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Background: In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia. It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1933 Japan occupied Manchuria and in 1937 it launched a full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 - triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic power, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.




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The day after the taifun, I reassembled my bicycle and drove off Tokyo, passing by the Imperial Palace and Shinjuku. A policeman tells me which road to take to Kawaguchiko from Shinjuku. I can hear zikades everywhere where some garden is. Other then that, the city seems to be endless. Every once in a while, I stop by at some Convenience store to refill drinks and food and ask whether I am still on the right track. When I reach Takao, I am finally off the city and its suburbs. Nice steep mountains surround the place, and there is a hugh famous [View Full Entry]

glueckspilz - Sven Glückspilz | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
222 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 0 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 3rd 2009 | 48 Views | [diary=433609]


By Eman
June 11th 2009
Sakuranbo and Wines Asia » Japan » Yamanashi
It's a song, its a fruit, its a Sakuranbo! Or Japanese cherry (not to be confused with the sakura trees, which are just cherry blossoms.) But, like the sakura trees, its a seasonal item, pretty unique to Japan, that the Japanese can't get enough of. We took a day trip to Katsunuma in Yamanashi-ken. It was foggy in the morning when we left but as we got to Katsunuma the fog lifted and we saw the most magnificent city/town built in this valley of green mountains and low hanging white clouds. I think it was the most beautiful scene I've seen [View Full Entry]

Eman - Emanuel Santa-Donato | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
651 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 20 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: June 11th 2009 | 74 Views | [diary=407430]

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Trees were packed
Our man showing us were to pick

Monday morning I woke early and said goodbye to my awesome host Minna and made my way to the nearby subway station. This week is known as Golden Week in Japan and everyone has Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off as holidays. This makes for a lot of people out at night, but luckily it meant that Monday morning was not a workday and the subway was significantly less busy than normal. I managed to figure out where I was going, change stations and lines and arrive at the station where the bus terminal was located. I bought a ticket and was [View Full Entry]

Rwanda2008 - Joshua Foster | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
526 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 4 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: May 6th 2009 | 65 Views | [diary=396688]

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By Eman
December 30th 2008
Golf in Japan Asia » Japan » Yamanashi
Host father and my dad are pretty much the same...retired, love baseball, love golf. I've been to the range a few times with host father, and since its winter break, time to hit the course. It's warm enough in Tokyo to play 365 days a year. The course was about 1:20 away from the house in Tokyo in Yamanashi-ken. Set in a valley, the course was very hilly but in nice shape for december. Greens were well kept but the rough had died out. I was pretty rust but actually came away with second prize of a king crab and box [View Full Entry]

Eman - Emanuel Santa-Donato | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
549 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 1 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: December 30th 2008 | 93 Views | [diary=358382]


By Megamuffin
November 20th 2008
Samurai Debut Asia » Japan » Yamanashi » Tsuru
Konnichiwa! Sorry, I know I'm really slow with posting entries, but I think you'll forgive me after the amazing-ness of the tales I am about to tell. You're gonna love it, I swear! Sunday (08/30/2008) This day was the start of a festival in Tsuru called Hasaku-Matsuri. It marks the beginning of fall and is a 2-day festival that we were gonna get to have all sorts of fun in. For this first day we met at a temple to change into the traditional Hapi coats of summer festivals and to drag what is basically a huge float with people playing [View Full Entry]

Megamuffin - Megan Simpkinson | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1269 Words | 1 Comment(s) | 50 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: December 1st 2008 | 124 Views | [diary=346785]

Happy in my Hapi
Alternate View
At this hour?

By Megamuffin
November 3rd 2008
Karaoke X 2 and Bowling! Asia » Japan » Yamanashi » Tsuru
Hisashiburi! (That means it's been a long time!) Sorry! I won't make excuses...even though I've been busy I should have been writing...So, I'll just get started! 08/28/2008 Every year the Tsuru exchange students climb Mt.Fuji. It's grueling, tough, and one of the most memorable experiences that the group shares. The Thursday before the Friday that we were supposed to climb finally arrived...and our climb was canceled because of "heavy" rain in the area. Amongst grumblings about going and climbing on our own and complaints that it was barely raining, the tutors came up with a plan to chee [View Full Entry]

Megamuffin - Megan Simpkinson | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
797 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 26 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: November 3rd 2008 | 101 Views | [diary=341081]

Super High-Tech
Mi-Chan's Solo
it's that exciting

By Megamuffin
October 7th 2008
Fire! Asia » Japan » Yamanashi » Tsuru
Hi everybody! I'm very excited to write this entry because I get to write about one of the coolest experiences I've had in Japan yet. Are you ready for it? Time to grab some popcorn (oh, how I miss popcorn...), sit back, and relax as I present another epic Japanese adventure... 08/26/2008 As a misty wet rain fell from the sky, so did ashes and embers falling from pillars of burning wood. I pushed through the crowd of people, catching my umbrella on the countless other umbrellas squeezing past. I might have put the umbrella down and tolerated the rain, but [View Full Entry]

Megamuffin - Megan Simpkinson | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
627 Words | 3 Comment(s) | 23 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: October 9th 2008 | 57 Views | [diary=331693]

Tori
what's to come...
chillin' at the BBQ

Konnichiwa! I know, I know...it's been a while since I've written a new entry. Sorry everyone! It's hard to sit down at a computer and type when I have so many fun things to do here! Gives me lots to write about when I do, though. Without further delay, I bring you more tales from the Far East... Saturday (08/16/2008) Not much notable happened that day, so I wouldn't even bother to mention it except...THERE WERE MONKEYS OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT!!! Real. Live. Monkeys. Just hanging out along the fence in the back of the apartments here. Apparently it's pretty rare to [View Full Entry]

Megamuffin - Megan Simpkinson | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
755 Words | 2 Comment(s) | 15 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 28th 2008 | 158 Views | [diary=325179]

monkeying around
Megan-Sensei
tea haiku

Konnichiwa minna! ("minna" means everyone--I'm taking it upon myself to teach you all a little Japanese. ) Gomen (sorry!) for taking so long to write a new entry! There's just always too much fun stuff going on here. But I love you guys, so sorry again and here we go with more tales from the shadow of Mt. Fuji... Monday 8/11/2008 After normal (read--kinda boring) morning class, we were to try our hand at calligraphy. For about the third time during the trip thus far, we went to the wrong building first, but eventually found the right class room. We walked [View Full Entry]

Megamuffin - Megan Simpkinson | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1223 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 25 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: September 5th 2008 | 235 Views | [diary=319988]

the calligraphy classroom
the calligrapher
my handiwork

Hi everyone! Sorry that it's taken me a few days to post a new entry. We had to do a speech for school and I've been spending a lot of time writing and memorizing it, so I've been quite busy. But don't worry--it's definitely not all work and no play! I'm sure you could have figured that out, though. Alright, well, down to business. I'll be picking up this time with my 2nd weekend here in Tsuru. We begin our tale with a quiet Friday evening... Friday: After class, we didn't do much until the evening, when a few of us [View Full Entry]

Megamuffin - Megan Simpkinson | Read The Full Entry | Subscribe
1609 Words | 0 Comment(s) | 35 Photo(s) | 0 Video(s)
Published: August 22nd 2008 | 221 Views | [diary=314924]

Bonsai!!!
Chowin' down
Pokemon Train


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