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Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Oct 21, 2001

K-1 hits the spot

Blood spurts from his nose. Another crunching blow to the head. His lights go out as he drops to the floor unconscious. Thousands of dollars go down with him.
CULTURE / Books
Oct 21, 2001

In the realm of crime, torture and depravity

THE DARK SIDE: Infamous Japanese Crimes and Criminals, by Mark Schreiber. Kodansha International, 2001, 251 pp., 2,700 yen (cloth) It's unfortunate but true that the names of notorious criminals usually outlive those of their victims. We remember Jack the Ripper, not the London prostitutes he butchered....
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / CHANNEL SURF
Oct 21, 2001

Tune in, there are big things on the horizon

The cult of dieting takes on new meaning in Nippon TV's fall comedy serial "Kangei! Danjiki Goikko-sama," literally, "Welcome, Honorable Party of Fasters" (Saturday, 9 p.m.). The series is set at Rakuraku-jin, a Buddhist temple that accepts civilians who want to do the ascetic thing.
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Oct 19, 2001

Migratory locust

CULTURE / Film
Oct 17, 2001

Uhfmm . . . wham, bam, thank you, ma'am

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider Rating: * * 1/2 Director: Simon West Running time: 100 minutes Language: English Now showing
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 17, 2001

Revenge drama: keeping it in the family

During the 17th and 18th centuries, news of successful acts of revenge (katakiuchi) by samurai circulated fast among ordinary people in Japan. Many of these stories were highly dramatic and became sources of inspiration for kabuki and bunraku dramas.
LIFE / Food & Drink / NIHONSHU
Oct 14, 2001

Nagano gives Niigata some stiff competition

Cold air blowing down from the Japan Alps. Clear water from rivers of melted snow. Fresh country air. Great rice. When it comes to the basic requirements for brewing good sake, Nagano Prefecture has them all covered.
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Oct 12, 2001

Five-lined skink

COMMUNITY
Oct 8, 2001

Watari-um, where the world of art is accessible to 'ordinary people'

Stop and feel the art in the space, like relaxing in your living room. Watari-um, or the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, offers something both imaginative and familiar to everyday life.
LIFE / Travel / ON THE ARCHIPELA-GO
Oct 8, 2001

Adventures in wine country

For many years, Hakushu village, tucked away in Yamanashi Prefecture, was the venue for a colorful international festival featuring avant-garde performances by musicians, dancers and other artists.
JAPAN
Oct 7, 2001

Macedonia historian delighted at award

Macedonian historian Dr. Kosta Balabanov has expressed his delight at receiving this year's Japan Foundation special prize for his contribution to introducing Japanese culture to the Balkan country.
COMMUNITY
Oct 7, 2001

Tokyo's own hot spots

In Japan, mention "hot springs" and people instinctively think of mountain hideaways and seaside vistas. High on the list of onsen hot spots are Atami and Shimoda on the Izu Peninsula, Kusatsu in Gunma, Kinugawa in Tochigi, Hakone in Kanagawa and Beppu in Kyushu to name but a few.
LIFE / Food & Drink / VINELAND
Oct 7, 2001

From plonk to classics, Shinanoya has got it all

For wine fans, the Daita neighborhood in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward is a worthy destination. This part of town is home to one of Tokyo's most impressive wine stores. Shinanoya Shokuhin Co. has existed for 50 years. By 1998, the wine and spirits department at Shinanoya Supermarket was outgrowing its shelf...
JAPAN
Oct 5, 2001

Global university strives to become Oita's melting pot

BEPPU, Oita Pref. -- Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, aiming to become a pioneer in the internationalization of higher education, accepted new students of diverse nationalities in a ceremony earlier this week.
JAPAN
Oct 5, 2001

Corrupt official features in ministry brochure

A former secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Kenya who was punished for embezzling money via false expense claims is depicted in Foreign Ministry recruitment brochures as a diligent worker, sources said Thursday.
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Oct 5, 2001

Praying mantis

JAPAN
Oct 4, 2001

Variety TV programs in demand abroad

Japanese TV variety shows, which feature skits full of lampoons, cooking contests or ideas submitted by viewers on videotape, are in growing demand in Europe and the United States.
CULTURE / Art
Oct 3, 2001

Missing links steal the show

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it is also a dubious honor. For some 15 years, until his death in 1610, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio's brooding and beautiful works scandalized Church and patrons alike, and left a generation of followers -- and copycats -- in his wake.
LIFE / Travel / NATURE TRAVEL
Oct 2, 2001

A natural cure for beer-induced exhaustion

Well, it's that time of year in Munich again. The liter-sized steins are being filled by beefy barmaids. Lederhosen and silly hats are being donned. The plaster demons of Herr Schichtel's horror show are fresh with newly sprayed cobwebs, while the calliopes roar and roller coasters whirl and turn.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY
Sep 28, 2001

Sesame Street for better English learning

The creators of "Sesame Street" are developing new content and materials to make the highly successful children's television program more useful for Japanese children learning English.
BUSINESS
Sep 28, 2001

Toyota keeps schedules intact despite market concerns

Toyota Motor Corp. has no plans to change its current output or sales schedule for either the North American or domestic markets, despite fears surrounding the possible impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the global auto market, President Fujio Cho said Thursday.
ENVIRONMENT / ANIMAL TRACKER
Sep 28, 2001

Blue admiral

JAPAN
Sep 26, 2001

Coalition dodges PKO to empower SDF

The Self-Defense Forces will help refugees under a new law that deals solely with supporting the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism, rather than by revising the peacekeeping operation law, the ruling coalition parties agreed Tuesday.
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 26, 2001

Rising stars shine in kabuki's heirloom roles

During the month of September, the Kabukiza Theater and the nearby Shinbashi Enbujo Theater are presenting competing kabuki midori (selections). The Kabukiza's program features such veteran actors as Kichiemon Nakamura, Baigyoku Nakamura and Jakuemon Nakamura, as well as up-and-coming performers in their...
CULTURE / Art
Sep 26, 2001

A kiss in the darkroom

When I spoke with curator Michiko Kasahara about the Tokyo Museum of Photography's new exhibition, "A Kiss in the Dark," the first thing she wanted to explain was the show's intriguing title. Her catalog essay expands:
JAPAN
Sep 24, 2001

Out and About

English seminar covers quake preparedness Tokyo Emergency Language Supporters, or TELS, a volunteer group based in Setagaya Ward, will hold a free seminar Oct. 6 in English on earthquake disaster information and preparedness.
JAPAN / MUSEUM MUSINGS
Sep 24, 2001

Baseball still the stuff of boys' dreams

The eyes of the boys from Okachimachi Junior High School in Tokyo light up as they grip the bats of professional Japanese baseball stars.

Longform

Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.