008-01-24 14:58:00 ???????Every Thursday, we?re going to introduce you to bits and pieces, and aspects of, the Japan ese language. But, before we go too far, let?s talk a bit about putting sentences together in Japanese . Perhaps the most useful thing to keep in mind is how things are described in Japanese.There are ordinary old adjectives like red (akai), noisy (urusai), cold (samui) and sexy (sekushina) that work exactly the same as in English. E.g. akai isu (red chair), urusai yatsu (a noisy guy), samui hi (cold day) and sekushina onna (sexy woman).However, when it comes to trying to say things like ?The man I spoke to on the phone this morning,? it?s best to try and forget about how we do it in English.In some ways, Japanese is more consistent than English in regard to sentences like this. In English we jump from saying, for example, ?the tall MAN? (i.e. description + THING) to ?the MAN I spoke to on the phone this morning? (i.e. THING + description. But Japanese keeps the order the same.So in Japan... More About: Almighty , Language
Jiuta
2008-01-23 18:33:00 ??Jiuta - literally "earth song" - is a kind of Japanese musical performance dating from the 17th century when blind male musicians would entertain the yuppies of the day: the rising professional classes, with the koto: a kind of harp, the shamisen: a three-stringed guitar-like instrument, and the shakuhachi: a bamboo flute.Needless to say, such music is now rarely heard in Japan, and I was privileged to be offered a ticket to a jiuta performance on Monday evening at Tokyo 's Aoyama Round Theater, courtesy of the main jiuta performer, Ms. Akiko Fujii, and the Japan Traditional Cultures Foundation.Like most court-inspired music in Japan, jiuta is hardly entertainment in the conventional sense of the word. It is very closely allied with silence, and has complicated rhythms that are not really designed to get toes tapping.The main performer of the evening, Ms. Akiko Fujii, had a very engaging presence, a full, expressive voice, and exuded complete mastery of the jiuta form. Her very fi...
Fukuoka Airport International Terminal
2008-01-23 06:37:00 ????The new international terminal at Fukuoka Airport was opened in 1999, and built on the site of the former USAF base Itazuke. © Jake Davies & Japanvisitor.comFukuoka Airport is the third largest airport in Japan after Tokyo's Narita Airport & Osaka's Kansai International Airport.The Tokyo to Fukuoka air route is one of the busiest in the world.Fukuoka Airport is Japan's most easily accessible airport, being just a few minutes subway ride from downtown Hakata and its Shinkansen station.The International terminal is served by Japanese, East Asian, and SE Asian airlines. There are regular international flights to Bangkok, Beijing, Busan, Chengdu, Guam, Hong Kong Kong, Manila, Seoul and Taipei. Chubu International AirportYahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Fukuoka airport Japan travel Kyushu More About: Terminal
Suicide
2008-01-22 02:52:00 ????Last Wednesday, the K-Tokyu Express train bound for Demachiyanagi, in Kyoto, pulled out of Osaka's Kyobashi Station exactly on time at 5:36 pm and was comfortably full. The express trains are painted an elegant orange-red and yellow, and have a small painting on the front wall of each carriage and large picture windows. These carriages feel more like European inter-city trains than the usual point A to point B crush of Japanese rush-hour lines.The conductor's baritone guided us through the stops until Kyoto in a brief announcement as we pulled out of Kyobashi. We were three or four minutes into our ride and easing into cruising speed when, suddenly, the sound of rocks--scattering violently or hitting the windows or skidding across the bottom of the carriage--made everyone duck reflexively and look around.The lights then went out as the cable bounced from the overhead wire and against the roof above us. The car was nearly dark but for the emergency lights along the floor.Using ... More About: Suicide
Yuzu
2008-01-21 03:01:00 ??During the winter season it is common to see large orange-like fruit ripening on garden trees and in orchards in the Japanese countryside. This is the Citros junos or yuzu in Japanese.Originally from China the yuzu can grow to resemble a grapefruit and is related to its smaller cousin the mandarin orange or tangerine (mikan). However, the yuzu is tart in taste, not sweet and is not peeled and eaten as is.Yuzu are used in Japanese cuisine much like a lemon in western cooking: yuzu can be squeezed over fried foods such as tempura, form part of dressings and sauces such as ponzu, and set on the dish as a garnish decoration.Yuzu are also often placed in baths or onsen spas in winter as a form of aromatherapy.Yuzu have been "re-discovered" as a garnish and seasoning in the West and have been taken up as an essential ingredient by a number of US chefs. Yuzu juice comes in bottles and can be bought online. Yuzu is also a popular name for Japanese restaurants.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBo... More About: Food , Winter , Restaurant
Japan This Week 1/20/08
2008-01-20 14:22:00 ?????Japan ese trawler trailing whaling protesters?GuardianChinese seafood "safe," asserts Beijing.NY TimesPM Fukuda may set greenhouse gas emissions targets at Davos confab.The Daily YomiuriHello Kitty set to launch product line for men.Japan TimesCellphone novels dominate mainstream publishing.New York TimesJapan's hot spring resorts go hi-tech.New York TimesThe alarming rise in sexlessness among couples coupled with the number of men who sit while urinating bode ill for future of Japan, according to shrink.Mainichi ShinbunLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsThe Construction Ministry and National Police Agency (NPA) announced this week that 98 "model districts" around Japan have been slated to have bicycle lanes put in over the next two years. Examples include Tokyo's Hatagaya and the area around JR Kameido Station.The purpose is to reduce bike-on-pedestrian collisions, which have skyrocketed in recent years. In 2006, there were 2,767 collusions, which is 4.8 times greater tha... More About: Politics , Week
Snowy sunrise on the Gonokawa River
2008-01-19 04:24:00 ???The Gonokawa River is the longest river in the Chugoku region at over 190km in length. The beautiful river flows through the prefectures of Shimane and Hiroshima and is nicknamed "Chugoku Taro".Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Shimane Gonokawa River Chugoku More About: Sunrise
Japanese Women's Leggings and Shoes
2008-01-18 13:12:00 ???????????Colorful leggings are all the rage now among young women in Japan. Swathed in below the belt layers to ward off the winter cold, women prance through city streets in mini-skirts and multiple pairs of leggings of every sort of design and color.This young woman is also wearing "military" heels to complement the blue tights and striped leggings.Her below the navel look is rounded out with a ripped denim skirt and the requisite brand shop bag. Boutiques in Japan make extra stylish and extra sturdy bags for their female customers--and therefore get free advertising from the millions of women who carry around their lunch in a Gucci bag.This young woman was photographed at Osaka's Kyobashi Station during rush hour. Pigeon-toed and doe-eyed, she was completely absorbed in text-messaging on her cell phone.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Legg... More About: Shoes , Leggings
Links for 2008-01-17 [del.icio.us]
2008-01-18 07:00:00 Beijing Culture | Chinese Culture :: Beijing Visitor More About: Links , 2008
Japanese Lesson of the Week: KY
2008-01-17 06:40:00 ?????The first time I heard the expression "KY" was in a train full of junior college women playing with their cell phones, twiddling their bangs, and squealing at the top of their lungs--oblivious to all around them.In the midst of this estrogen-fueled chaos, a woman in front of me yelled to her friends, ?????????KY??(ano hito tte mecha KY!). This roughly translates as: "That person is really clueless!" The group exploded in laughter and agreement.In Japanese , "KY" has nothing to do with K-Y Jelly. It is a combination of "ku-ki"????, which means "air" or "atmosphere" and is the K. The Y is "yomu"????, which means to "read." The Y is usually used in its negative potential form--???? ("yomenai"), meaning "can't read."Thus, KY is slang for someone who can't read the situation, doesn't get it, is completely out to lunch.Japanese For Busy PeopleYahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsTagsJapan Toky... More About: Week , Lesson , Kyoto
Vegetarian Sandwiches
2008-01-16 16:20:00 ?????We wrote earlier about the problems of being vegetarian in Japan.A solution seemed to be at hand from the current sandwich boom recently underway in Japan. Many bakeries and convenience stores are now stocking a range of sandwiches - a western snack completely absent from the shelves of most stores just a few years ago.Admittedly the Japanese sandwich is a pale version of its European counterpart. The white, spongy bread, shorn of its crust, has the constituency, and some would say the taste, of a cotton futon. We have yet to find any fillings that would satisfy a committed veggie or even a lacto-vegetarian. Cheese and tomato? Dream on. Ham and egg predominate as fillings. Yes, you can find a tuna sandwich but what if you don't eat fish?We live in hope of the first truly Japanese vegetarian sandwich. If you happen to spot one, please let us know.Onigiri anyone?Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHa... More About: Vegetarian , Food , Sandwiches , Vegan , Sandwich
Kunizakari Sake Museum Handa
2008-01-15 16:03:00 ?????????????Listen to a part of the sake museum guided tourJust across the road from the Vinegar Museum in Handa is the Kunizakari Sake Museum. The two liquids are historically Handa's biggest exports and have an intimate connection as vinegar can be made from sake lees - a by-product of sake production.The Kunizakari Sake Museum is free to enter and includes a guided tour of the building with exhibits of historic implements used in sake brewing and an explanation of the production process, a video promoting sake as an essential ingredient of Japanese culture and the best bit - a sake tasting session.The museum is housed in a 200-year-old building and sake has been brewed on the premises since 1972.A cedar ball or sugidama is hung outside the building and is replaced each autumn when the first sake of the year is produced.Kunizakari Sake MuseumNishihon-machi 2-24Handa-shi475-8585Tel: 0569 23 1499AccessKunizakari Sake Museum is a short walk east from either Meitetsu Chitahanda Stat... More About: Podcast , Nagoya , Aichi
Vinegar Museum Handa
2008-01-14 12:10:00 ???????Vinegar , along with sake came to Japan in the 5th century. Vinegar was first produced from rice but in the early 19th century, the founder of the Mizkan vinegar company, Matazaenon Nakano, discovered a way to make vinegar from sake lees, a by-product of sake brewing.Sake was already produced in Handa, a small town on the east coast of the Chita Peninsula, south of Nagoya city, so raw materials were in abundance.The "Su-no-sato" Vinegar Museum is located in one of the large, black, wooden buildings that make up Mizkan's present-day production facility.A visit to the museum is free and consists of a 30-minute video on the history and health benefits of vinegar (it reduces cholesterol) and then a 30-minute tour of the museum, which displays the manufacturing process used in the Edo Period and that in use today.Vinegar was used in making nigiri sushi (hand rolled sushi), which was beginning to become popular in Edo (Tokyo). Edo-period sushi was about three times bigger than cont... More About: Aichi
Japan This Week 1/13/08
2008-01-13 15:39:00 ?????Buddhists go modern to attract new converts.GuardianUnsafe US beef may have been sold in Japan .NY TimesRuling party takes advantage of obscure parliamentary rule to allow Japanese navy to begin refueling US ships in Indian Gulf again.The Daily YomiuriJapan passes Afghan Bill.NY TimesGovernment passes law to help hepatitis C sufferers.Asahi ShinbunJapan is the world's largest "urban mine" with 6,800 tons of gold in the country inside electronic appliances - the highest figure in the world.Japan TimesSeventh-grade boy has his first sexual experience in after school detention--at the hands of his 28-year-old teacher.Mainichi ShinbunLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsAvoiding illegally parked bicycles is a fact of life in Japan. Bikes clog sidewalks and have even been known to prevent ambulances from getting down narrow streets.According to a survey completed in 2005, Tokyo leads the nation in abandoned bicycles with 103,760 littering its streets. Osaka came in second with 61,... More About: Politics , Week
Dunno much about history?
2008-01-12 11:43:00 ????The Benesse Education al Research and Development Center, part of the Benesse Corporation, based in Tokyo 's Shinjuku ward, recently conducted a survey called "International Survey of Six Cities" on the academic performance, study-related attitudes, and other miscellaneous aspects of the lives of young school pupils in six cities worldwide: Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Helsinki, London, and Washington DC.Naturally, some interesting facts emerged. Overall, the pupils with the most gung ho attitude towards their studies were in Seoul, where the average pupil spends two and a half hours on weekday evenings on homework and extra study - compared to two and a quarter hours in Beijing, an hour and three-quarters in Tokyo, and just over an hour in Helsinki, London and Washington DC.What might appear to be the most baffling statistic for pupils from a country that pulled itself up by the bootlaces to become one of the world's leading economies is Japan ese pupils' response to the statement "I... More About: History
Four Stories -- Tokyo
2008-01-10 22:38:00 Four Stories Japan Winter Season Kicks off in Tokyo !Please join us for the return of Four Stories Tokyo: "Sight, Taste, Touch: Tales of the senses" on January 31st.FEATURING prose readings from:* Leza Lowitz, author of over 12 books of fiction, poetry and translation; winner of the PEN Syndicated Fiction Award and PEN Josephine Miles Poetry Award; and NEA Fellowship recipient.* Mark Robinson, author of Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook; editor of the Japanese culinary magazine Eat; deputy editor and music editor of Tokyo Journal magazine; and food and culture contributor to publications such as Nest (U.S.), the Financial Times, The Times (U.K.), the Australian Financial Review Magazine, and others. * Ted Taylor, writer and musician living in Kyoto, whose work has appeared in Kyoto Journal and more; winner of the 1999 Kyoto International Cultural Association Essay Contest.* Hillel Wright, author of Rotary Sushi, a collection of stories, and two novels, All Worldly Pursuit... More About: Boston , Osaka
Japanese Police Force
2008-01-10 08:22:00 ??There are around 280,500 police officers in Japan under the control of the National Police Agency. That is around one police officer for every 450 citizens, a similar ratio to that of the UK, but less than the US. Each of the 47 prefectures in Japan has its own police force. There are also special police units as part of each prefectural force such as riot police (kidotai), railway police and some prefectures maintain Special Assault Teams, trained to deal with terrorist incidents, violent kidnappings and hijackings. Recently a SAT force was involved in the capture of an ex-yakuza member who was holding his wife hostage just outside Nagoya , though one of their number became the first SAT member to die while on duty.Most visitors to Japan will probably first encounter the Japanese police in neighborhood koban (police boxes) and standing on a small box with a big stick outside Shinkansen (bullet train)ticket gates.The modern Japanese police service dates from 1874 when the Meiji aut... More About: Crime , Force
Book Review: Midori by Moonlight
More articles from this author:2008-01-08 14:57:00 Book Review : Midori by Moonlight Midori by Moonlight Midori by Moonlightby Wendy Nelson TokunagaSt Martin'sISBN 0312372612192 ppThough a few details in the novel don?t quite jibe, Midori by Moonlight is a fun and perceptive read. The story begins with 30-year-old Midori having just arrived in San Francisco from Fukuoka to live in the US ?for good." She is at the magnificent home of her fiancé Kevin, and only barely competent in English. The first sign of trouble comes in the form of an ex-girlfriend at their engagement party--with whom Kevin disappears for most of the party.By Japanese standards, Midori is already a bit long in the tooth. When Kevin, a monolingual English teacher who spends a year in Fukuoka to "forget," proposes to her after only several dates, she almost immediately accepts. This is in part because her concerned parents arranged a devious attempt at omiai (arranged marriage), which totally backfires. Back in San Francisco at the party, Kevin dumps Midori for the f... More About: Book Review , Book 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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