Life Style

Share our Me Time and solo-lifestyle in Japan experience internationally.

Me Time Guide Life Style

Why Reading Alone Together is so Appealing

There is a breath of fresh air blowing through book clubs, which have been a traditional type of community in the United States. It is coming from silent book clubs, which allow participants to enjoy solo activities and reading at the same time. Book clubs can be brought up as one type of hobby-based gathering traditionally seen in the United States. An ordinary book club will issue an assigned book that the participants all read, then they will hold a meetup to share their opinions, including their impressions and thoughts. There are some people who enjoy this style. Yet conversely, there are a number of such clubs that see members arrow_forward
Me Time Guide Life Style

The Joys of Solo Living: Finding Happiness and Fulfillment Alone

Big Ben London during daytime
Four years ago, Sucheta Dutt launched Solo Living, an online media and community in the UK to share the beauty and fun of living alone. We asked to her about solo living through email interviews. I’ve been told many times by foreigners who love Japan that as a country, it might be the most prepared and advanced for solo activities, especially when it comes to food, and thanks to this interview I found it to be not entirely off the mark when it comes to the UK. In Europe, eating alone is seen as strange or lonely. We talked to Sucheta, founder of the online media and community “Solo Living,” arrow_forward
Me Time Guide Life Style

Discovering Tama: The Heartbeat of Suburban Tokyo

In 2022, we launched Me Time Japan, a website dedicated to promoting mindfulness, diversity, and sustainability. Our featured articles blend traditional and modern Japanese perspectives, offering insights on living a mindful lifestyle and celebrating the rich diversity of Japanese cultures. At the core of our mission is the promotion of “me time” ― encouraging individuals to embrace and enjoy solitude as a means of personal growth and well-being. “Me Time Japan in Tama” was born from our desire to introduce readers to the hidden gems of the Tokyo area. While many travelers see Tokyo through iconic districts like Asakusa, Ginza, Roppongi, and Shibuya, we aim to reveal the rich and arrow_forward
Me Time Guide Life Style

The Power of Me-Time For Travel: Why It’s Essential

Exploring new places through travel is a transformative experience that broadens our perspectives and encourages personal growth. At the intersection of travel and personal enrichment, we believe that dedicating “me-time” is essential for personal well-being, not merely a luxury. Taking these moments during journeys offers unique advantages, fostering self-discovery and inner reflection. If you’re considering a personal adventure, here are compelling reasons to embrace the opportunity for “me-time”: Why Me-Time Matters: Discover the Benefits Rediscover Your True Self When you embark on a journey for Me-Time, you will face decisions and challenges that will help you discover your true self. Traveling exposes you to raw experiences where you can reconnect arrow_forward
Me Time Guide Life Style

Forge Your Path: Embrace Solo Adventures for Personal Growth

a woman running up a hill in the mountains
“Solo activity” is an opportunity to develop a new self through mental and social independence. A rule to fully spend time by yourself in the wilderness. Drinking alone, traveling alone, eating alone. “Solo activities” have become recognized and understood more in recent years and refer to actions and experiences that match your own pace and thoughts. With the idea of mental and social independence, far from being negative ideas of “loneliness” or “being a loner,” we earn a place in society by triggering the development of a new self. In the digital age, getting time to yourself is more difficult than you might think. In other words, it’s not easy arrow_forward
Table For One Life Style

Alone and Thriving: Cultivating Joy in Your Solo Moments

“Doing things solo” is an opportunity to re-make oneself by establishing mental independence and freedom from dependence on others. Here are the rules for eating alone in New York, an idea that’s quickly becoming popular! Over the past few years, people have gained a better understanding and appreciation today of the idea of doing things solo, whether it’s drinking alone, traveling alone, or eating alone. Doing things solo is all about moving at your own pace, and making your actions and experience about your own approach. The concept is mental independence and freedom from a certain dependence on others, instead of negative feelings of loneliness or being left out. We arrow_forward
Life Style Japanese Diaspora

Addressing Life’s Challenges Through Norwegian Picture Books

Last year’s Nobel Prize in Literature went to a Norwegian playwright, sparking interest in Norwegian books in Japan. Join us in exploring Norwegian picture books with translator Junko Aoki and writer Gro Dahle. The world of Norwegian picture books may be full of surprises for Japanese people as they vividly depict all kinds of social issues, including gender-related matters and domestic violence. Among them, The Angry Man captures domestic violence by parents from a child’s perspective. In Aquarium, it highlights the presence of young carers, making their existence known to society even before it gained widespread recognition. In Aquarium, the book portrays the daily life of a young girl whose mother is a goldfish arrow_forward
Table For One Life Style Japanese Diaspora

Uncovering the Thriving Food Culture in South Korean Society

Korean dramas and movies, which have gained popularity globally, often feature scenes of meals, which stimulate the viewers’ appetite. If you search online for “Korean drama meals,” you can easily find recipes to recreate meals that have appeared in popular dramas. Many books have been published on this subject. We also see that people are flocking to Koreatowns around the world and paying a visit to South Korea in search of authentic gourmet meals. Why do Korean dramas and movies often feature dining scenes? We can find part of the answer in 『続・韓国カルチャー 描かれた「歴史」と社会の変化』written by Junko Ito. Her book examines social changes through entertainment in South Korea and provides detailed explanations arrow_forward
Life Style

Clear Your Mind, Breathe, and Stand on Your Feet

During the pandemic, it was virtually impossible to see what was going to happen in the near future. Some things were occurring at a blinding pace, and we simply did not have any control over certain situations. When our minds are in turmoil, a firm awareness of our feet as the center of our axis can actually help calm our thoughts and strengthen our minds. A Buddhist monk once told us that when our mind is in turmoil, we should be aware of the soles of our feet, to help feel and calm our own presence. “Feet on the ground” is a Japanese idiom meaning a stable, steady, and calm arrow_forward
Table For One Me Time Guide Life Style

Table for One in Japan: How to Enjoy Solo Dining

Ohitorisama means one person or Table For One. It has become a rapidly growing movement over the last ten years. There are an increasing number of mangas, TV drama series, and books about the Ohitorisama lifestyle. The solo life activities includes activities such as travel, camping, Onsen(a Japanese hot spring), Tabe-aruki (eating while walking), and much more. Specifically, Japan’s Table For One culture is growing in popularity exponentially. Many Japanese people are dining alone regularly. They see foreigners who visit are thoroughly enjoying the experience and not frustrated to be alone. It’s solo diners’ heaven, as many foreign solo travelers exclaim, “the Japanese food experience is one of the best memories arrow_forward

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