A typical Life

I have recently come across an interesting concept to keep me in books while I am in Japan. In preparation for my stay I have been hoarding books like crazy. Why? Because English books in Japan aren’t cheap. BookCrossing is a new site where you can leave your books in a public locations for others to pick up for free - yes, I said free!

There website defines it as follows:

n. the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.
(added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary in August 2004)

But it gets even more fun because you log you book via the BookCrossing site and it assigns and ID number. You place a sticker with the ID number on the books and the next person picks the book up can enter the ID number in the computer and you can track you book all over Japan or the world for that matter! The site has a world map of various catches and releases.

I came across this via a post by Maethelwine at Wide Island and decided to do a search for books in Japan. There are 227 books currently in Japan and the folks of Osaka have the most at 27. Not all of the books are in English but if you are near the Todaimae-Station in Tokyo, Tuesdays with Morie was released into the wild on January 25th. If you can read Kanji, check out the Japaneses version of the site.

This is a great concept and I will definitely be ‘releasing’ some of my newly hoarded books after I have read them. Take note anyone in the Chiba area….

Have you ever had a hard time locating an address in Japan? Japanese addresses can very confusing to foreigners and if you have ever tried to find one on a map it can be very frustrating. I have found a tool that allows you to map an address in Japan - it’s called diddlefinger and it has an easy to use interface in English!

Here is an example of an address in Japan:

7-1,7-chome, Yatsu, Narashino-City, Chiba (This happens to be for Yuzawaya a craft store I plan on visiting often)

Here’s how diddlefinger works (the default city is Tokyo but other cities are available by using the drop down box in the upper right hand corner):

Step 1 - Click “English Address Search”and the following box will appear:

Step 2 - Enter the shi or city - in this case Narashino (a box will drop down so that you can pick the correct item)
Step 3 - Enter the Ku or Ward (in this case it was not necessary)
Step 4- Enter the area - in this case Yatsu
Step 5 - Enter the address - in this case 7-1
Step 6 - Click Map

You have done it! You can zoom in and out and recenter the map with your mouse. But there’s more, if you check the detail box you will then see the main station names in English. Click on the small train icon closest to your address and it will provide you the name of the station and often the line it is on - now you can figure out how to get there.

Do you want to know how far your address is away from the station or other landmark? If so, just click on the address that you just found and a white dialog box will open. Check the set as home point box and save (the bubble turns magenta). Then go anywhere else on the map and double click - you will get a new (white) bubble. Click on that and you can export a link or find out how far it is from your home point as the crow flies. You can also click on Satellite to see a view with landmarks, etc.

I think that this is a very handy tool that I will be putting to good use when I get to Japan. I hope that you find it useful too.

I recently read an article in The Japan Times titled “Canadian Garden of Unity and Reconciliation“. On its face it is a touching story of the dedication of a garden built on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada (my home province). Rumiko Kanesaka, a Japanese national, married a Canadian and moved with him back to Canada in 1994. They settled on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia and heard stories about a thriving community of Japanese that had existed prior to WWII. She then discovered that the 77 Japanese residents of Salt Spring Island had faced extreme intolerance and ultimately internment, ordered by the Canadian government. One of these people was Mary Murakami Kitagawa who was a speaker at the April 2006 Japan Garden Society meeting (group behind the garden discussed in the article).

Having grown up in British Columbia, the internment of the Japanese was not something that I recall having heard about in school and I wanted to learn more. Mary Murakami Kitagawa and the other 76 Japanese residents of Salt Spring Island became part of a group of 20,881 people, 13,309 who were Canadian citizens by birth, that were interred during the war years. Here are the highlights of her story:

In February 1942 any person of Japanese origin were ordered into ‘protected areas’ with only a single suitcase. The protected area that the Murakami’s were taken to was a renovated horse barn where troughs were used for toilets and straw for mattress. They went there without their father; he was sent to a labor camp that helped build the Trans Canada Highway.

Two weeks later they were sent to the interior of British Columbia and approximately two months later they were told that they could reunite with their father if they moved to Alberta to work on the sugar beet farms. They relocated and at some point they were sent back to British Columbia.

They then heard of Order in Council 469, dated January 1943, which allowed for the liquidation of all property which had been in protective custody. This included the families property on Salt Spring Island.

In March 1945 the family received an order to leave British Columbia for good or be ‘repatriated’ back to Japan. Repatriated is the word that Mary Murakami Kitagawa takes issue with since she was born in Canada and rephrased it to deported. On May 2, 1947 a ship set sail for war devastated Japan with 3,964 Japanese Canadians on board for ‘repatriation’.  The Murakami’s chose to move back to Alberta and opened a restaurant.

In April 1949, Japanese Canadians regained the right to live anywhere in Canada.

In 1954 the Murakami’s finally saved enough money to move back to Salt Spring Island. They came back, purchased a home and continued to purchase land over the years but never the land that they owned prior to the war.

Forty years after the end of the war the Canadian Government awarded $21,000 CDN dollars, a pittance, to each individual directly wronged.

Mary’s touching and informative first hand video account of the internment and the family’s experiences through 1997 can be found on The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Digital Archives Website. Many other related videos can also be found there.

Two women of Japanese ancestry, born thousands of miles apart, Rumiko Kanesaka and Mary Murakami Kitagawa, both ended up on Salt Spring Island by choice. One of them took a longer and much harder road to get there but they both understand the concept of tolerance and understanding and helped to bring the Garden of Unity and Reconciliation into being as members of the Japanese Garden Society of Salt Spring Island.

How inspiring.

Sources:

“Canadian Garden of Unity and Reconciliation“. The Japan Times. Published January 19, 2008.
“Relocation to Redress: The Internment of the Japanese Canadians “. The CBC Digital Archives Website. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Last updated: 29 Nov. 2006. Various video clips and articles on the subject.
“Japanese Internment - British Columbia wages war against Japanese Canadians“. The CBC Digital Archives Website. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Last updated: 29 Nov. 2006.
“Japanese Interment: Banished and Beyond Tears” . The Canadian Encyclopedia.

Nick Ramsay, the man behind LongCountdown and JapanSoc was kind enough to review my blog. He said some kind things and is looking forward to comparisons between our current stay in Japan and our stay from 1994-1998. Here is an excerpt from his review:

“…it will be very interesting to hear if Japan of 2008 lives up to her memories from the early ’90s. Shane has promised some exciting things for her blog, and I will be following along, anxious to hear her stories of fingerprinting at immigration and the demise of 100 yen shops in the wake of China’s bustling economy.”

Nick’s full review can be read here and I will try not to disappoint him and all of the other Japan bloggers out there who put such effort into helping us all understand Japan better.

LongCountdown covers many aspects of life in Japan from annual predictions to bicycle bells. You never know what he’ll be blogging about but it’s usually a good read. JapanSoc is a budding social networking site which I am enjoying a lot. I have found a lot of well thought out content and a couple of sites that I hadn’t seen before - if you are interested in what’s going on in Japan you really should check it out!

Thanks Nick!

2008 Preview from the Daily Yomiuri is an interesting story about events that will be happening in Japan this year. Of particular interest to me is the listing of major art exhibitions that include several exhibits of national treasures and a retrospective of Renoir.

A video via Japan Probe showing you how to make spaghetti, meatloaf or orange cake in your rice cooker. The meat loaf doesn’t look too appealing but I am tempted to try the orange cake but my husband thinks that it looks disgusting!

The Tokyo Times hints at the Japanese love for Ramen and shares the photo to the left of the winking ramen girl enticing you into the shop.

Lastly, some posts that I found via JapanSoc that I thought were interesting:

From Japan is Doomed, a post on the newly adopted law that bans cyclists from talking on cell phone, listening to music, or riding on most sidewalks. If you have ever lived in Japan you know how it feels to be accosted from behind by a cyclist who may, or may not, ring their bell to warn you. Even if they do, you still don’t have a clue as to which side they are on and panic trying to figure it out so you don’t get run over. If by chance you slow them down or they run into you they give you a look as if to say “What’s your problem?”, and those are the friendly ones!

A funny, but slightly off color, political sign from Engrish.com . If you aren’t familiar with the term, Engrish is poorly translated English. This one is from Japan and highlights their problem pronouncing our letter L in a quite amusing way - check it out if you need a laugh!

Have a great weekend everyone!

First of all I wanted to show you all my finished elephant Amigurumi rattle:

Isn’t he just adorable? Well I think so and I hope my friends baby enjoys playing with it.

I also discovered an new item for my Japan to do list - I want to take part in a Stamp Rally which I discovered through DannyChoo.com. These stamps can be collected at various train stations and at other popular destinations in Japan.  Some of the stamps look absolutely stunning and I can imagine tons of uses for them. I’ll be buying a stamp book at the 100 Yen store to carry with me when I am out sightseeing so that I won’t miss one!

I also found one item that I will definitely not be purchasing while I am in Japan - a suit that is washable in the shower and doesn’t need to be ironed! The Mainichi Daily News wrote an article on this and there are versions for both men & women. I just can’t imagine how it would look after a few washings but it’s certainly very innovative!

Have a great weekend!

A newly graduated train conductor in Japan opened the doors of the train after it had started to move. This was reported by the Mainichi Daily News and I must admit that I wondered on how this had made the newspaper since no one had been hurt. I then pondered the discipline that this poor 28 year old would probably face. My guess, based on my limited understanding of how mistakes are dealt with in a Japanese business setting, was that he would probably be demoted and suffer for a number of years cleaning the tracks or doing some other type of menial work as a result of a “rudimentary error”.

The same day, in the same paper, I read a different article about a boss who punched an employee so hard that the employee died. This event did not take place at the place of work but in front of the employees home and seemed a lot more news worthy to me. The boss was quoted as saying “I was just giving him a telling off, but I went too far”. The boss has been arrested for the fatal assault and I would be interested to know what his punishment will end up being and what caused such a reaction on his part? It seems ridiculous that this type of behavior exists in modern day Japan.

I can’t help but think that the Japanese conductor in the first article will be getting off light if all he suffers is having to clean the tracks for eternity…at least he is still alive.

This has been a busy week for me but I did come across some interesting items that I wanted to share.

An article fro the Japan Times noted an exhibition that I will not be able to see in person titled Culture Filters. The artist, Osorio Zapata created the fabulous work to the right and others in which he explores “the breakdown of understanding that takes place when people with diverse backgrounds, customs and perspectives attempt to communicate with each other“. I love the interplay between the transparent and opaque bricks and feel that it captures the feeling of the foreigner in Japan well. Click on his name above to see more of his thought provoking work.

The Boroichi or rag fair in was held in Tokyo this past week was the subject of an article on Asahi.com. Boro has a duel meaning in the Japanese language and can refer to rags or a personal weakness or failing one tries to to hide. Vendors at the Boroichi primarily sell used clothing and household items, but the author uses the second meaning to allude to some of the scandals that beset Japan during the year. He quotes a writer from over 100 years ago as saying “In this world, there is not a thing that is useless. That is what you must realize when you go to Boroichi.” and concludes by stating that “One way to judge someone’s character is how he or she deals with his or her exposed weakness or failing. And in judging someone, we also become aware of our own weaknesses and failings and can reflect on past conduct. Indeed, there is not a thing in this world that is useless.” I love the sentiment that not a thing is useless and I would extend that to say not a person is useless, we all have value and a purpose - though some of us are still trying to figure it out …

Another great article from Asahi.com reminds us of the value of our time and to spend it wisely. It also shares and interesting tale of how an entire month was lost in 1872 when the Japanese switched from the lunar to a solar or twelve month calendar and how the government saved money by not having to pay one month of salaries to it’s workers.

Lastly, I will share one of my daily routines with you….I play the Sudoku puzzle from the Mainichi Daily News every morning. Most times I am successful but the other day they offered a difficult one that I went back to two or three times before finally admitting defeat.

Have a great weekend!

Some interesting stories came across my radar screen this week so here goes…

Here is an article from the Japan Times on how food additives destroy the taste buds. This article reminds me how great food can taste when we make it from scratch with quality ingredients and how the pace of life everywhere is numbing our senses to so many wonderful things including food.

From Japundit on American Branding in Japan. This post highlights how much the Japanese love everything American right down to paper towels.

The New Year celebration in Japan is not complete until you have made a visit to a temple or shrine and made your wish for the upcoming year. The Tokyo Times shares the photo above and links on to an informative overview of the way to pay your respects when you go. This visit is called Hatsumode in Japan.

Lastly here are a couple of cute Christmas related scenes from Japan:

From the Japan Times with the headline “Won’t you ride my cab tonight?”. Not the jolly Santa or sleigh that we are used to….

And who could forget one of Japan’s most popular exports to America - Hello Kitty! Kawaii (how cute) from Japundit.

Have a great weekend!

This week I ran across a number of links that are more humorous than newsy and they are below, but first…

I pointed out in my post earlier this week all the things that Chiba has offer visitors. Adding to my list is Web-Japans recent article on trends in food in Chiba Prefecture. They highlight a very popular local specialty known as futomakizushi (large sushi roll), pictured on the right, which is quite beautiful and painstaking to create. They go on to indicate that Chiba is the number one peanut producer and a major producer of soy sauce in the nation. Chiba Tour provides some photos and information on how you can tour one of the soy sauce factories . I’ll be going if I can convince my family that three trains, a bus ride and a 15 minute walk are worth it!

Last week I posted about the travails of eating out in Japan and here is a comic strip about the plastic food that I referred to (from the Japan Times):

Then there are the products that come out of Japan. Here is one that would drive you crazy. It’s a flying alarm clock must be captured, as it flies around the room, and put back on a flat surface before it stops - from Tokyo Mango who also has found a bomb that needs to be diffused and one that runs around the room. Check them out!

This is a game that defies explanation but would be hilarious to watch in action…..see more photos at the Tokyo Times.

I don’t use a lot of emoticons in my writing but What Japan Thinks has a listing of the thirty most popular ones in Japan. They definitely have an Asian flare and I didn’t know whether to laugh （＾ｖ＾） or cry (ToT).

Have a great weekend!