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May / June 2010| ISSUE 5 |

Nagoya Health and Lifestyle

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Forward初めに

Rock The Bells.Get Up. Get Out. Get Something.

All systems GO! Anyone who tells you putting together a bi-monthly

magazine is an easy task is blowing smoke. We bust our balls to get this out to you every two, but we enjoy

the task. We took it upon ourselves, it’s a self-mandate, and we dig doing it.

People ask me, “…how did you do it? How did you start? What did you do? ..how did you do it…”

I tell them it started with an idea. Then it blossomed into a project. Then it took shape as a reality. Now it’s in your hands…

Life is like that. It begins as some concept, a wish maybe, if enough energy is invested into that wish, it expands like lungs. When that energy meets some quark of opportunity, BANG, an explosion happens in sub-space and the thing becomes real.

Spring arrives sort of like that too. It’s cold, interminably. Your bones hurt, your spirit cries for warmth, your skin needs to breathe, there are a million smiles to be had. Green grass, outdoors, naked legs, life heats up, it’s good then. Spring is a new chance at romance. The return of hope. Love is in the air, breathe it in.

We banged out our first ROCK THIS TOWN in March, made some money for less fortunate folks in Haiti, and blew the doors off the HARD ROCK CAFÉ with Nagoya’s finest musicians like no one’s business. RTT was a loud-ass WE’RE HERE from the mouth of Nagoya to the world.

We’re doing it again. Soon. Details to follow…in early July we’ve got the hottest FOURTH OF JULY BANG BANG BOOGIE party you’ve ever been to. It’ll be on Facebook and everywhere else. Sit tight..

What are you doing? What are you making? Planning something? Show? Speak? Sing? Play?

Show it in RAN. We’re for you. We’re on your side. We are Lady GaGa for you mon frère. Dozou. Come inside, we’re all inside. IRRASHAIMASEN…welcome!

They say if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. We agree. Health is golden . Nevermind GoldenWeek, how about Golden Life.

We put this issue together thinking about how we could help ourselves, and you, become healthier, but we did it in RAN style.

TDHouchen, RANPublisher

NEW! - The Pagoda DiariesStarting this issue, Edwin Putman shares with us his

book, The Pagoda Diaries, one piece at a time.

Queer Eye for the TokaiYu shares his thoughts on growing up gay in Aichi.

Fishy BusinessExploring the Yanagibashi Fish Market

Unit Yoga

Patience, Young GrasshopperMartial Arts in Nagoya

Are You Losing Your Religion?RAN's guide to Nagoya's spiritual centers

The Green SpotWho's Afraid of Frankenfoods?

Deadly D's Final WordTradition vs Freedom, Group vs Individual, Never the Twain Shall Meet

CreateElios Nishiwaki - Soile*

Should I Stay or Should I Go?CHEERS! Here's to home!

When In RomeIshin Denshin - read the air

RAN Recommends

TasteInñuniq

RAN ZOOWe couldn't get away with saying shit like this, but animals can.

Publisher: TD HouchenChief Editor: Jason L. GatewoodCopy Editor: Larry DefelippiPhotography: Achim RunnebaumChief Designer: Adrien SanbornIllustrator/Designer: Adam Pasion

Send story ideas to:editor@ranmagazine.com

Send photography and illustration to:

submit@ranmagazine.comTo advertise, contact:

ad-sales@ranmagazine.comPromotional Events/Co-Promotion:

tdhouchen@ranmagazine.com

www.ranmagazine

.com

CONTENTSMay / June 2010 - ISSUE NO. 5

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48cover and sakura photos: ACHIM RUNNEBAUMcover model: DEYANIRA HAMADA

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Who’s afraid ofFrankenfoods?

環境

The G reen SPOT

You're probably wondering why I'm quoting Frankenstein here in the Greenspot. Well, let's recap the gist of the story for a second. In the book, a scientist tries to

meddle with nature and create the perfect human from various different parts. Of course, things go awry and the creation turned on its creator and chaos ensues. Folks, the same is happening out there in the real world, only difference is, this is not a fictional story, and the "monster" is not a humanoid figure, but rather your food. That's right, every day, Scientists are hard at work, meddling with nature, trying to create Genetically Modified foods that will (at least on paper) cure disease, give you more nutritional value per serving, inoculate you against diseases, and even cure allergies.

Do you think I'm making all this up, or that it's not going to happen in your lifetime? Think again. It's happening now, chances are you've already eaten some form of GM foods. So why, you may be asking at this point, is this such a bad thing? Well, just like good 'ole Dr. Frankenstein didn't anticipate the outcome of his experiment, there's a high potential for all kinds of things to go haywire ecologically,

as well as genetically. *What are genetically-modified foods?The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified

organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content.

Genetic Engineering can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. For example, plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that gene into a different plant. The new genetically-modified plant will gain drought tolerance as well. Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used. The best known example of this is the use of B.t. genes in corn and other crops. B.t., or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B.t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its

| By Achim Runnebaum |

"Learn from me . . . how dangerous is the acquirement of

knowledge, and how much happier that man is who believes his

native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become

greater than his nature will allow."

-from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

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own pesticides against insects.Sounds outlandish, right? Think this won't affect you here

in Japan? Think again: In Japan, for example, an antistress chocolate, using the hormone GABA, has had huge sales success. For those of you who slept right through your Biology or Chemistry classes; GABA or gamma aminobutyric acid is an amino acid that reduces neuron activity and thus, does not allow the nerve cells to become over-stimulated. This in turn reduces stress. GABA has also been successfully used for epilepsy, hypertension and a few other conditions. I don't know about you, but I truly believe in the statement ,"Your Body is your Temple"-- I, for one do not want any of that stuff in my body without my prior consent.

The fun doesn't stop there though: In Japan, researchers have developed a rice strain that would fight Vitamin A deficiency. But (luckily), it hasn't made it to market yet.

All this sounds great, right? Well, here's some things that Frankenfoods promise you:

Pest resistance, so it's easier to grow certain foods; Disease resistance, so less chemicals will have to be used

for the upkeep of crops; Cold tolerance, so the season for growing these foods can

last longer, yielding more returns;Nutritional benefits (untested), such as higher doses of

Vitamin/Mineral content. And as such, the GM's are being hailed as the solution to the world hunger problem...

Now, holster your wallets, and don't start running to the nearest supermarket yet, because here are the things these biotech companies won't tell you:

There's a serious Potential for harm to other organisms (GM Corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars in a U.S. study, for example).

Potential of Gene Transfer to Non-Target Species. Oh, and not to forget the unknown effects on human health in addition to proven allergenic properties.

As one Scientist put it: "The genetically engineered crops now being grown represent a massive uncontrolled experiment whose outcome is inherently unpredictable. The results could be catastrophic." -Dr. Barry Commoner, Harpers magazine, February 2002.

In 2005, scientists found that GE enzymes used to speed up fermentation in yeast were producing a 40 to 200 times the amount methylglyoxal, a toxic and mutagenic substance. (International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 30: 141-146.)

In the late 1990s studies conducted by Dr. Arpad Pusztai in Scotland showed that potatoes, gene-spliced with a substance called lectin from a snowdrop plant, caused major damage to laboratory rats-suppressing their immune systems, damaging vital organs, and producing what appeared to be a severe viral infection in their stomach linings and digestive system. After going public with his test results, Pusztai was fired from his lab and denigrated by the biotech establishment. Despite recommendations by the British Royal Society that Pusztai's research should be continued, the British government and the biotech industry have refused to provide the funds to carry out these tests.

Of course, there's also the potential for the big guy, cancer, particularly non-Hodgkin 's Lymphoma to come into the picture. Not to mention the adverse effects Frankenfoods have on the environment, such as polluting organic and non-GE crops; damaging soil fertility; killing beneficial insects and

soil microorganisms; creating Superpests and Superweeds, etc. But wait, there's more, if you act now, for the very low price of 9.99 plus shipping and handling, you get all this, plus we'll throw in an extra bonus for you: Aventis' Glufosinate, a herbicide sprayed widely on GE crops, has been linked to birth defects, learning disabilities, and abnormal behavior in children.

It should come as no surprise that 80 percent of Germans, 78 percent of French and 70 percent of Japanese are less likely to buy genetically modified foods. Even 63 percent of Americans surveyed said they would be less likely to buy those kinds of foods. However,

GM means big business: It is estimated that about 27 percent of total U.S. soybean acreage was planted with genetically modified strains of the crop, and 23 percent to 34 percent of corn-planted acreage produced modified varieties. Now here comes the shocking insight: Japan is one of the world's largest importers of genetically modified food crops!!! This is due to the low self-sufficiency ratios in Japan, and the increase of GM crop farming in certain exporting countries. In addition, the Japanese food labelling system is so partial and confusing that consumers are not able to make an educated choice. ...In Japan, only a few foods, such as natto, tofu and miso, are labelled. In addition, only the top three ingredients need to be labelled, and the rest of the ingredients are not covered by the GM labelling legislation. In Europe, GM labelling is required if there is a presence of GM as low as 0.9%, while the limit in Japan is 5%. For example, when we import soybeans from the United States, they may be contaminated by 1% of GM soybeans without any labelling requirements. The same product sold in Japan would be labelled as non-GM while in Europe, it would be labelled as a GM food.

So the issue is right at our doorstep, folks. Because this information is finally coming to light, there's been a huge public outcry and many people are rallying against the import of Frankenfoods. What does all this have to do with you? We are what we eat, and also the masters of our fate. We are the ones who should control what we eat, but that control has been taken from us. Because of commercial interests, the public is being denied the right to know about GM ingredients in the food chain, and therefore losing the right to avoid them despite the presence of labeling laws in certain countries.

Biological diversity must be protected and respected as the global heritage of humankind, and one of our world's fundamental keys to survival. It's time we take that control back. We must take a stand against altering these foods, which could potentially wreak havoc on the environment, our bodies and our children's bodies.

Don't let the big companies tell you that it's all Ok. Do your own research and equip yourself with the weapons of information and knowledge. Don't believe all the hype from the biotech companies, lest human health will continue to suffer while they're making a profit.

More information and a petition can be found at:

http://ran4.us/greenpeace-rice

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You don’t mince words. You don’t need to. All you need to do—all you want to do—is tell the truth. This is a difficult country. Sure, it used to be easier. More fun too. It’s like

an affair in that way—an illicit affair. It’s gotten more difficult over time.

Can there be another nation in the world like this one, where the more you learn about it the less welcome you feel?

The less you knew about your surroundings here the happier you were in them, and you were happiest here when you didn’t know anything at all. Now you know way too much, and you long for those fun filled days when you didn’t. You long for that ignorance. Because that’s another thing everybody says, and at least in this environment, you believe it’s true—ignorance is bliss.

Yesterday was a difficult day. You finished work and headed home on the train. It was your last day of work. It was finally your summer vacation. You were tired. You’re always tired. Everybody here is tired, it seems. You stopped off at a place called Mister Donut. This is exactly what it sounds like, a cheap donut shop with cheap coffee and Western music. It’s near your home and

| Story and pictures by EJP |

YESTERDAY AT MISTER DONUT

CHAPTER 3

PAGODAD IAR I ES

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you go there two or three times a week because it’s easy. You always have a book to read or some work to do.

Your trip started today, and yesterday you were just looking over some ideas. You know basically where you intend to go, but you like to have options, and knowledge is the key. Ignorance here is bliss. You know that. But bliss has an ugly underside too, even if the ignorant can’t see it, and you like to know things. You keep reading. You keep planning. You keep preparing. Preparing is half the fun, after all. You were sitting quietly at a table, reading your guide book, checking out train schedules, consulting a map. You were minding your own business. You always mind your own business. You never talk to anybody.

In fact, you couldn’t talk to anybody if you wanted to, not at Mister Donut anyway, because nobody ever sits near you. You’re a gaijin. The place gets busy, and from time to time every table is full but the one on either side of you. A customer may come in, buy a couple of donuts, and looking around for a place to sit, simply not see anything open. Oh, he’ll see the tables next to you where nobody is sitting, but he won’t see that they’re open, because sitting beside a gaijin is out of the question anyway. It’s not about you, it’s about him. He wouldn’t be comfortable there. Often, he’d rather stand and wait for another table to open. Sometimes he’d rather even leave than sit beside a gaijin. Who needs a donut that bad, after all? Not when his entire reputation is at stake!

You try to ignore these people, realizing that you don’t want to sit by them either. That would be easier to do, though, if it was only a few people. It’s not. In Japan, or at least in Nagoya, to any statistically meaningful degree, it’s everybody. Some are more willing to sit near you than others, but nobody, and you mean nobody, would choose of his own volition to sit beside you if he had other options. That is, of course, unless he wanted to practice his English. Or more likely, unless she wanted to practice hers. But nobody who isn’t interested in English—nobody who isn’t hoping to practice a little English on you—is ever going to sit by you. That’s a fact. It’s an unimportant fact, maybe, but a depressing one, at least for you.

So yesterday, two women came into Mr. Donut together and the only open tables were beside you. They stood in front of one for a few seconds like a couple of kids at the edge of the pool, debating, should they jump in or not, was it safe, could they actually do it without embarrassing themselves, without being looked at funny, without getting into some kind of trouble? Could they get away with this without feeling weird, without a sense of shame? And of course, without drowning?

It was the only table available, except for the one on the other side of you, so what was there to think about, one might ask. But not one who’s been in Japan for very long. Anyone who knows Japan at all knows what a difficult situation this is for a Japanese person. It’s not that they hate you. Hate is a word seldom heard in this country. The Japanese aren’t haters. In fact, they are extremely kind and forgiving people. And as everybody knows, they are peaceful. That’s not merely a myth. It’s the truth. Yet they feel such an overbearing difference between them and you that, even if they can’t explain it or justify it, even if they can’t admit it, your very presence makes them uneasy. It’s not about you, it’s about them. Sitting near a gaijin, they feel somehow less Japanese. You’re an infidel, and maybe they’re afraid that by association their own fidelity may come into question. They don’t want to sit close to you

and, unless there’s no alternative, except for the rare oddball, they won’t.

But in this case, yesterday, for these two hapless women, there appeared to be no alternative. One of the shop attendants rushed over and brushed off the table. He pulled out a chair for one of them. He was really just trying to put them at ease. Shi-kata-ga-nai, is what the Japanese say in this situation, there’s nothing one can do. In fact, this defeatist expression is so common here it rests on the national psyche like a turd on the sidewalk. Indeed, it’s among the first Japanese expressions you ever learned—what can one do but grin and bear it? And that’s what the young attendant was trying to convey to the two women. They were just going to have to brace up and sit down next to the unusually large gaijin.

Just then, though, as the one woman had already settled herself down on the chair and the other was beginning to slide onto the bench next to you, an older woman sitting by herself one table removed, got up sprightly and said, “It’s OK. You two can have my table. I’ll move over here,” then with no further ado, she moved to the next table down, which she’d unilaterally decided to share with the young woman already sitting there reading a book.

So that’s what happened. The first two women slid to the table the older woman had vacated for them, the old woman sat down with the girl, and just like that, the problem was solved. None of them was sitting next to you.

But let’s consider this entire affair for a minute, because this is Japan, and any attempt to deny this phenomenon or to downplay it is to misunderstand and misconstrue the very nature of the Japanese ideology. You’re not saying they’re bad. You don’t even think they’re bad. You love Japan. And generally, you love the Japanese. But they are what they are, and this is it. It’s not about good and bad. It’s about being Japanese and not being. And the defining fact of the matter is that you’re not!

We need to consider all the factors at play here: One. Of all the customers who came into the shop after you’d sat down, none of them chose to sit at either table next to you, or even appeared to consider it, till after every other table was full. Two. Whatever their reasons, the two women were clearly reluctant to sit there, and only gave into the notion after the manager pulled out the chair for one of them. Three. The old woman at the other table, without being asked or told a thing, was able not only to perceive the difficulty the other two women were having, but to sympathize enough with them that she was willing to give up her own seat over the matter. Indeed, she considered this an act of kindness—you know this because she would soon tell you so. Three. The young woman reading the book understood the situation well enough to allow the old lady—a complete stranger, presumably—to share a table with her while the tables on either side of you remained perfectly empty. Four. The tables nobody wanted to sit at were both perfectly good tables with two perfectly clean seats each, and they offered the same amount of space as every other table in the room. They just happened to be next to you. Five. You just happen to be a gaijin. Six. This did not happen by agreement or conspiracy. It happened automatically and, in this country, for better or for worse, quite naturally. It happened because all four women understood instinctively that this was best for everybody, including you, supposedly, at least in all of their minds, for surely none of them appeared to consider for a moment that

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you might find all of this hullabaloo over seating arrangements at the local donut shop the least bit strange, not to mention outright fucking offensive.

You’re so used to this phenomenon by now that you shouldn’t even care anymore. And though you still consider it strange you certainly know it isn’t unusual.

You know you can’t change it, certainly not by getting angry, but yesterday was a bad day. You did get angry. You tried to keep quiet but you couldn’t. You said, “Excuse me ladies, but explain this to me. Tell me why that table is so much better than this one that you decided it was worth all the trouble to move from this table to that one, a mere meter away. No! It’s less than a meter! Tell me what’s wrong with this table. I’m just curious, because this table looks exactly the same as that one to me. So explain why all four of you have gone to so much trouble so that you two can sit there and not here. Because, to be perfectly frank, I think it’s because I don’t look Japanese.”

“Chigaimasu.” That’s not correct.“What’s not correct? You didn’t move? Or this table isn’t

the same as that one? Or I don’t look Japanese?”“Chigaimasu.”These ladies are fifty years old, at least, and all they can

think to say is “that’s not correct”?Fuck a duck!But it’s your own damn fault. You’re an idiot. You know

this kind of conversation cannot possibly go anywhere. You should have just kept your mouth shut in the first place. You can’t blame a dog for barking, and you can’t make him stop. Everybody knows that but you. You never learn.

In fact, what chigaimasu really means, if one looks it up in a dictionary, is “different”, and what the ladies are saying is “the situation is ‘different’ than you think,” and what they mean by this is you couldn’t possibly understand the situation anyway. But you do understand it. They just don’t feel comfortable around you. You aren’t Japanese. You probably understand this better than they do. You just don’t like it as much. But you’re stupid to fight it. You can’t possibly win.

Pointing at the one woman you said, “You were sitting right here, your friend was sliding in right there at the bench, then this old battle-ax—she moved over there to sit with a perfect stranger, and you two moved right there. Now explain that to me. I really want to know. Is that table actually better in some way than this table right here beside me? Or is there something about me that makes you uncomfortable? It’s not because I’m a gaijin is it? You’re not that insanely xenophobic, are you?” But of course they are. Everybody is.

“I’m sorry,” the one lady said. “Gomen-nasai.” This is the way a child apologizes for spilling the milk or something.

“Yeah, sure, but that doesn’t explain anything, does it. I want you to explain this to me.”

“I was just being kind,” the old lady who had moved over said, suddenly, with a marginally angry edge, probably unhappy about being called an old battle-ax.

“Yeah? Where’s the kindness in it? Tell me that,” you said, addressing her now. “What makes you think these two ladies

are going to be happier sitting there beside you than they would be sitting here beside me, because as near as I can tell these tables are exactly the same. And how about this woman?” you add, indicating the young woman who’d been reading a book and minding her own business till all this started, as, by the way, had you. “What makes you think she wants you to sit with her? Is it just because you’re so kind?”

“Gomen-nasai,” the first woman said again.“Explain it to me,” you demanded, standing up now,

looming over these poor women with ponderous bulk, “because, if you don’t mind me speaking plainly, I think it’s because I’m a goddamn gaijin!”

“Chigaimasu.”“There’s no other goddamn explanation!” you screamed.

“You people are racist and you don’t even know it. You’re dumb as a bunch of sheep!” Your situation was hopeless and you did know it. This is Japan, and the gaijin is always wrong here. In a situation like this, no Japanese person will ever take the side of the gaijin. Facts become irrelevant. So does logic. Most people will just look away, ignoring you, the noisy gaijin, completely. And those who do look at you will look at you like you’re crazy.

Maybe you are.Japan is a difficult country. It can be difficult for a gaijin to

maintain his composure. Also, his sanity.But a gaggle of old hens has a right to sit wherever they

want, after all. It’s none of your business where they sit. And it’s not like they’ve done this intentionally to hurt you. This isn’t a lynch mob. It’s just a few ladies eating donuts. They have no desire to hurt you. They don’t even understand how they’ve hurt you. Thus the insistent “chigaimasu”. That isn’t correct. It isn’t what you think. These are the things they want to say. It isn’t about you; it’s about them. But you know that already. It’s an impossible situation for you. You tend to feel uncomfortable around people who feel uncomfortable around you. It would be easier if, in fact, they did hate you. But they don’t. Hatred isn’t part of the problem. It doesn’t even come into play. That’s the part they think you don’t understand. But you do understand that part. It’s the rest of it that baffles you.

Once again the woman says “chigaimasu.”The floor manager comes and puts a hand on your back.

You’ve been coming to this shop for six years now. He knows you. He’s seen this kind of trouble before. There isn’t much else he can do.

“You’re all racists,” you said. “This whole miserable country. You’re all nasty racists!” and you left. But the only one angry was you. The only one who’d said anything nasty was you. The only one who’d sounded like a racist was you. In short, the one and only belligerent jackass on the scene at the donut shop yesterday was you. You. You. You.

So yesterday was a bad day. You went home. You finished packing for your trip. Then you charged your camera batteries. You cleaned out the refrigerator, reorganized your i Pod, and picked up your room. You took out the garbage. All that took about thirty minutes. You tried to read a book, but you couldn’t. You took a pill. You went to sleep.

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A new season has fallen on Nagoya hard and heavy like a sweaty teenage boyfriend. The pistols and stamens of spring are firing off plumes of pollen and wreaking

havoc on your olfactory system. It's a good time to be an eye, nose and throat doctor. They say this is a good time of year to spot love in the air as well. Can you smell it? No, not that hint of semen wafting through the air, those are the dogwood trees. Pop another antihistamine and take another whiff. It should be there somewhere.

Aichi prefecture is known for its elaborate, if a bit ostentatious weddings and hospitality, and the name itself translates to something roughly akin to knowing love (or was that love knowing?) so if there is any place conducive to coupling off, this ought to be the place. That all depends however on the definition of a couple and who is doing the coupling. Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues have come a long way in Japan in the last few years, especially as far as how they are portrayed in the media, but in the minds of the average Nagoya citizen it may have a long way to go still.

On the surface it may seem like Japan is very tolerant of GLBT issues. Records of homosexuality in Japan date back to the early Heian era in literature such as “Tales of Genji” in which the main character, frustrated at being unable to seduce the woman he loves, settles instead for her younger brother whom he finds “more attractive than his chilly sister.” The practice of samurai warriors having sex with young boys, called shudo is commonly referenced in many historical books and even in ukiyo-e paintings by Hokusai and Hiroshige. It was even common practice for buddhist monks who had taken a vow of celibacy to practice nanshoku, a colorful word for homosexual sex. Even in modern Japan pornographic manga often has gay themes. Watching openly gay celebrities like Akihiro Miwa or Chris Matsumura might give the impression that Japan is an easy place to be gay, but outside of the television studio it's a different story. Many gays and lesbians in Japan never disclose their sexual orientation, and in some cases even marry heterosexual partners to conceal their secret. Japanese civil rights codes offer little to no protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and popular comedians like Razor Ramon Hard Gay only reinforce negative stereotypes. Many people don't distinguish between gay and transgender. When I told a student that TR Knight of “Grey's Anatomy” was gay, the response was “but he doesn't wear women's clothes.”

If one thing is clear, it is that being gay in Nagoya is anything but simple. To help shine a light on this fuzzy topic I asked my friend Yu to talk about his experience growing up in Japan as a gay man.

RAN: How does the foreign gay community get along with the Japanese gay community in Nagoya?Yu: Many Japanese gay people want to know where all the foreigners are. I can only speak from my own experience, but even on gay sites, its mostly Japanese. Maybe occasionally somebody is half, or foreign born Japanese. Of course there are big club events but there is sort of an unspoken understanding that they are just for Japanese. There isn't any sort of public point of interaction, no way to meet somebody in a natural or genuine way. I know there are places where a lot of gay foreigners get together, but not really any bright, open place. That sort of genuine gay bar just isn't that popular yet. I think if a foreigner went in to a Japanese gay bar he wouldn't find it very interesting. A lot of Japanese really admire foreigners, so when they see them its sort of like “wow, how cool” and it ends there. Like a star just walked in the room.RAN: The foreigners don't hit on the Japanese guys?Yu: Maybe they do but I think Japanese people don't know how to respond. They get surprised and wonder if its a joke or not. Maybe all they can say is “thank you” or something.RAN: So communication is the big problem.Yu: Even on foreign gay sites that have a Japanese page, I will write my information: “Hi, I'm Yu. I like foreigners” but as I am writing that I think to myself, “What the hell am I writing?” Not tall guys or guys with short hair but just a race. But there are a lot of guys who go on to the Japanese pages of foreign sites, send e-mails, maybe chat on Skype or something like that.RAN: How is Nagoya's gay community different from other parts of Japan?Yu: I don't really know but I think the people in Tokyo come from all over Japan, so each person is more of an individual. For Nagoyans, their parent's house is here, there are lots of people they know so the community is more hidden from sight. There isn't anything like “Nichome” (A popular gay district in Shinjuku) They can't really invent a new self for themselves.RAN: How do you think the people of Nagoya feel about homosexuality?Yu: More than Nagoya, Japanese people, people who have never left Japan, get all their information from TV and mass communication so they don't really make a distinction between gay, bisexual or transgender. They watch TV and think somebody like Haruna Ai is “gay” so for them to see actual gay men, ordinary men who like men, is probably really rare. They expect gay men to look or act like women in some way. I always feel like that, so for me, even if that's not really what I

| Story and photo by Adam Pasion |

growing up gay in Aichi

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am like I might start acting like that. Maybe you don't really feel that way, you just heard that gay people do that so you start acting that way too. There is definitely a stereotype I think.RAN: So how do you as a gay man feel about people like Haruna Ai or IKKO?Yu: Personally I feel really grateful to them. Its because of those guys...those girls...that being gay became mainstream. Of course they promote the stereotype, for example gay men being really feminine, but because of them it became much easier to be gay. I think it's still hard to be lesbian though. Gay became mainstream but lesbian hasn't become mainstream yet so that stereotype still has a long way to go. There aren't any female public figures or entertainers that have come out as lesbians. Even though it's not perfect, I am really grateful to them that gay people can appear on television.RAN: Do you feel misunderstood? Is it frustrating for you?Yu: I used to think it was really frustrating. When somebody would attack me I felt like, “What?!” but if you look at the individual, it has nothing to do with being gay or not. If somebody stereotypes me I say “You don't understand because you are not gay” which is sort of the same thing. You can't possibly understand a world that you don't know anything about so your reaction is to attack it.RAN: Have you ever been teased or discriminated against?Yu: Being told I act like a woman has become totally normal for me. Its like a greeting to me now, like that's how people say “Hi” to me. Some of that stuff I have just gotten used to, but I could never really get close to other men. I have no problem making friends with women but its hard to make friends with other men. But if I have lots of female friends, other men think I am some kind of player or something and they complain about that. It's not like that, you know these are just friends. But I was always really tall so I never got teased that much. Also because I had a lot of female friends, the boys didn't really pick on me because they didn't want the girls to stop liking them. Maybe I just never cared enough about it. I never got picked on much but I did wrestle with it a lot.RAN: In English there is a word called gaydar. It's supposed to be like RADAR but used by gay people to detect other gay people. I have heard from many foreigners that their gaydar doesn't work in Japan. Everybody seems like they might be gay to them. Is it hard for Japanese men to tell who is gay and who isn't?Yu: Its extremely hard. Seriously I have no idea who is gay or not just by looking. Unless somebody tells you, they are almost never found out. It's always been there, and I have just been acting this whole time. I am 28 now and for me its like this is the 28th year since I became an actor, so it's not

going to be that easy to find out. I don't think even gay people can tell I am gay. I know how to hide it. I think everybody knows how to act in a way that nobody will find out they are gay. Its seriously hard even for Japanese people to tell. I think Japanese guys might think all foreigners look gay. They have mustaches or they try to look really macho. Also a lot of the foreigners who come to Japan are really kind and friendly.RAN: Can you talk a little about your experience coming out to your family and friends?Yu: I don't think my parents were really surprised so much as shocked. So shocked they didn't even know what they

were shocked about. Its like if somebody throws a baseball at you and you see it coming as it hits you in the face, all you can say is “Ouch.” But when I came out to my parents it was like somebody threw the ball at them from behind. They weren't prepared for it at all. Its was like “What happened? Where did this blood come from? What should I do? Will it get better on its own?”I wanted to tell them, but I didn't really think about what it would mean. It's not like the world would change if I told them. It's not like it would make them happy, not even like it would make me happy to tell them. I honestly didn't think it would change anything at all. Like telling them “Today I got some chocolate at school.”RAN: But in actuality your relationship changed after that?Yu: I think my parents will never forget that day for the rest of their lives. For that I feel really sorry. Maybe it would have been better for them to just let them continue not knowing. I mean it wasn't hard for me before. I felt like nothing would change by telling them, and honestly my life didn't really change that much by coming out. My friends all just sort of said “Yeah I already knew.”RAN: So your friends already knew but you think your parents had no ideaYu: Either they didn't know, or they didn't want to hear it.RAN: If the laws in Japan changed and it became legal for same sex couples to marry, do you think your parents would come to the wedding?Yu: I think they would go for me, but I probably wouldn't ask them to. Its enough for me just that they know the truth. I don't hope for anything more than that.RAN: But if you got married would you want your parents to be close to your husband?Yu: I didn't want my parents to have to think about things any

Yu

differently than they would if I had been straight. Your son is introducing you to somebody so you have to be close to him, that kind of thing is just too troublesome. Their life is their life and I don't want my life to affect theirs.RAN: What do you think is the hardest thing about being gay in Japan?Yu: This is just me, but I grew-up without ever really being taught the words “painful,” “hard,” “depressing” and so on. I mean regardless of me being gay or not, I really cannot recall any times in my life that I would describe as “hard.” Of course there were times when I liked some guy who wasn't gay, something like that but I never felt like it was really difficult or felt like I wanted to die because of it. Although it was definitely tough for me to accept the fact that I was gay. “I want to be straight! I want to be straight! When am I going to get over this?” stuff like that.RAN: Have you actually felt that way before?Yu: Absolutely. “I want to be straight, when am I going to be straight?”RAN: Why is that?Yu: I don't feel this way now, but before I thought gay sex was really disgusting. Its all hot and sweaty. I always had this image in my head of it being sweltering hot and sticky.RAN: This is absolutely going into the article.Yu: When I was a high school student that is what I really thought, “Ah that's gross.” I was disliked by the boys in my class, and there was always this thing that I could never talk about. And in my high school nurses office I was reading this book about gender and stuff. It said something like “Sometimes high school boys like other men, but this is an illness.” You know “Its an illness but it will get better with time. Its a temporary problem. There is no cause for alarm.” This kind of book is just there in most high school nurse's offices. So for somebody like me who wanted to be straight, I saw this book and thought, “Oh it's normal. One day I will get better.” But of course it's not about getting better or not. Of course that kind of hardship I can say I have had. Besides that, I guess its hard that I can't just walk around town with my boyfriend. We can't go on dates during the day. Other people have much more difficult experiences, being told by their parents to go see a doctor, or to get out of the house. I think I am a really lucky case.RAN: Do you think a lot of people are just hiding their sexuality?Yu: A lot of them are. Until you are 20 years old, you know, until you leave the house you can't come out about it. There are also a lot of people that never come out, a lot of people who just get married and have a secret life. If I think about things being hard then everything becomes hard. But that is what everyone wants to hear. In an hour long conversation the happy parts are finished in 5 minutes, and the rest of the time its like “You know so-and-so is such a ….” For example the gay people who show up on television have to talk about how difficult their life is. They have to create tough situations for themselves. Nobody wants to see a guy like me on there where everyone says “Wow you've enjoyed a really happy life until now haven't you.”RAN: Even in this interview I never asked about what the happiest part of being gay in Japan is.Yu: Tiger Woods isn't going to get in the papers by talking about how happy he is.RAN: Any final comments for the readers of RAN?Yu: I am available.

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So much has been said and written about this that I'm not going to dwell on it here. Japan is very proud of its traditions, as it should be, as are most other countries.

Each of us, however, is raised in our separate culture with a traditional set of assumptions about the way things should be that very often has nothing to do with logic or reality. "Older" cultures like the Germans, English, Indians and Japanese don't have as much trouble dealing with traditional ways of thought as do the cultures that arose out of more rebellious individualistic backgrounds like Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, Latinos and Filipinos. In Japan this is compounded by their much talked about and studied group mentality. In fact, Japan may be the only country on earth where everyone insists that they are all the same, a stereotype. In Japan the word unique is a scathing criticism, denoting one's stubbornness, selfishness and refusal to work harmoniously with the group. People from individualistic-oriented cultures like Australia and the US prize their own uniqueness, often going to somewhat silly extremes to prove how special each one of them is. No one wants to be thought of as merely normal in these countries. In Japan normal is the place to strive for.

This all comes from the respective history of each country:

Japanese group culture comes out of its past as an agricultural rice-growing nation of small villages. Everyone lived together for centuries in the same small village where everyone knew everything about everyone else. In order for them to tend the rice fields, and keep out of danger, the villagers had to all work together. Anyone who stepped out of line posed all kinds of problems for everyone else. Any strangers that came to the village were potential enemies, so strangers were never to be trusted. Hence, even today, a Japanese person's loyalty is to his immediate group and he shows his loyalty by conforming to the group's needs and subjugating his own. That is why Japanese are famous for saying: "I can't do that! I'm Japanese!"

Newer countries like Australia and America began as "frontier" cultures where individuals strode off into uncharted territory and tried to make a new life for themselves. Often they were fleeing from bad conditions or despotic rulers back home, so they tended to be anti-authoritarian right from the start. Add to this that, in order to survive, they had to do everything for themselves: clearing the land, building a house, hunting, farming, making their own clothes,

Deadly's Tips恋愛関係 Tradit ion vs Freedom,

Group vs Indiv idual . . .Never the Twain Shall Meet

Tradit ion vs Freedom,Group vs Indiv idual . . .

Never the Twain Shall Meet

| By Deadly D |

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defending themselves from enemies. Anyone who was not able to adapt and find his or her own answers didn't survive. The traditional ways from the old countries made no sense in their present environment, so new solutions to difficult problems were highly prized. In their isolated environments, any strangers that happened by, if they weren't enemies were potential friends. So you ended up with people who are fiercely independent, hate being told what to do and have little tolerance for old outmoded ways of doing things. That's why they are fond of saying things like, "It's a free country, mate.".

Realize that your partner may see the world as a precisely laid out, step by step roadway versus your idea of a vast playground where you can go anywhere you choose. If you and your significant other are going to get along, you've got to recognize what each other's natural response is going to be when solving any problems that arise. In fact, understanding your own point of view and where it came from may be the most helpful part of this. Realize that your way is not the only way. You've got to be flexible, especially with issues you might feel the most strongly about. If you can achieve this, then an inter-cultural relationship, instead of creating overwhelming obstacles, can provide you both with even more possibilities and choices to solving problems than either of you could ever come up with on your own.

Which brings me to the final and most important thought. Sit down and talk about your goals for the future. It is amazing how many marrying couples never do this. It's a good idea no matter what culture you come from. But because of the differences in the assumptions and expectations of different cultures, this is the most important thing you can do before those forever-after promises are made. If you want to have a detached house full of rug rats, three dogs, vacations to the Greek Isles and to retire in a beach hut on Bali, and she wants the salary man life style in a Japanese mansion with one kid and to go shopping every day for name brand products, there is trouble brewing on the horizon. Sit down and seriously tell each other what you want out of life. Replies like "I just want to be with you," are not to be trusted. If the person has absolutely no idea what they want, then realize that you are getting engaged to a pickle-head and act appropriately. This can be the best part of the whole process, or it can be the point where you bail out, depending on how you handle it.

So, there you have it. While I realize that a lot of this sounds pretty negative and that an awful lot of broad generalizations have been made here, well, I am writing from the experience of myself and my friends. Sometimes generalizations are the only way we can talk about groups of people.

However, the saving grace of humanity is that, while you can talk in broad generalizations when referring to large groups of people, there are always going to be exceptions among individual human beings. While most international couples I know have had these problems, there are a few that are doing just fine after figuring things out their own way. Some of these inter-cultural couples have some of the happiest relationships I know of. But in almost every case, both partners are unusual people who can be flexible and understanding on an every-day basis. They like the challenge and surprise of melding together two cultures to create their own private one, and neither insists on doing things their own way. Overall, I would not recommend an inter-cultural marriage for the common person on the street. But if you really have an understanding heart and if you can be flexible and love the adventure of learning about new ideas and practicing new ways of doing things, it might be just the thing for your greater happiness.

One more suggestion: Find something, almost anything that you both share and have in common. You are coming from places with different histories, music, pop culture references, jokes. There needs to be something between you that's fun. Find an enjoyable activity that you can share and spend time doing together, whether it be mosh pit dancing at punk rock shows, cheering for Mongolian sumo wrestlers, or a love for Puffy and J-Pop. There needs to be times when you both understand and enjoy what's going on, when you have something you both enjoy discussing and planning for, when the sight of your inscrutably different mate gives you joy and anticipation of fun things to come.

Any comments, barbs, questions, vitriolic denials, free gifts of money are welcomed by Dirk and the editors of this magazine.

Fishy Business: Exploring the Yanagibashi Fish Market

Yanagi-bashi Ichiba is located between Nishiki-dori and Sakura-dori just one block west of Kokusai center, across the street from Eiden.

Operating hours are 4~10am, Monday-Saturday.

The market is closed on Sundays and national holidays.

solid photos: ACHIM RUNNEBAUMoutlined photos: ADRIEN SANBORN|RAN|14

It's four o'clock in the morning, a strange nexus of parallel worlds. The night owls are waiting for the first train home while zealous businessmen are trying to squeeze one more

hour into the morning. Far off in the distance the belts of the printing press are churning and coughing out the morning edition, and just down the street a few cabbies are sharing a smoke while they have the vomit and cigarette ash vacuumed from their upholstery. This time that belongs to neither the night nor the day reveals an interesting cross-section of the service industry and answers the question: who serves the servers? Whether your day is just ending at 4am or it's just beginning, its unlikely that you will find any place as vibrant as the central fish market in Yanagi-bashi, just east of Nagoya Station.

The shutters start clanging open around four and the big burly fishmongers begin making preparations for the morning delivery, cleaning up yesterday's catch, sharpening knives and scrubbing tables. The sleepy morning is shaken out of its slumber at five however by the arrival of the trucks carting in pounds of fresh fish, most of it still very much alive. The knives start-up in a slicing frenzy as fat slabs of tuna are hoisted on the table with big meat-hooks. Thousands of little eyes stare up from styrofoam crates packed full of flounder, yellow-tail, spanish-mackerel, sea-bream, pike and amberjack. You'll find row upon row of spitting oysters, clams, scallops, abalone, and any other mollusk under the sun. It's a world of squirming tentacles, writhing eels and flying fish heads, and the best prices you will find anywhere in this town. At any rate, its a hell of a way to bring in the dawn.

Contrary to their rough and gritty appearance, the vendors with an ever smoldering cigarette between their lips and a two-hundred pound albacore in their hands were warm and friendly, if just a little intimidating. Most weren't able to speak any English, but a word of Japanese and they were more than happy to explain every fish on their table. The shoppers began to show-up just before six and it was evident that most of these restaurateurs and sushi-chefs were on a first name basis with the vendors. Many of them had their orders already prepared before they said a word. Its quite clear that to make it in the sushi game you have to shine the right shoes. Most of the politics of their dealings were lost on me, but seeing the hustle and bustle happening hours before I would normally wake-up was a great glimpse at the back-end of this fascinating industry.

On average Japanese people enjoy the longest lifespan of

any country in the world, and it should come as little surprise that this is largely due to a diet rich in seafood. Organizations all over the world are encouraging people to eat more fish. The American Heart Association has published countless reports indicating that eating fish lowers triglyceride levels (fat in the bloodstream), reduces irregular heart beats (arrhythmia) and may even lower blood pressure. Eating fish as little as once a week can help prevent a stroke by reducing blood clots and inflammation. Other organizations such as the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council report that fish is the best source of Omega-3 fatty acids which have innumerable health benefits. These fatty acids are used by the body to sustain healthy brain tissue and increased doses can substantially help prevent Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and even depression. Omega-3 fatty acids are also highly recommended for expectant mothers or women who are breastfeeding, as they can help children develop better eyesight, prevent premature birth and make young children less likely to develop asthma. The message is simple, go eat more fish.

Of course every silver lining has its cloud, and in the case of fish that cloud is mercury. High levels of mercury can have harmful affects on the nervous system as well as impede the development of young children. Although omega-3 fatty acids can help relieve rheumatoid arthritis, mercury can have the opposite effect, causing muscle and joint pain. Fish high in mercury can also increase the risk of a heart attack. And you thought Jaws was dangerous in the water! Fortunately its quite easy to avoid dangerous levels of mercury. A simple rule of thumb is, the bigger the fish, the better the chance of higher mercury levels. Shark, swordfish and several species in the tuna family such as marlin or blue fin, like the kind used for sashimi are among the chief offenders. Even those big fish are generally okay for most people, but they should be avoided by pregnant or nursing mothers and children under five. With all the mercury coated light bulbs that are buried in the Nagoya city dump we'll all be mad as a hatter soon anyway, so you may as well enjoy that negi-toro in the meantime.

Yellow-fin tuna, albacore and the skipjack tuna (that's katsuo for those Japanophones) are dangerously over fished, and several types of dolphin are often caught in the nets of fisherman trolling for mahi mahi and other types of tuna. For those with ethical concerns and reservations perhaps the fish market is not the place for you.

| By Adam Pasion |

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Yoga has a long history dating back centuries and was first noted down by the scholar and teacher Patanjali in 'The Yoga Sutras' in the second century B.C.

It has been described in many ways but is essentially a science with a practical and methodical set of techniques to bring peace and harmony not only to the practioner but those around him/her as well. It's a practice to still the restless mind in an effort to realize one's true and deepest nature, learning to let go of attachments and ridding oneself of all the desires that mentally and emotionally cripple mankind. In simpler terms, it's a moving meditation, using your breathe as a guide, to get you where you want to go. You never force or push but with dedicated practice, eventually, your breathe will take you there or very close to it. The focus is always on breathe control and learning to be comfortable and breathe with ease in uncomfortable positions. When you can do this on your mat in class, the idea is that you take it out there into the world, because yoga is also very much about being a good person in general, having good intentions and doing your best, even in extremely trying circumstances. It's about emptying your mind of all the toxic thoughts that run wild in there and making space for new and positive energy. Yoga is not so much about having a flexible body as it is about having a flexible mind. You compete with only yourself and do your personal best. Bio-mechanics will dictate flexibility levels, but flexibility is not a gauge of how well you're doing in your practice. Your peace of mind is.

People often ask me how long it will take them to do 'such and such' a yoga posture. Whether or not you can ever do it is irrelevant. The fact that the intention and focus is there is what matters. Some people are naturally very flexible which means they will have to go further to make space within themselves. Physical flexibility in itself doesn't automatically bring on peace of mind. I've known a lot of unhappy gymnasts and ballerinas in my life and met many of them doing yoga to heal physical injuries and emotional wounds from torturing themselves for years doing those things.

The body is your vehicle to enjoy life. That much is clear to everyone and most people participate in some form of exercise to keep it strong and in good working order. On the other hand, how much time do most take to clean themselves out internally? Yoga takes you on an inward journey to rediscover or maybe discover for the first time who you really are, to connect with yourself on every level. It brings on much greater self-awareness and a whole new level of consciousness. Yoga is your vehicle to unite body, mind and spirit.

The health benefits from doing yoga are many. Due to the fact that it boosts the immune system, it has been shown to help prevent Heart Disease, Osteoporosis, Alzheimers and Type II Diabetes. It is also known to be helpful in treating cancer, arthritis, asthma, allergies and migraines to name only a few. It reduces stress, anxiety and depression, regulates moods, improves endocrine function, the ability to concentrate, memory, calmness and lowers cholestral through increased blood circulation. The entire aging process

is delayed because yoga stimulates the detoxification process. Posture, strength, stamina, blood pressure, sleep , tolerance to pain are all improved as well.

There are so many different kinds of yoga classes, that it shouldn't be too hard, given you put in a little effort, to find a class at a time that suits you, a style that you enjoy and a teacher you connect with. Give it a try. You never know what you might find out. When the breathing starts, miracles can happen. It may very well be the single best thing you ever do for yourself in this lifetime. Namaste!

Places to do Yoga in Nagoya: A short list

My Soul 8 Yoga Studio - Hisaya OdoriThis is the only studio in town with a full-time Australian Yoga Teacher as well as myself. The owner, Hirano-san and the main receptionist, Kato-san both speak fluent English, are gaijin friendly and very helpful.

Viaura Yoga Studio - Sakae (Marie and Alina)

The owner, Adachi-san and main manager, Aoyama-san speak limited English but are very friendly and helpful.

Phylex Yoga Studio - Ueda (Marie)The manager of this studio Mukae-san (Rie) is fluent in English, gaijin friendly and helpful.

Energy Body - Hisaya OdoriThe owner, Kanae-san can speak basic English but is not there most of the time.

Jonetsu Yoga - IsshaA few of the teachers can speak English very well. Body & Soul - Mizuho Undojo Higashi The owner of this studio Uemura-san, is fluent in English and around much of the time.

Nana Iro - Osu KannonAlina teaches here and of course speaks English very well. There are also severall Hot Yoga Studio's around the city and Alina teaches at 2 of them.

There is a site called 'Nayoga', all in Japanese of course, but it has a comprehensive list of all the yoga studios in Nagoya.

UnitYOGA| By Marie Langlois |

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Daniel had a hard time at school. He'd just moved to a new city, didn't know anyone yet and managed to piss off the school bully on the first day. As he was about to

receive another beating, an enigmatic old man comes to his aide and saves the day by laying down the law of the fist on the bully and his gang. Nobody expected this tattery old man to have such formidable Karate skills.

His name: Mr. MiyagiHis profession: baddest geriatric karate master this side of

Hollywood.. For most of us, that was probably the first exposure to a

"Japanese" person. Ok, all wax on, wax off jokes aside, you know when you were a kid, that movie inspired you to stand on one leg and wait for an (apparently unsuspecting) bully to run right into your jumping front heel kick, thus saving the day and winning the heart of the bully's former g-friend. So where are all the real-life Mr. Miyagi's hiding? Do you have to hike into remote areas to find some hermit living in a small hut, wash his car, paint his fence, and devote your entire essence to this "master" in order to know real Martial Arts, or can you do it in Nagoya as well? Just what is the difference between Karate and Kung Fu anyway? Read on and find out....grasshopper.

Let's start with the Art of Karate ( 空 手 ). This ancient art has its origins in Okinawa. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods mixed with Chinese Kempo. Through this mixing of styles, various punches, kicks, knee and elbow strikes, and grappling moves were incorporated into the style. Nowadays, it's one of the most famous and popular styles of martial arts in the world. Karate schools are almost as abundant as Pachinko Parlors in Nagoya, but if you seek a competent master of the art, look no further than Seijin-kan Showa Kyoshitsu Ken'yu-ryu (*see contact info below).

Aikido ( 合 気 道 ) is pretty much synonymous with Steven Segal for most people who grew up in the early 90's...nowadays his name either inspires admiration, or disgust, or both. Back in his hayday, however, this badass master of the Urban Beatdown was one of the coolest cats on the block. His graceful and lightning fast moves, and tough guy persona inspired fear in the bad guys, and awe in the viewers and helped to promote this art in the west.

While Karate has very distinct moves that are executed with a lot of force, Aikido is a style that aims to blend with the motion of the attacker and redirect his/her force rather than opposing it head-on. This "gentle" style was developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy and also as an expression of his personal philosophy of universal peace and reconciliation. This style is characterized by throws, strikes, grabs, pins, and blending with the attacker's energy. If you feel like being tossed around and doing your best impression of a ragdoll, There are many different Aikido dojos in Nagoya that cater to foreigners,

however, one of the most revered ones is Aikido Kimori Dojo, to which people from all over teh world come for training. The Sensei, Toshiharu Sawada is a true 7th Dan Master with many years of professional experience. When asked why they train in this particular style and joined this particular dojo, some students mentioned that the training is just plain fun, and that it has helped them ground themselves in their lives because there's such a spiritual aspect to the art.

Of course, no summary of Japanese Martial Arts styles would be complete without mentioning what is probably one of the most secretive styles, shrouded in mystery and misconceptions - Ninjutsu (忍術 ). What used to be one of the most guarded secrets of Japanese stealth assassins, is now one of the biggest cultural exports Japan has to offer. From comics, movies, all the way to internet podcasts, this mysterious mainstay of Japanese history has stealthily infiltrated many areas of popular culture all over the world. Just what is the allure of angry men dressed in black pajamas, otherwise known as Shinobi? Is it the outfits? The mystical aura of the style, or the intimidation factor? Feel like trying to sneak into one of the ninjutsu dojos, and battling it out with some real Ninjas? Well, you're in luck, This mythical style can now be experienced by anyone with a bit of time, a good health insurance plan, and a loose wallet. Here's more info: http://hisexperience.jp/culturalactivities/ninja.html

It is widely believed that the origins of many martial arts styles can be traced back to China more than 4,000 years ago. Many martial arts styles, like so many other things, are made in China, where the famous monks of the shaolin temple managed to study the movements of animals and develop various styles of armed or empty-handed combat based on their observations. These Styles are called Kung Fu ( 功 夫 ) , which stands for hard-work; and it's an accurate description of what's in store for you. Definitely not for quitters, or people who eshew a bit of pain. In Kung Fu, you generally don't start counting until you've hit about 1000 repetitions. It is said that many of the martial arts styles in the world have their origins in Kung Fu. These styles are characterized by quick, flowing movements that try to emulate some kind of animal, such as the Tiger, Crane, Snake, Leopard, etc. There is also a heavy emphasis on Weapons techniques. All-in-all, there are 18 basic weapons to master, depending on the Style. There are about as many different styles of Kung Fu as there are Pachinko Parlours in Nagoya, so I'll refer to them as just Kung Fu in this article. Being of Chinese Origin, there aren't many Kung Fu groups in Nagoya, but the one I belong to meets almost every Saturday evening at Tempaku sports center. We practice the Kung Fu style of Praying Mantis, which is characterized by emulating the movements of the mantis: hands form mantis hooks to grab and trap an incoming attack, deflect incoming blows, and strike vital pressure points. This style uses the whole body in harmony to quickly throw the opponent off

Patience, Young GrasshopperMartial Arts in Nagoya

| Story and photo by Achim Runnebaum |

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balance. It is definitely one of the most challenging styles I've ever practiced, so it will take a while for beginners to become proficient in this style. Bring your Japanese skills though, as this group doesn't generally cater to the gaijin community.

Certainly one of the most unique styles Nagoya has to offer is the Brazilian Style of Capoeira, which looks almost like a dance. That's actually the origins of the style: After Portugal discovered Brazil in the 1500's, many African slaves were sent there for work. These slaves wanted to preserve some of their culture and hid certain African Martial Arts moves in a kind of Warrior's Dance, which eventually evolved into what we today know as Capoeira. In a typical class, the players will form a circle (a roda), sing songs, play instruments, and spar each other in a highly acrobatic, dance-like fashion without actually making any contact on the other person's body with their strikes.

The focus here is on Acrobatics, Kicking, Striking, Takedowns and Sweeps, all wrapped up in non-stop, constantly flowing movements. Next to renting the movie "Only the Strong", the best way to learn Capoeira is to get your butt down to Sakae and start practicing your Jenga with the Abada Capoeira Team in Nagoya.

Training in any of these styles is a great way to interact with Japanese people, make some new friends, learn valuable skills, and get in shape mentally, physically, and most of all spiritually. With the spring already peaking out and summer (read, beach parties) just around the corner, now is an excellent time to beef up a bit and get rid of all that winter blubber that you so lovingly call love handles. A word of caution though, sore muscles and bruises are a normal part of the training, so if you easily complain or give up when things get tough, join a yoga class instead, because martial arts

training will push you to your physical and mental limits and beyond. Most martial artists will tell you that it's 80% in your head and only 20% physical. If you're up to the challenge, get off your lazy ass and discover your own warrior spirit within. With enough practice you too will be able to someday tell a young wanna be martial artist that washing your car is all part of the training....

Aikido Kimori Dojo2-10-1 Nichinomiya Kasugai, Aichi-ken Japan 486-0958Phone: 0568-36-9400http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~kimori

English KarateSeijin-kan Showa Kyoshitsu, Ken'yu-ryu,Tenri-kyo Mihari Bunkyokai 1F 5-28 Orido-choShowa-ku Nagoya Tuesday and Friday 7:30pm-9:00pm (4,000/month)Mr. Kenji Sugie (052-751-4032) Tell him Kikuko's website. Japanese English Chinese

Kung Fuhttp://www.h2.dion.ne.jp/~su-san/

Capoeirahttp://www.geocities.jp/abadasakae/Aula/calendar.html

Showing all games LIVE!!! Reserve Now!

Showing all games LIVE!!! Reserve Now!

Tel.052-202-7077http://www.shooters-nagoya.comNagoya-shi, Naka-ku, Sakae 2-9-26 Pola Building 2F

Mon to Thu : 5pm-1am / Fri : 5pm-3amSat : 11:30am-3am / Sun : 11:30am-1am

Open Hours

at Come fill out a bracket before to win a Special Grand Prize

from Shooters.

Come fill out a bracket before to win a Special Grand Prize

from Shooters.

Come fill out a bracket before to win a Special Grand Prize

from Shooters.

Come visit our booth at the 19th Annual Charity Walk-A-Thon &

receive a coupon for Shooters

Come visit our booth at the 19th Annual Charity Walk-A-Thon &

receive a coupon for Shooters

Walk-A-ThonAfter Party

Walk-A-ThonAfter Party

WORLD CUP 2010WORLD CUP 2010

11thJUNE

11th[FRIDAY][FRIDAY]

JUNEThe Games BeginThe Games Begin

Home of the Home of the

Walkathon19th

Walkathon19th

ACCJ / NIS

May

23th

[SUN]

Sports Bar & Grill

|RAN|20

soile*What is Creativity?... Creativity never stand alone. There is community and people trying to lead an enjoyable lives. That's why I would like to diffuse a message of "bottom of reality" through my work.

3 years ago, I went to Australia to find new horizons. Met new people, met new friendly people. One of them gave me an oportunity to paint on a 25m wall.It was a show room for a car dealer. He kindly offered a job to me even though I had no professional resume

in there. I painted day and night. 8 days a week. The art piece was a success. I then realized that in order to influence people the most important thing is to act. To make things happens takes lots of time and work.It's the people around me who supported me and let me accelerate. The people around me is a mirror of my inner self. I need them

there for keeping a good and free mind that doesn't tie me down, a mind that can be

tolerant.

When you enjoy your day to day life, art is a filter for atmosphere and

communication, it makes me happy.I like the direct emotion from the

people I meet and the best way where I can transmit this, it is in

public spaces. For that reason, this August I will expose in various hot places.I am happy to meet new people and would love it if I could see you there.Please scan the top right

QR for more information.

PEACE

Create創造

art and words: ELIOS NISHIWAKI

http

://w

ww

.mys

pace

.com

/soi

lelio

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|RAN| 21

So here I am, taking an extended leave of absence away from my home away from home away from home, Planet Japan. I’ve been in the States for almost two months

now, longer than at any other time since I moved to Japan 7 years ago.

Feels weird here. I don’t feel quite so 'American' anymore, but I also am most definitely not Japanese. I’m sort of Americanese or Japan-Americanese-ish, something hybrid. I told you I feel weird.

I’ve been considering “leaving Japan for good” for what seems like an eternity, after almost 7 years in Japan, or probably anywhere, at my age, or anyone’s age maybe, after 7 years it becomes an almost-impossible task leaving your adopted country, picking up what you’ve accumulated over those years, saying goodbye to friends, whittling your life-in-Japan down to nothing and trekking back ‘home’ with 7 years worth of memories, experiences, images, emotions, and 'stuff', all stuffed into a few suitcases and duffel bags, tying up all the loose ends and all that. All ex-pats over time develop a nagging voice in our heads that says, “When are you going home? You know you’ve got to go home at some point..when?”. This voice is sometimes louder than other times, and even in the best moments in Japan, or, wherever you may have emigrated, this voice can still be heard, “Go home, why aren’t you going home yet? When are you going home…?”

So I came ‘home’, and home isn’t the same, or, I’m not the same, or both. And it’s weird.

You come back ‘home’ to find your friends aren’t doing what they were doing when you left, if you can even find them. Their lives have gone forward, yours has too, but in a completely different direction. You’re happy to see them, and they’re happy to see you, but, there’s something ‘different’ about you both. They’ve got things to do, places to go, they’ve picked up new friends and habits you don’t recognize. Maybe their entire personality has changed, maybe yours has, you’re not sure. You feel like a bit of an intruder in their new world. You both so desperately want to connect and return to the past friendship you had, but you both know it’s impossible, your friendship is now mostly nostalgic, like an old record, it’s still real, still exists, but doesn’t have the same value or presence-of-the-moment it once had. It’s a bit sad, exactly like an old love song you hear on the radio, bittersweet, makes you smile and wince at the same time.

Of course, you can make new friends, but while you’re living in a foreign country, no one thinks, “man, I sure would like to go back home so I can

find some new friends”, that negates the whole desire to go home, after all, this is exactly what you’ve accomplished by coming to a NEW country. You want your old friends back, and though they’re still there, they’re gone too, at the same time. Weird.

There’s a sense of, “What am I supposed to be doing here?” I suppose it disappears after a while, you develop a life, make new friends, find a job, a place to live, you make a new 'route' for yourself, but as of now, I don’t know quite what that route is, or will become. I’ve been doing or trying to do all or most of the same stuff I was doing before I came to Japan, and none of it is really quite 'clicking'. My old haunts don’t stimulate me as much anymore, my old vices don’t get me as 'high' as I remember. As a matter of fact, I’m turned off by most of what I used to do, I suppose I’ve “grown”, but what have I grown into? I have no idea really, I feel more than a little lost actually, confused and between worlds. Limbo. I’m back 'here', I mean, 'home', but, I don’t quite know what to do here.

But I’m searching. And I’m finding it’s very hard work to break out of the same routine I remember doing when I was here before. It isn’t that this routine was/is unproductive, it’s that it just doesn’t work anymore. It’s as though the streets I used to travel all lead to dead ends. It’s all perfectly familiar, and at the same time, it offers no satisfaction. Imagine, again, a favorite record you used to play all the time, it used to give you boundless joy, imagine breaking that same record out now, you might still enjoy it, but could you play it over and over again like you used to? Nah, one listen would be enough,

then you’d neatly put it back into it’s box, and move on to something else. Being ‘back home’ is like that, “I’ve been here before, I used to really like it here, I had so much going on, but now…..”

What exactly?This is what I came back here for, searching for

that 'what to do next' thing. I haven’t found it yet. If I were 25, it might be easier for me to get used to being

back home, I’m not 25. I’m finding that I’ve invested my entire life into my new home on Planet Japan. My

emotions, my energy, my dreams, wishes, hard work, tears, triumphs, promises, tragedies, friendships,

re la t ionships , hopes , they a l l res ide on Japanese soil.

But here I am, back ‘home’, looking to find myself, again.

They say you can never go back home.Damn skippy.

Maybe if I click my heels three more times…Miss you guys...

tdh

Should I Stay or Should I Go?行くか行かないか

“..sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name,

and they’re always glad you came….” -theme song from the TV show “Cheers”

illust

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| By TD Houchen |

Bob Dylan blew through here a few weeks back singing that very line, about how no matter

how important, famous, rich, wealthy, powerful, popular, or otherwise special you may think you are, there’s always someone you’ve got to bow down to, someone who calls upon you to supplicate yourself, a power higher than yourself.

Japan is an essentially secular country, unlike many western countries where rel ig ion permeates l i fe by means of history, culture, media, or all three. Here, religion is virtually absent from daily conversation, however, if you’ve got a need to worship, pray, or otherwise seek the Divine, here are a few places and/or organizations that will welcome you.

Search, and ye shall find.

Are You

Losing Your Religion?

“..you’re gonna have to serve somebody..”

-Bob Dylan

|RAN|22

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints052-732-5176

Divine American Religion Study GroupContact: Roy 090-9268-1469

All Nations Fellowship (Christian)Contact: ‘Shohei’ 050-5534-2007Allnationsfellowship.netanfjapan@gmail.com

Mikokoro International Catholic Center Nagoya052-971-0334www.mikokoro.net

Nagoya International Baptist Church (Calvary Baptist Church)Contact: Tim Melton 052-801-8064www.nibc.japanforchrist.comwww.cbcnagoya.japanforchrist.com

Nagoya Mosque (Muslim)052-486-2380http://nagoyamosque.com

Nagoya Seventh-Day Adventist ChurchContact: Pastor Hiroyuki Yoshida052-731-4605

Ichibaku Church (Independent)052 701 4221

Meito Christ International Church(Interdenominational)Contact: Pastor Charles Fredrickson052-771-5267www.meitochurch.org

Gospel Bible StudyContact: Mr. Tan 090-2922-2828wwjtesther@yahoo.co.jp

art:

AD

RIEN

SA

NBO

RN

|RAN| 23

How many times have you witnessed this phenomenon; A young Japanese couple are on a date somewhere, you know it’s a date because they’re holding hands,

or something akin to holding hands. You’ve been watching them for what seems like an eternity, they’ve exchanged more than a fair share of what appear to be romantic glances, but that’s all they’ve exchanged, what I mean to say is, they haven’t spoken a word to each other the entire time you’ve been watching them, nevermind the fact that you shouldn’t be watching, you just want to learn..

They seem to somehow know what the other is thinking, in fact, this “silent knowing” has a name in Japanese, it’s called Ishin Denshin, it’s a zen phrase, which makes it automatically kind of cool, and it’s related to telepathy, more coolness, however, in Japan, this power to read minds is not relegated to late night TV shows or barnyard psychiatry, it’s standard fare to be able to comfortably get along in society, sort of like saying “please” and “thank you” in Western society. Again, even if you don’t know, you should act like you know, this is key.

Very loosely translated, ishin denshin means, “total transmission of one’s secrets through one’s spirit”, it’s a fancy-shmancy way of saying Japanese people have learned the deft art of knowing how to behave or not behave, what to say and/or not say, and how to slip and slide through apparently treacherous social terrain simply by “reading the air”, they admonish you to learn to do this also, mind-to-mind communication, it will save your ass in uncomfortable or otherwise important situations and you do need to learn, but-

How? Again, in many, if not most, circumstances in Japan, it’s

what is NOT spoken that is important. Language is mostly a tool employed to maneuver through situations with as little as possible being actually said, like Kenny Rogers once sang, you’ve got to know when to hold ‘em/know when to fold ‘em….

Westerners, Americans in particular, pride themselves on a certain ability to engage in “straight talk”, direct expression of whatever one wishes to convey, it isn’t often pretty, but it gets

the job done. Sort of. Sometimes. Maybe.. Japanese, as with most things, are a much more subtle

bunch, direct communication turns them off and is seen as a sort of oafish, childish way of communicating one’s intent or meaning. Vagueness, aimai, is preferred to precision. This propensity to be vague owes itself to Japanese wanting to allow meaning and clarity to emanate between people, as opposed to it directly going from one to another, meaning, intent, desire, it’s all implied, suggested, or hinted at. Sounds…vague.

You learn to read the air by watching and listening, both for what is being said and for what isn’t being said. You pay close attention to behavior and try not to spill all the beans all at once, and also, you never expect all the beans to be spilt all at once either. You think a whole lot about what is being said and what is expected of you in any particular situation.

Often, this boils down to having to guess what another’s meaning or intention is. You may be asking yourself, “why do they put themselves through so much anguish? Why not just say what they mean?”, I’m asking myself this same thing day in day out, the answer is..vague. They like being vague.

Period. That’s it. They don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, including their own, so they practice vagueness and ishin denshin creates the space for them to be vague and unclear.

Look, it’s a simple choice to be able to enter smoothly into and out of society, work, relationships, social gatherings, etc. Learn to read the air.

Don’t say or do anything ‘stupid’, which amounts to, probably, most of what you’d normally say or do back home.

Don’t be so clear, and don’t expect anyone else to be so clear with you either, what are you, some kind of moron? Be vague, it’s better for everyone involved.

Learn to read the mind of the one you are communicating with, it’s kind of like a non-physical version of aikido, you’re grappling with unspoken words, concepts, ideas and intentions, but you’re doing it well..

I can read your mind, you want pancakes, no, wait, I want pancakes, someone somewhere wants pancakes, ishin denshin tells me so.

| By TD Houchen |

When In Rome郷に入れば

...it will save your ass in uncomfortable or otherwise important situationsand you do need to learn...

...it will save your ass in uncomfortable or otherwise important situationsand you do need to learn...

illust

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~ March 5, 2010 ・ Hard Rock Cafe - Nagoya ~

|RAN|24

Thanks for comingand making it such a

success!

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IM R

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COMING SOON!

NAGOYA BANG BANG

BOOGIE!NAGOYA BANG BANG

BOOGIE!the SUMMER PARTY EVENT of 2010!!

Watch this space and visit our FACEBOOK PAGE for details.

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recommendsfitness clubs in Nagoya. Got your health?!

|RAN| 25

Chukusa-kuChikusa Sports CenterYamate121 Hoshigaoka Chukusa-ku 464-0808Tel: 052-782-0700Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing field, archeryhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/chikusa_sc/index.html

Kita-kuKita Sports CenterJyouganji 6-12 Kita-ku 462-0021Tel: 052-917-0501Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing field, archeryhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/kita_sc/index.html

Rainbow Kurokawa Sports Training CenterShumizu4-17-17 Kita-ku 462-0844Tel: 052-982-2770Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: playing field, sauna http://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/kurokawa/index.html

Nakamura-kuNakamura Sports CenterNakamurachou 43-1 Nakamura-ku 453-0053Tel: 052-413-8021Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing field, archeryhttp://www.jpn-sports.com/nakamura/index.html

Higashi-kuHigashi Sports CenterDaikominami 1-1-10 Higashi-kuTel: 052-723-0411Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing field, archeryhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/higashi_sc/index.html

Showa-ku Showa Sports CenterFukiage 2-6-15 Showa-ku 466-0000Tel: 052-733-6831Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing fieldhttp://oshirase.net.city.nagoya.jp/showa_sc/index.html

Nishi-kuBiwajima Sports CenterBiwajima 1-1-2 Nishi-ku 451-0053

Tel: 052-532-4121Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing field, archeryhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/biwajima_sc/index.html

Naka-kuNaka Sports CenterSakae 1-30-10 Naka-ku 460-0008Tel: 052-232-2327Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing fieldhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/naka_sc/index.html

Meito-ku Meito Sports CenterItakacho Takabari 307-12 Meito-kuTel: 052-705-4948Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing fieldhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/meito_sc/index.html

Tempaku-kuTempaku Sports CenterUeda 3-1502 Tenpaku-ku 486-0051Tel: 052-806-0551Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing field, archeryhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/tenpaku_sc/index.html

Minato-kuInae Sports CenterNoseki 5-1-10 Minato-ku 455-0845Tel: 052-384-0300Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: playing field, archeryhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/inae_sc/index.html

Nanyo PoolFujimae 4-701 Minato-ku 455-0855Tel: 052-303-2015Open: 10:00-20:30 (weekdays)Gym: 10:00-18:00 (weekends)Extra features: pool, playing fieldhttp://www.nespa.or.jp/shisetsu/nanyo_pl/index.html

Couldn't find something in your area?Check out this website for more locations:

http://www.net.city.nagoya.jp/info/index006.html

Inñuniq

Nestled into a sleepy back street near Kurokawa station, one little building stands-out from the otherwise drab and colorless cityscape. The appropriately

named Green Fellow Building can be spotted easily by its characteristic canopy of vines that wind their way up to the 5th floor. The staircases are lined with dozens of potted plants and at the crown of the building is a spacious rooftop garden. The building teeming with flora appears to be a life form unto its own and the tenants of the building match in spirit and mind, complete with a holistic relaxation space, a yoga studio and on the first floor, the eclectic cafe Inñuniq.

At first glance Inñuniq looks like the type of place you would expect to find in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district or Manhattan's East Village but certainly not in Nagoya's Kita-ward. Upon entering, the first place your eyes go to is the matrix of twisting vines hanging from the ceiling followed by a wooden crate full of garden fresh produce immediately at your feet. The dining room is well lit with natural light pouring in from a sliding glass door that leads to the outdoor patio and gardens. In the back of the restaurant is a small shop purveying all manner of organic goods from cosmetics to herbal supplements.

Before reviewing the food its important to explain the selling point of this cafe, that being that everything is 100% organic. If you are like me you might be a little leery of words like “farm fresh” or “organic” which are often buzzwords thrown about by marketing execs to push a few more units of product x, but in this case I assure you they mean it. Not only is everything organic, but its practically all homegrown by the staff themselves. Each staff member actually trucks in their own hand reared vegetables, herbs and spices from their personal gardens. They make their own miso paste, curry and even brew their own soy sauce. Its actually staggering to think about the amount of time they put into a dish from seed to fork, and yet the prices are incredibly reasonable.

Taking that into consideration, the menu is light, which is appropriate for a cafe of this size. Lunch included a vegan friendly plate of vegetables including fresh sliced burdock root (gobo) lightly covered in olive oil and herbs, diced carrot salad, steamed green onion, and daikon pickles. The best part

of this portion of the meal was the taro, with a crisp skin that snaps when you bite into it. This was complemented by a hot bowl of miso soup, which was cured by hand and I don't want to imagine how long that must take. The broth was very mild, and to those accustomed to Nagoya's potent red miso it might seem a bit watery, but it was full of tasty cauliflower which made up for that. Also accompanying the main course is a bowl of mixed grain rice which was flavorful and hearty spotted with flecks of brown rice which made it look aesthetically pleasing as well. Two types of homebrewed curry followed, one with a slight citrus twist and the other more conventionally spicy.

But even for those whose appetites are satiated this place is a great spot to simply sit and sip some freshly brewed organic coffee. For those not into coffee (both of you) there are plenty of other delectable libations to whet your palate. Unwind with a soothing herbal tea, or enjoy my personal favorite – a soymilk chai tea. You really can't go wrong on the drink menu here, everything is percolated to perfection and the prices are exceptionally reasonable, plus you don't have to feel like you just cheated a poor coffee picker out of a days wages when you drink fair trade.

On a closing note, there are certain details that one shouldn't mention in a food review to preserve journalistic integrity, but I feel I would be remiss in my duties if I failed to report that the day after I ate at Inñuniq I enjoyed perhaps the healthiest bowel movement I've had in fifteen years. It was as if a decade of accumulated preservatives, additives and yellow-5 were finally detoxed from my body. Respect the world, respect the Earth, and do right by yourself – go try Inñuniq.

Inñuniq is open from 7am to sundown, Tuesday though Saturday and Mondays from 11am. Lunch service is available

from 12 to 3pm. Close Sundays.

InñuniqGreen Fellow 1f5-10-8 Shimizu, Kita-ku, Nagoya

-- Just a 6 minute walk from Kurokawa station on the Meijo line.

Taste味わう

Inñuniq

| Story and photos by Adam Pasion |

|RAN|26

RAN Magazine is now considering

new comics to include in future

issues of RAN. If you would like to

have your work considered, please

send digital submissions to

submit@ranmagazine.com

and get your comics published.

YOUR COMICS

HERE!

The Walkathon is a non-smoking event.ウォーカソンは終日禁煙です。

The Walkathon is an annual event that helps raise money for and awareness about local charities in the Chubu area. ウォーカソンは中部エリアの地元慈善団体への関心を高め、募金の呼びかけを目的としたイベントです。

Supported by Nagoya American Consulate, City of Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture　後援：在名古屋アメリカ領事館、名古屋市、愛知県

20105/23 10:00

walkathonウォーカソン

国際チャリティフェスティバル2010

鶴舞公園TSURUMAI PARK

International Charity Festival 2010

19th19th

www.NagoyaWalkathon.com～Supporting the People in our Community～みんなで地域の為に

大人　2000円、小学生1000円