Photos from the Naked Man Festival
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I have a bad habit of setting myself up for disappointment with my unrealistically high expectations. From the moment that “Blue Jeans” leaked, I had found my new musical obsession. More than anything, I wanted Born To Die to blow me away. But alas, it was not to be. Maybe it was all the hype…
I’m not sure at what point the CIA just starts giving Tom Cruise the benefit of the doubt. We’re going on 3 movies now where agent Ethan Hunt has been framed for trying to destroy the Union, and 3 movies he’s not only proven himself innocent, but also saved the world. Anyway, in the future…
A car isn’t just an engine, some doors, and a windshield; that’s what a car needs. Not what a car is. What a car really is, is freedom, as a wise pirate once pointed out. In our lives and time, it’s the freedom to calculate the cost of gas and tolls against the fares levied by public transportation, the freedom to get lost in the winding nonsensical backroads; it’s the freedom to go where and when we choose, not bound by the bus route or train schedule. Such freedom is important to many a member of the JET community.
Festivities in Kobe’s Chinatown during the first weekend of February celebrated Shunsetsu, and the start of the year of the Rabbit. Beginning February 3rd with the new moon (to end January 22nd, 2012), Rabbit years are said to be for catching one’s breath after the dynamism of the Tiger. This year’s Rabbit is associated with the element metal, so the fluffy bunny may have a bit of a sharp edge (perhaps dulled a little by the fact that it’s yin metal, not yang this year)! Nankin-machi was thronged with visitors all weekend long, and on display were performances of dance, acrobatics, tai chi, as well as the famous lion and dragon dances.
The Japanese deem the twentieth year of an individual’s life as the one which signifies the official “coming of age.” In all aspects of Japanese society, the twentieth year marks the age where teenagers are thrust into the world of adulthood, whereby they become morally, and often, economically responsible for their future. Every January, scores of teenagers experience a sudden revolution in their physical and social being, one which is marked by joyous celebrations – and in this case, long, beautifully carved wooden bows and exquisitely designed kimonos.
Ever feel like you need a mini vacation from Japan? Or perhaps have the need to grab some dessert after happy hour at The Hub? Well just a few steps away from The Hub exists a gateway to another land, a cake shop in the French countryside. With its comfy atmosphere, adorable light wooden décor,…