the qualia journal

When I was a kid, one of the things that I admired was "guts". It was in part influenced by pieces of the Japanese manga. For exam...

Although less than 1% of Japanese are Christians, the custom of Christmas festivities and present givings are avidly followed here, especial...

Due to the increase of comment spams, the comments to this blog are now moderated. They would appear after I review and approve them. Thank ...

One is naturally shy of exhibiting one's weakness. It might be a point of attack for the enemy, making us vulnerable in the world when a...

While I was studying in Cambridge, I was invited to my mentor Horace Barlow's Xmas party once. It was a small and cozy party, with Horac...

When I went to Cambridge, U.K. for the first time some 15 years ago, I was fascinated by the trees. Walking along the path in Jesus Green, m...

Ludwig Wittgenstein wrote, at the end of Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, that "Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent....

Akira Wani, now teaching at the law department of University of Tokyo, is a good friend of mine since senior high school. He is a legendary ...

In the Brain Club (our research group's journal club) yesterday, Tetsuro Ishikwa, (Ph. D student) introduced Shurger et al. (2009). Thei...

I think it was youtube which changed my attitude towards the portable modalities. Used to be that I listened to the music on the portable au...

The Wuthering Heights was one of the novels that I read in my teens in English language as I built up my linguistic ability and sensitivitie...

It seems that something in me has sparked recently. I simply cannot stop reading. I get on the subway just because I can read in the car. I ...

The entry "My mother and Hibari" marked 200 consecutive days of continuous entries, the writing streak starting on the 6th of June...

Hibari Misora is a legendary Japanese singer, sadly no longer with us. Hibari had a concert in the Tokyo Dome once, shortly before she passe...

I know a university is a good thing. You meet your mentor, friends, and colleagues. It nurtures human knowledge, and updates and creates con...

Here it is getting colder and colder. In a metropolis like Tokyo, the time you spend inside is considerable. As a consequence, I don't w...

Gino Yu came to visit Tokyo. Currently Gino is a professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He was kind enough to accept our invitation,...

When I made my pilgrimage to Bayreuth this last summer, there were several things besides Wagner that I captured my imagination. I remember ...

As the year comes near to the end, I remember things that have passed me. One of the highlights of my sojourn this round of the earth's ...

The Meiji Shrine is one of my favorite places. I would like to stroll this haven in the heart of Tokyo. The lights are never the same, as th...