tokyo daydreamer

Hokkaido highway blues

2012-02-17T07:21:00.000-08:00

i just finished the book Hokkaido Highway Blues by Will Ferguson, and it was an amazing book i must say. He describes, in perfect words, how it is to be a foreigner in Japan.

Ferguson takes us from the end of Okinawa to the tip of Hokkaido in spring. He is following the sakuraflowers throughout the country, by hitchhiking.

i love the book. And for people who lived in japan as a foreigner, which i did, will soon feel the communion with Fergusons experiences. it made me laugh so many times and i learned a lot about japan and its culture. Next book on my list is Alan Booth's book The Roads to Sata.

One of my favorite quotes of how it is to be an outsider in japan:

"The Japanese are not a cold hearted people. Sometimes i wish they were, it would make leaving easier. The problem is not that you aren´t welcome. You are. You are welcome as an outsider. The problem is not exclusion, the problem is partial exclusion. The door is open but the chain is on. One hand becons and the other blocks. Like a hostess in a snackbar, Japan flirts its way into our hearts, it pours our drinks, it strokes our ego, it smiles and sighs and listens to our stories, and then in a moment of silence it askes: "how did you ever get so fat?"

iBousai Evacuee Support Kits for Wellnes

2011-11-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

While it’s certainly not pleasant to think about future disasters in Japan (or anywhere else), they do happen, and with them come instant problems with displaced people, broken infrastructure, and sanitation needs. Since we cannot prevent most of these problems, we can only do our best to alleviate the symptoms, and the difference between the aftereffects of the earthquakes in Japan as opposed to Haiti can be summed up in one sentence: Wealth is Health.

Thus, the creative iBousai emergency kits from the Ritsumeikan University Research Center for Disaster Mitigation of Urban Cultural Heritage (yes, that’s the name) are simple solutions to very First World problems. In fact, most would be seen as luxuries during the even the best times in the Third World.

The iBousai come in four varieties currently being developed:
- Kirei (Beautification): Essential oils and other products for women
- Miru (Medical Care): Gauze, alcohol, and other wound treatment
- Kaeru (Going Home): Maps, mini radio, and items to assist in travel
- Yoru (Nighttime): Socks, whistle, and other items needed in the dark

Additional products in the kits are soaps, LED lights, mobile alarms, dry shampoo, and other toiletries.

For future disasters, these types of kits are not only compact and easy to ship, but they are designed to improve the quality of life for people living in extenuating circumstances. It might seem trivial to receive essential oils during a tragedy, but the goal of the project is to be useful for both physical and mental health, and that’s an admirable goal.

source: japantrends

BBC - the japanesefalling prey to the “Paris syndrome”

2011-06-08T01:24:00.000-07:00

A dozen or so Japanese tourists a year have to be repatriated from the French capital, after falling prey to what’s become known as “Paris syndrome”.

That is what some polite Japanese tourists suffer when they discover that Parisians can be rude or the city does not meet their expectations.

The experience can apparently be too stressful for some and they suffer a psychiatric breakdown.

Around a million Japanese travel to France every year.

Shocking reality

Many of the visitors come with a deeply romantic vision of Paris – the cobbled streets, as seen in the film Amelie, the beauty of French women or the high culture and art at the Louvre.

The reality can come as a shock.

An encounter with a rude taxi driver, or a Parisian waiter who shouts at customers who cannot speak fluent French, might be laughed off by those from other Western cultures.

But for the Japanese – used to a more polite and helpful society in which voices are rarely raised in anger – the experience of their dream city turning into a nightmare can simply be too much.

This year alone, the Japanese embassy in Paris has had to repatriate four people with a doctor or nurse on board the plane to help them get over the shock.

They were suffering from “Paris syndrome”.

It was a Japanese psychiatrist working in France, Professor Hiroaki Ota, who first identified the syndrome some 20 years ago.

On average, up to 12 Japanese tourists a year fall victim to it, mainly women in their 30s with high expectations of what may be their first trip abroad.

The Japanese embassy has a 24-hour hotline for those suffering from severe culture shock, and can help find hospital treatment for anyone in need.

However, the only permanent cure is to go back to Japan – never to return to Paris.

Discovering Japan's biggest Buddha at Mount Nokogiri

2011-06-08T01:09:00.000-07:00

A mini adventure across land and sea from Tokyo to see the 31-meter Nihonji Daibatsu

“Almost!” screams my friend Miwa. Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I look up to see two middle-aged women in heels making their way up Jigoku Nozoki (地獄覗き; "a peep at hell"), where we are also headed. It's a surprising sight, because the walk up to Nokigiri-yama’s “peep at hell” is rocky and steep.

It feels like we’re more than 80 kilometers away from the city center. But with just two hours travel you can remove yourself from city life entirely.

At 330 meters above sea level, Nokogiri-yama doesn’t compare, in height, to Mount Fuji’s towering 3,776 meters, or even Nikko’s Mount Nantai (2,486 meters).

Height is not the main draw, though. The fresh air does something good to our lungs. The panoramic view of Boso Peninsula’s rolling hills, Tokyo Bay and Mount Fuji provides a calming effect.

And being part of Kanto’s oldest Nihonji temple built in 725, this modestly sized mountain has its own perks that the highly lauded likes of Nikko, Kamkura and Asakusa don’t: Japan’s largest Buddha, a 100-foot stone carving of the Kannon Bosatsu Buddha (Hyaku Shaku Kannon), and 1,500 Buddhist arhat saint statues scattered along the hiking trail.

Hyaku Shaku Kannon (百尺観音)

Completed in 1966 over a course of six years, the Hyaku Shaku Kannon was built in remembrance of soldiers killed during World War II. The two-dimensional stone carving of the Kannon Bosatsu Buddha (“Goddess of Mercy”) stands at 100 feet tall, right beneath the Jigoku Nozoki cliff.

Shaped like the edge of a saw, this is where you can see how Nokogiri-yama (鋸山; “saw mountain") got its name.

There is no one around, just us and the surrounding flora on this quiet path. I am immersed in the grandeur and serenity of the environment.

Tokai 1,500 Rakan (東海千五百羅漢)

Sweaty from walking up all the stairs, we pass by 1,500 rakan statues along our path. Each one is distinctly carved, differing in facial features, position and clothes. Some of them have been damaged from erosion.

Sculpted by skilled artisan Ono Jingoro Eirei (大野甚五郎英令) and his 27 apprentices, it took 21 years to complete these statues in 1783.

Largest Buddha in Japan

To my surprise, Nokogiri is hardly mentioned in travel guides as having the largest Buddha in Japan. At 31 meters, it is twice the size of the Kamakura Daibatsu and Nara’s Daibutsu inside Todaiji Temple.

Also carved by Ono Jingoro Eiri and his 27 apprentices in 1783, the Nihonji Daibatsu depicts the image of Yakushi Ruri (薬師瑠璃), the Medicine Buddha.

Nearby, we write down the names of people we want to pray for on small red and white Onegai Jizo (“wishing jizo statues”; お願い地蔵尊) that scatter around a larger representation.

Minus the crowds

After taking countless photos in front of and around the Buddha, we picnic at the tables across from the Onegai Jizo. There are no restaurants or souvenir shops on the mountain. All of those are left near the ferry station at the bottom of the mountain.

We see two other groups within our vicinity. But other than them, Nokogiri-yama hardly feels like a tourist attraction. It feels far away from the city, peaceful and refreshing.

etting there

From Shinagawa station, take the Keikyu line to Keikyu Kurihama station and bus or take a taxi to Kurihama port. Take the Tokyo Wan Ferry to cross Tokyo Bay. From there, take the ropeway that will bring you to the entrance of Nokogiri-yama.

The complete trip from Shinagawa station to Nokogiri should take about two hours.

For more information on Nokogiri-yama and Nihonji Temple, visit www.keisei.co.jp/group/nokogiri-mt/nokogiri.htm or www.nihonji.jp.

Source: Discovering Japan's biggest Buddha at Mount Nokogiri | CNNGo.com

five at random and simply go a-wandering.

2011-06-08T01:00:00.000-07:00

Jindai Motomachi, Chofu

Shimotakaido, Asagaya, shoto, jindai, minowabashi

Recalling an old Edo village, Jindai Motomachi in western Tokyo is a relaxing day-trip devoid of bustling masses, or, you know, a place to pretend to be a samurai.

A short taxi ride from Chofu Station drops you at the main gate of Jindai Shokubutsu Koen (Jindai Botanical Gardens), where a wealth of plants, trees and flowers remind Tokyoites of what once was, in all seasons.

This picturesque park is open 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (closed Mondays and some holidays), with entry priced at ¥200-500. Don't be surprised to see white-masked tribes wandering -- hay-fever sufferers are right to beware.

As you face the entrance to the botanical gardens, there is a path to the right, which emerges into a residential street; follow this round to the left at each fork, past large houses with a sleepy atmosphere, until you pass through a secluded cemetery dotted with gigantic trees and soundtracked by little more then birdsong ... if you can remember what that sounded like.

After 10 minutes or so you will reach another entrance to the botanical gardens and several old-style soba noodle shops, one of which, Matsubajaya, has an open fire in the middle of the floor. Yes, in a wooden building.

Turn right here and follow the slope down to Jindaiji, the second-oldest temple in the Tokyo area, built in 733 to house a bronze statue of Buddha Shaka Nyorai.

The narrow street along which the temple’s entrance is found is full of shops selling traditional sweets and food to keep your sustenance up.

A stream gurgles parallel to the path, with tiny bridges leading to impressive-looking (i.e. pricey) restaurants and a still pond filled with swans and koi carp. If it’s a time-warp you’re looking for, Jindai Motomachi is the place to find it.

Chofu Station, Keio and Sagamihara lines, then No.34 bus or a 10-minute taxi ride

Shimotakaido, Setagaya Ward

himotakaido, a trainspotters dream destination.

Seemingly randomly slashed into north and south by an imposing rail crossing and attracting a young but funky crowd of residents thanks to a wealth of bars, cheap eateries, band rehearsal studios and more, Shimotakaido is kind of like the more famous "Tokyo Camden" of Shimokitazawa, but more homely.

Head out of the station and north of the tracks and you’ll stumble on a small indoor shopping street, crammed with stalls whose wares -– fresh fish, homemade tofu, fruit and veg -– spill out onto the covered street. Standing proudly on a corner just beyond this is Baobab No Ki, a small but well-stocked wholefood store.

All over Shimotakaido you’ll find stalls selling taiyaki, fish-shaped wafer cakes filled with azuki (red bean) paste and other treats.

Stomach still rumbling? For a more filling meal, cross the tracks south and then turn right and immediately left to find Italian restaurant Mushinosu (literally Bugs’ Nest -– but don’t worry, they’re plastic), whose pastas and risottos are well matched to a lengthy wine list and reasonable prices.

Opposite Mushinosu, hipster haven Trashmundo is stocked floor to ceiling with cult vinyl and CDs, classic movies, vintage magazines from "Rockin’ On" to "Playboy," collectors’ figures and more.

Film buffs can check out boutique theater Shimotakaido Cinema, just east of the station, for a selection of films handpicked to expand your movie trivia horizons.

Shimotakaido Station, Keio and Setagaya lines

Asagaya, Suginami Ward

Far from the chic Aoyama, Asagaya offers the grungy and funky.

Asagaya is a Tokyo jazz hotspot, with the Asagaya Jazz Streets Festival taking over the neighborhood for the last weekend of October. It’s also a haven for film buffs and chin-strokers, with revivalist theater Laputa specializing in 1950s-70s Japanese cinema.

Take the North Exit from Asagaya Station and turn left to explore Star Road, actually a collection of streets that are filled with hundreds of eateries, bars, and clubs that host live jazz, blues and world music. Many of these, such as Jamb Jamb, Yellow Vision and Manhattan, are barely large enough to fit a double bass, let alone many customers.

The scent of charcoal wafts from Buchi Yakiniku barbecue restaurant, while Don Tsucchi (at the far end of Star Road’s main thoroughfare) is almost as narrow as the strands of spaghetti it serves.

Record shop Rare, meanwhile, sells beautifully preserved collectors’ vinyl and bootleg music DVDs.

Turn left at Don Tsucchi to find Nigiyakana Kaze, a small shop selling cakes, ramen, bath salts and more, all made by disabled people in centers around Japan; this compact store also hosts live theater events.

South of the station you’ll find the covered Pearl Center arcade; during the first week of July, the local Tanabata festival sees the street adorned with striking paper lanterns, while the rest of the time it boasts gourmet spaghetti bar Meat-Ya, organic Cafe Misty, and shops selling everything from material to tea, vintage toys to videogames.

Asagaya Station, Chuo Line

Shoto, Shibuya Ward

French influence out in Shoto at Maison De Many Collection Privee.

Though barely minutes from the action of Shibuya, Shoto is nonetheless a relatively unexplored neighborhood that is home to several delicious destinations. That’s right: Shoto is all about the food.

Take Shinsen Station’s North Exit and muddle your way north for five minutes, till you hit a main road; or approach the same street from Shibuya, turning left off Bunkamura-Dori when you reach Don Quijote and Tokyu department store.

From the Shinsen end, the first and most fun eatery you’ll come across is Junkadelic Jalopy! This tiny and self-exclaimed branch of the Junkadelic chain serves gorgeous Tex-Mex grub in a laid-back tumbledown shack –- very bohemian.

Behind the main street lies Arossa, an Australian wine bar and grill twinned with a New Zealand-style branch in Ginza. The wine menu is extensive and varied, there’s plenty of fresh cheese, and the grilled crocodile is worth getting your teeth into.

Back on the main thoroughfare, Ivy-covered eatery Galettoria serves, unsurprisingly, French galette pancakes, which come loaded with organic fillings.

Head towards Bunkamura-Dori and turn right at Community Store and you’ll find Tomboy, whose Maui-inspired menu features the signature Tomburger, crammed with homemade relish, bacon, avocado and tomato. Bigmouths might be able to chomp it as is; the rest of us will need a knife and fork.

It’s not all about your belly, though. Along the same Shoto street you’ll also find fine crockery shop Maison De Many Collection Privée; Carnival, a men’s and women’s lingerie shop well placed for the nearby love hotels; the Shoto Rokubankan museum, with its collection of calligraphy; and Barnicha, a bar whose video jukebox consists entirely of 1980s and 1990s J-pop hits -- so brush up those Pink Lady dance moves before you go.

Shinsen Station, Inokashira Line

Minowabashi, Taito Ward

Suburbians bring color and a friendly feel to the arcade in Minowabashi.

The Arakawa Line tram is a dinky one-carriage conveyance that trundles from Waseda in northwest Tokyo to Minowabashi in the east with a “ding-ding” as it departs, for a flat rate of ¥160 for adults and ¥80 for concessions.

Fittingly, Minowabashi Station is not much of a station at all; more a pair of outdoor alighting and boarding points set around a quaint square speckled with rose beds, Showa Era advertisement posters, plenty of pigeons and a handy bilingual map.

Head through the wooden archway and go straight to the main road, Nikko Kaido, established in 1617 as one of the five routes of Edo.

Cross over and you’ll see Sound In Mitsui, a music store run by a family since the 1920s that stocks both pop CDs and musical instruments; the real treasure trove is a comprehensive selection of enka (ballads) albums that are even available on cassette, with a set of magnifying glasses for older customers to browse with.

Heading north, Nikko Kaido leads all the way to Senju Bridge, rebuilt in 1921 to replace the 1594 construct that was the first ever to bridge the Sumida River.

The street is also lined with temples and shrines, each with its own cemetery; the most striking of these structures is Entsuji Temple, whose collection of unusual statues includes a vast effigy of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of compassion, mounted on the roof.

One block north from Minowabashi Station, running eastwards parallel to the tramline, the covered Joyful Minowa Shopping Street should be your final stop.

Stock up on everything from fresh produce to traditional Japanese sweets, tools to stationery; rice specialist Minoriya sells grains from around Japan, polished while you wait or simply sold unrefined for extra health value. And if all that walking has exhausted you, the public bath midway down the street will soak it up in no time.

Minowabashi, Arakawa Line

source: Discovering five of Tokyo’s lesser-known neighborhoods | CNNGo.com

2011-04-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

American Red Cross, Swedish Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross

Donate by Clicking to Japanese Red Cross

2011-03-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

Donate by Clicking to Japanese Red Cross: www.clover.sc/jrc/index02.aspx?id
The Japanese Red Cross will donate 1 yen (free to you) for every click. (1 click per day)

WWOOF Japan Can Place Travellers And Holiday Makers With Host Families On Organic Farms, Ski Resorts & Holiday Inns Throughout Japan

2011-03-09T04:09:00.000-08:00

WWOOF Japan is a program facilitating travellers and holiday makers to visit hosts around Japan and receive meals, boarding, learning and be part of the family or community at no financial cost, in return for assisting the host with the ork they do.

WWOOF hosts include farms, holiday inns, ski resorts, and more. A 12 month membership is 4000 yen allowing you to visit as many places as you like.

We do have hosts that will accept people all year round. Please have a look at www.wwoofjapan.com and see information on what a WWOOF Japan membership will give you. One can see a preview of some (not all) of our hosts at www.wwoofjapan.com/preview_e.html

You can join and pay online via our website or pay at any post office
throughout Japan - see the website for details. Members have access to bilingual forms from our website to use to communicate with hosts and make plans that best suit them. WWOOF is a great way to see Japan away from your daily grind. You can arrange to visit a host for just a day or two or for longer periods, or start out with a day or two and extend if you like it.

Check out our website for all the details at www.wwoofjapan.com

source:workanywhere

Video: The weirdest sushi in Japan: How to make your own fish, rice and nori with sugar and water Read more: Video: The weirdest sushi in Japan

2011-03-08T23:28:00.000-08:00

If you ever wanted to try your hand at making sushi -- but just didn't like the taste -- pharmaceutical company Kracie has the answer.

Popin' Cookin' is a range of products for those with a sweet tooth who need to improve their creative culinary skills. And fool their friends.

Surprisingly though, the "just add water" range, which also includes ramen, o-bento and ice cream options, are made using natural coloring. It's the pH levels that create the food illusions.

The first instant sweets of this type were actually launched in 1978, though the latest range are a considerable step forward, with the ingenious salmon roe (ikura) perhaps the most impressive and lifelike.

Popin' Cookin' is aimed at kids as a way build kitchen knowledge.

source: CNNGo

More on CNNGo: Art good enough to eat or food cute enough to display?

japanese symbols

2011-03-08T23:13:00.000-08:00

Chrysanthemum

As well as the many thousand kanji characters (漢字) that make up Japan's written language, Japan is a country of many important symbols, originating in its people's early cultural beliefs, religion and imperial myths.

Imperial & State Symbols

The sixteen petal chrysanthemum, usually white or orange, is the crest or mon (紋) of the Japanese emperor and is often seen displayed on Shinto shrines throughout the country.

The Imperial Regalia of Japan, also known as the "Three Sacred Treasures of Japan," are the sacred sword (kusanagi), the mirror (yata no kagami), and the jewel (yasakani no magatama), symbolizing the imperial virtues of valor (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel).

These mythical objects are not on display to the general public but the sword or a replica of it is said to be kept at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya, the jewel at The Imperial Palace in Tokyo, and the mirror is the Grand Shrine of Ise.

Magatama

The curved stone beads or magatama (勾玉 or 曲玉) often made from agate, jade, jasper, quartz or talc date from shamanistic rituals in the Jomon period of Japanese history and are believed to symbolize the vitality of the human spirit. Popular with the ruling chieftains of the period, magatama have been found in numerous burial mounds (kofun) dating from the Jomon era.

Three magatama forming a flowing circle can be found on the rounded roof tiles in Japanese temples. The use of magatama as regal symbols also spread to the Korean peninsula through the close connections of the various kingdoms in Korea and Japan at the time. Nowadays, magatama make for popular cell phone straps.

Japanese Flag

Japan's national flag, the Nisshoki (日章旗, "rising sun flag"), more commonly known as the Hinomaru (日の丸, "the sun disk"), is the well-known and memorable red circle in the middle of an all white background. The red symbol is the rising sun.

The Rising Sun Ensign (旭日旗, "kyokujitsu-ki") with sixteeen sun rays (image above right) is the controversial Japanese war flag used during World War II and now flown by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces. The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces fly an eight-ray version of the flag.

The original flag was flown by various feudal lords (daimyo) during the Edo Period (1603-1868) and was adopted as the de facto national flag in 1870 at the beginning of the new Meiji State.

Japanese Crests: Mon

Japanese family crests (mon, monsho or kamon) are somewhat similar to European coats of arms in heraldry.

Japanese crests originated as badges woven into clothing such as haori, happi coats and kimono to distinguish the members of a particular clan. Later these crests were added to the flags, arms and armor of the samurai. Well-known mon include the chrysanthemum crest of the Emperor (see above), the three hollyhock design of the Tokugawa family and the three water chesnuts in the Mitsubishi logo. Family crests are also seen in the rounded ceramic roof tiles of surviving samurai houses.

Modern Japanese Symbols

Other more modern Japanese symbols used by organizations and businesses as well as on maps include the Japanese post symbol - a capital T with a bar over the top representing a post office (〒 unicode: U+3012) and the beginning of a Japanese 7-digit post code, the symbol for public bath (sento) and onsen - a circle with three lines of steam rising from it or the kanji (yu, 湯) or hiragana (ゆ) and the torii gate sign to represent a Shinto shrine. The symbol used on maps and signs for Japanese temples is the manji (卍) or swastika (which has no relation whatsoever with Nazi Germany). For schools and universities the symbol bun (文) with the meaning of "literature" or "composition" hence "study" or "school" is used - a place where people write.

source: japanvisitor

the suicide forest

2011-01-11T13:03:00.000-08:00

photo; vahala

Aokigahara (青木ヶ原), also known as the Sea of Trees (樹海, Jukai), is a 35 km2 forest that lies at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan. The forest contains a number of rocky, icy caverns, a few of which are popular tourist destinations.

The forest, which has a historic association with demons in Japanese mythology, is a popular place for suicides; in 2002, 78 bodies were found, despite numerous signs, in Japanese and English, urging people to reconsider their actions.

Due to the wind-blocking density of the trees, and an absence of wildlife, the forest is known for being eerily quiet.

¨The forest is a popular place for suicides, reportedly the world's second most popular suicide location after San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. This popularity is often attributed to the 1960 novel Nami no Tō (波の塔) by Seichō Matsumoto, which ends with two lovers committing suicide in the forest. However, the history of suicide in Aokigahara dates from before the novel's publication, and the place has long been associated with death: ubasute was practiced there into the 19th century, and the forest is reputedly haunted by the ghosts of those left to die.

Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides, with an average of approximately 30 counted yearly. In 2002, 78 bodies were found within the forest, replacing the previous record of 73 in 1998. In 2003 the rate climbed to 100, and in recent years the local government has stopped publicizing the numbers in an attempt to downplay Aokigahara's association with suicide. The high rate of suicide has led officials to place signs in the forest, in Japanese and English, urging those who have gone there in order to commit suicide to seek help and not kill themselves. The annual body search, consisting of a small army of police, volunteers and attendant journalists, began in 1970.

Aside from those intending to die there, the dense forest and rugged inaccessibility has attracted thrill seekers. Many of these hikers mark their routes by leaving colored plastic tapes behind, causing concerns from prefectural officials for the ecosystem of the forest.

source; wikipedia

Ubasute

2011-01-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

Ubasute (姥捨て, abandoning an old woman) (also called "obasute" and sometimes "oyasute") refers to the custom allegedly performed in Japan in the distant past, whereby an infirm or elderly relative was carried to a mountain, or some other remote, desolate place, and left there to die, either by dehydration, starvation, or exposure. It "is the subject of legend, but [...] does not seem ever to have been a common custom". The practice was most common during times of drought and famine, and was sometimes mandated by feudal officials.[citation needed]

Ubasute has left its mark on Japanese folklore, where it forms the basis of many legends, poems, and koans. In one Buddhist allegory, a son carries his mother up a mountain on his back. During the journey, she stretches out her arms, catching the twigs and scattering them in their wake, so that her son will be able to find the way home.

A poem commemorates the story:

In the depths of the mountains,
Who was it for the aged mother snapped
One twig after another?
Heedless of herself
She did so
For the sake of her son

source: wikipedia

Japan's Flag - Nisshoki (Hinomaru)

2010-11-30T06:41:00.000-08:00

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Japan's national flag, the Nisshoki ("rising sun flag"), more commonly known as the Hinomaru ("the sun disk"), is the well-known and memorable red circle in the middle of an all white background. The red symbol is the rising sun.The flag's origins are unknown (though the radical Buddhist priest Nichiren is sometimes credited) but the hinomaru flag dates to at least the Warring States Period of Japan's history, in the 15th and 16th centuries. It officially became the national flag only in 1999, partly due the the legacy of the War. However, it was designated the country's flag as early as 1870 by the centralizing Meiji government and became a symbol of the new Japan after the rule of the Tokugawa regime.

The flag remains controversial because of its strong associations with Japan’s wartime past and the Imperial system. Unlike Germany, which in the 1930s was taken over and ruled by a particular party with its own symbols that were discarded as soon as the War was over, Japan’s symbols prior to, during, and after the war were one and the same.

Following World War II, American occupation authorities restricted displaying the flag. These restrictions were lifted in 1947, and the flag continued on in its de facto status as the official flag of Japan.

As noted above, this changed in 1999 when the Japanese Diet made the hinomaru the official flag.

Controversy today is, aside from the occasional flare up in Beijing or Seoul, most likely to come from Japanese school teachers.

Japanese teachers and their powerful union have historically been left wing and pacifist, mainly because of profound regrets over the role they played in indoctrinating pupils in the pre-War period.

Some conservative school boards have made the singing of the national anthem, Kimi Ga Yo, also a symbol of Japan’s militaristic past, and “showing respect” for the flag, mandatory. Some teachers have even gone to court—and usually lost—over this.

With the possible exception of Okinawa - which was the only part of Japan that was invaded by US forces during the War and today has the highest percentage of US military bases - most Japanese are fairly casual about the flag. The only time you will see the flag in great numbers is during a national team soccer match or when the Emperor comes out of his palace for a meet and greet with his subjects.

source: japanvisitor

10 Japanese fashion flops

2010-11-28T01:39:00.000-08:00

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Compared to the hey-days of FRUiTS magazine, Japanese fashion has calmed down considerably. Ganguro and yamamba have gone back to their mountain huts, leaving the watered-down gyaru in their wake.

That doesn’t mean the streets are safe from missteps though. Here are 10 that persist:

1. The 'host' look

Slim, polyester suit, check. Silver pendant necklace, check. Fluffy fried hair and M-shaped bangs, check. It’s a pandemic of vampiric proportions!

Just ignore it, and perhaps they will stop feeding on the streets and fade into legend.

2. Shoes beyond repair

Despite all of the walking that is a necessity in Tokyo, many women insist on wearing stiletto heels, running the rubber down to the nails.

And shoe repair is apparently passé; they are more wont to wobble around like a pigeon all day.

3. Ringed color contacts

These contacts add an extra millimeter or two to the size of one’s iris, creating the look of a bigger eye that maybe-kinda-sorta looks OK in anime cosplay circles.

Unfortunately, talking face to face with someone wearing these is like talking to a creepy, talking doll: It’s impossible to tell if the person is looking at you, around you, or even right through you.

4. Tare-me (droopy eyes)

In the continuing quest for doll-like eyes, the gyaru and lolitas alike have perfected a system of placing fake lashes so far down on their bottom lids that it appears their eyes are melting at the corners.

5. Glamour nails

Some of the fake nails we see on women of the gyaru persuasion are so excessive, so blinged out, and so over the top, they should each come with their own serial numbers and security guard.

One can tell the difference between an OL and a hostess by how razzle-dazzle their nails are; you know those girls aren’t typing on a keyboard anytime soon.

6. Flat tires

When a toddler can’t put on their shoes properly, flopping them about, it’s adorable.

When middle and high-school students do the same thing, it’s considered lazy. Boys, we’re looking at you too. D for effort.

7. Engrish shirts

We know this is beating a dead horse, but could this die already? Every single person has a mobile phone which is connected to the Internet or has a dictionary built right in.

Simply look up the words before buying something that makes you look like a dunce!

8. Furoku bag

A furoku is a free gift that comes with the purchase of a magazine or catalog.

The Cher (that’s “shell”) brand furoku bag in particular is carried by so many women it has become the new Louis Vuitton. Except this one will end up in the trash in a year.

9. Mori girl

With the sweet wash of nostalgia and touch of natural bohemia, the “mori” (forest) girl look is sometimes cute.

And with the discolored macramé vests, ill-advised layering and dusty accessories, the mori girl look sometimes teeters into obaachan cat-lady territory.

10. Skirting with faux-pas

The new thing from Harajuku are the cool men who fancy themselves a skirt or two to wear with their holier-than-thou attitude.

Well boys, be our guest, but if you’re going to wear them you must suffer along with the women: now go home and shave, lotion and tan those caveman legs!

source: cnngo.com/tokyo

9 mistakes Japanese women make during group dates

2010-11-28T01:34:00.000-08:00

photo; tokyofashion

Gokon group dating parties can be great opportunities for love to blossom. Participants usually gather at an izakaya to enjoy casual flirtations over a couple of drinks, hopefully exchanging phone numbers later.

Gokon is a rite of passage. Something to try out at a young age before diving into the real mysteries of love later in life.

So if you're heading off for a gokon evening, relax, don't take it too seriously and just enjoy the ride.

This advice is something not all women follow. A list of errors made by women who got a bit “too passionate” in their approach to guys during gokon dates has been put together by Otome Sugoren.

Apparently, some women are either gokon novices who don't know enough not to take it easy, or gokon veterans desperate enough to make a fool of themselves.

Here's what not to do on a gokon date night:

1. Wear makeup so heavy that it creeps guys out.
2. Have hair permed curly to emphasize your cuteness.
3. Wear overtly sexy outfits that make guys wonder where to look.
4. Touch guys too many times.
5. Chime in even when unnecessary while listening to guys.
6. Crack bad jokes.
7. Fight with other girls over who should have the honor of serving guys food on a plate.
8. Perform a long speech about how dedicated you could be as a girlfriend.
9. Ask guys only about their income or status.

source: cnngo.com/tokyo

Fukubukuro

2010-11-25T08:57:00.000-08:00

photo; tokyofashion

Fukubukuro (福袋, lucky bag, mystery bag) is a Japanese New Year's Day custom where merchants make grab bags filled with unknown random contents and sell them for a substantial discount, usually 50% or more off the list price of the items contained within. The low prices are usually done to attract customers to shop at that store during the new year. The term is formed from Japanese fuku (福, good fortune/luck) and fukuro (袋, bag). The change of fukuro to bukuro is the phenomenon known as rendaku. Fukubukuro usually are snapped up quickly by eager customers, with some stores having long lines snake around city blocks hours before the store opens on New Year's Day. Formerly, Fukubukuro were an easy way for stores to unload excess and unwanted merchandise from the previous year, due to a Japanese superstition that one must not start the New Year with unwanted trash from the previous year and start clean. Nowadays, Fukubukuro are pushed as a lavish New Year's event rather than a way for stores to get rid of excess merchandise.

source: wikipedia

Cast of “Norwegian Wood” attends premiere, declares film to be “perfect”

2010-11-24T02:36:00.000-08:00

On November 23rd, the cast of Murakami Haruki’s “Norwegian Wood” attended the first Japanese premiere for the film at Waseda University. Director Tran Anh Hung as well as actors Matsuyama Kenichi (“NANA“, “Death Note“) a Kikuchi Rinko (“Brothers in Bloom“) as well as director Tran Anh Hung, walked the red carpet before heading inside for the screening.

“Norwegian Wood” was originally a bestseller written by one of Japan’s greatest modern novelists, Murakami Haruki. Translated into 36 languages, “Norwegian Wood” is a sensitive work dealing with the themes of loss and sexuality. The film had its debut screening at the “67th Venice International Film Festival” back in September.

Regarding the film, Matsuyama said, “I have no word to describe how great the movie. It may sound odd if we say this, but it’s a fantastic and perfect movie.”

“Norwegian Wood” is due for release on December 11th in Japan.

source: TOKYOHIVE

Afterlife

2010-11-23T02:34:00.000-08:00

This film, written and directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, gets an "A" (in my book) for conceptual creativity. Afterlife (also known as Wandafuru raifu or "Wonderful Life") truly challenges its audience (as well as its characters) to ponder deeply the meaning of life and death. The story is set in what one might call "limbo", although here this consists of an entire world which looks, feels and is populated exactly as the real world. The characters, however, are all deceased and we accompany them through their first seven days of this "limbo" during which they must decide on only one memory from their life with which they will spend the rest of eternity. While the many characters wrestle with isolating a single significant memory from among many, or from among none, we in the audience will inevitably begin thinking along these same lines, searching for criteria whereby some past moments are deemed more valuable than others. Should a "fun" moment be prioritized above a "serene" moment? Or how about the moment of sexual ecstacy or the moment of secure love?

source: sarudama.com

White Fox Wedding

2010-11-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

photo: RubyLaFlame

One of the most notorious animals in the Shinto pantheon is the fox (kitsune). Throughout a millennia of japanese folklore, the fox is depicted as the epitome of deception, able to transform into any shape or form it strategically desires.

Due to its ancient mystique, the fox figures prominently, not only in popular folk lore, but also in formal Shinto mythology. Thus, should you walk through the rural forests of contemporary Japan, you will no doubt encounter shrines wholly dedicated to this semi-divine animal.

The following tale encapsulates this Shinto sensibility, depicting the species as wholly possessing (humanly) noble qualities and giving an account of the continued (spiritual) relevance of the primary (Shinto) Fox deity, Inari-sama (whose picture you see here).

From Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford's Tales of Old Japan, 1910.

Once upon a time there was a young white fox, whose name was Fukuyemon. When he had reached the fitting age, he shaved off his forelock and began to think of taking to himself a beautiful bride. The old fox, his father, resolved to give up his inheritance to his son, and retired into private life; so the young fox, in gratitude for this, laboured hard and earnestly to increase his patrimony.

Now it happened that in a famous old family of foxes there was a beautiful young lady-fox, with such lovely fur that the fame of her jewel-like charms was spread far and wide. The young white fox, who had heard of this, was bent on making her his wife, and a meeting was arranged between them. There was not a fault to be found on either side; so the preliminaries were settled, and the wedding presents sent from the bridegroom to the bride's house, with congratulatory speeches from the messenger, which were duly acknowledged by the person deputed to receive the gifts; the bearers, of course, received the customary fee in copper cash.

When the ceremonies had been concluded, an auspicious day was chosen for the bride to go to her husband's house, and she was carried off in solemn procession during a shower of rain, the sun shining all the while. After the ceremonies of drinking wine had been gone through, the bride changed her dress, and the wedding was concluded, without let or hindrance, amid singing and dancing and merry-making.

The bride and bridegroom lived lovingly together, and a litter of little foxes were born to them, to the great joy of the old grandsire, who treated the little cubs as tenderly as if they had been butterflies or flowers. "They're the very image of their old grandfather," said he, as proud as possible. "As for medicine, bless them, they're so healthy that they'll never need a copper coin's worth!"

As soon as they were old enough, they were carried off to the temple of Inari Sama, the patron saint of foxes, and the old grand-parents prayed that they might be delivered from dogs and all the other ills to which fox flesh is heir.

In this way the white fox by degrees waxed old and prosperous, and his children, year by year, became more and more numerous around him; so that, happy in his family and his business, every recurring spring brought him fresh cause for joy.

source: sarudama.com

Hayao Miyazaki's newest short film "Pan-dane to Tamago-hime" opens at Ghibli Museum

2010-11-20T01:02:00.001-08:00

Hayao Miyazaki's latest short film was unveiled at a preview screening on Friday. Titled "Pan-dane to Tamago-hime" ("Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess"), the film is the 8th in a series of shorts that are screened exclusively at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo.

The Ghibli Museum website describes the story:

"In a lonesome water mill deep in a forest of briers and brambles lives a witch named Baba Yaga. There the witch keeps her servant the Egg Princess confined and forces the tiny egg-girl to do all the hard daily chores around the mill. One night, a large batch of kneaded dough resting in a trough suddenly comes to life from the witch’s spell. Fearful of the witch, the Egg Princess and her new friend decide to run away. What will lay ahead for the two of them…?"

"Pan-dane to Tamago-hime" features music by composer Joe Hisaishi, who has provided the scores for several Studio Ghibli films. The movie will begin showing at the Ghibli Museum on November 20 and is scheduled to run until March 14, 2011. Tickets must be reserved in advance.

During the preview event on Friday, it was revealed that Miyazaki conceived the idea for the movie from the painting "The Harvesters" by the 16th century Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel.

It was also mentioned that Miyazaki plans to create a total of 12 shorts in the series, with the idea of screening one per month during the year. He is currently working on the 9th one, a film version of a children's book called "Takara Sagashi" ("treasure hunting") that was written by Rieko Nakagawa and illustrated by Yuriko Omura. He hopes to complete the movie by the end of this year and begin screening it next spring.

source: TOKYOGRAPH

denshi jisho

2010-11-20T00:54:00.001-08:00

An electronic dictionary (電子辞書) is either a small handheld computer with integrated reference materials, or a PDA or a smartphone with a dictionary program. Electronic dictionaries are also programs that can be downloaded from the Internet or purchased on a CD-ROM or DVD and installed on a desktop computer or on a lap top. Other electronic dictionaries can be searched and consulted online on the Internet. The computer-installed dictionaries can often be consulted directly from within any application that uses editable text. The term may be used in a broader sense to refer to the features of a machine-readable dictionary or spell checker.

For those whom doesn't own a denshi jisho can also easily use one online on the Internet. I recommend this site - Denshi Jisho - Online Japanese dictionary

Top 60 popular Japanese words/phrases of 2010

2010-11-17T02:36:00.000-08:00

...

Publisher Jiyu Kokuminsha has released its annual list of the 60 most popular Japanese expressions of the year. The words and phrases (listed below in random order) reflect some of the trends, political developments, events and people that captured the attention of the Japanese media in 2010. From this list, a panel of judges will select the year's 10 trendiest expressions and announce the results in early December.

1. ~zeyo! [・・ぜよ！]: One symptom of this year's widespread Ryōma Sakamoto fever is the tendency to emulate the 19th-century samurai's Tosa dialect by finishing sentences with an emphatic ~zeyo!

2. Elderly in name only [nabakari koureisha - 名ばかり高齢者]: This refers to the "missing elderly" problem that came to light this year in Japan. In October, the Justice Ministry announced that more than 234,000 of Japan's centenarians were missing or dead, despite being listed in government records as alive and well. Poor bookkeeping was blamed for most of the errors, but authorities discovered a number of cases where relatives were collecting pension payments on behalf of elderly residents who had died or disappeared. [More]

3. Hayabusa [はやぶさ]: The Hayabusa unmanned spacecraft developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) returned to Earth after a 7-year mission to collect a sample of material from the Itokawa near-Earth asteroid. On November 16, JAXA announced that analysis of approximately 1,500 particles found in Hayabusa's sample canister proved they came from the Itokawa asteroid. [More]

4. ~nau [～なう]: Internet slang adopted by texters and social media users. This mutation of the English word "now" indicates your current location, activity, food, etc. when added to the end of a word.

5. Reality-filled [ria-juu - リア充]: This internet slang is used to describe people who lead fulfilling lives in the real world (as opposed to the virtual online world). Examples of "reality-filled" people include those who enjoy relationships with others in the real world, those who attend parties or participate in group activities, and those who pursue non-otaku interests.

6. Net game junkie [netoge haijin - ネトゲ廃人]: Netoge Haijin is the title of a non-fiction book by Osamu Ashizaki that examines the world of online game junkies with serious habits that interfere with daily life.

7. Loopy [ruupii - ルーピー]: In April, the English word "loopy" captured the fancy of the Japanese media after a Washington Post columnist used it to describe Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's recent behavior, particularly with respect to the issue of how to handle the future of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station in Okinawa, a major sticking point between the two countries.

Loopy Hatoyama

The results of an online poll suggested that some people in Japan agreed with the criticism, and Hatoyama himself later admitted that the "loopy" characterization may have been correct. [More]

8. Alienated society [muen shakai - 無縁社会]: A reference to contemporary Japan's struggle with problems stemming from the erosion of personal and family relationships and from the growing number of single-person households.

9. AKB48: The 48-member Akihabara-based female idol group enjoyed their most successful year since forming in 2005.

10. K-pop: Korean pop music reached new heights of popularity in Japan this year.

K-pop big in Japan: Girls' Generation [Shōjo Jidai - 少女時代]

11. Irritable Kan/Useless Kan/(Fill-in-the-blank) Kan [ira Kan/dame Kan/...Kan - イラ菅／ダメ菅／○○菅]: A variety of adjectives have been used to describe Prime Minister Naoto Kan's policies and personality.

12. A society with minimum unhappiness [saishou fukou shakai - 最小不幸社会]: Shortly after assuming office in June, Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced his aims to rebuild Japan and create a society where unhappiness is kept to a minimum. The number one goal of politics, according to Kan, is to minimize the factors that make people unhappy.

13. Domestic opposition [kateinai yatou - 家庭内野党]: Prime Minister Naoto Kan has described his wife Nobuko as the "domestic opposition." As Kan's harshest critic, she reportedly clashes with her husband over everything from household chores to tax reform.

14. Support Jiro Shirato [Shirato Jiro mo yoroshiku - 白戸次郎もよろしく]: During the parliamentary upper house elections in July, mobile phone operator SoftBank ran a series of TV ads featuring the company's mascot dog, Shirato Jiro, as a candidate.

15. Galapagos (gala-kei) [ガラパゴス（ガラケー）]: Galapagos refers to the unique evolution of Japanese mobile phone technology and its increasing isolation from the rest of the world. Gala-kei, short for "Galapagos keitai," describes Japanese mobile phones.

16.iPad: Japan loves the iPad.

17. 3D: Despite the hype surrounding 3D TV, sales got off to a slow start this year and the availability of 3D content remains low. [More]

18. Is 2nd place not good enough? [nii ja dame nan desu ka - ２位じゃダメなんですか]: Late last year, members of a budget review panel tasked with cutting government waste famously questioned the need to spend money on a planned supercomputer that was destined to be the world's fastest. Budget cuts recommended for science projects caused an uproar among some Japanese researchers.

19. Cross couplings [（クロス）カップリング]: The 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Richard Heck, Eiichi Negishi and Akira Suzuki for palladium-catalyzed cross couplings in organic synthesis.

20. Wide open leak [dada-more - ダダ漏れ]: This expression typically refers to large-scale leaks of confidential data, but it has recently come to include the unsanctioned streaming of live events, press conferences, etc. via video broadcasting services such as Ustream.

21. Gegege no~ [ゲゲゲの～]: Interest in the classic GeGeGe no Kitaro manga/anime series has been rekindled by the success of the NHK drama "Gegege no Nyobo" (Wife of GeGeGe), which chronicles the early life of manga artist Shigeru Mizuki and his wife Nunoe Mura before Mizuki became successful (based on Nunoe Mura's 2008 autobiography).

22. I've got one! [totonoimashita - ととのいました]: Catch phrase used by Nezzuchi (half of the popular Daburu Koron manzai comedy duo) before introducing a nazokake word-play riddle into the routine. [More]

23. That's a good question! [ii shitsumon desu ne! - いい質問ですねえ！]: Freelance TV journalist Akira Ikegami often uses this expression in response to questions posed by celebrity guests on his popular Ikegami Akira no Manaberu News show. Ikegami has a knack for explaining complex and technical issues in layman's terms.

24. Ikumen [イクメン]: Ikumen are fathers who take a proactive role in child-rearing, a phenomenon that appears to be on the rise in Japan.

25. Doya face [doya-gao - どや顔]: A smug look of triumph that says: "How about that!" (Doya!)

26. Bike conscious life [バイクコンシャスライフ]: A healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle that embraces the bicycle as a mode of transportation.

27. Why only one step at a time? [nan de ichidan ichidan nan darou - なんで一段一段なんだろう]: In a tearful interview after placing 4th in the women's freestyle moguls at the Vancouver Olympics, skier Aiko Uemura expressed frustration at her slow-but-steady progress over the years. She placed 7th at the Nagano Olympics in 1998, 6th place at Salt Lake City in 2002, and 5th place at Torino in 2006.

28. Yama girl [yama gaaru - 山ガール]: Yama girl ("mountain girl") refers to a new breed of fashion-conscious outdoor women who wear cute yet functional mountain skirts, colorful leggings and stylish boots while hiking, camping and communing with nature.

29. Power spot [pawaa supotto - パワースポット]: A natural, man-made, historic or religious place believed to possess spiritual powers that bring energy, health and luck to visitors.

Mt. Fuji, Japan's most famous power spot

30. 33-man miracle [33-nin no kiseki - 33人の奇跡]: This refers to the 33 Chilean miners rescued from the collapsed San Jose mine in October.

31. Phoenix [fenikkusu - フェニックス]: The rescue capsule used to retrieve the 33 trapped Chilean miners from the San Jose mine.

32. Moshi-dora [もしドラ]: Moshi-dora is the abbreviated title of a popular novel by Natsumi Iwasaki that introduces the ideas of Austrian-American management scholar Peter Drucker. The full title is "If A Female High School Baseball Team Manager Read Drucker's 'Management'…" (Moshi koukou-yakyuu no joshi maneejaa ga Dorakaa no 'Management' o yondara - もし高校野球の女子マネージャーがドラッカーの「マネジメント」を読んだら). NHK is scheduled to air an animated series based on the novel next March. [More]

33. Homeopathy [homeopashii - ホメオパシー]: Japan has seen a recent rise in the use of homeopathy -- a form of alternative medicine which makes use of highly diluted preparations derived from plants, animals and minerals -- but not without controversy. Top scientists have slammed homeopathy as "absurd," urging health practitioners to avoid the alternative treatment as it becomes more popular. [More]

34. Ozawa defectors/Pro-Ozawa/Anti-Ozawa [datsu-Ozawa/shin-Ozawa/han-Ozawa - 脱小沢／親小沢／反小沢]: Divisions formed within the Democratic Party of Japan based on the level of support for political heavyweight Ichiro Ozawa.

Ozawa, the puppet master

35. Destroyer [kowashiya - 壊し屋]: Nickname given to Ozawa for his tough image and habit of splitting up parties.

36. Strong arm [gouwan - 剛腕]: A reference to Ozawa's strong-arm tactics.

37. Foot soldier [ippeisotsu - 一兵卒]: After Ozawa lost the Democratic Party of Japan's (DPJ) leadership election to Prime Minister Naoto Kan in September, he announced his intentions to fade away and become a common "foot soldier" for the party.

38. Moteki [モテキ]: Mitsurō Kubo's Moteki manga tells the story of a previously unlucky-in-love male temp worker who suddenly finds himself in a moteki (a period of time in which one is found attractive to the opposite sex). The manga was adapted as a 12-episode live-action TV series on TV Tokyo.

39. Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution [kensatsu shinsakai - 検察審査会]: Committees for the Inquest of Prosecution are independent, 11-member judicial bodies tasked with reviewing whether cases dropped by prosecutors should have resulted in an indictment. The goal is to ensure that the decisions are accurate and represent the will of the public. In the past year, these committees have grown more powerful due to revised laws that make their decisions legally binding (previously their rulings were treated merely as recommendations to prosecutors). [More]

40. Transparency [mieruka (kashika) - 見える化（可視化）]: This refers to the move toward greater openness, communication, and accountability in business and government.

41. Agenda [ajenda - アジェンダ]: The English word "agenda" (political agenda) was a popular buzzword during the parliamentary upper house elections in July.

42. Women's get-togethers [joshikai - 女子会]: The growing popularity of all-female social gatherings, called joshikai, has prompted many restaurants, hotels and travel agencies to offer special package deals for women-only groups.

43. Are they trying to wreck the national sport? [kokugi o tsubusu ki ka - 国技を潰す気か]: Hakuhō, sumo's lone yokozuna, voiced disappointment over the Japan Sumo Association's decision not to present the winner of the July Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament with any awards, including the coveted Emperor's Cup, because of the baseball gambling scandal that rocked the ancient sport.

44. Intense heat [kokusho - 酷暑]: Soaring temperatures this summer -- the hottest ever recorded in Japan -- sent more than 46,000 people to the hospital and resulted in 150 heat-related deaths.

45. Edible chili oil [taberu ra-yu - 食べるラー油]: This versatile, spicy sauce made with ra-yu (Chinese chili oil) and assorted condiments and chopped vegetables (onions, garlic, etc.) has taken kitchens and restaurants by storm.

46. Final preparations [shuukatsu - 終活]: This word, which appears to have been coined by Shukan Asahi magazine late last year, refers to the preparations one makes in the final days of life (securing a grave site, making funeral service arrangements, etc.). The popularity of books and magazines devoted to this topic appears to be on the rise.

47. Life conference [ikimono no kaigi - 生きもの会議]: The nickname for the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Nagoya in October.

48. Biodiversity [seibutsu tayousei - 生物多様性]: The COP10 conference brought the discussion of biological diversity to Japan.

49. Golkon [gorukon - ゴルコン]: A golkon is a group blind date (gōkon) in which the participants play a round of golf.

50. Waiting elderly [taiki roujin - 待機老人]: The "waiting elderly" are the 400,000 or so people on waiting lists to enter special care nursing homes (according to 2009 estimates). The inability to meet demand appears to be the result of government cutbacks in social welfare, despite the graying population. [More]

51. Tokyo Sky Tree [Tōkyō Sukai Tsurī - 東京スカイツリー]: Tokyo Sky Tree -- a broadcasting, restaurant, and observation tower under construction Tokyo's Sumida ward -- will stand 634 meters (2,080 ft) tall when completed in late 2011, making it the tallest artificial structure in Japan. [More]

52. Pension parasites [nenkin parasaito - 年金パラサイト]: Pension parasites are dependent adult children who live off their parents' pensions. There has reportedly been an increase in the number of households where an aging parent in need of nursing care is not moved into a care facility because the dependent adult child is afraid of losing his or her primary source of income. [More]

53. Shopping refugees [kaimono nanmin - 買い物難民]: Shopping refugees are people who live in economically depressed rural or suburban areas where shops and shopping streets are going out of business, often due to competition from large chain stores in neighboring areas.

54. I've got it [motteru - もってる]: In an interview after scoring the winning goal against Cameroon at the World Cup on June 14, soccer player Keisuke Honda expressed confidence in his mojo, saying, "I've got it."

55. Honda△ (Honda's cool) [Honda△ (Honda-san kakkee) - 本田△（ほんださんかっけー）]: This play on two similar-sounding expressions -- Honda-sankaku ("Honda triangle") and Honda-san kakkee ("Honda is cool") -- popped up on internet bulletin boards during the World Cup as a show of affection for star player Keisuke Honda.

56. Round of 16 [（W杯）ベスト16]: Japan's national soccer team advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time ever.

57. Vuvuzela [bubuzera - ブブゼラ]: Zzz zzzzz zzzzzzz z zzzzz zz zzz zzzzz.

58. Sorry, Oka-chan [Oka-chan, gomen ne - 岡ちゃん、ごめんね]: Japan's national soccer team coach Takeshi Okada took a beating from fans and the media for the team's poor performance prior to the World Cup, but after the team qualified for the Round of 16, the internet was flooded with apologies.

59. Paul-kun [Pauru-kun - パウル君]: Paul the Octopus was known as Paul-kun in Japan. [More]

60. Danshari [断捨離]: Danshari -- a self-help philosophy developed by author Hideko Yamashita -- is based on the idea of reducing physical clutter (as well as the emotional baggage that builds up with the accumulation of unnecessary things). Adherence to the core danshari concepts of refusal (dan - 断), disposal (sha - 捨) and separation (ri - 離) can lead to a more simple, fulfilling and productive life. [More]

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source: pinktentacle

Fall Foliages at Lake Kawaguchi

2010-11-16T04:42:00.000-08:00

photo; newage

Lake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchi-ko) in Yamanashi is the second largest lake among Fuji Five Lakes (Fuji-go-ko) located at the foot of mount Fuji. Fuji Kawaguchiko Fall Leaves Festival begins October 30 and continues until November 21 in 2010. A number of Japanese maple (momiji) trees lined along the lakeshore exhibit beautiful autumn leaves. They are lit up at night during the festival. It takes about 20 minutes by Retro bus from Fuji Kyuko Kawaguchiko Station to Ichiku Kubota Art Museum Stop. Although fall color is yet to explode in the area, it is expected to peak in mid November.

source: gojapan

Korankei Gorge

2010-11-16T04:38:00.000-08:00

photo; msnaut

Korankei Gorge in Asuke-cho Toyota-city, Aichi Prefecture is one of the most popular fall foliage viewing spots in Chubu region. There are about 4,000 Japanese maple trees in the area along the Tomoe River, and they are illuminated in the evening during November. Fall colors are expected to peak around November 20 to 30 in 2010. Korankei is located about 25 miles east of Nagoya-city, and it usually takes about 70 minutes from Meitetsu Line Higashi-Okazaki Station or 50 minutes from Meitetsu Mikawa Line Toyota-shi Station by Meitetsu Bus to Korankei Stop. The headquarters of Toyota, Japan's largest car manufacturer, is located in Toyota-city.

source: gojapan

Ai Yazawa's manga Paradise Kiss becomes live action

2010-11-14T02:45:00.000-08:00

The October issue of Shodensha's women's fashion magazine Zipper is announcing on Monday that a live-action film adaptation of Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss manga has been green-lit. Keiko Kitagawa (live-action Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon's Sailor Mars, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift's Reiko) is starring in the film, and she also adorns the cover of Zipper's October issue. Osamu Mukai (Honey and Clover, Nodame Cantabile, Mei-chan no Shitsuji, Beck) will co-star, and the rest of the cast includes Natsuki Katō, Aya Ōmasa, Kento Kaku, Shunji Igarashi, and Yūsuke Yamamoto.

The original manga centered around a high school student named Yukari Hayasaka (Kitagawa) who is discovered by "Paradise Kiss," a group of up-and-coming fashion school students including Jōji "George" Koizumi (Mukai). The students transform Yukari (now nicknamed "Caroline") into a fashion model, and she discovers a new passion for a future career and potential romance in her personal life.

The manga ran in Zipper from 1999 to 2003, and Shodensha sold 6 million copies of the five compiled book volumes. Tokyopop began publishing the original manga in North America in 2001, and MADHOUSE's anime version aired in Japan in 2005. Geneon Entertainment (USA) licensed the anime for North America in 2006, although Funimation has since released the anime in DVD box sets.

The Hollywood Reporter magazine posted an article in 2009 about Fox International's negotiations for a Japanese-language, live-action film adaptation. According to the magazine, Fox International would be working with Japan's IMJ production company to produce the film with a budget of US$3 million to US$4 million, but these companies have not been announced for the current project.

Yazawa also created the NANA manga about polar-opposite roommates in Tokyo, and that manga has sold 34 million copies so far. IMJ and the Japanese TBS television network adapted NANA into two hit live-action films, and Aniplex and Madhouse adapted it into a television anime series. Viz Media is releasing the NANA manga, as well as its live-action and anime adaptations.

source: animenewsnetwork

WE GO

2010-11-14T02:33:00.000-08:00

photos: fashiontrophies at blogspot

A popular second-hand chain stores in Tokyo is WEGO, which is one of my favorites stores. You can find everything here to an affordable price.

WEGO's homepage

ONE OK ROCK

2010-11-14T02:23:00.000-08:00

ONE OK ROCK is a Japanese rock band formed in 2005, composed of four members, Taka, Toru, Ryota, and Tomoya. It originally contained a fifth member, Alex, but he has since left the group.

The foundation for One Ok Rock began when Toru Yamashita, then a high school student, wanted to start a band. Toru told his friend Ryota Kohama, who had been a fellow member of hip hop dance group, Heads, to learn the Bass and asked Alex to join. After seeing Taka, a vocalist, perform in a cover band, Toru saw him as the best possible candidate for a vocalist in their band, and insisted that he join. Tomoya, the last member to join, joined One Ok Rock as a drummer in 2007. Tomoya had played with band on all their albums but only became an official member when they debuted.

The band name, One Ok Rock, came from "one o'clock," the time that the band used to practice on weekends. However, noticing that the Japanese language made no distinction between r's and l's, they changed "o'clock" to "o'crock" (or "o'krock") which then was separated to become "ok rock".

After Alex left the band in May 2009, the band released the single "Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer" on February 3, 2010. It was featured 9th in the Weekly Oricon Charts. They released their fourth studio album titled Niche Syndrome on June 9, 2010.

One Ok Rock Official Website

an hollywood remake of the masterpiece Old Boy?

2010-11-14T01:59:00.000-08:00

There have been talks of a Hollywood remake of Park Chan-wook‘s hallmark revenge thriller Old Boy for some time now, but the project was stuck in legal battles over the rights to the original story, from the Japanese manga of the same name. But with that dispute finally settled (to the tune of how many millions, I wonder), Old Boy is back on track to be the next big Hallyu-Hollywood crossover. Will it survive the process and actually become a watchable movie? Or will it die a slow death and get lost in translation?

Three big names are being bandied about in contention for the remake: Steven Spielberg, who has been attached as producer and possible director for some time now, Matthew Vaughn (Kick-ass, Layer Cake), and Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting).

Screenwriter Mark Protosevich (I Am Legend, The Cell) has penned the remake, which if it follows the original trajectory, will star Will Smith and be produced by Dreamworks.

Source: starnews
Via: dramabeans

A Monstrous Database

2010-11-12T03:14:00.000-08:00

yokai party by groene_inkt

Japanese culture is rich with tales of monsters, ghosts, specters, and other supernatural beings. How rich? In June 2010, the International Research Center for Japanese Studies in Kyoto published an online "Database of Images of Strange Phenomena and Yokai (Monstrous Beings)" that is already attracting large numbers of readers. Interest in yokai has been building overseas in recent years too, thanks to the monsters’ frequent appearances in pop culture classics like Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and other anime masterpieces by director Miyazaki Hayao, as well as the Pokemon series of anime and video games. To get up close and personal with the many monsters, ghosts, and other strange beings that populate anime, manga, and games, check out the database here

Enduring Traditions

The "Database of Images of Strange Phenomena and Yokai (Monstrous Beings)" was created by a team led by Professor Komatsu Kazuhiko. Since becoming hooked on yokai movies as a child, Professor Komatsu is Japan’s leading authority on the subject, having made research on these supernatural beings his life's work. As he collected materials on the rich folklore of yokai that has been passed down from generation to generation in various regions of Japan, Professor Komatsu decided to make his materials available to the general public. This was the inspiration behind the “Folktale Data of Strange Phenomena and Yokai (Monstrous Beings),” a database that was launched in 2002 and contains information on some 35,000 supernatural folklore from all over Japan. Since it was launched, the database has recorded more than a million page views from people all over the world.

Work on building a database of images began in 2007 in response to calls from researchers and other yokai enthusiasts who wanted to see pictures of Japan's mythical beings. The project team spent three years extracting 1,826 images of monsters, specters, ogres, and other supernatural beings from 100 works of art held by the Center, including modern and contemporary screens and hanging scrolls.

Alongside Japan's rich culture of legends involving yokai and other eerie phenomena is a long tradition of art depicting them. The Kitano Tenjin Engi Emaki (Illustrated Legends of the Kitano Shrine), for example, is a set of scrolls from the Kamakura period (1192-1333) that depict hell and feature numerous demons. In the Nanboku-cho period (1336-1392), many scrolls featured beings like the tengu (a long-nosed goblin-like creature with both human and avian characteristics), tsuchigumo (spider-limbed monsters), and shuten-doji (a giant red ogre). Subsequent works include the Hyakki Yagyo Emaki, (Illustrated Night Parade of 100 Demons) which shows a long procession of different kinds of yokai parading through town.

In the Edo period (1603-1868) this tradition of depicting yokai in scrolls gave rise to drawings of yokai as a form of popular entertainment. Monsters, ghouls, and ogres came to occupy a central role in many forms of Japanese culture. The yokai characters that appear in such numbers in anime, manga, and video games today are the direct descendants of this long tradition.

Searching for Specters

One feature of the image database is that users can search not only by the names of creatures, such as oni (a mountain-dwelling ogre) or kappa (a water imp), but also by keywords describing their shape, behavior, color, and even the things they carry.

The search function currently only supports Japanese, but this does not stop the Center's website from attracting a lot of access from outside Japan. The Center recommends that overseas users convert their search terms into Japanese using an online translation service and then copy and paste the resulting Japanese characters into the search box. If you want to search for red yokai, for example, put the English word red through an online English-Japanese translation, which produces the Japanese word aka. Copy this character, go to the atabase homepage, click on the blue box in the bottom left corner, paste the character into the search box, and press Enter. A host of yokai related to the color red will then appear on the screen.

"In the Edo period, ordinary people came to enjoy looking at pictures of yokai. So popular were these attractive images that they were even used on the linings of kimono," explains Professor Komatsu. "Monsters and ghosts appear in different cultures all over the world, but there are few places where these creatures have become such an integral part of popular entertainment and culture as they have in Japan. In this age of globalization, yokai culture is an expression of Japanese folklore that Japan can proudly share with the rest of the world." (November 2010)

source: web-japan

Pink House 2010 autum collection

2010-08-19T12:35:00.001-07:00

Pink House's autumn collection is really adorable. It's a nice mix of dolly-kei and nature-kei.

edamame

2010-08-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

photo; darcym

Something that I learned to love in Japan was the snacks for beers at the local Izakaya. This particular snacks is called "edamame".

Edamame is a preparation of baby soybeans in the pod commonly found in Japan, China, Hawaii and Korea. The pods are boiled in water together with condiments such as salt , and served whole.

Outside East Asia, the dish is most often found in Japanese restaurants and some Chinese restaurants, but has also found popularity elsewhere as a healthful food item.

The Japanese name edamame (枝豆) is commonly used in some English-speaking countries to refer to the dish. The Japanese name literally means "twig bean" (eda = "twig" + mame = "bean") and refers to young soybeans cropped with its twig. Edamame refers also its salt-boiled dish because of its prevalence.

source; wikipedia

Kiddy Land Harajuku Moving to Cat Street

2010-08-13T03:54:00.000-07:00

A lot of people were upset recently when it was announced that the world famous Kiddy Land Harajuku was closing its doors in August for a major renovation project. Kiddy Land Harajuku first opened in 1950 and it is a major landmark, loved by locals and tourists alike. The first news was that the shop wouldn’t re-open in Harajuku until 2012. Two years without Kiddy Land Harajuku – and all of it’s cute characters goods – seemed like a nightmare to many inside and outside of Japan. Well, the nightmare is over before it began!

Kiddy Land has announced that a temporary Kiddy Land Harajuku store will open on September 17, 2010. The new location is only a few minutes walk from the current store. Kiddy Land Harajuku will now occupy the building that is currently HHStyle, and interior goods and furniture store. HHStyle is moving out of the building at the end of July. The new Kiddy Land Harajuku location will cover three floors and will include a Snoopy Town section and the usual cute character goods from Hello Kitty, Miffy, Rilakkuma, and all of the others.

To get to the new location, you just walk to the old Kiddy Land Harajuku location – then go to Cat Street (next to Chanel) and turn toward Shibuya. Walk a few blocks in the direction of Shibuya and you will see the new Kiddy Land location on your right side. It’s a huge glass building (see the picture below), so it will be very easy to find. Remember, though, it doesn’t open until September 17th. The old location will be open as usual through the end of August.

source; tokyofashion

Hikikomori

2010-07-29T00:46:00.000-07:00

Sakura Rin by lofquist

Hikikomori (ひきこもり or 引き籠もり, Hikikomori, literally "pulling away, being confined", i.e., "acute social withdrawal") is a Japanese term to refer to the phenomenon of reclusive people who have chosen to withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement because of various personal and social factors in their lives. The term hikikomori refers to both the sociological phenomenon in general as well as to people belonging to this societal group. In Western terminology this group may include individuals suffering from social phobia or social anxiety problems. This could also be due to agoraphobia, avoidant personality disorder or painful or extreme shyness. There are also Hikikomoris who may choose this lifestyle for purely cultural reasons.

source: wikipedia

Japan Clearance Sales Calendar

2010-07-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

photo; tokyofashion

Japan's store sales are held biannually. June, July, and January are the best months to find clearance sales in Japan. Major department stores and shopping malls in Japan run winter clearance sales from early January and summer clearance sales from late June.

TOKYO

Odaiba Venus Fort
June 26 - July 30, 2010 Access: Rinkai Line Tokyo Teleport Station

Toyosu Lalaport
June 25 - July 11, 2011 Access: Tokyo Subway Toyosu Station

Odaiba Decks Tokyo Beach
June 26 - July 9, 2010 Access: Yurikamome Line Odaiba Kaihin Koen Station / Rinkai Line Tokyo Teleport Station

Ginza Mitsukoshi
July 1-19, 2010 Access: Tokyo Subway Ginza Station / JR Yurakucho Station

Printemps Ginza
June 26 - Access: Tokyo Subway Ginza Station

Marronnier Gate
June 26 - July 19, 2010 Access: Ginza, Ginza 1-chome, Yurakucho Station

Yurakucho Hankyu Department Store
July 1, 2010 - Access: JR Yurakucho Station

Shibuya 109
July 1-5, 2010 & July 5-31, 2010 Access: Shibuya Station

Shibuya Mark City
July 1-7, 2010　Access: Shibuya Station

Marui
July 1, 2010 -Locations: Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, and more.

Coredo Nihonbashi
June 28 - July 25, 2010 Access: Tokyo Subway Nihonbashi Station

Shin Marubiru

Marubiru
July 1-11, 2010 Access: Tokyo Station

Omotesando Hills
July 1, 2010 -Access: Tokyo Subway Omotesando Station or Meiji Jingu-mae Station

Laforet Harajuku
July 15-19, 2010Access: JR Harajuku Station / Tokyo Subway Meiji-Jingu-mae Station

Odakyu Shinjuku July 1, 2010 - Access: Shinjuku Station

Shinjuku Takashimaya July 1, 2010 - Access: Shinjuku Station

Shinjuku Keio Department Store
July 1, 2010 -Access: Shinjuku Station

Shinjuku Isetan
July 1, 2010 -Access: Shinjuku Station

Shinjuku Lumine
July 1-5, 2010 / July 6-19, 2010 / July 20 - August 15, 2010 Access: Shinjuku Station

atre Ebisu
July 1-11, 2010 Ebisu Station

OSAKA

Tennoji MIO
July 1-25, 2010 JR Tennoji Station
Namba Marui
Late June -Access: Namba Station
Namba Parks
July 1-11, 2010 Access: Nankai Dentetsu Namba Station
Umeda EST
June 25 - July 4, 2010 Access: Osaka Station / Umeda Station
Diamor Osaka
June 26, 2010 - Access: Hanshin Umeda Station / JR Kitashinchi Station / Osaka Subway Higashi-Umeda, Nishi-Umeda Station
HERBIS PLAZA
July 1-11, 2010 Access: Osaka Station / Umeda Station / Osaka Subway NishiUmeda Station
Shinsaibashi Parco
July 1- 16, 2010 - Osaka Subway Shinsaibashi Station
Daimaru Osaka Shinsaibashi
July 1, 2010 - Access: Osaka Subway Shinsaibashi Station
Big Step
June 25 - July 19, 2010 Access: Osaka Subway Shinsaibashi Station
Namba City
July 1-11, 2010 Access: Nankai Dentetsu Namba Station / Osaka Subway Namba Station

Yokohama

Yokohama Vivre
June 19, 2010 - Access: Yokohama Station
Lalaport Yokohama
June 25 - July 11, 2010 Access: JR Kamoi Station
Yokohama Bay Quarter
June 25 - July 19, 2010 Access: Yokohama Station
Yokohama World Porters
June 26 - July 16, 2010 Minato Mirai Line Minato Mirai Station or Bashamichi Station
Yokohama Porta
July 1-7, 2010 Access: Yokohama Station East Exit Underground

source; gojapan

Asakusa Houzuki-ichi

2010-07-19T00:54:00.000-07:00

The annual Ground Cherry Fair (houzuki-ichi) atAsakusa Sensoji Temple takes place on July 9th and 10th. There are more than 250 stalls sell houzuki (ground cherry plants) and other traditional items at the fair. It's a nice summer event to enjoy the atmosphere of old Tokyo.

photo; japantwo

source: gojapan

Hanabi festivals in Tokyo

2010-07-14T04:28:00.000-07:00

photo; marianaspagnuolo

Hanabi (fireworks) is a symbol of summer in Japan, and fireworks festivals are held all over the country during the summer. This is a list of great firework displays held in Tokyo for 2010.

Chofu-city Fireworks Display
Date: July 24, 2010
Time: 7:20 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Tamagawa River Bottoms Chofu-city, Tokyo
Access: Keio Line Fuda, or Keio Tamagawa Stations
Fireworks: About 12,000

Katsushika Fireworks Display
Date: July 27, 2010
Time: 7:20 p.m. - 8:20 p.m.
Place: Edogawa-River Bottoms
Shibamata Katsushika-ku, Tokyo
Access: Keisei Line Shibamata Station
Fireworks: About 10,000

Adachi Fireworks Display
Date: July 29, 2010
Time: 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Arakawa-River Bottoms Adachi-ku, Tokyo
Access: JR Kitasenju Station / Tobu Isezaki Line Kosuge, Gotanno, or Umejima Stations
Fireworks: About 12,000

Sumida River Fireworks Festival
Date: July 31, 2010
Time: 7:05 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Location: Two Venues along the Sumida River
1. Between the Sakurabashi Bridge and the Kototoibashi Bridge
2. Between the Komagatabashi Bridge and the Umayabashi Bridge
Access: Tokyo Subway Asakusa Station or Kuramae Station
Fireworks: About 20,000

You can read about sumida river fireworks festival here.

Edogawa-ku Fireworks Display
Date: August 7, 2010
Time: 7:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Edogawa-River Bottoms
Kami-shinozaki 1-chome Edogawa-ku, Tokyo
Access: Tokyo Subway Shinozaki Station
Fireworks: About 14,000

Tokyo Bay Fireworks Display
Date: August 14, 2010
Time: 7 p.m. - 8:20 p.m.
Location: Harumi Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Access: Subway Kachidoki, or Tsukishima Stations
Fireworks: About 12,000

Jingu Gaien Fireworks Display
Date: August 19, 2010
Time:
Place: Meiji Jingu Gaien Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Access: JR Shinanomachi, Sendagaya, or Yoyogi Stations / Tokyo Subway Gaienmae, Aoyama 1chome, Kitasando, Omotesanso, or Kokuritsu Kyogijo Stations
Fireworks: About 12,000

Setagayaku Tamagawa Fireworks Display
Date: August 21, 2010
Time: 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Place: Tamagawa River Bottoms Futakotamagawa Ryokuchi Undojo
Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
Access: Tokyu Line Futakotamagawa Station
Fireworks: About 12,000

source: gojapan

PopSisters august issue

2010-07-12T02:02:00.000-07:00

Moomin Café

2010-07-12T00:35:00.000-07:00

The Moomins (Swedish: Mumintroll, Finnish: Muumi) are the central characters in a series of books and a comic strip by Finnish illustrator and writer Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish by Schildts in Finland.

You can actually find a Moomin bakery and Café in Tokyo Dome, Tokyo

For you who likes The Moomin you can find moomin goods at Shibuta station, on the ground floor of Tokyu mall. Another shop where you can dins all kinds of memorabilia objects is in the mall next to Tokyo Dome. Also Kiddy Land in Omotesando has a selection of the moomins.

homepage: moomin café

Source: 8tokyo

Mister Donut

2010-07-12T00:17:00.000-07:00

Mister Donut is a popular café and donut chain in Japan. Mister Donut is a chain that started in America in 1956. Mister Donut biggest competition at that time was Dunkin' Donuts till the parent comany Allied-Lyons bought Mister Donut in 1990. After this many Mister Donut began to take the name Dunkin' Donuts and that is why there only are a few restaurant left in America with the name Mister Donut.

The company Duskin Co. Ltd. in Osaka bought the rights for the concert Mister Donut in 1983. These days Mister Donut is the biggest restaurant chain who sells donuts in Japan.

homepage: misterdonut

photo; jellybeanjill13

photo; aelse

source: wikipedia

Kill Bill movie restaurant

2010-07-11T23:58:00.000-07:00

Most of the people have probably seen Quentin Tarantino's film Kill Bill. The scene which Uma Thurman played the action scenes in a japanese restaurant actually exist in real life. This restaurant is Gonpach in Nish-Azabu, Roppongi.

This is a typical Japanese-styled restaurant where the diners watch them cooking from the bar, balcony, or private rooms enticingly hidden behind sliding doors.

Opening Hours:	Daily 11.30am-5am
Address:	1F/2F 1-13-11, Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku 106-0031
Directions:	Roppongi metro. By Nishi-Azabu crossing; a few minutes' walk from Roppongi or Hiroo stations.

Website: Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu Website

photo; sunday_driver

photo; frau-klein

photo; sunday_driver

Aomori Nebuta Festival

2010-07-11T02:28:00.000-07:00

Nebuta are summer festivals held mainly in Aomori prefecture and are known as Japan's fire festivals. Colorful lantern floats called nebuta are pulled by people through the streets.

The Aomori Nebuta Festival held in Aomori-city is the most popular nebuta festival in Japan and attracts millions of visitors. It takes place from August 2-7 every year. The Aomori Nebuta Festival is also one of the three greatest festivals in Tohoku region alongside the Sendai Tanabata Festival and the Akita Kanto Festival. These festivals are held in early August. Plan to visit Tohoku region at this time.

During the Aomori Nebuta Festival, over 20 large nebuta floates parade through the street near the JR Aomori Station. To make a nebuta float, wooden bases are built at first, and frames are made with wires. Then, Japanese papers (washi) are glued on the frames. Finally, Japanese historical figures or Kabuki characters are painted on the paper. It takes almost a year to complete a nebuta float from designing the nebuta.

photo; hurokitty

photo; chee_hian

photo; thomasmperry

source; gojapan

夏ゆかた

2010-07-11T02:15:00.000-07:00

In the issue of non-no no.13 2010, Yu Aoi is having some pages where she shows of some very pretty summer yukatas.

Scawaii august 2010

2010-07-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

Scawaii august 2010 issue has some nice pages with yukatas to wear for Hanabi.

scarves with JELLY

2010-07-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

The magazine JELLY june 2010 shows a numbers of nice hairstyles and hair accessory. Scarves has quite a popularity this summer.

Range Murata

2010-07-10T05:13:00.000-07:00

An artist I've always found interesting is Renji "Range" Murata who was born October 2, 1968 in Osaka. He is known for his unique style combining Art Deco and Japanese anime elements. He's done the conceptual design work on anime series Last Exile and Blue Submarine No. 6. His homepage.

Electronic cigarettes in Japan

2010-07-09T06:46:00.000-07:00

Japan has done it again! The Japanese invented new electric cigarettes called ECO Smokers thats supposed to be harmless for both active and passive smokers. The cigarettes has been developed by the Japanese company Bikoudo Co., Ltd.

source: photos by kirainet, eco-smoker, geniusbeaty, goodsfromjapan,

cherrytree

2010-07-09T06:35:00.000-07:00

This beautiful photo is taken by yoshiko314 @ flickr.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

2010-07-09T05:01:00.000-07:00

Haruki Murakami is considered an important figure in postmodern literature, and is one of the most notable Japanese artists since Akira Kurosawa. I recently read his book Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World which made a big impression on me. The book is well written and you get tangled up in reality and dreams.

Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (世界の終りとハードボイルド・ワンダーランド) is a novel written in 1985 by Haruki Murakami. The story is divided in two narratives, "Hard-boiled Wonderland" and "the End of the world". In both of the stories neither of the narrators names revealed and in the original Japanese novel, the narrator uses the more formal first-person pronoun watashi to refer to himself in the 'Hard-Boiled Wonderland' narrative and the more intimate boku in the 'End of the World'. Alfred Birnbaum, the translator, translate "the End of the World" in present tense to create a similar effect.

In Hard-boiled wonderland you get to follow a mid-thirties Calcutec,a human data processor/encryption system who has been trained to use his subconscious as an encryption key. He work under the quasi-governmental System, as opposed to the criminal "Semiotecs" who work for the Factory and who are generally fallen Calcutecs. The narrator completes an assignment for a mysterious scientist, who is exploring "sound reduction". He works in a laboratory hidden within an anachronistic version of Tokyo's sewer system.
The even-numbered chapters deal with a newcomer to 'the End of the World', a strange, isolated walled Town depicted in the frontispiece map as being surrounded by a perfect and impenetrable wall. The narrator is in the process of being accepted into the Town. His shadow has been "cut off" and this shadow lives in the "shadow grounds" where he is not expected to survive the winter. Residents of the town are not allowed to have a shadow, and, it transpires, do not have a mind. Or is it only suppressed? The narrator is assigned quarters and a job as the current "dreamreader": a process intended to remove the traces of mind from the Town. He goes to the Library every evening where, assisted by the Librarian, he learns to read dreams from the skulls of unicorns. These "beasts" passively accept their role, sent out of the Town at night, to their enclosure where many die of cold during the winter.
The two storylines converge, exploring concepts of consciousness, the subconscious and identity. | wikipedia

bloglovin

2010-07-09T04:51:00.001-07:00

Följ min blogg med bloglovin

Monomania

2010-07-09T04:24:00.000-07:00

Monomania is a brand that is typical for harajuku-kei (style). Lately its popularity has grown and among other things, the visual kei band Irokui works with monomania to create a new music x fashion collaboration. Visit their homepage or their flickr.

*tknk

2010-07-09T04:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorites art artists is Takenaka. You can find her art at *tknk @ DA or at her homepage.

mokaffe

2010-07-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

Some time ago I found this great artist. mokaffe

Ghibliのとなりのトトロ

2010-07-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about Tonari no Totoro since I heard a story from a friend of mine in Japan.
He actually told me it this year when I went visiting them.
He told me that the Story of Totoro is based on a true story. When he said that I though "how ?" The story is a child's story. Then how ?
What he told me that time, was that there was a murder case in the '50s that is similar to the Totoro story. I began to research a little and this is what I found.

The story of the movie
My Neighbor Totoro is the story of two young girls, Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe, ages ten and four, respectively, who accompany their father, an archaeologist professor, as he moves to a house in a farming community near Tokorozawa City sometime in 1955. The reason for the move is so that the Kusakabe family can be near the mother who is convalescing in the city's Hachikokuyama Hospital for an unnamed illness (some says it's tuberculosis ).

As Satsuki and Mei explore their new home the audience gets a taste of mystery and magic with the introduction of small, shadowy, black creatures, about the size of a ping-pong ball that are first referred to Dustbunnies. In Japanese, they were called "Makkuro Kurosuke" (a literal translation would be "Pitch-black Blackie").
In the original, to scare them away, Satsuki and Mei shouted "Makkuro Kurosuke, come out! Or we'll poke your eyeballs out!". This doesn't sound politically correct today, so in the English dub, it was changed to "come out... come out...".

Kanta's Granny then told the girls that they were called "Susuwatari" (Traveling Soot), and that they wouldn't do any harm and would soon go away (Susuwatari sounds more, well, professional). Indeed, they moved out of the house to Totoro's tree that night.
(They can also be seen in Miyazaki's movie Spirited Away.)

Later, when Mei tumbles down an enchanted garden path, she meets a giant and fuzzy forest creature that she dubs "Totoro." This is a play on Mei's mispronouncing "tororu," the Japanese word for "troll." And, although the huge raccoon-like creature with a Cheshire-cat grin has an ominous roar it, like the dust bunnies, is ultimately a benign creature. We will ultimately meet three Totoros; Oh-Totoro (in Japanese "Oh" means "large," but U.S. translations dubbed him "King Totoro), Chuu-Totoro (which means "medium"), and Chibi-Totoro (which means "small").

Why might it be real story ?
The rumor says that Totoro is the God of Death, so the persons that can see Totoro are actually close to death, or already dead. What that means for the story is that when Mei goes missing and a sandal is found in the pond, Mei actually drowned. When Satsuki is asked about the sandal she cannot face the truth and lies about its not being Mei's. Satsuki goes on a desperate search for Totoro, calling for him and actually opens up the door of the realm of the dead herself. With Totoro's help she finds her dead sister and they together go to their mother's hospital. There, the only one who actually noticed that the sisters were there, was the mother, who also soon is going to die. In the ending scene, some says, that Satsuki and Mei doesn't have any shadows.

The story takes place in 狭山丘陵 (Sayama hills) where also 八国山病院 (Hachikokuyama Hospital) or 新山手病院 is, which is believed to be the model of the hospital where the mother is, 七国山病院 (Shichikokuyama Hospital). This hospital is said to be a place for patient who is on the brink of death or for patients with mental disorder.

There is also a murder-case (the Sayama incident) which has many scary coincident with Tonari no Totoro. The real accident happened in May and both of the sisters names are actually Satsuki (五月) and Mei (メイ). The older sisters name, Satsuki, means "May" in Japanese and the pronounce of Mei's name sounds just like the English word "May". According to some rumors, the big sister saw her little sister's corpse and went crazy and later should have mumbled something alike "I saw a ghost/monster cat （猫のお化け/化猫）" and "I met a big raccoon" (which can be resembled to Totoro since he do looks like a raccoon), before committing suicide.

Some information
Miyazaki lives in Tokorozawa, Saitama prefecture. Tokorozawa used to be a farming community, surrounded by Sayama Kyuuryou (Sayama Hills). There are still some natural areas left, and there is a group of people who are trying to preserve what's left by buying up the land. It is called "Totoro no Furusato (Totoro's Home) National Trust Movement", and uses Totoro as a symbol character. Here is a map

Miyazaki lives in Tokorozawa, Saitama prefecture. Tokorozawa used to be a farming community, surrounded by Sayama Kyuuryou (Sayama Hills). But it changed a lot. Fortunately there are still some natural areas left, and there is a group of people who are trying to preserve what's left by buying up the land. This group is called ""Totoro no Furusato (Totoro's Home) National Trust Movement" and uses Totoro as a mascot for their work preserving what is left of the local rural setting.

The novelized version of the film states that the mother suffered from tuberculosis and stays at Hachikokuyama Hospital (the hospital, in real life, was known as specializing in tuberculosis).
But there is also some information about it that the Hachikokuyama Hospital (八国山病院 or 新山手病院) is, which is believed to be the model of the hospital where the mother is, Shichikokuyama Hospital (七国山病院). This hospital is for patient on the brink of death or for patients with mental disorder.

The house that the Kusakabe family moves into was built by a wealthy man whose wife suffered from tuberculosis and died, thus explaining why this house was a bit more modern than the village homes that surrounded it. This is the most autobiographical element of the film because it relates to Miyazaki's mother.

"Mrs. Miyazaki suffered from spinal tuberculosis. She was bedridden from 1947, two years after the birth of her fourth child, to 1955. The first few years of her illness were spent largely in the hospital, but she was able to be nursed at home thereafter and lived to old age." (Helen McCarthy, Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation).

What is Totoro? Basically, he is a spirit of the forest. Totoro is not a traditional Japanese character: he came completely from Miyazaki's imagination. However, he is obviously a mixture of several animals: tanukis (the Japanese version of raccoons), cats (the pointed ears and the facial expressions), and owls (the chevron markings on their chests and the "ooo"-ing sound they make with their ocarinas at night).
The name "Totoro" comes from Mei mispronouncing (she has a tendency to do so, though it wasn't clear in the dub) the word "tororu", which is the Japanese word for "troll". When Satsuki asks her "Totoro? You mean, the Troll in our book?" she is referring to their book "Three Mountain Goats" (The Three Billy Goats Gruff). In the closing credits you can see their mother reading the book to them. Although it's hard to see it on the tape, in the picture book for the movie you can see the picture on the cover shows a goat running over a bridge while a Totoro-like troll looks up from underneath the bridge.

The Catbus. In Japan, cats are believed to have magical shape-changing powers if they get old enough. They are called "Bake Neko". The Catbus is a Bake Neko who saw a bus, became intrigued by it, and changed itself into a bus. He's Miyazaki's original design, but some wonder if he was inspired by the Cheshire Cat in "Alice in Wonderland". Mei following chibi-Totoro and falling into a hole in a tree is also reminiscent of "Alice".

Satsuki's letter to her mom. It's based on the Japanese folk story, "Saru Kani Gassen (Monkey-Crab Battle)". In this story, a crab plants a persimmon seed, and hovers over the garden every day, waiting for the persimmon to sprout. Satsuki says that Mei is acting exactly like the crab, drew a picture of a crab who looks like Mei, and named it "Mei Gani" (Mei Crab). Since this would make no sense to American children, the dub changed it to "Mei drew this picture for you".

the catbus

Miyazaki also added the aspect of Shintoism, the native religion of Japan that includes elements of nature and ancestor worship and Buddhist, Japan's other major religion in the movie.

Signs of Shintoism can you see in details such as the Shimenawa rice straw and paper ribbon rope on Totoro's tree, which signify that it's sacred. Shimenawa are said to act as a ward against evil spirits and are often set up at a ground-breaking ceremony before construction begins on a new building.
Viewers can also spot an abandoned Shinto shrine under the camphor tree and, at the entrance to a hill, a Torii Shinto shrine gate.

On the Buddhist front there are a couple of instances where Ojizou-sama statues can be seen. Ojizou-sama is a patron deity of children in Buddhism and they are often erected as roadside memorials in memory of children who have died.
Satsuki and Mei bow to the statues when they ask for permission to stay with them during a rainstorm, and they can be seen again when Mei is lost. In the latter case the presence of the statues can be understood by Japanese audiences as a sign that she's going to be okay, for she is being watched over by these deities.

My Neighbor Totoro was released in Japan in 1988 as part of a very unusual package alongside Isao Takahata's Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no haka),he reason for this gambit was due to the fact that My Neighbor Totoro was considered too much of an investment risk on its own, but since Grave of the Fireflies was adapted from a well-known novel the filmmakers knew schools across the country could be counted on to encourage attendance based on its educational value.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO (JAPANESE VERSION)
Producer: Yasuyoshi Tokuma
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Screenplay: Hayao Miyazaki
Music: Joe Hisaishi
Cast: Noriko Hidaka (Satsuki), Chika Sakamoto (Mei), Shigesato Itoi (Tatsuo Kusakabe), Sumi Shimamoto (Yasuko Kusakabe), Tanie Kitabayashi (Kanta no obasan), Hitoshi Takagi (Totoro).
C-86m. Letterboxed.

		source: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05

JELLY 2010-07

2010-07-08T04:49:00.001-07:00

The newest edition of JELLY - july 2010 - is filled with lovely pictures of both hair, clothes and kimonos.

design festa

2010-07-08T04:48:00.001-07:00

photo: dytiq

The “Design Festa Gallery” is on a narrow street in Harajuku where young artists and performers alike, whether professional or not, can get together and present their work of art. The Gallery is divided into 2 separate buildings, East and West, both distinctive in their individual styles.

The gallery has long been a landmark of Oku-Harajuku, and an allery front of the building is known as "Festa Street".

Inside, various kinds of exhibits ranging from paintings, photos, multimedia demonstrations, to live performances and fashion shows are on display. You can also purchase the unique jewelry or accessory items offered by the artists directly and exchange ideas with them at the same time. If you are inspired by the numerous innovations and have the desire to create, you could even put on your own individual show in the Art Piece displays at a very affordable price of ￥525/day.

The Design Festa is a biannual international art event. Artists who have original work can participate with no restrictions. It is open to all artists from all over the world who want to exhibit their creative talent.

Booth Areas 2,600 booths are set up throughout the event halls! This free-style exhibition is open to all original mediums for exhibition, presentation and sale! There are no restrictions, no limits of genre or expression. There is also a Dimmed Lighting Area for exhibiting works requiring low lighting, which is becoming more and more popular with every event.

Outdoor Live-Show Stage Special outdoor stage for live music bands! Rock, Funk, Jazz and much more, crossing genres, roll out your innovative performance!

Indoor Stage This space is for all genres' performances! Fashion shows, Drama play, Contemporary dance, etc, there is no limit of genre. You can join 1 Walk Shows doing fashion show, performance, one-hit action, etc!

Mini-Theater Space Global creators express their eclectic multimedia work! Movies and mixed media performance, express yourself through originality! Work can be submitted from 5 min or more!

For prices, date and access to the design festa look here.

source: designfesta, sakurahouse, photos by designfesta

roppongi art night

2010-07-08T04:47:00.000-07:00

"Roppongi Art Night" is an art festival that's been held in Roppongi for two years now (if I understand the information right). The festival illuminated all around the area of Roppongi for 2 days in the end of March.

The festival is filled with integrating various works of art, film, performances and dances, design and music, which takes place at mega-complex area such as Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown, Mori Art Museum, Suntory Museum of Art,21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, and The National Art Center, Tokyo as well as local areas such as Roppongi Shopping Street and public spaces in the district of Roppongi.

The festival doesn't have any admission fees and you can enjoy yourself in Roppongi without any cost but there are some exhibitions that takes fees and that need to be reserved since they only take a limited number of visitors.

This big installation is a 13-meter-high big symbolic piece "Before Flower" by Noboru Tsubaki that was installed this years, 2010, Art Night.

"Art Night 2010" The "Aurora '10 Roppongi" by Takefumi Ichikawa was an installation utilizing semi-transparent fabric and painting, which you can see through from inside or outside.

Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa showcased a big lotus flower, brilliantly bloomed on the water at Mohri Garden, along with full bloom of cherry blossoms for the night of Roppongi.

source: roppongi art-night, shift, tokyo-japantimes, photos taken by: localjapantimes

Manga farming

2010-07-08T04:46:00.000-07:00

Tokyo-based artist Koshi Kawachi recently demonstrated his “Manga Farming” technique — which uses old manga as a growing medium for vegetables — by cultivating a crop of radish sprouts in an installation at the Matsuzakaya department store in Nagoya.

source: pinktentacle

tanabata july 7

2010-07-08T04:45:00.000-07:00

f; ajari

Tanabata (七夕, meaning "Evening of the seventh") is a Japanese star festival, derived from the Chinese star festival, Qi Xi (七夕 The Night of Sevens)．

It celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair). The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky, separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. The celebration is held at night, once the stars come out.

In the Kantō area, the biggest Tanabata festival is held in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa for a few days around July 7.

f; ajari

The Sendai Tanabata Festival
The festival has developed from 1928 to today into one of the three major summer festivals in the Tohoku region and has become a major tourist attraction. The festival is from from August 6 to August 8 and now includes a fireworks show that is held on August 5.

History
The Story about Tanabata
Like Qi Xi and Chilseok, Tanabata was inspired by the famous Chinese folklore, The Princess and the Cowherd.
Orihime (織姫, Weaving Princess), daughter of the Tentei (天帝, Sky King, or the universe itself), wove beautiful clothes by the bank of the Amanogawa (天の川, Milky Way, lit. "heavenly river"). Her father loved the cloth that she wove and so she worked very hard every day to weave it. However, Orihime was sad that because of her hard work she could never meet and fall in love with anyone. Concerned about his daughter, Tentei arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi (彦星, Cow Herder Star) (also referred to as Kengyuu (牽牛)) who lived and worked on the other side of the Amanogawa. When the two met, they fell instantly in love with each other and married shortly thereafter. However, once married, Orihime no longer would weave cloth for Tentei and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to stray all over Heaven. In anger, Tentei separated the two lovers across the Amanogawa and forbade them to meet. Orihime became despondent at the loss of her husband and asked her father to let them meet again. Tentei was moved by his daughter’s tears and allowed the two to meet on the 7th day of the 7th month if Orihime worked hard and finished her weaving. The first time they tried to meet, however, they found that they could not cross the river because there was no bridge. Orihime cried so much that a flock of magpies came and promised to make a bridge with their wings so that she could cross the river. It is said that if it rains on Tanabata, the magpies cannot come and the two lovers must wait until another year to meet.
The following variation of the story is known in China and Japan: A young farmer named Mikeran discovered on his farm a robe which, unbeknownst to him, belonged to a goddess named Tanabata. Soon after, Tanabata visited Mikeran and asked if he had found it. He lied and told the goddess that he hadn't but would help with her search. Eventually the pair fell in love, were wed and had many children. However, one day Tanabata noticed a piece of cloth which had once belonged to her robe on the roof of Mikeran's hut. His lie discovered, Tanabata agreed to forgive him on the condition that he weave a thousand pairs of straw shoes, but until that time, she would leave him. Mikeran was unable to weave the shoes in his lifetime and thus never met Tanabata again. However, it is said that the pair meet once a year when the stars Altair and Vega intersect.

f; aid_precious_ones
This is called "tanzaku" in Japan. We make this to wish for our happiness or something at july 7 in every year.

zombie meet

2010-07-08T04:44:00.002-07:00

“Zombie Meat,” an exquisite new Japanese snack for the horror enthusiast, consists of bite-sized chunks of tender blue flesh that, according to the package, has been aged to deadly perfection at the graveyard.
The ghastly meat snack, which tastes remarkably like peppered beef jerky, can be found at select shops in Japan for 399 yen (about $4.50) per pack.

source: pinktentacle

Sushi Covered In Gold And Diamonds

2010-07-08T04:44:00.001-07:00

An ambitious chef from the Philippines has created the world’s most expensive sushi, wrapped in sheets of gold and small African diamonds. Angelito Araneta Jr., a young chef from Manila, managed to create yet another delicious treat for snobs the rich and famous. The ingredients used in his serving of sushi are not much different than what you’d expect to find in any other pieces of sushi you’ve had before, except for some thin sheets of 24 carat gold and a bunch of .20 carat African diamonds. The five pieces of gold and diamond sushi cost around $2750 and can be found in a restaurant in Manila. You might think no one buys this incredibly expensive dish, but according to Angelito Araneta Jr, his unique sushi is often used in marriage proposals and during courtship.

source: funnyfreepics

Grimoire Shibuya – Japanese Dolly-kei & Vintage Fashion Wonderland

2010-07-08T04:43:00.001-07:00

On the border of Shibuya and Harajuku, on the 7th floor above various small streetwear boutiques, you will find Grimoire. It’s the pioneering store behind the Dolly-kei fashion scene. Managed by former fashion student and Cutie model Hitomi Nomura and owner Naoaki Tobe, Grimoire is a magical hideout away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo street life.

Dolly-kei, as you may have guessed, takes inspiration from antique (and slightly spooky) dolls and movies such as Narnia, Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter. The used, vintage and antique clothing and the store’s own accessories line, which include crucifixes, bags and shoes, also come from the duo’s interest in picture books, European folk stories and fantasy.

The used clothes, which are sourced from the US, Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic, are a playful mixture of bohemian, gypsy, eastern European costumes and fairy tales. Nomura, who is also considered a “charisma staff” for customers, says that when she embarks on her buying adventures she wants “girls to wear these clothes so they can change and transform into something else.”

The name Grimoire comes from an ancient magic book and as she explains, “When you open the pages of the book, the different pages show various magic tricks. We hope people can have a different scene or experience (every time they come to our store), and we hope we can make more dreams.”

Although the store is the epicenter for Dolly-kei, don’t be surprised if you see some Lolitas hanging around as they sometimes come into the store, too. Although distinct from Lolita, Dolly-kei looks, at first, like it has some distant connection with Mori girls (girls who look like they live in forests), but is more eastern European to Mori girl’s Scandinavian aesthetic. Nomura says that Grimoire girls have a “stronger image, more unusual with a special appeal”. The shop opened in June 2008 and has since has grown steadily from a secret grotto for specialist fans to a more popular meeting place for like-minded people. It’s not only for girls, either – as the store also sells bags and accessories for men.

A Mixi community for Mori-girls, a few years ago, had a checklist of 60 points which Mori girls should follow. However, when asked about things Grimoire girls like, in addition to dolls, wizards and eastern Europe, the answers were quite simple, “We like magazines like Zipper, Fruits and Kera and websites like Dropsnap, and for music we always play (in store) French, Celtic and country music and also movie soundtracks.”

This June will mark Grimoire’s 2nd anniversary, and the team plan to have a special party event. They already organize party nights at which “customers come dressed up wearing our store’s clothes so lots of magazines come and take photographs.” So if you want to party with Dolly girls (and boys), keep tabs on the store’s very quirky website and blog.

source: tokyofashion.com

Daruma

2010-07-08T04:42:00.002-07:00

photo; image-MILL

The Daruma doll (達磨 daruma), also known as a Dharma doll, is a hollow, round, Japanese doll modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Dharma), vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist. Though considered an omocha, meaning toy, Daruma has a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement. The doll has also been commercialized by many Buddhist temples to use alongside goal setting.
Daruma dolls are hollow and round Japanese wish dolls with no arms or legs. The doll has a face with a mustache and beard, but its eyes only contain the color white. Using black ink, one fills in a single circular eye while thinking of a wish. Should the wish later come true, the second eye is filled in.

source: wikipedia, image-MILL

onigiri

2010-07-08T04:42:00.001-07:00

photo: bananagranola

Onigiri (お握り or 御握り; おにぎり), also known as omusubi (お結び; おむすび) or rice ball, is a Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or oval shapes and often wrapped in nori (seaweed). Traditionally, an onigiri is filled with pickled ume (umeboshi), salted salmon, katsuobushi, kombu, tarako, or any other salty or sour ingredient as a natural preservative. Because of the popularity of onigiri in Japan, most convenience stores there stock onigiri with various fillings and flavors. There are even specialized shops whose only products are onigiri for take out.

Some history
In Lady Murasaki's eleventh-century diary Murasaki Shikibu Nikki, she writes of people eating rice balls. At that time, onigiri were called tonjiki and often consumed at outdoor picnic lunches.Other writings dating back as far as the seventeenth century state that many samurai stored rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves as a quick lunchtime meal during war, but the origins of onigiri are much earlier even than Lady Murasaki. Before the use of chopsticks became widespread in the Nara period, rice was often rolled into a small ball so that it could be easily picked up. In the Heian period, rice was also made into small rectangular shapes known as tonjiki so that they could be piled onto a plate and easily eaten.
From the Kamakura period to the early Edo period, onigiri was used as a quick meal. This made sense as cooks simply had to think about making enough onigiri and did not have to concern themselves with serving. These onigiri were simply balls of rice flavored with salt. Nori did not become widely available until the Genroku era in the mid-Edo period, when the farming of nori and fashioning it into sheets became widespread.

source: wikipedia

o-bento

2010-07-08T04:40:00.000-07:00

photo; disneymike

Bento (弁当, bentō) is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container. Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. Although bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops (弁当屋, bentō-ya), train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend time and energy for their spouse, child, or themselves producing a carefully prepared lunch box.

Bento can be very elaborately arranged in a style called kyaraben or "character bento". Kyaraben is typically decorated to look like popular Japanese cartoon characters (anime), characters from comic books (manga), or video game characters. Another popular bento style is "oekakiben" or "picture bento", which is decorated to look like people, animals, buildings and monuments, or items such as flowers and plants. Contests are often held where bento arrangers compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements.

Some history
´he origin of bento can be traced back to the late Kamakura Period (1185 to 1333), when cooked and dried rice called hoshi-ii (糒 or 干し飯, literally "dried meal") was developed. Hoshi-ii can be eaten as is or boiled with water to make cooked rice, and is stored in a small bag. In the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1568 to 1600), wooden lacquered boxes like today's were produced and bento would be eaten during a hanami or a tea party.
In the Edo Period (1603 to 1867), bento culture spread and became more refined. Travelers and sightseers would carry a simple koshibentō (腰弁当, "waist bento"), consisting of several onigiri wrapped with bamboo leaves or in a woven bamboo box. One of the most popular styles of bento, called makuno-uchi bentō ("between-act bento"), was first made during this period. People who came to see Noh and Kabuki ate specially prepared bento between maku (acts). Numerous cookbooks were published detailing how to cook, how to pack, and what to prepare for occasions like Hanami and Hinamatsuri.

In the Meiji Period (1868 to 1912), the first ekibentō or ekiben (駅弁当 or 駅弁, "train station bento") was sold. There are several records that claim where ekiben was first sold, but it is believed that it was sold on 16 July, 1885, at the Utsunomiya train station, and contained two onigiri and a serving of takuan wrapped in bamboo leaves. As early schools did not provide lunch, students and teachers carried bento, as did many employees. A "European" style bento with sandwiches also went on sale during this period.

In the Taishō period (1912 to 1926), the aluminum bento box became a luxury item because of its ease of cleaning and its silver-like appearance. Also, a move to abolish the practice of bento in school became a social issue. Disparities in wealth spread during this period, following an export boom during World War I and subsequent crop failures in the Tohoku region. A bento too often reflected a student's wealth, and many wondered if this had an unfavorable influence on children both physically, from lack of adequate diet, and psychologically, from a clumsily made bento or the richness of food. After World War II, the practice of bringing bento to school gradually declined and was replaced by uniform food provided for all students and teachers.

Bento regained its popularity in the 1980s, with the help of the microwave oven and the proliferation of convenience stores. In addition, the expensive wood and metal boxes have been replaced at most bento shops with inexpensive, disposable polystyrene boxes. However, even handmade bento have made a comeback, and they are once again a common, although not universal, sight at Japanese schools. Bento are still used by workers as a packed lunch, by families on day trips, for school picnics and sports days etc. The bento, made at home, is wrapped in a furoshiki cloth, which acts as both bag and table mat.

Bento is also popular in Taiwan. Bendong (Taiwanese: piān-tong) or Biendang (便當, "convenience pack") made its way to Taiwan in the first half of the 20th century from Japan, where it remains very popular to the present day. The term is a loan word from the Japanese word in Taiwanese Hokkien and Taiwanese Mandarin.

Airports also offer an analogous version of the ekiben: bento filled with local cuisine, to be eaten while waiting for an airplane or during the flight.

source: wikipedia

ekiben

2010-07-08T04:39:00.001-07:00

photo: worldridden

Ekiben (駅弁) (Railway boxed meal) are a specific type of bento boxed meals, sold on trains and train stations in Japan. Today, many types of ekiben can still be purchased; at stands in the station, on the platform, or on the train itself. They come with disposable chopsticks (when necessary) or a spoon. Ekiben containers can be made from plastic, wood, or ceramic. Many train stations have since become famous for their especially tasty ekiben, made from local food specialties. The "Golden Age" of ekiben, however, ended three decades ago. At that time, air trip was quite expensive and train speed was slower. Many tourists needed ekiben during their train trip.

source: wikipedia

Japanese rainy season - Tsuyu

2010-07-08T04:38:00.001-07:00

photo: Alfie

Japan's rainy season usually begins in early May in Okinawa. In other regions, it begins from early June and ends in the middle of July, except Hokkaido region. Japan's rainy season is caused by the seasonal rain front which stays above Japan between tropical high pressure and Siberian cold high pressure. Since Hokkaido does not have a rainy season, its weather tends to be nicer than other areas at this time. This is the best time to visit Hokkaido. Natural areas are beautiful there. In the rest of Japan, the weather during tsuyu is very unstable. It is important to prepare for rain at anytime. Although typical tsuyu weather is rainy with lower temperatures, sometimes it has less rain and can be hot. Often the front brings heavy rain in Kyushu area.

The main problem during tsuyu is the humidity and people tend to become irritated by it. Also, things are easily covered by mold and there are many cases of food poisoning.

Although tsuyu is a gloomy time, the rain is very important for rice cultivation. Also, there are many pretty flowers blooming at this time. One of them is ajisai (hydrangea) which is a symbol of the rainy season in Japan. The flower changes its color slightly depending on the time or climate of the day. Kamakura and Hakone are famous for ajisai flowers.

ajisai flower by yumi

sourse: gojapan

Japanese typhoon season

2010-07-08T04:37:00.001-07:00

The 2ch crazies had a “matsuri”(festival) of posting freeze frames from Japanese TV news covering the “official” Japanese typhoon season.

3yennews

origami; traditional crane

2010-07-08T04:35:00.000-07:00

source: crumpled crane

japanese subculture; Yama Girl (Mountain Girl)

2010-07-08T04:34:00.002-07:00

I checked out 8tokyo today and she wrote about a new fashion called "Yama Girl". This is what she wrote:

Now Japanese fashion trend focus on “Yama Girl”(Mountain Girl). They named eco like and fashionable outdoor girls as Yama Girl.
One of Yama Girl magazines “randonee” features camping, trekking, rave parties and rock festivals. Such Styles are coordinated by outdoor gear brands, AIGLE, Columbia, Mellel, and so on.
Mori girl would change to Yama Girl.

Yama-uba

2010-07-08T04:34:00.001-07:00

Yama-uba (山姥, mountain crone) is a yōkai ("spirit" or "monster") found in Japanese folklore. The name may also be spelled Yamamba or Yamanba. She is sometimes confused with the Yuki-onna ("snow woman"), but the two figures are not the same.
Yama-uba looks like an old woman, usually a hideous one. Her unkempt hair is long and golden white, and her kimono (usually red) is filthy and tattered. Her mouth is sometimes said to stretch the entire width of her face, and some depictions give her a second mouth at the top of her head. She is able to change her appearance, though, and she uses this tactic to great success in capturing her victims.

Yama-uba inhabits the deep forests of the mountains of Japan. Various regions claim her as a native, including Sabana (where she is supposed to have once lived in a cave at the base of Mt. Nabekura), the Tōhoku Region (northern Honshū), and the Ashigara Mountains. Most stories say that she lives in a hut.
Yama-uba preys on travelers who have become lost in her wooded lair. Her exact tactics vary from story to story. Sometimes, she changes her appearance to that of a beautiful woman or possibly one of her victim's loved ones. Other times, she retains her hag-like form and plays the part of a helpless old woman. Once she has gained her quarry's trust, she often closes and eats them then and there. She is able to animate her hair (or turn it to snakes in some legends) and use it to pull the prey into the maw atop her head. She may also offer to "help" the lost soul and then lead him to a dangerous area of the mountain where he falls to his death and allows her to feed. Alternately, she may offer to lodge the victim in her hut. Once the luckless traveler is sufficiently fattened up, she pounces. In addition to killing adults, Yama-uba is often blamed for missing children, and parents use her as a sort of bogeyman.
Because her behavior is similar to that of female oni, some scholars suggest that Yama-uba is simply a named member of that class of creature. Others suggest that several Yama-uba live all throughout Japan. Unlike the invincible oni, however, Yama-uba is fallible. A few tales make her a nocturnal creature unable to move about in sunlight. At least one tradition holds that her only weakness is a flower that holds her spirit, so that if the flower is destroyed, the mountain crone is as well. She is often depicted as quite gullible, and tales of her would-be prey fooling her to make their escape are common.
Yama-uba is skilled in the arts of sorcery, potions and poisons. She sometimes trades this knowledge to human beings if they bring her a substitute victim to eat or satisfy some similarly wicked bargain.
Despite her predatory nature, Yama-uba has a benevolent side. For example, she raised the orphan hero Kintaro, who became the famous warrior Sakata no Kintoki, a relationship that forms the basis for the noh drama Yama-uba. In this story, Yama-uba is portrayed as a loving mother, which has influenced some more modern tales to depict her as a matronly figure. Some even make her a representation of love. Other storytellers hold that she is simply a solitary wanderer who represents harmony with nature. In the folklore of Atsumi peninsula in Aichi region of Japan, it is told that Yuma-uba has a brother, Shuba-uba, (also Kojya-uba) whose depiction often resembles to those of Oni. It is therefore suggested that Oni and Yama-uba are of similar origins. The same suggestion is also made in the tale of Ken-san, in which the leading character, Ozawa-Matsumoto (Koji), finds both Shuba-uba and Yama-uba living in the same household upon his visit to the Mount Sumi.

Some scholars place Yama-uba's origin in stories about times when great famine caused Japanese villagers to cast their elderly out into the woods for lack of food. Yama-uba would thus be born out of the psychological undercurrent from such actions.
Legends of Yama-uba have existed since at least the Heian period. At this time, a village named Sabane built the Nenbutsu Toge bypass around a cave that was thought to house the witch.
She is the subject of several Noh plays, including one entitled simply Yamanba. Yama-uba's legend is still very much alive in Japan. A late 1990s fashion trend called "Yamanba" took its name from Yama-uba, since those who followed it were said to look like a staple Noh mask, based on the mountain crone.

source: wikipedia.org

Okiku doll

2010-07-08T04:33:00.003-07:00

A mysterious doll possessed by the spirit of a child has captured the curiosity of people across Japan for decades. The legendary Okiku doll, named after the girl who long ago used to play with it, is a 40-centimeter (16-in) tall kimono-clad figure with beady black eyes — and hair that grows.

The Okiku doll has resided at the Mannenji temple in the town of Iwamizawa (Hokkaido prefecture) since 1938. According to the temple, the traditional doll initially had short cropped hair, but over time it has grown to about 25 centimeters (10 in) long, down to the doll’s knees. Although the hair is periodically trimmed, it reportedly keeps growing back.

It is said that the doll was originally purchased in 1918 by a 17-year-old boy named Eikichi Suzuki while visiting Sapporo for a marine exhibition. He bought the doll on Tanuki-koji — Sapporo’s famous shopping street — as a souvenir for his 2-year-old sister, Okiku. The young girl loved the doll and played with it every day, but the following year, she died suddenly of a cold. The family placed the doll in the household altar and prayed to it every day in memory of Okiku.

Some time later, they noticed the hair had started to grow. This was seen as a sign that the girl’s restless spirit had taken refuge in the doll.

In 1938, the Suzuki family moved to Sakhalin, and they placed the doll in the care of Mannenji temple, where it has remained ever since.

Nobody has ever been able to fully explain why the doll’s hair continues to grow. However, one scientific examination of the doll supposedly concluded that the hair is indeed that of a young child.

source: pinktentacle

Hanako-san, terror of the toilet

2010-07-08T04:33:00.001-07:00

Hanako-san — a spooky young girl that haunts school restrooms across Japan — has in recent decades become one of the nation’s most famous ghosts.

It is not uncommon for schools to have a toilet permanently occupied by the mysterious girl, who is known in Japanese as Toire no Hanako-san (lit. “Hanako of the toilet”). She is often found in the third stall in the restroom on the third floor — usually the girls’ room — but this can vary from school to school. Details about her physical appearance also vary, but she is usually described as having bobbed hair and wearing a red skirt.

Hanako-san’s behavior also varies according to location, but in most cases, she remains holed up in the bathroom until an adventurous student dares to provoke her. Hanako-san can be conjured up by knocking on the door to her stall (usually three times), calling her name, and asking a particular question. The most common question is simply “Are you there, Hanako-san?” If Hanako-san is indeed present, she says in a faint voice, “Yes, I’m here.” Some stories claim that anyone courageous enough to open the door at this point is greeted by a little girl in a red skirt and then pulled into the toilet.

Details about Hanako-san’s origins are murky. Although she became a national phenomenon in the 1980s, there is speculation that she has existed since the 1950s. Some stories claim she is the ghost of a WWII-era girl who died in a bombing raid on the school while she was playing hide-and-seek. Other stories claim she is the restless spirit of a young girl who met her end at the hands of an abusive or deranged parent (or a perverted stranger, according to some stories) who found her hiding in the bathroom. In some cases, she is the ghost of a former student who died in an unfortunate accident at the school (one story from Fukushima prefecture, for example, claims she is the ghost of a girl who fell out of the library window).

Hanako-san photo by Sammi Sparke

Countless versions of the Hanako-san legend have emerged over time. Here are a few of the more colorful variations:

- According to one Yamagata prefecture legend, something terrible will happen to you if Hanako-san speaks to you in a nasty voice. Another legend from Yamagata prefecture claims that Hanako-san is actually a 3-meter-long, 3-headed lizard that uses a little girl’s voice to attract prey.

- At a school in the town of Kurosawajiri (Iwate prefecture), it is said that a large, white hand emerges from a hole in the floor of the third bathroom stall if you say “third Hanako-san” (sanbanme no Hanako-san).

- In the boys’ room at a school in Yokohama (Kanagawa prefecture), it is said that a bloody hand emerges from the toilet (presumably an old-fashioned squatter) if you walk around it three times while calling Hanako-san’s name.

- Stories have also circulated about a so-called “Hanako fungus” that can infect anyone who scrapes their knee on the playground. The infection reportedly causes tiny mushrooms to sprout from the scab.

For the most part, Hanako-san is harmless and can be avoided simply by staying away from her designated hiding spot. But if you ever need to get rid of her, try showing her a graded exam with a perfect score. Some legends claim that the sight of good grades makes her vanish into thin air.

source: pinktenacle

tokyo/glow

2010-07-08T04:32:00.001-07:00

Tokyo/Glow from Nathan Johnston on Vimeo.

about hanami; the second time

2010-07-08T04:31:00.000-07:00

f; jpellgen

Cherry blossoms can be viewed from January to June in different regions in Japan, but most of cherry blossom festivals fall between March to May.

Gorgeous flowers are main attraction of the festivals, but various traditional Japanese performing arts presented in many festivals can't be missed. Joining tea ceremonies held under cherry trees can be a memorable experience as well. As hanami (cherry blossom viewing party) is an important Japanese custom, people enjoy eating home-cooked meals or take-out food under cherry trees. Take a look at the festival vendors which sell lots of food and souvenirs, including regional crafts and speciality food in the region. It's notable that many cherry blossom festivals hold light-up events in the evening. Below is a list of pupular cherry blossom festivals in Japan.

Hanami (cherry blossom viewing) has been a Japanese custom since the 7th century when the aristocrats enjoyed looking at beautiful sakura and wrote poems. Sakura is a symbol of Japan, and it's said that there are over four hundred varieties of cherry trees in Japan. The most popular kind of sakura which can be viewed everywhere in Japan is somei-yoshino (Yedoensis). Japanese cherry trees do not yield fruits like other cherry trees.

Hanami and cherry blossom festivals are held all over Japan in spring. In hanami parties, people have fun, drinking, eating, and singing during the day or night. It is like a picnic under sakura trees. Usually, people bring food, do BBQ, or buy food from vendors for hanami parties. Among various food people eat in hanami, dango is the most common. Also Yakitori, Oden, Sushi rolls, Inari-zushi and Teppan-yaki BBQ is common.

source; gojapan,somei-yoshino photo, dango photo, yakitori photo, oden photo, inari-zushi photo, teppan-yaki photo

Japanese tattoos - Irezumi

2010-07-08T04:30:00.002-07:00

f; Leo Uehara

Japanese tattoo is called irezumi or horimono in Japanese. In Japan, tattoo is usually considered to be a symbol of a yakuza (Japanese mafia) and tends to be perceived negatively by people. For example, many public bath facilities in Japan inhibit customers who have tattoos from entering.

Traditional Japanese tattoo covers arms, shoulders, and the back. In recent years, it's becoming popular for Japanese young people to get contemporary tattoos. Tattoo events are often held in big cities, and there are many Japanese tattoo shops in Japan.

source; gojapan

Hina Matsuri

2010-07-08T04:30:00.001-07:00

f; newage

March 3rd is Japanese Girl's Festival known as hina matsuri (hina doll festival) or momo no sekku (peach flower festival). It's said that hina matsuri's origin date back to ancient Chinese purification rituals for getting rid of bad lucks. During the Heian period (794 - 1185) in Japan, people let straw or paper dolls float down the river or the ocean as their substitutes which take bad lucks away from them. This tradition remains today in some regions in Japan as nagashi-bina (floating hina dolls). The purification ritual was unified with aristocratic girls' playing with dolls, and hina matsuri was established as Japanese Girl's Festival during Edo Period (1603-1867).

It's common for families of girls in Japan to have a set of hina dolls wearing ancient kimono which is displayed at homes beginning sometime after Risshun (the first day of spring according to the lunar calendar) through March 3rd. The Empress doll (ohina-sama) and the Emperor doll (odairi-sama) are set on the top shelf. Then, sannin-kanjo dolls (three court women), gonin bayashi dolls (five court musicians), and more dolls. Hina-arare (rice crackers) and hishi-mochi (diamond shaped rice cakes) are placed by the hina doll display. Different types of hina dolls have been created around Japan. In some regions, hina dolls are hung from the ceiling called tsurushi-bina.

Many families of girls in Japan celebrate hina matsuri with special food, such as chirashi-zushi (colorful sushi), clam soup, sakura mochi (sweet rice cakes), and more. Although Japanese Girl's Festival isn't a national holiday, it's an important tradition for wishing girls happiness and good health.

f; JuliaB720

source; gojapan, Hina-arare photo, Hishi-mochi photo, chirashi-zushi photo, clam soup photo, sakura-mochi photo

International Manga Library

2010-07-08T04:29:00.001-07:00

The construction of the “Tokyo International Manga Library” has just started in downtown Tokyo. This project of the Meiji University will be completed by 2014, becoming the biggest library in the world exclusively dedicated to host comics (manga). The 5-floor building will host more than two million mangas, anime, games and all kinds of articles related to the Japanese manganime industry. It is still not confirmed, but in addition to the library there will probably be a complementary museum. This is how the library will look like:

kirainet, Via

Quentin Tarantino to join White Family

2010-07-08T04:28:00.002-07:00

On Tuesday, Softbank Mobile announced their lineup of new models and a major new addition to the "White Family" who appear in their commercials. There have been more than 60 commercials in the series since it started in June 2007, based around characters played by Ueto Aya (Daughter, photo center), Dante Carver (Son, photo left), Higuchi Kanako (Mother) and a white dog as the Father. Joining them will be Quentin Tarantino (46), who did some filming while here to promote his latest movie, "Inglourious Basterds." That movie stars Brad Pitt (45), who was also in town and has appeared in Softbank TV commercials in the past.

Tarantino will play Uncle Tara-chan, with an image based loosely on the legendary Sakamoto Ryoma. The 19th-century samurai was one of the most prominent figures to embrace western culture and famously carried a Smith and Wesson revolver along with his sword. The image seems to suit Tarantino, the man who brought us the "Kill Bill" movies, perfectly. Asked about working with the director, Ueto said, "I was surprised that he was so fired up. He was really into it and ad-libbed a lot of the samurai moves. Maybe I should ask him to make a Hollywood version of the White Family." The photo also includes Softbank CEO Son Masayoshi.

source; japan-zone

Tatsuya Ichihashi caught

2010-07-08T04:28:00.001-07:00

Japanese police apprehended Tatsuya Ichihashi, the only suspect in the killing of 22-year-old Lindsay Ann Hawker, in the port city of Osaka.
He was arrested after a witness tip-off at an Osaka ferry terminal, as he tried to catch a ship to southern Okinawa island.

The victim's father William Hawker told Sky News he had "stumbled to the floor" in shock when a Japanese television news station phoned him to break the news.
"I'm shaking, and not because of the cold but because of the emotion," he said from his home near Coventry.
"I want to see him, look him in the eye and ask him why he did this."

For the past 13 months, the suspect had been working on a construction site in Osaka and was trying to get a passport to leave the country, reports said.

source; The new face of Tatsuya Ichihashi, news.sky.com

The new face of Tatsuya Ichihashi

2010-07-08T04:27:00.001-07:00

When I lived in Japan 07 there occured a murder were I lived in Minami-Gyotoku. He lived just a couple of houses away from me and he murdered a english teacher in his home, then kept her in a bathtub on the balcony. The police came to the conclusion that it was him who had killed Lindsay Ann Hawker when they saw a surveillance video from a café. The police arrested the man in his house but he escaped.
I remember hearing the sirens when I was in the shower.

Japanese police have finally released a photo of Tatsuya Ichihasi’s post-cosmetic surgery face:

Several facial features have apparently changed — he now has double-fold eyelids, a higher nose and thin lips. Two moles that had been on his left cheek have disappeared as well, according to police.
Ichihashi, 30, is wanted in connection with the murder of Lindsay Ann Hawker, 22, an English teacher.
In another development Thursday, investigative sources said Ichihashi had attempted to undergo cosmetic surgery in Fukuoka Prefecture in mid-October before his Oct. 24 face-lift in Nagoya.
The man who appeared at the clinic in Fukuoka Prefecture used the same alias as that used at the Nagoya facility, the sources said, without revealing the alias.

Why the police would release the photo but not the alias is puzzling, as the name he has been using would probably be very useful to the public.
Prior to the release of the photo, an expert consulted by Fuji TV had advised people to pay attention to Ichihashi’s ears, since few people have plastic surgery to alter their ear shape.

source; japanprobe

Mikimoto Christmas Tree

2010-07-08T04:26:00.001-07:00

f; petit-tomo

Many popular Christmas trees and holiday lights in Japan are illuminated from mid-November. One of the most popular Christmas trees in Tokyo is the Mikimoto Christmas Tree, which has been lightening up the holiday season in Ginza over 30 years. The 2009 Mikimoto Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is held on November 7, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. Stop by the Mikimoto Pearls main store to see the tree when you go shopping in Ginza.

gojapan

green Island

2010-07-08T04:25:00.001-07:00

This may not be new to some people but “Green Island” is a photo processing project.

The project is a collaborative effort between creative director Tag (Ryo Taguchi), photo retoucher IMKW (Imakawa), and contemporary artist cum coder Immr (Yuichiro Imamura). The initial result is a series of photographs that cleverly turn Tokyo streets into fields of green.

The Green Island project participated in the recent Japan Media Arts Festival held February 4-15 at the National Art Center Tokyo. The well-attended 12th edition of the annual event included juried entries in the divisions of art, animation, manga, and entertainment. Excellence prizes were picked up by Marcio Ambrosio for “Oups!” (art), Kunio Kato for “The House of Small Cubes” (animation), Makoto Isshiki for “Piano no Mori” (manga), and the Tenori-On development team for the popular Tenori-on game (entertainment).

japantrends

afraid of swine flue ?

2010-07-08T04:24:00.003-07:00

The new anti-H1N1 suit doesn't just make you look dapper, it supposedly also helps keep you disease-free.(Credit: Haruyama Trading)

If the new swine flu vaccine doesn't give you the right dose of inner peace, there's another layer of protection at your disposal. It comes from Japan, which means it looks good, too.

According to the U.K. Telegraph, Japanese menswear company Haruyama Trading has developed a suit that it claims can protect wearers from the H1N1 virus.

The suit is coated with titanium dioxide--a chemical commonly used in toothpaste and cosmetics--that breaks down when reacting with light and supposedly kills the virus upon contact. (If you read Japanese, here is the company's press release.)

Despite the new layer of protection, the suit seems pretty much like other suits commonly worn by Japanese white-collar workers. Each suit costs about $580, about how much a decent suit at Men's Wearhouse costs. The suits go on sale Thursday and in four colors and styles, including medium gray, charcoal, navy, and a gray pinstripe. The company says the suit will retain its protective capability even after being washed multiple times

Hello Kitty PET bottled

2010-07-08T04:24:00.001-07:00

7ELEVEN in Japan has realised a new Pet Bottle with natural mineral water staring Hello Kitty.
One bottle costs 388yen.
8tokyo, 7Eleven

solar power cellphone charger

2010-07-08T04:22:00.002-07:00

This is something I will have to get the next time I'm in Tokyo! It's a solar power cellphone charger with a lots of cute characters as Hello Kitty, Mickey Mouse, Doraemon, and a lots of more characters. I hope they will get one with Rikakuma since he is the cutest ever ~
Anyway, one of the most convenient things you could really carry with you and it's a lot better what normal charger since this one is good for the environment.

8tokyo, Solar Charge Eco (rakuten)

Tokyo International Film Festival 2009

2010-07-08T04:22:00.001-07:00

f; tathei

The 22nd Annual Tokyo International Film Festival runs from October 17-25, 2009 at the Roppongi Hills and other facilities in Tokyo. The film festival screens about 270 films from a variety of genres and countries during the nine days. The venues for the screening are TOHO CINEMAS Roppongi Hills and Cinemart Roppongi. If you are interested in visiting the festival, Walk-up tickets are available at the box office.

Hida Takayama Festival

2010-07-08T04:21:00.002-07:00

f; dlamini

Hida Takayama is an old castle town, which is located in northern Gifu prefecture, about 150 miles west of Tokyo. The Takayama Festival is known as one of the most beautiful festivals in Japan, and the autumn festival called Hachiman Matsuri takes place on October 9 and 10 every year. The main feature of the Takayama Festival is gorgeous yatai (floats) decorated with detailed carvings, tapestries, and karakuri dolls (marionettes). On the night of October 9th, lit up yatai parade through the town.

Nikko Toshogu Fall Festival

2010-07-08T04:21:00.001-07:00

f; jahenig

Beautiful fall foliage attracts lots of visitors to Nikko around this time of the year. Nikko Toshogu Shrine, which is inscribed as UNESCO's World Heritage, is a main attraction in Nikko area. The annual fall festival of Nikko Toshogu takes place on October 16-17, 2009. The yabusame (horseback archery) performances are held at 1 p.m. on the 16th, and the sennin musha gyoretsu (the procession of a thousand warriors) departs from Nikko Toshogu Shrine at 11 a.m. and leaves from Otabisho near the Shinkyo bridge at 1 p.m. on the 17th.

f;sasakie

Japanese End of Year Gift Giving; Oseibo

2010-07-08T04:20:00.002-07:00

In Japan, it's a custom to give gifts periodically to people such as co-workers, bosses, relatives, teachers, friends, and so on. The giving of end of year gifts is called oseibo. Department stores display many types and sets of oseibo gifts from November to December. Most people have the store deliver the gifts. You can order oseibo gifts at post offices or convenience stores, too. It's also common for people to bring their gifts in person. Oseibo are specifically given to pay back favors received during the year. It's best to send the gifts by the 20th in Japan. Despite it's timing, oseibo gifts are different from Christmas gifts.

The cost of a gift ranges from 3,000 yen to about 20,000 yen, and the average is about 5,000 yen. Popular items for oseibo are ham, cooking oil, gift certificates, beer, canned food, coffee, seasonings, seaweed, seafood, fruits, and so on. The type and cost of gifts depend on your relationship with the recipient. Usually, people give the most expensive gifts to their bosses at work.

On each oseibo gift, the giver needs to put a thin paper called noshi, on which the word "oseibo" is written.

Geisha

2010-07-08T04:20:00.001-07:00

f; ryanahern

Geisha are talented Japanese women who patiently went through extensive training. Since there aren't many people who want to endure the hard training necessary to become a geisha, the number of geisha is decreasing. The number of geisha is estimated as being between 1,000 and 2,000 in Japan.

A geisha usually belongs to an okiya house where geisha trainees and young geisha live and prepare for work. The head woman (okami) of an okiya looks after geisha who belong to her okiya. Young girls who wish to become geisha are usually introduced to okiya through someone who has a connection to the okiya. You could directly make inquries to okiya whether or not they are recruiting geisha trainees.

Okami interview girls with their parents, explaining how the training goes. When an okami accepts a girl as an apprentice to her okiya, the girl begins her training, living in the okiya.

Once a girl becomes a geisha trainee, she can't quit for 5 to 6 years. While helping with the chores and errands of the house, the girl learns customs and social skills and begins music and dance lessons. After about a half-year, she becomes a young geisha called maiko (15-20 year old girls). Maiko wear a colorful kimono with long sleeves and high wooden shoes.

A maiko girl accompanies a geisha on her appointments to get to know the customers at first. Usually, when a maiko becomes 20 years old, she decides whether she will quit or become a geisha. If a maiko decides to become a geisha, the ceremony called "erigae" (literally means changes of collars) is held. When geisha women get married, they need to quit the job.

source; gojapan

Major festival in Yokohama, China Town

2010-07-08T04:19:00.002-07:00

f; nicollacassa

Exploring exotic Chinatown in Yokohama is always fun. In autumn, two major Chinese festivals are held every year: Kokkeisetsu Festival on October 1 and Soujuusetsu Festival on October 10. Kokkeisetsu is to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and Soujuusetsu Festival is a celebration of the anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China. Go to see traditional Chinese dragon dances, parades, and lots more special events at the festivals in Yokohama Chinatown.

f; michiro

source: gojapan

Nagoya festival

2010-07-08T04:19:00.001-07:00

The Nagoya Festival is grand event that adds bright colors to the autumn sky in Nagoya. Our city’s　most popular event, the annual Nagoya Festival, is rich in history and has been enjoyed by name people from all over Japan. It will be held in various locations throughout the Nagoya on October 3 and 4, 2009.

During the festival a great variety of events will be held, such as the spectacular festival parade with its dazzling procession of the Three Feudal Lords of the 16th Century; Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyosi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, along with parades showcasing dashi floats, and musical performances. Additionally, every night will feature the vibrant Yoi Festival.

f; rockslide_photography

gojapan, nagoya info

beppu

2010-07-08T04:18:00.000-07:00

f; hokutousuisse

Beppu is associated in all Japanese minds with one thing : hot springs. This small town of 140,000 inhabitants in out-of-beaten track Oita prefecture would definitely not figure on a tourist were it not for the astonishing geothermal activity underneath it, that has made its fortune.

There are no less than 3000 thermal springs ("onsen") in Beppu, attracting 12 million (almost exclusively Japanese) tourists annually. But Beppu isn't just any 'onsen' resort. Contarily to the traditional ryokan and yukata atmsophere found elsewhere in Japan, Beppu is modern, concrete-built and has a well-deserved reputation for tackiness.

There are two kinds of onsen in Beppu : the ones for batheing and the ones for watching. The latter is typical of Beppu and is called "the Hells" ("onsen jigoku"). The "onsen jigoku" are :

"tatsumaki jigoku" ("geyser", with watersprout every 30 minutes)
"umi jigoku" ("sea", with hot, blue water)
"chinoike jigoku" ("blood pond", made of hot, reddish water)
"shiraike jigoku" ("white pond", with milky water)
"kinryu jigoku" ("golden dragon", with such a statue)
"kamado jigoku" (with a demon statue)
"oniishibozu jigoku" ("shaven head monks", with muddy bubbles)
"oniyama jigoku" ("demon's mountain", with crocodiles raised around the onsen)
"yama jigoku" (with various animals)
Admission to each "onsen jigoku" costs ￥550, but it is more advantageous to buy a combined ticket for the 9 places for ￥2000. The two most impressive are the Umi Jigoku and Chinoike Jigoku. The Yama Jigoku has a hippopotamus, an elephants, flamingoes and other animals, while Oni Yama Jigoku has crocodiles, but do not have any impressive hot springs.
Buses No 2, 5, 7, 17, 41 and 43 go to the Hells (get off at "Umi Jigoku Mae") from Beppu JR Station West Exit (15 to 20min, ￥320). Buses No 16 goes to the Chinoike and Tatsumaki Jigoku (10min, ￥180) from Kannawa Station (near Shiraike Jigoku).
Another attraction for those fed up with hot springs is the Hihokan Sex Museum (literally "Secret Treasure Hall", entry ￥1000), with displays of erotica mostly from Japan, India, Tibet and Paua New Guinea. The exhibits also include a giant wooden phallus, real size phalluses of two dozens animals, from whales and horses to dogs and rabbits, as well as numerous ukiyoe paintings and kama sutra statuettes. The museum is just opposite the Oni Yama Jigoku Onsen.

f; ishida

source; jref

H&M in Shibuya

2010-07-08T04:17:00.000-07:00

At 10am on Saturday morning, 20 september, H&M opened their massive new flagship store in the Shibuya area of Tokyo. This is the Swedish fashion chain’s fifth store in Japan after Ginza, Harajuku, Yokohama, and Saitama. They will also be adding another store in Shinjuku before the end of the year. The new shop is located just down the street from Shibuya 109, if you were to walk in the opposite direction of Shibuya Station.

The opening of the Shibuya store was not as exciting as the Harajuku H&M opening last year, but that launch was only the second store in Tokyo – and it also coincided with the limited edition Rei Kawakubo fashion collection. Still, the H&M Shibuya opening drew a respectable crowd, featured a red carpet for customers waiting in line, a ribbon cutting, and lots of cheering and bowing from the friendly Japanese H&M staff members.

source: tokyofashion

Tokyo Game Show 2009

2010-07-08T04:16:00.001-07:00

f; timeyles

The Tokyo Game Show is known as the world's largest computer and video game convention. The show is open to the public as well, and more than 100,000 people visit the event every year. Exhibitions include video games, computer games, digital entertainment products, mobile games, game machines, game soft for kids, game schools, and more. There will be more than 1,000 participating booths at the event.

Dates: September 24 - 27, 2009
(*Open to the public on September 26 & 27, 2009)
Time: 10a.m. - 5p.m.
Ticket: Adult 1,200 yen (*Advence Ticket 1,000 yen)
*Children (elementary students and under) are free of charge.
Place: Makuhari Messe
2-1 Nakase, Mihama-ku, Chiba-city, Chiba Prefecture
Access: JR Keiyo Line Keihin Makuhari Station

origami; totoro

2010-07-08T04:12:00.000-07:00

For all those who loves Studio Ghibli's movie Tonari no Totoro, may like these origami dolls of Totoro.

Origami is small paper figures that you fold by yourself. There is a lot of different animals you can make but the most famous is the crane.

f; lgence

Tsukimi (Moon-Viewing) Burger from McDonald's

2010-07-08T04:11:00.000-07:00

This is the season for Tsukimi(Moon-Viewing) Burger again.
The one of autumn regular menus of McDonald’s is Tsukimi Burger which is hamburger with fried egg fillings in Japan.

source: 8tokyo

Sukiyaki Western Django

2010-07-08T04:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I finally watched Sukiyaki Western Django. It's a japanese movie but they speak english all along and it takes place in a western Japan.
There are famous actors like Quentin Tarantino, Hideaki Ito (Buzzer Beat, First Kiss) & Kaori Momoi (Memories of a Geisha).
In my opinion I think this movie is an innovating movie even though it's a western. But they have the nature, they have the bloodbath and yes they overdo it but in a way that you should overdo it !
Here is some more from imdb and wikipedia.

Sukiyaki Western: Django (スキヤキ・ウエスタンジャンゴ Sukiyaki Uesutan Jango) is a 2007 Japanese film by Takashi Miike. The title of this English language western refers to the Japanese dish, sukiyaki, as well as Sergio Corbucci's spaghetti western film, Django. It also takes inspiration from the "Man with No Name" stock character variously used in the spaghetti western genre but most notably in Akira Kurosawa's jidaigeki film Yojimbo and Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy.

Inspired by the historical rivalry between the Genji and Heike clans, which ushered the era of samurai dominance in Japanese history, Sukiyaki Western Django is set "a few hundred years after the Genpei War". The Genji and Heike gangs face off in a town named Yuta in Nevata, while a deadly gunman comes into town to help a prostitute get revenge on the warring gangs. The film contains numerous references both to the Gempei War and to Wars of the Roses, not to mention Yojimbo and Fistful of Dollars.

The introduction to the tale given by Quentin Tarantino's character, Ringo, is taken almost verbatim from the opening passage of the Tale of Heike: "The sound of the Gion Shouja bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the saala flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline. The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night; the mighty fall at last, they are as dust before the wind."

World's highest escalator

2010-07-08T04:09:00.002-07:00

f; aurorin

We all have been reading about the world’s tallest buildings, largest dams, largest church, longest bridge and longest tunnel since long but do you know where the world’s tallest escalator is? It’s in Osaka, Japan.

One of the city’s most recognizable landmarks and the seventh-tallest building in Osaka City is the Umeda Sky Building. It’s a 173 m building that was designed by Hiroshi Hara and constructed by Takenaka Corporation. Located in the Umeda district of Kita-ku, the building consists of two 40-story towers that connect at their two uppermost stories, with bridges and an escalator.

So, if you are not afraid of heights and wish to feels like you are floating up into the sky then take the world’s tallest escalator ride which is an event in itself.

source: gizmodo

Tokyo Twilight Zone

2010-07-08T04:09:00.001-07:00

Photographer Shintaro Sato captures beauty in the chaotic Tokyo cityscape viewed from emergency staircases at dusk. Check his site for the full gallery of high-resolution images.

source: pinktentacle, shinsato homepage