Japan

Naoko from JAPAN is this week's princess on the blog. We met when we both attended Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.  One thing I love about our friendship is the variety of the things we did together: went out to clubs around St. Louis and danced all night long, but also participated in yoga classes. Perfect yin and yang, I think. Take it away Naoko!
 

Do you have a “ritual” you do every morning to get your day off to a good start and if so can you please explain it? Stretch: Child pose.

3 healthy foods that you make sure you always have in your kitchen? Yoghurt, tea, rice.

Any natural food products that you use for external purposes? Shea butter.

Where would you go for a chilled vacation in your home country? Onsen (hot spring) in Kyushu.

If your parents utilized some techniques to promote healthy eating while you were growing up, what did those techniques look like? Don’t be 100% full, but 80% full.

What would you do to chill if you had a free A) hour: Hangout with my cat B) day: Some kind of workout and nice dinner with friends C) week: Go on a short trip.

What is the biggest challenge in today’s society (in your home country) to staying fit and how can we change that? If you have a tattoo you can’t join a gym here in Japan. That must change immediately. 

Any healthy food that is a staple in people’s diet in your home country? Fish, natto, tofu.

  

Thank you so much Naoko for being part of the Worldwide Wellness Series! I love that you educated us about the ban on tattoos at the gyms in Japan, I didn't know that! I hope we one day soon will be next to each other again on our mats in a yoga class...somewhere in the world :)