Yuko Naito - The Japan Times

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Yuko Naito

For Yuko Naito's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:

COMMUNITY

Dec 2, 2001

What's hot on the slopes

According to Masataka Shiwaku of Victoria Wardrobe, a snow-wear retailer in Tokyo's Kanda Ogawa-cho district, this year "many people seem to be thinking of renewing their skiing or snowboarding wardrobes."

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Oct 21, 2001

One wrong move and you're whacked

What would you do if you were suddenly assaulted on the street? Could you defend yourself even if the attacker had a knife?

COMMUNITY

Oct 14, 2001

High-flying ad man comes down to earth in Shikoku

Eleven years ago, Toshihito Takahashi was a high-flying advertising copywriter with a leading Tokyo agency, one of the select few whose work regularly appeared on the nation's TV screens.

COMMUNITY

Oct 7, 2001

Going with the furo

Sitting in a tub of clear, near-scalding water up to your neck might not instantly appeal to those new to Japan who are used to stretching out in a warm sea of suds and playing with their plastic ducks. However, taking a bath that way is more than a hygienic chore for the people of these islands; it's almost a sacred ritual, and it would be hard to find a population anywhere who take baths more frequently than the Japanese today. Although they might have some way to go before they can rival the citizens of Ancient Rome, who are believed to have shed their togas at huge and luxurious public baths at least once a day, Japanese people's fondness for soaking themselves is one of those things that often amazes visitors to these shores.

COMMUNITY

Sep 9, 2001

To hide or not to hide - the balding man's dilemma

For most men, the mere mention of going bald provokes a quickened pulse-rate and the onset of hyperventilation. To say the thought of hair loss scares most males is to dramatically understate the case.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Aug 26, 2001

Hope for the best . . .and prepare for the worst

Think about how difficult it would be if all our lifelines -- water, gas and electricity -- were suddenly cut off. In the event of a major earthquake, we would have to do more than just ponder these hardships. And it would go on for longer than you might think. After the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, it took a week to get the power system back up and running and nearly three months to restore gas and water services. Some evacuees, meanwhile, had to stay at emergency facilities for upwards of eight months. While most people don't even want to think about such living conditions, Takehiko Yamamura, the author of numerous books on disaster preparation and relief, insists we must. The Big One will surely strike, he says. "We just do not know when and where. If you are not prepared, you will really be in trouble."

COMMUNITY

Aug 26, 2001

Don't panic: Know what to do

As long as you are in Japan, which has about 1,500 active faults, you are at risk of experiencing a major earthquake at any moment. It could come while you're at home or at your workplace, at a movie theater or in a subway. Wherever you are, you must stay calm and determine what to do next.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Aug 12, 2001

Treat your feet

Be they fashion- or health-related, there are products galore to answer our every foot need. In Japan, many are wrapped up in trends, traditional culture and daily habits.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Aug 5, 2001

When 645 guests descended on Tokyo's New Takanawa Hotel last month to celebrate the marriage of 46-year-old former pop idol Hideki Saijo to Miki Makihara, a 28-year-old "office lady" he'd been dating since the fall, the starstruck media gushed at length over the "super gorgeous" event.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Aug 5, 2001

Getting (hic) hitched in the sticks

Imagine you are a bride. At your wedding reception, you visit each table for "candle service." Lighting one on each table you greet guests, all of whom congratulate you, clapping their hands. This would be a scene from an ordinary reception. But what if half the guests are nodding off? Such was my case.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Jul 29, 2001

Just when you thought it was safe . . .

If you live in an old apartment or condominium complex of fewer than 10 units, you might want to check the tap water. Pour some into a clear glass and take a whiff. Does it smell of chlorine? If it does, you don't have too much to worry about. It might not taste good, but at least the chemical smell indicates it's bacteria-free. But if it smells of something else, such as mold or ammonia, or if it's cloudy or has particles floating in it, you'd rightly be suspicious of its quality.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Jul 22, 2001

Fighting the good fight for all

In the pantheon of Japan's fictional action heroes, it would be hard to find one better known or loved than Ultraman.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Jul 1, 2001

Pull me a cold one

When the mercury rises, nothing hits the spot like a cold beer, especially when chugg-a-lugged at a beer hall or an outdoor beer garden.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Jun 24, 2001

Reaching out to the world

Japan is often criticized for simply doling out large sums of money to international relief and development activities and rarely contributing human resources. There are, however, more than a few Japanese who become actively involved in international cooperation as overseas volunteers.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Jun 24, 2001

Help is on the way

At the mega-corporation Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. there is a standing offer to all employees: the option of taking three months to two years of unpaid leave for "social welfare" volunteer activities.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Jun 24, 2001

Soft toys are us

Lightweight soft toys made of colorful fabrics are not only fun for small children to play with, but they are safe as well. They won't break even though children throw them around and won't hurt if they hit them.

COMMUNITY

Jun 10, 2001

Chic designs enliven condominium choices

With its outside walls clad entirely in wooden louver boards, a four-story building that opened last week in Tokyo's quiet Tomigaya residential district could easily be mistaken for a chic new gallery or boutique.

COMMUNITY

Jun 3, 2001

A new lease on life

Prosperous economies produce waste. Throw in rampant consumerism and a laissez-faire attitude toward the environment, and you've got the makings of a serious problem. Welcome to Japan. A host of treasures awaits you . . .

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

May 27, 2001

Make your rest assured

Ever have difficulty falling asleep at a friend's house because of an uncomfortable pillow?

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

May 27, 2001

Now I lay me down to pose

On a spring afternoon two years ago, freelance photographer Maki Umaba encountered an unusual scene on a train -- all the passengers on the car except herself were dozing. Some might have just closed their eyes, but others were sleeping soundly.

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.

[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.

For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on

By Lance Henderstein

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

Prize winner Maki Imoto catches light with glass

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