by Rebecca Copeland | Jan 28, 2026 | Japanese Culture
“No, I do not want to write a report for you in Japanese,” I declared, being uncharacteristically blunt. I’d been doing research in Japan for over ten years now. I understood the importance of courtesy and willingness to acquiesce to requests, no matter how... 
by Rebecca Copeland | Aug 14, 2024 | Book Review
What do tarot cards, Taoist paper talismans, and ancient curved beads called magatama, have in common? They all serve as touchstones to the kind of spiritual enchantment that operates on the edges of mainstream religions. Dr. Laura Miller, Ei’ichi Shibusawa-Seigo Arai... 
by Rebecca Copeland | Nov 22, 2023 | Japanese Culture
Part One: Don’t Take No for an Answer! “You shouldn’t work on a living writer,” some advised me as I struggled to find the subject for my dissertation. A living writer, they argued, was still producing works, their oeuvre yet in progress. I guess they reasoned that... 
by Rebecca Copeland | Jul 5, 2023 | Memories
One of the worst aspects of international travel is jet lag and where it leads—the upending of schedules, the loss of moorings, the sense of walking under water. Some people are able to transition seamlessly from one time zone to another. I get discombobulated just... 
by Rebecca Copeland | Dec 21, 2022 | Memories
“Okay. Here’s a listing that might work!” The agent pushed a sheet of paper across the desk to me. “The landlord specifically says he wants to rent to foreigners.” That was refreshing news. My husband, Dennis, and I had been in Tokyo for nearly a week now, trying to...
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