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While baseball in the US might not be as popular as football or basketball, you can’t deny the popularity of the sport in Japan. Baseball is a big deal here, as evidenced by the packed stadiums when the pros play and the crowds, who can really get into it. But just like you think college sports have more of that feel good spirit about them, so does high school baseball here in Japan. Read the rest of this entry »
Take a look at these beautiful yukata fabrics hanged up to dry. The garment is traditionally worn by Japanese females in the spring and early summer months and is one of the most recognizable forms of dress as depicted in countless movies and animation. These days yukata are being worn by younger women with a more modern twist with tons of different patterns and colors.
photos courtesy of Sankei/MSN
One of the things people automatically associate with Japan is the fascinating practice of costume play, or cosplay for short. Read the rest of this entry »
Learning English is a huge industry in Japan and it’s no wonder since it is the international language and Japanese people happen to have an affinity for it. One of the most popular and ubiquitous gadgets to help students is the electronic dictionary. Step into any classroom abroad or cram school and you’re sure to see all kinds of different models. And since this is Japan, you can be sure every year introduces the latest and greatest devices in this arena.
If there’s one thing about Japan that people know and love, it’s arcade games. To put it simply, Japanese arcade games are in my opinion, top rate. Street Fighter, Tekken, DDR, all the games you know and love have come from the land of the rising sun. If you haven’t been to Japan yet, once you step into the arcade there, you enter an electronic wonderland that will dazzle you with bright lights and suck your soul out. Read the rest of this entry »
In Chiba, Japan, The Tokyo Motor Show is now officially underway. It’s one of the largest auto events in the industry. With Japanese automobiles have become enormously popular over the years due to their high quality and knack for anticipating future needs of consumers. In addition, their design has been solid and reliable. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s that time of the year when the leaves turn beautiful in Japan, and here’s a great shot of it. Isn’t it amazing? It’s the kind of scene that would make you want to sit there for hours or take a nice long walk through the trees. Read the rest of this entry »
In Fukuyama prefecture, the big event this week is the “Fukuyama Rose Festival 2007″ which is a huge event for the city as it prepares for a celebration of the timeless flower and the beautiful spring conditions in which it thrives. Read the rest of this entry »
When people think of Japan they usually think of cherry blossoms as well. But sakura isn’t the only beautiful flower in town. Check out this picture of beautiful fuji flowers as they bloom on this warm sunny day in Yuzawa city. Visitors to the famed park were able to enjoy the natural beauty of the tree as its lovely blossoms formed a fragrant umbrella for all to enjoy.
In the future we’ll all be getting around the galaxy in our Gundam mechs, though I think we’re probably gonna have to nerf some of them because of some crazy nuts out there. But for those of us who got the green, why not slap some bling on your machine?
On the 1st of June, ‘Koko Sotai’ begins. ‘Koko Sotai’ is a high school students’ sports festival. For about a week starting from 1st June, all the boys and girls who play any kind of sports will compete against each other. Read the rest of this entry »
In your sightseeing days, have you ever happened upon a gorgeous river in the middle of the wilderness and wondered what it would be like to truly experience the feeling of “going with the flow”? Read the rest of this entry »
courtesy of Livedoor.com
For those not in the know, it’s a form of indoor soccer derived from its more famous sibling that you see in the World Cup. The rules are a little different, such as a smaller field, less players, and it’s a much quicker game. Read the rest of this entry »
Yep it’s that time of the year when the cherry blossoms bloom and all celebration breaks loose. If you’re there, get with some friends and camp under the trees and get drunk and eat good food. Or take a quiet stroll like these folks and enjoy the beauty of one of the most iconic scenes in Japan. Read the rest of this entry »
Today on the 21st of April, numerous participants along with their families headed out for the opening ceremony of the Osaka prefecture garden in the Shimamoto Cho Sakurai area to enjoy the purplish red blossoming of the renge flowers. Read the rest of this entry »
The popular actress and model has recently been spotted in the latest McDonalds commercial in Japan, which does big business in Japan and is seen largely as the place to go for quick meals and to just hang out. Read the rest of this entry »
As one of the most highly stylized and fashionable countries, winter’s just leaving but the fashion beast lives on and is beginning it’s spring feeding. In Hiroshima department stores today there was a colorful display of some upcoming spring wear by held at Sogo Department Stores. Read the rest of this entry »
The brutal cold of winter is passing and now it’s time for spring to shine. Japan’s industrious farmers are already at it again, as pictured here in Shimane prefecture. This rice farmer is already beginning preparations for this seasons rice crop. Worried of the water shortage, Mikami Ichisi attempts to prepare the ground to be moist and even, which had been hardened by the cold of winter.
Not the kind that dwell inside your gut, but the ones that dwell in nice dark moist soil which makes them extra delicious. And yes you can eat these raw. And yes I’m joking. At Iwakunishi city, when all of the rice plants have been cut and harvested, leaving the rice paddies bare and dry, children love to go out and dig up the little critters in large quantities. These kids were able to find them right away after exposing a piece of dirt, they had no trouble finding about 30 of them in 40 minutes.
Today on the 7th, it the women’s coming of age ceremony was held in 19 municipalities inside Aomori prefecture. It was a rather terrible day to come of age with respect to the weather however, with wind and rain raging in brief flashes of typhoon tantrums.
The beginning of a New Year as one of Tokyo’s busiest ports and markets conducts the first few transactions of 2007. Among them are the fish markets of Tsukiji, where you can buy your own couple ton tuna for a few thousand Yen.
Forget those weak drums you brag about playing and check out these monsters. In Kita Akita City today, residents gathered for an awesome performance of the large bass drums and let the good times boom. The sound of the drums inspires feelings of well-being, prosperity, and good fortune for the upcoming year. To get an idea of how big they are, some of the big ones exceed 3 meters in diameter. Think those girly arms of yours can handle it?
Models Sayaka Isoyama and Fukushita Megumi were on hand to introduce the new online golf-love-simulator game for sporty adults, “Gorutomo.” As a golfer, you’ve got to have a plan. Use the 7-iron to hit the slice, the 3 for the bunker, and the wood for the putt. I don’t know if that is what you should really do, but you get the idea. And now, not only can you enjoy the trees, the fresh air, the sun, but you get to do it from your living room! Any hey, if you can score in the game of golf, maybe you can score in the game of love too.
Photo courtesy of ZAKZAK
In a country as small as Japan with a large population, public transportation is a must. One of the most popular forms are trains. Criss-crossing over the country like a network of veins in that pump vitality and energy into the country, thousands of people use the train everyday. So it only make sense to make passengers comfortable. In the cold of winter, at this train in Miyoshi city, Hiroshima, travelers can make use of a heating station for their hands to get away from the bite of winter.
Lucky Canadians, maybe the grass is greener on the other side of the fence after all. At the coffee shop “i made coffee”, visitors are served by waitresses dressed in Japanese mini-skirts, knee high stockings with zebra stripes and the whole maid outfit thing too. In addition to coffee, the place also serves up some international food fare from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and American as well.
For those folks who don’t have their New Years treats locked up, then you better hustle. We’re only a few weeks from approaching the beginning of 2007, and if you want to start of 2007 right, you got to get out there and get your fix of some Japanese New Year foods. It’s only going to set you back 12,500 Yen, so you’ve still got plenty left to get drunk with. This particular company will be offering 40 different kinds of different ingredients, so pick out the ones you like! I personally could go for that huge squid in there.
Japan loves seafood. Everything from the sea is fair game and why not? There’s tons of tasty critters down there and if recent published scientific studies are true, it will only be a matter of decades before the human species eliminates to extinction the last frontier on earth. So be sure to try some while supplies last. In Hachimori harbor today, fisherman reeled in 9 tons of aquatic life as the fishing season hits full stride.
Easy to make, lasts long, tastes great, cheap, and a permanent food group for college students. Oh and it comes in every possible flavor you could want. Cup Noodle, instantly recognizable in it’s distinctive red and white script, has become the favorite snack of thousands of children and adults across the world and it’s today is also it’s 35th anniversary.
Time for fall to take a hike because it’s snowing. And I mean snowing. The white season has descended upon Japan, and as you can see, it’s going to be white for the holidays. Here in Yuzawa city, a enormous 11 centimeters of snow fell, covering everything in sight with fresh ice. Never before has this much snow been dropped in this region, previously 10 centimeters was the record.
Hopefully this gives you guys a better view of what it takes to get these trees ready for winter. The last post we did on this didn’t really do it justice, you couldn’t really tell what those people were doing. But here in a slightly different fashion, are workers in Akita prefecture preparing the trees for tons of snow.
Ah the cold refreshing taste of beer. Japan makes some fine brew if I do say so, and one of the most popular brands is Sapporo, and there’s nothign quite like one after a long hard day or maybe if you’re just feeling a little thirsty. But let us raise your glasses to Sapporo beer’s new beer gal for 2007, Ayu, a 20 year old gal who hails from the lovely region of Osaka. She’s on her way to becoming an actress and what better way by becoming the girl every dude in Japan will think of when they pop a cold one? What do you all think? Does she make a worthy beer babe?
Now that we’re done with Thanksgiving, let’s move on to New Years. That little thing in between called Christmas will have plenty of coverage coming up anyways. But as previously mentioned, the traditional thing to do in Japan when New Years rolls around is to celebrate the occassion with a delectable box of Japanese style feasting.
Oh sure, you’d think they just stand out there freezing and collecting snow on their branches don’t you? Well not if your a special tree. And you know what? Some of them are.
www.bento.com
It’s not even Christmas yet, but at this time of the year, it’s usually the custom in Japan for everyone to start reserving those deliciously tasty New Years treats called osechi-ryori. You might’ve seen these before at the Japanese market, but they’re basically boxes full of different foods that have significance for the new year. As you can imagine, it’s big business for the osechi makers, and the plan this year is to have some healthier options.
yuzu photo by: www.city.kawasaki.jp
Bathing in the hot water of either public bath houses or geothermal hot springs is one of the most iconic and relaxing activities of Japan. It’s a chance to escape the rigorous demands of the salaryman lifestyle and get back in touch with nature and de-stress.
In Hirosaki city today, “The Tsugaru Samisen 2006″ event kicked off with 300 musicians wearing matching colors gathering to put on a splendid performance. With richly colored Tsuguru kites hanging in the background, it was a packed house for this musical display of the traditional Japanese string instrument. The samisen is similar to guitar, but with a much slimmer neck and only three strings. Playing takes place with the use of a bachi which can also be used to strike the drum-like body, creating a percussive sound.
In Japan, people love their rice. It is perhaps the most important and basic ingredient used in many dishes. As a result, Japanese appliance makers are coming up with new designs all the time for the next revolutionary rice machine. They’re actually getting quite high-tech, and consumers are sure to be overwhelmed by the number of choices they have.
Students of Akita commercial high school in Akita kicked off the annual business practice event “AKISHOP” today on November 11th. It’s a awesome event where all the kids get to learn about what it takes to run a business and customer relations. At the same time, everyone has fun by making it a big event with real “stuff” being sold to real people.
The significance of the popular snacks was highlighted today as TV personality Aragaki Yui and others were present at “Pocky and Pretz Day” in Shibuya, Tokyo. Aragaki has done some cool commercials for Pocky as well, which can be seen at the Pocky website, although she admitted that the dancing sequences were a little difficult and now she’s “taking dancing lessons seriously”.
Check out these pics from the latest HUSTLE event. Are they a trip or what? It makes American pro-wrestling look as boring and normal as mowing the lawn. In case your wondering, HUSTLE is a Japanese pro-wrestling event that is pure sports entertainment, pitting the HUSTLE Army against the MONSTER Army. Don’t ask me, I told you this was weird. It doesn’t really matter if your not much of an athlete, here what matters is the drama going on between the wrestlers and the freaky costumes that put drag queens to shame. But it sure makes these events more appealing than a bunch of sweaty dudes in spandex jumping on top of each other.
5th generation ceramic pottery maker Haruji Takaya is a master of ceramic pottery techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation. As the year of the boar in the Chinese zodiac draws closer, Takaya has crafted these delightful relics to capture the essence of the boar. In looking at the details, one can’t help but admire the shape and texture of his creations and the meticulous hand-painted coloring that endows each one with a spark of hopeful energy. So far about 120 of them have been produced, each baked in a kiln that can reach temperatures as high as 930 degrees. The dedication of Japanese artisans to their craft is remarkable, despite the availability of cheap manufacturing methods, true artisans still prefer the traditional ways.
I’m not sure exactly what “Bomb Card Hyper Trading Cards” are, but if you’re a fan of Yuko Ogura, these cards just might be what you’re looking for to complete that idol shrine tucked away in your closet. For those of you who own all her DVDs and photobooks and still can’t get enough of her, take your obsession to the next level with these Yuko Ogura trading cards. The cards feature Yuko in a variety of different poses and costumes that should please any hardcore fanboy.
The Hiroshima prefecture cultural festival commenced today with the participation of 135 different high schools. Anytime you can get teenagers from 135 different high schools together and teamwork, you know it must have taken some serious effort. Opening with a grand parade down main street, the high school seniors showed their enthusiasm and energy for the occassion as they displayed awesome baton skills and movement. The festival is a huge event featuring exhibitions in 14 different categories, including photography, calligraphy, and folk entertainment. Approximately 8600 people were in attendance to enjoy this once a year tradition now in its’ 30th year.
Remember playing Duck Hunt for the original Nintendo (Famicon in Japan)? Well now duck hunters in Japan can put that training to use as duck hunting season officially opened up today. For the squad pictured above, the hunt begins at about 5 in the morning near Iwamigawa river bank in Akita city. Hunkered down in the morning dew, locked and loaded, there is was a suspenseful wait in the weeds for just the right moment when the ducks rise to flight. Then the roar of gunfire shatters the fragile morning peace. According to one faithful fowl hunter, the history of the sport in this city goes as far back as 37 years. “Due to increased numbers of the ducks from last year”, after the ban was lifted, “[we] wanted to get together again and preserve the tradition.”
In Japan it’s a popular custom to send a card to friends and family to wish them well for the New Year. However, due to the rise in popularity of other devices, such as e-mail, this tradition appears to be on the decline. Today marked the beginning of the New Year card buying season as Japanese post offices across the country began offering them to buyers. In the Hiroshima branch, there was some fanfare as a group of kindergarten children held a little concert to celebrate the occassion. It’s sad that we’re all losing touch with the old ways for the sake of convenience. It means so much more to have something real in your hands, something someone took the time to select, hand-write, and send to you. It’s something you can keep and treasure. I’ll take that over some cheesy flash animations any day.
The opening of the Umeda establishment of the newest Daimaru store in Osaka City was off the chain as a special “Robot Festival” took place, featuring a number of robots performing different feats of mechanical mayhem. The main event featured a fight to finish between two robot teams who have previous victories in world robot competitions. Heck, some of the minature mechs were even playing soccer and sumo (see above) against each other. Let there be no doubt, Japan’s robotics are some of the most advanced in the world, with some crazy scientists always making the gearheads act more and more like humans. Beware, we’ll all soon be the ones playing soccer while all the robots laugh at us.
Tiny goblins, witches, and ghosts covered the streets of Yato city as approximately 350 costumed elementary school students went on a “Halloween tour” of the shopping district. The event was the result of collaboration between the shopping center stores, which had troops of adorable kids going from shop to shop in order, reaping their sweet treats hand over fist. The “Halloween tour” is sponsored by the Sanpachi community for international exchange with cooperation from the Yato International Communications Association. Awesome job there guys for giving the kids a trick or treat experience they’ll never forget.
The changing of the seasons and nature play an important role in Japanese culture. A famous sight in Japan is when the leaves of the trees change color to reflect autumn. If you’re in the vicinity of the Nagachou Kitou mountains, now is the best time to witness this awesome transformation. If you journey to a height of approximately 1250 meters above sea level, the Japanese maple leaves turn from florid greens to blazing reds and autumn hues. Against the backdrop of a clear sky and mountain breeze, you’ll be mesmerized.
In Akita city today, elementary school students put on a show of traditional performance art of the Kumano region. Kumano plays a important role in Japanese cultural history as a sacred site of worship during the Heian and Edo eras. Today it is a popular destination for those who want to explore the ancient history of Japanese religion as well as witness awe-inspiring natural beauty. The thick beautiful forests of the region serve as a spiritual sanctuary for the gods of old. Approximately 160 kids from three different schools in Yurihonjou, Senhoku, and Oga city gathered together for a colorful demonstration of the tradition that closely ties the Kumano beliefs with the region.
Check out this picture of Eriko Sato’s leather duds. I can’t say if wearing that much leather in those places would feel good or not. Apparently she was partly inspired by the cowhide clothing of the hip-thrusting, human homosexual parody, Razor Ramon HG (Hard Gay) in choosing her get-up. However, her tastes paid off as she was awarded the best leather get-up at the 6th leather clothing competition, namely for her boots, which “emphasizes her leg line beauty.” I have no idea why this competition even exists. What do all the ladies think of this leather outfit?
Students and residents in the small town of Ekiyachou, Fukuyama came together and created something pretty cool: their own aquarium. Now that’s a cool project if I ever heard of one. Insects and small creatures indigenous to the Hattori stream that flows near the school were gathered together and a sort of mini-aquarium was built in an effort to study the ecosystem of the river. Dubbed the “Firefly Aquarium” it features about 10 different varieties of water life and about 100 creatures in total. Now open to the public, it’s on display in the school entrance. I do hope at some point the critters will be released again, but it’s a great chance for the kids to appreciate just how wonderful nature really is.
Winter is the time of the year when nature’s creatures look for ways to survive the upcoming cold. We’ve all heard of the bears hibernating, but every wonder where the insects go? A pesky type of insect, the pine moth, aka Dendrolimus Spectablis, chooses to burrow in the trunks of the Japanese pine trees. The little buggers can cause severe damage to the trees, with larva “eating” the insides out. The traditional method of dealing with these little destroyers is to tie a patch of straw with rope on the trunk, such as these lads in Hiroshima are doing. The bugs’ larva are laid within these straw patches which are then removed and burned in the spring. Take that suckers!
In a recent study in Okayama prefecture, 55.1% of those surveyed admitted to having drinking experience already. This is an increase of 18.3 points from a similar survey conducted back in the year 2000. This can be attributed to the fact that it’s relatively easy for underage kids to get their hands of some booze. In addition, it’s becoming more and more “cool” to get into the stuff earlier among the youth. Is this really a problem though? If kids are going to do it, then do or die they’ll find a way to do it. It’s already easy enough for anyone to walk to the corner vending machine and buy cigarettes, beer, and all sorts of stuff they shouldn’t be able to buy.
The newspaper club at Kanaashi Agriculture High School in Akita prefecture plan to unveil a gigantic newspaper standing 7 meters tall and 5.5 meters wide in an effort to publicize the upcoming school festival, which is similar to Thanksgiving in the United States. The paper is so big that it spans three floors of the school, coming to a stop just above the first floor. Printing something this big wasn’t easy as 2nd year staff members Nishimura Kumiko and Tsuchida Ayaka found out. As a result, they divided the paper into several sections and asked staff members to use their personal computers to print out each piece. The whole thing then was painstakingly taped together by hand. Amazing.
And by pumpkins, I mean pumpkins. Along highway 315 today, the local residents displayed the pride and joy of the season as 65 personally unique gigantic pumpkins were put on display. Now in it’s 15th year of apperances, these pumpkins have been carefully tended throughout the year, and not only are they large in size, but pack plenty of pumpkin for everyone. The heaviest to date is a whopping 75kg, which is about 165 pounds. How cool would it be to see these things scaring the crap out of you on Halloween?
In Shimane prefecture, fishing for the Japanese fish “ayu” is really picking up right now as the fish rush to lay their eggs. Ayu is a small fish that are tastier than other water critters. A favorite among Japanese people, it reminds them of the good ol’ summer days. There are many ways to catch ayu and here a woman uses the traditional technique of weir fishing, which basically uses poles to guide the ayu into a net. After all the hard work, grill them with salt and have them hot with a icy beer. And remember I get the last one this time.
In a commemoration event for the birth of the new Noshiro city, residents of staged a colorful fall festival as the enjoyed the pleasant fall weather. Noshiro city actually consists of two former cities who merged together to form Noshiro. More recently the town of Futatsui announced it would be joining Noshiro to form a larger city. Both halves traditionally have had their own festivals, but today united together as residents from both halves became one together as they both now call the same place “home.” Special exhibits of the town’s famous woodwork and crafts were shown to eager customers and over 54 food stands served up a variety of different tasty fall treats.
The signs of winter are among us. In Yamagata prefecture today, Sakata city observers at Chokai mountain spotted fresh snow atop the mountain, a sure sign that the coming of winter is near. This first snow was actually a little earlier than last year’s first snow sighting by about 16 days. The marvelous sight of the beautiful bright leaf colors and the tranquility of snow brought numerous shutterbugs and amateur photographers out to capture this stunning scene.
Got coffee? Bikini pinup and popular idol Sayaka Isoyama was in downtown Tokyo today to promote the popular Japanese canned coffee drink “Georgia.” Contestants participated in a mini virtual horse racing game where the objective was to guess correctly which horses win first place and second place. In the sea of coffee beverages in Japan, Georgia coffee drink is actually the most popular canned coffee drink, coming in different blends and able to be enjoyed hot or cold. Is it the bold refreshing taste or something more? There are rumors out there that say the drink contains nicotine. Blargh!
In the Yamaguchi prefecture, two attractions of the fall season are regional specialities of chestnuts and tangerines. At about this time of the year, the “Iwakuni chestnuts” are reaching their peak of flavor and texture. Coming in three different varieties, the chestnuts are famous for their unique taste while the tangerines of Suou Oushimamachi, having been ripened by the late summer sun, are refreshing , strong and sweet.
Just when you thought Japan was this nice friendly, safe country, here comes news that the notorious Lawson burgular struck again, his 4th convenience store robbery in Noshiro city. All the burgularies occured in the late morning witht he perp wearing sunglasses and using a knife to threaten clerks. In this particular heist the guy made off with about 100,000 Yen. Fortunately no one was hurt, but I hope the cops can catch this guy soon. Japan is still considered one of the safest countries in the world with one of the lowest crime rates, but this just goes to show, you can never be too careful.
Closed since last autumn, the historic Hiroshima Itiminami Ku train station is coming back in a major way, with the opening of 26 new mini-restaurants. And with veteran establishments such as “Taste Village” (27 stores) and “Taste Republic” (7 stores) also nearby, owners are getting pretty excited at the competition. Styled in retro decor, the food stations inspire the busy vigor of the 1960’s. From my experience, not only is the food great, but the people bustling from place to place, the thunder of the trains, create this wonderful busy energy that really makes it exciting.
The northern waters of Aomorishi witnessed a remarkable feat as the finished large scale wooden replica of a early Japanese fishing boat set sail. Implemented under the guidance of the fishing boat museum foundation, the launch was delayed due to bad weather but today the weather proved to be ripe. The vessel was able to capture the wind in its sails and carry all 40 members at a speed of 10 km/hr. Quite an achievement if you ask me, the details and the effort that went into it must have been tremendous. Not only is it a testament to their dedication, but a monument to the accomplishments of their ancestors.
Well not exactly. But the top Japanese maker of these cool little trinkets has an exhibition going on in Hiroshima Itiminami Ku city at the museum of modern art, chronicling the rich history of these little figures. And what an exhibition it is. Featuring approximately 3000 of these “food toys” over a 40 year span, visitors will get the chance to see limited edition models such as Godzilla and the first sailing ship models. Way cooler than the stuff you get in a Happy Meal, ain’t it?
In the world of fashion, things come and go. This fall, the latest “must-have” shoes for females are jockey style boots similar to the ones this woman in a downtown Hiroshimashi department store is wearing. Classy and comfortable, these boots have spread in demand from its main clientele of the young crowd into the middle aged and elderly as well. I honestly probably couldn’t tell you the difference between a pair of these and something else, but let’s face it, boots are the perfect accessory of fall glamour. They have a sophisticated yet casual look that can be worn on different occassions, from a trip to the store to a night on the town.
Around this time of the year is when the all-important crop of rice is harvested in Japan. Traditionally this is done by hand, and is a cultural event dating far back into Japanese tradition. Here some elementary school children are working together to participate in the rice harvest on a recent field trip. Organized by school officials, it is an effort to promote the tradition and make them aware of how things are done. You can almost feel how nice and peaceful it would be out there in the field under that sky in the autumn sun, the smell of the earth, and the touch of a gentle breeze.
Popular singer and actress Noriko Sakai has teamed up with the ubiquitous Hello! Kitty (is that it’s real name?) to design a new line-up of Kitty accessories and clothes. Sakai professed her own childhood love of the popular Sanrio cat, reminicising on her Hello! Kitty lunchbox and other girly items. Titled “PP rikorino,” the goodies come in a flair that recalls the 1960’s American style, which makes it appealing to fans of all ages. I remember sitting in grade school and scoping out all the Sanrio stuff the girls had and..I’ll admit some of it was pretty cool. Especially the wacky pencil boxes with tons of buttons that can do pretty much anything.
With fall comes not only the various festivals celebrating the harvest, but also a time to pay respects to one’s elders. With the “fresh and invigorating” autumn weather, Japanese families throughout the country are journeying to the tombstones of their loved ones for a memorial to the dead. Upon their arrival, the tombstone is washed with cold clear water, and fruits and flowers are placed. It is quiet and peaceful as the hands are placed in a position of respect.
Although it can stir feelings of sadness and remorse, I think this tradition is very important in reminding us that the opportunities we have today are owed to the efforts of those who came before us. Forgetting that causes us to take things for granted, and we lose a part of our history.
One of the famous delicacies of Japan is the buckwheat noodle. There’s nothing quite like it cold during the heat of the summer or in any other dish. The buckwheat noodles were planted near the end of July and recently started blooming at the end of last month. The photograph was taken in the Ishikawa side of Minehama. With a view of the Sirakami mountains in the back, it makes for a truly beautiful view. Not only does it look good, but it tastes even better, as the buckwheat tradition in this region is over 300 years old and gaining in recognition every year.
Artnature hair care wants to help men with their hair problems, and it’s enlisting these two idols for their help. Starting in October a free service called “Hair Check 24″ will offer free tips on hair care, where callers will be able to get their questions answered by pre-recorded clips done in a “tender and affectionate” manner. Somehow I don’t think being told by a gravure idol what to do with your bald spot is going to make you feel any better.
If you’re a gamer you might have heard Nintendo is coming out with a new video game system soon. Supposedly the latest and greatest feature on this console is the motion-sensitive controller. I don’t know if that’s such a good idea, but everyone seems to be talking about it. Nintendo is confident of their success and have predicted 4 million units sold by the end of the year. All the fun you can shake a stick (shameless pun intended) at will be coming out this winter at a store near you.
Summer is gone now, and the girls of Japan are shedding their bikinis for the latest in fall fashion. As the fashion trade wars heat up, trend watchers are noticing that grey seems to be the must-have color of the season, if indications in Hiroshima department stores are to be believed. In paritcular, grey colored clothes of the classic English style seem to be popular, even to the point of causing a rebound in woman’s clothing sales.
First year students decided to show their support for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team by constructing this gigantic mural composed entirely of paper cranes. Is that cool or what? If I were the Carp, it’d be pretty demoralizing to see something like that and then lose. That’s how you show true love to your baseball team folks. Standing at 8 meters tall, it took a month and a half of painstaking craftsmanship to complete. I guess the Western equivalent would be folding a gigantic mural of paper airplanes, though I doubt anyone would bother. We’d rather watch football.
Chojuro are the tasty Asian pears that you find at the market these days. Before I’d have to go to the Asian market to pick them up, but I believe they’re starting to go mainstream now. And now, the time is ripe for their harvest in Japan. In Odate city, located in the mountainous area of Nakayama, the farmers are preparing for the harvest of their 1 hectacre plot, on which 5 different varieties are grown. Although it was colder in July resulting in a smaller fruit, the farmers say the fruit are still sufficiently sweet.
Korean girl group Baby VOX has recently been dropping members like flies. It seems everytime the group comes out with a hit that gets them into the headlines, one of the girls decides its time to move on to her own gig and as a result they’re left with a missing link. But fear not, as thousands of hopefuls participated in a public audition to determine just who has what it takes to sing, dance, and shake it BabyVOX style. The plan is to find the new member by year end and release an album for Korea, Japan, and China simutaneously to maximize their rebirth in the midst of the Asian boom.
The big news in Japan these days is the birth of the first boy prince in about 40 years. In a country of declining birth rates, this is good news. Otherwise in a few decades the Japanese will dwindle out and we’ll be missing sushi, electronics, and samurai while watching anime made in China and dealing with a shortage of hotties. However, popular enka singer Kiyoshi Hikawa was pleased and surprised to find out he shares the same birthday as the new prince of Japan. At a concert in Ehime prefecture in Matsuyama city, Hikawa expressed awe and wonder to have the fortune of sharing the special day. He also expressed his hope that the boy would faithfully represent the Japanese people with kindness.
Known in Mexico as the national flower, dahlias are in bloom in the Yamatani region of Japan, where dahlias are grown with great care. If you take a casual stroll through the area, you are witness to approximately 350 different kinds of dahlia. The coloful flowers provide a refreshing and provoking contrast to the lush green of the mountainside. See? We can be thoughtful and sophisticated.
Summer is almost at an end, and that means no more going to the beach to scope out the babes and dudes, watermelon, sunscreen and ice cream. So what do we do now? Why go pick grapes of course! A good pastime for Japanese families this time of the year, if they are living in the right region, to go grape picking. And knowing the quality of Japanese produce, I wouldn’t be surprised if these grapes are as big as golf balls and carefully polished by sweet grandmothers who would kill you for insulting these grapes.
Dressing up in costume play, these two gravure babes were spotted recently at a press show showcasing a new model of “pachisuro” machine. For those in the know, pachisuro is similar to slot machines, except instead of a lever, it uses a small joystick device. This is different than pachinko, which has a bunch of metal balls falling around. Apparently there is also a video screen that features some animations depending on how you’re doing. But damn do these girls look good in those costumes and swimsuits. Hell I’d play bingo if these girls showed up like that.
Against the warnings of his friends and family, Mr. Frosty decided to pay a visit to the lucky residents of Tokyo on the 27th of August. Weighing in at approximately 12 tons and standing 4 meters tall, Mr. Frosty was spotted chillin’ in Ginza. Frosty spared no expense for the trip, having his snow saved in earth storage after the winter season and arrived by insulated van, traveling a distance of 1000km. Once here, it took his team of 80 people 12 hours to make sure everything was just right. Frosty hails from Kutsuchan, Hokkaido, which receives some of the greatest powder snow the world has ever seen, attracting more and more snow lovers every year. Now we just need the Kool-Aid guy to show up and we’re all good.
In Tokushima today, the proverbial perverted school teacher, this time by the name of Shinji Kurimi, was caught using a toe camera to catch a glimpse of female private parts. Apparently the guy was caught when a passenger, noticed he was putting his leg under the unsuspecting chicks. That gives me a great idea, I should get a pair of those camera shoes to help me aim when I’m kicking one of these sneaky perverts in the nuts.
Today I visited the art museum in Tokyo to attend a tea ceremony. I’m a member of the Sado (tea ceremony) club at my university. Our seniors wore beautiful Kimono for the occassion but I couldn’t wear it because I’m only a freshman. My job was to guide the guests from the entrance to a waiting room. Many different people of all ages and backgrounds including students, club members’ relatives, the Sado teachers and more attended. At the end of the ceremony, our seniors drew tea for us. We experienced true tea ceremony for the first time. Part of the ceremony involves eating ‘kai dukushi,’ which is a Japanese sweet made with suger, which is then paired with bitter green tea. Next year, I have to be one of the landladies in the tea room. I must practice very very hard!!
-Haruka
In Japan, we usually bring our own lunches from home when we go to school. However, there are a few schools that have a cafeteria as well. Everyone brings something different for lunch, so it’s fun to see what others are eating. Some of my friends’ lunches are some bread while others bring a box lunch homemade by mom. My mom makes me lunch every morning since I usually leave home at 6am!! Thanx,mom!
-Kazu
Every May 5th Japan celebrates the Boys’ Festival. In addition to putting the doll on display, we have other customs on May 5 as well including displaying KOINOBORI, eating KASHIWA MOCHI and taking a SHOBU-bath.
KOINOBORI are carp streamers. They are flown from the roof and swim in the sky as a family of carp, one for each son in the family. KASHIWA MOCHI is a kind of Japanese sweet consisting of rice cake wrapped with an oak leaf. Floating calamus leaves in hot bath water make the SHOBU-bath very refreshing!
-Marie