Kyoto

So get this: the world’s first novel came from Japan — and it was written by a woman — and it’s all about sex. Japanese literary buffs and commoners alike are celebrating the 1000th anniversary of The Tale of Genji. The author Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 – c. 1014 or 1025) was a maid of […]

Buddhist word of the day: On the overview map of Kyoto train station I noticed this funny thing, instead of saying ‘You are here’ it simply said ‘Now’. I guess it comes to the same, except ‘Now’ would be true not just for the Kyoto train station map, but for most places you go, if […]

I was alone in Kyoto part of last week getting tape for a story. One night after doing an interview, I was looking for something to do… and I stumbled into one of the city’s gigantic pachinko parlors. The sliding doors opened to a wall of sound — a cacophony of pop music and high-pitched […]

President Clinton says the climate change treaty that his administration expects to negotiate in Kyoto will prove to be pain-free for America’s collective pocketbook. But, John Shanahan doesn’t believe it. The numbers, he says, just don’t add up. Commentator John Shanahan is director of legislation and policy for the American Legislative Exchange Council.