(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
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Once upon a time, there was a strange king who lived in a very, very big castle. The soldiers and villagers respected him, but the king often looked sad. He only looked happy when he played with the children in the village. … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I read the autobiography Ichi-gyo Ichi-e written by Sakana-kun, a Japanese teacher at Tokyo’s Kaiyo University who is famous for his extensive knowledge of and enthusiasm for fish. He is called Sakana-kun, which means “fish boy” in Japanese. Recently, his life has been made … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I might be wrong, but I made a comparison of Western and Eastern cultures.
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Some people believe that life has a purpose, and they live to accomplish that purpose. Hideko Suzuki, a Japanese Christian nun, wrote that the purpose of life must be “to make myself and others happy.” The Dalai Lama, a Buddhist monk, said … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Since childhood, we have been told to “do good things.” But what is “good”? Does the idea of good change over time? Is good different for different people? Is it different across cultures? Is there such a thing as a universal good? … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I have read some books about free will. According to some thinkers, free will is an illusion. Benjamin Libet, an American scientist, discovered that our brains become active before we consciously decide to take action. For example, when we drink a glass … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) In 2016, I attended a lecture in Japan by Hiroshi Amano, a 2014 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics, together with my mother. His voice was so soft that I thought he sounded like a child in an adult’s body. He looked kind, … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Kazuo Inamori (1932–2022) was one of the founders of Kyocera and KDDI, both of which are very large Japanese companies. He is often called a Japanese “god of management,” like Konosuke Matsushita (1894–1989). Inamori also established the Inamori Foundation and created the … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) My mother and I made small talk over dinner every Monday. Sometimes we talk about people forgotten by history. We imagine that there must have been people like Buddha or Christ who lived long ago but were never remembered. I said that … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) This is from the book Tuesdays with Morrie. It was said by Morrie Schwartz, a university professor. When I read this, I felt a deep sense of understanding. I always act as if I am going to live forever. It is often said … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Buddha attained enlightenment — called satori in Japanese — after long and rigorous training. Many people have tried to explain what satori is. Koshu Itabashi, a Japanese Zen monk, wrote that satori is to live a normal life and be content with it. He … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Do you know the saying, “Eighty percent of success is showing up”? Woody Allen, a writer and film director, said this. I really like this saying, and I’ve repeated it to myself many times. For example, I don’t like attending company parties. … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) I watched a scientific TV program about the sixth sense. The program reported the results of some experiments. In one experiment, there were two people: one sat while the other stood behind them. The person sitting could correctly guess whether or not … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) Isao Harimoto holds the record for the most career hits in Japanese baseball, and Sadaharu Oh holds the record for the most career home runs in Japanese baseball. Contrary to what you might think, both of them were actually very cautious and … Read more
(Note: I use AI to help me translate my stories from Japanese to English.) In 2016, I attended a public conversation in Nagoya, Japan, between Shinya Yamanaka and Isamu Akasaki, both Nobel Prize laureates. Shinya Yamanaka is an entertaining speaker, and I laughed a lot during his talk. He said that it is important to find … Read more