Click on photo or link to read the feature Seasonal Secret: Seven things you didn’t know about Japanese weddings From fake priests to Barbie princess gowns, Japanese weddings are a whole different ballgame…read more • Beyond Tokyo: Come for the purple, stay for the lights The Ashikaga Flower Park not only boasts insanely huge wisteria,ContinueContinue reading “MAY-JUN 2021”
Category Archives: June
Klara and the Sun
By Kazuo Ishiguro Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: N/ATranslation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐My recommendation: I did not love this book, but every respected professional reviewer did, so you decide… This story takes place in a near-future dystopia, in which children’s intelligence must be genetically enhanced in order to succeed in society.ContinueContinue reading “Klara and the Sun”
Come for the purple, stay for the lights
Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture You may not think wisteria is as travel-worthy as cherry blossoms, but…need I say more? There’s only one reason to trek all the way out to Ashikaga at the beginning of May, and that’s to see the astoundingly huge wisteria at the Ashikaga Flower Park. But guess what? It’sContinueContinue reading “Come for the purple, stay for the lights”
Seven things you didn’t know about Japanese weddings
‘Tis the season to get hitched, but they do things a little differently in Japan. Here are seven things I bet you didn’t know about Japanese weddings. 1 You don’t have to be there to get married The only way to get legally married in Japan is to fill out and stamp the bride andContinueContinue reading “Seven things you didn’t know about Japanese weddings”
How to live forever, Japan style
You know those “artist names” that get passed down from one generation to the next in Japan? I always assumed those were about art. That the passing of the torch from one generation to the next was about choosing the most gifted artist of the next generation to take their predecessor’s place at the topContinueContinue reading “How to live forever, Japan style “
Japanese Ginger-Soy Steak Sauce
‘Tis the season to dust off the BBQ and grill up some steaks, and the only thing that will make them taste even more sublime is this yum of a dipping sauce! In Japan, bite-sized slices of steak are grilled at the table, then dipped in this savory sauce that zings with just a hintContinueContinue reading “Japanese Ginger-Soy Steak Sauce”
Did you win the March-April book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Riku Onda’s The Aosawa Murders! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d like an ebook or paperback (and if paperback, let me know a mailing address you’d like it sent to) and I’ll get it to youContinueContinue reading “Did you win the March-April book giveaway?”
JUNE 2020
Click on photo to read the feature Seasonal Secret for June: How to stay cool in the summer, the Japanese way Five ways that the Japanese have traditionally survived the miserably hot & humid summer months. Some actually work, and some rely on powers of imagination that this foreigner can only aspire to…read more •ContinueContinue reading “JUNE 2020”
The winner of the May Book Giveaway is…
If you recognize this email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Marie Mutsuki Mockett’s Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye! If this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me if you’d prefer an ebook or a paperback, and where to send it (let me know which email to use for anContinueContinue reading “The winner of the May Book Giveaway is…”
Japanese Chicken Salad with Tangy Soy-Lemon Dressing
Summer is heating up in Japan, and this salad is the perfect way to avoid slaving over a hot stove! It tastes fresh and summer-y, satisfying enough to be a light meal in itself, or as a side with rice and grilled meat. It’s a great way to use leftover rotisserie chicken, and the TangyContinueContinue reading “Japanese Chicken Salad with Tangy Soy-Lemon Dressing“
How to stay cool in the summer, the Japanese way
Here are five ways that the Japanese have traditionally survived the miserably hot & humid summer months. Some actually work, and some rely on powers of imagination that this foreigner can only aspire to. 1 Goldfish Yeah, goldfish languidly waving their fins in their cool, watery world supposedly have the power to cool you off,ContinueContinue reading “How to stay cool in the summer, the Japanese way“
Let’s go to the Japanese island where the only residents are lots and lots of bunnies
This month’s destination: Okunoshima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture Remember when you could go to the airport half an hour before your flight and just walk onto the plane, without going through security? Remember when children could play outside until dark, with no supervision? Remember when we could all go to restaurants and bars and shopsContinueContinue reading “Let’s go to the Japanese island where the only residents are lots and lots of bunnies“
The Essential Haiku
Edited by Robert Hass Setting & details: N/AAuthenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Entertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: The most enjoyable book of haiku in the whole world I’m going to admit a shameful secret: I’m not a poetry reader. Except for this poetry. For some reason, whenever I sit down for five minutesContinueContinue reading “The Essential Haiku”
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