The Nippon Initiative

Shinto and Christianity: Worldviews In Contrast Part 1

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:05:00 EDT

The Nippon Initiative announced today that first place in the "Let's Send Brooke Back to Japan NipponNow Photo Contest" has been awarded to Brittany Breiner for her photo of the Giant Buddha...

$2 Tuesday: Help and Hope for Daiichi Nuclear Plant Crisis Refugees

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:49:00 EST

The Nippon Initiative is taking steps to provide help and hope for refugees in Japan from communities surrounding the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, crippled by last year's 9.0 earthquake and its aftermath.

A Review of "1Q84" by Haruki Murakami - Part 1

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:19:00 EST

I first heard of 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami while listening one day to NPR. The person mentioning the book said something like, "If you want to know more about how Japanese people think, 1Q84 is a must-read." So I ordered the book and began to read it, all 925 pages of it.

A Review of "1Q84" by Haruki Murakami - Part 2

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:14:00 EST

The world of 1Q84 proves to be dangerous and unpredictable, a world that lends itself to fear, hopelessness, and despair. It is no wonder that author Haruki Murakami...

A Review of "1Q84" by Haruki Murakami - Part 3

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:57:00 EST

The storyline of 1Q84 centers on the main characters being drawn into another realm of existence. It is a realm dominated by "Little People", kami-like beings full of mystery and mischief, and therefore unpredictable and dangerous. As it turns out, life in 1Q84, for Aomame and Tengo (and several other characters besides) proves to be utterly unattractive, offering no relief for the shackles Tengo felt on his soul, as described in Part 2 of this review.