Archives

Category: Personal Reflections
  • It’s always a little

    It’s always a little bit sad when guests leave. We’ve packed these two weeks with a thousand activities (though you wouldn’t guess it from what I’ve written here lately) and from today, life goes back to its normal routines. But the break from the usual grind was really nice. We did creative things like candlemaking…

    Read the full post

  • My digital camera is

    My digital camera is full of images that I promise I will share soon. Until then, you might want to take a look at some other people’s photos of Japan: Reflections of Japan Mine will pale by comparison.

    Read the full post

  • I might be the

    I might be the cleanest woman in the world. We went to Hakone and spent the night at Yamadaya at Souzan. They have the most beautiful baths–three different rotenburo (outdoor hot springs) plus two mineral baths inside. In addition our room (#501, named Kintoki after the mountain it faced) had its own cedar tub with…

    Read the full post

  • Kappabashi is Tokyo’s wholesale

    Kappabashi is Tokyo’s wholesale restaurant supply district. A kilometer of shops line boths sides of a four lane street. Side streets shoot off with even more shops. All of them offer up specialty goods–pots and pans in this one, signs and menus in that one. Over here we have cast iron; across the street are…

    Read the full post

  • Walk signal blinks green.

    Walk signal blinks green. Policeman calls “Abunai!” But I sprint across.

    Read the full post

  • Japan’s traffic fatalities reached

    Japan’s traffic fatalities reached 8,000 on Wednesday. That’s 11 days later than last year. Last month, prefectural police taught a special makeover course to elderly women. The idea that women would be more aware of traffic when crossing the streets if they looked nice and felt confident about themselves seems a little wonky, but maybe…

    Read the full post

  • Tokyo is so full

    Tokyo is so full of things to do that it’s difficult to decide on a plan with visitors. Pottery exhibits, shopping, food, historical places? It makes my head swim. Maybe I could just retreat into my computerised world of work…but then I’d miss all the fun. But what will we do today? I’m not sure.

    Read the full post

  • I’m off to buy

    I’m off to buy a color printer today. I’ve been putting off this purchase for a long time. Black and white is fine for me, really. But I designed a holiday card that looks better in color and I have no time to get them professionally printed. So I have to do it myself.and that…

    Read the full post

  • The Crown Princess of

    The Crown Princess of Japan delivered a baby girl on Saturday. The economists predict an upswing in the economy due to this happy news. Baby goods manufacuturers are all excited for their prospects now that there is a new princess. Maybe they expect a surge in the purchase of rattles as gifts for the new…

    Read the full post

  • The scope of hairdressing

    The scope of hairdressing products on the market is remarkable. Foam, wax, gel, spray, mousse…water. Not just any water, this is Morning Water. The pictures on the spray bottle tell the story. A man in striped pajamas is in for a really bad hair day. His mop is sticking up all over and he’s grimacing…

    Read the full post