Amy Chavez - The Japan Times

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Apr 13, 2013

The ration-ality of toilets — trying to change the 'plumbing code'

Nomura Holding America Inc., the U.S subsidiary of Tokyo-based Nomura Holdings, Inc. is in the news lately for being the first business to attempt to alter New York City's "plumbing code" that requires buildings to have an equal number of toilets for both men and women. Oh yay.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Apr 6, 2013

Who turns a company into a 'wonderful place to be'?

Kazuhiro Tsuga, president of Panasonic Corp., addressed his new recruits on Monday telling them that he hopes they will turn the company into "a wonderful place to be." President Akio Toyoda encouraged his recruits at Toyota Motor Corp. to exhibit "the strength seen in cherry blossoms that can persevere...

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Mar 30, 2013

The sakura season is here, but which one?

The sakura season is here! The question is, does this refer to the horsemeat season or the cherry blossom season? It's hard to tell when the Japanese use the word "sakura" to describe horse meat, which is pink. Sakura nabe is not nabe made with cherry blossoms, for example, but nabe made with horsemeat....

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Mar 23, 2013

Biiiiig baby! — Japanese get taller and skinnier, but not bigger

"How old do you think those kids are?" Asked my father, admiring the cute little American tots standing in line at the ski lift. They were dressed in the puffy ski outfits of the latest fashionable shade of kindergarten pastel, making them look like they were wrapped in cotton candy. Snuggly fit around...

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Mar 16, 2013

The Sandman and other gift-bearing creatures

Easter is upon us, and you know what that means: chocolate rabbits! Each year on Easter Sunday, a magical rabbit (actually a hare) comes out of the forest and brings baskets full of eggs, candies, toys and chocolate rabbits. The Easter Bunny, as he is called, hides the baskets inside each house, and...

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Mar 9, 2013

Sleeping on the train — a rite of passage into Japanese society

When I first came to Japan, I wondered how people could sleep on the train, a public and completely inappropriate place where you can be assured everyone will be watching you. But then I learned that sleeping on the train is involuntary — and should be classified as a sleeping disorder.

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Mar 2, 2013

What ever 'appened to the Tamagotchi?

Tamagotchi, the electronic pets that were first released by Bandai in Japan in 1996, have returned. But this time in the form of an app in which you can feed, discipline and even play "rock, paper, scissors" with your not-really-there pet.

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Feb 23, 2013

What's next for Toto? More toilet humor

What is the next logical toilet model for Toto? After one has invented a toilet that welcomes you by lifting it's lid automatically when you walk into the bathroom, cuddles you with a heated toilet seat, washes and dries your bum after you've done the dirty deed, disinfects the toilet, then automatically...

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Feb 15, 2013

Tips for springtime on the Shikoku pilgrimage route

Setsubun is over and it is officially springtime in Japan. So what if it's still cold — happy spring! And spring means cherry blossoms, a new school year and, of course, pilgrimaging! This spring, many people will set out on the pilgrimage of a lifetime as they walk, bicycle, bus or drive the Shikoku...

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Feb 8, 2013

Life under the kotatsu — let the upper body fend for itself

I'll never forget my first winter in Japan when I heard that some Japanese people sleep under the kotatsu.

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Feb 1, 2013

Some thoughts on the rudiments of rutabaga

I can't wait to see NHK-G's special program to air Feb. 23. They are finally going to address a topic I have harbored secret thoughts about since I came to Japan in 1994. NHK is going to broach the topic in a no-holds-barred documentary. The subject is turnip tossing.

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Jan 25, 2013

A howler for Tokyo's bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games

On Jan. 7, Tokyo put in its bid to host the 2020 summer Olympic Games. So did Madrid and Istanbul. Who wins the coveted bid will not be known until September. But consider some of the barriers to Tokyo winning. First, Tokyo needs to garner more public support, meaning they'll need to get the population...

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Jan 19, 2013

So many small things Japan should be proud of

The new Tokyo Skytree has enjoyed immense popularity and is being credited for giving Japanese people hope for the future. Yes, having with the tallest tower (634 meters) and the second tallest structure in the world, we are all filled with a renewed sense of confirmation that — taller is better!

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Jan 12, 2013

My (attainable) New Year's resolutions: Giving up seiza

Having problems keeping your New Year's resolution? Not me. Because this year I chose resolutions that were easily fulfilled:

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Jan 5, 2013

Serpent hunting in the Year of the Snake

As 2013 is the Year of the Snake, for your serpentine pleasure, I've put together a list of snake-like creatures from Japanese legends and folklore. Loch Ness monster fans, Yeti fans and Bigfoot fans, you're going to have a heck of a year in 2013 with all the cryptids waiting to be discovered. Japan...

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 29, 2012

How can Japan help save the world? Be more Taiwanese

Japan had Taiwan under its rule from 1895 until 1945. Despite the history of colonial rule, Taiwanese today have largely favorable views of the Japanese. Japan is the third most popular destination for the Taiwanese, after South Korea and China.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 22, 2012

Santa-san is coming to town — it's going to be different this year

Christmas is going to be different this year. Oh, you haven't heard? Read on.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 15, 2012

Do young Japanese people dream big?

Do young Japanese people dream big? This was the question posed by Steven Kim recently on LinkedIn's "InStyle Tokyo Premier Networking" group.

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 8, 2012

Mapping Japan — what on earth could be cooler than that?

According to a recent article in The Japan Times, more and more women are taking to map-reading these days. One reason cited in the article is the influence of the new autumn TV drama called "Sosa Chizu no Onna" ("Woman of Investigative Maps"). The starring role is played by Miki Maya, herself a map...

COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE

Dec 8, 2012

Mapping Japan — what on earth could be cooler than that?

According to a recent article in The Japan Times, more and more women are taking to map-reading these days. One reason cited in the article is the influence of the new autumn TV drama called "Sosa Chizu no Onna" ("Woman of Investigative Maps"). The starring role is played by Miki Maya, herself a map...

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