March 2021 Edition
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Hello Dear Subscriber

I hope this email finds you well.

Since last year, many of us have been dealing with the new experience of isolating ourselves. Not being able to spend time with loved ones was expected to be hard. However, in the beginning, we probably did not realize that not interacting with strangers, or not mingling with new people would create such a feeling of loss too. Amidst the pandemic, we rediscover the value of human interaction.

Our interviewees this month work in completely different fields. However, they both have a deep sense of empathy and reflect on how to create a bond with others to reach a common goal.

Team CLAPTON is a construction group whose philosophy revolves around the concept of "do-it-together". Like how ancient Japanese villagers would help build each other's homes, TEAM Clapton invites all to give a hand at renovating and giving a second life to old buildings.

Yuki Nivez is a Japanese Language teacher who became a self-employed language instructor because she wanted to teach lessons that would really reflect her students’ best interests. To support them navigate the Japanese communication style, she also transmits the unique spirit of the language, and how it reflects a different view of the world.

I hope these interviews will inspire you in finding different ways to bond with others in the future!

Cheers,

Amelie, chief editor of Kokoro Media

New Interviews

TEAM Clapton, Renovating Japanese Houses the “Do-It-Together” Way
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"TEAM Clapton revolves around the concept of 'do-it-together.' It is all about building things with other people: kids, adults, neighbors, friends—all come together to transform a space. When we are working on a project, we live directly on site. We eat and sleep there."

Read our interview of TEAM Clapton, a construction group that renovated a small traditional Japanese village last year.

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Teaching Japanese with Empathy and Precision: An Interview with Yuki Nivez
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"It’s important to remember that Japanese is a language with its own vocabulary, grammar, and structure—it’s not a translated version of your native language. Sometimes, you might not find the exact equivalent of the expressions you are used to saying in your language."

Read our interview of Yuki Nivez, founder of Bow & Arrow Language, for new tips and insights to help you successfully learn, live, and work in Japanese.

Read more

This Month's Most Read Column

No N2? No Problem: 3 Tech Tools for Working in Japanese
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In this column, Anthony shares three tools that will help you read, write, and learn from Japanese correspondence more efficiently.

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Spiritual Japan

Japan is famous for its numerous traditions taking their roots in Shintoism and Buddhism. This month, discover the meaning of a few items you may encounter during a trip to Japan.
The Meaning of Hina Matsuri, the Japanese Girls’ Day and Its Dolls
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Hina Matsuri is a Japanese festival on March 3rd to pray for the good future of young girls. On the day of the festival, dolls are displayed.

A lesser-known fact is that this celebration takes its roots from an ancient exorcism festival...

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A Short Introduction to Jizo, a Japanese Bodhisattva
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When traveling in Japan, you may see statues dressed in red cloth. They are representations of Jizo, the Buddhist divinity loved by most Japanese people!

They are the guardians of children but also of travelers.

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How to Consult an Oracle at Japanese Shrines and Temples
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If you have already visited a Japanese shrine, you may have wondered what the folded papers attached to trees or threads were.

These are called omikuji, or oracles. What is written on them is believed to be a message from the deities. Here are some tips to decipher them and what to do if your luck is not great.

Read more
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