The Japan Times has already spoken about The art of sweating in Japan, but I thought there might be a bit more to say. So, for those of you who are lucky enough not to be this side of the Pacific, Japan is in the grips of a heat-wave. The rainy season (tsuyu) ended...
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Who are the Burakumin? The burakumin (部落民 “hamlet people”) are a Japanese minority group. While they are (unlike Zainichi and Ainu) also Wajin, the burakumin have been discriminated against because of their history of a low caste group. During the Tokugawa period there was...
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So, I’ve actually kept up with my schedule! I am at #502 of Heisig’s Remember the Kanji after studying everyday with ankimobile on the way to school. I’m recognizing a lot more kanji, although much of this part is just review for me. The...
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Who are the Ainu?1 The word Ainu means “human” in the Ainu language. The Ainu are an indigenous group in Japan 2 that lived in Hokkaido. The Ainu are...
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I spent my first Easter weekend in Japan with my host family in Mobara, Chiba. Probably few people living in Tokyo have ever been to Chiba, as Chiba itself...
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So, recently I decided that embarrassment is the best motivator for me to learn Japanese. I thought, how can I graduate from one of the top schools in the...
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