The View from a Drawbridge

Tag: japan

  • Hikikomori

    If there’s one thing our current technological age has taught us, it’s that you can feed, clothe, and entertain yourself without having to interact with the wider world. As a result, the need for healthy habits, chores, routines, and decent hygiene seem to have disappeared for some people. Social isolation is not just a pandemic…

  • Kadomatsu

    A wonderful tradition from another part of the world.

  • Let’s Hibernate

    Sign me the heck up!

  • Whale Wonders

    It’s a mad, mad watery world.

  • Taiko Drumming

    The beats penetrate your chest and change you.

  • Honne and Tatemae

    Recently a dear friend introduced me to the Japanese concepts of honne and tatemae. I had never heard these words before. Without her, I would  probably just have assumed they were the names for a Japanese pop culture couple or something. (They do say that opposites attract.) After reading several articles on the subject and…

  • High-End Mud Pies

    A friend of mine recently sent me a link to this video, saying, “This seems right up your alley,” or words to that effect. It describes the Japanese art of Hikaru Dorodango, which means, literally, Shiny Dumpling. Basically, one forms a mud ball, about the size of a cue ball, allows it to dry, and…

  • Your Wish is My Command?

    Guys, if you saw a cute little 20 year old girl holding up a sign that said “Master Now Wanted!!!” what would you do? How about if she offered to be at your beck and call 24 hours a day? And her sole purpose would be to please you? She would wake you up in…

  • Scarecrow Village, Japan

    In a world where overpopulation becomes a greater concern with each passing day, Japan seems to be having the opposite problem. As their average age rapidly increases and their birthrate falls, it is estimated that by the year 2060 there will be 40 million fewer people in Japan than there are today. This is most…

  • The Cats of Mirikitani

    One of the things I love about being a City of Seattle employee is that I am required to do at least two hours of race and social justice training per year. As part of that this year, I had the distinct pleasure of viewing a documentary called The Cats of Mirikitani. In keeping with…