Baseball games in Japan are more than fun, they're a cultural experience – and the Hanshin Tigers are the pinnacle. Based in Koshien, the Tigers’ stadium opened in 1924 and is one of the oldest …
Asia: travel reviews
Tiger Country: Koshien, Japan
Kuşadası, Turkey
I didn’t know what to expect when our cruise ship ported in Kuşadası, Turkey. I was expecting something completely foreign, but instead found a charming place. In Kuşadası they accepted almost any kind of currency, …
June 4, 2009
Loud in Japan
This collaboration was born at the UFO Club in Tokyo,” says Bruce McKenzie, one half of the local experimental duo Buzz or Howl. “We met famed Japanese psych-noise artist Astro through a mutual friend.… The …
January 21, 2009
Saved by Commander Bell
An old nautical joke is that the difference between a fairy tale and a sea story is that the former begins “Once upon a time…” while the latter begins “Now this ain’t no BS!” Also, …
December 3, 2008
Groove and Jam
With a band name like Moontucky Risin, you might expect to hear Southern-fried or Cajun-cooked rock, perhaps with a side of bluegrass or a pinch of rockabilly. And that’s what listeners got, back when cofounders …
August 20, 2008
My Perfect Sunday
With few Christians in Japan, Sunday is not a day of worship. It is, however, the only day most people have with their family. Until a couple of years ago, students had school on Saturdays …
July 16, 2008
The Bigger Family
One of the biggest differences I find in raising a family in Japan is that the concept of family is different from what I am used to. In Canada, the nuclear family reigns supreme, but …
July 9, 2008
Manav Desh in Imphal, India
Adorned in traditional attires of a groom, my friend, you look handsome, and your bride so elegant. The mandap, garland in bright yellow marigolds, the sparkle of the jewels of the wannabe brides, dazzling the …
January 16, 2008
Manav Desh in Imphal, India
Hours grew into days, days into weeks, weeks into months, and yet time gives me the illusion that it was just a few days ago when my illness began. Ah! Time had ceased to exist …
January 9, 2008
Thais That Bind
She's holding on to his little tusks with both hands. She nuzzles her face right into his trunk, between his eyes. You can tell they're in love. The picture of the shaved-head girl monk and …
Mystery in The Mundane
On January 17, 1995, a 7.2 earthquake struck just north of Kobe, Japan, at dawn. Between 6500 and 7000 people lost their lives. Twenty-six thousand were injured in Japan's worst quake since 1923. Many had …
August 9, 2007
Wizard 6: A Combat Psychiatrist in Vietnam
Wizard 6: A Combat Psychiatrist in Vietnam (Texas A & M University Military History Series, 104) FROM THE JACKET: In 1969, six psychiatrists were assigned to combat divisions in Vietnam. Captain Douglas Bey, "Wizard 6," …
One Night in Son Tay
'Five people had this letter from the chief of staff, General Ryan of the Air Force," says William Guenon. "It said, 'To Whom It May Concern: The person who hands you this letter will request …
October 12, 2006
Sunny Somani in Bangalore, India
Let There Be Light You must have seen the MasterCard ads: "a bottle of champagne, 100 dollars; a bouquet of red roses, 25 dollars; a soft toy, 15 dollars; the smile on her face when …
August 31, 2006
Sunny Somani in Bangalore, India
Sweet Tea The air hostess didn't ask him if he'd like his tea remade. He was reclined in his seat, eyes closed, iPod playing; the teacup held by both his palms and a smug smile …
August 24, 2006