Tag: Japanese Culture

We aren't certain we are getting this info to you in time!  But on the off chance that some stores are still offering these,...

CONTRIBUTED BY JOY BARNES I wouldn’t call myself a “coffee snob” but I would definitely say I know a thing or two about good coffee....

Analicia & Sarah submitted posts about the reasons they love local "shoppettes."  We've combined them to give you a look at some of the...

CONTRIBUTED SARRA MCMILLAN Shortly after my arrival in Okinawa in December 2009, a new-found friend pulled me towards the flashing lights and screaming sounds of...

I have received some wonderful cooking posts from Penny over the last weeks and started an email conversation about how she came to be...

CONTRIBUTED BY KATHERINE MOORE Whenever I go out with friends, they quiz me about eating out in Japan.  Some of them are more concern with...

CONTRIBUTED BY MONETTE EAMES Just when we were about ready to give up looking for this place, we see a corner restaurant with the words...

As promised, here is the second installment of Shannan's favorite kid's books related to Japan, Okinawa and its cultures.  If you missed the first,...

CONTRIBUTED BY SHANNAN LEWELLEN “The more you read, the more things you will know.  The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ~Dr. Seuss Our...

CONTRIBUTED BY JANNINE MYERS Last summer we moved to a new residence to get away from the irritating drone of jet-planes taking off and landing...

CONTRIBUTED BY JANNINE MYERS   I was at a Japanese community center some time ago, when a Japanese lady whom I had just been introduced to...

CONTRIBUTED BY JANNINE MYERS Dining out and/or drinking with Japanese friends and acquaintances is perhaps a regular event for many of you, but for those...

CONTRIBUTED BY JANNINE MYERS Whenever I pass through an airport in Japan, I am reminded by all the omiyage displays that I must not return home...

CONTRIBUTED BY JEANINE CZUBIK In many Asian cultures, a name stamp or seal is often used instead of a signature.  Here in Japan, name stamps are called...

   Teru Teru Bozu CONTRIBUTED BY JANNINE MYERS Just last week, as my daughters and I were leaving the school where my youngest takes her karate lessons,...

CONTRIBUTED BY JANAE BURGER According to a Japanese proverb, "There are formalities between the closest of friends." I smile at this as I think about...

 CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON Years ago, when pictures of Michael Jackson sleeping peacefully, if not bizarrely, in an oxygen chamber hit the media, the American...

CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON Next time you head to Shuri Castle, why not take a short detour and drop in Kyoko Art Gallery? Kyoko Nakamoto is...

CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON Are you looking for an artistic and cultural outlet in Okinawa and more interaction with local nationals? Ikebana is the perfect...

CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER GELORMINE Car seats.  Those of us with infants and toddlers know that they are a must.  When I gave birth to my...

CONTRIBUTED BY JANNINE MYERS Not so long ago, on my way to visit a friend whose wife was recovering from a minor surgical procedure, I...

CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER GELORMINE When a couple has children, “alone time” becomes a precious commodity.  Whether it’s escaping for an hour or two together for...

CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON One of my favorite things to do while traveling or living abroad is to talk to local people about their spiritual...

CONTRIBUTED BY MARY RICHARDSON In Okinawa, we are fortunate to be able to attend a traditional tea ceremony as practiced in Kyoto, the cultural center...

CONTRIBUTED BY HEATHER GELORMINE My daughter was born when we were stationed in Germany, and I always felt grateful that the society we lived in...

CONTRIBUTED BY KANDY As an American here, I have depended on the Community Bank, G.I Bill Pay and Military Postal Service for most of my...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY Last spring when Sebastian came home with a tiny looking medical "something"- I wasn't sure what it was. Hmm...I opened the small...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY The smell of new pencils. Crimson leaves and shiny lunchboxes. One pair of guess jeans versus three pairs of Jordache. Big decisions....

CONTRIBUTED BY JANNINE MYERS Coffee, coffee, coffee…….. that’s what usually resonates in my mind about, oh say, late afternoon. That’s about the time of day...

CONTRIBUTED BY STACI HAWLEY When I first moved to Japan, I was stunned by the amount of people wearing face masks. Was there some recent communicable...