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Monthly Archives: January 2011
My Sweet 16 present: AR (Alien Registration)
I accompanied my parents to City Hall after two years away from Japan. I was fifteen. I watched my parents register themselves with some low-level clerk as they got their new ARs (Alien Registration cards). When it came time for … Continue reading
Gaijin no more?
If what I’m about to share were isolated incidents making for interesting stories I wouldn’t bother posting. That it has happened repeatedly and all over the world makes it an enigma. I bring this up to say I will have … Continue reading
The downside of being a gaijin
Let’s get one thing straight. Being a gaijin in Japan has its perks. Yes. Most definitely. It’s not, however, always a cake walk. Case in point. There has been an increase in the past 10 years or so of what … Continue reading
Posted in Gaijin
Tagged gaijins, Japanese crime, Japanese culture, Japanese sex industry, japayuki, Kabuki-cho, sex trafficking
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Banged up nose? No marriage prospects!
Picture this. I’m about 12 months old. I’m scooting around the house in Tokyo in one of these. One day as I’m making the rounds of the small living room and kitchen (we must have lived in a 2LDK) I … Continue reading
Posted in Gaijin
Tagged foreigners, gaijin, Japan, Japanese culture, marriage, women in Japan, women's lib
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Charisma-man and the gaijin girl dilemma
I will no doubt receive hate mail for this post. Let me be clear: I’m not picking a fight. I didn’t come up with the idea of Charisma-man although I do admit, I think it’s pretty hilarious. My problem with … Continue reading
Posted in Gaijin
Tagged foreign women in Japan, foreigners, gaijin, Host Clubs, Japanese culture, Japanese sex industry
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Shoyu Queen, Part 2
Took my son’s sort-of girlfriend to the local Japanese store in town. As we stood in front of the shelves stocked with various bottles of shoyu, she asked me questions about which shoyu is the best. I realized I didn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Gaijin
Tagged food, foreigners, gaijins, Japan, Japanese food, Kikkoman, shoyu, soy sauce
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Japanese comfort food
It dawned on me yesterday. I don’t know the Japanese word for “comfort food.” This bothers me. I can describe what it is: sticky mochi, anything smothered in a soy sauce sugar mix (think dango), strawberry short cake ala Japanese … Continue reading
Posted in Gaijin
Tagged ATCK, comfort food, dango, foreigner, gaijin, Japanese culture, Japanese food, mochi, outsiders, ramen, TCK, tourists
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Kyoto ryokan incident
If you don’t want your bubble about Kyoto burst into pieces, don’t read further. This is a true story and my sole reason why I will never stay in a traditional inn, a ryokan in Kyoto again. We had spent … Continue reading
Posted in Gaijin
Tagged foreigners, gaijin, Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese inns, Kyoto, rodents, ryokan, tourism
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Storm knocks out Internet, I go down memory lane
We didn’t measure how much snow is outside. It’s enough to know it’s a lot and a royal pain shoveling out of. Add to that a downed Internet connection and I’ve been a bit cranky. Thank God for computer-savvy (and … Continue reading
Posted in Gaijin
Tagged ATCK, college life, foreigner, gaijin, homesick, Japan, outsider, pay phones, TCK, winter storm
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Gaijins on Facebook
Just a quick note to encourage y’all to do some searches on Facebook under the keyword “gaijin.” Multiple gaijin groups are popping up. The more the merrier! Spread the word!
GAIJIN! 