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Takarazuka 1000 Days Theater
Takarazuka 1000 Days Theater was the temporary home of the all-female musical theatre troupe, Takarazuka, while their permanent venue was being rebuilt. Their 1000 days are over, they’ve moved back to their original home, and the temporary building has a new use. It’s a superstore. Huge stores devoted to a single retail brand are not…
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I’ve been noticing the
I’ve been noticing the crazy personalization that women make to their stuff: keychains by the score hanging off knapsacks; shiny bells and doodads on bookbags; a Loius Vitton handbag with a Pooh hanging from the strap. But taking the cake today was the pink cell phone with an aftermarket antenna that blinks red when the…
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Shrimp can leap. The
Shrimp can leap. The local fishmonger always displays his freshest wares outside on the sidewalk and extorts passersby to look at the crabs waving their arms or moving their googly eyes. It’s a bit disconcerting and I usually avert my gaze as I wait at the intersection there. But when an 8 inch long shrimp…
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At lunchtime in Otemachi
At lunchtime in Otemachi yesterday, a war protest parade wound its way through the streets. About a hundred people, lead by a van equipped with loudspeakers, carried banners announcing their affiliations (local organizations and businesses, I think) and signs with slogans. The only reasons I knew it was a war protest was that one of…
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Sayaka found my website
Sayaka found my website about a year ago. A few months back, she invited me to help with a monthly magazine, Yanesen, that she’s part of. Yesterday we met for the first time. We were supposed to be working on articles for the magazine, but we finished in about 20 minutes then spend the better…
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First sighting of Xmas
First sighting of Xmas decorations in my neighborhood. Sprout Planning Co (a realty office) has a small wreath with blinking lights propped up on a bench outside thier front door. Takashimaya Times Square in Shinjuku lit their elaborate holiday sculptures last week, but I haven’t seen them yet. Apparently most of the big department stores…
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“You have the nose
“You have the nose of a tyrant.” I’m not exactly sure what that means, but Tod swears it’s a compliment.
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The leaves are turning
The leaves are turning red and gold in the hills west of Tokyo. Waking up this morning, I took a walk up a mountain road damp with recent rain. Yellow and brown leaves speckled the pavement like confetti. It was idyllic. Pine and wet bark scented the air–a refreshing change for my smog-filled lungs. Only…
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Little rituals that mark
Little rituals that mark the passage of time make life richer for me. This week, I bought us new house slippers. During the winter, the floors are too cold to walk on with bare feet or even in socks. We don’t wear shoes in they house (they stay in genkan) so we, along with everyone…
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One stop away on
One stop away on the Oedo line there are two neighborhoods–Iidabashi & Kagurazaka–that I need to explore. A lively crowd passes through the area: well-heeled young women, grungy college students, and the ever-present salaryman with a few foreigners thrown in for spice. Enticing shops (one with a fantasic array of Japanese dishes) line the streets.…
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