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Train etiquette
Etiquette means manners, and manners are very important in Japan. We see posters in the train stations with reminders, such as this one:"Please be careful not to lean against the person sitting next to...
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What's that 9:30 p.m. sound?
For weeks now, we have noticed a peculiar sound out in the street next to our apartment building, always at around 9:30 pm. It is the sound of two wooden sticks being struck together, like a...
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Last time I posted about a sound we hear outside each night - the fire prevention volunteers. There's another sound that was a mystery until recently, when one of Tommy's school friends explained it....
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Tokyo Quilt Show
"Wishes" by Yoko Ueda - in response to 3/11The Great Tokyo International Quilt Festival draws huge crowds every January. I went twice and it was exhausting, but inspiring. I was happy to be tall...
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Setsubun
Setsubun marks the day before the official start of spring. It is recognized on February 3rd by... bean-throwing!In shops and homes, people toss roasted soybeans into the air while chanting "Out with...
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Ishiyaki Imo
Another sound we sometimes hear outside is a plaintive, slow, sing-song, chant, "shi..... yaaaaa kiiiii... iiii mo..o...o..." which is difficult to describe but you know it when you hear it! It is...
View ArticleOnomatopoeia
And continuing with the theme of SOUNDS....The other day we had fun trading onomatopoeia with a friend who is learning English.Some of the most common word-sounds in Japanese are:doki doki (dough-key,...
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Snowy school day!
On Wednesday, Tommy, Kaela, and I walked to the bus stop (I substitute taught that day in fourth grade) in the pouring rain. By the time our bus arrived at school 30 minutes late, the rain had turned...
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Bunka
Fourth grade classes at ASIJ are exploring Bunka, or Japanese Culture. For many students, Japan has been home for years, but for some, Japan is a new and foreign country.Student examples of...
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Matsumoto, part one - the castle
This past week, Mr. Nanto's Aunt Masako was visiting Japan from the states. Very early Saturday morning we took a train and met Masako and her sisters in Matsumoto, their hometown. Straight from the...
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Matsumoto, part two - yaki-imo and art
After seeing Matsumoto castle, we spotted a "Yaki-imo" truck, and got a sweet potato snack:Masako's sister Akko-san picks out the type of potato we want.Masako juggles the bag of steaming hot potatoes!...
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Tai Yaki.... and Dosojin
Today Aunt Masako left to go back home. It will be a 14 hour flight to Washington, D.C.! We spent the morning running some last minute errands in our neighborhood, Azabu Juban. Masako loved this...
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Costco
Once a month or so, a friend who has a car generously invites me along to Costco, where we stock up on basics like rice, meat, cheese, paper towels, etc. Here are a few items I don't buy:Sushi, of...
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3/11 remembered
Hello Russell Street! It feels like it's been awhile since I've been able to blog. It was spring break last week, and I went to Denver to visit my grandma (!) who recently turned 90. It was pretty...
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Cherry Blossoms
It is cherry blossom season in many parts of Japan. We took a subway about 3 stops from our station and explored a new-to-us neighborhood. Cherry Blossom reports on the evening newsFamilies, friends,...
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Weddings
The other day Mr. Nanto and I took a walk through a nearby park where several wedding parties were gathered. Here, the groom is walking followed by the bride and her mother. The red umbrella symbolizes...
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Sakura at Gotemba
Last week, my good friend and fellow teacher visited from MA. She had lived here many years ago and was anxious to visit her old "hometown" of Gotemba, a small town at the base of Mount Fuji. We took...
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Kamakura
Kamakura is a short train ride from Tokyo, and is a popular tourist destination. The Japanese school year starts in April, and most schools have big field trips the first week of school!Another student...
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Children's Day
May 5th in Japan is a national holiday - Children's Day! That's right - an actual national holiday dedicated to honoring and celebrating children! Years ago it was called Boys Day, but has since been...
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Take Your Daughters to Work Day
Not really.... but I did take Noelle and Kaela to my school for the morning. In April (when the Japanese school year begins) I started a part-time job assisting two English teachers at Fukugawa High...
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Art with Noelle
Tokyo is a great art city, and because Noelle is a student at MassArt, we were tuned into art while she was visiting. One highlight was spending some time with Allan West, an important artist here in...
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Sayonara for now...
Hello Russell Street! It's hard to believe that summer is here already! Time seems to have sped up this past month as the school year has ended. Kaela went to prom.... And graduated from high school...
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Okonomiyaki
After we visited Peace Park, which is a very serious place, we took a nice walk, did a little shopping, and then enjoyed one of Hiroshima's specialties for dinner - Hiroshima style...
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Miyajima
On our second day in Hiroshima, we took a side trip to Miyajima, a "sacred island" not far from Hiroshima. I used to go there sometimes on my days off from work many years ago. It was so fun to see...
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Ma-ku-do-na-ru-do's
There is a MacDonald's in our neighborhood, but I've never been (my kids have though!).However, during our trip to Kyoto I did break down and join Tommy for a MacDonald's breakfast one morning. Here...
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