Tattooing is the most misunderstood art form in Japan today. Looked down upon for centuries and rarely discussed in social circles, people with tattoos are outcasts in this country, banned from most public spaces such as beaches, bathhouses, and even gyms. Tattoos have an extensive history in Japan, and to truly understand the stigma behind them it is essential to be aware of their significance. The first records of tattoos...
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There are 28 students in our school. About 1/5 of them are vegetarian, pescatarian or vegan, which means that they can’t eat certain animal products. And allow me to state this to you, Japan is not a good place to do that. Sushi? Nope. Ramen? Nope. And then there is a problem with the fact that our Japanese skills are non-existent. So we go to restaurants, trying to communicate our...
Read MoreAs our term recently came to a close in Japan, I was reminded of the very first days of this academic year, way back when in Botswana. 40-something individuals from all over the world, meeting each other for the first time, living in tents, surrounded by wild animals. Nothing could go wrong! It did..... many a time. And we learned from it. Then we traveled to India. Among the ceaseless...
Read MoreWalking through the Peace Park, my soul would tremble due to the cold that was brought on by the horrors of war, especially August 6th, 1945, the day when the A-bomb, also known as “Little Boy,” was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. Among the thousands who were killed, a vast number were kids -- innocent kids with dreams in their eyes and aspirations in their minds. This painting is...
Read More“Tokyo gives the most authentic glimpse of the future” student Zaki (Pakistan) reflects as we returned from our week of exploring the art of marketing in Japan’s capital. Throughout the past weeks in Japan, nine of us have been specifically studying global marketing as well as Japanese unique and diverse marketing tactics. Not only have we been studying these concepts, but we are applying them as marketing and branding consultants...
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