For May Masangkay's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Maria Gudzii was forced to evacuate with her family after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and then left Ukraine entirely after Russia invaded in February.
"When I perform, I do so with thoughts that the war would end and there will be peace in the world," said Kateryna Gudzii, one of two bandura players in Japan.
Mizuhiki — most often used for special occasions — is the gift decoration that keeps on giving.
Directed by Brillante Mendoza, the film was inspired by the real story of Naozumi Tsuchiyama, who went to the Philippines after his physical disability prevented him from going pro in Japan.
The actor's decadelong efforts to help survivors of the March 11 disaster include opening a cafe in Miyagi Prefecture and launching websites to solicit donations and words of encouragement.
When director Akio Fujimoto's "Along the Sea" reaches theaters nationwide next spring, he hopes the plight of Vietnamese temporary workers depicted in the film will show the exploitative reality their like face in Japan at times. A co-production with a Vietnamese film company, the movie ...
Live entertainment is adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering drive-in performances that visitors can experience from inside their cars.
Around 80 percent of the displays due to be taking place during the peak season for pyrotechnics have been canceled.
With the outbreak, social distancing practices have forced many such cafeterias to shutter temporarily or look for ways to provide low-cost meals.
One service is stepping in to help them save marriages before it is too late, offering couples a breather from each other as they try to obey stay-at-home requests.
