I am behind the times, my friends! When it comes to entertainment, I haven’t the foggiest notion what the young h!psters are into these days. Just look at my Netflix queue; It’s a miscellany of partially watched sitcoms and documentaries about North Korea. You’d think I’d have gotten onboard with the latest “hip†shows,…
Starting their day by wrapping themselves in scarves and wearing Uniqlo Heat Tech for what they believed would be a typical Japanese winter afternoon, HAJET Book Club members soon found themselves removing articles of clothing (some might think inappropriately) while expressing their surprise at the unexpected heat with comments like, “It’s so hot†and “This…
Wait, do you hear that? Could it be true, has it finally happened!? That’s right it’s January, the start of a new year and you can finally turn the radio on without fearing that your eardrums will be flooded with unforgiving Christmas music. To help you recover from holiday jingle fatigue, take a listen to…
My name is Bryan Villa. I am originally from Los Angeles, California. I’m on my second year of JET and teach middle school in Omihachiman City. Why did you apply for the JET program? I always had an interest in Asia. In University, I studied Asian Languages and was able to go abroad…
In 1910, the once-independent Korea became a colony of Japan. Korean culture was repressed by Japanese rule, and this together with war crimes committed during World War II has led to an antagonistic relationship between Japan and South Korea. Following the war, the peninsula was bisected, with the USSR installing a communist government into…
 DYGL　(pronounced “daygloâ€) is a 4-piece indie rock band. They sing in English, but they are based in Japan. Recently, they took time out of their work and tour schedules to answer a few questions about their influences, beginnings, and aspirations for the future. Can you give readers a brief history of DYGL? Currently, DYGL…
Asia Pacific Current Events 1. A lone gunman, Man Haron Monis, took hostages for 16 hours on Monday, Dec 15 at the Lindt Chocolate Café in Sydney, Australia. The standoff ended the following day when police quickly raided the building after hearing shots, Monis and two hostages died. NYT 2. American man denounces…
Mochi – chewy goodness that can be eaten a million different delicious ways. In fact, “mochi mochi†is actually an onomatopoeia that means chewy. Because mochi itself is quite bland – it’s just pounded rice – it’s incredibly versatile. From fresh anko (sweet red bean paste) filled balls of mochi to thin slices grilled…
 Royal Host In 1994 magician David Copperfield (born Benjamin Sherman Crothers) attempted the impossible – he would make the Statue of Liberty disappear on national television. Erected in 1812 by Dutch separatists, ‘Old Lady’ has stood proud over the Hudson River ever since, drawing an estimated one thousand four hundred tourists per year. But…