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29 Nov 08
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Atsuhime Episodes for September(NHK Synopsis) I have been totally remiss in posting the Atsuhime NHK synopsis. I just completely forgot all about it, even though I have been watching the show. Anyway, the drama ends on Dec. 14, so in the next few days I will be adding all the episodes by month fr... |
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29 Nov 08
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Sarah's Atsuhime Synopsis at "A Canadian in Meiji Japan" While I was out of Japan, Sarah, at A Canadian in Meiji Japan, kindly wrote up detailed synopsis of Atsuhime for the month of July. They are definately worth a read! I will post her first paragraphs for each episode here, but please see her site to re... |
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28 Nov 08
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Kabukiza To Be Rebuilt 歌舞伎座が消える？！ If you haven't already heard, the Kabukiza in Tokyo is too be torn down in 2010 and rebuilt inside a modern multistory office building. Yes, the Kabukiza is not earthquake proof and is in a sad state of decay, and probably does need substantial repair.... |
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20 Nov 08
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Kimono Types: Part II Iromuji 色無地
An iromuji is a kimono with a woven design dyed in a single color. Although some are made of crepe (chirimen 縮緬), the majority are a figured-satin (rinzu 綸子) or similar weave. Often the woven designs are geometric shapes such as ... |
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14 Nov 08
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Sensoji at Asakusa |
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10 Nov 08
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Early Fall at Zojoji |
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24 Oct 08
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Falling Gracefully in a Kimono: Description of an Elegant Collapse Green-Eyed Geisha Queried:
"I wonder if there is a kimono manner position for accidental falls."
And I just had to look it up. I have been called many things in Japanese, "TV Girl," "Conveni Woman," and recently "Shiryo Hunter"--Shiryo meaning documen... |
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24 Oct 08
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Zojoji Destroys Back Garden for New Ferro-Concrete Building 増上寺の新ビルのため桜を切った I work in a small office in a building behind the Zōjōji temple at Shiba Kōen park and Tokyo Tower near the Hamamatsuchō station on the Yamanote JR line.
Walking to work from the station I can see the Tokyo Tower and Roppongi Hill... |
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19 Oct 08
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Kimono Types: Part I Tomesode 留め袖
A tomesode (arrested sleeves) is a kimono with shortened sleeves for an adult or married woman, named in contrast to the furisode (waving sleeves), which is the equivalent with long flowing sleeves for a young unmarried woman. Tradition... |
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17 Oct 08
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Tokyo Area Exhibitions, Fall-Winter 2008 (IN PROCESS) CHIBA CITY MUSEUM OF ART 千葉市美術館
* Legend of the Eight Samurai, 9/13-10/26, 2008 八犬伝の世界
* 20th century Photographs, 11/1-12/14, 2008
* Ink Landscapes from the Okayama Prefectural Art Museum, 12/20/2008-1/25/2009
* New Acquisitions: Sharak... |
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13 Oct 08
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October Kimono: In celebration of Autumn I really had planned to wear this maroon hitoe (unlined) kimono last month paired with a golden-straw hued raw-silk obi, chirimen (crepe) lavender obiage sash with a design of bunny rabbits, and an obijime clasp also with a moon-and-bunny motif, but j... |
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12 Oct 08
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Sub-Prime Loan Affect on Japan Well what affect has the sub-prime loan disaster had on Japan?
At first it was a bit of a bargain sale for Japanese companies who had shied away from investing abroad after the economic bubble-burst in Japan, as Nomura bought up Lehman’s European hol... |
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11 Oct 08
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LOLCATS = Laugh Out Loud Cats Two different forums I belong to have recently made references to lolcats, while they were not completely new to me—I suspect I have seen them as greeting cards or similar at the grocery store in the US—I didn’t realize that they h... |
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10 Oct 08
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Cheezburger If you haven't seen this site, you must!
http://icanhascheezburger.com/
more animals
more animals |
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10 Oct 08
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Clear Skies at Tokyo Tower 20081010 |
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03 Oct 08
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Where to See Fall Colors in Japan, 2008 The next important thing in Japan after Cherry Blossoms, is the fall colors, called Kouyou (紅葉) "crimson leaves" in Japanese.
Click on the maps below to interactive fall color maps at their original site.
Rurubu Leaf Forecast Map:
るるぶ.... |
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28 Sep 08
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Other Autumn Events of Interest in the Tokyo Area * 10/8 and 10/9 (5-9 PM), Takigi Noh (torchlight Noh performance)
平成20年 第50回鎌倉薪能
Location: Kamakuragu Shrine, Kamakura,
Ticket: 7,500 yen. Tickets limited, call 0467-23-3545
Access: JR Yokosuka Line to Kamakura Stn, then “Daito-no-miya”... |
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28 Sep 08
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Early Fall Events 2008: Chrysanthemum Viewing * 10/15-11/15, Sensoji Temple (Asakusa Temple)
金龍の舞・菊供養
Events: 10/18 (Sat), Lion Dance
Access: Ginza Subway Line or Toei Asakusa Line to Asakusa Stn.
*10/19-11/23, Kameido Tenjin Shrine
菊まつり
Access: JR Sobu Line to Kameido Stn; 10 m... |
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27 Sep 08
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Early Fall Events 2008 (IN PROCESS-Check back later tonight) お月見 Moon Viewing Events
* 9/55-10/5 (9AM -PM), Moon Viewing at Mukojima Hyakkaen Garden
月見の会
Entrance fee: 150 yen
Events:
・9/27(Sat)、9/28(Sun) 10:00～15:00: Tea Ceremony (2,000 yen)
・9/27(Sat) 11:40～／14:40～: Field-Flower Tour (... |
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19 Sep 08
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The Lock-Up: Japan Bloggers Offline A group of us Japan bloggers actually got together offline. The idea of us to get together was actually Salaryman’s, but I am afraid the venue was my fault.
-AF: “I know a cool horror izakaya in Shinjuku, assuming I can find it again.... |
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19 Sep 08
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Financial Crisis: US vs Japan Reactions What Not to Do in a Financial Crisis: U.S. Learns From Japan
By Anthony Faiola
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 17, 2008; Page D01
"How do we avoid becoming another Japan?
That question has prompted U.S. officials to move aggr... |
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11 Sep 08
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Atsuhime Episodes for Aug 3- 31 (NHK Synopsis) NHK's synopsis for episode 31
31 NHK Aug 3 (Sun) 20:00-20:45
Historical Drama "Atsuhime" Eps. 31Ii hiked crackdown on those in reverence for the Emperor and the exclusion of foreigners, and Muraoka, who serves the head of Konoe family in Kyoto... |
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10 Sep 08
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Sleeping Parinirvana Buddha Discovered in Bamiyan Giant Buddha statue discovered in Bamiyan
The Times of India
9 Sep 2008, 0212 hrs IST,REUTERS
KABUL: Archaeologists have discovered a 19-metre Buddha statue along with scores of other historical relics in central Afghanistan near ruins of giant stat... |
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08 Sep 08
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Dinner on the Kamogawa River in Kyoto |
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07 Sep 08
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Ikebana at Kyoto Stn: Red Nanakamata Leaves、Dark Blue Bellflower、Orange (Tsunao-Medoki?) |
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02 Sep 08
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The Tracks of My Tears by Smokey Robinson Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears Lyrics
People say I'm the life of the party
Because I tell a joke or two
Although I might be laughing loud and hearty
Deep inside I'm blue
So take a good look at my face
You'll see my s... |
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02 Sep 08
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Bamboo Tsukesage Kimono 20080831 *Click images to enlarge
I was invited out of the blue by a friend to go to a lecture at the Urasenke Tea Center in Tokyo. I wore this unlined kimono (hitoe) with a bamboo pattern distributed on the kimono fabric in a style called Tsukesage. Since it ... |
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01 Sep 08
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Prime Minister Fukuda-san Quits Fukuda announces resignation as prime minister of Japan
(Mainichi Japan) September 1, 2008
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced his resignation on Monday night, saying he made the decision in the belief that a change in leadership would bring about p... |
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31 Aug 08
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Japan Unundated in Rain-Water Torrential rain pounds eastern, central Japan, leaving 1 dead
(Mainichi Japan) August 29, 2008:
Torrential rain lashed the Kanto and Tokai regions overnight and in the predawn hours of Friday, leaving one person in Aichi Prefecture dead and three ... |
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30 Aug 08
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Yukata Elegance: "Wa-bijin wo mezashite" in Chikusen Yukata 浴衣のエレガンス：「和美人をめざして」の竺仙浴衣 One of my favorite blogs in Japanese on dressing in kimono is “Wa-bijin wo mezashite.” The title of the blog means “Aiming to become a Japanese-style Beauty,” and judging from her photos on the blog, she is quite a success!.
The blog author added t... |
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23 Aug 08
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Mejiro Bon Odori 2008023 |
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17 Aug 08
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Kimono Seasons--July to September 七月～九月のコーディネートカレンダー (click on image to enlarge, then click on icon in lower right corner to enlarge further) |
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14 Aug 08
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Amusing Blogs: Gaijin Complaints? II Atsui desu! Atsui desu, ne? Mushi-atsui desu, ne. Kyou ha kumotte-iru no de, chotto ii desuga, mada atsui. Maa, atsui, ne.
Its’ hot. Isn’t it hot, though. Hot and steamy, isn’t it. Today is cloudy, so its a bit better, but it’s still hot. Anyway, ... |
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10 Aug 08
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Yukata-The Simple Look (Wearing Yukata 2008 #4) Anyway, after I finished writing about Yukata—The Finished Look, I was all pooped out with that and felt like wearing something different. I bought this Yukata last year at the kimono boutique Naraya near Meijiro station in Tokyo to wear on the ... |
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08 Aug 08
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Yukata-The Finished Look: Elegant Yukata Fabrics * Click image to enlarge
The main difference between a yukata and a hitoe (unlined) summer kimono is the fabric, and too a lesser extent the pattern. Basically, summer kimonos are made of silk or a natural bast fiber such as hemp, whereas yukata are... |
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07 Aug 08
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Yukata Elegance: The Finished Look Text Coming... |
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05 Aug 08
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What I am really wearing today: Beijing dress |
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04 Aug 08
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Major Fireworks in Tokyo, August 2008 * Aug. 2 (Sat), Edogawa Fireworks
Edogawa-ku Hanabi Taikai 第32回江戸川区花火大会
Time: 19:15～20:30
Fireworks: 14,000
Location: Shinozaki Park
Access: Shinozaki Stn. on the Toei Shinjuku subway (15-min. walk); Ichikawa Stn. ... |
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03 Aug 08
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Second Yukata Wearing of the Season 2008.07.27 2008浴衣の着付け：三回目 * Click image to enlarge (Unfortunately, I still haven't cleaned my mirror.) |
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02 Aug 08
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Atsuhime Episodes for June 29 - July 27 (NHK Synopsis) I have been away for most of the month of July, but here is the NHK synopsis of past episodes. Sarah said she may write up her synopis of these episodes, if so, I will post them later.
NHK's synopsis for episode 26
26 NHK Jun 29 (Sun) 20:00-20:45
... |
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01 Aug 08
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Second Yukata Wearing of the Season 20080621 Upcoming
ps. Tsubaki (camellia) flowers bloom from winter to spring, depending on the species
花期：冬～春 |
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24 Jul 08
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First Yukata of the Season 2008.06.15 |
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24 Jul 08
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Traditional Yukata ２０世紀の基本の浴衣 Traditionally, 20th century (post war?), yukatas were simple summer robes to lounge around in the house and neighborhood on hot days, and wear to local festivals and fireworks.
Primarily they were a simple cotton "plain-weave" (over-under weave) dyed... |
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24 Jul 08
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Livedoor Blog problems: Sidebar has fallen サイドバーが落ちた While I was away in China, Livedoor once again in its brilliance decided to change the code for my blog, and now the sidebar has fallen. How exasperating! If anyone has an idea of how to fix this, pleaase let me know.
I also posted a request for he... |
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21 Jul 08
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The streets of Beijing--Very clean! |
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20 Jul 08
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Night market at Urumqi 20080720 |
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20 Jul 08
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Gardens at Bamboo Garden Hotel in Beijing |
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20 Jul 08
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"Northern Gardens" ancient capital of Xinjiang |
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17 Jul 08
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Donkey ride to site at Gaochang in Turfan July 16 |
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17 Jul 08
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Jiaohe Ancient City near Turfan, ca 200 BC-13th century |
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