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 Matthew Chozick

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Matthew Chozick
Matthew Chozick writes widely about culture both in Japanese and English. He also appears regularly on Japanese television, holds a research fellowship at Kokugakuin University, dabbles in performance art and is the co-founder of a publishing start-up. You can keep up with his work on Twitter or at http://matthewchozick.com/
For Matthew Chozick's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jun 13, 2015
Cultural historian James Vardaman reflects on his journey into Japanese publishing
Between two sips of coffee, Waseda University professor James M. Vardaman comes clean to me about his decades of addiction.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Sep 29, 2013
Good morning Miss Kita-Senju, konbanwa Japan
Perhaps there comes a day in many a man's life when he squints and says to himself something like this: 「まずいなぁ、もう少し度の強いメガネがあったら良かった。この距離だと、あの方が女装している北野武さんなのか、ミス・インターナショナルなのか、分からないや」("Mazui nā, mō sukoshi do no tsuyoi megane ga attara yokatta. Kono kyori da to, ano kata ga jyosō shiteiru Kitano Takeshi-san nanoka, Misu Intānashonaru nanoka, wakaranai ya," "Yikes, if only I had stronger eyeglasses. At this distance I can't tell whether that's Takeshi Kitano in drag or a Miss International beauty queen").
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Nov 29, 2011
Thanksgiving: food, family, but hold the 'chong chew' turkey
We are flying what seems like dangerously low over Boston Harbor. From my window seat, I see waves crash into rocks, spraying foam, and colorful boats with flapping sails. After touching down safely in the city, the pilot wishes us all a happy Thanksgiving.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 18, 2010
Why not give the oyaji gyagu a rest when in Rome
Perhaps it was the jisaboke (時差ぼけ, jetlag) or a lasagna-induced food coma, but it took time for my mind to register the scene before my eyes — a cosplaying gladiator speaking Japanese in front of the Coliseum in Rome. The Italian sentry — garbed in a feathered helmet, crimson cape and body armor, and wielding a shield and sword — paraded up to my Japanese friends and energetically offered, "Shashin totte agemasu yo!"(「写真 撮ってあげますよ!」 "I insist on taking a photo for you!").
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE ZEIT GIST
Apr 13, 2010
'Sambo' racism row reignites over kids' play
"Little Black Sambo, Sambo, Sambo/His face and hands are completely black/Even his butt is completely black."
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / VIEWS FROM THE STREET
Oct 27, 2009
Tokyoites foot bill for Metro finger-wagging
If you scoot around Japan's capital on Tokyo Metro, chances are you can call to your mind's eye Bunpei Yorifuji's manner posters. You've probably snickered at Yorifuji's innuendo-laden slogan "Please do it at home" and, like me, look forward to seeing his silly etiquette lessons debut each month in the 170 participating subway stations.
CULTURE / Books
Jul 5, 2009
Why Murakami's best-selling '1Q84' is worth the wait
When Shinchosha decided not to run a pre-marketing campaign for Haruki Murakami's new and highly anticipated two-volume novel, the publishing house must have banked on the book creating its own hype. It worked. The void soon filled with publicity and media speculation about the book's only available information: its title.

Longform

High-end tourism is becoming more about the kinds of experiences that Japan's lesser-known places can provide.
Can Japan lure the jet-set class off the beaten path?