Southeast Asia | My Eyes Tokyo

I have been giving back to the children of Japan and young people from other countries the kindness I received from my teacher in my childhood.

2023-12-18

日本語 Interview by Isao Tokuhashi info@myeyestokyo.com Rizalyn Pascual Gonoi (The Philippines) Supervising organization staff About 10 years ago, we held English conversation meetings and presentation events many times at a co-working space in Tokyo. At that time, Ms. Rizalyn Pascual Gonoi helped us as an English speaker and English MC. We met her again in the fall of this year (2023). She, whom we affectionately call “Riza-san,” participated in the “Multicultural Panel Discussion: Psychological Barriers in a Multicultural Japan” (*Hosted by Global Peace Foundation Japan), which MET editor-in-chief Tokuhashi was involved in planning. We felt the gap of time and

Together we are like a pot and its lid. We want to go everywhere together and stay together forever.

2023-09-29

日本語 Interview by Isao Tokuhashi Edited by Jennifer A. Hoff info@myeyestokyo.com Dewi Miyashita & Riri Watanabe Best friends The months of intense heat are finally coming to an end as we enter late autumn. However, we would like to introduce two women originally from Indonesia. Dewi Miyashita, a dancer, and Riri Watanabe, who supports her activities, became very close to each other in Japan—and make us feel like mid-summer is still with us. We first met them around June of last year (2022). These two bright and cheerful women were helping out with the “Multicultural One Family Festival,” an

We should always think differently in order to succeed in business.

2023-05-24

日本語 Interview by Isao Tokuhashi info@myeyestokyo.com Aw Wanping (Singapore) Entrepreneur/Researcher One day we received a message on LinkedIn that said, “I came across one of your interviews and wonder if it would be possible to be interviewed.” This message was sent to us by an entrepreneur from Singapore. However, looking at her background, most of her experience was as a researcher in the medical field. The website of her company, TokudAw, introduced not only her but also her co-owners, but we were still very curious about how she started her own business in the travel field with almost no experience

Revitalizing this country with Moringa is my way of giving back to Japan!

2023-01-27

日本語 Interview by Isao Tokuhashi Edited by Jennifer A. Hoff info@myeyestokyo.com Florsan Bolando Kondo (Philippines) Moringa Cultivator and Enthusiast Photo provided by Florsan Bolando Kondo The “Multicultural One Family Festival” was held in Tokyo on November 23 last year (2022). At the festival, where people of various backgrounds living in Japan gather to share their culture and traditions through shows and stalls, we met an interesting group of people. A group called “ATE Moringa” grows the “Moringa” plants in Yokoshiba-Hikari, Chiba Prefecture, about 70 kilometers from central Tokyo. It is a highly nutritious plant with origins in Northern India which

For me, social contribution is the “water of life”. It’s what has kept me alive.

2023-01-26

日本語 Interviewed by Isao Tokuhashi Translated by Heartship Myanmar Japan *Click here to read the original article info@myeyestokyo.com Sawmi (Lal Sawm Lian) NPO Founder and Leader As we enter the year 2023, the world is still far from peace. The relationship between Russia and Ukraine shows no signs of improvement even though it has been almost a year since the war started. While many media outlets follow the current state and course of this war, there are clashes occuring in other parts of the world as well. One such place is Myanmar. Since the Myanmar military seized power through

I wanted to be more honest with myself. If I want to change myself, I have to change my environment—that’s why I decided to go abroad.

2022-10-17

日本語 Interview by Isao Tokuhashi Edited by Jennifer A. Hoff Steward Goenardy (Indonesia) International student We at My Eyes Tokyo have been listening to the voices of many people from Indonesia, including tourists visiting Japan. And this time, we would like to introduce you to a person who is probably the youngest among them so far: Steward Goenardy, who is engaged in research on microorganisms at a university in Tokyo. We have mainly met with people who are engaged in business or unique activities in Japan, but we rarely have the opportunity to meet with people who come to Japan

Even foreigners can do something in Japan. There is nothing they can’t do—That is what I want to prove.

2022-09-06

日本語 Interview by Isao Tokuhashi Edited by Daniel Penso Rino Senlewa Cafe owner/Barista/Cafe consultant Finally, we were able to conduct an in-depth interview with this person. In October 2020, My Eyes Tokyo editor-in-chief Tokuhashi participated in a PR project. He visited an old private house cafe in Matsudo City, Chiba Prefecture. An Indonesian man, Rino Senlewa, ran a small Indonesian coffee shop called “Mahameru Coffee” there. He never stopped moving, not even for a second, talking to customers while taking their orders and brewing coffee, and politely answered Tokuhashi’s questions even though he was so busy. Around the time

Happy Birthday to the Philippines!

2018-06-12

Binondo, the oldest Chinatown in the world, in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. *Photo from Wikipedia June 12 is Independence Day, celebrates the independence of the Philippines from Spain in 1898. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in Homonhon Island in 1521 marked the beginning of Hispanic colonization. In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain. With the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi from Mexico City, in 1565, the first Hispanic settlement in the archipelago was established. The Philippines became part of the Spanish Empire for

Happy Birthday to East Timor!

2018-05-20

The Portuguese School of Díli, the capital and largest city of East Timor. *Photo from Wikipedia May 20 is Independence Day, celebrates the independence of East Timor from Indonesia in 2002. East Timor was colonised by Portugal in the 16th century, and was known as Portuguese Timor until November 28, 1975, when the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (FRETILIN) declared the territory’s independence. Nine days later, it was invaded and occupied by Indonesia and was declared Indonesia’s 27th province the following year. The Indonesian occupation of East Timor was characterized by a highly violent decades-long conflict between separatist

Happy South and Southeast Asian Solar New Year!

2018-04-13

A girl pours water at revelers during Myanmar New Year Thingyan Water Festival in Yangon, Myanmar. *Photo from Wikipedia The traditional New Year in many South and Southeast Asian cultures is based on the sun’s entry into the constellation Aries. In modern times, it is usually reckoned around 14 April. The specific New Year observations include: South Asia Bohag Bihu (India), Pana Sankranti (India), Sangken (India), Vishu (India), Bisket Jatra (Nepal), Maithili New Year (India and Nepal), Pahela Baishakh or Bengali New Year (Bangladesh and India), Puthandu or Tamil New Year (India, Sri Lanka and so on), Sinhalese New Year

Interviews with Tokyo People Achieving Dreams