For the first book club of the new JET year, fourteen ALTs found themselves gathering at Tits Park fooled by the weather, wearing layers meant for the previous day’s chill. While waiting for everyone to arrive we made our introductions, some for the second and third time, and were also graced with the presence…
 The humidity of summer is finally disappearing, replaced by a slight chill in the air at times and announcing the arrival of what the Japanese call shokuyoku no aki（食欲ã®ç§‹ï¼‰. This roughly translates to “the season for eating,†an apt description for the renewed appetite that the cooler temperatures bring. Grilled with a light sprinkling…
 Some say funk is dead, but honey, I beg to differ. Starting back in 2003 Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro, a six man Japanese whirlwind of classic funk and ska, has been taking the world by storm. To give you the gist of their sound, you’ve got Naohito “Temjin†Yomoda on trumpet, Takeshi Kurihara with…
Inside the crowd was unique and varied. Larger men who wistfully looked up at the stage hoping to one day compete or perhaps remembering their own glory days, friends and middle-aged wives smartly dressed shouting words of encouragement to their partners on stage, and then the few photographers and writers scribbling notes on…
If you live in Kobe you recognize that there are many amenities the city provides that are harder to find in other parts of Hyogo. Simply put, we have a Costco! ALTs know just how lucky they are to be in such a great location, this is especially true for those who are avid…
This month we’re branching out from the usual coverage of Japanese current events and taking a look at our neighbors in China (expect to see more updates about regional news in future issues). As many of you are well aware, Hong Kong’s commercial district has been flooded with protestors, the majority being students,…
The dark, pungent, and crowded area immediately outside Tsuruhashi Train Station serves as forced introduction to Osaka’s Koreatown. As you exit Tsuruhashi Station, the narrow alleys are filled with people and smells greet visitors. The alleys can fit two people comfortably or three people uncomfortably, and as I made my way past little shops…
 III With a huff, Dr. Carlton dragged his last piece of equipment into the Durants’ home, the aroma of burnt lizard wafting through. He looked sadly from Gaia, rocking herself, to Brion, trying desperately to reach her, to their child, still struggling to remain alive. Its body temperature was not high enough, so…
              Although Hyogo Times may have satiated your intellectual and visual cravings with literary and film recommendations, we haven’t forgotten about your auditory needs. In his song “Trenchtown Rock,†Bob Marley sings, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.†However, to suggest that listening to music is merely…