Every culture has different standards and practices of child development. But one thing that I find very different in Japan is the trust they put allowing young children to use public transportation alone at a very young age. This would be unthinkable in the U.S. and many other countries. It just wouldn’t be safe! Many …
Japanese Kids Use Public Transportation at an Early Age Read More »
Continuation from Part I and Part II: Running the apartment house on 6th and Colombia whilst attending Broadway HS was busy work for the young Takashi but because his parent’s limited English, he had to assist them with the business. Upon graduating high school, he decided to attend the University of Washington to study accounting. …
If you’re in search for some fresh interior design ideas for your floors, consider Asian style floor design. In order to achieve Asian-style design, stick to a natural color palette of browns, reds, greens and tans when it comes to home decor. You’ll also want to stick to natural materials for your floor. Stone tiles, …
It is amazing how the traditional Japanese room has really stayed the same through the centuries. The overall concept of keeping true to natural materials of wood and the tatami mat remain consistent. Shape and form play an important role, always striving to allow for as much natural light as possible, while keeping to symmetry …
In Asian cooking we use many different types of clear noodles. In English, if one hears vermicelli you automatically think of Italian pasta, but in Asia there are two types of common vermicelli used in cooking. One is a made out of rice and the other is made from mung beans. In Japan, the rice …
Mr. Hori today in front of his home Part II Sanjiro and Toyo Hori had four children: Toyome born in 1916, Takashi (1918), Fukashi (1921) and Aiko (1926). Although, they lived in America, Takashi, as the first born son in a Japanese family, was responsible to carry on the family business. The meshiya that Sanjiro …
Recently, there has been a surge in the number of people who are gluten intolerant. In fact, my sister-in-law’s husband became allergic to gluten a few years ago. While having dinner one night, he had a sudden allergic reaction and had to be rushed to the hospital. At the time they were completely baffled and …
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a historical fiction novel about a little love story between a Chinese boy and Japanese girl during the 1940’s Japanese internment of WWII based in Seattle, Washington. As you can imagine, it’s a popular choice for book clubs where I live because you can actually visit …
As with any classic recipe there are many different versions of the same dish. Here on Asian Lifestyle Design, I previously posted my recipe for Chicken Teriyaki Wings! Please check this one out too, the difference is in the garlic. This teriyaki recipe was given to me by Fumiko and she broke it down so …
image: Shibuya 246 Many years ago when I was a young parent, my son attend a Japanese kindergarten that had an enrollment of 400 students! These children were between the ages of 3 and 6. You’d imagine the place to be utter chaos, but instead, it was full of life, energy and fun! What was …
Normally, I really enjoy cooking but once in a while when I have too much going on in other areas of my life, it really starts to take a back seat and I don’t give enough time to prepare and think about our meals. When you have many mouths to feed, this isn’t the best …
This year marks the Chado Urasenke Tankokai Seattle Association’s 40th Anniversary. Chado, also called Chanoyu or Sado is Japanese Tea Ceremony or Way of Tea. Chado in Seattle began in the 1930’s when Madam Kiyomi Otani began teaching in her home. Then during WWII, the Japanese were sent to internment camps. But that didn’t stop Madame Otani …
Chado Urasenke Tankokai Seattle 40th Anniversary Read More »
photo by RMT Bananas, Lemons and Boiled Eggs. What do these three have in common? The color: YELLOW –these foods are used to characterize the “yellow” Asian. The most common term is “banana”. Yellow on the outside, white on the inside meaning someone who is Asian in appearance but who’s habits and lifestyle is Westernized. …
photo by EverJean Imagine having a zen room in your own home; a room that you can use to meditate, read, practice yoga or just have a bit of “me” time. Why not put together your own zen room? Traditionally, Asians enjoy sitting on the floor with minimal furniture, so this can be our model. …
A year and a half ago, a son of ours was going through “senioritis”. That’s the term used by the teachers at our school to describe the attitude of seniors in high school when they lose interest in studying. This usually happens once they are accepted to college or when they feel they have the …
The Japanese word wagamama is very onomatopoeic. I just like the sound of it. Wagamama. The English translation is selfish. The word is usually used when children want to have their way, for example one would say ”stop being so wagamama and let’s try this new restaurant for a change”. But, I recall a time …
