All posts by TF Tribe

  • Walk though history at the Edo Tokyo Tatemono En

    Walk though history at the Edo Tokyo Tatemono En Spend a family day at the Edo Tokyo Tatemono En, an open air architectural museum, located in western Tokyo’s expansive Koganei Park.  Here you will experience a leisure...

    • Posted September 29, 2011
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  • Japan changes its immigration policy

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   Effective July 2012, the Ministry of Justice will implement an amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act with the following key changes: 1. RESIDENCE CARD (ZAIRYU CARD) The Ministry of...

    • Posted September 1, 2011
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  • The secret language of parents

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   It was pretty darn close to my little guy’s bedtime. Actually, I just wished it were. Hubby and I were exhausted after a long day of chasing him up and down the...

    • Posted September 1, 2011
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  • Vegetable risotto recipes

    AUTUMN VEGETARIAN RISOTTO Approx. serves 31 clove garlic 1 medium size onion 6 pcs. cherry tomato 5 pcs. small green bell pepper 150 gms canned red kidney beans 10 pcs. string beans 7 tbsps. extra virgin olive...

    • Posted August 31, 2011
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  • Let’s get fit-tical

      “I am not fat, what do I need exercise for?” “I have too many things to take care of everyday. What time have I got for fitness?” “I want to lose weight but I’m too lazy...

    • Posted July 28, 2011
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  • Camp Roadless’ Performing Arts Summer Camp

    Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if it were a musical? Michaela Chatman doesn’t, and the children joining her this summer won’t have to wait to long to find out either.  While traipsing...

    • Posted July 24, 2011
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  • Kids’ summer activities

    The school year is almost over and your les petits await activities that are fun and enjoyable to welcome the warm bliss of summer. Don’t disappoint them. Go outdoors, foster friendships and keep those minds in shape....

    • Posted June 9, 2011
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  • Single-parent households

    Q: What are the possible consequences to children being raised by a single-parent than those from two-parent households? A: This is a complex question, the answer largely depending on what age the child was when the family...

    • Posted June 8, 2011
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  • Will you be traveling with kids for the summer vacation?

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   Travelling with small children especially on long haul fl ights need not be stressful if you have simple solutions that can keep them busy or entertained. Getting your little one a board...

    • Posted June 8, 2011
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  • Sauteed pork and deep fried tofu

      Tofu or soy bean curd is a widely consumed food in Japan. Although its origin is Chinese, it has become an indispensable part of Japanese cuisine.The two kinds of tofu sold in supermarkets are momen (cotton)...

    • Posted June 8, 2011
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  • Amazing kid wins US$40,000

    Sukyana Roy, 14-year old Indian-American from Pennsylvania, USA is this year’s Champion of the 84th Scripps National Spelling Bee competition held last week in Washington DC, televised on ESPN. She took home more than US$40,000 (approx. ¥3.2M)...

    • Posted June 8, 2011
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  • Lending a helping hand to Ishinomaki

    It will be 20 years this autumn since I first visited Ishinomaki in Miyagi prefecture. I was not to know, however, that 20 years later Daikanyama would be one of the few places in Ishinomaki not...

    • Posted June 8, 2011
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  • When does the ‘blame game’ turn into the ‘lame game’?

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   Who is game? Who do you know is an unconditional aficionado of the blame game? Maybe do you enjoy it yourself from time to time?  Aren’t those moments of supposedly “economic downturns”...

    • Posted May 15, 2011
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  • Nutritious eggplant recipes

    Eggplants, also known as “aubergine” in French or “nasu” in Japanese, are considered low-fat vegetables and very rich in essential minerals such as potassium, manganese magnesium and copper. It is a good source of minerals, vitamins C,...

    • Posted May 15, 2011
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  • Family option: low-rise housing

    It was so unfortunate how the major earthquake rocked buildings in Japan at 2:46 pm on March 11, 2011 sending people to panic including foreign residents who were new to the same level of intensity. According to...

    • Posted May 15, 2011
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  • Oh for a book and a shady nook!

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   With the advent of the e-book in the last few years, it seems more and more expats are asking whether they should “switch over” to this electronic medium of literature. Despite some...

    • Posted April 1, 2011
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  • An ice cream flavor approach to temperament

    Temperament is a psychological construct first developed by Stella Chess, Alexander Thomas and others in the 1950s born out of longitudinal studies of infants and how temperament influences adjustment throughout life.  Temperament refers to characteristics that are...

    • Posted April 1, 2011
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  • Help Japan now

    • Posted April 1, 2011
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  • Martha Stewart’s Silk Tie Easter Eggs

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova Small- to medium-size raw eggs Glass or enamel pot Silk ties cut into pieces large enough to cover an egg White sheets (or pillowcases or old tablecloths), cut into pieces to cover silk-wrapped...

    • Posted April 1, 2011
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  • Living dreams

    As spring chases away the chills of winter, countless families begin perusing summer camp brochures, eager to provide their children the fun and growth opportunities found only at camp.  This year, generous families can share those outdoor...

    • Posted April 1, 2011
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  • Concerned parent

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   Question 1 How do you know if you are raising a sociopathic child?   Question 2 From what age is it evident?   Question 3 Would you advise parents to tell the...

    • Posted February 28, 2011
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  • Letchford and Letchford

    Geoff and Rebecca are the Letchfords, who have for the last twelve years called the world their photo/design studio. He shoots, she designs. Together they have become one of the most sought-after portrait photographer teams in the...

    • Posted February 28, 2011
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  • Salvatore Cuomo

    When Salvatore Cuomo rolled up his sleeves and came back to Japan to help out his ailing father manage the family business at the age of 18, little did he know that that was to be the...

    • Posted February 28, 2011
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  • Handling high school stress

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   A recent talk to high school parents at the American School in Japan focused on teenage stress.   Our current generation of students is feeling greater pressure to succeed in an increasingly competitive world. The 2007-8 TELL survey of 2,000 adolescents found...

    • Posted February 1, 2011
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  • Cash makeover

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   Question: We are a young Japanese-American couple in our early thirties and have a 2-year-old son and our own careers. The two of us used to be pretty much good savers and...

    • Posted February 1, 2011
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  • Bon appe-cheap

       We don’t need to break the family budget in order to have a decent Valentine’s Day celebration. If taking the family out to a special dinner is not an option, here are some ideas how to...

    • Posted February 1, 2011
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  • Nihongo ga hanseruyo ni narimashita

    I came to Japan on assignment merely to start up a branch office with nointention of staying any longer than 10 months. I knew no language besides English and Italian. I recall how challenging my first few...

    • Posted February 1, 2011
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  • A look on love

    Do you need the constant reassurance of being loved? If so, don’t have kids, and buy a pet instead!For most individuals, life is a constant struggle that consists of hoping that the person to whom they wish...

    • Posted February 1, 2011
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  • Learning special

    The American School in Japan “An ASIJ education. What does it mean?”   An ASIJ education means excellence and meeting our mission of deve-loping compassionate, inquisitive learners, prepared for global responsibility.  We achieve this by offering an...

    • Posted December 27, 2010
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  • Why do most couples stop having sex?

    Photo © Elena Derevtsova   Why do most couples stop having sex?  When you are about to start a brand new romantic relationship, do you ever wonder if, at some point down the road, you will cease...

    • Posted December 27, 2010
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