Tag Archives: Japan Times

Discover Another Kanagawa: Join Me in the Tanzawa Mountains Nov. 28-29

Need a get-away into real nature? I’ve got just the trip for you! Come with me on an easy overnight excursion — fully guided in English — to the nearby Tanzawa mountains. We’ll learn about the area’s fascinating natural history … Continue reading

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Japanese police: don’t they have something better to do?

You’ve seen them in front of police stations. And outside neighborhood police boxes. Maybe you’ve seen them in busy train stations up on a box looking fierce. Don’t you wonder why Japanese police always seem to be standing around? That … Continue reading

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Master of Industrial Design: Kenji Ekuan 栄久庵 憲司

You’ve seen this soy sauce bottle. Quick: who designed it? How about the train to Narita Airport? Or this bad-ass motorcycle? They are all the work of Kenji Ekuan and celebrated along with his many other contributions to industrial design … Continue reading

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‘Randoseru’ Recycling – New Life for Used School Backpacks

It’s Randoseru Week here on the Gordenker blog, with posts to link up with my March 20 column in the Japan Times. In that article I report on the origin and history of randoseru, ランドセル the sturdy box-like backpack used … Continue reading

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