Me Time Japan Team - Me Time Japan

Trailblazing Female Who Pioneered Solo Travel in 1800s

Me Time Japan Team | May 30, 2023

Isabella Bird was a true pioneer and adventure seeker in her time. She was a nineteenth-century British traveler best known in Japan for her book, Unbeaten Tracks in Japan. Bird made her trip to Japan in 1878, at the age of 47. It was first published in two volumes in 1880. She talks about her travels where she walked approximately 1200 miles in the hinterlands of Hokkaido. She walked many roads and streets and stayed at the Ryokans, the Japanese traditional inns, where the remnants of the Edo period remained. During her trip to Japan, Bird said she felt very safe and peaceful. She believed there was not another country …

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Zen Meditation in a Trailblazing Mobile Teahouse

Me Time Japan Team | May 10, 2023

When you pursue a lifestyle inspired by Zen—live like a floating cloud without obsessing over anything, it may create an opportunity to build a positive society that shares happiness universally. Joe Jun Liao, an entrepreneur originally from Hong Kong, is building a network to improve personal wellness and the common good in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Japan. While studying architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design, he started to think about how designing spaces to create invaluable experiences could lead to a mindful society and help solve social problems. After working as a software engineer in California, he founded Hong Kong’s first capsule hotel, SLEEEP, with his childhood friend and …

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Cultural Footprint Life Style

Life Education in Japan: Fully Living in the Present Moment

Me Time Japan Team | April 30, 2023

Teaching how to deal and cope with life and death situations is commonly known as Life Education in Japan. Life Education has become an increasingly important topic today, especially in these unprecedented times. There are so many notable moments where this type of education becomes essential and valuable. One of those moments was on March 11, 2011 where a magnitude-9.0 earthquake struck Japan’s northeastern shores. This horrifying earthquake was also followed by a tsunami and a nuclear disaster killing more than 15,500 people. The grief of these consecutive series of awful events have not subsided in the memories of survivors. Another time where Life Education becomes helpful and important is when we age. As we …

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Life Style

A Life with Real Purpose – Tokyo is the Best Place to be Single

Me Time Japan Team | April 10, 2023

Japan is a country that is aging rapidly, and possesses one of the oldest populations. 40% of Japan’s population will be 65 years and older by 2060. The median age in Japan is around 48 years old as of 2020. The population continues to shrink because many people have decided to stay single, birth rates are decreasing, the average marriage age is going up, and the elderly are single again after their partners have passed away. Japanese people are generally very respectful and polite. They sincerely want to coexist with others, trying to live peacefully and safely with each other. This probably stems from a large population living close together …

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Life Style

Sustainable & Affordable Benefits of Activated Charcoal

Me Time Japan Team | March 30, 2023

Many of you may have already learned about the job of a charcoal-burner, from the popular anime ＆manga; Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Or you may have learned this from our own article. In Japan, people started using charcoal in their homes 2,000 years ago. Charcoal was an important part of the Japanese economy, and it was a necessity to Japanese life until the 1950s. Charcoal was an essential commodity that was used in many aspects of Japanese culture, including cooking; heating; distilling sake; blacksmithing; medicinal & cosmetics purposes; and painting. Charcoal was also used in one of Japan’s most famous tourist attractions, the Great Buddha of Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara, …

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Cultural Footprint Me Time Guide

Walk a Monk’s Path as a Modern Minimalist Solo Traveler

Me Time Japan Team | March 15, 2023

Whether we feel joy, gratitude, anger, or sadness, our minds always react to various situations with different emotions. However, instead of accepting those initial emotional impulses, the Japanese try to be more mindful. By thoughtfully changing the way we react by consciously being more neutral, we can theoretically spend our days more comfortably. A monk at a temple in Shizuoka said, “by reacting either very negatively or extremely positive means you are walking on the edges of the path. On the other hand, people should decide to be more neutral, walking firmly down the center of the path.” While we stayed at the temple, the monk taught us that we …

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Life Style

Delicious and Healthy Vegan Cuisine at Obon Shokudo in Portland

Me Time Japan Team | March 1, 2023

Farmers’ markets are held throughout Portland and people’s lives are closely connected to the local produce. The markets are crowded with students, business people, and travelers during lunchtime, and chefs from the local restaurants frequent the markets to stock up on organic vegetables. Obon Shokudo, a vegan Japanese restaurant, has its roots in the farmers market. They sold their food at the market for seven years, built their reputation, and opened a restaurant in the summer of 2021. They decided to create a menu with new items as vegan and Japanese food had been already well-established in the area. This attempt led them to introduce Japanese home cooking. The restaurant …

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Life Style Me Time Guide Table For One

Best Answers for Popular Questions From Our Me-Time Readers!

Me Time Japan Team | February 6, 2023

Konnichiwa Tokyo! It’s time to discover the food, history, culture, as well as all of the other hidden gems of Japanese locals who specifically love Me-Time experiences. This city brims with history and creativity; so we encourage you to explore the street foods, restaurants, onsen, shopping and much more. Each of questions below are from emails we’ve received from our readers. ——I’m looking for the best places to eat delicious food comfortably, as a solo traveler, in Tokyo. Any suggestions? We definitely got you covered! Japan’s Oldest Izakaya, Mimasuya, is always a consistent Me-Time favorite. Many solo diners flock over to the Kanda area on a regular basis to dine …

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Cultural Footprint Life Style

12 Japanese Life-Changing Concepts to Live a Happy Life

Me Time Japan Team | January 25, 2023

We can certainly learn from different countries around the globe their respective different philosophies through one’s culture and historical past. Those philosophies can help us live more meaningful and fulfilling lives. For example in Japan, people are keenly aware about focusing on the moment at hand and striving to be mindful—this is a state of active and open attention to the present. In this article, we’ll share with you to 12 beautiful Japanese aesthetics that can inspire us to embrace happiness as well as enjoying a peaceful and healthy life. Iitokodori Iitokodori is a Japanese process means discovering aspects of the influences around you and creating something unique of your very …

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Me Time Guide Table For One

Curry With Udon Noodle? Unique Curry Guide in Nagoya 2023

Me Time Japan Team | January 11, 2023

How many of us know that Japan is the second-largest curry country after India? The capital, Tokyo has the most curry restaurants in the country. Kanagawa is a port city where you can enjoy a wide variety of the dishes from around the world, including curry. In Hokkaido, soup curry is known as regional cuisine. And there are two more of Japan’s five major curry cities, Nagoya and Osaka. Nagoya is the birthplace of COCO Ichibanya, the most well-established curry fast food restaurant chain in Japan. Moreover, curry udon – consists of udon noodles mixed with Japanese curry sauce – is a uniquely developed curry and became widespread. It’s a local food that is well-loved by …

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