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	<title>The Japan Times &#187; Louise George Kittaka</title>
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	<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp</link>
	<description>News on Japan, Business News, Opinion, Sports, Entertainment and More</description>
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		<item>
		<title>Foreign iPhone fans, be aware of Softbank&#8217;s two-year visa rule</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/30/how-tos/foreign-iphone-fans-be-aware-of-softbanks-two-year-visa-rule/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=foreign-iphone-fans-be-aware-of-softbanks-two-year-visa-rule</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/30/how-tos/foreign-iphone-fans-be-aware-of-softbanks-two-year-visa-rule/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Sep 2013 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Apple]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[expats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[phones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Softbank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[visas]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Softbank requires that you have at least two years remaining on your visa if you wish to pay for a new iPhone handset in monthly installments rather than fork out for the whole lot up front.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/30/how-tos/foreign-iphone-fans-be-aware-of-softbanks-two-year-visa-rule/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The PTA: a survival guide for foreign parents</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/23/issues/the-pta-a-survival-guide-for-foreign-parents/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-pta-a-survival-guide-for-foreign-parents</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/23/issues/the-pta-a-survival-guide-for-foreign-parents/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Sep 2013 14:00:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[expats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parenthood]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PTA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[schools]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[PTA &#8212; the mere mention of the three initials is enough to elicit a scowl from many a Japanese mother. So how do foreign women cope in such an environment?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/23/issues/the-pta-a-survival-guide-for-foreign-parents/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Filmmaker revisits the children of Fukushima&#8217;s &#8216;Grey Zone&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/09/issues/filmmaker-revisits-the-children-of-fukushimas-grey-zone/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=filmmaker-revisits-the-children-of-fukushimas-grey-zone</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/09/issues/filmmaker-revisits-the-children-of-fukushimas-grey-zone/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Sep 2013 13:55:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[documentaries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[film]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fukushima]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fukushima No. 1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ian Thomas Ash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minamisoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nuclear energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[radiation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[radiation leak]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tepco]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=452884</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ian Thomas Ash has won acclaim and awards at film festivals around the world for "A2-B-C," the second of a pair of documentaries about children living in towns a stone's throw from Fukushima No. 1.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/09/issues/filmmaker-revisits-the-children-of-fukushimas-grey-zone/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A friend to kanji learners worldwide</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/09/general/a-friend-to-kanji-learners-worldwide/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=a-friend-to-kanji-learners-worldwide</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/09/general/a-friend-to-kanji-learners-worldwide/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Sep 2013 13:50:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kanji]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nagoya]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nihongo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=452879</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Mary Sisk Noguchi helped readers unravel the complexities of Chinese characters, adding an element of fun to a process often fraught with frustration for many learners of Japanese.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/09/general/a-friend-to-kanji-learners-worldwide/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>&#8216;Playground of Hope&#8217; project builds communities, benefits affected kids</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/06/our-lives/playground-of-hope-project-builds-communities-benefits-affected-kids/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=playground-of-hope-project-builds-communities-benefits-affected-kids</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/06/our-lives/playground-of-hope-project-builds-communities-benefits-affected-kids/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Sep 2013 14:00:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Michael Anop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tohoku volunteer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=451861</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Michael Anop, a longtime Tokyo resident and entrepreneur, says he is &#8220;very much a people&#8217;s person,&#8221; as demonstrated by a definite talent for connecting with the right individuals to make things happen. As a teenager, he dreamed of a career working with young people in the counseling field. But after arriving in Japan just as [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/09/06/our-lives/playground-of-hope-project-builds-communities-benefits-affected-kids/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Returnee livid after ugly treatment at TBC beauty salon in Tokyo</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/08/26/how-tos/returnee-livid-after-ugly-treatment-at-tbc-beauty-salon-in-tokyo/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=returnee-livid-after-ugly-treatment-at-tbc-beauty-salon-in-tokyo</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/08/26/how-tos/returnee-livid-after-ugly-treatment-at-tbc-beauty-salon-in-tokyo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Aug 2013 14:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[beauty services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discrimination]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[expats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[TBC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=434146</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Returnee reader MQ has vowed to give TBC a wide berth after staff made her feel unwelcome and refused to help her enroll at the beauty empire's  Yurakucho branch.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/08/26/how-tos/returnee-livid-after-ugly-treatment-at-tbc-beauty-salon-in-tokyo/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>26</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Californian eyes making English studies easier</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/08/23/our-lives/californian-eyes-making-english-studies-easier/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=californian-eyes-making-english-studies-easier</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/08/23/our-lives/californian-eyes-making-english-studies-easier/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Aug 2013 14:02:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[English teacher]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Katie Adler]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[voice actor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=433132</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Visitors to Katie Adler&#8217;s interactive website, English with Katie, are greeted with Adler&#8217;s sunny smile, her mellow California accent and a wealth of hints to make using the language both easier and more enjoyable. She aims to help language learners in Japan take charge of their English, building confidence in their ability to have real [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/08/23/our-lives/californian-eyes-making-english-studies-easier/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Prove you&#8217;re Japanese: when being bicultural can be a burden</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/29/issues/prove-youre-japanese-when-being-bicultural-can-be-a-burden/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=prove-youre-japanese-when-being-bicultural-can-be-a-burden</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/29/issues/prove-youre-japanese-when-being-bicultural-can-be-a-burden/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:45:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[discrimination]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Employment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethnicity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[expats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mixed relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[names]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[race]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=420917</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Japanese are Japanese and foreigners are foreigners, and never the twain shall meet? In many aspects of daily life in this country, there is one way for the Japanese and another for the rest of us. Like it or not, that's just how it is. At least foreigners know where we stand.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/29/issues/prove-youre-japanese-when-being-bicultural-can-be-a-burden/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>51</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Brit Scoutmaster jogs for health, charity</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/26/our-lives/brit-scoutmaster-jogs-for-health-charity/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=brit-scoutmaster-jogs-for-health-charity</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/26/our-lives/brit-scoutmaster-jogs-for-health-charity/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:05:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Colin Yarker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scoutmaster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trail runner]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=419290</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Running up a mountain probably wouldn&#8217;t be most people&#8217;s idea of a pleasant weekend leisure activity, but Brit Colin Yarker thrives on the physical and mental challenge of trail running. &#8220;We take the same route as people who hike up a mountain, but we run instead of walk,&#8221; he said. Not only has trail running [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/26/our-lives/brit-scoutmaster-jogs-for-health-charity/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Think before you ink if you work with kids</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/22/how-tos/think-before-you-ink-if-you-work-with-kids/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=think-before-you-ink-if-you-work-with-kids</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/22/how-tos/think-before-you-ink-if-you-work-with-kids/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jul 2013 14:10:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Tattoos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yakuza]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=415910</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I am very interested in getting an irezumi (traditional tattoo) in Japan. Are there any artists that will tattoo a foreigner? If so, who and where? My interviewer for the teaching position tried to warn me that tattoos are a 'no-no.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/22/how-tos/think-before-you-ink-if-you-work-with-kids/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seeking to return the spoils of war</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/15/how-tos/seeking-to-return-the-spoils-of-war/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=seeking-to-return-the-spoils-of-war</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/15/how-tos/seeking-to-return-the-spoils-of-war/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Jul 2013 14:02:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Philippines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[U.S. Embassy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WWII]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=410402</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Lifelines takes a step back in time this week with two questions linked to World War II. First, from reader TT in the U.S. comes a request to help identify the owner of a Japanese sword. He inherited it from his late grandfather, along with some photos of the original owner&#8217;s family in a canister [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/07/15/how-tos/seeking-to-return-the-spoils-of-war/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Multimedia artist finds community in Odawara nurtures her creativity</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/29/our-lives/multimedia-artist-finds-community-in-odawara-nurtures-her-creativity/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=multimedia-artist-finds-community-in-odawara-nurtures-her-creativity</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/29/our-lives/multimedia-artist-finds-community-in-odawara-nurtures-her-creativity/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Jun 2013 15:03:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[artist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kirsten Woest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Odawara]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Sunlight streams in through large windows that look out on a sweeping Pacific Ocean vista. Artworks stand waiting in various stages of creation, while mobiles twist and dance in the sea breeze. This space, known as Atelier Hayakawa, is where Canadian multimedia artist Kirsten Woest comes to dream, to teach and to create. Located just [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/29/our-lives/multimedia-artist-finds-community-in-odawara-nurtures-her-creativity/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Quickies on bringing in psychotropics and bags, calling Japan, buying shoes</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/18/how-tos/quickies-on-bringing-in-psychotropics-and-bags-calling-japan-buying-shoes/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=quickies-on-bringing-in-psychotropics-and-bags-calling-japan-buying-shoes</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/18/how-tos/quickies-on-bringing-in-psychotropics-and-bags-calling-japan-buying-shoes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:05:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[customs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drugs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=385863</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A variety of queries from readers have arrived at Lifelines over the last few weeks, so we&#8217;ll address some of them in this column. &#8226; JL will be coming to Japan in the fall and wants to bring in several types of prescription psychotropic medication. (Common psychotropic drugs include antipsychotics, antidepressants, ADHD drugs, anti-anxiety medications [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/18/how-tos/quickies-on-bringing-in-psychotropics-and-bags-calling-japan-buying-shoes/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hunting for big-foot: Large shoes tough to track down in Tokyo</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/04/how-tos/hunting-for-big-foot-large-shoes-tough-to-track-down-in-tokyo/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=hunting-for-big-foot-large-shoes-tough-to-track-down-in-tokyo</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/04/how-tos/hunting-for-big-foot-large-shoes-tough-to-track-down-in-tokyo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:06:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[expats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[foreigners]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=375644</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Buying large shoes in Japan is a bit like trying to find a prime-time TV show that doesn&#8217;t feature at least one past or present member of AKB48: You know they exist, but it often takes perseverance and a measure of luck to track them down. Back home in New Zealand I take a perfectly [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/04/how-tos/hunting-for-big-foot-large-shoes-tough-to-track-down-in-tokyo/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Destroyer of domestic chaos charts way for others to lead organized lives</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/01/our-lives/destroyer-of-domestic-chaos-charts-way-for-others-to-lead-organized-lives/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=destroyer-of-domestic-chaos-charts-way-for-others-to-lead-organized-lives</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/01/our-lives/destroyer-of-domestic-chaos-charts-way-for-others-to-lead-organized-lives/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 31 May 2013 15:02:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Jo Ebisujima]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Jo Ebisujima describes herself as &#8220;a hybrid of MacGyver and Martha Stewart.&#8221; In the popular American TV show &#8220;MacGyver,&#8221; which aired from 1985 to 1992, the hero gets himself out of sticky situations by constructing ingenious devices with everyday materials. Stewart, on the other hand, has built a worldwide reputation as the doyenne of household [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/01/our-lives/destroyer-of-domestic-chaos-charts-way-for-others-to-lead-organized-lives/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Foreign-born professional strives to reconnect Japanese with koto music</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/05/18/our-lives/foreign-born-professional-strives-to-reconnect-japanese-with-koto-music/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=foreign-born-professional-strives-to-reconnect-japanese-with-koto-music</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/05/18/our-lives/foreign-born-professional-strives-to-reconnect-japanese-with-koto-music/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 15:02:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Life in Japan just seems tailor-made for certain foreign residents, who slip into the fabric of this society as smoothly as a hand slides into a glove. American Curtis Patterson, a professional koto player and music teacher, is a case in point. Not only is the gifted musician breaking down stereotypes about traditional music in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/05/18/our-lives/foreign-born-professional-strives-to-reconnect-japanese-with-koto-music/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>New Zealand instructor empowered by Pilates</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/04/20/our-lives/new-zealand-instructor-empowered-by-pilates/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=new-zealand-instructor-empowered-by-pilates</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/04/20/our-lives/new-zealand-instructor-empowered-by-pilates/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:01:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Candace Adachi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pilates instructor]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=350560</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Candace Adachi is one of those people who can turn heads without even trying as she walks by. With a spring in her step and a dazzling smile to match, she radiates self-confidence and well-being, and it comes as no surprise to learn that she is a professional fitness instructor. She says, however, that this [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/04/20/our-lives/new-zealand-instructor-empowered-by-pilates/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Fabric artist clothes Tokyo&#8217;s expat thespians with creativity and magic</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/16/our-lives/fabric-artist-clothes-tokyos-expat-thespians-with-creativity-and-magic/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=fabric-artist-clothes-tokyos-expat-thespians-with-creativity-and-magic</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/16/our-lives/fabric-artist-clothes-tokyos-expat-thespians-with-creativity-and-magic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:02:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[theater]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tokyo Theatre for Children]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/?post_type=community&#038;p=313772</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today’s younger generation may be more used to getting their entertainment from the Internet or other high-tech sources than from the stage, but nothing can perhaps replace the magic of a live theater performance. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/16/our-lives/fabric-artist-clothes-tokyos-expat-thespians-with-creativity-and-magic/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Juku: an unnecessary evil or vital steppingstone to success?</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/05/issues/juku-an-unnecessary-evil-or-vital-steppingstone-to-success/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=juku-an-unnecessary-evil-or-vital-steppingstone-to-success</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/05/issues/juku-an-unnecessary-evil-or-vital-steppingstone-to-success/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:01:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[For the past year, Tokyo sixth-grader Manami has had dinner at home an average of four times a week. The rest of the time she has had to make do with a juku-ben, a boxed dinner prepared by her mother and consumed between classes at juku, or cram school. With a view to entering a [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/05/issues/juku-an-unnecessary-evil-or-vital-steppingstone-to-success/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Teacher cultivates more bilingual education opportunities for children</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/02/our-lives/teacher-cultivates-more-bilingual-education-opportunities-for-children/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=teacher-cultivates-more-bilingual-education-opportunities-for-children</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/02/our-lives/teacher-cultivates-more-bilingual-education-opportunities-for-children/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:15:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Bilingual education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Language acquisition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yoyogi Chapters]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[As international marriages rose in Japan in recent years, the number of bicultural families increased, and many children of such families are being raised to speak the languages of both parents. American Mary Nobuoka, director of the Bilingual Special Interest Group (B-SIG) and parent of a bicultural son, devotes much of her time and energy to helping other families in their journey of language and discovery.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/03/02/our-lives/teacher-cultivates-more-bilingual-education-opportunities-for-children/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Childbirth in Japan: Plan, prioritize for a smooth delivery</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/11/issues/childbirth-in-japan-plan-prioritize-for-a-smooth-delivery/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=childbirth-in-japan-plan-prioritize-for-a-smooth-delivery</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/11/issues/childbirth-in-japan-plan-prioritize-for-a-smooth-delivery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/11/%community_category%/childbirth-in-japan-plan-prioritize-for-a-smooth-delivery/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Emotions during pregnancy and childbirth run the gamut, from excitement and trepidation to joy and even fear. Foreign women who find themselves pregnant in Japan may experience additional stress as they cope with cultural differences, language issues and being away from their own families. Add in talk of no pain relief typically being offered during [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/12/11/issues/childbirth-in-japan-plan-prioritize-for-a-smooth-delivery/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Grab your bentō, mat and a prime spot: It&#8217;s undōkai</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/25/our-lives/grab-your-bent-mat-and-a-prime-spot-its-undkai/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=grab-your-bent-mat-and-a-prime-spot-its-undkai</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/25/our-lives/grab-your-bent-mat-and-a-prime-spot-its-undkai/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[undokai]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/25/%community_category%/grab-your-bent-mat-and-a-prime-spot-its-undkai/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For the next few weekends all over Japan, mothers will be up at dawn preparing elaborate bentō, while fathers toting plastic mats will set off to school to claim a prime spot (or perhaps vice versa in some households). It&#8217;s undōkai season! Undōkai is sometimes described as a &#8220;field day&#8221; or even &#8220;athletic meet&#8221; in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/09/25/our-lives/grab-your-bent-mat-and-a-prime-spot-its-undkai/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Conductor-composer hits right note with Tokyo children&#8217;s choir</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/08/25/our-lives/conductor-composer-hits-right-note-with-tokyo-childrens-choir/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=conductor-composer-hits-right-note-with-tokyo-childrens-choir</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/08/25/our-lives/conductor-composer-hits-right-note-with-tokyo-childrens-choir/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
		
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		<description><![CDATA[Steven Morgan creates instant harmony with the wave of his hand. For 15 years, he has been conducting some of Tokyo&#8217;s leading English choirs, bringing the pleasure of choral music performances to both singers and audiences alike. Since 2009, Morgan has served as assistant professor of chapel music at Rikkyo University, but originally he taught [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/08/25/our-lives/conductor-composer-hits-right-note-with-tokyo-childrens-choir/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Globe-trekker devotes self to kids needing special attention</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/14/general/globe-trekker-devotes-self-to-kids-needing-special-attention/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=globe-trekker-devotes-self-to-kids-needing-special-attention</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/14/general/globe-trekker-devotes-self-to-kids-needing-special-attention/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/14/%community_category%/globe-trekker-devotes-self-to-kids-needing-special-attention/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[German Birgit Zorb-Serizawa has lived and worked on four continents in her career in special education, and she has spent many years providing opportunities and support for international families in Japan with special-needs children. She has also amassed an impressive collection of books during the more than 35 years her career has taken her around [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2012/01/14/general/globe-trekker-devotes-self-to-kids-needing-special-attention/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>More than just child&#8217;s play</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/10/04/language/more-than-just-childs-play/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=more-than-just-childs-play</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/10/04/language/more-than-just-childs-play/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Oct 2002 00:00:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/10/04/%life_category%/more-than-just-childs-play/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Until I became a mother, I had never heard of a playgroup. Three babies later, I can say that establishing a thriving playgroup has been one of my greatest achievements in recent years. It is not hard to find a playgroup here in Japan. Most of the neighborhood jidokan (children&#8217;s halls), for example, offer gatherings [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/10/04/language/more-than-just-childs-play/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Equal but different</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/07/05/language/equal-but-different/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=equal-but-different</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/07/05/language/equal-but-different/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Jul 2002 00:02:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/07/05/%life_category%/equal-but-different/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My 18-month-old daughter, Marin, was involved in a tug-of-war over a toy with a little friend a few months older. The boy gave my daughter a small shove and won possession of the coveted toy, and Marin promptly burst into noisy sobs. The other mother hurried over. Handing the toy back to Marin, she scolded [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2002/07/05/language/equal-but-different/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>If it&#8217;s Tuesday, it must be . . . swimming?</title>
		<link>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2001/10/26/general/if-its-tuesday-it-must-be-swimming/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=if-its-tuesday-it-must-be-swimming</link>
		<comments>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2001/10/26/general/if-its-tuesday-it-must-be-swimming/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Oct 2001 00:00:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Louise George Kittaka</dc:creator>
		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://awsadmin.japantimes.co.jp/community/2001/10/26/%community_category%/if-its-tuesday-it-must-be-swimming/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[No doubt about it, life in Japan is busy &#8212; and even small children have a &#8220;schedule.&#8221; All of my son&#8217;s first-grade friends at Japanese elementary school have at least one after-school activity, if not two or three. An informal survey revealed that piano and ballet are tops with the girls, that the boys prefer [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2001/10/26/general/if-its-tuesday-it-must-be-swimming/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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