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Marriage in Japan I went out for lunch with my partner at a cafe the other day that stood across the train station in a Japanese desolate rural town where I live. To call it a cafe is a bit too fancy. It’s not the likes of Starbucks but rather a small old mom-and-pop diner that was built well over 30 years ago and remained as it was, which perfectly matched this old town itself. We sat at the table and overheard a conversation from the table next to us. Three old women in their eighties sat around the table by the window. “She has passed away, too.” “This could be the last time we ...

After botching a suicide attempt, salaryman Hanio Yamada decides to put his life up for sale in the classifieds section of a Tokyo newspaper. Soon interested parties come calling with increasingly bizarre requests and what follows is a madcap comedy of errors, involving a jealous husband, a drug-addled heiress, poisoned carrots - even a vampire. For someone who just wants to die, Hanio can't seem to catch a break, as he finds himself enmeshed in a continent-wide conspiracy that puts him in the crosshairs of both his own government and a powerful organized-crime syndicate.

As autumn arrives, so too does the harvest festival, and everyone is in a celebratory mood. Dwarf Shaman, Priestess, and even Female Knight help with preparations for the revelries, but Guild Girl has her eyes fixed on an even greater prize—a date with Goblin Slayer! With no goblins around, the awkward adventurer has no reason to refuse, but where does that leave his old friend Cow Girl...? Emotional entanglements are in the air, but Goblin Slayer senses some menace lurking behind these seemingly peaceful days...

Born with a congenital muscle disorder, Shaka spends her days in her room in a care home outside Tokyo, relying on an electric wheelchair to get around and a ventilator to breathe. But if Shaka’s physical life is limited, her quick, mischievous mind has no boundaries: She takes e-learning courses on her iPad, publishes explicit fantasies on websites, and anonymously troll-tweets to see if anyone is paying attention (“In another life, I’d like to work as a high-class prostitute”). One day, she tweets into the void an offer of an enormous sum of money for a sperm donor.

Sam Sakamoto doesn't have space in her life for dreams. With the recent death of her mother, Sam's focus is the farm, which her family will lose if they can't make one last payment. There's no time for her secret and unrealistic hope of becoming a photographer, no matter how skilled she's become. But Sam doesn't know that an even bigger threat looms on the horizon.

Our protagonist, an unnamed junior at a prestigious university in Kyoto, is on the verge of dropping out. After rebelling against the dictatorial jock president of the film club, he and his worst and only friend, the diabolical creep Ozu, are personas non grata on campus. For two years, our protagonist has made all the wrong decisions, and now he's about to make another mistake. He and Ozu are preparing for revenge—a fireworks attack at the film club's welcoming party for new members.

Enter the serene and intricately designed world of Japanese gardens with "Whispering Leaves in Zen Gardens," your gateway to uncovering the tranquil beauty and deep philosophy that lies behind these carefully cultivated spaces. Through the art of garden-making, this transformative eBook reveals the delicate balance between nature, spirit, and human creativity, guiding you through an enriching journey that harmonizes the mind, body, and soul. In Chapter 1, delve into the mysterious allure of Wabi-Sabi where the appreciation of imperfection and transience in garden design is explored. Uncover...

This is the story of an artist as an aging man, struggling through the wreckage of Japan's World War II experience. Ishiguro's first novel.

Christian growth in Japan has been slow. This book fills a cultural gap, bridging the messages of Jesus and Paul to our gospel mission in Japan. It is a collection of insights from Japanese literature, the arts, and religion. No other work to date has attempted to include this much information in one book, focusing on Japanese opinions, research and theology. Not only those working in Japan, struggling with language, culture and frustrating questions will benefit from the insights presented here, but also missiologists, theologians and students of cross-cultural evangelism. They will find ...

Japan, 1745, is a land under the iron grip of the Tokugawa shoguns. Roads are monitored, dissent stifled, and order maintained through blackmail and an extensive network of informers. Amid rumors of rebellion, Kurosawa Kinko—samurai and monk—is expelled in disgrace as the head music instructor of his Zen temple in Nagasaki. He begins an odyssey across Japan, dogged by agents and assassins from an unknown foe. Along his journey, Kinko encounters a compelling cast of merchants, ronin, courtesans, spies, warriors, hermits, and spirits, on a quest to redeem his honor.

With Paul Noble’s simple, relaxed approach you will learn in a way that suits you – without having to memorise long lists of words you won’t use, scribbling notes as you listen, or feeling frustrated. Instead, Paul will help you build on what you learnt in Learn Italian with Paul Noble for Beginners – Part Two, and guide you through over 4 hours of everyday scenarios that are practical, fun, and applicable. Just listen, interact, and learn wherever you are.

Kimi’s Obaachan, her grandmother, had always been a silent presence throughout her youth. Sipping tea by the fire, preparing sushi for the family, or indulgently listening to Ojichan’s (grandfather’s) stories for the thousandth time, Obaachan was a missing link to Kimi’s Japanese heritage, something she had had a mixed relationship with all her life. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, all Kimi ever wanted to do was fit in, spurning traditional Japanese cuisine and her grandfather’s attempts to teach her the language.

If you want the highest quality knife blade you need to learn how to use a whetsone, the most effective Japanese way of sharpening knives to maintain their edge crisp and sharp. Whetstone will not only teach you the basics of knife sharpening but also an essential range of other essential skills. You will learn how to thin old knives to renew them and make them as good as new. You will also learn how to create a knife sharpening plan that will have you sharpening knives like a professional.

Are you dreaming of speaking Japanese like a native but struggling with speaking correct Japanese? Well, if you're like most beginners, you're struggling with Japanese particles. And these little words make a big difference. Get them right and you sound like a fluent speaker. Get them wrong and you sound like you only know random words. Even if you say everything else correctly, your whole sentence can lose its meaning. The good news is there is an EASY way to grasp Japanese particles, easily create correct sentences and start speaking Japanese like a native.

According to the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai, the existence of each of us has a purpose, a real mission that must be pursued to find maximum gratification in our days. It is no coincidence that anyone who has discovered what their purpose is is happier, more satisfied, energetic, and able to face any difficulty that fate puts before them. Living life according to our ikigai leads to enormous benefits in personal and work relationships, and it allows us to act as fulfilled and successful people full of joy in carrying out our projects.

Japanese by birth but transplanted to Europe in adulthood, Miki Sakamoto has spent a lifetime tending her garden and reflecting on its mysteries. Why do primulas bloom in snow? Do the trees really ‘talk’ to one another? What are the blackbirds saying today? And is there a mindful way to deal with an aphid infestation? From rising early to walk barefoot on the grass each morning, to afternoons and evenings spent sipping tea in her gazebo or watching fireflies as she recalls her childhood in Japan, Sakamoto shares observations from a life spent in contemplation – and cultivation – of nature.

In a city of the dead, long since ruined and far from human civilization, lives a single human child. His name is Will, and he's being raised by three undead: the hearty skeletal warrior, Blood; the graceful mummified priestess, Mary; and the crotchety spectral sorcerer, Gus. The three pour love into the boy, and teach him all they know. But one day, Will starts to wonder: "Who am I?"

So I’m a god, so what? I’m weaker than ever! I have no stats, no skills, and no physical stamina! In fact, the only thing I got out of this upgrade was...legs. But since I never have the energy to walk, the others have no choice but to haul me around like a piece of luggage. Can’t we just get to the demon realm already?! We’re so close! One final leap over the Mystic Mountains, and—Wait, what? There’s a rampaging ogre killing everyone in sight? Greaaat. Of course there’s a surprise boss battle right before the checkpoint. Work your OP magic, Demon Lord!

Goblins are the weakest of the monsters, with only numbers in their favor. No warrior would dedicate himself to their eradication—except for Goblin Slayer. As his reputation spreads, a quest comes from none other than the Supreme God's own archbishop—Sword Maiden, the Gold-ranked adventurer renowned for defeating a Demon Lord. The former hero brings a report of goblins beneath the flourishing, peaceful water town, followed by a plea for Goblin Slayer and his companions to investigate, since no one else will.

Kay Lynn Brooke is a wife and mother in Berkeley, California, building a solid future with her husband and family. Then on December 7, 1941, the bombing of Pearl Harbor throws Kay Lynn’s life, and the lives of everyone she knows and loves, into chaos.