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 Jason Jenkins

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Jason Jenkins
Jason spent 13 years in Tokyo writing about cameras, parenting and the arts. In 2013 he left to travel, homeschooling his kids in Spain, Mexico and Southeast Asia before moving back to Japan in 2019.
For Jason Jenkins's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Apr 17, 2013
Give the kids a dose of culture and fun at Tokyo Midtown
Since the 1950s, the Roppongi entertainment district has been synonymous with drink, debauchery and the like ... or so people tell me.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / CHILD'S PLAY
Mar 20, 2013
This is one museum where kids will have a blast
Once a month, it will be my goal to help you and your kids get the most out of Tokyo. This city is full of opportunities to learn and have fun, and I've been seeking out these opportunities ever since my first-born arrived 10 years ago.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Feb 4, 2010
Pop goes the cash register
Promotion-minded retailers save money on rent and go guerrilla pop-up shops in Tokyo.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 24, 2010
Japan's chocolatiers search for the sweet spot
Japan has a serious cacao habit, which only gets only harder to kick as vendors push more chocolate prior to Valentine's Day.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 18, 2010
Augmented Reality taking it to another level
Augmented reality is coming into its own, revealing more and more hidden layers of info. It's all there for the taking.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Jan 14, 2010
"Ryomaden" romanticizes (and monetizes) history
It's official. Japan is in the throes of what's bound to be a long-term romance with a certain rebel samurai named Ryoma Sakamoto.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Dec 28, 2009
Trends in Japan 2009: celebrity drug busts
Following a brief period of reefer madness in 2008, celebrity drug busts in 2009 threw a searchlight on the availability of harder stuff in Japan.
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Dec 20, 2009
Price drops can (literally) be music to your ears
As the 2000's come to a close, a recent series of music products may be an indicator of what's to come in the near future.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Dec 10, 2009
Up and running in Japan
Thanks to celebrity runners and the Tokyo Marathon, Japan is in the throes of another love affair with running.
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Dec 4, 2009
The Complaints Choir: Denounce to the Music
Mad as hell and not going to take it any more? Let a choir lift your complaint to the heavens.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Dec 3, 2009
'Prototype' documents the birth of designers' ideas
The creative process is on display at the Prototype exhibition, which showcases the works of Japanese architects and designers.
BUSINESS / Japan Pulse
Nov 30, 2009
Eco batteries bring new meaning to the term "juiced"
NoPoPo Eco batteries might not revolutionize the tech world yet, but for now, these fluid-powered batteries could end up being life-savers.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Nov 27, 2009
School uniforms remain a cultural conundrum
If Japan-watchers want to get to the bottom of what defines 'kawaii,' maybe they should talk to the girls who define it in the first place.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Japan Pulse
Nov 23, 2009
Japanese now a little less lost in translation
Yeah, some things still get lost in machine translation, but language barriers did grow a lot smaller in 2009.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Japan Pulse
Nov 18, 2009
Manga publishers go back to the drawing board
Digital manga, how-to manga and news rendered in daily manga illustrate that perhaps the reports of its death have been slightly exaggerated.
BUSINESS / Japan Pulse
Nov 13, 2009
A virtual page-turner on the iPhone
iPhone + interactive children's book= a virtual page-turner
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Japan Pulse
Nov 13, 2009
Japanese camera makers reassess size and simplicity
Which would you opt for? A pro-level D-SLR or a pocket camera with the image quality of a D-SLR?
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / Japan Pulse
Nov 10, 2009
Cheap vino continues to flow in Japan
Cheap wine, anyone? 7-11 outlets uncork Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon under the Yosemite Road label, at u00a5600 a bottle.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Japan Pulse
Nov 9, 2009
Who let the dog boom get out of control?
What's behind the dog boom in Japan? A desire for social interaction? A need for furry fashion accessories? Or is it pure puppy love?
Japan Times
CULTURE / Japan Pulse
Nov 5, 2009
New faces down on the farm
Whether it's in a country field or on a high-rise rooftop, the self-sufficiency benefits of farming are inspiring more Japanese to till the soil.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores