Words, of course, are the most powerful drug used by mankind.
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Author Archives: Lynda Philippsen
A Visit to Tokujyo with the Tanaka family
Opulent draperies, colourful banners and golden bells glow in the natural light streaming through the surrounding clerestory windows, a startling contrast to the dark and deeply shadowed Japanese temples and shrines I have seen before. Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture
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Language Exchange
Walking toward Thunderbird Square outside City Hall the other evening, a few meters ahead I notice a man examining the sole of his shoe. Dog doo? I wonder. A woman waits beside him on a bicycle. As I come alongside them … Continue reading
Posted in Around Abbotsford
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High Summer Still
Today a brisk wind all day until mid-afternoon. Steady at 30 kilometers per hour with gusts to 40. Very fresh air before what they say will be another heat wave. I’m glad. Bring it on.
Posted in Around Abbotsford, This & That
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It Has Been a While
How much can happen in almost two months between posts? Lots. A post-leak & restoration project in my condo segued into eye surgery for cataracts and a complete reversal of life as I have known it since Grade 2. Myopic … Continue reading
Posted in This & That
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Korankei Momiji Matsuri
The Harada family (who were my host family some years ago) and I clamber into the van of their friend and chauffeur for the day, Kanago-san. With the GPS chattering and auto-TV going simultaneously, we head out of Toyohashi toward the … Continue reading
Omiyage: Ritual Gift Giving in Japan
A special kind of agony in travelling to Japan—especially if one has numerous friends—is ritual gift-giving. The need to bring a souvenir omiyage is problematic for non-Japanese (NJ) on several levels.
Enkai in Toyohashi
Voices call out: O hisashiburi (a greeting acknowledging a long time of separation) as people pad across the tatami in the narrow room. They welcome me with bows, gifts and Canadian-style hugs, as our connection goes back almost 20 years. … Continue reading
Returning to Toyohashi
Coming into Toyohashi Station without a pack of nervous teenagers dragging their suitcases behind me feels odd. I haven’t been here since the last home stay exchange program I coordinated in 2005. Too long. And though the building remains the … Continue reading
Waiting for the Shinkansen in Tokyo Station
I’m off to Toyohashi. As this is my first unaccompanied trip by Shinkansen (bullet train), I’m early. Just to make sure. My anxiety is rising. Departures are displayed in Japanese and English overhead, but the Kodama 647 isn’t up yet. … Continue reading
Posted in Japan, Travel & Culture
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Osake Tasting at Restaurant 62
Sunday (April 15) Restaurant 62 offered a tasting of three Osake brand wines from Granville Island’s Artisan Sake Maker Masa Shiroki. This wine, a handmade product, is not to be confused with the harsh and hot stuff that comprises the … Continue reading