Life Style

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

Life Style Cultural Footprint

Life Education in Japan: Fully Living in the Present Moment

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 arrow_forward
Life Style

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

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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 arrow_forward
Life Style

Sustainable & Affordable Benefits of Activated Charcoal

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, arrow_forward
Life Style

Delicious and Healthy Vegan Cuisine at Obon Shokudo in Portland

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 arrow_forward
Table For One Me Time Guide Life Style

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

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 arrow_forward
Life Style Japanese Diaspora

Fermented Foods Bring a Wealth of Health to the U.S.

Fermented foods have been gaining popularity in the United States for some time now. In 2003, Sandor Ellix Katz, a leader in the fermentation movement and a self-described fermentation geek, published his first book on fermented foods, Basic Fermentation. Since then, he has written numerous books ranging from adventures in the world’s fermented food cultures to advanced, specialized cookbooks, one of which has been translated into Japanese: Sandor Katz’s Fermentation Journeys: Recipes, Techniques, and Traditions from around the World. If one were to trace the history of fermented foods in the U.S., one would find The Book of Tofu at the beginning. Co-authors Akiko Aoyagi and her American husband William Shurtleff began their research arrow_forward
Me Time Guide Life Style

The Great Self Re-Evaluation: Discovering Modern Minimalism

In 2015, the word “Minimalist” began to attract attention in Japan as this word was nominated for the New Word/Buzzword Awards, an annual contest in Japan. In 2017, the word became increasingly popular internationally after Fumio Sasaki, a well-known Japanese Minimalist, published a book titled, Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism. Sasaki’s lifestyle book was published in English and uniquely became a reverse import back to Japan from the States after the book became a best-selling phenomenon elsewhere. Before the development of the Minimalist mindset, many Japanese spent excessive hours/days for work and believed that money could buy happiness. However, in 2011, there was a significant earthquake in Japan, and arrow_forward
Life Style Japanese Diaspora

Your Path to Happiness, Ikigai is the Way

Based on a philosophy of emotional independence and overcoming reliance on others, “solo activities” can serve as the starting point for cultivating a whole new you. Our Me Time (solo activities) rules for finding happiness on our own that are taking the West by storm. In Japan drinking alone, traveling alone, eating alone has been a growing awareness and understanding which refer to actions and experiences where the individual values going at their own pace and their own thoughts. Based on a philosophy of emotional independence and overcoming reliance on others, these are gaining widespread acceptance as the starting point for cultivating a whole new you, rather than being seen arrow_forward
Life Style

Mindful Eating: a Microcosm of How We Conduct Our Lives

In Japan, there is an increasing number of people practicing mindful eating — a meditative way of enjoying our food. Traditionally, expressing gratitude before eating is something that is embedded in Japanese culture as part of the daily ritual. Mindful Eating: A Guide to Re-establishing a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food by Jan Chozen Bays was published in 2009 and is regarded as the pioneering book, which introduced the concept of mindful eating to the readers in the U.S. Mindful eating is not just about eating, but is about being present with the food in front of you, concentrating on that moment, and reflecting on your inner self. According arrow_forward
Table For One Me Time Guide Life Style Cultural Footprint

Getting Perfect Me Time in Classic Tokyo’s Cafes

The coffee culture in Tokyo draws inspiration from different global influences including various American coffee style cafes to authentic Italian espresso bars, as well as entertainment cafes like the maid cafes (where waitresses are dressed in maid outfits), and numerous cuddly animal cafes which showcase cats, owls and mini pigs to name a few. We’ve reached new heights in the variety of cafes and the coffee culture in Tokyo. The local coffee shop has become more than just a cup of coffee. It has become the perfect place for get-togethers, chats with your loved ones, spending some quality Me Time, or meeting for business purposes. We are here to help arrow_forward

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