(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I experienced Rokyoku, a traditional Japanese narrative singing performance, for the first time. I attended a Rokyoku performance in Ishikawa, Japan. Rokyoku is a genre of traditional Japanese storytelling that began over 100 years ago. In a Rokyoku performance, the rokyokushi … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Almost everyone dislikes cockroaches. When people see a cockroach, they often scream and run away. When I see one, I feel uncomfortable, upset, and nervous. I try to kill it as soon as possible. If I don’t, I can’t sleep well. … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I have been writing a diary for 10 years. There are some days when I don’t write, but most of the time I write every day. I write about what I did, what I thought, what happened, my weight, and my … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I could do a backflip when I was in junior high school. A backflip is a backward somersault done in the air with the arms and legs stretched out straight. Gymnasts often do backflips. When I was in junior high school, I … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Do you know the ideas of a goal-oriented lifestyle and a calling-oriented lifestyle? A Japanese historian proposed these ideas. You are probably familiar with a goal-oriented lifestyle. This is a masculine style of living. You set a goal and try to … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I saw a musical for the first time in my life. I had seen movies at theaters before, but I had never seen a musical. Movies are recorded, but musicals are live, and no one knows exactly what will happen. I … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I have taken more than 3,000 English conversation lessons over the past ten years. I started taking English conversation lessons in 2016. I went to an English conversation school for the first two years. After that, I began taking online English … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I started reading many books when I was 24. Before that, I didn’t read much. I preferred outdoor activities. Because I started reading late, I tried to read a lot to make up for lost time. After I began reading seriously, … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I really like walking. In my life, I have walked a lot. On average, I have walked 10,000 steps a day for about 15 years. Ten thousand steps is about seven kilometers. I did this for 15 years, so I have … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) One day in 2018, while I was lying in bed, I got an idea. I decided to make a blog about my town. A few days later, I bought a book about how to make a blog. Then I created my … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) In this book, you can learn how to recover your creativity. Readers follow a 12-week program. This book was published in 1992 and has sold several million copies. Many famous people have read this book, such as Olivia Rodrigo, Bella Hadid, … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I started reading books seriously twenty years ago, and I have now read about 3,000 books. Before that, I didn’t read much. I had an inferiority complex about reading.Because of this, I tried to read as many books as possible. I … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Almost everyone wants to be lucky. However, I didn’t know how to become lucky, so I read nine books about luck. I read books about luck written by famous Japanese entrepreneurs, a Japanese scientist, a scholar, a legendary mahjong player, and a … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I wasn’t interested in cleaning and tidying up before. I believed that if I gained knowledge and skills, I could change myself. For a long time, I didn’t clean the windows in my room, and my room was not clean. However, these … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) In 2010, I learned about Loving-Kindness Meditation for the first time. I found it interesting, so I tried it. Loving-Kindness Meditation is an ancient Buddhist practice that cultivates kindness toward oneself, others, and all living beings. However, when I first tried it, … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I had a mysterious experience more than 20 years ago. At that time, I stopped going to graduate school. It was the first major setback in my life. I felt strong stress from human relationships, so I quit going to school. I … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Shoko Haida, born in 1979, is a Japanese singer, actress, and voice actor. Both of her parents are musicians, and from an early age she learned children’s songs from one of Japan’s leading composers. She also sings on YouTube and has many … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) We only live once. Everyone knows this, but it’s difficult to fully understand. I don’t fully understand it either. If you die, you will be dead after 100 years, 1000 years, and a million years. You can’t come back to life. People … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I am right-handed, and I’ve always used my right hand to write. About a month ago, the idea of practicing with my nondominant hand suddenly came to me. It sounded interesting. I thought that by using my nondominant hand, I might discover … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) There is a book called 唯脳論 (Yui Nōron, “The Brain-Only Theory”), written in Japanese by Takeshi Yoro, a Japanese scholar. When I read this book, I was deeply shocked. The following is my own interpretation, so any mistakes are entirely my responsibility. Why do … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) If you are worried about something, ask yourself, “Will this matter a year from now?” Most of the time, it won’t. If so, you don’t have to worry now. This technique is called “Time Warp.” I learned the Time Warp technique from the book Don’t Sweat … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Bullying is a worldwide problem. It’s prevalent at both schools and workplaces. Almost everyone experiences it at some point, and you might experience it too. I want to recommend this book, Stand Strong, to people who have been bullied. It’s written by Nick … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) People can still practice shugyō in the age of AI. What is shugyō (修行)? Shugyō is a method of polishing one’s mind and body through rigorous training. It is a Japanese word that originally refers to an organized practice of disciplining the mind and body … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Several months ago, I came across this phrase when I was reading a book called Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. I was very surprised when I learned about this idea. It felt like my world had turned upside down. You probably know the Golden … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Hitori Saito is a prominent Japanese businessperson who established a company that develops and sells health foods and cosmetics. He only graduated from junior high school, but he became a leading Japanese entrepreneur. He has written many books, sharing ways to become … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I used to think being selfish was bad, but there is actually a good kind of selfishness: wise selfishness. The Dalai Lama said that people should be wisely selfish. He explained, “I often joke that if you really want to be selfish, … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Akihiro Miwa, a famous Japanese singer and actor, talked about this law. The law means that the total amount of happiness and unhappiness in your life is the same. In other words, you will experience an equal amount of good things and … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Kazukiyo Imura (1947–1979) was a Japanese doctor who passed away at the age of 31 from cancer. Just before he died, he wrote a poem for his young child and for the daughter who was soon to be born. After being diagnosed … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Have you ever had slumps? Yes, I have. If you are in a slump, it’s good to try doing the opposite of what you usually do. We are creatures of habit, so we tend to repeat the same actions over and over. … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Dragon Ball is a Japanese manga and anime series created by Akira Toriyama. It’s extremely popular worldwide and has sold over 260 million copies, making it one of the most famous manga and anime series in the world. The story follows the adventures … Read more