Daruma is My Homeboy
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Daruma is My Homeboy

“七転び八起き” ななころびやおき” The expression roughly translates to: 7 times fall down, 8th time get back up, and it is a famous saying in Japan associated with the father of Zen Buddhism; called Daruma, the first monk from India to have brought the sect to China and Japan is otherwise known as Dharma. Daruma is my…

Tōshiya: Archery
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Tōshiya: Archery

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.

Kimono and Yukata on a Dime
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Kimono and Yukata on a Dime

If you read my basic 101 article, you can see how Kimono is quite an expensive tradition. If you are a gaijin girl who is not as lucky as the many J-girls in this generation who inherit a closet-full amount of kimono from their mothers, are not bloody rich, or do not have a fairy-obaa-chan, I’ll give you a quick run down on how to get real quality, traditional kimonos, at decent prices.

A Hinamatsuri Visit

A Hinamatsuri Visit

One night a few weeks ago, my fellow Ichikawa ALT Katrina and I drove a few blocks from our apartment building and met with a secretary from one of our elementary schools, Namba-sensei, who had invited us to her home for a special treat. It was dark that evening, and chilly, as we walked up to the front door of the big, traditional Japanese house and slid the door open. We were greeted by warmth, soft light, and a wonderful picture: a beautiful hinamatsuri display vivid with reds and golds, taller than my (160 cm) head. The display was set up on miniature bleachers draped in red cloth, and took up most of the entryway…

My Tutelage in Japanese Graffiti, aka Shōdō

My Tutelage in Japanese Graffiti, aka Shōdō

I live in a town of about 45, 000, mostly young families and obaa-chans, where you escape to big cities like Osaka and Kobe if you are young and able enough to get out of inaka life. Sometimes, seeing my students graduate, I feel a twinge of jealousy as they move on to an exciting care-free Japanese university life, in the metropolis of Japan, leaving their little ALT behind in the rice fields and mountains of this small town. I’m a big city girl but I really adore life in inaka Japan…