Life In Japan

Fumio Sasaki is not an enlightened minimalism expert or organizing guru like Marie Kondo - he's just a regular guy who was stressed out and constantly comparing himself to others, until one day he decided to change his life by saying goodbye to everything he didn't absolutely need. The effects were remarkable: Sasaki gained true freedom, new focus, and a real sense of gratitude for everything around him.

In the ashes of postwar Japan lay a gold mine for certain opportunistic, expatriate Americans. Addicted to the volatile energy of Tokyo's freewheeling underworld, they formed ever-shifting but ever-profitable alliances with warring Japanese and Korean gangsters. At the center of this world was Nick Zappetti, an ex-marine from New York City who arrived in Tokyo in 1945 and whose restaurant soon became the rage throughout the city and the chief watering hole for celebrities, diplomats, sports figures, and mobsters.

On March 11, 2011, a powerful earthquake sent a 120-foot-high tsunami smashing into the coast of northeast Japan. By the time the sea retreated, more than eighteen thousand people had been crushed, burned to death, or drowned. It was Japan’s greatest single loss of life since the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. It set off a national crisis and the meltdown of a nuclear power plant. And even after the immediate emergency had abated, the trauma of the disaster continued to express itself in bizarre and mysterious ways.

12 Japanese concepts to Live By : "Uncovering The Secrets of Ancient Japanese Wisdom to Live Rich, Purposeful And Fulfilling Life. Applying Ancient Japanese Concepts to Navigate Life's Challenges and Achieve Inner Peace." “One glass of water doesn’t equal another. One may just appease the thirst, the other you may enjoy thoroughly. In Japan, people know about this difference.”- Jil Sander Japanese culture is renowned for its unique concepts of living that emphasize harmony, simplicity, and a deep connection with nature. Rooted in centuries-old traditions and philosophies, these ...

Marriage in Japan I went out for lunch with my partner at a cafe the other day that stood across the train station in a Japanese desolate rural town where I live. To call it a cafe is a bit too fancy. It’s not the likes of Starbucks but rather a small old mom-and-pop diner that was built well over 30 years ago and remained as it was, which perfectly matched this old town itself. We sat at the table and overheard a conversation from the table next to us. Three old women in their eighties sat around the table by the window. “She has passed away, too.” “This could be the last time we ...

Yuki Hirano is just out of high school when his parents enroll him, against his will, in a forestry training program in the remote mountain village of Kamusari. No phone, no internet, no shopping. Just a small, inviting community where the most common expression is “take it easy.” At first, Yuki is exhausted, fumbles with the tools, asks silly questions, and feels like an outcast. Kamusari is the last place a city boy from Yokohama wants to spend a year of his life. But as resistant as he might be, the scent of the cedars and the staggering beauty of the region have a pull.

What happens when a young woman’s spontaneous trip turns into a lifelong adventure in Japan? At just 24, Suzy left behind her familiar life in Israel, chasing the allure of the Far East. What began as a brief escape to Thailand—quickly turned into a bold leap into the unknown. There, she became a hostess in Tokyo, married a local businessman in a traditional Oriental marriage, and bravely adapted to Japanese culture, balancing stark contrasts between Israel and Japan. This autobiography offers more than a tourist’s view of Japan, revealing the real challenges of cultural adaptation, ...

Marriage in Japan I went out for lunch with my partner at a cafe the other day that stood across the train station in a Japanese desolate rural town where I live. To call it a cafe is a bit too fancy. It’s not the likes of Starbucks but rather a small old mom-and-pop diner that was built well over 30 years ago and remained as it was, which perfectly matched this old town itself. We sat at the table and overheard a conversation from the table next to us. Three old women in their eighties sat around the table by the window. “She has passed away, too.” “This could be the last time we ...

7 Japanese Concepts To Stop Overthinking : Discover Ancient Japanese Secrets to Quiet Your Mind and Simplify Your Thoughts, Timeless Techniques for a Stress-Free Life in the hustle and bustle of our modern lives, our minds are often racing, juggling countless thoughts, decisions, and worries. We find ourselves trapped in cycles of overthinking, where every action, decision, or word is analysed to the point of exhaustion. This relentless mental chatter can lead to anxiety, stress, and a sense of being overwhelmed, preventing us from living fully in the present moment. But what if there were ...

Embark on a literary journey to Japan with Tatami Days: Getting a Life in Japan, a captivating memoir by Michael Guest, an Australian writer and Sydney University PhD graduate in English literature. In his mid-30s he went to Japan on a whim but stayed 15 years, eventually working as tenured Professor in a national university. Through witty anecdotes and rich storytelling, Tatami Days takes readers on a journey of discovery as the author navigates the intricacies of Japanese society, from its enchanting customs to its perplexing idiosyncrasies. A specialist in modern literature and ...

Julie Otsuka’s long awaited follow-up to When the Emperor Was Divine is a tour de force of economy and precision, a novel that tells the story of a group of young women brought over from Japan to San Francisco as ‘picture brides’ nearly a century ago. In eight incantatory sections, The Buddha in the Attic traces their extraordinary lives, from their arduous journey by boat, where they exchange photographs of their husbands, imagining uncertain futures in an unknown land; to their arrival in San Francisco and their tremulous first nights as new wives.

A young Japanese woman was running through Tokyo station screaming “Save me! Save me!” There was a Japanese man chasing her and closing in. He grabbed her wrist and caught her, about 10 feet in front of me. The woman was still yelling “Save me! Save me!”, but the Japanese people in the crowded station ignored her, not wanting to get involved. This is the beginning of just one of the stories from my experience living in Japan in the 1980s, where I had moved right after graduating university.

4 JAPANESE CONCEPTS TO TRANSFORM YOUR STATE OF MIND - “Unleashing Secrets Of Ancient Japanese Wisdom To Transcend Your State Of Mind And Create Lasting Mental Change”Do you want to live a peaceful and stress-free life, but don’t know how? Do you want to complete more work in less time? Do you hear everywhere about the benefits of a Zen state of mind, but you just can’t figure out how to achieve it? If your answer is Yes, then this book is exactly what you are looking for. In this book, we will discuss four Japanese concepts derived from ancient Zen principles. These concepts are ...

When I woke up in the morning, it had stopped snowing for the first time in several days and it was a clear day with the blue sky. I decided to go to a city a little far from the town. But it had started snowing heavily again by the time I left. I scurried to the station in the snow and heard the delay of the train announced there. That meant I would miss my connection of the train to the city. Because only a few trains run in this line, having another connection is hard. I gave up going there and had lunch at a local restaurant. This town is situated in the mountains and the weather is ...

Chris Harding's enormously enjoyable new book distils Japan's long, complex and fascinating history into the stories of 20 remarkable individuals. These vivid and entertaining portraits take the listener from the earliest written accounts of Japan right through to the life of the current empress, Masako. We encounter shamans and warlords, poets and revolutionaries, scientists, artists and adventurers - each offering insights of their own into this extraordinary place.

The Broken Leaf invites you to explore the beauty and gospel images found in Japanese art and culture. Through 10 short meditations, discover for yourself just how God might be revealing his story in the everyday objects of your life, whenever and wherever you may be.

Updated and Revised THIRD EDITION An eye-opening, informative guide for the adventure of growing old in Japan. Are you aware of the risks lurking behind the Japanese inheritance system? Under the new rules, do you qualify for a Japanese pension after all? Do you know how to minimize your Japanese health care costs? Can you navigate the maze of senior housing options? What can make a Japanese will invalid? Discover all this and much, much more in this practical, easy-to-follow guide that details the specific paperwork and vocabulary you need to know. Learn what to expect, what to watch out ...

Clare and Henry have known each other since Clare was six and Henry was 36. They were married when Clare was 23 and Henry was 31. Impossible but true, because Henry is one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement Disorder: periodically his genetic clock resets and he finds himself misplaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. His disappearances are spontaneous, his experiences unpredictable, alternately harrowing and amusing.

Previously published as The Singing Widow of a Buddhist Priest by Ruth Reiner, Japan Forever After is a rich, fun, spicy novel about the all-time, most impossible journey of an American woman determined to make it in Japan. When Sarah Green discovers her destiny is to tie her life with Japan, she does everything possible to make it there. This, however, comes with a price. As she climbs up the corporate ladder in her Tokyo-based, Japanese firm, everything else falls apart. Only the singing widow of a Buddhist priest, a white Persian cat, an ex-sumo champion, and a handsome mystery man can ...

In a world where Ace's wallet is as empty as his connection with family, he's on the verge of getting kicked out for missing rent. Mrs. Selina, his landlord, starts acting weirder than a three-dollar bill, setting off alarm bells. Then, out of the blue, his long-lost bro Keinan calls, telling him to lock up tight and stay inside. Cue the chaos! Ace ends up in a knock-down, drag-out fight with Mrs. Selina, who goes full zombie mode on him. Fighting for dear life, Ace's world goes dark, but not before he hears some mysterious voice yammering about being the "chosen one" and activating some ...