Performing MonkeysWhy do foreigners in Japan continue to play the fool on TV?Sep 18, 2023Sep 18, 2023
Paperwork, Money Laundering, and the Eternal HankoLast month, my son entered his first year of high school in Japan. For those of you unfamiliar with the Japanese education system, Japan…May 2, 2021May 2, 2021
A Death in the FamilyOn March 29th, my wife got a phone call from her family in California: Her Tita (aunt) had passed away in her sleep. April 29th would have…Apr 25, 2021Apr 25, 2021
Prime Minister Abe and MeYesterday, Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, announced that he was stepping down after almost 8 years in office. This is…Aug 28, 2020Aug 28, 2020
O-bon and Franz KafkaAugust in Japan is the season of O-bon, when people travel back to their home towns to gather with family and honor their ancestors. It’s…Aug 7, 2020Aug 7, 2020
In Between NowhereEarly last May, my mother, 83, took a fall at her home in California and broke her ankle. My father, 81, tried to catch her from falling…Jul 23, 20202Jul 23, 20202
Eyes Closed, Breath Held“You’ve got a match. A handsome little boy from Osaka. He’s eight years old.”Jul 8, 2020Jul 8, 2020
A Wish for Mothers DayTo those who wanted to be a mother but couldn’t, whatever the reason.May 10, 2020May 10, 2020