All posts by Tammy Lee

  • My 3-year old’s favorite bread comes in a can.

    In Tokyo where people love their bread fresh and fluffy, you’re not likely to see canned bread in your local bread store, much less at a convenience store. But, as odd as it sounds, a number of...

    • Posted January 2, 2023
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  • Feeling burnt out? Get an hour of tranquility with an intriguing animal by your side.

    Coping with pandemic stress?  Visiting an owl café in Tokyo can have a therapeutic effect on one’s feeling of well-being. Tokyo’s unique animal cafés where people can walk in and pet cute creatures started with cats. With...

    • Posted November 17, 2021
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  • Grand Central Oyster Bar offers the best of the fall season.

    Modeled after one of New York city’s most spectacular restaurants with its famous vaulted ceilings, there is an unmistakable buzz to this dining place. The hustle and bustle of the New York original has been translated perfectly....

    • Posted October 20, 2021
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  • The important life skills children learn in a Karate class.

    Karate is in itself both an art form and sport. Though the styles taught to students vary with philosophical, traditional, and technical aspects, karate remains Japan’s staple martial arts. Today, there are about twenty three million people...

    • Posted July 26, 2021
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  • Child Abuse and Domestic Violence cases in Japan hit record high

    Children all over the world have been suffering some of the ripple effects of the pandemic, threatening a collapse in family dynamics. Today, a new report by Japan’s National Police Agency provides startling new evidence that the...

    • Posted February 4, 2021
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  • Children exposed to violence and abuse likely to age faster, new Harvard study reveals.

    Recently published findings (Psychology Bulletin) by researchers at Harvard University suggest that an adversity or trauma, abuse, experienced by a child results in accelerated puberty and health issues later in life. Dr. Katie McLaughlin, co-author of the...

    • Posted August 13, 2020
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  • Costco’s third Chiba store opens this summer.

    For families, life wouldn’t be complete without trips to Costco for groceries. But if Makuhari weekend shoppers don’t get there when the store opens, you could be stuck for hours waiting for a place to park, with...

    • Posted June 6, 2020
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  • Saying ‘no’ to kids won’t work. This will.

    We have what my husband fondly calls a 2-year-old wannabe engineer at home. He loves to play with pretty much anything he could get his hands on ranging from door chain lock and TV remote control to...

    • Posted March 4, 2020
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  • How to make your own hand sanitizing gel at home.

    Michi Sensei, a Feng Shui practitioner, tells people on her YouTube channel, how to make their own hand sanitizer using ethanol, which is the main active ingredient. Ethanol alone works as a disinfectant but because it contains...

    • Posted March 3, 2020
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  • The Asian age-old remedy for when kids get the flu.

    Food may be the last thing on your child’s mind when he is down with the flu. In Asia, at the onset of a cold or flu or when children start to feel achy, the first thing...

    • Posted February 29, 2020
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  • Japan’s next generation of piano has no flat keys and is super expensive.

    The Japanese culture’s pursuit for mastery is world renowned.  From cars and electronics, to alcohol and food, Japan has a knack for improving what already exists. Sara Kovner, a Japanese history teacher at the University of Florida...

    • Posted January 14, 2020
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  • Things you’ve always wanted to know about Japan’s educare philosophy

    Choosing the right education philosophy can be confusing for many of those looking into the Japanese preschool or kindergarten system. If you want to stay involved in your child’s learning experience and establish an open communication with...

    • Posted November 11, 2019
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  • A new massage device that mimics shiatsu pressure

    Sitting for long periods using devices, poor posture and incorrect sleeping positions, or injuries are today’s leading causes of stiff neck and shoulders. An increasing number of people in Japan are turning to shiatsu treatments for muscle...

    • Posted October 29, 2019
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  • Spanish fashion brand inspired by Japanese kimono

    The one-size-fits-all, unconstricted lines and chic appeal of  Japan’s kimono fascinate many fashion designers from France’s Chanel and Louboutin to British label Holland Street and all over the world. Spain-based bespoke clothing brand  Vida y Milagros (Life...

    • Posted October 17, 2019
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  • Meet the Future Coffee: Atomo Molecular sans real beans

    What if one day, you wake up to find out there isn’t enough supply of coffee beans in the world due to climate change? Climate change is real. The rise in temperature, drought, increase in pests, and...

    • Posted February 28, 2019
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  • Siargo’s pristine turquoise beach, beautiful sunset and mysterious aura cast a magic spell that will keep you coming back.

    Our annual travel itch as a family took us to a beautiful island in the Philippines called Siargao.   Siargao is a tear-drop-shaped island in Surigao del Norte region, 800 kms off Manila, the capital city. Cebu...

    • Posted January 21, 2019
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  • This pawfect restaurant pampers pets with a new canine menu.

    Some foreign pet owners are under the false impression that Japan doesn’t have dog-friendly restaurants. That’s not true.  Japan’s omotenashi (hospitality) applies not only to humans but animals as well.  In fact, Japan’s market size for pet-related...

    • Posted September 11, 2018
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  • Check Out These New Literacy Books For Children.

    September 8th is World Literacy Day. Each year it reminds  parents and educators around the world of the importance of improving literacy in children. By improving literacy, we are helping them build the skills and confidence they...

    • Posted September 4, 2018
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  • Japan’s amazing record breakers

    Did you know that these prolific record title holders are from Japan? MASAO MATSUMOTO AND MIYAKO SONODA Japanese couple from Oita Prefecture, Masao Matsumoto born on July 9, 1910 and Miyako Sonoda born on November 24, 1917...

    • Posted September 2, 2018
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  • Food Safety: Why you’re safer with Japanese rice than bread.

    According to the USDA website, Japan’s wheat production forecast for 2018-2019 is 860,000 metric tons or about 10% of the wheat that it consumes.  This means therefore that the remaining 90% is wheat imported mostly from the...

    • Posted August 12, 2018
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  • The Tokyo restaurant where you can catch your fish and eat it too

    Fishing Restaurant Zauo is one of those only-in-Japan experiences that make a welcome change to the increasingly globalized fare that we find in Tokyo. Simply put, Zauo is a seafood restaurant that lets you catch your dinner...

    • Posted August 11, 2018
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  • School lunch harassment at Japanese schools

    In Japan, there’s a reason children are not allowed to bring lunch box to school – eating lunch together provided by the school is part of their education and cultivation.  Japanese school lunches are generally balanced with...

    • Posted December 17, 2017
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  • Review: The Counter Custom Burgers

    Last week, my family and I had the opportunity to visit The Counter Custom Burgers,  an L.A. style hamburger joint in front of the Tokyo Midtown. It opened a few months ago with a strong pitch:  CUSTOMIZED...

    • Posted December 12, 2017
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  • How people count with fingers in other countries

    It’s indeed fascinating to know that although we all have a thumb, index, middle, ring finger, and the pinkie on both hands, many of us are so different when it comes to counting with the fingers.   People...

    • Posted November 2, 2017
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  • We ate a giant parfait in Tokyo

    How far would you travel to eat a giant parfait in Tokyo?  20 kms?  30?  Distance is not a problem for my ice cream-crazy family. But thanks to a friend’s tip, we didn’t have to go too...

    • Posted October 8, 2017
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  • To Lose Weight, Diet changes alone will not be enough.

    The two principles of diet and exercise go hand in hand. Exercise is a topic that often freaks women out. When will I find the time? It’s never worked for me before. How do I start again?...

    • Posted July 27, 2017
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  • What these foreign words actually mean in Japanese

    Since Japanese speakers have a tendency to shorten words by means of contractions and use many ‘false friends’ (words that look similar to a word in another language but have a significantly different meaning), understanding the correct...

    • Posted April 9, 2017
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  • First Japanese Chef awarded the French Cuisine Chef Prize

    Anyone who loves haute cuisine feels happy to live in Japan. With culinary powerhouse Tokyo now having 227 Michelin-starred restaurants (50 are French restaurants),  it is safe to assume that Japanese chefs have come a long way...

    • Posted April 8, 2017
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  • Are you a mom? Boost your energy levels day and night with Zumba.

    There's a new fitness program that's taking the world by storm! Zumba, fusing latin beats and dynamic body movements, has revolutionized the way people view fitness and working out.

    • Posted April 2, 2017
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  • Three underrated Japanese products you need in winter

    Aloins Eau de Cream S We all know that drinking at least 2 liters of water a day is the key to plumping the skin and encouraging skin regeneration.  But during the cold winter months when the...

    • Posted January 10, 2017
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