Maid in Japan

Onsen

2009-10-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

We went to a beautiful onsen in Tochigi prefecture north of Tokyo called Kita Onsen. It had an amazing rotenburo (outside onsen) with a slide and inflatable rubber rings. Lots of fun!

Fly my pretties, fly

2009-10-13T18:32:00.000-07:00

This is apparently the most viewed youtube video in Japan:

New direction...

2009-10-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

Dear reader. You probably noticed I stopped posting on this site awhile ago. The reason being I got super busy with other work which includes writing a blog for Japan Times called Japan Pulse. I was thinking of quitting writing this blog but since then have realized that I've got a ton of material that I can't use on the JT blog that I'd like to post here instead. With this in mind, please enjoy this picture of a snoozing cat I took in Shimokitazawa this weekend.

Kirin and Suntory merge

2009-07-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Kirin and Suntory, two of Japan's biggest beverage players are going to merge giving the companies a whopping 50 per cent share in the Japanese drinks market. Read more here.

Mad cycling skills

2009-07-09T22:36:00.000-07:00

The Japanese are tops when it comes to multi-tasking be it sleeping and standing on trains or texting and walking. Nowhere is this facility more advanced than when riding a bicycle, I have seen girls holding umbrellas and talking on their mobile phones while nonchalantly pedalling down the street. But nothing beats the casual insouciance of this gent who cruised down a busy road near my house completely engrossed in a book with a contented smile on his face.

'Manner' madness

2009-07-06T03:11:00.000-07:00

Train manner posters have reached newer even more dizzying heights of weird on board etiquette. This one instructs passengers not to show off their shopping while on a train. I've never been bothered by people doing this, quite the opposite, I'm nosey to find out what they bought.

Tilt shift calendar

2009-06-14T20:42:00.000-07:00

Check this link out to view's Uniqlo's amazing tilt shift videos which enhance the toy town quality of Japanese life.

Medicom Toy Exhibition

2009-06-13T03:16:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge Bearbrick fan which is why I'm totally gutted that I'm going to miss the Medicom Toy Exhibition at Parco from 20 June to 29 June. It's only 300 yen to get in, bargain.

Akira Uno at Parco

2009-06-11T18:29:00.000-07:00

I recently went to Parco's 1969 art exhibition and was really blown away by the design of Akira Uno, see above. His work really reminds me of Aubrey Beardsley but unfortunately I couldn't find more of it online. If you want to check it out the show ends 15 June.

Racist march Shibuya

2009-06-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

While enjoying a lovely meal outside with my friend yesterday in Shibuya this 'orrible bunch walked past destroying our peaceful Sunday with megaphones screaming out hysterical anti-Chinese messages. Their message was for "bad Chinese get out of Japan", specifically Chinese mafia. But we don't think they were too picky with who they wanted out of Japan. Many customers at the cafe were foreigners like me and one guy faced us screaming "foreigners get out of Japan" through his megaphone. Though this kind of thing is depressing I was heartened to see that there weren't many people in the demo (only about 70 or so) and passersby were ignoring them. We have the national front in the UK who are equally vile but usually anti-racist groups stage demos on the same day. However this often leads to violence so one wonders if the Japanese reaction of pretending they're not there isn't better after all.

Space management

2009-06-07T20:48:00.001-07:00

No parking space for your car? Just use your shop front like this business in Ningyocho, Nihonbashi.

Brazilian cup noodle add

2009-06-04T23:10:00.000-07:00

Find out more at Pink Tentacle.

Umbrella vending machine in Roppongi

2009-06-02T22:29:00.001-07:00

What a nifty idea and only 300 yen. Now we just have to find the fabled panty vending machine.

Haruhi season two

2009-05-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

Haruhi Suzumiya, possibly the best anime ever, is back unexpectedly for season two. Can't believe I forgot to post this before because I watched it on Sunday just after it came out. I won't give anything away but I will say it didn't dissapoint.

Fujitsu FLEPia: first colour ebook reader

2009-05-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

I'm gagging to get my hands on an ebook reader but don't think I'll be able to afford this latest snazzy product from Fujitsu. It costs 99,750yen but is the first ebook reader to boast a colour screen. It also has WiFi, 4Gb storage and supports Windows. It's soo lovely though and can be bought here.

'Don't treat us like cattle,' protest Japanese men

2009-05-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

A cell phone website called 'boy's ranch' has had Japanese men up in arms. Once women register men on the site, the chaps become livestock with ratings for wealth, looks and whether or not they are herbivorous (see previous post) or carnivorous. In this way female friends can check guys out. It's common in Japan for women to introduce male friends as prospective dating prospects to their female friends, so this service is a natural progression of a traditional practise.
Due to a huge amount of protest via email from beleaguered blokes, the service has shut down. Men clearly don't like being treated like pieces of meat, hopefully in future they'll keep this in mind when they sit about assessing women over a beer. Via Watashi to Tokyo.

Awesome time lapse video of Shijuku

2009-05-19T23:28:00.000-07:00

static : pulse from Samuel Cockedey on Vimeo.

Rubberduckzilla

2009-05-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

I found this silly add via 3Yen News apparently it's out in the UK.

Japanese sweet making

2009-05-11T03:39:00.000-07:00

This is Ms Matsuki and she very kindly demonstrated how to make sakura sweets for me the other day.

Robot senbe

2009-05-06T20:19:00.001-07:00

Been a bit lazy with posting of late due to Golden Week holidays. So here is some groovy robot senbe bought in Akihabara recently.

Loincloths make a comeback

2009-04-26T19:37:00.000-07:00

This via Reuters. An underwear making is calling this the latest in 'liberation for women' due to the light feel of this cotton garment that doesn't need elastic to stay in place. Personally I'm not sure whether a nappy of cotton bunched up around my privates would feel particularly liberating. Besides, we all know it's not elastic that oppresses Japanese women but the very conspicuous glass ceiling in the workplace.

SMAP in naked shame

2009-04-23T20:16:00.000-07:00

Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, long-standing member of boy band SMAP, has been arrested for cavorting around a park in central Tokyo totally nude. For anyone who doesn't know, SMAP are huge in Japan, they've been famous forever and constantly appear on TV. Apparently as Kusanagi is now in custody, many TV shows are scrabbling to fill his slot.
When arrested Kusanagi called out "What's wrong with being naked?". What indeed. Personally I think this will blow over in six months or so. Anyone taking a train at night can see drunken businessmen behaving badly and for the most part they don't face serious repercussions. Plus the Japanese are not really that uptight about nudity. He'll apologise on TV, keep a low profile for awhile and then be accepted back no questions asked. The Japanese entertainment industry would implode without SMAP. From The Times.

Giant spider terrifies Yokohama

2009-04-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

French art group 'La Machine' have made a monster spider which patrolled the bay front at Yokohama yesterday. These French performance art groups are really amazing. Back in 2006 another group made a giant puppet elephant that marched through the streets of London. Check out the link. This story was via pink tentacle.

Poken the digi business card

2009-04-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

It's a pain writing down people's phone numbers or carrying around business cards that fill up your wallet. A new gizmo launched recently in Japan is the poken that is basically a USB stick that can communicate its own personal information by exchanging info with other USB sticks. Pocken merely touch hands to transfer social networking info. But will it catch on, to be worth carrying it around the thing really needs to become a craze. It costs about 2, 480yen on their online shop so it may yet infest the nations pockets. Poken comes in a number of cute designs and I am seriously tempted by the geisha pocken above. Via What Japan Thinks.

Stop motion wolf and pig movie

2009-04-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

This via Zitronic.

Awesome new Harajuku store

2009-04-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hanjiro clothes store just opened in Harajuku last month. I stumbled on it yesterday when I went clothes shopping and bought a t-shirt dress, skirt and top for 6,000 yen in total. As you can see from the dress above (4,900 yen), the fashions are really stylish. The clothes fall under 3 main categories: cheap and cheerful, second hand and well designed reasonable items (above). Hanjiro is for girls and boys. I also popped by H&M which is a huge sensation but have to say Hanjiro won hands down for value, style and range. Plus there aren't huge queues for the changing rooms.

Dangerous voting habits

2009-04-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

The above poster which has appeared on trains recently reads "Are you a dangerous young person". My reading skills being rather poor I assumed it was berating young people for looking scary to older people but actually it is a campaign to encourage people to vote. Pointing out that while 76 per cent of 60 year olds vote, only 36 per cent of 20 year olds bother. Overall only 58 per cent of the population vote. "Don't you think this figure is a little dangerous?" the advert adds. As Aso's outdated and incompetent government shows, it's really time for young people in Japan to get interested in politics.

Asahi Shimbun employee in discriminatory comment shame

2009-04-02T21:25:00.000-07:00

The Daily Yomiuri reports that an Asahi Shimbun employee has been posting discriminatory remarks on an internet bulletin board about marginalized communities and mentally ill people. Japan Probe interprets marginalized communities to mean the Burakumin who traditionally held 'impure' jobs (executioners, undertakers, leather workers) that made them outcasts. I was unaware of the existence of Burakumin until I went on an anti-war march (before the Iraq invasion) where a group of them attended. Sick of being dumped on by most of Japanese society, they've become pretty militant and are often speak out against political injustice.
The other group the employee slagged off were the mentally ill who also get a rough deal in Japanese society. A recent feature in Metropolis painted a pretty grim picture of how these groups are treated. The stigma is huge. The feature was about a documentary film on the subject that has been made by director Kazuhiro Soda, since the making of the film three of the participants had committed suicide.
It's unclear whether this employee will face any disciplinary punishment but at least it's good his behaviour came to light and was not seen as acceptable.Jiichiro Matsumoto 'the father of Buraku liberation'

Best places for hanami

2009-04-01T20:37:00.001-07:00

Kirainet has put up this great little map of the best places for hanami in Tokyo. I'd also like to add that the palace moat and Yasakuni shrine by Kudanshita is also an exceptionally beautiful spot and Kinuta park in Setagaya ward is reputedly fantastic. The blossoms are now at their peak but I had my cherry blossom picnic a little early last Saturday in yoyogi. It was still beautiful though:Me, Kimi and Sergio

Hukuho surpases Asashoryu

2009-03-26T18:50:00.000-07:00

Last autumn I saw Hakuho take the sumo title in Ryogoku. It appears this Mongolian's star is on the rise, according to Japan Times. The above pic is of defending champion Asashoryu on the left fending off Kotomitsuki. Can't wait till the Tokyo tournament in May.

A little too slick?

2009-03-21T00:31:00.000-07:00

Spotted today in Daikanyama.
I know the wet-look is back but isn't this taking it too far?

Bizarre detection methods

2009-03-19T19:28:00.000-07:00

Ichihashi
by takatosh2

It's now been two years since Lyndsay Ann Hawker's murder and police have yet to catch the main suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi. A new officer is now in charge of the case and has decided to put five life-size cardboard cut outs of Ichihashi out on the streets around Chiba. If you press the button on his chest, you can even hear his voice. It's good they're trying to do something but I think the killer will be far from Chiba by now. This guy looks seriously scary and I think he's going to freak quite a few people out. Of course if the police hadn't allowed him to give them the slip in the first place... via Japan Probe.

Manner mode pen

2009-03-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Mango posted this awesome interview with consultant Morinosuke Kawaguchi who explains the function of the manner mode pen. Manner mode is when you turn the volume down on something so it doesn't disturb other people. The pen was created by a female pen designer who was driven mad by the noise of engineers clicking their pens in meetings. Kawaguchi thinks the creation of the pen is a sign of Japanese society maturing. Personally I think everyone has gone manner mad lately in Japan. Manner as a Japanised English word means social etiquette and the campaign for better manners on public transport has intensified lately. I guess the picture below means 'don't dive into the train' but it's a pretty random way of putting the message across. As an inveterate pen clicker myself I must say that the noise is part of the satisfaction. Don't take it away!

Fashion bot's clenched catwalk strut

2009-03-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Pink Tentacle reports on the debut of this gorgeous fashion robot. Designed to model clothes, the robot has a face capable of showing a wide range of expressions from anger to surprise. Though I thought her arm movements were very graceful, her odd walking style is rather reminiscent of somebody trying to hold in a big poop.

Fun ski toilet

2009-03-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

This from Colorbus: Georgia coffee have decorated toilets in ski resorts to look like the top of a ski run. Only the loo paper displays an advertising message: "Seriously kick-ass intensely sweet for the real coffee super zinging unstoppable Max! Taste-explosion!"

Hurry up cherry blossoms!

2009-03-13T19:32:00.001-07:00

I can't wait to get pissed under the cherry trees at the end of this month. This lovely tinted picture by turn of the (previous) century photographer Enami is part of a lovely collection up on Flicker by Okinawa Soba. This shot is of the Edogawa river before its banks were smothered in concrete.

Hayfever spreads to snow monkeys

2009-03-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

About 60 percent of the people I know are suffering pretty badly from hay fever caused by pollen from cedar trees. In order to protect themselves they are forced to wear surgical masks (some even sport goggles) in public and take anti hay fever medicine which can make you really drowsy. According to the Times, the problem now appears to have spread to snow monkeys who are also suffering from runny eyes and sneezing fits. A huge program of planting cedars was undertaken after world war two in order to build up a supply of timber that was never harvested. According to the Times the number of hay fever suffers in Japan is at one in four but I'd say that was higher in Tokyo as the problem is exacerbated by traffic pollution. I've also heard it's a cumulative problem and foreigners I've know who've been out here awhile suddenly find themselves suffering from it.
A new trend I spotted recently was people wearing colourful surgical masks like the ones above instead of the normal plain ones. These are made by Pico.

Large sizes for ladies

2009-03-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

I've got fairly big feet and I really suffer when it comes to buying shoes in Japan. If you're looking for large size shoes in Tokyo you could try Ten shoe store in Shinjuku. They do shoe sizes up to 27 cm when normal stores stop at 25cm. The prices are quite high (around 15,000 - 20,000 yen a pair) but I found these boots on their website in the discount section for 8,000 yen. In a similar price range is Washington in Ginza. And finally the cheaper option is Covely in Sunshine City shopping mall Ikebukuro, they do large size women's clothes and have a small selection of shoes.

Blink and you'll miss it

2009-03-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

This via AFP. It's SUCH a bother having to operate the remote, wouldn't it be great if your i-pod could respond to to a wink? The "mimi (ear) switch" invented by Kazuhiro Taniguchi of Osaka University allows you to do just that: wink to skip a track, stick out your tongue to stop and start play. The piece responds to movements in the ear caused by facial expressions. Taniguchi adds that the switch can be used for more serious applications like monitoring whether an elderly relative is eating or not.

Carnivorous women eat up herbivorous men

2009-03-05T19:15:00.001-08:00

Wanting to find out more about the rumoured rise of the herbivorous man in Japan I did a quick search and came up with this article from Mainichi. Basically Japanese men have been said to become less aggressive in the dating game while women looking to snag a husband have stepped up to the plate. Apparently if you adopt the Ebi-chan look (see above) of girly curls and cutesy smiles, you'll be much more likely to hunt down your piece of man meat successfully. According to the article men are now less aggressive in dating, have many female friends that they don't try to sleep with, drive non-flashy environmentally friendly cars and don't attend go cons (organised dating parties). In short, they are rather passive when it comes to dating. It's no wonder that women are carnivorous when you think that if they catch their prey, they'll say goodbye to an underpaid career and hello to sitting at home in a cosy apartment while the man goes out to work for them. Traditionally men give all of their salaries to their wives who then dish them out some pocket money so they can go drinking with their pals. Good hunting girls!

Find your way round Tokyo

2009-03-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

It's really easy to get lost in Tokyo which is why I always look up where I'm going on a diddlefinger map before I leave the house. It's great because you can input the address in English and get a map with landmarks in English. To save ink I usually take a shot of the screen on my camera but diddlefinger have just launched their mobile app so you can look up Japanese addresses in English on your phone. The only drawback is that it links to a Japanese map so all station names and landmarks will be in kanji.
Another great tool for finding routes around Tokyo is this website which plots your train route and tells you how long it will take, when the train arrives and how much it will cost.

Happoshu sales rise

2009-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

This via Japan Probe, CNN reports that Happoshu (synthetic beer) sales have risen strongly despite or rather because of the poor economy. Happoshu is taxed at a lower rate than normal beers because it contains less than 25 percent malt and is classed as a liquor. CNN's take is that it's almost the same as beer. Did they actually taste this stuff? It tastes really watery and synthetic and gives you one hell of an evil hangover. At a party I went to recently someone nabbed my can of lovely Sapporo beer and tried to give me Happoshu in exchange, the cheek of it! I went straight to the convenience store to buy myself real beer.

Beat Crusaders video

2009-02-26T18:27:00.000-08:00

I'm really loving this video for the song Phantom Planet that I found on Jean Snow's blog.

'Oldest hotel in the world'

2009-02-25T18:32:00.000-08:00

This in via Kirainet, Houshi hot springs hotel in Hokuriku has a history that dates back to the year 718 (how can they be so precise?). It's worth taking a peep at their website for a more detailed history. Ah, I'm yearning for a dip in a hot spring myself as I sit here in my freezing Tokyo apartment.

Tokoton ramen

2009-02-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Tokoton Ramen in Ningyocho is so far the best ramen I've ever eaten. The soup is really rich and creamy and they give you a lovely runny egg if you ask for it with your normal ramen (you have to pay extra). Normal ramen costs 600 yen, other good ones to check out are stamina ramen which is full of garlic and tako ramen which has huge fatty chunks of pork on top (700 yen). To find it click here on diddlefinger. Address: Tokyo, Chuo-ku, Ningyocho 2-6-2 Tel: 03 5641 6036

Soundproof room

2009-02-22T17:46:00.000-08:00

This story from Trends in Japan. For people who want to belt out karaoke classics or rawwwk out at home Yamaha have brought out the second model of My Room, a teeny soundproof room that fits inside your home. People are extremely courteous to neighbours about noise in Japan and musicians often practise by hiring studio time or sitting by the nearest river. The first option is really pricey and the second can be a bit chilly at this time of year. Mind you, My Room is not cheap at 1,039,500 yen and definitely not an option for claustrophobics.

Tell me a story Jackanory

2009-02-17T20:02:00.000-08:00

Tokyo Walker reports that a growing number of young people are starting to attend rakugo nights. Rakugo is an old form of storytelling where the teller tells a long and complicated story using only a fan and a piece of cloth as props. The entire time he sits in the seiza or kneeling position, ouch! I guess in these troubled times it's comforting to have someone tell you a bedtime story.

Valentines choco

2009-02-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

Valentine's day in Japan usually involves women giving men chocolate but this year the choco companies have introduced a twist: reverse chocolates. The gimmick is that the lettering on the box is in reverse indicating that men can give women choices this year. Nice idea from marketing companies. Men are supposed to give women chocs on white day next month but usually don't bother. Other kinds of choco featured are choco ramen and choco facial. Via Japan Probe

Sake with a sugared pill

2009-02-01T23:51:00.000-08:00

Trends in Japan blog report that a new flavoured sake will be in stores from Feb 24. Made to appeal to the majority of young people who don't drink nihonshu, it will come with a funky bottle flavored in lime. Personally I like nihonshu and want to try more, masking the taste seems a shame.

Live Park in Akiba

2009-01-31T23:43:00.000-08:00

Otaku frenzy! It appears that 'live' performances have been banned from outside Akihabara station so an alternative, albeit temporary, venue has been set up in a building on Chuo Dori. Visitors can enjoy free live shows like the one above for 100 days from 1 February to 10 May. When we went in on day one the room was filled with rotund guys in specs rawking out to the high-pitch vocal stylings of a trio of super cute girls. Check out the listings.

Asian teen fetish for middle aged men

2009-01-30T10:08:00.000-08:00

This just read from the Onion.

Pedal powered rollercoaster

2009-01-27T20:27:00.001-08:00

Okay this story is a bit old but I just spotted it via reddit. Apparently in Washuzan Highland Park, Okayama there is a roller coaster called the Skycycle. I don't know when it was built but judging by the rust on these pictures, it's not a very recent invention. Though no doubt eco-friendly this looks way too hairy for me to try, I'm a weed at the best of times on roller coasters. Check the Treehugger website for more information.

Early Showa-era children's book exhibition

2009-01-24T01:02:00.000-08:00

During a stroll today in Ueno park, I came across the International Library of Children's literature. They were running an exhibition of children's annuals from the 1920s to the 30s. The illustrations to these books were at once weird and fabulous, some more than others. An illustration by an artist named Tanosuke was fractured and adorned with Miro-like abstract diagrams. They illustrate the feeling of the age brilliantly, little girls have bobbed haircuts that are almost identical to the boys and most children were depicted in modern dress with adults by contrast still in kimono. Modern machinery is celebrated in glorious technicolor center spreads one of which, dated 1939, shows a huge German zeppelin with cheerful Nazis waving flags in the background. It was sad to think that the generation of children who read these annuals probably suffered terribly afterwards when the war broke out. The exhibition ends November 9 2009.

Goodbye Mr Despair

2009-01-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

My faith in anime has been restored since I started watching Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (Goodbye Mr Despair). Adapated from a manga by Koji Kumeta, it tells the story of a junior high school teacher who sees everything in a negative light and is constantly trying to top himself. The first scene is an inspired piss-take of the classic high school anime. The sappy girl skipping off to school through a storm of cherry blossoms and whiffling on about hope and love suddenly comes across her new teacher dangling from a tree. I actually met a real manga editor last night and he agreed that this show is totally awesome.

Fluffy okonomiyaki

2009-01-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

I'm really crazy for okonomiyaki (cabbage pancakes) and recently discovered on a trip to Hokkaido a place that does a special kind called fuwa fuwa okonomiyaki (fluffy okonomiyaki) made by adding potato to the pancake mix. It's really yummy and the restaurant called Masaya in Furano is run by a lovely friendly guy who keeps up a stream of entertaining banter in English to guests as he cooks amazingly gorgeous food on the hotplate in front of you. Click on this link for more information (in Japanese).

Wine in Japan

2009-01-16T01:35:00.001-08:00

My article on the history of winemaking in Japan was just published in Japan Times today and I'm really pleased that it is the first story on their webpage. The guy in the picture is Kunio Naito who manages Cave de Relax in Shimbashi, if you want to find a good bottle of domestic wine, seek him out!

Fami-mode event

2009-01-16T00:00:00.001-08:00

Calling all retro-electro-heads get yourselves down to Star Pine's Cafe in Kichijoji on the 24th of January where alongside seeing lots of incredible 8-bit acts you'll have the opportunity to participate in an old-school gaming tournament and buy vintage Super Mario tat. I'll be down there grooving to YMCK and Sexy-Synthesizer, come along!

Electronic waiter takes your order

2009-01-10T20:31:00.000-08:00

A recent trip to an izakaiya (Japanese inn) had me puzzling over this nifty invention. Basically instead of the waiter taking your order, you punch in what you want. The best thing about this was that it calculates the running total for your food and if you want to split the bill will calculate that too and allow you to pay separately at the end. Neat. I found this place using Hot Pepper which I highly recommend if you're looking for a bargain meal deal. The online version is easy to run through google translate. Just phone for reservations and print out your coupon. The other day I managed to get drink all you can and a huge feast for only 3,600 yen per person.

Happy moo Year

2009-01-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

According to the Chinese calender, it's now the year of the ox. The Japanese interpret this as being the year of the black and white cow because they are just cuter than that plain old brown ox. Tons of kawaii cow characters have been manufactured to celebrate. Above is a New Year's greeting card that I bought to send to friends, a hand-knitted cow that was given to me as a present and a plastic disco bath cow (when placed in water he starts flashing with groovy lights). The ox is a very grounded creature and, according to Wikipedia: "is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes them nervous". Very little change happens in the year of the ox but it's also a time for stability which is comforting for those of us who are reeling from the financial shocks of last year.

Anthropomorphic sanitary towel dispenser

2009-01-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Shinto, the native religion of Japan, posits that every object animate or inanimate has a soul. Perhaps this is why there is such a craze for manufacturers to portray their products in cute character form. But I ask you, if a sanitary towel dispenser did have a soul, would it really be smiling away as it got stuffed full of jam rags (excuse the graphic image)?

Win a potato

2008-12-26T20:20:00.000-08:00

Yes kids, it's the prize you've all been waiting for. Forget limited edition plastic models of Lupin the 3rd or the latest Gundam robots, what you really want to snag with your UFO catcher is a raw potato.

Sony's dancing speakers

2008-12-18T20:12:00.000-08:00

Sony just released the Sony Rolly on November 21. The Rolly is a mobile speaker that dances around the floor as you play music. It's controlled by blue tooth so you can give it instructions from your mobile phone. Rollys can be synchronised to dance together in formation. Perfect for creating a robot disco on your living room floor to scare the cat with.

A white pre-Christmas ski trip

2008-12-15T00:04:00.000-08:00

I went to Furano in Hokkaido last weekend for some pre-Christmas snowboarding. Because the season hadn't quite kicked in it was a really cheap deal: just over 30,000 yen with number one travel. That included flights and transfers from Haneda to Furano, hotel and ski lift. On top of that you can rent ski wear for only 1,000 yen a day. The only downside was that on the first day it rained. After that though, loads of lovely snow. And unlimited access to the hotel's onsen. We stayed at Furano Prince Hotel which opens straight out on the slopes.
Going to try to get out again before the end of the season. I want to make it down a slope just one without tanking it. Click on this link for more pics.

Christmas gift guide

2008-12-07T18:15:00.000-08:00

My guide to shopping for Christmas gifts in Tokyo has just been published in Metropolis Magazine. So if you're looking for pressie ideas click on this link. My personal favourite is the bath planetarium (see pic above). I'm hoping someone will get me one because I just spent the past few days punishing my body on the snowy slopes of Hokkaido and plan to spend the next few days soaking away my muscle pain in the tub.

Do it at home

2008-12-02T19:30:00.001-08:00

Tis the season when public drunkenness reaches epic proportions. Many companies throw 'Bonenkai' (end of the year parties) for their employees and as a result the trains are filled with drunken revellers even more than ever. Businessmen passed out on train seats are a common sight as are piles of puke on the platforms. Yuk!

Bravo boys

2008-11-29T18:34:00.000-08:00

Reuters reports that a bra designed for male cross dressers in Japan has been selling well on Rakuten online supermarket. Lately I've noticed a bit of an increase in men dressed as women in Japan, especially as schoolgirls which can be a little disturbing as many don't shave their legs or make any attempt to walk in a 'ladylike' fashion.

Jinbocho theater

2008-11-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

Strolling about Jinbocho tonight I came across this amazing building. Of course, the pic is not mine but courtesy of Ping Mag who have done a piece about the architecture. The interior is really plush and right now they seem to be doing a film season of old Japanese movies. Check out the Japanese website.

Juana Molina comes to Tokyo

2008-11-20T18:39:00.000-08:00

I interviewed Juana Molina for Japan Times last week prior to her live show here next week. Check it out on the Japan Times website.

Drying fish Tokyo style

2008-11-15T01:07:00.001-08:00

In small fishing towns on the Izu peninsula, you can see fish put out to dry in the sun. In Tokyo we don't get many natural rays due to all those skyscrapers so this is one fish shop owners improvised alternative: use the dusty air coming out of the air con. Yuck! This is part of a set of pictures I took today round near Tokyo University. Check it out.

Women in Japan's wine world

2008-11-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

My article on Japanese women who succeed in the world of wine was published in Japan Times today. I spoke to a successful wine buyer, sommelier, writer and winemaker. The lady above is Miyuki Ishisbashi and she's a wine buyer, she's a pretty amazing person. She speaks French fluently in addition to English and often jets off to France and London as part of her job. Click on this link to read more.

Though a lens backwards

2008-11-08T03:38:00.001-08:00

Back from the Tokyo Museum of Photography and saw a really funny an touching series of photos by Asakai Yoko as part of the Contemporary Japanese Photography exhibition. She basically went round taking pictures of people engrossed in watching movies. The people above are in Berlin and watching 'The Seventh Seal'. It's a such a shame this image is so small, because the guy's expression in the middle is classic, but click on this link to check out a flash show of her prints.

Obama Japan celebrates

2008-11-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

CNN just ran a piece on how the people of the town of Obama in Japan have gone wild for the new president.

Ear drills

2008-11-03T02:51:00.000-08:00

Wandering around Tokyo Hands today I came across a display showing the latest in ear cleaning technology. This little device, shaped like a drill, called Scratch Miming claims to clear blocked earwax that normal cotton buds just miss out on. Watch the video on the website for extra eww factor. The same company also makes tiny graters used to remove dry skin from your feet. Cheesy feet topping anyone?

Perfect ice balls

2008-10-30T22:51:00.000-07:00

This nifty device, found on TechEBlog, uses hot water to make seamless balls of ice. I don't know if I'm awed more by the ingenuity or the huge amount of time the inventors spent on a rather useless device.

Best Japanese study tools on the internet

2008-10-30T22:44:00.001-07:00

To any of you struggling to learn Japanese, I came across the most awesome site the other day. iKnow is designed for both English and Japanese speakers and teaches you loads of new vocab in batches of ten words, so you never feel snowed under. For someone who's struggled with horrible books like Japanese for Busy People, this site is a godsend. I also should mention Jpod 101 while I'm at it, which offers free podcasts which are hugely entertaining and relevant to everyday life in Japan.

Stick on designer stubble

2008-10-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

I always thought the designer stubble fashion hadn't caught on in Japan because most people considered facial hair a sign of slovenliness. Browsing in 0101 today though, I found some stick on facial hair in the posh men's grooming section. I'm assuming this product made by Propia is aimed at the follically challenged, not the amateur spy.

Sumo pillow fight

2008-10-19T23:39:00.000-07:00

Japan Probe reported recently that the Sumo Association is trying to prevent people throwing cushions into the ring when a yokozuna (highest ranking sumo wrestler) gets defeated. People watching the Kyushu tournament instead be given extra heavy cushions that are more difficult to throw. The reason given was "health and safety issues" although Mainichi noted that there has never been a case of injury involving the cushions. Interestingly though, a friend recently told me that spectators who have seats around the ring have to get special insurance because wrestlers have often been known to take a tumble on top of them. So it's okay for wrestlers to squish the audience but not okay for them to take a few bops with a cushion!

Fontastic!

2008-10-14T19:52:00.000-07:00

Neojaponisme is running a series of 'visual excerpts' from an old out-of-print font book that has been used by many Japanese businesses over the years. This reminded me about Maniackers Design Fonts which are brand new Japanese and Roman letter fonts that can be downloaded for free. The designs are pretty splendid.

Molest your very own miniture maid

2008-10-13T03:15:00.000-07:00

Ever dreamed of owning your very own miniature maid and subjecting her to some heavy sexual harassment, without any pesky police officers hammering down your door? Well it's your lucky day, AR figures brings you a 2 inch-high submissive anime character whom you can undress while she squeals helplessly. If you don't understand Japanese, here's a short translation of what she's saying "(Cute noises). Nice to meet you master. I am Alice your cyber figure. Wow is this master's room? Wha, What the f***. What are you doing all of a sudden. Yah, that's not right. Yaaaaaaa. (crying) You are so mean. Is this a present? Wow, it's soooo cute."
Ah, if only real women's affections were so easily bought. The technology works by aiming a webcam at the cube so the character appears on your computer screen. The lolly stick is for undressing and caressing her. In semi virtual reality. Ewww.

Framboise fags

2008-10-08T17:33:00.001-07:00

These raspberry menthol cigarettes have just been launched, with huge a advertising campaign, in Japan. Obviously aimed at the female market 'Fram' is meant to be short for 'Framboise': the French word for raspberry. Oh la la, the sophistication!

Retro matchbox covers

2008-10-05T22:11:00.001-07:00

Check out this sexy-looking Japanese matchbox. I found it on Pink Tentacle who has compiled a set of 1920s and 1940s matchboxes from online museum Match World.

Dancing doodad

2008-10-05T00:22:00.000-07:00

Check out this cute little yellow doll that dances in time to the beat.

Before bikinis

2008-09-15T05:09:00.000-07:00

There's a lovely album posted on Flicker right now of Geishas posing in Meiji and Taisho-era swimming cosies. Check it out. They are so much cuter than the ubiquitous bikinis that are seen everywhere on the beaches of modern Japan. BTW just got back from Izu where we ate lobster like this fried in tempura. Yum!

Hally

2008-08-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

Seen at Shibuya Seco lounge 28 August
Going to a Hally gig is like spending time in the bedroom of a nerdy kid at school. He gets out his synthesiser and you are given a terrifying look into the heart of his twisted obsession. Looking puny yet majestic in a tight red shiny jacket and sunglasses: Hally throws samples of 80s tracks like 'Tainted Love' into what sounds like an industrial cement mixer. Notes that doodle all over the place like the line in an etch-a-sketch picture and dirty computer game bleeps lend a jumbled Weird Science genius to this 8-bit audio assault.

Monkey on the loose in Tokyo

2008-08-21T21:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning commuters in Shibuya station were amazed to see a monkey perched atop a departure board. Many people gathered to take a snap of the little tyke before the police turned up with nets. They were unsuccessful in their attempts to snare it and the monkey ran off in the direction of Yoyogi. To date the monkey is still at large! BTW it is extremely unusual to see monkeys in town but this may be a result of a recent rise in the native monkey population.

Liquid metal magnetic sculpture

2008-08-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Sachiko Kodama is a physicist turned artist who makes these incredible moving sculptures. Check out the video that I just found on Japan Probe.

Win a free trip to Japan

2008-08-07T06:31:00.001-07:00

Marui is offering a prize of a trip for two to Japan to foreigners who have an interest in the country. To win you just need to design an outfit with a Japanese twist and send three pics of it in. Click here for more details.

Food

2008-08-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

I really want to learn to cook Japanese food as my repertoire of recipes is sadly lacking and just found this great blog called Just Hungry written by a Japanese woman living abroad. But it looks perfect for this English woman living in Japan. Going food shopping tomorrow. Yum!

Robot phone

2008-07-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

Softbank customers are now able to get their mits on their very own robot phone, courtesy of Toshiba. With their movable arms and legs, they're just sooo cute.

iPhone scuppers the pantyshot

2008-07-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

Gizmodo reports that iPhone have given their inbuilt camera a really noisy shutter sound in order to thwart male users who enjoy taking illicit 'upskirt' shots of girls on packed subway trains. Apparently this is standard procedure in Japan which still has a big chikan (pervert) problem on the subways. The post was, of course, followed up by lots of comments on how to disable the noise from enterprising otaku.
As an interesting side note, my favourite Japanese photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki, made a great candid camera book about Tokyo's subways called Subway Love. Between 1963 and 1972, he took pictures of people on his journey to and from work. He's got a real talent for snapping people in their most unguarded moments and, of course, being Japan's number one perv, for taking pics of loads of pretty girls (though no upskirt shots here). While doing the book he got into loads of scrapes with Tokyo's transport police and loved every minute of it.

Japanese graphic style in the West

2008-07-12T23:55:00.000-07:00

I've just got back from a holiday in the UK, which explains my long break from posting (gomen ne). When I was over there I noticed how there has been a burgeoning of vinyl dolls and designs that look at first glance to be Japanese but turned out to be made in the West. For example Julie West, whose graphic design and toys really reflect a Japanese aesthetic.

Photogenic mask

2008-06-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

When you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and your hair's a mess, it's understandable to plonk on a big hat to hide the hideousness. Or if you've been growing a huge pulsating spot overnight on your conk, it's okay to slap on a bit of concealer. But for those who've woken up to the fact that they're just butt ugly, other than shoving a paper bag over your face, there really aren't any other sane options... until now. This beeeyewtifuel photogenic mask is now available to cover up a multitude of sins, so you can walk down the street sporting your slightly oversized and expressionless face with pride. Created by Japanese doll maker Natori Satio "for anyone who wants to become a girl", the mask fuses doll and real person to make something even creepier than Chukie. Check out the website and the very disturbing video on it.

Kaiba

2008-06-16T03:43:00.000-07:00

This is the most innovative anime I've come across in, well, ever. Currently airing on WoWow, the illustrations are so different in style to typical anime that the closest comparison might be Junko Mizuno's manga. The story is as bizarre as the illustrations: in the future bodies and memories can be traded. As you might imagine lots of body swap wackiness ensues.

Ha ha ha happy tune!

2008-06-09T01:44:00.000-07:00

You'll either love or hate me for introducing you to this tune. The aural equivalent of devouring a stick of cotton candy in 5 minutes, it's a veritable sugar-rush of sound. Made by Swedish group Caramell in 2001, the song got internet fame in the latter part of 2006 when it was released as a short animation with characters from the novel Popton doing the trademark rabbit ear dance. I really love the Speedycake remix (see below) which can be heard practically everywhere in Akihabara right now. Uwa Uwa Uwa Uwa!

Deerhoof to play Japan

2008-05-29T19:27:00.000-07:00

Back in the UK I had a monthly night in Brighton called Nihongogo (geddit) where I used to DJ Japanese music. As well as Plus Tech Squeezebox, Pizicatto Five, Puffi Ami Yumi et al, I'd occasionally slip in a Deerhoof track - they just about qualify because their singer, Satomi, is Japanese. Anyway, the great news is that they are coming to Japan to play a few dates. And they've got new material and a new member. If you want to find out details please read my interview with the band's guitarist, John Dieterich for Japan Times. I loved writing this article because I'm such a huge fan.

2008-05-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

Here's my pic of what was on offer at last weekend's desgin festa:

Yukikoi does the most fantabulous 60s-inspired design:

Kim Kangdoo makes postcards...
... that can be transformed into little box creatures with some scissors, glue and a good sharp knife:For some really annoying reason, I can't seem to load up their website but on their meishi it appears as: kangdooman@paran.com

Funppy were selling the cutest t-shirts that come in their very own box for only 500 yen. What an, er, life affirming motto:

And Dali's Art Work made this groovy construction from wooden bricks. Excuse the sideways video!

Erokawa mobile phone strap

2008-05-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Erokawa - the fusion of erotic and kawaii (cute) style - is the current craze sweeping the Japanese female population, according to the Strapya, makers of cell phone straps. Embodying this style with their new sexy lingere range of straps, they explain that the whole concept is dead classy: "To attracted him today, don't show off your bra and shorts as a show girl. Real underwear miniature cell phone straps can support you taking his attention to you..." And here I thought, opening up my barely-covered legs on a crowded commuter train and giving the man of my dreams a pantyshot was the way to his heart, when all along there was a more subtle way to give him an idea of what saucy undies I was wearing.

Free Polysics gig

2008-05-06T23:02:00.001-07:00

The latest Polysics album, 'We ate the machine', just came out on 23 April. I'm a huge fan of their hyper new-wave sound and am bouncing up and down with glee about the fact that they'll be playing a free live date at Tower Records in Shibuya this month on Friday 23, B1F stage 1 starting at 7pm.

Ladies stop titivating yourselves on the train!

2008-05-06T07:39:00.000-07:00

As my grandmother used to say when she caught anyone spending too long in front of a mirror: 'will you stop titivating yourself'. In Japan people have absolutely no shame about doing their make up on the train and gazing at themselves for the entire journey in their sparkly Disney mirror. Hence the above ad campaign which also discourages people from the heinous crimes of sitting on the seat with their legs spread and listening to their iPods with the volume loud.

BTW If anyone has wondered why I've been incredibly lax of late with my blogs, in my defense I've not been on top form due to having contracted sinusitus. Gomen!

Tokusatsu coffee advert

2008-04-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

The above advert for Nescafe appeared on the subway recently in Tokyo. The guy is so amazed by his can of coffee that he doesn't realise there's a fight going on between a big clawed monster and a shiny-footed giant hero. Also there seems to be some kind of alien invasion going on overhead too. I thought the whole point of coffee was to make you more alert.