How Asian Culture Has Impacted Gaming
Contribution from freelance writer Jocelyn Brown. For decades, Asian culture has shown an affinity for animation and computer games…
Omiyage, the Japanese Custom of Gifting
Omiyage, is the Japanese custom of gifting that is ingrained in our culture. When we are invited over to someone’s home for a meal or any occasion, we often bring food or a small gift for the host. Gifting is a part of many cultures. This was very apparent when I met my Persian girlfriend. When …
Shichigosan: The Japanese Festival for 7, 5, and 3 Year Olds
The Japaneses Shichigosan festival celebrates children who are 7,5, and 3. The word, Shichigosan is literally a combination of three numbers in Japanese; shichi is seven, go is five and san is three. This makes it pretty easy to remember what this festival is about! The Shichigosan festival, thought to be over 400 years old, is …
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Japanese New Years Traditions
Now that Christmas has come and gone, in a Japanese household, we have to start thinking of the biggest holiday of the year, New Years or Oshogatsu. January 1st, is called Gan jitsu. In the olden days, it was thought that the new year’s god, Toshigami-sama, brought happiness and good harvest. So, to welcome this …
Traditional Asian Blessings – Omamori
In Asia, blessings are part of our culture, woven into our lives. In Japan we call them omamori, meaning to protect. This type of amulet is not thought of as religious, but its practice is more on a spiritual level. Sometimes when we feel the need of support from the universe, we buy for them …
Japanese Chopstick Etiquette
In Japan, there are a few etiquette rules when using chopsticks. Although I grew up in a Japanese-American home, there were some rules that my Japanese girlfriends kindly pointed out to me because I did a few of the taboos, simply out of ignorance. Here are a few that I think are good to know. …
Korean Food and the Kimchi Chronicles
Our family loves the spicy and rich flavors of Korean food. When the kids come home during their school break, their restaurant of choice is the local Korean BBQ. Apparently, in their neighborhoods, there are plenty of Japanese and Chinese eateries but not many Korean. So, off we go and they consume an embarrassing amount of …
Do You Believe in Karma?
In karma, your actions whether good or bad will come back to you. Most Asians do believe in karma as it’s part of our culture, imbedded in how we were raised rather than a religious issue. As a young child I didn’t know what karma was but in our Japanese-American home we knew what “bachi” …
Parenting Lessons: Lead by Example
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 …
Chado Urasenke Tankokai Seattle 40th Anniversary
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 …
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Aki Matsuri in Bellevue, Washington
This past weekend was the Annual Japanese Aki Matsui in Bellevue, Washington. Aki means fall and matsuri means festival. This fabulous cultural celebration is produced by a group of volunteers, led by Tom and Katsuko Brooke called ENMA. Their vision is to celebrate and share the rich culture of Japan with those living in the …
A Story on Chinese and Gold
Traditionally, gold was considered a safe and sure investment for Chinese. The other day I was reading about the price of gold and how Asians were more likely to purchase gold than Westerners. That’s when I remembered a story. When I was a young girl, one of my best friends was Chinese and her mother …
Preserving Japanese Culture in Seattle – 100 Year Old Club
Yesterday we celebrated the Japanese Hyakudokai New Year’s Celebration. The name Hyakudokai is taken from the motto “‘keep active until 100 years old’. According to Mrs. Horikawa, the President of the association, the club began in Hiroshima in 1957, encouraging the elderly to live long with good health and to help one another to preserve …
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