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Magdalena Osumi
For Magdalena Osumi's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Oct 10, 2013
Shakuhachi player finds the Zen in deer sounds
The shakuhachi reportedly came to Japan from ancient Egypt, and the instrument's pure tones have been used by Zen monks in meditation.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Oct 10, 2013
Shiga foodies to look for a few good men
This weekend, diners in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, will get the chance to vote for their favorite ikemen. Although this term is used to describe an attractive man, the most important men (noodles) at this year's Ikemen Battle will be those steaming in hot broth. The contest's title is a pun, with the "men" in "ikemen" represented by the kanji character for noodles.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Oct 3, 2013
Talent show emphasizes culture
They say that fortune favors the brave and this Saturday, in Fukuoka, brave non-Japanese residents will get the chance to feel like a star.
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Oct 3, 2013
Nara college gets crafty
Japanese arts and crafts often emphasize simple beauty. This weekend, Ohara Wafuku Gakuen College welcomes visitors to see this up close at its school market.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 2, 2013
U.S. paralysis leaves travel agencies scrambling
The U.S. government shutdown that started at midnight Monday has impacted the global travel industry, with tourist agencies in Japan scrambling to avoid severe losses.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Sep 26, 2013
Floats make Oirase fest a treat
The town of Oirase, Aomori Prefecture, seems like a good place for homesick Americans to settle down. It's known for its own Statue of Liberty — bigger than the one that sits at the edge of Tokyo Bay.
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Sep 19, 2013
Candles to remember Tohoku
News media continue to report on the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, but it's important to remember that people across the Tohoku region are still recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake that happened there two years ago.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 18, 2013
Fujiwara breaks TV taboo, slams secrets bill
Norika Fujiwara has broken an unwritten rule of the television business: sharing her political views. The popular model and actress has come out against a bill that stiffens penalties against civil servants who leak classified information.
Japan Times
Events / Events In Tokyo
Sep 12, 2013
Film fest puts comedy on bill
Asakusa was the capital's main entertainment district during the Edo Period (1603-1867) and the charm of old Tokyo still remains there.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Sep 5, 2013
Manga fans to gather in Kyoto for annual fair
Kyoto is well-known for temples, geisha and other pieces of Japan's past. This weekend, though, the city will be abuzz with the country's present treasured artifacts.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 29, 2013
Winery features events for kids
Even if you don't have 80 days to circumnavigate the globe, two days will be enough for a trip to Europe, kind of.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health
Aug 29, 2013
Stressed expats need, but oft sidestep real help: therapist
Many expatriates who face problems adjusting to the cultural differences of Japan tend to abuse alcohol and other drugs to deal with the stress of the transition, according to a Polish psychologist and therapist who counsels foreign residents in Japan.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 22, 2013
Local fare on menu at Oita fest
To enhance the taste and healthfulness of local delicacies, residents of Oita are said to dip fish in sauce flavored with a locally grown, mildly sour Kabosu lime juice.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 15, 2013
Shout your feelings out at temple event
When was the last time you yelled? Anyone in Japan knows that being loud in public isn't something that happens too often. Train cars are usually quiet and even concerts don't get too raucous.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 10, 2013
Manual issued for Hague treaty child retrievals
Supreme Court issues manual for court-appointed administrators on how to retrieve children in parental cross-border abduction cases under the Hague Convention.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 8, 2013
Beat the heat with Southeast Asian tradition
No doubt that those unable to take a few days off during the Bon holidays are really feeling the heat and impatiently awaiting a vacation that might not happen until New Year's.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Aug 1, 2013
Take baby steps into theater
Before it learns how to speak, a baby responds to sounds by cooing, gurgling and changing his or her facial expression. Then it begins to babble and, eventually, the first "mama" or "dada" pops out to parental delight.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / MIXED MATCHES
Jul 29, 2013
Haiku brought together Polish-Japanese couple
They say that languages bring people closer together and bridge distances. So, too, does the Internet.
Japan Times
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 25, 2013
Noodles to flow in Kobe
On a summer day in 1959, some men gathered at a river in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture. After a long day of work, they devoured white-wheat noodles that swooshed down an open bamboo pipe. It's said that hungry workers would eat the bamboo pipes and drink the water flowing over rocks. This became known as nagashi sōmen.
Events / Events Outside Tokyo
Jul 25, 2013
Encouraging your kid's inner artist could make summer 'bearable'
Teddy bears are often the first friends a child will have. They'll tell them their secrets, give them kisses and pull them under the covers at night so they don't get lonely.

Longform

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces