Intercultural Phenomenology explores the nature of reality by engaging in a cross-cultural dialogue between two of the most influential philosophical traditions of the 20th century.Drawing on ideas from phenomenology, Japanese philosophy and Zen Buddhism, it follows the philosophers who changed their perception of the world by choosing to suspend judgement. Guided by this philosophical method known as the “epoché”, or suspension of judgment in ancient Greek, it is an intro...

In many plants, vibration and noise problems occur due to fluid flow, which can greatly disrupt smooth plant operations. These flow-related phenomena are called flow-induced vibration. This book explains how and why such vibrations happen and provides hints and tips on how to avoid them in future plant design. The world-leading author team doesn't assume prior knowledge of mathematical methods and provides the reader with information on the basics of modeling. The book includes several pra...

Amino acids play a role in the defence mechanisms and stress responses of plants, as well as in food quality and safety for humans and animals. Recent advances in the field make a comprehensive overview of the information a necessity; this book collates chapters on plant enzymes and metabolism, modulation, molecular aspects and secondary products. Also including information on ecology, the environment and mammalian nutrition and toxicology, it provides an authoritative resource.

Torajirou and Sakura have survived their lousy childhoods by watching each other’s backs. When Sakura finds himself at the mercy of a yakuza gang, Tora has to do what he can to save his best friend. Will he be able to win back Sakura's freedom, or has Tora bitten off more than he can chew?

A single teenage girl journeys through the crumbling ruins of civilization—the last human on Earth, exploring the concrete jungle that has outlived mankind. Keeping her company is woman’s best friend—the ever-adorable and quick-witted Shiba Inu Haru, who is ready to stick with her through thick and thin! With such a pleasant conversation partner to keep the postapocalyptic doldrums at bay, the end of the world might not be so bad after all!

A high school girl—the last human on Earth—and her loyal canine companion make their way through the prefectures of postapocalyptic Japan, taking in the spectacular sights and meeting the locals—from the furry to the intimidating to the outright bizarre! After all, when there’s no destination, the journey is all the fun!

Violent, sensual, and seemingly un-Japanese, the stories in Season of Violence nevertheless depict Japanese teenagers of the present in compulsive but often unconscious revolt against the moral codes of "old Japan." Yet these stories tell of youth who offer no real, modern morality to replace the old-only the anti-morality of indiscriminate sex, brutality, and living for today's pleasures and sensations. These are stories of teenagers who came to be known as Taiyozoku- th...

When a lone high school girl decided to hole up in her room with her trusty canine companion, she never could’ve dreamed they would become a pair of adventurers exploring everything postapocalyptic Japan has to offer! Whether they’re enjoying a barbecue with Anubis or trying to survive a night in a haunted mansion, life after doomsday is one heck of a roller coaster—and this duo is strapped in for the ride!

Kei Fujieda was bored - bored with school, bored with his friends, bored with life. Having been forced to attend an elite high school, Fujieda’s days were spent feeling trapped. Only his rebellious, bad-boy attitude gave him a fleeting sense of excitement in his otherwise dreary existence. It wasn’t until a school prank went bad that Kei found a reason worth living in Atsushi Sakuraba.Sakuraba was a model student and a teacher’s pet; a complete opposite of Fujieda. Calm and cool in...

An understanding of sociocultural context is crucial in second language learning–yet developing this awareness often poses a real challenge to the typical language learner.This book is a language teachers’ guide that focuses on how to teach socially and culturally preferred language for effective intercultural communication. Moving beyond a purely theoretical approach to pragmatics, the volume offers practical advice to teachers, with hands-on classroom tasks included in every chap...

This innovative advanced level course in Japanese teaches appropriate language use in real life situations. With an emphasis on listening and speaking skills, the course takes a descriptive approach, demonstrating the variations that exist among Japanese speakers. Authentic sample dialogues demonstrate a range of generally preferred language uses, giving the student the tools to communicate in an effective and culturally appropriate manner.Organized according to frequently used fun...

Fuel cell technology is quite promising for conversion of chemical energy of hydrocarbon fuels into electricity without forming air pollutants. There are several types of fuel cells: polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC), molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC), solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), and alkaline fuel cell (AFC). Among these, SOFCs are the most efficient and have various advantages such as flexibility in fuel, high reliability, simple balance of plant (BO...