By Adam Brownstein // Tokyo, Japan // March 29, 2026 On Risk One hazy Saturday morning in the early summer of 2017 my wife informed me that she was off with her mother to look at land on which to build a house. Her non-chalant tone belied serious intent; looking at land meant possibly buyingContinue reading “Very Short Stories That Explain Japan: On Risk”
Tag Archives: japan
Inside Out
By Adam Brownstein – January 30, 2026 – Tokyo, Japan Two important events in human history coincided with the occasion of my eighth birthday, February 10th 1978. The first was the release of Van Halen’s self-titled inaugural album. From its initial fade in of “Runnin’ With The Devil” to its bluesy send off with “IceContinue reading “Inside Out”
The Real McCoy
By Adam Brownstein – August 3, 2025 – Tokyo, Japan The sages tell us that many ages ago there was a wondrous festival of torches that took place every year around the perimeter of the Temple in Jerusalem. Young rabbinical students and even members of the Sanhendrin were given to performing splits, cartwheels andContinue reading “The Real McCoy”
Keeping the Beat
By Adam Brownstein — June 27, 2025 Even dust, when piled up, can become a mountain. Japanese Proverb ————————————– One late evening in the winter of 1967 Norman Pilcher, a senior constable at the time, knocked on the door of a sprawling country manor. Pilcher was not alone, but accompanied by 18 other members ofContinue reading “Keeping the Beat”
Japanese Garden
By Adam Brownstein — January 21, 2025 The first time I visited Kyoto was nearly a major minor tragedy. After spending several pleasant days and nights wandering the cobblestone paths of Gion, sitting in silence at the Chōraku-ji Temple and eating sumptuous hammo fish, it was time for me to return to Tokyo. I spentContinue reading “Japanese Garden”
Westin Peace
By Adam Brownstein – July 2, 2024 In his much touted book, A Brief History of Intelligence, Max Bennet begins by asking why AI has little problem besting the finest grandmasters in chess but cannot wash a sink full of dishes. I have long ago given up trying to beat my 11-year-old son in chess,Continue reading “Westin Peace”
Ahola!
By Adam Brownstein – Tokyo, Japan – May 1, 2024 One early Spring afternoon in the crux of my university days I found myself in close quarters with two middle aged couples who were wearing smiles and nothing else. Their nudity was completely appropriate given the five of us were taking in the hot springsContinue reading “Ahola!”
Close Encounters
By Adam Brownstein / January 22, 2024 2023 was a bumper crop year for live concerts. The Fed, in its July print, indicated that the Eras Tour would inject $6.4B into the economy (the latest trailing data indicates it was more). On a personal level, my Baby Boomer father attended Taylor Swift’s sold-out show inContinue reading “Close Encounters”
The Tokyo Yenta 