Archive for japan
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Big (!) in Japan
YOU KNOW ATTITUDES are shifting when, in the land of huge sumo wrestlers, ubiquitous jolly, fat-bellied tanuki and laughing buddhas, the size of your waist becomes a matter of legal concern.
I’ve been following with interest and with some dismay, to be sincere, the recent developments of the “metabo-mania” in the local society. Metabo - the [...]
On forced simplicity
A few days ago I watched a TV program about a Japanese best-seller author and I felt sorry, for I could relate to some personal experiences in my professional field.
See, the respective author wrote a book targeting the women readers, and probably the younger ones but, following the advice of her publisher, she had to [...]
Thank you for defending “us” from “them”!
Welcome to the E.U.! Put your finger on the scanner, please; and smile to the camera!
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Welcome to Japan! Put your finger on the scanner, please; and smile to the camera!
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Welcome to the U.S.A.! Put your finger on the scanner, please; and smile to the camera!
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[...] Thank you sir/madam, we’re glad to inform you that you [...]
Kenkoku kinen-bi: National Foundation Day
In Japan, February 11 is celebrated as National Foundation Day, Kenkoku kinen-bi (?????).
According to old Japanese mythology, the Emperor Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan, ascended to the throne and founded the Imperial line on this day. It was celebrated as kigensetsu (???), “the day of origin”, only until the end of the Second World [...]
Where are you headed to, Japan?
IMAGINE someone - me, for example - standing in front of one of the ubiquitous automatic vending machines in Japan.
“Hello, my name is M.S., I’m Xx years old, I live at this address in this city, and here’s my phone number. Could I… uhmm… buy a pack of cigarettes?”
The lines above might seem outright hilarious, [...]
