A Brief Unscholarly Intro to Shinto Gods
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A Brief Unscholarly Intro to Shinto Gods

  While for most of us October is the Month of Halloween, on the Shinto calendar it is the Month Without Gods. That’s because they are all at Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture deciding on your love life for the coming year! But who are these gods? And where are they when they’re not matching…

Special Feature: Sumo: the nuts, bolts and loincloths
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Special Feature: Sumo: the nuts, bolts and loincloths

Along with a lot of other ALTs, sumo wrestling is on my (very long) list of “things to see” while in Japan. Luckily, Hyogo is right next to Osaka, one of only four cities in the country to host Grand Turnament competitions. Tickets went on sale February 2nd and a good friend was kind enough…

Special Feature: A Beginner’s Guide to Osechi Ryori
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Special Feature: A Beginner’s Guide to Osechi Ryori

In amongst the faux snow and strains of, “I’mmmmmm dreammingggg of a whiteeeeee Christmassssss”, you may have also seen in your department stores and supermarkets ornate square boxes filled with products in every colour, begging to be bought at obscene prices. A far cry from roast turkey (northern hemisphere) or seafood (southern), this is osechi…

How the Japanese Welcome the New Year
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How the Japanese Welcome the New Year

2012. A new year begins, and for me, an American in Japan, it looks like it’s going to be quite a ride. The yen is up, the dollar down. The Tohoku region is still picking up what the earthquake/tsunami left behind. The world scrambles against global warming and an uncertain economy. The ancient Mayans predicted…