About the Author
Hello, this blog is about my life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile / Koreaphile. Any useful information I can pass along will hopefully make the Internets a better place. Thanks for reading!
Monthly Archives: September 2010
AnkiMobile: an iPhone app review
Having been an avid student of Japanese and the JLPT now for two years I have developed a highly structured daily routine that took a lot of trial and error to develop. Of course, each person’s situation is different so … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, JLPT, Language
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Japanese Romance and nonverbal-communication
A while back I talked about non-verbal communication in Japanese culture and Asian culture at large. Interestingly, this old post is probably the most consistently read and linked by other people over any other post I’ve written in the last … Continue reading
Posted in Confucius, Japan, Religion
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Am I Buddhist Anymore? A Brief Socratic Dialogue
(Because Socratic Dialogues are more fun, and otherwise this post would sound too whiny. Plus this was inspired by a funny sign someone at work made a few months back which I took a photo of. Enjoy! ) Hiero: Hey … Continue reading
Zelda, the Triforce and the Hojo Clan
This post is inspired by this recent post and also a recent visitor who delved into the same subject. Credit goes to “Sam” for this one. Back in spring 2010, I was treated to a nice tour of Ueno Park … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Nintendo, Photography, Technology
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Confucianism beyond Confucius
Over a year ago, a friend sent me a copy of Burton’s Watson’s translation of the Analects of Confucius, and after reading that book, my interest in Confucianism has gradually grown over time. It’s a subject I’ve touched upon many … Continue reading
Posted in Confucius, Religion
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Fun Facts on Life in Heian Period Japan
Lately, as I wrap up the Chibi Marukochan comic about the Hyakunin Isshu,1 there is a nice section at the end that talks about daily life in the Heian Court that I wanted to pass along. This section covers mundane … Continue reading
Posted in Confucius, Japan
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Fall Ohigan 2010: Escaping the World
I wanted to share this poem from the famous Japanese poem anthology, the Hyakunin Isshu: [84] 世の中よ Yo no naka yo 道こそなけれ Michi koso nakere 思ひ入る Omoi iru 山のおくにも Yama no oku ni mo 鹿ぞ鳴くなる Shika zo naku naru For … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japan, Poetry, Religion
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Sugawara no Michizane: from scholar to deity
In the past, I’ve talked about a Shinto kami named Tenjin, who was originally the historical Confucian scholar and poet, Sugawara no Michizane, but I haven’t delved much into how Michizane became a deity in the first place. Having finished … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Literature, Poetry, Shinto
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How to eat sushi and other tips
Sushi is the epitome of Japanese food, and almost everyone in the world knows about it, even if they have never tried it. My first experience with sushi was when I was about 16 years old, when I went to … Continue reading
Posted in Cooking, Ireland, Japan, Seattle
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Reviewing for the JLPT N3
As the new 2010 JLPT exam comes closer and closer, I’ve been eagerly looking for ways to review for the test. This year I spent a lot of time just reading and listening to Japanese on my own, not necessarily … Continue reading
Posted in Buddhism, Japanese, JLPT, Language
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