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Lifestyle 2003-2004
Celebrating International Cooperation
(December 10, 2004)
The government of Japan has designated October 6 International Cooperation Day,
and to celebrate this, an International Cooperation Festival is held every year
at the beginning of October.
Tourists Flock to Tsukiji
(December 1, 2004)
Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market is enjoying booming popularity among foreign tourists,
who go there not only to take a look around the bustling marketplace but also
to lunch on some of the freshest sushi in Japan.
A New World Heritage Site
(November 16, 2004)
The Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii
Mountain Range have just been designated Japan's twelfth World Heritage Site.
Who's the Loser?
(October 29, 2004)
It was once rare for women to remain single and childless into
their thirties, and those that did were often viewed with suspicion. But now that
Japanese women are choosing from a much greater variety of lifestyles, a book
of essays by popular columnist Sakai Junko that trumpets the advantages of the
single life is flying off the shelves.
What Places Would You Recommend to Foreign Tourists?
(April 15, 2004)
Trends in Japan recently conducted a survey in which participants
were asked to recommend places in Japan to foreign tourists.
The Return of the Samurai
(April 12, 2004)
Images of Japan's premodern warriors fighting a losing battle
against the tide of modernization were well represented in the most unlikeliest
of places earlier this year: Hollywood. Among the nominees for this year's Academy
Awards were Watanabe Ken, who co-starred in The
Last Samurai, as Best Supporting Actor, and The Twilight
Samurai, as Best Foreign Language Film.
Healthy with Bittern
(April 6, 2004)
Tofu has become well-known around the world as a healthy food
processed from soybeans. It is very simple to make: All you have to do is add a coagulant, bittern
(nigari in Japanese), to heated soybean milk. What
was less well-known until recently was that this coagulant itself can also be
a healthy addition to the dining table.
Kyushu Shinkansen Line
(April 5, 2004)
A section of the Kyushu Shinkansen railway line linking Shin-Yatsushiro
Station (in the city of Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture) and Kagoshima-Chuo Station
(in the city of Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture), a distance of about 127 kilometers
(74.6 miles), opened on March 13.
Frozen Sushi
(March 30, 2004)
In response to the consumer desire to be able to enjoy the
taste of freshly made sushi at home, a small company in Hokkaido has developed
an original freezing technology and come up with products that are making mouths
water around the country - and overseas, too.
After Five
(March 29, 2004)
An increasing number of adults are looking for something meaningful to occupy their time and
are enjoying their "after five" lives to the maximum. By releasing their
stress and making new friends through their hobbies, they are able to go back
to work the next day feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Cafe-Cum-Everything
(March 18, 2004)
Manga cafes, once seen as hangouts
for young people with nothing else to do, are acquiring a new and upgraded identity.
As their services expand, manga cafes are taking on a new name, complex cafes.
Novels Delivered to Your Phone
(March 10, 2004)
Nowadays the sight of people passing time on the train by sending
e-mail with their mobile phones is an everyday occurrence in Japan. This technology has now led to the emergence of a new and unexpected phenomenon: people reading
entire novels on their mobile phones.
Job-Hunting Season Starts Early
(March 8, 2004)
University students due to complete their studies in spring
2005 have already begun seeking jobs for after they graduate. Among corporations
recruiting potential new employees, the trend is toward front-loading and stricter
selection procedures.
What Is Your Favorite Tourist Destination in Japan?
(February 26, 2004)
Many Japanese who travel for pleasure within Japan say that
the purpose of their trips is to enjoy good food, to go somewhere where they can
eat delicious dishes. This preoccupation with and curiosity about food was apparent
from the results of an e-mail survey recently conducted by Trends in Japan.
Rise of the Rent-A-Cycle
(February 5, 2004)
More and more people are taking to two wheels to get around
cities and resort areas. Popular tourist spots and city governments
have been launching rent-a-cycle services that enable visitors to make their way
around at their own pace, stopping along the way to take in whatever sights interest
them.
Home Is Where the Art Is
(January 21, 2004)
Modern wooden houses in Japan are said to last about 30 years.
But rather than rebuilding their homes at the end of this period, there is an
emerging trend for people to remodel their homes to suit changing family needs.
Small-Town Noodle Makes Good
(January 16, 2004)
Although a variety of noodles are eaten in almost every region of Japan, the western
half is famous for the thicker wheat-flour
noodles known as udon, while natives of
Tokyo have traditionally preferred the thin buckwheat-flour noodles called
soba. At least that's the way it was until about a
year ago, when the capital region began to go wild over Sanuki udon.
Living Longer
(November 21, 2003)
Japan is the country with the longest life expectancy in the
world. Within Japan itself, the longest life expectancy can be found in the Amami
Islands. When Kagoshima Prefecture looked into the reasons why its citizens live so long,
it uncovered several factors, including an abundance of minerals in the air people
breathe and the water they drink; a diet rich in seafood, seaweed, and brown sugar;
and a sense of purpose among the elderly.
Road to Reconstruction
(November 6, 2003)
The reconstruction of Afghanistan continues, and an array of support is
being extended from Japan, at both the government and grass-roots levels. Meanwhile,
a new film set in Japan and Afghanistan carries hopes of bringing the
two countries closer together.
Tigers Roar at Last
(October 17, 2003)
The Hanshin Tigers pro baseball team clinched the Central League
pennant for the first time in 18 years on September 15, ending a long slump during which the team earned a reputation
as the also-rans of Japanese baseball.
The Sound of Silence
(October 17, 2003)
Located in the middle of big cities yet shut off from the noise,
some Japanese restaurants are becoming popular as oases of peace and quiet. The customers come both for the atmosphere and the
excellent food, which is mainly Japanese cuisine prepared using select ingredients.
Rescuing Iraq's Heritage
(October 16, 2003)
Immediately following the recent war in Iraq, the National
Museum of Iraq in Baghdad was looted. The Japanese government contributed $1 million in emergency funds to UNESCO
for the purpose of securing and protecting Iraq's cultural assets and another
$1 million for assisting Iraq in the field of education.
Koizumi Launches Reshuffled Cabinet
(October 3, 2003)
After winning reelection as president of the Liberal Democratic
Party, Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro in the afternoon of September 22 launched his second reshuffled cabinet.
Building Bridges
(September 30, 2003)
At a dinner at the state guesthouse
in Prague on the evening of August 21 hosted by Czech Prime Minister Vladimir
Spidla, the humanoid robot ASIMO walked in and offered a toast in the Czech language,
saying, "To friendship between Japan and the Czech Republic and humans and
robots."
Building Momentum Toward TICAD III
(September 25, 2003)
Third Tokyo International Conference on African Development, or TICAD III, will
take place for three days from September 29 to October 1. Japan initiated the
TICAD process, and the conference is held in Tokyo every five years to discuss
and promote African development.
"I Want To Be a Craftsman"
(September 2, 2003)
Recently, the number of youngsters entering the
trades has been on the rise, in part because of changes in the younger generation's
ideas of what constitutes a good job. This is good news for the traditional industrial
arts professions, which have been suffering from a shortage of young people willing
to take over the mantle from older practitioners.
In the Zone
(July 10, 2003)
The goal of Japan's special zones for structural reform is to stimulate local economies, and a
major characteristic of the plan is that it utilizes the wisdom and skills of
both public organizations and the private sector.
Beating Stress with Meditation
(June 24, 2003)
More and more people are turning to ascetic pursuits to
relieve the stresses of modern life. Two such activities are sutra copying and Zen meditation.
Central Tokyo Reborn
(June 19, 2003)
Central Tokyo is enjoying a renaissance as massive redevelopment
projects transform little-used sections of town into shopping and entertainment
hotspots.
Taking Every Precaution
(June 9, 2003)
The Japanese government
has been busy taking measures to prevent an outbreak of SARS from occurring in Japan.
As a result of these efforts, as of June
9, there have been no confirmed or probable cases of SARS in Japan.
Does Japan's Water Taste Good?
(May 9, 2003)
While nearly 80% of Japanese people are pleased with the stability of Japan's
water supply, a majority of 60% said they would not drink water straight from
the tap because of the taste or for some other reason.
What Is the Ideal Marriage?
(April 30, 2003)
Nearly 90% of single Japanese men and women in their twenties
and thirties hope to marry someday, with motivations including love, the wish
to create a home, and the desire to have children.
Touring Tokyo
(April 18, 2003)
One element of the Tokyo streetscape that is hard to miss is the giant black-and-yellow
coaches of Hato Bus Co. Although Hato experienced a slump
in business for a time, its daytrips around the city and its environs have recently
been making a comeback.
A Time When Children Blossom
(April 17, 2003)
Japanese educational institutions hold their graduation ceremonies in March and their entrance
ceremonies in April. The cherry trees that line most schoolyards come into full bloom around
this time.
Attitudes on School
(February 12, 2003)
An e-mail survey on attitudes toward education
and images of the ideal school revealed few differences between the ideas of children
and those of parents on such matters as the role school should play, the
ideal teacher, and the ideal school.
Safer Roads
(March 18, 2003)
Japan had 8,326 traffic fatalities in 2002 according to figures released
by the National Police Agency, the fewest since the present statistics
began in 1966 and less than half the peak in 1970.
"Chushingura"
(February 7, 2003)
Every culture has its beloved stories, and a favorite
among the Japanese is "Chushingura," a tale of revenge based
on actual events that took place in the early eighteenth century in Edo
(now Tokyo). In terms of fame and longstanding popularity, "Chushingura"
is on a par with Arthurian legend and Shakespearean plays.
Buzzwords of 2002
(February 6, 2003)
A panel of judges recently selected the 10 trendiest
words or phrases of 2002. The selection of the words always
attracts plenty of attention, because the choices are seen as a reflection
of the events and currents of the preceding 12 months.
New-Wave Bicycling
(February 4, 2003)
For a while, the popularity of cycling as a means of
transportation was waning, and bicycle sales were in a slump. But lately
bicycles have experienced a revival as an environmentally sound vehicle
whose use promotes good health.
Back to the Past
(January 22, 2003)
The Showa era in Japan began in 1926 and lasted until
early 1989. A Showa nostalgia boom is clearly underway in Japan,
as cover songs of hits from the 1950s and 1960s, food products of that
era, and even older buildings are all popular at the moment.
Great Balls of Rice!
(January 21, 2003)
Rice balls (onigiri) have long been a staple
of Japanese picnics and lunch boxes. In the past, onigiri were usually
made at home and eaten by family members, but now they are a top-selling
product in convenience stores, and some cafes have even opened with onigiri
as their signature dish.
Posh Food to Go
(January 16, 2003)
If you serve up something special, the
Japanese will gladly pay extra for it. Some of Japan's most exclusive hotels
are now selling ready-to-eat meals to go.
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