Stores are preparing for Setsubun, which is on February 3. The tossing of beans is said to keep away evil spirits. The day marks the day before the traditional start of spring on the old calendar. Of course, spring actually … Continue reading →
Shibamata is the traditional neighborhood of Tora-san of the Otoko wa Tsurai yo movies series. There’s a statue of him there, a beautiful temple, the Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, and it also has a great “traditional neighborhood” feeling. It’s a very … Continue reading →
Yesterday was Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan. While the weather has been great lately, it was rainy and cold all day yesterday and I could not take Pao out for a walk. My realtor, Junko Maehara, has also become a … Continue reading →
Marina works at the University of California Davis. Davis/Livermore was the last grad school I attended before coming to Japan. I actually have only been to the Davis campus once, and spent all my time at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory … Continue reading →
