Happy New Year 2026
As usual, a restful calm has descended upon Tokyo for the new year. Hoping for a year of happy surprises.January 1, 2026例年通り 新年を迎えた東京は 穏やかな静けさに包まれていますうれしいサプライズに満ちた 一年になりますように2026年01月01日 元旦...
01 1月, 2026
Seiji’s Sketchbook
Tag, you’re it! タグ、君の番だよ！
Walking around a certain (artsy?) area of Tokyo the other day, I noticed an abundance of graffiti tags on various surfaces, and it inspired (?) me to draw my own tag (on paper, of course, see above) for the first time since elementary school.I don’t...
24 11月, 2025
All the mod cons 最先端設備！
People living in Japan will probably find it hard to believe, but due to space limitations, there are a lot of apartments in Manhattan that have a bathtub in the kitchen. Originally, I viewed that fact as just another quirk of the dystopia that is...
05 10月, 2025
Hats off to the new guard 新世代に脱帽だ
During the recent heat wave in Tokyo, as a measure of sun-protection, I decided to wear a dark hat to complement the dark suit I was wearing. Apparently, my sartorial choices were peculiar enough to attract the attention of my traveling companion, who mentioned that...
02 9月, 2025
Short, tall, grande, venti, bucket!? ショート、トール、グランデ、ベンティ、バケツ！？
At a time when the entire world is worried about coffee prices, certain coffee shops in the US have started the worrisome trend of serving coffee in a “bucket” size, which is approximately 34 ounces. Coffee bean prices have nearly tripled since 2019, and I’m...
04 8月, 2025
Birds! In Paradise? 楽園の「鳥」?
Walking through the park the other day, I had the uneasy feeling I was being watched. Looking up, I noticed a flock of about 20 green parakeets (rose-ringed parakeets) huddled on the power lines above me. Since the native birds here don’t usually congregate in...
01 7月, 2025
Après moi la Renaissance 我が亡き後にルネサンス(洪水)よ来たれ
Are we on the brink of a new spiritual renaissance? Recently, on the podcast Switched On Pop the hosts noted how there are currently many religious-themed songs on the pop chart, including songs by Alex Warren, Myles Smith and Forrest Frank. There has also been...
04 6月, 2025
Art is dead, Long Live Art! アートは死んだ、万歳、アート！
Recently, certain art institutions and governments have been cutting back support for so-called “woke” art, or art that speaks to the interests of women and minorities. Adolph Hitler in Germany, Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union and Mao Zedong in China all made similar attempts...
01 5月, 2025
Unease ひっかかり
Writing about bomb shelters last month got me thinking about 9/11 and how it changed the definition of war forever. Looking back on the aftermath of that day, the pre-9/11 idea of having "rules" for when it's permissible to kill your fellow man may seem...
02 4月, 2025
Enemy In Our Midst 内なる敵
Who (what?) is the real enemy? In January I attended a disaster mitigation training session near my home. These sessions are run by a volunteer organization with the cooperation of various public utilities, and can be attended by anyone living in the specified area. We...
01 3月, 2025