BAB64 February 2011

Being A Broad February 2011 #64

The monthly magazine for international women living in Japan

our cover girl: SUMMERHILL’S MONIQUE KELLER DE GUCHI

taking your own ROMANTIC PHOTOGRAPHY speaking at TEDxAOYAMA TIP’s PICASSO at the LAPIN AGILE

FOOD from FARM to TABLE ERIKA TRENT shares the KOTO foreign women OUT AND ABOUT LIFE on EXCHANGE

www.being-a-broad.com

ISSUE 4

As we enter February, love is in the air and we share with you several great ways to enjoy the season with your loved ones on page 8. If you’re currently single, why not celebrate that and treat yourself, too? On pages 16 and 17, Dee and Tracey from 37 Frames share tips for taking your own romantic photos based on some of the love stories we’ve all come to know and love on the big screen.

This is also an issue filled with Japanese culture, as 17-year-old koto player Erika Trent is profiled on page 11. She also spoke at the TEDxAoyama event last year (read about my experiences at the event on pages 18–19) and I’m so impressed with this young woman.

She has already written a book and is certainly going to go far in the future.

On page 15, Nina S. Godoy shows us that it wasn’t just the men who played a part in the samurai of Japan. Of course, we have upcoming events, women finding love, an inspirational article about local food, and lots more!

Enjoy!

Caroline Pover, BAB Founder

being a broad news

BAB news, the Pink Ball

Summerhill International School’s Monique Keller De Guchi

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7

8

our cover girl women of the world news from around the globe

things we love single or madly in love, we have several things to love this Valentine’s Day

6 our cover girl Image provided by Erika Trent.

9

out of the comfort zone

all awesome, all the time

• TIP’s female director • sharing the koto

bringing food from farm to table

10 arts & culture 12 feature 14

the broads (and boys!)

11 arts & culture

working

What’s it like to be an exchange student?

Japan’s female samurai

15 learning

image: 37Frames Photography

Publishers Caroline Pover & Emily Downey Editor & Designer Danielle Tate-Stratton Marketing Consultant Katy Lowen Advertisement Designer Chris May BAB Manager Dee Green BAB Reps Kelsey Aguirre (Shonan) kelsey@being-a-broad.com Shaney Crawford (Tsukuba) shaney@being-a-broad.com Ali Muskett (Shizuoka) ali@being-a-broad.com Arwen Murakami (Chiba) arwen@being-a-broad.com Wendy Gough (Nagoya) wendy@being-a-broad.com Contributors Natasha Williams, Nina S. Godoy, Leigh Wellsview, Megan Kojima, Tracey Taylor, Christina Bell, Joan Lambert Bailey, A’ishah Levine Cover Model Monique Keller De Guchi Cover Photographer Kerry Raftis www.keyshots.com Proofreading Jane Farries Printing Mojo Print Opinions expressed by BAB contributors are not necessarily those of the Publishers.

image: Kerry Raftis/www.keyshots.com

image: David Stetson

IN THIS

message from the founder

16 DIY

taking your own romantic photos

TEDxAoyama: Women’s Spaces and Places

foreign women at events in Japan

falling in love with a Kyushu-danji

18 20 21

community out and about she found love

16 DIY

Being A Broad magazine, editor@being-a-broad.com www.being-a-broad.com tel. 03-5879-6825, fax: 03-6368-6191 Being A Broad February 2011

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BAB NEWS

From the BAB Message Boards: Member jackiegee asks: Hi there, I was wondering if there was anyone out there who has been brave enough to attempt to build their own home in Japan? My partner (who’s Japanese) and I are in the discussion stages of building our own place, and possibly another as an investment. We are just as the stage where we are investigating and we want to know as many people’s experiences as possible. Neither of us knows much about the construction industry in Japan, and because I can’t speak the language very well myself, it’s going to be difficult for me to find out information. He is going to speak to the building control people in the next few weeks, to find out what the restrictions are (we already have the land). I’m drawing up some concept ideas, and we’re going to speak to a few architects in the next month or two. I guess I am just extra nervous about cock-ups because of the different language and regulations, etc., and so I just wanted to hear other people’s experiences. Sorry to be so vague—back home I’d have no problem—

Subscriptions Being A Broad January 2011 #63

The monthly magazine for international women living in Japan

our cover girl: KIT PANCOAST NAGAMURA

WORKING for SAKURA HOUSE love found IN THE DOJO

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TOKYO KALEIDOSCOPE turns KIMONOS into DRESSES

Animal Friends Niigata from STROKE VICTIM to STROKE SURVIVOR foreign women OUT AND ABOUT

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Thanks for picking up this issue of Being A Broad. Like what you see? Then why not subscribe today? For just ¥4,500 you’ll get one year (12 issues) of Being A Broad delivered to your door. Email editor@ being-a-broad.com to subscribe today!

We now have the past several issues of BAB on our website—check them out at www.beinga-broad.com, and let us know what you think!

but here I don’t know where to start.

Member mediatinker suggests: Find an independent architect whose work you admire and trust. He or she will have good knowledge of the rules and regulations, some of which seem quite arcane.

If you haven’t got an architect friend, I will highly recommend Misa Kajiro. She is a talented architect with an elegant flair who has designed many private homes. When we (eventually, I hope) build our house, she will be with us every step of the way. Misa’s website is www.kajiroarchitect.com/en/index.html and there are some photos of her projects there.

I’d steer clear of the brand-name home-building companies as many of them tend to cut corners and build with shoddy materials. If you do go with one, do due diligence with Internet research; I’ve skimmed through a lot of horror stories when we were doing this same research a few years back...

Member khusan contributes: We renovated an older house (1980’s, ha ha). We had the kitchen and bathroom gutted and redone, roofing replaced, a few other things. So, gas, electrics, plumbing were involved. I hired a contractor, as that’s how we do it in Canada. I thought he would handle the permits/ inspections, manage the work.

Well. There were no permits or inspections required. The contractor ended up being an unnecessary expense. Especially when we went a million yen over budget and he just ran away.

From the ground up, no idea. But this is an odd country sometimes. For example, in my area it is prohibited to build a house covering more than 45 percent of your property. My house takes 55 percent.

But it’s “no problem” until it’s time to rebuild the whole thing, I’ve been told. How did it get to be 55 percent? The rule was in place before the house was built! Other houses in the area are also too large.

So...my point is, don’t assume that rules are rules.

Or that anything works the same as you’re used to.

Or that the local carpenter/house painter can’t get everything together just fine on his own. Our painter ended up putting in the power outlets forgotten by the contractor and hooking up the range.

To read the rest of the discussion, visit us online at www.being-a-broad.com/index.php/forums.

“My encyclopedia, my translator, my phone book, my best friend!”

—Western woman living in Japan

514–page book including everything you need to make the most out of your life: case studies of Western women working in almost 50 different types of jobs; anecdotes from many of the 200 Western women interviewed; profiles of 23 women’s organisations; and essential Japanese words and phrases. An essential book for any Western woman living in Japan.

Read about: • Coping with culture shock.

• Finding clothes and shoes that fit.

• Avoiding hair disasters.

• Cooking Japanese food.

• Telling a chikan where to go.

• Dating and the singles scene.

• Organising contraception.

• Getting married and divorced.

• Adopting a baby.

• Educating your child.

• Finding a job.

• Teaching gender studies in the Englishlanguage classroom.

• Coping with reverse culture shock when you leave Japan.

Alexandra Press, 2001, ¥3,000 (inc. tax) To order email info@being-a-broad.com

You can pick up BAB here: Shibuya-ku: Priya Indian Restaurant • British School

and Medical Clinic • Nissin World Delicatessen • Tokyo

Tokyo • Boudoir • Sin Den• Nua Japan Minato-ku: US

International School • Paddy Foley’s • Temple Univer-

Kobe-shi: St Michael’s International School Kawasaki: 37 Frames Kyoto: Kyoto International School Osaka: Osaka International School Yokohama: The

Embassy • Canadian Embassy • Colombian Embassy •

sity • ROTI Roppongi • Beaute Absolue • Mitsubishi UFJ

Elana Jade • Fifty Seven • Toriizaka Art • Suji’s • TELL •

Azabujuban • ai International School • ABC International

German School Tokyo • Treehouse Montessori School •

Nishimachi International School • Gymboree • National

School • ASIJ ELC • The Montessori School of Tokyo •

Yokohama Country & Athletic Club • through BAB Rep

Azabu Supermarket • Crown Relocations • Nirvana

Homat Viscount Akasaka • Willowbrook International

New York • Tokyo American Club • Asian Tigers • Allied

Chiyoda-ku: British Embassy Meguro-ku: Montessori Friends Koto-ku: K’s International School Suginami-ku: Aoba-Japan International School • JUN International School Chofu-shi: American School in Japan

Saitama: Columbia International School Tsukuba: Tsukuba International School • through BAB Rep Shaney Shizuoka: through BAB Rep Ali Nagoya: Hope International • through BAB Rep Wendy Chiba:

Pickfords • Welcome Furoshiki • J’s International School •College Women’s Association Japan •Tokyo Mother’s Group • Tokyo Pregnancy Group • Tokyo Surgical

School

Kelsey

through BAB Rep Arwen

THE RUN FOR THE

CURE FOUNDATION

by Natasha Williams

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breast cancer survivor herself, Vickie Paradise Green founded the Run for the Cure Foundation in Japan in order to fund education initiatives, clinical examinations and mammography machines, donate funds to organisations promoting activities specific to the mission of the Foundation, and develop and execute community outreach programs.

Currently, one woman around the world is diagnosed with breast cancer every 29 seconds, while one dies from the disease every 75 seconds.

Though Japan is known for being technologically advanced, it isn’t known for leading cancer

the Japanese government has designated as major treatment centres of cancer, 39 have no pathologists on staff.

Globally, survival rates are increasing as early detection rates rise, yet in Japan, few women receive mammograms, and therefore detection and survival rates aren’t rising as quickly as elsewhere around the world. In an effort to help with screening, the Run for the Cure Foundation has so far donated eight mammogram machines to clinics treating under-served Japanese women in the medical system. Thanks to these efforts, tumours have been discovered early enough to start life-saving

The Pink Ball promises to be highly entertaining.

un for the Cure Foundation has so-far donated eight mammogram machines to clinics helping R to treat under served Japanese women. treatment on early-stage cancers.

In order to raise money for their life-saving work, the Run For the Cure Foundation holds three major fundraising events each year: the Run for the Cure/Walk for Life, which features fiveand ten-kilometre distances around the Imperial Palace, and occurs annually in the late fall; the Day

Image: Cirque Du Soleil/ Julie Aucoin

detection and cure rates, in part due to a lack of pathologists in the country. Pathologists diagnose cancer, which helps doctors work towards treatment and survival. However, in Japan, just 1.4 out of 100,000 people are employed as pathologists, compared to 7.9 out of 100,000 in the US. Out of the nearly 300 hospitals that

ZED’s impressive Lasso act.

BAB EVENTS THIS MONTH: ALSO ON: 24: girls’ night out at 57 4–26: black history month Come along to our February Girls’ Night Out—a great way to meet new people, catch up with old friends, and reunite with those who have been away. From 7pm at 57 in Roppongi. No cover, and your first drink is discounted! Let Katy know at katy@being-a-broad.com if you’ll be coming.

To learn more about these events as details are announced, visit us on Twitter (BABbeingabroad) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/being.a.broad).

Women of African descent living in Japan or other women interested in Afro-centric cultures will be interested in the Black History Month events happening around Tokyo this February.

Spearheaded by fellow foreign woman Monique Dehaney, this month features a variety of events sure to appeal to women and families. Among them are the Afro-Caribbean and American Cooking festival on February 13, from 11am–

at Atsugi golf tournament, which in 2010 raised enough money for nearly 300 women to receive mammograms, and the upcoming Pink Ball.

On February 25, 2011, from 6:30pm, The Galaxy Ballroom at The Westin Tokyo in Ebisu plays host to a spectacular event, with chef Elio Orsara, owner of Elio Locanda Italiana, providing a full-course meal. Artists from Cirque du Soleil’s spectacular show ZED will provide entertainment.

Not only will the artists be performing their show in an intimate venue, but guests will also have the opportunity to mingle with the artists, who will be in full costume, during the cocktail hour.

Tickets to the event are ¥35,000 per seat or ¥350,000 to reserve a full table of ten. For more information on booking your seat, as well as additional information on the Run for the Cure Foundation’s activities in Japan, please visit www. runforthecure.org. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit them at www. cirquedusoleil.com. Finally, for more information on Elio Orsara and his restaurant, visit www.elio.

BAB co.jp/en/restaurant/index.html.

8:30pm at Hotel B: Conte Ariake (http://t. ymlp194.net/yjapamqyavayquazau/click. php). ¥3,500, for more: http://t.ymlp194. net/ymazamqyagayquaaau/click.php.

Also of interest will be the Tokyo Mardi Gras 2011 masquerade party and mini fashion show (February 26th, 10:30pm, 57 Restaurant and Lounge, ¥1,500 with one drink).

For more information about all the events, visit http://t.ymlp194.net/ yuanamqyadayquadau/click.php.

Being A Broad February 2011

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our cover girl

KELLER DE GUCHI of Summerhill International School, cover photography by Kerry Raftis, www.keyshots.com

Images Kerry Raftis/www.keyshots.com

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MONIQUE

think the best thing is that there are no Ia gaijin expectations. You can conveniently be one day and a wannabe Japanese another.

Full name: Monique Keller De Guchi Nationality: French Grew up in: Tokyo Time in Japan: more than 30 years, off and on Japanese level: good but not good enough Works at: director and owner of Summerhill International School Why did you come to Japan?

My father was an expat working for Sony so I was one of the first batch of foreign children who went through the international school system in Tokyo. During my high school years I was scouted

by Shiseido Cosmetics. In those days there were only a handful of ‘half ’ models, and we were very fortunate in many ways. Through my modelling career I was able to travel the world and have

many intriguing experiences, like how often does one get to eat Chinese with David Bowie or have Jerry Hall (Mick Jagger’s wife-to-be) be your roommate in Paris? I don’t regret a moment of it, but after many years my heart was not in it any longer. I’ve always loved children and wanted to do something that would contribute to their early learning years. I settled back in Tokyo and this is home for me.

Why do you stay in Japan?

I want to be where I am most useful, and because of my upbringing and knowledge of the school system here I am able to facilitate the needs of other international children who are here for the same reasons that I was. I started Summerhill International School in 2005 and we have grown

consistently since then and now have over 100 happy families enrolled. We have a preschool, kindergarten, and an after-school program and have recently opened a ballet studio, which is proving to be very popular! I’m proud and happy to have become part of the school system here.

Seeing all the children grow and thrive every day is very satisfying. In 2011 we will continue our program of giving back. As well as our support of the various charities and programs we are already involved in that help underprivileged children around the world, we are looking at making progress in 2011 toward achieving our goal of starting an orphanage in Vietnam to help children there.

How do you manage to balance everything in your life?

Haha, I don’t! Balance is not my forte...I do things out of passion and necessity, or let’s just say I tend to leave everything to the last minute and have yet to master the concept of being totally organised! I feel—I do, I see—I do, I hear—I do. If not, I don’t!

I love doing nothing, but being a mother to four children in different parts of the world, having a husband, a grandchild, and an international school to run, this is a luxury I have not achieved.

What do you do to relax?

Learning how to relax is still one of my ultimate goals! Anaesthesia maybe?

Best thing about being a foreign woman in Japan?

I think the best thing is that there are no expectations. You can conveniently be a gaijin one BAB day and a wannabe Japanese another.

A Day in the Life: I wake up around 6:50am, thereafter I brainstorm and review my schedule for the day, making mental notes of what I have to do and who I will be meeting with. I enjoy a bath in the morning so my blood starts to circulate.

I dab on some colour and am in my car by 8:15am, at 9am I greet all the children and parents who come through our door, which makes me smile a lot! I give school tours in the morning and by noon I go around each classroom to make sure that everyone is happy and everything is running smoothly. I am always thinking of how to improve the school and make it a happier place for the children to be. I try to achieve the almost impossible and be a “good boss!” The highlight of my day is getting my morning fix of kisses and cuddles (I love the kids!), that high keeps me going until the late afternoon. By 5pm I’m done, and the rest becomes a blur as I dream of a nice dinner being served.

WOMEN OF THE WORLD

compiled by Danielle Tate-Stratton

image: rofanator

The UK’s Platform 51 (formerly YWCA) recently showed that three out of five women (63 percent) in some parts of the UK have had mental health issues that have had negative impacts on their lives, including 23 percent of women who have lost friends because of their depression.

Oxford University and the MS Society studied more than 7,000 people and found that women are more likely to pass on the gene that causes MS to female offspring, which could help to explain why women are nearly twice as likely to develop the disease as men. image: Ken Yee

A new study conducted in Israel showed that men who sniff women’s emotional tears (as opposed to those caused by an irritant in the eye) quickly lose their sexual arousal. Though the men weren’t able to differentiate between the smell of tears as compared to a saline solution, they were far more affected by the tears than the control substance. Interestingly, the tears did not affect the men’s levels of sadness or empathy, only their sexual arousal.

UNICEF recently reported that rape, exploitation of children in the sex industry, and sexual assault against women in Haiti has reached a four-year high. The crowded and difficult conditions of the camps many have been forced into following the earthquake in 2010 have contributed to this rise in violence.

image: US Army Korea—IMCOM

A study in Rakai, Uganda, shows that women in relationships with circumcised partners have a lower risk of contracting the HPV virus. The study included HIV-negative couples who were either married or in long-term relationships. The male partners were either circumcised at the beginning of the study, or two years into the program.

Women whose partners were circumcised at the outset had an infection rate 23 percent lower than the women in the other half of the study.

A military advisory panel in the US has stated that women should be allowed to serve in full combat roles. This change in policy would eliminate the last major form of discrimination in the military, which recently repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in relation to gay service members. While women currently serve in both Iraq and Afghanistan, they are assigned to support roles rather than active combat positions.

Studies in both Britain and the US have shown that attractive people also tend to have higher IQs, with attractive women in the British study scoring an average of 11.6 points higher on IQ tests than their less attractive counterparts.

image: syposinc

image: lisa pizza

Playboy TV, about to enter its 30th year, is aiming to expand its core demographic of mostly males by introducing TV For 2, providing content designed with couples in mind. Playboy hopes to draw in more female viewers. Initially expected to fill programming slots on Friday and Saturday, TV For 2 could become its own network if it proves popular among women.

A study currently being conducted by researchers from the University of Western Ontario is showing that for women in Canada, curling plays an important role in sustaining rural life and providing physical activities, since in many small towns there are no rec centres, and the hockey rinks are full of men and boys. For women and girls, however, curling remains an important social and physical activity through long Canadian winters.

Researchers in Australia have shown that women who undergo gastric band surgery in order to lose weight enjoy better increases in quality of life and urinary function than men who undergo the same surgery, even though both men and women were shown to lose approximately the same amount of weight—23 kilograms— after surgery.

Activists in Saudi Arabia have begun a campaign called My Country, designed to convince the government to allow women to run in upcoming municipal elections. Women weren’t allowed to vote in the Kingdom’s inaugural municipal elections in 2005, but may be allowed to do so in these, regardless of whether or not they are able to run for office.

University of California, San Francisco researchers looked at 268 pregnant women and found that almost all of them had elevated levels of eight types of dangerous chemicals from the environment, including flame retardants, PCBs, PFCs, pesticides, and other agents known to be BAB toxic or cause cancer.

Being A Broad February 2011

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THE LITTLE THINGS WE LOVE

FOR VALENTINE’S DAY This is why you’re going to get fat. This is real, New York Cheesecake; it is so dense that after one piece you’ll think you couldn’t possibly eat anymore, then five minutes later you’ll be tucking into another slice.

You’ll keep doing that until the cake is all gone.

You should order three of these at a time, and get yourself a bib and some pants with an elastic waistband. To order a cake, visit the Meat Guy at www.themeatguy.jp.

If you’re looking to impress this Valentine’s Day, why not do it in style? The Lobby Lounge, situated on the 45th floor of The Ritz-Carlton is the ideal venue to unwind and enjoy the traditional ‘Valentine’s Day Chocolate Afternoon Tea’.

Available from noon–5pm on February 14, this is the perfect way to surprise your loved one. Prices from ¥4,300–¥6,000 excluding service (¥6,000 including a glass of LaurentPerrier Cuvee Rose Brut). For reservations tel. 012079-8688, www. ritzcarlton.com.

Enjoy some TLC with that Special Someone this Valentine ’s Day at Elana Jade Organic Beauty Salon. Single? Celebrate your freedom with a friend!

Deluxe treatments combined with warm lighting and the smell of fresh organic herbs is the perfect cocktail for relaxation and rejuvenation in the salons spacious couple’s room. The package includes: a 60 minute Custom Oil Massage, Eye Salvation Treatment, and Hot Stone Foot Massage.

Valentine’s Day Price: ¥24,000 ( for two people).

A tip from Sin Den: Detox your hair with Sin Den! The new year began with the new SP Wella, with beautiful, and colourful packaging.

Also, the quality of Wella products has improved so that your hair can be beautiful all the time!

Visit our salon to find out about our new Wella SP treatment to detox your hair from pollution, dry heat, straightening irons, and the hair dryer, giving it the ultimate in nourishment!

Special offer for BAB readers: when booking a haircut or colour, you will receive a half-price Wella SP treatment. Offer is valid only for the first 30 customers. For more information, visit www.sinden.com or tel.

03-3405-4409.

Fabio Alfano Director, Sin Den

This Valentine’s Day, why not give the gift of a relaxing Reiki session? Give the opportunity to refresh, rebalance, and lose the stress of Tokyo life. Hari and Petya from Life Forces will assist you to unwind on all levels; physical, emotional/ mental, and spiritual.

Contact them through www.lifeforces.org

Coming soon to Tokyo for all our beautiful Ladies of all ages, sizes and nationalities...Celebrate ‘you’ and pamper yourself with a Sexy Photoshoot with Keyshots.com.

Sensual Sirens, Burlesque Babes, and Vivacious Vixens are just some of the packages available for you to choose from.

Register your interest by contacting Kerry by email: kerry@keyshots.com.

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“Immortalise your love for each other” Have a classic portrait taken by renowned fashion and celebrity photographer, David Stetson. For this Valentine’s Day Campaign only, you can purchase a gift voucher (valid until 15/04/2011) for a portrait to be taken at Stetson Studio for the special price of ¥25,000 (including two prints).

For more details, please tel. 03-6416-8263 (English), or visit www.davidstetson.com.

Looking for the perfect gift to give or to get in this season of Love?

Give lovely, beautiful, spicy, and saucy, if you like it, memories. Say LOVE with a signature mini-session from Dee & Tracey at 37 Frames. Award-winning photographers who simply love what they do. For the girls, you’ll get the gorgeous photos you’ve always wanted with your partner. For the boys, your partner will think you hopelessly thoughtful. For everyone else, you simply deserve fab photos. Contact Dee & Trace at 37frames@ tokyo.com for your gift certificate now.

by Christina Bell

“We’re about to climb onto this oversized canoe with a lid.”

Images provided by Christina Bell.

Maya enjoying the white sand beaches.

W

e are on our way to Boracay, and I’m on high alert. We’ve reached the last leg of the journey, which is turning out to be a little bit sketchier than I anticipated. It’s raining and we’re outside a tiny airport, under a leaky thatch shelter, waiting for transport to our boat. Beach rain doesn’t really bother me, but everyone who is helping is much more eager than what I’m used to, so the insistence on covering us with umbrellas every time we move through the raindrops is a little bit aggravating. I’m trying to watch our two children, Max and Maya, who are flitting about like little yellow butterflies, lighting on everything they

like saturated tinder. My daughter, Maya, who’s four, stops trying to stomp in every puddle long enough to ask, “Is that our boat?”

“Yes,” I answer, ready to soothe her fears and convince her that she’s safe. I look down into her little upturned face and see her grinning.

“Awesome!” She yells, and I can’t help but laugh in spite of my own fears. In that single moment, I realise that I’m an idiot. I’ve become so overwhelmed by caution that I’ve forgotten the most important rule of travelling. Don’t be an alarmist. Put yourself out there or stay home. I don’t like to travel with people who

so used to a society with a sound infrastructure and Irest’m a pervasive feeling of safety that I’ve forgotten...The of the world doesn’t live by Japan’s guidelines. should definitely not be touching, like the walkie talkie used to communicate with the boat. My husband, Rob, is in charge of our five small bags and tipping. He’s concerned because we haven’t mastered the exchange rate and he doesn’t want to either slight or wildly overcompensate anyone.

Transport arrives, and our bags are carried one at a time by helpers who are keeping them dry under umbrellas. Years of travel have taught me always to keep one eye on my bags, seeing where they are and who is dealing with them. This is hard to do when one of the transport employees is trying very hard to keep an umbrella over us to make sure that we don’t get wet. In the process, he is blocking my view of our possessions. The bags make it to the bus, and everyone is tipped. The transport drives us the equivalent of one Tokyo block, and we disembark.

The boat that we are about to board makes the non-swimmer in me catch my breath. It’s old; really old. Looking down the beach, I see more modern vessels, but they aren’t here for us. No, we’re about to climb onto this oversized canoe with a lid. As the gentle waves run onto the shore, they cause the boat to creak slightly. I tell myself that the bamboo waterstrider-like appendages on either side will keep us from capsizing, but they won’t keep this thing from splitting in half

complain. I don’t like to read what they write about their travels, so what the hell am I doing being a paranoid stick-in-the-mud? I need to stop and look to my preschooler for guidance and slight attitude adjustment. Because our lives in Tokyo are so safe and orderly, I’ve become unaccustomed to controlled chaos. I’m so used to a society with a sound infrastructure and a pervasive feeling of safety that I’ve forgotten for a moment what I should know by now. The rest of the world doesn’t live by Japan’s guidelines.

I look again and see that Maya is right. The boat is awesome. We are getting ready to take a very traditional boat to white powdery sand beaches. Small sea craft of different types dot the horizon and the sun is trying to burn off the thick grey clouds. We are knee-deep in awesome and I almost missed it because of my preoccupation with keeping track of my children’s little blonde noggins.

I wasn’t always like this. Rob and I shrugged off much greater peril than this before we had kids. We’ve crossed the border into Panama by walking over a river gorge on a bridge that had slipped into such disrepair that the bus and its passengers had to cross separately. We’ve passed a rum bottle with the locals on a violently thrashing night ferry as it crossed Lake Nicaragua.

Nonetheless, the combination of seeing that rickety Filipino boat, my fear of water, and the prospect of making a stupid decision that endangers my children gives me a little stomachache. I forget that this sort of scene used to be commonplace for me. Many years and two kids later, here I am, holding my daughter’s hand and fretting over a ten minute boat ride like it’s the end of the world.

Unfortunately, none of the locals pass me a bottle of rum, which at that moment was a service I would have valued a lot more than a lifetime of umbrella-carrying assistance.

Single file, we climb a skinny, time-worn ramp and make our way along the edge of the boat to get to the covered area in the centre. Just before we step down to the seats, one of the luggage-haulers stops Rob to ask for a tip. I don’t see how much Rob gives him, but I do see two of our bags balanced on the roof of the boat. In an instant, I’m worrying again. A mental inventory of those bags follows.

Most of my precious electronics are down with the passengers. We put life jackets on the kids, who are busting with excitement. I allow myself a minute to worry about the bags falling and a couple more to hope Rob tipped the luggage guy enough to prevent him maliciously pushing our things off the top. Then I look at my children, who are squealing with joy every time the boat catches a wave and bounces.

They aren’t afraid. They don’t care about the luggage. They just know that the ride is awesome.

Maya is all emotion. She’s never had a feeling that wasn’t pronounced to the world, and today is no exception. She squeals and bubbles out her delight in a way that only a four-year-old can. She reaches out to grab my hand, yelling over the sound of the boat crashing on the waves. “Mommy, look!”

She commands. “A palm tree!” I am reminded that I had the same reaction to my first palm tree sighting.

I was twenty seven at the time, not four.

Maybe, I think, my preoccupation with safety is there for a reason. I’m cautious so she doesn’t have to be. Perhaps this is my job, to care of the worry so that, at least for now, so her life can be BAB all awesome, all the time.

Being A Broad February 2011

out of the comfort zone

ALL AWESOME ALL THE TIME

9

THE LAPIN AGILE

by Megan Kojima

Kellie Holway directs one of this season’s productions.

Images provided by Kellie Holway.

arts & culture

PICASSO AT

A

10

n artist and a scientist walk into a bar….

Fortunately, this is not the first line to a badly written joke, but the premise of Picasso at the Lapin Agile, a one-act play written by Steve Martin. It will be playing at the Ebisu Echo Theatre from February 24–27, featuring the talents of the Tokyo International Players, an English-language theatre organisation.

Director Kellie Holway and said she has wanted to direct this particular play for a very long time, having selected it herself. As a self-proclaimed Steve Martin fan, she has acted in another of Martin’s plays, WASP, and directed his one-act play, Patter for the Floating Lady. Most appealing to her about Picasso at the Lapin Agile was Martin’s own playwriting style, characterised by his trademark intellectual wit.

“It’s comic, absurd, and wacky at times, but underneath it’s digging at something deep.

Kellie performs on tour.

Philosophical questions that we all think about but rarely discuss come to light in Martin’s writing.

Especially in this play, one gets to see a rare side of Steve Martin. Some say that the characters in this play are highly autobiographical, and I completely agree,” said Holway.

Better known for his star performance in such classics as The Jerk, and Father of the Bride, Martin’s first full length play is the result of his fantasy of what might transpire between a meeting of two great minds, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein, in 1904 at a Parisian bar known for being artistic and bohemian. Both young men are at the cusp of great professional accomplishments—Einstein enters the scene as a 25-year-old lowly patent office worker yet to publish his Theory of Relativity, while Picasso is still a few years off from painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. Both men are clearly leaders in their own fields, but what is less obvious is the importance of their contribution to society—is an artist necessarily more or less valuable than a physicist? Should a painting be worth more than a scientific discovery? Picasso and Einstein would seem at first glance to be entirely

introduction to Japan because of the open and foreigner-accessible atmosphere. She moved around Japan a bit before coming back to Tokyo and working with TIP and in commercial and television acting.

On the difference between acting in Tokyo versus in America, Holway commented: “Most of my acting experience in the US was in theatre rather than TV and film, and most of what I know of the acting industry in Tokyo is TV and film, so it’s a bit hard to compare.

“It’s comic, absurd, and wacky at times, but underneath it’s “ digging at something deep. Philosophical questions that we all think about but rarely discuss come to light in Martin’s writing.” opposite creatures with nothing in common, a sort of right-versus-left brain struggle and no room for compromise. Inevitably, a discussion of art versus science proves to be the central theme of their conversation, which explores the definition of genius and talent as the 20th century begins.

Tokyo International Players (TIP) offers an outlet for those with a penchant for acting or those who are willing to explore the creative and expressive side of themselves that so often is not allowed within the formalities of day-today Japanese society. This play will be Holway’s second job with TIP, as she previously worked as an assistant director for TIP’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Holway found her passion earlier than most of us, as a plucky young elementary school student, and continued to blossom into a bona fide actress through high school and college.

She studied Theatre Arts at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, musical theatre at NYU’s CAP 21, and acting for film and TV at WeistBarron in New York. Then in 1999, Holway accepted an offer to work for Tokyo Disneyland, where she played various Disney characters and performed in parades. Without knowing much about Japanese culture or any Japanese, Holway said that working for Disney was a wonderful

“I do think, though, that there are some differences. When I go to auditions here, I know that when I introduce myself, the audition panel is looking for someone genki and bubbly. In the US, I think the introduction is more or less of a formality and they are mainly focused on watching my audition piece. Also, I think that for a long time, acting styles in Japanese film were over the top and unnatural, but recently that seems to be changing. I was so impressed with the acting in Tran Ang Hung’s recent film version of the novel Norwegian Wood. If that’s any indication of where the Japanese acting world is heading, it looks like a bright future to me.”

Holway said women seem to be the majority within the acting community, which is in itself a positive thing, but it does tend to increase the competition for the best roles. Where women are needed now, she added, is in positions in the fields of casting and directing, a trend observed both in BAB Japan and Hollywood.

Tickets for Picasso at the Lapin Agile are ¥3,800 for adults when purchased early, ¥2,800 for students, and ¥4,300 for adults at the door.

They can be purchased online at www. tokyoplayers.org.

THE KOTO

by Leigh Wellsview

Erika speaks at the recent TEDxAoyama event.

W

hen Erika Trent moved to Japan, she was just six years old and unsure of how to reconcile her part-American self with the girls she saw all around her. “I was afraid of being labelled a gaijin for being half-American. I remember yearning to be an ordinary full-Japanese girl, like all the other students in blue uniforms I saw out on the streets.” As she grew up, though, and while attending Yokohama International School, she says that she was able to grow into her biculturalism, eventually growing out of that initial self-

then became exactly like that.”

For Erika, part of the reason she plays music is “simply the fun of it. I love listening, making, and most of all performing music. Music is a universal language—it can connect people of different ages, nationalities, and even cultures. Playing the koto, especially koten ( Japanese classical repertoire) pieces, has naturally taught me a lot about Japanese history and traditions. In turn, I’m able to share this aspect of Japanese culture with others.

Playing several instruments along with the koto has taught me that all music, whether it be hogaku (traditional Japanese music), or Western, or any culture, shares the same universal qualities.”

With a project whose scope belies her age, Erika made a great contribution to the sharing of koto music with western musicians last year when she published her first book, The Japanese Koto: A Beginner’s Textbook (Mizuyamasangyo Co. Ltd, October 2010). The book explains the koto, Japanese musical notation, performance technique, and includes several folksongs. For Erika, “this book is what I wish I’d had back in fourth grade.” At that time, she and her classmates had only a Japanese textbook to work with, and she longed for a way to make connections to Western music through the koto.

The best thing about experiencing different countries is you “ get to understand firsthand the difference between people’s ways of living. consciousness. By this point, she says, 17-year-old Erika came “to truly appreciate my biculturalism. I [have come to] understand and enjoy the best of both worlds—America for its openness and individuality, Japan for its delicacy and sophistication.

This would have never been possible had I not grown up in both the States and Japan.”

One way in which she is perhaps most bicultural is her music, which has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. Her musical career began with the piano at age three, though Erika says her parents expected her to tire of it quickly and quit (she’s still playing it). She then picked up the koto (Japan’s national instrument, in some ways similar to a harp) in elementary school, when given the choice between a Western band instrument or a traditional Japanese one. “In a heartbeat, I chose the koto, as I wanted to learn more about traditional Japanese culture through its music.” She adds, “playing the clarinet wasn’t my forte.” Five years after that, she revisited Western music, picking up the violin, a decision she says may have been inspired by an anime she was reading at the time. “While reading Nodame Cantabile (a Japanese comic book about a music college), I saw that the protagonist played both the piano and violin, and thought, ‘I want to be like that!’ And I

Now she is giving such connections to musicians new to the koto.

Though she is clearly very well settled into life in Japan and thriving at international school, Erika experienced some of the same challenges many of us do upon arrival in Japan when she and her family first arrived over a decade ago.

“When I came to Japan, the first challenge was being unfamiliar with the language. During my first year, I remember hiding behind my mother, who is Japanese, wherever we went, because I was terrified of Japanese people assailing my ears with unfathomable syllables. I think this initial language barrier is a challenge that all people—from six-year-olds to full adults— face when living abroad. Fortunately, I was a quick learner, and was native in Japanese by my second year.”

As she settled into the larger environment and found her place linguistically, Erika also settled into international school where “the school has its own distinct ‘culture.’ Any student of any background, beliefs, or passions, can fit in. You might call it a ‘one-size-fits-all’ school. As far as my own personal experiences go, I’ve enjoyed the liberty this culture provides—I never found myself trapped in one clique, or isolated from

Erika performing on the koto.

others. Never being labelled or judged was a salvation for me at the time I was trying to figure out my part-American, part-Japanese identity.”

Now in her senior year, Erika continues to act as an inspiration by embracing life in a different culture and gaining as much from it as she possibly can. For her, “The best thing about experiencing different countries is you get to understand firsthand the difference between people’s ways of living. Living in America and Japan taught me that people have different beliefs depending on their culture—and none are right or wrong. A New Yorker would cross the street at a ‘green’ light, whereas a Tokyo-ite would cross the same street to a ‘blue’ light; a patriotic Washingtonian will proudly hoist the American flag, whilst an equally patriotic Japanese would find such an act odd. Sure, you can learn about cultures over the internet, which connects virtually everywhere in the world. But nothing compares to actually living in the country and experiencing it—its cities, its media, its people, its music!”

Speaking to other teenagers moving to Japan, Erika’s words ring true for all of us living abroad. “My only advice to a non-Japanese teen moving to Japan is: be yourself! You don’t have to feel like the odd one out. On the contrary, your individuality is something to be proud of.

Embrace your culture and share it with people of other countries. And, in turn, have fun learning from their cultures.

To teens who are working towards achieving a goal, she suggests: “be ambitious. There is a surprisingly large number of projects that are yet to be accomplished—or perhaps even conceived. No goal is impossible, once you set your mind to it.”

Erika’s book, The Japanese Koto: A Beginner’s Textbook is available from www.amazon.com.

To see her speak at the recent TEDxAoyama conference, visit www.youtube.com/ BAB watch?v=DQb9DB0rR0A. Being A Broad February 2011

arts & culture

SHARING

11

feature

EATING AT THE SEASON’S

TABLE WITH DELPHINE CHENG

by Joan Lambert Bailey

Images provided by Delphine Cheng.

Putting the finishing touches on a winter salad.

D

elphine’s apartment is like her recipes: warm, cozy, and a fascinating fusion of France and Japan with little hints of China. A stew of winter vegetables bubbled merrily on the stove adding to the comfortable and spicy feel of a room full of ideas and energy. Overflowing with culinary delights—an assortment of teas (one of which she discovered while travelling in Vietnam that she likes to call her new drug) and drying mikan peels (an easy flavouring trick she learned from her father as a child in France), her kitchen is one of the few places in the world where true fusion occurs: traditional French homecooking using Japanese ingredients. It is exactly the kind of place in which one imagines the founder of Le Panier de Piu, an organic fruit and vegetable delivery service would live.

Food is clearly the centre of Delphine Cheng’s life. Surrounded as a child by the hustle and bustle of her parents’ Chinese restaurant in Paris, she

12

Onions pierced with whole cloves.

Delphine with one of her farmers.

farmers, fruits, and vegetables. And as she did so, she discovered a world of organic food and growers and producers that continues to reveal itself today. And she met others with the same questions. Farmers were growing great produce organically and every day she met people sharing her desire for local, organic food, but who had no idea how to get it. Connecting the two seemed an easy (and possibly profitable) way to satisfy the desires of both groups.

Le Panier de Piu subscribers receive a weekly box (medium or large, depending on household size and appetite) of organic, fair trade vegetables and, most recently, fruits. Inside is also a chatty newsletter (in French, English, or Japanese) telling a bit about the produce, local events, and including a recipe or two. Often the latter is a variation on a traditional French or Western dish, but tweaked for Japanese ingredients. Such information eases the transition many of her clients undergo upon arrival. Offering

even fish are also on the docket.

Part of the search means a visit to each of the farms to spend time with the growers by walking their fields and orchards, learning, quite literally in some ways, the lay of the land and its history.

The day before our interview, Delphine had just been to Kanazawa to see a fruit grower. Walking with him under the kiwi vines and seeing the yuzu and mikan ripening on the trees, she learned a few basics of orcharding, as well as the history of the land itself.

Dashing off to the kitchen to find the kiwi, she related a story that is something of a current classic for Japanese farms: a farmer too old to care for his orchard, with children living another life in a larger city far away. This family, though, enlisted the help of the mayor in their search for someone serious about farming. As the search went on, the land went untended. Some trees died while others went their own wild way until Delphine’s farmer arrived earlier this year to return order. His own enthusiasm came through as she described his efforts, and his careful explanations of the pollination process that resulted in the bristly fruit we held in our hands.

“It was like a return to my college biology or botany class, but this time I enjoyed every minute,” she said.

These excursions are pleasant outings, but they also verify for Delphine and her customers that what the grower says is true: it’s all organic, all the time. Le Panier de Piu partners only with producers who farm without chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or greenhouses. (Artificially heated greenhouses are seen as out of sync with seasonal rhythms, and customers are encouraged to expect warm weather crops such as tomatoes during warm weather.) As the link between the farm and her client’s table, she must ask the questions her clients can’t for lack of time, language, or knowledge. Her clients’ trust is what puts her in the fields and ultimately keeps her in business.

helpful to be out of your country. No one knows you here. You can fail. You can make a mistake.”

“It’s has long been steeped in the logistics and the pleasures of food. It takes little effort to turn the conversation to food: the cooking of it and its role in traditions and daily life.

“Cooking is always subjective. It’s really like family, memories of friends and good times. Maybe in every culture there’s a strong, strong link with cooking, eating and human relationships, and also with nature. You don’t eat something from space, you see,” she said.

Her own relationship with food, of course, is where the idea of Le Panier de Piu germinated.

Shortly after arriving in Japan five years ago, Delphine began searching for the organic foods she’d found with ease in French supermarkets. A language barrier, unclear labelling, and a glaring lack of availability turned this simple desire into an obsession.

She began asking everyone around her about

them a taste of home in even a small way can make a big difference to a new immigrant, something that resonates with Delphine.

“I really like to cook with herbs like oregano, thyme, and cumin. The first time I brought Herbs de Provence from France and put it in my potatoes or my chicken it tasted like France. It was really a taste of France. It really tasted like my home,” she said.

Guiding clients along the same foodways she mapped only a handful of years ago spurs Delphine on to find ever more growers and producers. Requests for ingredients or items put her on the hunt, and she finds the process of searching almost as satisfying as finding the solution. While she currently has a citrus and kiwi grower, she still longs for someone offering berries of all kinds as well as other fruits. Sources for dairy, free-range meats, herbs, and perhaps

feature

It is a similar trust she shares with the six farmers who help fill those weekly boxes.

Without their belief that she will find a market for their products and that she will faithfully represent them to clients, Le Panier de Piu could not exist. Their confidence in her sincerity and passion for their food makes her worth their time to discuss their work and history.

For the farmers, Delphine is a personal link to customers, helping to spread the word about what they do. Such marketing is helpful to any business, but organic farmers tend to be young, new to the trade, and on the precarious ground of just beginning. Labouring under all of this at the whim of the weather and market prices, the farmers find that the support of people like Delphine and her cadre of subscribers offers a welcome source of reliable income.

Yet Delphine and Le Panier de Piu stand on much of the same shifting soil. While savouring the excitement of steady growth for the past two years, she is well aware that entrepreneurship is wrought with risks, doubts, and moments of sheer terror. For Delphine, coping with such things requires an open and positive mind.

“First, you must have fun in everything you do.

You can’t be positive if it’s not fun. You can’t be positive every day, but if you are flexible in your mind, you’re not going to be too depressed about some decision or difficult thing. You can simply say, ‘Oh, yes. I made a mistake.’ Every day we have to learn and also we learn from failing, so it’s OK.” From such openness comes her ability to find a compromise between a subscriber’s love of potatoes and the Japanese farmer’s healthy crop of sweet potatoes. (“But I told them they’re just like potatoes. They didn’t really believe me.”) Or seeing the bright side of miscalculating a vegetable order for a small farmers market. (“It was an investment in communication and visibility.”)

“Failure is only a way of thinking. One person may think you failed, but another person thinks

Delphine with her favourite winter veggie.

you made a good decision. It’s your perspective, you see,” she said.

Starting, of course, was the hardest part.

Hearing of more and more organic growers and talking with an ever-increasing number of people frustrated in the search for organic food, Delphine knew it was simply a matter of connecting them.

It was right there at her fingertips, but she was terrified.

“I had this idea. I thought it was a wonderful idea, and I was sure it could be great. But I was so scared. I thought, ‘it’s a great idea, but I can’t do it alone,’” she said.

About this same time she attended a seminar at the French Chamber of Commerce on work life balance. Trained in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), a kind of communication therapy focused on self-awareness in order to change behaviour, the presenter also worked as a life coach. As Delphine heard him speak, she realised it was exactly this kind of coaching she needed to answer the questions rolling about in her mind.

The trainer offered two pieces of advice that still guide Delphine as she continues to build her business: The first: a steady reminder that she isn’t alone.

“He said everybody, even the biggest, most successful entrepreneur, is afraid to fail. You are not alone in this fear. But the person who is a leader, a successful person, is bigger than their fear.

If you feel you are bigger than your fear, you can continue. But if your fear becomes bigger than you, you are paralysed. You must be bigger,” she said.

Sometime in the last five years, Delphine and the man she came to Japan to be with parted ways.

In an undeniably dark time, she also realised she couldn’t go home just yet. She wasn’t done learning all that Japan could teach her. So she stayed and worked, studied Japanese, and began building a web of relationships that became the fertile soil in which Le Panier de Piu grows. She was no stranger to being bigger than her fears, facing what seemed like an impossible task. This time, though, she needed to channel her tenacity toward turning her business vision into reality.

“I was so happy then. I did not have big ambitions about my job. It wasn’t the biggest part of my life. Now Le Panier de Piu is a very big part of my life. Something bad happens, and then you get something new, something better,” she said.

The second piece of advice from the trainer was, perhaps, also something she’d heard before.

But like the fusion-foodie she is, Delphine had already seasoned it with her own experience.

“He also said to never give up. The only other difference between the successful person and the unsuccessful one is that they never give up. I can’t

be so crazy about my idea, though. I must protect myself,” she reasoned.

Protecting herself means continuing to work a part-time day job while growing her business in slow, steady steps. It means a double workload and long days that take a toll at times, but too much risk all at once is simply too dangerous. And it means being patient with herself and the world when it all gets to be too much.

“Sometimes I think that if I just had someone to cook, clean, and give me a hug once in awhile, I could continue, no problem. I have to be patient.

Sometimes you just have to change your business plan or your objective. That’s better than giving up,” she laughed.

Delphine’s advice for budding entrepreneurs runs in the same vein. She advocates having a strong idea to drive the business, and then doing everything possible to realise that ideal. But it’s her second piece of advice that seems a bit counter-intuitive.

“The second point is that it’s helpful to be out of your country. No one knows you here. You can fail. You can make a mistake. You can be late.

But nobody knows you because you didn’t grow up here. Nobody is going to say you can’t do it because you were like this or that before. So you are free. No one is going to see you and judge you on your past actions. The negative is, of course, that you have to make a lot of effort because no one knows you here. But on the other hand you have the advantage that no one knows you, so you can do anything,” she said.

For Delphine, that anything became Le Panier de Piu and a growing passion for building a community around shared food and farming.

Monthly cooking parties, added this year as a way to give hands-on instruction to subscribers and newcomers alike, are an opportunity to learn and share and create new traditions together. What the next stop is in Delphine’s personal recipe for success is, she doesn’t know exactly. But she knows she’ll like the taste of it.

Visit Le Panier de Piu at www.piubio.com to learn more about its services, classes, and philosophy of fresh, organic food experiences. BAB Joan Lambert Bailey divides her time on a farm in Tokyo between learning how to grow and eat Japanese vegetables, and coaxing a handful of her American favourites to make themselves at home, too. Since moving to Japan in 2009, Joan has discovered a new world of food, farming and gardening that she writes about at Popcorn Homestead (http://popcornhomestead. blogspot.com) and Everyday Gardens (http:// everydaygardens.blogspot.com).

Being A Broad February 2011

13

WILLIAMS

international student at Meiji Gakuin Daigaku At left, on a welcome trip to Asakusa.

A group lesson in making okonomiyaki.

Name: Natasha Williams Nationality: Canadian Qualifications: Current student at one of Meiji Gakuin Daigaku (MGU)’s partner universities.

(Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.)

Job title: exchange student Employer: They aren’t my employer as such, but I attend university in Japan and also receive a JASSO scholarship from the government. Several students in my program are on this scholarship, which in our case gives us ¥80,000 per month in living expenses plus a one-time relocation bonus.

Time in this job: one year (two semesters), from September through July.

Job description: I suppose our job is to be the best students we can be, while making the most out of being in Japan and going to school in a new culture and environment. We’re expected to take 12 credit hours of class per semester, of which 4 must be Japanese language. This works out to Japanese plus three courses, though many students take a heavier course load. Courses concentrate mostly on Japanese culture. I’ve taken sumi-e, Marriage in Japan, Gender in Japanese Society, Education in Japan, Linguistics, and American Culture, which was a class where all we did was watch documentaries based on American culture and discuss them. As one of only two foreign students in that class, it was really interesting to see how the Japanese students reacted to what the movies were portraying about Western culture.

General requirements: My home university has certain requirements, such as a minimum grade point average, and a certain number of credits having been completed. It worked out to being roughly a second year student with a C+ average or above. We were required to write a short essay about why we wanted to go on exchange, specifically to Japan, and include transcript information and letters of recommendation.

Once your home university approves you to go on exchange, it is largely a formality for the host university to accept you.

In terms of JASSO, students are recommended based on, from what I understand, their grades and also the country they come from.

The Japanese university that you will be attending recommends you for the scholarship, and none of us knew we had received it until we got to Japan—a lovely surprise!

Japanese requirement: I had to take two semesters of Japanese before my home university would let me go on exchange, though MGU doesn’t require it as some partner universities don’t offer programs in Japanese at all. There are four levels of Japanese class from absolute beginner to basically fluent, and an intensive program for three weeks before the start of the semester helps assign students to the correct level. With the exception of Japanese, all classes are in English, so Japanese isn’t necessary. However, it’s useful to know some so that you can converse better with your assigned ‘buddies,’ join clubs, and get the most out of the experience. Students with enough Japanese ability are also allowed to take classes offered in Japanese to the entire University population.

General conditions: Japanese classes are the most academic of all the courses, and take up around seven hours a week plus homework.

Compared to North American (and from what I’ve heard, most European and Australian/New Zealand) universities, the course load in the other classes is far, far lighter. Classes meet just once per week, reading is very limited, and we barely write any essays. However, this is great as it allows us to experience Japan and not spend all of our time studying and doing homework.

I’m sure some of this is due to our status as exchange students, but I was certainly surprised to arrive in Japan and find that as opposed to the work-work-work culture I was expecting, university is seen as almost a break between high school and working. Clubs and job hunting seem to figure prominently, and overall school here seems more relaxed in a lot of ways than at home.

Though it isn’t a requirement, it’s strongly

Images provided by Natasha Williams.

working

NATASHA

14

suggested that students live in the school-owned dorm near Jiyugaoka. We get our own bedrooms, but share washrooms, showers, laundry, and a common cooking and lounge area. This is nice as it gives us some privacy yet lets us interact with the other international students who come from more than a dozen countries around the world.

The school organises a couple of cultural events for us each semester, and there are dozens of eager Japanese ‘buddies,’ (I had three my first semester!) who meet us for lunch in the cafeteria or organise events such as the Christmas and Halloween parties.

Interesting stories: Even though it seems like it should have been a good thing, some students were really upset to find that the workload was going to be easier in Japan, and even complained to our program supervisor about it. Most of us, though, are happy to have the time to explore Tokyo and the surrounding areas.

On one of those exploratory trips, down to Kyoto, I had a funny experience with the friend I was travelling with. We had gone cheaply, as students do, and got the type of ticket that allows you to travel only on local trains, turning the trip from Tokyo to Kyoto into a nearly tenhour odyssey. On the way home, we managed to miss one of the trains, and as a result missed ‘last train’ for the rest of the trip. We spent a cold December night on the platform of a station three hours away from Tokyo, listening to freight trains rumble through. Quite an adventure!

Issues affecting her as a woman: Now there aren’t any, but our first semester, we stayed in a dorm just for girls. While the boys had plenty of freedom in their building, we were required to be home between the hours of 11pm and 5am (otherwise we were locked out), indicate with a name tag if we were in or out of our apartments at all times, and ask for permission to leave on any overnight trips.

Males weren’t allowed in our rooms, including my uncle, who was dropping off some luggage for me, and we were also—and inexplicably—banned from using the stairs. Once we moved into the co-ed dorm, things greatly improved as we regained equal freedom to male students.

Advice: Be aware that the level of instruction you receive here isn’t going to be the same as it is at home, for better or worse. Take advantage of extra time to learn through living here and not just studying. Even if you aren’t in school in such a way that you can do an exchange, schools like Temple (www.tuj.ac.jp) offer short courses that might give you a taste of university in another country.

Recommended resources: JASSO (www. jasso.go.jp/index_e.html), and Study in Japan (www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj_stope.html) BAB both have lots of good information.

WARRIORS

by Nina S. Godoy

T

he word samurai, for most people, conjures up an image of a strong, refined, cultured warrior, skilled in martial arts, sword, and other weapons.

Almost, if not always, that image is of a man. The image and history that rarely come to mind is the Japanese female warrior—although the same adjectives can be ascribed to them. Although rare, female samurai have existed in Japan throughout the centuries and played a role in Japan’s history. Two of these women were Tomoe Gozen and Nakano Takeko. These women lived hundreds of years apart, but led lives that provide us an insight into the role that women played in society.

Like their male counterparts, Japanese female warriors were highly trained, not only in weaponry, but also in literary and other arts.

They also understood the codes of conduct that they were expected to abide by. Since the late 19th century, the samurai code of conduct has become popularly known in the Western world as bushido or “way of the warrior,” thanks to the author Nitobe Inazo who published his book Bushido: The Soul of Japan in 1899. This book described to Western audiences the samurai code of conduct that had been developed and followed over hundreds of years, describing the ideal virtues of honour, obedience, loyalty, piety, duty, and self-sacrifice. This code of conduct was not solely a male domain, but was one that women samurai were also expected to follow as an integral part of their lives.

Perhaps one of the earliest popular female warriors in Japanese history is Tomoe Gozen.

She is believed to have been born around 1150 and is described in the Tales of Heike (Heike Monogotari) as being an incredible beauty who had great aptitude and skill in using the bow and arrow and also in swordsmanship. The Tales of Heike describe the history of the Heike clan and, more specifically, its downfall during the Gempei War. Although the descriptions of Tomoe Gozen in the Tales of Heike are brief, she is portrayed as a leader who is thought to have led men into battle. She was also known as a great survivor on the battlefield even when many around her were killed or wounded. Unfortunately, to this day no one exactly knows what happened to Tomoe Gozen. Some of the history suggests that she became the wife of one of her enemies when she was finally defeated by him in battle and then went on to become a nun upon his death. Others suggest that she did in fact die during a battle.

The uncertainty as to her fate has served to add mystique to her character that has continued to capture the imagination.

The story of Nakano Takeko is also fascinating. Born in 1847 into the Aizu clan, she was the daughter of an official and was trained

learning

JAPAN’S FORGOTTEN

Female samurai, or 女武芸者, have a surprisingly rich history in Japan.

in the traditional samurai literary and martial arts.

The middle-to-late 19th century was a time of great upheaval in Japan with the end of some of the traditional Japanese ways of life and politics.

The formal opening of Japan to the Western world began with the arrival of Commodore Perry and the Kanagawa Treaty between the US Navy and the Tokugawa shogunate in 1854 signaled the end of Japan’s isolationist policy of sakoku. Sakoku, or closed country, was a policy enacted in the early

samurai and fighters. Exceptionally skilled in the use of the naginata, a weapon that consists of a curved blade attached to a long pole, Nakano Takeko is believed to have killed several of the enemy before being killed in battle from a bullet to the chest. In what was largely a battle of tradition against the coming tide of modernity— bullets against swords and other traditional weapons, these battles were mostly lost before they began. However, that knowledge did not

to mid-17th century by the Tokugawa shogunate and limited foreign influence in Japan. This policy did not mean that there were no foreigners in Japan, or that Japan was completely isolated from the rest of the world. Rather, it meant that trade and contact with outside influences was strictly controlled to ensure that foreign influence in Japan was kept to a minimum.

By the time Nakano Takeko was a young girl, Japan’s entry into the Kanagawa Treaty signalled the beginning of the end for the Tokugawa shogunate and was a time of internal conflict in Japan. This was finally resolved in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration and the end of the civil war, known as the Boshin War, which ultimately saw the restoration of Imperial rule in Japan, with the Emperor governing Japan until the end of World War Two. This period of Japan’s history was loosely portrayed in the film The Last Samurai.

Although women were not allowed to form an official part of the Aizu clan battalions, legend has it that Nakano Takeko led approximately twenty female warriors into the Battle of Aizu.

This battle is estimated to have seen 20,000 male Imperial Forces soldiers against 3,000–5,000 Aizu

stop the samurai, male or female, from fulfilling what they saw as their duty.

Determined to have an honourable death in the samurai fashion, Nakano Takeko had previously agreed with her sister, Yuko, that should she fall in battle, her head should be removed from her body and taken for burial. This meant that she would not allow her body to fall into the hands of her enemies. Legend has it that her sister fulfilled this request and took her head home for burial. There is a monument to Nakano Takeko recognising her life and skills as a female warrior located in Fukushima.

Both Tomoe Gozen and Nakano Takeko exemplify the characteristics and history of Japan’s female samurai who have largely gone to the graves without the recognition or remembrance they deserve. Like their male counterparts, they were highly trained, skilled in their weapons of choice and they commanded a presence amongst their fellow fighters. The feats that these two women achieved nearly 700 years apart on their respective battlefields have helped to ensure that their stories have not been forgotten. They also shed some light on so many BAB other almost-forgotten stories.

lthough rare, female samurai have existed in Japan throughout the centuries and played a role in A Japan’s history.

Being A Broad February 2011

15

DIY

RO MANTIC

PHOTOGRAPHY

by Dee Green and Tracey Taylor of 37 Frames Photography

S

pring is around the corner, love is in the air.

Why not celebrate the love of your partner, friends, family, loved ones, and favourite things by grabbing your camera and documenting life right now? Try these romantic photo tips inspired by some all-time great, cheesy, classic love stories and compiled by hopeless film buffs Dee and Trace of 37 Frames (http://37framesphotography.com).

An Affair to Remember Living in Japan is some kind of love affair. Grab your loved ones and get some iconic images of life here before they break your heart and leave Japan… forever. Go classic: temples, shrines, meeting at the top of Tokyo Tower.

Go offbeat: vending machines, at the convenience store, on a train.

The Wedding Planner

Ok, so this flick is on the cheesy end of things, but planning a shoot is important. Think wardrobe, details, location, and perspective. Shoot low, high, slightly angled. Zoom in and out.

16 Lost in Translation

Falling in love with Japan, in Japan. Think cultural colours and sense.

Thelma & Louise

Well it’s not your usual love story unless you go through some film analysis. But just like the movie promo, why not go self-timer on your roadtripself and have some real fun?

Casablanca

Location, location, location. Find somewhere cool, classic, or sweeping. Grab the camera, try some posed and candid shots and shoot wide for vistas.

Give a sense of location, but don’t let it overtake the photo. Make it work for the shot, to complement the couple.

It’s a Wonderful Life Capture the little details of life-long love.

DIY

City Of Angels

Find the light, shoot into the sun. Play with flare with flair.

Dirty Dancing

Get moving, try some dips, twirls, bows. This will get your subjects relaxed and forgetting about the camera, because they’re so embarrassed to dance. No one puts Baby in the corner.

Pretty Woman

Grab your favourite girl friend, walk the streets, find a cozy corner, and frame it with some fleeting moments. Killer boots help.

The Way we Were

All sharing in the love, just like Barbra. Get the whole brood together for some classic family shots. Before times just goes‌

The Proposal

Theatrical, romantic. and just a little bit epic.

With a touch of drama and whimsy.

Sweet November

Remember love in all the seasons, playfully and naturally. Piggybacks always help.

Being A Broad February 2011

17

SPACES AND PLACES

by Caroline Pover

Yokohama International School musicians with artist Aki.

All images provided by Caroline Pover.

community

TEDxAOYAMA: WOMEN’S

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O

n December 9 last year, over 100 people (mostly women, but more than a few men) gathered at the Canadian Embassy in Aoyama, for the first female-focused TED event in Japan.

For those who don’t know, TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and “challenges inspirational people to give the talk of their lives.” TED events are held throughout the world, and speakers have included Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, Eve Ensler, Bill Gates, Al Gore, Stephen Hawking, Jamie Oliver, Amy Tan, and Jill Bolte Taylor, and countless other lesserknown people who have, as TED says, “an idea worth spreading.”

TED was brought to Japan in 2009, and there have since been two TEDxTokyo conferences, a TEDxYouth conference, and

speak. The experience of being a TED speaker was quite unlike anything I have experienced before and had a profound effect on me—one that I will come to in future writing, I am sure!

For now, let me share with you the experience of being part of the audience of TEDxAoyama: Women’s Spaces and Places.

The entrance of Princess Takamado signalled the start of the first ever women’s TED event in Japan, and was quickly followed by koto playing, quite unlike any music I had ever heard.

I’m not into traditional Japanese music, but the players from Yokohama International School had me spellbound throughout, as the tension in the music created an electric atmosphere in Canada Place. The musicians accompanied shodo artist “Aki,” who I really felt for as she created a beautiful piece of calligraphy just a

talking on The Music Room, and sharing her love for the koto. Erika is a member of the Yokohama International High School Advanced Music Ensemble, playing with the koto group, and is the author and illustrator of the first English book on playing the koto (The Japanese Koto: A Beginner’s Textbook, Mizuyamasangyo Co. Ltd., 2010, ISBN-13: 978-4903796642). She is also a great speaker—I am interested to see how this young woman’s future develops! You can read more about Erika on page 11 of this issue.

Anthropologist-turned-geisha “Sayuki” then spoke about her life as an Australian working in Asakusa, which was fascinating to listen to, if in disregard of the TED self-promotion guidelines.

I found her speaking style to be very interesting; she sat completely still with her hands neatly folded in her lap, the complete opposite of how I throw myself around the room as I talk.

Marketing entrepreneur Fujiyo Ishiguro then spoke on Women in Science, in particular how she believes that entrepreneurship is shifting from an art to a science, becoming something one can learn. I’m not sure I agree with this—I think you can learn certain skills that are necessary for the running of a business, but the desire and passion for running your own business is something in your soul—you can’t force it. I really enjoyed listening to Fujiyo, though, and a big part of this was the fact that she was sharing something she believed in clearly and confidently, yet in less than perfect English. She is a perfect example of someone who doesn’t let the details of grammar prevent her from expressing opinions and effectively communicating.

Possibly my favourite speaker of the day came next: the first male speaker, Dr. Gautam

was a privilege to be a part of a day that was women’s lives, roles, spaces, and places...and Iwastabout so wonderfully put together.

December’s TEDxAoyama conference. These all-day conferences follow a similar format: speakers are invited to talk for up to 18 minutes on a subject that has the potential to change people’s thinking (there are very strict guidelines and commercial or self-promoting talks are not allowed), and throughout the day there are breaks for networking and casual discussion. The audience is by invitation only, and the organisers are expected to ensure that it comprises of changemakers; people who will take those ideas and spread them.

The talks are broadcast live over the internet, and recorded and edited to go online at a later date. All TED Talks are free to distribute.

I was honoured, not only to be invited to attend TEDxAoyama, but also to be invited to

few feet away from the Princess (it doesn’t seem to matter what us Brits think about monarchies, we still go a bit gooey when we’re anywhere near royalty).

Her Imperial Highness was the first speaker, and, in her very British accent, she spoke on how living things adapt to the spaces of their environment, relating this to how Japanese people cope with crowded trains and other elements of life in Japan that may seem alien to the Western eye. She advocated exploring spaces and places through travel, and my favourite comment from her was her advice to beware of digital media encroaching on our own spaces and places. She was warm, articulate, beautiful, and elegant.

Seventeen-year-old Erika Trent was next,

Hiroko and “The Dance of the Kanij.”

The Hon. Mieko Nakabayashi and “Changing Places.”

Emi Toko and “Ainu Music and Design.”

president Monika Merz (I love her—she has pink stripy hair like I do right now) then took us out of the kitchen and into The Toy Room. Next, Donna Burke and The Comedy Store did some hilarious improvisation aimed at helping women in business.

I was the next speaker, and I had been asked to talk about “In The Bedroom,” which, as my husband said, was a bit like holding a red rag to a bull. I started off in the bedroom and

a doubt, the best networking event I have ever been to. Usually when I go to a networking event I meet one, maybe two, people who make me feel that they could change the world with something special they are doing. They are the people that stay in my mind and often become friends or associates for years to come. At TEDxAoyama, everyone I met was like that.

It was a privilege to be a part of a day that was about women’s lives, roles, spaces, and places, yet also included so many men as speakers or in the audience, and was so wonderfully put together by Patricia Bader-Johnston and her team of volunteers. If the purpose of the TED is to generate “ideas worth spreading,” then I’ve already seen, from the response to my own Talk, that TEDxAoyama was a great success.

All the TEDxAoyama Talks can be viewed online at http://tedxaoyama.ning.com.

Answer: the surgeon is the boy’s mother. BAB

sually when I go to a networking event I meet one, maybe two, people that make me feel that they U could change the world with something special they are doing...At TEDxAoyama, everyone I met was like that.

Japan was the second male speaker of the day—a great speaker, but his slick talk on battery-driven electric taxis, however interesting, seemed more like a business presentation to me. Next was Shifa Ngoul Haddad on Sustainable Places to Live, who is a beautiful speaker with a charming accent, and sat calmly on the stage’s armchair, reading her talk from a book as if she were reading a story to a child.

Another man, visiting from overseas, poet Gerry Osamu Shikatani, was next, following by Tomoca Aoyama, who talked about The Tea Room. I didn’t know that women are not allowed to become tea masters in Japan, but they can become interpreters, which as the daughter of a tea master, Tomoca decided to do. She shared a delightful story about what she would do if she had the opportunity to serve tea to Madonna.

Another special guest flown in from overseas was Your Kitchen Coach’s Anne Bergman, who talked about how we make our food choices.

She was another speaker who made a great effort to follow the TED guidelines. It was lovely to discover that Anne used to live in the Canadian embassy as a diplomat child. Toys R Us

ended with the audience on their feet, grabbing a certain part of their bodies, and shouting about their love for it. It’s true, and there’s a video to prove it.

I was followed by The Honourable Mieko Nakabayashi, who spoke very warmly about her experiences in and opinions on women in the political space. She was another example of a Japanese woman sharing her views without worrying about perfect grammar—I really think this was one of my favourite elements of the day. Language did not seem to be important.

The final speaker was Dr Ikuo Homma, who spoke in Japanese about the Noh mask, and about the different kinds of breathing. Then we were entertained by a live art show from “Hiroko,” who did The Dance of the Kanji. Her work had been displayed throughout Canada Place all day, so it was wonderful to see her create art right before our eyes.

When the speaking part of the day was over, there was a reception throughout the evening, providing plenty of opportunity for more networking. Now, I’ve been networking in Tokyo for almost 15 years, and this was, without

Dr. Ikuo Homma and “The Noh Mask.”

Being A Broad February 2011

community

Despande, who had clearly made an effort to follow the TED speaker guidelines (unlike most of the other speakers). Gautam really challenged our thinking with his talk on healthcare, especially with this puzzle that I’m going to leave with you to work out: A father and son are involved in an accident. The father dies and the son is rushed to hospital for surgery. The surgeon looks at the boy in dismay and says, “I can’t operate on this boy. He’s my son.” How is this possible? The answer is at the bottom if you can’t work it out!

Mie Kajikawa of Sport for Smile, who was the first-ever female intern with the NBA, was next, talking about The Locker Room and sharing her ideas about the role of sport in our lives. She told a beautiful story of when she created teams of young children from formerly enemy countries to play sports together. Emi Toko, an Ainu performer, whose singing was very moving even if you couldn’t understand the lyrics, came next. I noted how much more comfortable the Ainu traditional dress looks than the Japanese kimono!

During the networking lunch there was a big screen showing talks from the women’s TED event in Washington, and the chance to get a TEDx logo painted on your little finger!

After lunch Kiyotaka Fuji of Better Place

19

OUT AND

ABOUT T

hough it can sometimes be hard to find them initially, there are tons of events going on—in Tokyo and around Japan—where foreign women can feel very much at home. While BAB offers several women and girls-only events, plenty of other organisations are offering events geared to the entire expat community, which, of course, includes plenty of you amazing women. Here we give you a peek into just a few of these great events, hopefully insipiring you to venture out to some of your own.

If you’ve attended or organised an event somewhere in Japan where foreign women were in attendance, and would like it to appear in a future issue of BAB, please send your photos to editor@being-a-broad.com, and let us know when and where they were taken. Kanpai!

International Pole Championships (December 9, 2010)

20

37 Frames Photography Exhibition (December 4–12, 2010)

she found love in Japan

MARRYING MY KYUSHU-DANJI Image provided by A’ishah Levine.

by A’ishah Levine

T

he amazing thing about my betrothal to a Japanese man is how normal our marriage is. As an American child from a Mexican mother and a Jewish father, I’ve had ample experience with multiculturalism. So, naturally the idea that I would probably marry a Japanese man in the end was always somewhere there in the back of my mind.

My husband’s family, however, is from Fukuoka.

And for those of you who are unfamiliar with the Japanese culture, I should explain that men from Fukuoka are known as Kyushu-danji, an epithet denoting a most traditional type of Japanese man. You can imagine the look of surprise that I received from Japanese friends and co-workers upon hearing the news that I would be marrying AUTOMOBILES: a Kyushu-danji.

Yet, never have I known such a BEAUTY: thoughtful and caring man. When we were only engaged, Taka selflessly accompanied me on a midnight flight to Arizona after my mother passed away, since he didn’t feel that I should be travelling alone at such a sad moment. As it happened, this Japanese man found himself one rainy afternoon in the border town of Nogales, a pall bearer for the Mexican mother-in-law he had never met.

Life is strange, wonderful, unexpected.

I have been in love with Japan for most of my life. My father, an enthusiast of Japanese history and art, inculcated in me a respect for Japanese civilization and fostered my interest in the language since I was only twelve years old. Dad, not actually knowing any Japanese at all, attempted to teach me the language by using a textbook, trying to learn one chapter ahead of our current lesson plan. While not learning much (sorry Dad!), I did develop a familiarity with the language such that in college it was like an old friend from the start. I spent my junior year of college in Hiroshima, and upon graduation spent three years working for the Kameoka City Government on the JET Programme.

I was recruited by my current company, a Japanese advertising agency, in 2005 and have happily and productively worked there ever since.

I was introduced to my future husband Takahiro Kawakami at a nomikai (drinking party) organised by a co-worker. Taka runs a computer company specialising in fascinating web design motifs, servers, iPhone applications, and other

realms of the online world that I only wish I could begin to comprehend. Yet his very noble dream is to use his team’s exceptional technological skills to help every person in every country communicate clearly and effortlessly with anybody around the world. He has had many conversations with my father—a linguist—about how one could go about bridging the linguistic and technological gap that is still so prevalent despite our highly evolved technology. Alas, they have yet to reach any agreement and so Taka’s research continues.

Needless to say, we are both vastly interested in global business (he from an Eastern-toWestern viewpoint, and me from a Western-toEastern viewpoint). We often find ourselves in hours-long conversations about our dreams to start new businesses together—businesses which will help either localise foreign cultures in Japan or export Japanese ideas to the West. Somehow our conversations always end with us talking about how my knowledge of other cultures can help him in his endeavours, or how his advanced knowledge of technology would help me in mine—a match made in business heaven!

When we’re not talking about business, our weekends are spent visiting different areas in Tokyo and meeting with friends. Saturday afternoons always seem to draw to a close with a long chat over a cup of coffee at a nice café.

As we are both interested in the others’ point of view and culture, our conversations at said coffee shops often can get very heated (to the chagrin of the poor soul sitting at the table adjacent to ours).

Yet, every day is like a new adventure as we are in a continual state of awakening to other points of view. Mainly, both of us are good listeners and good friends. He is gutsy, not afraid to gamble for all the stakes (I mean this quite literally); a strong, patient, and handsome man who is intensely hard-working. While these might be some of the traits of the Kyushu-danji, none of them have to do specifically with his nationality or with where he was raised. They do, however, have everything to do with the simple fact that “he is Takahiro.”

Nationality aside, he is the man I fell in love with.

While at first there was a considerable amount of hesitation on both our parts because of our immense cultural gulf, the moment of truth came for Taka when he was faced with a lifethreatening tragedy. This enlightenment occurred when his family’s 400-year old home (jikka) in the mountains of Kyushu accidentally burned to the ground one night, and he and his family barely got out safely (losing priceless possessions and artifacts). He came back to Tokyo two nights later, with only a wilted, empty backpack, a pair of sandals he had bought after the fire consumed his expensive Nike sneakers, and the intention of

asking me to marry him. This taught me that fate exists also in a country like Japan where function and prudence can conquer all.

Taka’s family once belonged to the Kuroda Clan, and were samurai for many generations.

While maintaining their traditional way of life, they uniquely welcome new ideas. Their wish to be open to the world is symbolised by the acceptance into their family of a gaijin. However, as Taka is the chounan (first born son responsible for the continuation of his family’s centuries-old legacy), there are still some obligations to his extended family. This became apparent when we were planning our wedding. While we would have been content to have had a simple no-frills marriage, the family opted for an expensive formal affair in Fukuoka. Looking back on this, though, I have nothing but fond memories and a greater respect for the finality of the experience in both of our lives and for its sustaining power in our marriage. It created, as it were, an unalterable destiny inscribed in the immemorial family tree—a tree which now contains a name forever engraved in katakana.

Taka enjoys my style of cooking and we prepare a hybrid cuisine ranging from Japanese to Mexican and American style dishes. Since I have no inherent Japanese culture of my own to bring to the family, many of the usual mother and daughterin-law troubles have been circumvented from the start. I am more than anxious to learn from his mother how to make for Taka some of the delicious home-cooked Fukuoka specialties that remind him of home—not to mention that every conversation with her is like a densely-packed Japanese lesson about the language and traditional way of life here. I do believe that she too is glad to teach me her family’s customs.

We have recently moved into a beautiful condo and are busy furnishing it. That too will be eclectic: comprised of American furniture, some European art pieces, and of course one room in the washitsu or traditional Japanese tatami style. Laughter washes over our new dinner table and long talks on the now chilly veranda fill our Friday nights.

I understand that successful international marriages such as ours are rare, especially when it is a foreign woman who marries a Japanese man.

Much depends on the liberal character of the man and the willingness of the woman to understand the obligations and joys of being bound forever to a unique and noble culture, one without peer in the world. It’s all about mutual acceptance. I have never been happier.

Our marriage has been enormously liberating, providing an opportunity to expand horizons and creating a new generation who will live in a brave and hopeful world of expectations BAB and fruitful dreams.

Being A Broad February 2011

21

Being A Broad Resources

PAMPERING & BEAUTY:

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LOVE YOUR BUM:

this

Valentine’s

LOVE

Day

YOUR

TEDxAoyama Part 17

BUM

Being A Broad Resources

AUTOMOBILES: BEAUTY:

RELOCATION:

BUSINESS:

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Being A Broad February 2011

Being A Broad Resources 24

FOOD & DINING:

FOOD & DINING:

RELOCATION:

PHOTOGRAPHY:

DENTISTRY:

PRINTING:

RELOCATION: BEAUTY:

COMMUNITY:

SPORTS & FITNESS:

Being A Broad Resources

TAILORING: BEAUTY:

HEALTH:

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COMMUNITY:

Being A Broad February 2011

Being A Broad Resources

FAMILIES:

by CAROLINE POVER

translation by Satomi Matsumaru

ASK CAROLINE

ABOUT LIFESTYLES, CONFIDENCE, FRIENDSHIP, APPEARANCES, CULTURE, CAREERS, LOVE, SEX, MOTHERHOOD...

Ba

Caroline Pover

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www.askcaroline.com

se RE d on AL R Jap EAL an qu es es e w tio om ns en fro ! m

Teacher’s Edition Alexandra Press

laurel springs

e Hom e h of t rls’ gi BAB out. t nigh GNO: Next ary 24, u Febr 011.

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