Japan-Behind the Scenes(from Hiragana Times articles)

Japan-Behind the Scenes (from Hiragana Times articles)

You can read the full standard Japanese text with furigana, Kanji and English in the monthly printed Hiragana Times magazine or the PDF version. Every Japanese paragraph is followed by an English translation (and vice versa) so that you do not need to use a dictionary. About Hiragana Times

"Japan-Behind the Scenes" Index
Japanese Culture	Business	People
Sightseeing	Subculture	Entertainment / Sports
Foreigners' eyes / Cross culture	Wonders of Japan	Living
Satire	Japanese Society / Politics	History
Language study / Education

Pick up article

Japanese Star Dedicated to Welfare
Not a few people who have succeeded in the world of business and entertainment, such as Bill GATES of Microsoft and Bono of U2, are involved with social welfare and charity. Although there are also some in Japan who have become famous and then contributed to society, not many are as enthusiastic as actor and singer SUGI Ryotaro. ...

Yanesen — Shitamachi off the Beaten Path
Asakusa and other parts of shitamachi have become fixtures on the international tourist map, but there is still one shitamachi area that remains largely undiscovered by overseas tourists: Yanesen. Yanesen is an almost triangular area with Nezu, Nippori and Sendagi stations at its tips. ...

Film Director Builds Cultural Bridge
Aaron Woolfolk has been interested in building bridges between cultures ever since he was a teenager. His dream of being a film maker has provided the perfect outlet for him to do just that. “I’ve always wanted to be an international film maker,” he says. “Even as a teenager in Oakland I’d take the bus into Berkley to see all the foreign films. I’ve always looked at film making as a global thing.” ...

Chinese Writer Wins the Akutagawa Award
The Akutagawa Ryunosuke Award (aka “Akutagawa Award”) was established in 1935 to honor the work of AKUTAGAWA Ryunosuke, a renowned writer of the Taisho era. The award is given to a new writer of “pure” literature, and is one of the most prominent literary awards in Japan. For the first half of 2008 (139th award), the twice-annual award went to the novel “Toki-ga-nijimu-asa” (Time Blurred Morning). ...

Readdressing the Work-Play Balance
Not so long ago, for every twinge you felt in your back, for every sniffle of a cold, or when you felt a little fed up with life, you would make an appointment with your local doctor. The number of different medical approaches to keeping a healthy body and mind can at times seem overwhelming, and for every complaint a number of alternative medicines claim to provide the solution. ...

International Company Having a Positive Impact on Society
The 21st century has brought with it a multitude of challenges for mankind. Not only are the planet’s natural eco-systems being stretched to breaking point, society is being ravaged by a raft of issues too. Fortunately, some companies are getting proactive and facing up to their social and environmental responsibilities. ...

Behind the Vandalizing of World Heritage Sites
A scandal occurred in February 2008 in which female Japanese college students drew graffiti on the wall of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy. Hiragana Times CIA interviewed Italian historian Professor BITERUBO about the matter. ...