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When I was a
When I was a kid, I sat on the floor a lot. Maybe I was preparing for life in Japan. In the traditional Japanese home, furniture is low to the ground. Windows are near the floor; everything is grounded. You’ve probably seen the classic, low dining table with cushions scattered around it. Maybe you’ve slept…
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From 1960 to today,
From 1960 to today, Japan’s population has increased 130%. Its energy consumption has increased 550%. Looking around my house, I can see how that happened a little bit at a time as each new convenience and luxury was introduced. In the kitchen, I have an electric water pot that is on 24 hours a day,…
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There is a restaurant
There is a restaurant chain here in Tokyo called Kushikyu (which is a wordplay too difficult to describe in English) that serves “foods without a country.” Their menu features fusion cuisine–rice ball croquettes, kim chee stew–that are ultimately uniquely Japanese. It’s always a treat to see what specials they are cooking up this week. Not…
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Banking online is a
Banking online is a brilliant idea. We do it all the time because it gives us ready access to our American accounts. We even have an account at a bank we’ve never been to in person. But it has its drawbacks. My banker is a web page (well, a whole bunch of web pages). And…
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There’s a new, huge
There’s a new, huge apartment building on the main drag in our neighborhood. It’s the largest building on the street–taking up an entire block and 20 stories. It’s a really posh place, called L’Age. For the last two months, the construction workers have been fixing up the sidewalks and the landscaping and it’s beginning to…
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I spent my high
I spent my high school years going to auctions with my mother, looking for vintage linens and clothing for her shop. Auctions were a lot of fun. I loved to bid on the boxes of odds n’ ends. LOT #46: pots, pans and assorted items. Minimum bid, $1. It was a thrill to win that…
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A double dose of
A double dose of holidays today. In America, it is Thanksgiving. Turkey dinner, football games and parades. In Japan, it is Labor Thanksgiving Day. No special traditions, though I suppose we should be thankful for our employment, perhaps celebrating by joining a labor union. No matter, it’s a day off for most people and they…
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Without maps I’d never
Without maps I’d never find my way in this city. Tokyo’s is so big and I get around it quite a bit, so it’s difficult for me to keep track of where things are even when I’ve been there a few times. “Meet you at TUC in Omotesando? OK, I know where that is.” And…
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The Prime Minister of
The Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshiro Mori, survived a vote of no-confidence last night. I’m rather surprised. Mori replaced PM Obuchi when Obuchi suffered a fatal stroke earlier this year. The selection was controversial at the time, as Mori had little experience in international diplomacy. His tenure as PM has been described by the press…
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When my sister and
When my sister and I were kids, we would rate the restrooms at every restaurant we visited. It kept us occupied while our parents enjoyed an after-dinner coffee. Soon this hobby spread to other public bathrooms and we even considered writing a book. (At the time that was a joke, but these days, it would…
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