Let me tell you about my neighborhood here on the outskirts of Tokyo.

It may surprise you to know that there are still a number of small (under an acre) farms where locals grow fruit and vegetables. They often have a table set up where you can buy a few of the pickings before they go to market.

There is a tofu shop, where beans are pressure cooked and made into fresh tofu and aburage daily. Three generations can be seen working there. Even on Sunday I often see the shop master cleaning, adjusting his equipment, or just hanging out. Clearly it’s a labor of love.

There is also a delicious bakery run by a young couple. They are friendly, and promote organic and other healthy products. On holidays they always bake up seasonal goodies: German ‘st... Read More

Upon arrival in Japan I was impressed with the train system. As a New Yorker I have been used to the nuances of a disorganized transportation system. Allow me to compare. The first thing you notice in the NY subway is the smell or rather the stench. The repulsive odor consists of rat droppings, trash, urine and the homeless. There is no such thing as ventilation. So imagine getting dressed going to work smelling fresh and clean then having to subject your fine wardrobe to the stench of this underworld. By the time you get to work you will feel as dirty as the less fortunate that make it their home. In the Japanese system the setup is familiar. The suica is reminiscent of the NYC metrocard. The automated purchasing machine is more prevalent and reliant. However, once y... Read More

It's said that Japan is one of the safest places to live in the world. Ask any foreigner who stepped off the plane three months ago and they’ll tell you about the time they collapsed in an alcoholic stupor on the steps of a train station and woke up four hours later with the contents of their bags ? wallet, phone, keys, iPod ? strewn around them untouched.

One the other hand, ask a Japanese person and they’ll tell you about the time they were “attacked” by a man on a train who actually just coughed on them.

And perhaps a female colleague will tell you about being chased down the road by a man cycling a bike, holding an umbrella and masturbating at the same time. And about how her underpants go missing when she dries them on her first floor b... Read More