Putting the bugs out to sea
Putting the bugs out to sea
Last weekend, we threw all the bad insects off our island in a ceremony called Mushi Okuri (seeing off the insects). The island people didn’t exactly kick the insects off the island, but rather, they asked them to leave. Leave it to the Japanese to be so polite as to assist the insects to the water’s edge, put them into a special insect boat, and wave bye-bye.
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Duo weaves matchmaking magic with ‘world of letters’
Dede Prabowo and Jim Wagner are telling stories about Alam Aksara, the organization that Prabowo started four years ago to find sponsors for Indonesian children who are unable to go to school. “An Indonesian friend lives in Tokyo,” Wagner begins, explaining how Alam Aksara began work in the eastern Indonesian province of Nusa Tenggaea Timur. “Her aunt lives in Kupang in the western part of Timor island, and that aunt’s cousin is now one of our coordinators. It’s how we connect up and expand, through family and friends.”
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Cafe Heavens
If you have been feeling a pulling sensation lately, then doubtless this is because of the magnetic power of Tokyo's Heaven's cafe. Positively awash with trendy Tokyoites, give your eyes a much needed holiday as you soak in the quiet Zen-like simplicity of Kazusane Iwase's furniture, its gleaming wooden floors, and the clever use of space…