Tag Archives: tsunami

The 5 o’clock bell, explained

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Alice

In my April 16 column in The Japan Times, I reveal the real rationale for the 5 o’clock bell. For the benefit of the uninitiated, I’m referring to a daily broadcast of music that is played on outdoor speakers in … Continue reading →

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More on Manhole Quilts — and the Tsunami

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Alice

The other day I received a solicitation for sleeping bags for one of the coastal towns in Iwate Prefecture that was all but destroyed by the March 11 tsunami. The town is called Kamaishi. More than 600 people in Kamaishi … Continue reading →

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