Items
Contributor is exactly
Travis Seifman
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2020-03-24
Blog Post: Life in Tokyo in the Age of Plague
A blog post by an American postdoctoral scholar living in Tokyo, about his experience of self-isolation and working from home. -
2020-03-27
Blog Post: Life in Tokyo Update 3/27/2020
A blog post by an American postdoctoral scholar living in Tokyo, about his experience of self-isolation and working from home. -
2020-04-08
Save Okinawa Project
A Facebook group promoting efforts to prevent the spread of Coronavirus in Okinawa. -
05/20/2020
‘Don’t Come’: Hawaii Enforces Strict Lockdown Measures
Bloomberg news article on tight lockdown measures in Hawai'i, aimed at protecting the islands from infection by incoming visitors. -
05/21/2020
Havdalah Asia Poster
Beginning on May 16, 2020, Jewish communities in Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Bangkok teamed up to hold weekly Havdalah services over Zoom, allowing us all, even isolated in our homes all across East Asia, to join together. Havdalah is a short service held every Saturday evening, marking the end of the Sabbath. A special candle is lit, and spices passed around and smelled, to remind us of the light and beauty of the Sabbath as we re-enter the regular week. Though we cannot experience the candle or the spices in the same way at a distance, and though reciting or singing prayers together over Zoom is difficult (given the lag time and so forth), it has been wonderful to have this opportunity for a sense of community and spirituality during this difficult time. I cannot speak for anyone else, but for me personally, I am a rather secular person and generally just find myself too busy to take the time to go to synagogue on any regular basis at all. But during a time like this, one finds that one appreciates that human connection, and connection to community, identity, heritage, spirituality, comforting traditions, more than usual. And as with academic conferences, simply speaking with friends & family, and many other things we are now doing over Zoom - not only in religious life but in general - we are building connections we might not have built otherwise. I don't know if the various Jewish communities of Tokyo, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Bangkok have ever done these sorts of online communal events before; it's a wonderful feeling to "meet" people from all across the region. I hope it might continue. -
05/23/2020
Jewish Community of Japan homepage announcement on Covid19
Front page of the official website of the Jewish Community of Japan (the primary Jewish community center and house of worship in Tokyo), reading: "Dear Members and Guests of the JCJ “The preservation of health is a mitzvah which overrides all other .” We are in the midst of a global pandemic which requires caution and responsible action. Social distancing has been suggested as one of the best ways to prevent the quick spread of the virus. It is for this reason that we have decided to cancel all Shabbat and festival services at the JCJ until further notice. " -
2020-04-20
Tokyo Gov Koike - Mitsu des video game
In April 2020, as the Japanese national government dragged its feet on declaring a state of emergency or taking other strong actions, Gov. Koike Yuriko of Tokyo began holding daily TV appearances in which she encouraged the people of Tokyo to take responsible steps, including closing shops, working from home, allowing your employees to work from home, wearing masks, etc, as well as to avoid "the three Mitsu," meaning places which are crowded, closed-in, and involve close interaction. Someone then made this video game, in which you play as Gov. Koike, going around Tokyo and telling people "Mitsu desu!" ("You're too close!", or more literally, "this is crowding!"), to try to break up crowds. -
2020-04-20
Tokyo Gov Koike - Mitsu des EDM Remix
In April 2020, as the Japanese national government dragged its feet on declaring a state of emergency or taking other strong actions, Gov. Koike Yuriko of Tokyo began holding daily TV appearances in which he encouraged the people of Tokyo to take responsible steps, including closing shops, working from home, allowing your employees to work from home, wearing masks, etc, as well as to avoid "the three Mitsu," meaning places which are crowded, closed-in, and involve close interaction. A video game was then released in which you play as Gov. Koike, going around Tokyo and telling people "Mitsu desu!" ("You're too close!", or more literally, "this is crowding!"). This video remixes her statements into an amusing EDM soundtrack. -
2020-05-22
Sign explaining how to make facemasks from handkerchiefs, FamilyMart Iidabashi
A sign showing how to make cloth facemasks out of handkerchiefs, posted at a FamilyMart convenience store near Iidabashi station, in Tokyo. A variety of handkerchiefs are for sale nearby. -
2020-05-22
Selling handkerchiefs with a guide for making them into masks
A photo of a sales rack at a FamilyMart convenience store near Iidabashi Station in Tokyo, selling many styles of handkerchief, along with a sign showing how to make cloth facemasks out of the handkerchiefs. -
05/22/2020
BookOff: No Standing and Reading
BookOff is Japan's largest chain of used bookstores. For several weeks in April to May 2020, many if not all locations were closed. As of May 22, I noticed this one had reopened. A sign posted reads, roughly, "Please: To prevent the spread of novel coronavirus, standing and reading is forbidden. We ask your understanding and cooperation." お願い:新型コロナウイルス感染拡大防止のため立ち読み禁止。ご理解・ご協力お願いします。 -
05/21/2020
Please Wear Masks - Tokyo Supermarket
A sign posted near the entrance of a supermarket in the Edogawabashi area of Tokyo, reading roughly "To Customers: We Request You Wear Masks." お客様へ:マスク着用願います。