Tokyo, Japan

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  • 3-yr-old boy, left home alone, falls to death from 11th-floor balcony

    News On Japan
    16 May 2012 | 6:49 am
    A three-year-old boy fell to his death from the balcony of his 11th-floor apartment in Adachi Ward on Tuesday after his parents left him home alone. (Japan Today)

  • CURRENCIES & BONDS / Dollar climbs above 80 yen in Tokyo as euro touches 3 ... - The Daily Yomiuri

    tokyo - Google News
    16 May 2012 | 1:33 pm
    Telegraph.co.ukCURRENCIES & BONDS / Dollar climbs above 80 yen in Tokyo as euro touches 3 The Daily YomiuriThe dollar climbed above 80 yen in Tokyo trading Wednesday, while the euro briefly slumped below 102 yen for the first time in about three months as financially strapped Greece is set to rerun an election. At 5 pm, the dollar stood at 80.37-39 yen, Euro Extends Losses In Asia As Greek Political Concerns ContinueWall Street JournalAsia stocks fall amid political turmoil in GreeceAlbany Times UnionGlobal shares sag as Greek turmoil saps risk appetiteCNBC.comEconomic Times -MSN…

  • APRIL ARTICLE ROUND-UP

    Art Space Tokyo - Tokyo art world news, updates and maps
    ashley@chinmusicpress.com
    30 Apr 2012 | 1:07 pm
    Every month, Art Space Tokyo. offers you a round up of exhibition reviews, interviews, feature articles and news items published on other websites. For up-to-the-minute info on Japanese contemporary art, follow us on Twitter. Reviews • “Breathing Atolls: Japanese Art in the Maldives at the National Art Gallery, Male’ [ArtAsiaPacific] • Lee Bul at the Mori Art Museum [Artforum] • Ken Nakazawa at Ando Gallery [Artscape International] • “How Physical” at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography [Frieze] • Lee Bul at the Mori Art Museum [Japan Times] •…

  • Your Tokyo Travel Journals Are All Here

    Our Tokyo Blog Keeps Is An Easy Way To Keep Track Of What's Going On In Tokyo...
    12 May 2012 | 10:55 am
    Add your Tokyo travel journals and their updates here. This is where you'll find our readers Tokyo blogs about their adventures in Japan...

  • Cesium from Fukushima Spikes in Tokyo Bay

    Tokyo News latest RSS headlines - Big News Network.com
    16 May 2012 | 12:04 pm
    Radioactive cesium measured in samples of silt taken from Tokyo Bay has increased to 1.5-13 times the amount detected in similar samples last August, according to a survey conducted by Kinki ...
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    tokyo - Google News

  • CURRENCIES & BONDS / Dollar climbs above 80 yen in Tokyo as euro touches 3 ... - The Daily Yomiuri

    16 May 2012 | 1:33 pm
    Telegraph.co.ukCURRENCIES & BONDS / Dollar climbs above 80 yen in Tokyo as euro touches 3 The Daily YomiuriThe dollar climbed above 80 yen in Tokyo trading Wednesday, while the euro briefly slumped below 102 yen for the first time in about three months as financially strapped Greece is set to rerun an election. At 5 pm, the dollar stood at 80.37-39 yen, Euro Extends Losses In Asia As Greek Political Concerns ContinueWall Street JournalAsia stocks fall amid political turmoil in GreeceAlbany Times UnionGlobal shares sag as Greek turmoil saps risk appetiteCNBC.comEconomic Times -MSN…

  • K-1 Parent Company FEG Declares Bankruptcy in Tokyo Court - Sherdog.com

    16 May 2012 | 11:36 am
    K-1 Parent Company FEG Declares Bankruptcy in Tokyo CourtSherdog.comBy Tony Loiseleur May 16, 2012 TOKYO -- Long-beleaguered combat sports giant Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG) has officially declared bankruptcy, according to a report by private credit research firm Teikoku Databank. First published Wednesday by and more »

  • Tokyo Power cuts Wheatstone stake - The Australian

    16 May 2012 | 9:13 am
    BigPond NewsTokyo Power cuts Wheatstone stakeThe AustralianTROUBLED Japanese utility Tokyo Electric Power has radically scaled back its plan to invest in the $29 billion Wheatstone gas project in Western Australia in the wake of last year's tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima nuclear plant and almost wiped Tepco in Talks With Japan Firms to Buy Chevron LNG Project StakeBloombergJapan firms, Tepco eye $4.4 billion stake in Australia LNG projectReutersJapan's Tepco, Mitsubishi To Buy 10% Stake In Chevron Natural Gas FieldInternational Business TimesThe Daily Yomiuri -Business…

  • Japanese lesbian can't wait for Disneyland "wedding" - Reuters

    16 May 2012 | 8:01 am
    AFPJapanese lesbian can't wait for Disneyland "wedding"ReutersBy Olivier Fabre | TOKYO (Reuters) - Like many Japanese women, Koyuki Higashi adores Tokyo Disneyland. So it was only natural that she would want to hold her wedding there, as many other couples have done. "My partner and I just love going to Tokyo Disney goes gayDeath and TaxesTokyo Disneyland Allows Gay Marriage CeremoniesEscapist MagazineDisney Gay Weddings: Same-Sex Couples Allowed To Hold Ceremonies At Tokyo DisneyHuffington PostGlobalPost (blog)all 53 news articles »

  • Honda floats new form of personal transport - Fox News

    16 May 2012 | 7:27 am
    CBS NewsHonda floats new form of personal transportFox NewsTOKYO -- Honda Motor Co. unveiled its latest electric vehicle Tuesday, but it is unlike any of the cars and motorcycles the company is best known for. Rather, the UNI-CUB single-seat, unicycle-like vehicle looks something like a vacuum cleaner with a Honda Announces New UNI-CUB Personal Mobility Device Designed for Harmony With MarketWatch (press release)Honda robotics delivers easy, hands-free scooting by shifting body weightWashington PostHonda shows robotics for handsfree unicycleBoston.comall 161 news articles »
 
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    News On Japan

  • 3-yr-old boy, left home alone, falls to death from 11th-floor balcony

    16 May 2012 | 6:49 am
    A three-year-old boy fell to his death from the balcony of his 11th-floor apartment in Adachi Ward on Tuesday after his parents left him home alone. (Japan Today)

  • Okada bets to win with fine dining and casinos

    16 May 2012 | 6:47 am
    Kazuo Okada, the Japanese billionaire engaged in a fierce legal battle with Las Vegas casino tycoon Steve Wynn, is diversifying his pachinko company with a string of his own restaurants and is negotiating to build a casino resort in South Korea. (Reuters)

  • China, Japan, US to witness 'ring' solar eclipse

    16 May 2012 | 6:45 am
    At sunrise in some parts of China and Japan and by sunset in the western United States, a partial solar eclipse is set to slink across a narrow swath of the Earth on May 20 and 21. (AFP)

  • BOJ misses JGB buying target for first time

    16 May 2012 | 6:44 am
    The Bank of Japan fell short of its target for buying government bonds on Wednesday for the first time since introducing an asset-buying scheme in 2010, the latest sign it is pumping more cash than markets can swallow. (Reuters)

  • Japan trading houses target assets to meet catalyst demand

    16 May 2012 | 6:44 am
    Japan's trading houses are targeting deals to secure platinum and palladium supplies to meet expected shortages later this decade, when tighter rules on auto pollutants and higher car sales boost demand for the metals used in autocatalysts. (Reuters)
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    Art Space Tokyo - Tokyo art world news, updates and maps

  • APRIL ARTICLE ROUND-UP

    ashley@chinmusicpress.com
    30 Apr 2012 | 1:07 pm
    Every month, Art Space Tokyo. offers you a round up of exhibition reviews, interviews, feature articles and news items published on other websites. For up-to-the-minute info on Japanese contemporary art, follow us on Twitter. Reviews • “Breathing Atolls: Japanese Art in the Maldives at the National Art Gallery, Male’ [ArtAsiaPacific] • Lee Bul at the Mori Art Museum [Artforum] • Ken Nakazawa at Ando Gallery [Artscape International] • “How Physical” at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography [Frieze] • Lee Bul at the Mori Art Museum [Japan Times] •…

  • MARCH ARTICLE ROUND-UP

    ashley@chinmusicpress.com
    9 Apr 2012 | 9:18 am
    Every month, Art Space Tokyo offers you a round up of exhibition reviews, interviews, feature articles and news items published on other websites. For up-to-the-minute info on Japanese contemporary art, follow us on Twitter. Reviews • “Requiem for the Sun: The Art of Mono-ha” [Artforum] • Chim↑Pom at Project Fulfill Art Space [Artforum] • “Requiem for the Sun: The Art of Mono-ha” [Artnet] • Yayoi Kusama at the National Museum of Art, Osaka [Artscape International] • “Cosmic Travelers – Toward the Unknown” at Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo…

  • FEBRUARY ARTICLE ROUND-UP

    ashley@chinmusicpress.com
    17 Mar 2012 | 6:55 am
    Every month, Art Space Tokyo offers you a round up of exhibition reviews, interviews, feature articles and news items published on other websites. For up-to-the-minute info on Japanese contemporary art, follow us on Twitter. Reviews • “Requiem for the Sun: The Art of Mono-ha” [Adrian Favell’s blog on ART iT] • Noriyuki Haraguchi at McCaffrey Fine Art [Artforum] • Yasumasa Morimura at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art [Artscape International] • “Global Ends: Towards the Beginning” at Gallery Ma [Artscape International] • Fumio Nambata at Tokyo Opera…

  • JANUARY ARTICLE ROUND-UP

    ashley@chinmusicpress.com
    11 Feb 2012 | 12:00 pm
    Every month, Art Space Tokyo offers you a round up of exhibition reviews, interviews, feature articles and news items published on other websites. For up-to-the-minute info on Japanese contemporary art, follow us on Twitter. Reviews • The Louvre DNP Museum Lab at the DNP Gotanda Building [Artscape International] • Mirei Shigemori at the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art [Artscape International] • Takashi Homma at Blind Gallery [Artscape International] • Fuyuko Matsui at Yokohama Museum of Art [Japan Times] • On Kawara at David Zwirner Gallery [Spoon & Tamago] •…

  • Ten Best Galleries and Works of Architecture on The Guardian

    ashley@chinmusicpress.com
    1 Feb 2012 | 5:40 am
    The Guardian has just launched its Tokyo City Guide, a fantastic interactive look at the city that includes recommendations for the best restaurants, hotels, bars, and clubs. Their summary of typical salaryman hangouts is a great alternative look at life in Tokyo. I was asked to contribute my ten favorite galleries and museums, and my ten favorite architectural highlights. All of these locations are marked on a Google map of the city that you can play with here. The top ten galleries and works of architecture also have their own separate pages if you want to read them without having to click…
 
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    Tokyo News latest RSS headlines - Big News Network.com

  • Cesium from Fukushima Spikes in Tokyo Bay

    16 May 2012 | 12:04 pm
    Radioactive cesium measured in samples of silt taken from Tokyo Bay has increased to 1.5-13 times the amount detected in similar samples last August, according to a survey conducted by Kinki ...

  • Japan's Interest in Wii U, Vita Declines

    16 May 2012 | 11:47 am
    Fewer than 8 percent of Japanese consumers want to buy a PlayStation Vita or a Wii U , according to a recent survey conducted by online firm Goo Research. This is the third such survey in a row to ...

  • There is trouble on Kafka's shore

    16 May 2012 | 11:43 am
    It's a cat's life: Katsumi Kiba as Nakata in "Umibe no Kafka (Kafka on the Shore)," directed by Yukio Ninagawa, now showing at the Saitama Arts ...

  • Let international tribunal decide

    16 May 2012 | 11:43 am
    The ongoing ruckus between Manila and Beijing over Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea exposes China's penchant for bullying and contempt for international law. This gives other countries ...

  • Works by 171 Contemporary Illustrators of Japan"

    16 May 2012 | 11:43 am
    With contributions by 171 artists from the Tokyo Illustrators Society, this exhibition showcases works under the general theme of "food," spanning a wide range of subjects that include ...
 
 
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    Tokyo, Japan News

  • Transparent House

    16 May 2012 | 10:31 am
    A house in Tokyo, Japan, by Sou Fujimoto Architects stands out because it's completely transparent, made from a plastic frame, some transparent panels, and lots of open space.

  • Daikoku Denki Co. Ltd. (6430) - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis ...

    16 May 2012 | 9:27 am
    Ltd. - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review - a new company profile report on companiesandmarkets.com Daikoku Denki Co.

  • NASA says Solar Eclipse this Weekend is something to see

    16 May 2012 | 5:22 am
    Hundreds of millions of people will be able to witness the event. The eclipse zone stretches from southeast Asia across the Pacific Ocean to western parts of North America.

  • Game Plan Japan News Report 05.16.12

    16 May 2012 | 2:22 am
    Game Plan Japan News Report 05.16.12 Posted by Ernest Lin on 05.16.2012 Keiji Inafune's new PS Vita game Soul Sacrifice revealed, two new Tales games on the way, Taiko Drum Master 3DS getting guest characters, new iOS game Kotomon from Rez and Child of Eden veterans, Usagi Drop rolling into Katamari, & more! Konnichiwa and welcome to another Game ... (more)

  • The Rig Out "Dept of Small Works" Editorial

    15 May 2012 | 10:22 pm
    The Rig Out 's latest editorial again focuses on life and work in Tokyo, Japan, with "The Department of Small Works". Featuring A photography from Antony Crook and styling by Glenn Kitson,A The Rig Out 's Dan Doyle and James BowthorpeA interview local craftsmen and artisans in their places of work,A "documenting this aspect of Japanese culture - ... (more)
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    Tokyo News latest RSS headlines - The Tokyo News.Net

  • Cesium from Fukushima Spikes in Tokyo Bay

    16 May 2012 | 12:04 pm
    Radioactive cesium measured in samples of silt taken from Tokyo Bay has increased to 1.5-13 times the amount detected in similar samples last August, according to a survey conducted by Kinki ...

  • Japan's Interest in Wii U, Vita Declines

    16 May 2012 | 11:47 am
    Fewer than 8 percent of Japanese consumers want to buy a PlayStation Vita or a Wii U , according to a recent survey conducted by online firm Goo Research. This is the third such survey in a row to ...

  • There is trouble on Kafka's shore

    16 May 2012 | 11:43 am
    It's a cat's life: Katsumi Kiba as Nakata in "Umibe no Kafka (Kafka on the Shore)," directed by Yukio Ninagawa, now showing at the Saitama Arts ...

  • Let international tribunal decide

    16 May 2012 | 11:43 am
    The ongoing ruckus between Manila and Beijing over Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea exposes China's penchant for bullying and contempt for international law. This gives other countries ...

  • Works by 171 Contemporary Illustrators of Japan"

    16 May 2012 | 11:43 am
    With contributions by 171 artists from the Tokyo Illustrators Society, this exhibition showcases works under the general theme of "food," spanning a wide range of subjects that include ...
 
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    Michael John Grist

  • Korean Story BOX

    MJG
    25 Apr 2012 | 10:13 am
    My wife Su Young Lee (we got married last month) has just published her first book. It is pretty unlikely the audience of this blog will read it, but it’s still such a great accomplishment that I can’t not crow...

  • The Bells of Subsidence @ Clarkesworld

    MJG
    1 Mar 2012 | 8:45 pm
    My story The Bells of Subsidence is published this month in the professional magazine Clarkesworld. I really hope you’ll take the time to go read it- it’s one of my favorite stories and I’m so pleased Clarkesworld is giving it...

  • Why did ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’ fail?

    MJG
    26 Feb 2012 | 9:34 am
    I went into this movie with a great deal of anticipation after being wowed by the trailer; a lean and emotionally charged montage of a young boy’s epic journey around New York, set to the pulse-thumping, heart-string twanging strains of...

  • Why did Orson Scott Card’s ‘Pathfinder’ fail?

    MJG
    10 Feb 2012 | 6:53 pm
    Orson Scott Card’s books vary enormously in quality- when he’s good he’s genius; tying intricate plotting with fascinating inner monologues, cumulative story development, and a real sense of threat (a la Pastwatch, early Alvin Maker, early Ender and Bean), but...

  • Why did Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 fail at the end?

    MJG
    7 Feb 2012 | 8:43 am
    For years now I’ve been waiting to read Haruki Murakami’s latest magnum opus 1Q84. It was released in Japan two years ago, it came out in Korean a year back (when SY read it), and now it’s finally come out...
 
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    Jacked-in || Movie Reviews - Florida Japan Photography - Spontaneous Prose

  • THE AVENGERS [2012] movie review

    Jason Collin
    5 May 2012 | 12:45 am
    Now about an hour after seeing THE AVENGERS I cannot say I feel any real emotion about the movie.  In bringing all the Marvel heroes together, something building over the course of several movies, I cannot say it lived up to expectations.  It was an entertaining movie for the most part, but a very unexpected one as well. One comment about the movie I read is sticking in my mind, there was nothing at stake in the movie that the viewer cared about.  Of course according to the story the entire fate of the Earth was at stake, but the threat was not focused, not deadly enough to make me ever…

  • IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT [1967] movie review

    Jason Collin
    22 Apr 2012 | 10:42 pm
    A rare Sunday night movie viewing continued my civil rights marathon with the excellent IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT.  I really liked this movie that was as much quirky as it was serious about race relations in Mississippi in the 1960s. The world of the 1960s in Mississippi really is hard to believe.  Just forty years ago you could assault and murder other people basically in public in police presence with no consequence.  I found that people were willing to talk about their involvement in a murder case without a lawyer present shocking, now being so well versed in how arrests and things go…

  • MISSISSIPPI BURNING [1988] movie review

    Jason Collin
    21 Apr 2012 | 11:28 pm
    I like to watch mini to large marathons of similar movies.  For a couple of years I have been watching westerns, last year I started film noir, and tonight continued a new theme started this year on civil rights movies by watching MISSISSIPPI BURNING.  This movie was yet another from my long held mental movie queue.  The title when I first heard it long ago made an immediate impression. Now finally watching the movie, even though it was rated R, it felt somewhat muted, at least in comparison to just watching AMERICAN HISTORY X last night.  It was easy to tell the good guys from the bad…

  • AMERICAN HISTORY X [1998] movie review

    Jason Collin
    20 Apr 2012 | 10:18 pm
    I had been wanting to watch AMERICAN HISTORY X for a number of years and finally, all of a sudden, watched it tonight.  It was perhaps the movie that had been in the back of my mind to watch for the longest time of any other movie in that mental queue.  I was no doubt motivated to watch it by current events happening here in Florida on race and violence.  After seeing Edward Norton’s intense performance and the powerful story telling I immediately looked up debut director Tony Kaye’s other movies, which surprisingly were of no note at all. Norton’s character is introduced…
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    Black Tokyo

  • Japanese Consulate San Francisco Vice Consul Charged with Assualt and 14 Counts of Domestic Violence

    Zurui
    8 May 2012 | 7:58 pm
    An interesting turn of events that should test the diplomatic will of Japan and the  application of domestic and international law. The LA TImes reports: “A Japanese consulate official faces felony charges after San Mateo County ...

  • Black Professionals Business Seminar and Cocktail Hour – May 2012

    Zurui
    6 May 2012 | 6:31 pm
    It’s time for another round of networking and enjoyment with the Tokyo Black Professionals. Here is the latest from Henry Moreland Seals: Hey Everyone! I hope you’re enjoying your Golden Week. However, even if you’re not, hopefully ...

  • Niggas and Japs by Dex Digital

    Zurui
    6 May 2012 | 5:23 pm
    Keeping with my Golden Week theme of bringing you a myriad of stories on blackness in Japan, Dex Digital [@dexdigi on Twitter] brings us “Niggas and Japs - Race, Identity, and the Right Wing in Japanese Hip-Hop” ...

  • Onmugen: Spring Head Nod 2012 – The Return of J-Hip-Hop

    Zurui
    6 May 2012 | 3:13 pm
    Here is some more music for your Golden Week pleasure. Onmugen [@onmugen on Twitter] describes this as a mix of some of the dopest hip-hop from Japan. As one of his friends puts it, ”this joint ...

  • Blackness in Flux in Japan

    Zurui
    6 May 2012 | 11:30 am
    I had the pleasure of co-presenting at the University of California – Berkeley’s Center for Race & Gender with Grits and Sushi blogger and Ph.D candidate, Ms. Mitzi Uehara Carter, and scholar and Water Children blogger, ...
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    Tokyo Blog, Tokyo Story

  • Mobile Phone Signal Coming to Tokyo Metro

    Stephen
    16 May 2012 | 2:02 am
    Like most underground railway systems in the world, on the Tokyo Metro you can often use your phone at the stations along the way, but you can’t use them in the tunnels in between stations. Well all this is slowly set to change by the looks of things as the 3 main mobile phone providers, Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank have announced they are going to gradually introduce service to the tunnels. It’s still a no-no to talk on the phone while on the train but it’s going to make it a lot nicer for browsing the web and using apps that require connection to the internet. It’s…

  • Katsuhiro Otomo / AKIRA Exhibition – Gengaten

    Stephen
    22 Apr 2012 | 7:57 am
    For me this must be the exhibition of the century: a 3,000 piece gallery display of the work of Katsuhiro Otomo, creator of the legendary AKIRA manga and, of course, animated adaptation. Also on display will be Kaneda’s famous red bike, and I’ve heard they even let you sit on it! The red jacket is also available, and you can wear it too apparently. Included in the exhibition are ALL of the original pages and drawings that were used to create the whole manga series of books, some 2,300 of them. The exhibition is being held at 3331 Arts Chiyoda which is a gallery converted from a…

  • Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

    Stephen
    22 Apr 2012 | 7:25 am
    Here’s the music video for a new Japanese artist I recently discovered. Someone recommended this one to me and after checking it out on YouTube I noticed that it seemed to have gone viral with a lot of people in the west sharing it because of it’s crazy visuals and its Harajuku Kawaisa / Decora elements. The song is produced by Yasutaka Nakata who also does Perfume’s stuff.

  • Tokyo Sky Tree Construction Completed

    Stephen
    30 Mar 2012 | 12:07 am
    Construction of Tokyo’s new tower, Tokyo Sky Tree, has officially been completed as of February 29th according to the company in charge of the project Obayashi Corp. It has now been handed over to TOBU Tower Sky Tree Co. who will finish fitting out the interior in time for its opening on 22nd May 2012. You can already pre-order tickets, and when I say can I mean it’s theoretically possible, but I wish anybody luck getting their hands on them as demand is predicted to be very high. Completion of the tower puts it as the tallest tower in the world, topping the Canton Tower in…

  • SonarSound Tokyo 2012′s Superb Lineup

    Stephen
    29 Mar 2012 | 11:52 pm
    This year’s SonarSound Tokyo 2012 sports the most unmissable lineup ever: Squarepusher, Clark, Global Communication, The Cinematic Orchestra, Vincent Gallo, Mount Kimbie, Rustie, Hudson Mohawke and way more(!). It takes place on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of April and a one day ticket will set you back ¥7,750 in advance and ¥8,500 on the day and the two day ticket costs ¥14,500. Regardless of cost, this is surely a must-go-to event for any electronic music fan. I’ll certainly be there as it’s my birthday on the 24th! I’ll be here both days, and then off to relax…
 
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    Little Gaijin in the Big City

  • Four terrifying things that will happen while visiting Japan

    3 May 2012 | 3:17 am
    Hello dear readers! I've gotten really addicted to Cracked.com articles, and have found they're educational AND entertaining. Damn it, someone is sneaking knowledge into my brain, without my permission? Inconceivable! Well, a few weeks ago my sister and her six foot tall boyfriend Alex visited, and it was a pleasure showing them around. More of a pleasure for me, as I got to show them some... interesting things... and naturally, thanks to my good-hearted nature, smirk and feel superior when they squirmed in discomfort. So, here we go, in true Cracked.com style, in no particular order, a short…

  • My grown-up friends

    19 Mar 2012 | 12:58 am
    Last month sometime I turned 30, which is the impossible age you think you're never going to hit when you're in your teens and early twenties. You *know*, theoretically, that other people in the past *have* turned that age, but by the time you reach it you imagine that by then, some combination of science and/or magic will have evolved to make it so you *personally* will not have to. Alas, science and wizardry has not progressed to that point for me. I'm dissapointed in you overall, you owners of lab-coats and magic robes, but I'm still holding out for you to come though before I reach my…

  • 9 Mar 2012 | 11:58 pm

    9 Mar 2012 | 11:58 pm
    Hello dear readers, Sorry I didn't blog in February. I meant to do a big exlusive blog on what it was like at Comiket, the largest self-publishing comic convention in Japan, and possibly the world... but that sounds like a lot of work, so you'll just have to make do with the mini version.;) I had the immense good fortune to share a booth with my friend Darold and sell a printed version of Gemini (pages 1 - 55) at the convention! It was crazy and fun, and I had the pleasure of seeing a lot of familiar faces, coming out to support me! Support me and... crossdress, because apparently that is…

  • Happy year of the dragon!

    11 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am
    Happy New Year! 2012 is, as well as being a leap year, and possibly the doomsday year (like it is almost every year may I add. I am personally looking forward to Year 2038 myself.)... achem. 2012 is the year of the Dragon! Which may possibly be the coolest zodiac animal ever...Except for the Dog of course. (no guesses as to which year this blogger was born in). the above photo is of various new years themed docorations, including a little dragon charm I got at a shrine. I think I'm going to start collecting all of the animals. What, don't look at me like that, I will most likely still be…

  • iPhones overtaking the Galapagos

    19 Dec 2011 | 1:38 am
    It wasn't that long ago that Japanese cell phones were considered the most advanced in the world. They were developed by, and for, Japanese users, with functions that were so intrinsically linked to Japanese culture that the makers somehow didn't bother to export to other countries. (e-mojis anyone?) Back about seven years ago when I was an exchange student, most american cell phones were black and white, and the most advanced feature on them was a melody for a ring-tone (ok, there were PDAs but they were terrifically expensive). And yet, as documented by yours truly, even way back then my…
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    Somedays

  • In-instagrammed

    SomedaysSarah
    16 May 2012 | 4:31 am
    In fairness I should have posted the originals, or at least admitted to having instagrammed the photos...

  • Wordless Wednesday - Rose in Bloom

    SomedaysSarah
    15 May 2012 | 6:29 pm

  • Just say... NO!

    SomedaysSarah
    15 May 2012 | 9:43 am
    Last week I was feeling rather overwhelmed - there were just too many things on my plate, I didn't feel like I was doing any of them better than half-assed, and the things most important to me weren't getting done at all. But didn't I just get back from a few wonderful days in Nagano? Yes, yes, I did! But maybe that is the problem! (go-gatsu byo, or "May sickness," it isn't just me!) Then on Saturday, when I was tying up one of the things on my plate, and beginning to look forward to a free Saturday next week to (gasp!) actually go and visit a museum (it has been way too long) instead of…

  • TILT

    SomedaysSarah
    10 May 2012 | 7:53 pm
    The shock to my system of having to get up early every morning and commute to work combined with the tail end of my cold, U working late every night this week, and just far too many things on my plate has me rather grumpy. But there are plenty of things to smile about too, when I make myself remember them! Things I'm loving this Thursday: - laughing with coworkers - May flowers! - the fact that just about any verb in Japanese can be turned from something you do to something done to you (see below!) - one of the school boys we pass every morning on the way to the station randomly saying good…

  • Wordless Wednesday - flowers

    SomedaysSarah
    8 May 2012 | 9:22 am
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    collecting leaves

  • 24 Apr 2012 | 3:32 am

    24 Apr 2012 | 3:32 am
    homesettling into a new season, a new rhythm, we watch as the trees empty themselves of summer's greenery. the sky deepens and the air chills as it swirls its way around our ankles. the cool, sticky feel of wet leaves is everywhere. and winter is nearing.they all fall down

  • 10 Apr 2012 | 4:18 am

    10 Apr 2012 | 4:18 am
    unsettledwe lost our three sweet girls to a fox last night. we are utterly heartbroken. we loved them so much, but the boys were particularly fond of them. in between tears and hugs we have been sharing our funniest chook stories. everyone has a personal favorite. we know eventually we'll move on and adopt a new brood because we're convinced they are the perfect family friends/pets, but for now we'll continue to share stories and lavish the family bunny with heaps of love and cuddles.j and e with rosie, daisy and bluebelle

  • 30 Mar 2012 | 12:01 am

    30 Mar 2012 | 12:01 am
    reality checkwell, it's been awhile again, hasn't it. i know i've promised to come around more often, but i've been so content just watching my children grow. it's a simple thing, i know, but powerful nonetheless, when you witness your little lads maturing, finding and growing into themselves day after day. twice the other day i overheard my youngest son telling his older brother, " {sigh} life is so good, isn't it." to which big brother responded, yep. and that's all i need. to know that they are happy. that they enjoy this little life we live together. when i look at you i see god

  • 12 Mar 2012 | 8:06 am

    12 Mar 2012 | 8:06 am
    today--a running list- made the boys their favorite breakfast, pasta served up with fresh, crushed herbs from the garden, a glug of olive oil and a pinch of salt. i was their queen :) at least during breakfast- lost count of all the animal graves in the garden as we buried a rainbow lorikeet found by e first thing this morning- toiled away quietly in the garden while enjoying some much needed 'me' time- listened in as j & e engaged in some truly wacky, zombie filled, imaginary fun- found the sweetest clutch of snail eggs, about 20 of them, while moving soil…

  • 7 Mar 2012 | 8:51 pm

    7 Mar 2012 | 8:51 pm
    9a few days ago we celebrated this little guy and the nine years that he has been with us. wow! nine! it's hard to believe at times, but here's the proof. we had two days of celebrations with lots of food, friends, family, bubbles, play, fun....birthdays are too good to be over in just a day. you need 2, at least, to do it properly. as usual he ended the day in style with a bubble bath accompanied by his 2 best friends in the whole world, his little brother e and sweet friend w. oh yes, and there was a sleep over...which didn't really consist of too much sleep:)happy birthday,…
 
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    watashi to tokyo

  • CLATAS, it's a real robot, you can ride!

    Mari Kanazawa
    16 May 2012 | 7:46 am
    I picked this guy two times "monkey farm". He is a multi creator, he made anything by himself, dome house, fiat tunk, beautiful arts etc,. yes great guy. He made Gundam like robot "Scopedog" before, and it became hot in the internet , actually great job but it was just robot object, it didn't move. Then finally he is making real ROBOT, it has cockpit like Gundam and can move. Here is the video, the robot is named "CLATAS". CLATAS can move in sychronization of pilot's movement. CLATAS has a Lohas launcher, it is named Lohas coz missle never hit a target.

  • You can be a virtual pilot of Life-Size Gundam!

    Mari Kanazawa
    11 May 2012 | 8:20 pm
    Yahoo! Japan is currently having an auction for someone to have his image projected from the cockpit section of the life-size Gundam at new amusement park "Gundam Front Tokyo" at Diver City Tokyo in Odaiba. The auction opened on Thursday with a starting bid of 1 yen (US$0.01), currently has a bid of 700,000 yen. We are watching how is going on auction now.

  • ZAKU tofu

    Mari Kanazawa
    16 Apr 2012 | 9:21 am
    Tofu company started to sell ZAKU(Gundam) tofu. It is made from Edamame and packec ZAKU head package, here is the official site. We knew this is just cheesy products and the unfomous tofu company want to make topic, but still poor Japanese Gundam fans had to be hooked, now I can see various type of ZAKU head products with using ZAKU head package. ZAKU jelly, ZAKU pudding, ZAKU cakes etc,. Yes we are really Gundam addicted. I like this Char special strawberry pudding.

  • Very easy way to cook Chawanmushi.

    Mari Kanazawa
    15 Apr 2012 | 8:46 am
    Do you know Chawanmushi? It's a kind of pudding but not sweet, Japanese love Chawanmushi but it's a little bit troublesome to cook. But I found very easy and interesting way to cook it. What you need it a cup noodle (seafood taste is good) and a egg. Eat cup noodle first in regular way and put a egg into soup, stir and put it in microwave. 3 minutes is fine. visual is not so great but people said taste is fine! Add to your Japanese food recipe!

  • Tokyo Okashi Land

    Mari Kanazawa
    15 Apr 2012 | 8:21 am
    I wrote about calbee antenna shop before, it's a nice place for snack lovers but there is more in Tokyo Station! Tokyo Okashi Land is the great place where you can enjoy Japanese big three snack makers Calbee, Grico(pocky), Morinaga( I looooooooove choco frake)'s special and limited snack. Freshly fried potato chips with choco or cheese sauce in Calbee, fresly coocked chocolate almond in Grico etc,. Love this, I need to rush to go.
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    Ramen Tokyo

  • Hong Kong Ramen #1

    13 May 2012 | 5:03 pm
    Although I know much less about ramen in HK then I do about ramen in Japan, I have started to go to ramen shops frequently enough on my trips to HK over the last few years to see that:1 - a small ramen culture is starting to appear (in a city that is well-known for food and devotion to it)2 - more ramen shops are appearing, some due to the Japanese influence (every time I go to HK I swear I see more Japanese signage and shops)3 - the quality of them appears to be increasingAs of today I have been to:Yokozuna (Mongkok)Santouka (TST)KakuregaButao (Causeway Bay)Hide-Chanseveral places in the…

  • Kamakura/Ebisu神座/恵比寿

    13 May 2012 | 4:38 pm
      Chotto hisashiburi dessho ka. Although I have not posted very frequently since leaving Japan, I stil keep in touch occasionally with my former ramen comrades in and outside of work. WHen they send me notable ramen information, I will post it as appropriate.Although easy to understand visually, this use of the "kamakura" compound is a very odd kanji compound that does not appear right away in many dictionaries. It is not the same as the town of the same name (the one with the Big Buddha). This article is about the newly-opened (April 2012) branch of Kamakura ramen. This is one of a…

  • Futaba/Kamiogi二葉/上荻

    22 Jan 2012 | 6:48 pm
     Futaba (two leaves) had a wait outside on a cold day of about 20 minutes. It was very hold, humid and cramped inside though. Both the shop and the bowl were jam packed, one with closely-seated customers that took up the 9 seats shoulder-to-shoulder, another with soup components that included cabbage and onions, and a well blended but clearerand still fatty broth. Be sure to read the various notes on the sign, or have someone read them for you. I had the Ramen Jiro look-alike dish and it was fairly good. There are two shops in this chain, less than a quarter-mile straight line distance…

  • Tenkoo/Mita天空/三田

    2 Jan 2012 | 6:54 pm
      Well if you are going to go to this place you might as well go to the Ramen Jiro honten. Lots of space, lots of aluminum. Shio tsukemen. Decently-ranked.Google MapsShop Home Page

  • MenDokoro Okaji/Jinbocho麺処 おかじ/神保町

    2 Jan 2012 | 12:57 pm
     Mendokoro Okaji has several types of ramen but the kind that I recommend going for is their sort of version of tori pai tan, rich chicken broth with either a chicken patty or pork slab (sometimes with bones) in it. Tori pai tan (see here) is a slightly creamier version of chicken broth, sort of the chicken version of tonkotsu. This place had a good version, they tried to be all artistic with the garnish and the lemon. They had the usual set of instructions pasted to the counter on when to add the lemon etc. Took them quite a while to fry up the chicken thing though, and they were a bit…
 
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    Japan Visitor Blog - Tokyo Osaka Nagoya Kyoto

  • Owarai Japanese TV comedy

    16 May 2012 | 10:01 am
    おわらい　お笑いThe Japanese are very fond of their comedians, and the most famous in modern times are called owarai (literally “honorable laughs”), which is a pair, usually of men, one of whom is the tsukkomi (i.e. the “straight” one) and the other the boke (bokeh) (i.e. the “fool”). Owarai began with the birth of television in Japan, but this typical pairing is based on the much older comic art form of manzai, based in the Kansai region (i.e., in the west of Honshu, primarily Osaka).Owarai is typically very fast-paced and based on a number of devices. These include…

  • MK Taxi

    15 May 2012 | 10:01 am
    ＭＫタクシーKyoto-based MK Taxi is a cut-price Japanese taxi company that has spread from its roots in Kansai to operate in a number of other Japanese towns and cities including Nagoya, Fukuoka, Kobe, Osaka, Tokyo, Otsu in Shiga and Sapporo.MK even has a service in LA out of LAX and also in Shanghai, China. MK was started by a Zainichi Korean businessman and quickly became very popular and distinctive with its cheaper prices, black cabs modelled on the color of London taxis, free Wi-fi inside the taxi and the heart-shaped roof sign. MK Taxi prices generally undercut the opposition on…

  • Excellent Chinese restaurant in Asakusabashi Tokyo

    14 May 2012 | 10:01 am
    中国料理 馥香 フーシャン Asakusabashi in Tokyo's Taito ward is an area just south of the more famous temple and market district of Asakusa. Asakusabashi is between the electronics and games district of Akihabara and the sumo district of Ryogoku.Fu Xiang Chinese Restaurant, Asakusabashi, on Edo-doriAsakusabashi is best known for its traditional Asakusabashi doll shops and fireworks stores, as well as shops selling koinobori carp streamers. Asakusabashi also has a lot of clothing accessory businesses such as leatherwork shops, button shops, bead shops, and the like.Around…

  • Queuing for food in Tokyo Japan

    13 May 2012 | 10:01 am
    食事のための行列Queue for a restaurant, Shibuya Mark City, TokyoAnyone who knows anything about Japan will know that it is a nation of foodies. Anything gourmet-related in Japan is bound to excite interest, and it would be very unusual indeed if you were to flick through the TV channels and not find at least a couple of scenes of people chowing down on something and exclaiming "Oishii!" ("Delicious!").The Japanese preoccupation with food means that people are willing to put up with a lot in order to get their teeth into something new and that promises to be good - as evidenced by the…

  • Japan News This Week 13 January 2012

    12 May 2012 | 11:54 am
    今週の日本Comfort Women’ Controversy Comes to New YorkNew York TimesJapan to take control of Tepco in return for bailout BBCSony posts record annual loss Guardian'Population clock' forecasts no children after year 3011Japan Times松下2011财年净亏损创新高CaijingAutocrítica atómicaEl PaisAfter The Media Has Gone: Fukushima, Suicide and the Legacy of 3.11 Japan FocusJapan's swimmers to defy altitude fearsYahoo SportsLast Week's Japan NewsStatisticsIn 2010, Japan's Neonatal mortality rate was the lowest in the world.Source: UNICEF © JapanVisitorBook a hotel in Japan with…
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    Japan Photo Guide

  • Discounts on Japan Tours and Tokyo Portrait Sessions in the Summer of 2012

    babibubebo
    10 May 2012 | 4:52 pm
    Traveling to Japan this summer? So am I! Mostly for personal reasons, so if you are considering hiring a tour guide, whether you are interested in photography, food, or just a general tour of Japan, take a look at how I can help you make the most of your experience in Japan. Since I am going either way, whether you want a portrait session in Kyoto, or help navigating the super megapolis that is Tokyo, discounted rates are available! Just contact me using the form on japanphotoguide.com and we will get the ball rolling. While I do have some flexibility, since I am going for vacation, I am only…

  • Fill out a bracket, help firemen in Japan!

    babibubebo
    14 Mar 2012 | 7:24 am
    Once again it is time for March Madness in the USA and once again there is bracket pool for those interesting in helping Japan.  This year, you can also enter by sharing and donating to another cause if you wish.  Don’t care about NCAA basketball or not in a position to donate?  You can still help out by  joining the cause and spreading the word!  Thank you!

  • Last Chance for 2012 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan

    babibubebo
    13 Jan 2012 | 1:08 pm
    Still considering going to Japan for the 2012 cherry blossom season?  There are still a few places available for Japan Photo Guide’s 2012 Cherry Blossom Tour of Japan!  The deadline, February 11th, 2012, is coming up quickly and there are special discounts by booking your guided tour of Japan before the end of January!  Need more information?  Here is some info and links to help you make your decision about going to Japan this spring!

  • 2012 Cherry Blossom Photo Tour of Japan

    babibubebo
    2 Dec 2011 | 11:51 am
      Japan Photo Guide has just announced a tour and travel experience for Japan during the 2012 cherry blossom season! The 2012 cherry blossom forecast hasn’t been released yet, but the details of small group tour to Japan are available.  What makes this tour special is the fact you get to travel around Japan with 2 guides, one a professional photographer and the other a Japanese tour guide.  Both of which have extensive travel experience and have lived in Japan.  While the tour is designed for photographers, spouses and friends that aren’t photographers are welcome to…

  • Your Prayers Aren’t Enough, Please Help Japan

    babibubebo
    14 Apr 2011 | 10:00 am
    This is an excerpt taken from my professional photography blog. The full post on why I believe that only your prayers are not enough to help Japan is here. Please take 5 minutes to watch this video before reading my post, make sure to watch to they very end:     It’s been more than a month now since the tsunami destroyed the lives and washed away entire cities in literally a matter of minutes.  As somebody with a personal connection to Japan and directly with Miyagi, Japan, I’m still heartbroken and I am not sure if I will ever really get over this.  What I am…
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    JeanSnow.net

  • From PechaKucha to PauseTalk

    Jean Snow
    12 May 2012 | 8:53 am
    For me, this weekend is truly one where two of my worlds collide. Last night I had a special PechaKucha event as part of the Magazine Library exhibition in which I invited a few friends (Audrey Fondecave, Mike Abelson, Luis Mendo, Antonin Gaultier, and Ian Lynam) to do presentations on the topic of magazines and print culture. It was a far more intimate audience than what we’re used to seeing at our regular PechaKucha Nights, but in the end I think we had nice attentive crowd who really seemed to enjoy the presentations — and all of these presentations should be popping up on the…

  • Magazine Library + PechaKucha on Friday

    Jean Snow
    9 May 2012 | 12:58 am
    Just a reminder that I’ll be having a special PechaKucha event on Friday (May 11) as part of the Magazine Library exhibition at Hillside Terrace in Daikanyama. The theme is of course magazines and print culture, and I’m very happy with the lineup, which will include, among others, TOO MUCH magazine and my fellow Radio OK Fred co-host Audrey Fondecave, De Rigueur‘s Antonin Gaultier, Tokyo-based designer Ian Lynam, Amsterdam-based editorial designer Luis Mendo, and Postalco‘s Mike Abelson.  The event is free to attend, and will kick off at 19:00 (presentations start…

  • May’s PauseTalk

    Jean Snow
    7 May 2012 | 3:54 am
    Just a reminder that there is no PauseTalk tonight (on the first Monday of the month) and that instead the May edition (Vol. 60) is happening this coming Sunday (the 13th) at Hillside Terrace in Daikanyama, as part of the Magazine Library exhibition. It will kick off at 15:00, and run for an hour or so, as usual.

  • Codex 53

    Jean Snow
    6 May 2012 | 8:39 am
    A new episode of the Codex (53) is up, a tribute to the Beastie Boys, a group I’ve had a great deal of love for throughout my life.

  • Radio OK Fred – Magazine Library (May 4, 2012)

    Jean Snow
    4 May 2012 | 8:02 am
    And here is our second live session of Radio OK Fred, recorded earlier tonight at the Magazine Library 10 exhibition in Daikanyama — download yesterday’s episode here. Our guest this time was Luis Mendo, who not only contributed designs and illustrations to the exhibition (flyers, website), but is also participating in the form of a few workshops, in collaboration with TOO MUCH magazine — the first one is tomorrow (Saturday, May 5, from 11:00) and involves the creation of City Reports. You’ll hear the interview we did with Luis later in the episode, and of course…
 
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    TABlog EN

  • Appropriated Autonomy

    Barnaby Lambert
    4 May 2012 | 7:43 pm
    There are a number amongst us, myself included, who upon the outset of any [mis]adventure will drool for hours over the various, flashy bits of kit we might require. And nowhere is this sentiment more acutely felt than when good urban consumers prepare to meet the great outdoors. Faced with any excursion of this sort, it is not long their imaginations are beset by visions of luminous nylon tents, hi-tech garments and gratuitous gadgetry, demand for which has given rise to an entire ‘survival’ industry. For today’s aspirant explorer, the yearning for nature is ideally expressed through…

  • Becoming Fashion

    Jessica Jane Howard
    29 Apr 2012 | 6:17 pm
    Once one recognizes the fictional nature of photography, and, like Hiroshi Sugimoto, openly discusses it as a constructed untruth, the question then is: What value do photographs have as documents? Moreover, can they ever really harbor any kind of didactic or critical potential? “Hiroshi Sugimoto: From naked to clothed”, the current exhibition at Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, demonstrates how photographs produced and understood by this framework can indeed be exploratory and informative. According to the exhibition notes, in creating and/or assembling the thirty-odd works on show,…

  • GADAGO NPO is headed to MuseumNext, Europe’s big conference on the digital side of museums

    Paul Baron
    18 Apr 2012 | 4:45 am
    The Gadago NPO is travelling to Barcelona next month to participate in MuseumNext, where we’ll introduce MuPon as a case study of digital marketing from Tokyo. As long time fans of the conference, we’ve followed their activities with great interest via the video footage, MusemNext blog, and Twitter. We’re thrilled to be able to take part in person this year, with the added bonus of being the first organization to participate from Japan! About Museum Next MuseumNext is Europe’s big conference on the digital side of museums, bringing together museum professionals from around the…

  • The Future in Retrospect

    Paul Heaton
    15 Apr 2012 | 5:43 pm
    The impact of Katsuhiro Otomo’s work is always described in powerful terms; talk of booms, explosions, and cultural shifts. The manga and anime boom of the early Nineties would not have been possible without ‘Akira’, the breakthrough title which, to this today, remains the pinnacle of both cell animation and illustration in Japan. And while the prospect of a live-action Hollywood remake looms in 2012, fans in Tokyo can finally enjoy “Genga”, Otomo’s first major exhibition in many years at 3331 Arts Chiyoda, until the end of May. Plans for the release of Otomo’s second…

  • Problems Political

    Barnaby Lambert
    10 Apr 2012 | 9:51 pm
    Against what criteria are we to assess an artwork when its political agenda is expressed through activism? And likewise, what remains of activism when it is re-framed in the context of art? Even when we ignore the whole name-game squabble over how the fields of art and politics should be categorized (which, rest assured, we will), problems of this kind are bound to open up a snake-pit of entangled aesthetic and ethical questions. A good cross section of which can be found, in all their unanswered glory, at a new exhibition in Gaienmae’s Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, “Turning…
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    Japan Zone - Entertainment News from Japan

  • Family Tradition Alive in Asakusa

    tokyoguy
    11 May 2012 | 10:08 pm
    It was a busy day yesterday at the Sensoji temple, a popular draw for tourists in the old downtown area of Tokyo. Celebrity couple Azuma Takahiro (42) Max and Yasu Megumi (30) held a traditional wedding ceremony at the temple, while several kabuki stars held ceremonies to commemorate their succeeding to new stage names. Azuma, popularly known by the nickname Azumax, was born and raised in Asakusa and it was also where his late father, comedian...

  • Fuji Drama in the Doldrums

    tokyoguy
    8 May 2012 | 1:56 am
    The audience figures for the Sunday night Fuji TV drama series "Kazoku no Uta" (Song of Family) continue to get worse. The series has seen its ratings decline to what could be an all-time low for the most coveted primetime slot of 9pm. The first episode only managed a rating of 6.1%, and that has steadily declined to last night's 3.1% rating for the fourth episode, all bad news for the powerful Fuji network and the star of the series,...

  • Shioya's Love Triangle

    tokyoguy
    26 Apr 2012 | 1:16 am
    Actor Shioya Shun (29) looks every bit the playboy and it seems he's been living up to the part. Just days after model Tominaga Ai (29, photo left) spoke happily about her relationship with the actor, she was livid to find out that not only was there another woman in his life - talento and "food researcher" Sonoyama Makie (34, photo right) - but the pair have reportedly been discussing marriage. Last Friday, after news of the couple broke in the weekly gossip magazines, Tominaga spoke happily to reporters about the relationship and mentioned it on that day's edition of the live Fuji TV…

  • Dragon Ash Bassist Dead at 46

    tokyoguy
    24 Apr 2012 | 8:49 am
    It was reported this evening that musician Baba Ikuzou (46), better known as Ikuzone the bassist with rock band Dragon Ash (profile), died of a heart attack several days ago. A funeral service has already been held by family and relations and a memorial service will be held in the near future. Baba was found collapsed by a family member in the recording studio in his Tokyo home on the evening of April 21. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead of acute heart failure shortly before 11pm. Dragon Ash was formed in 1996 by Furuya Kenji and Sakurai Makoto when both were still in junior…

  • AKB48 Continue Asian Expansion

    tokyoguy
    23 Apr 2012 | 3:05 am
    The AKB48 phenomenon is continuing to expand throughout Asia. It was announced at a meeting for about 2,000 fans in Shanghai over the weekend that the city will be the base for the third international franchise and the sixth in all. A handful of AKB48 members, including Kojima Haruna (24) and Abe Maria (16), were at the event to perform but knew nothing of the surprise announcement. Auditions for the new group, to be named SNH48, will be held in China in the autumn and the group is scheduled to...
 
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  • Beautiful bright red bags made of fishermen's rope

    Lisa
    15 May 2012 | 1:44 am
    In Episode 2 of We Are All Radioactive, we introduce you to a fisherman who's weaving a hammock out of fishing net rope. The Japanese artist Shigeki Fujishiro used a similar type of rope to make these awesome (but perhaps not very practical) bags. Product page

  • Mitsuru Koga's cool art using color pencils

    Lisa
    10 May 2012 | 4:36 pm
    I got a taste of Mitsuru Koga's Inorganic exhibition at a little shop in Venice, CA yesterday. In the photo it kinda just looks like a pencil sticking out of a wooden block, but it's actually really beautiful in a display case! Link

  • WE ARE ALL RADIOACTIVE: EPISODE 3

    Lisa
    8 May 2012 | 1:19 pm
    In Chapter 3, we see how a hodge podge crew of volunteers has rallied to build a beer garden in a town devastated by the Japanese tsunami. Chapter 1 is here Chapter 2 is here And future chapters can be seen here

  • The Salaryman Project, a collection of pretty photos of Japanese businessmen

    Lisa
    27 Apr 2012 | 11:49 am
    Salaryman Project is a new collection of iconic beautiful fun photographs of Japanese businessmen. Tokyo-based French photographer Bruno Quinquet is currently fundraising for the completion of his self-published book here.

  • WE ARE ALL RADIOACTIVE: EPISODE 2

    Lisa
    25 Apr 2012 | 6:14 pm
    In Chapter 2, a fisherman takes us on a journey around the world on his blue fin tuna boat, and a veteran surfer tells us how his uncle saved his entire family from being swept away by the tsunami. WE ARE ALL RADIOACTIVE is a brand new crowdfunded online documentary film project created by me and TED film director Jason Wishnow. It's about surfers rebuilding northern Japan after the earthquake and tsunami on 3.11.2011. New episodes are released only as they are funded. Visit us online: WWW.WEAREALLRADIOACTIVE.COM Join the conversation on our Facebook fan page.
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    The Tokyo Reporter

  • Fukuyama tragedy spurs fire safety hints for hot-sheet hotels

    Kazutaka Shimanaka
    15 May 2012 | 11:11 pm
    Last week, the Hotel Prince in Fukuyama City caught fire. Of 12 customers on the premises, seven died due to carbon monoxide inhalation. The hotel, a combination of wood and steel-reinforced concrete, was constructed back in the 1960s. But Nikkan Gendai (May 16) warns readers that a similar fate might await anyone who frequents a love hotel that fails to meet basic safety standards. The fire is believed to have started in the area of the hotel’s front desk and office, possibly due to a short circuit of the electrical devices in use. But the tabloid reveals that despite the standard…

  • Whopper dildo gives gal good gyrations

    Winnie Waniguchi
    11 May 2012 | 9:47 pm
    “My boyfriend is a real straight arrow, and after he spent the night at my place, the next morning as I had not been satiated, after I saw him off at the door I went back to bed, got out a rotary adult toy and began titillating myself — while thinking of him of course. Just as I was about to reach orgasm, I heard a male voice, saying ‘Hey, what are you doing?!’ I turned to the doorway and there he was. He’d come back to my pad to retrieve something he’d left behind.” Fee, fi, fo, fum and yummy yum, yum. Here cums a tantalizingly turgid tale from the…

  • AKB48 out, mature mamas in

    CJ
    10 May 2012 | 9:47 pm
    Is AKB48 over? Probably not, but we’re definitely in the midst of a “mature lady” boom, declares Shukan Bunshun (May 3-10). Known in Japanese as the jukujo, mature gals are finding solid footing as models, porn actresses, and club hostesses. “Comedians Udo Suzuki and Yuji Ayabe have already publicly declared their interest in older women,” a photo book producer tells the tabloid. “The peak was three years ago, and interest has been steady ever since.” Keep in mind, folks, Japan deems dames beyond 30 years of age to be ready for the glue factory. Photo…

  • Sendai construction boom uncovers corruption and AV star Minako Komukai

    Kenji Nakano
    9 May 2012 | 9:20 pm
    High-end hostess clubs jammed nightly, call-girl girls not meeting demand, and a top adult video star booked at a popular strip club — that’s the Sendai nightlife scene amid the current reconstruction “bubble,” reports evening tabloid Nikkan Gendai (May 6). A little more than one year after the devastation of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, Miyagi Prefecture’s biggest nightlife quarter of Kokubuncho is booming as construction firms target, oftentimes through collusion, the government’s second supplementary budget for the reconstruction of stricken…

  • Yakuza gangs and cops continue battle for Fukuoka

    Kenji Nakano
    7 May 2012 | 2:05 am
    Bang! Bang! Bang! At around 7 a.m. on April 19, a gunman on a motorbike fires and strikes the left hip and thigh of a man in a business suit walking to work through a residential neighborhood in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. An office lady looks on in horror, and then quickly dials for help as the injured man leans up against a wall, his face exhibiting obvious pain. The victim is 61-year-old Yasuo Hiroishi, a former detective with the Fukuoka prefectural police. His injuries are expected to require one month for recovery. Friday (May 11-18) reports that the incident is just the latest in…
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    Tokyograph

  • Dragon Ash bassist IKUZONE dies at 46

    tokyograph
    24 Apr 2012 | 10:36 am
    Baba Ikuzo, better known as the bassist IKUZONE of the band Dragon Ash, has suddenly passed away at the age of 46. An announcement on the group’s official website on Tuesday night revealed that IKUZONE died of acute heart failure on the night of April 21st.IKUZONE had collapsed in his home studio and was discovered by his family. He was quickly taken to a hospital, where his death was confirmed at 10:55pm.Dragon Ash was scheduled to perform at the Okuma Beach Fest 2012 event in Okinawa on April 28, but due to IKUZONE’s death, they have canceled their appearance.IKUZONE was one of…

  • Inoue Waka to marry director Iizuka Ken

    tokyograph
    22 Apr 2012 | 6:39 pm
    According to the Sankei Sports newspaper, talento Inoue Waka (31) is getting married on her next birthday, May 13th. Her husband will be 33-year-old movie director Iizuka Ken (“SAI-REN,” “Summer Nude”), who recently worked on the live-action television and movie adaptations of “Arakawa Under the Bridge.”The two first met in March of last year during the filming of “Arakawa Under the Bridge.” Their relationship was said to be purely professional at the time, but they met again during a group meal in May after filming was completed and started…

  • AKB48 to launch new sister group SNH48 in Shanghai

    tokyograph
    22 Apr 2012 | 10:30 am
    The company that produces AKB48 has announced the formation of a new sister group overseas. The Shanghai-based SNH48 will be the third overseas group in the AKB48 family, following in the footsteps of the Jakarta-based JKT48 and the Taipei-based TPE48.AKB48 has been very popular in China, with the group’s official online forum in China reportedly boasting more than 2 million members. The group has also visited China multiple times to meet with fans.Like all of the other AKB48 groups, including JKT48 and TPE48, Akimoto Yasushi will serve as the general producer. Reports say that the…

  • Miyazaki Aoi, Kutsuna Shiori, Ando Sakura, Fukiishi Kazue co-star in “Petal Dance”

    tokyograph
    18 Apr 2012 | 6:47 pm
    Director Ishikawa Hiroshi recently finished shooting a new film called “Petal Dance,” starring Miyazaki Aoi (26), Kutsuna Shiori (19), Ando Sakura (26), and Fukiishi Kazue (29). This is Ishikawa’s first theatrical film since “Su-ki-da” in 2006, which also starred Miyazaki.“Petal Dance” is a road movie about the growth of four women. It starts with Jinko (Miyazaki) and Motoko (Ando), two women who have been friends since college. They hear a rumor that their friend Miki (Fukiishi), who lives in northern Japan, had jumped into the ocean, and they set…

  • Morning Musume to become zombies in next stage play

    tokyograph
    18 Apr 2012 | 6:28 pm
    On Wednesday, a press event was held for Morning Musume’s next stage play, “Stacies Shoujo Saisatsu Kageki.” This will be the group’s first play after current leader Niigaki Risa graduates on May 18. Member Tanaka Reina will take on the starring role, supported by 8 other members of the group.“Stacies Shoujo Saisatsu Kageki” is based on Otsuki Kenji’s horror novel “Stacies Shoujo Saisatsu Zendan,” which was turned into the film “Stacy” in 2001. The story involves a strange phenomenon in which teenage girls between the ages of…
 
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  • Watch the solar eclipse live from the top of Fuji

    15 May 2012 | 4:55 pm
    On an apartment-building roof, in a local park, maybe even up a ladder -- given clear skies the choices are endless. If you’re in Japan on May 21, chances are you have at least a half-laid plan for watching the total solar eclipse that morning. Still, we bet they’re not half as ambitious as those of electronics maker Panasonic, which is dispatching a team to the top of Mount Fuji to stream the whole celestial event live online. Better yet, the Panny team will be using only solar-powered equipment to film and broadcast the eclipse. Kinda like a snake eating its own tail, we guess. And, in…

  • Flush Japanese city builds world's biggest toilet

    15 May 2012 | 2:31 am
    Heard the one about the crazy Japanese toilets? Thought so -- in which case, let us share with you a less-tedious tale of a different kind of far-out facility, whose janitors hope it’ll turn out to be a top tourist draw. Ichihara City in Chiba Prefecture has just flipped the switch -- or yanked the chain -- on a new public toilet it claims is the world’s largest. Technically, it’s really a normal-sized toilet that happens to be sitting in a clear glass box on 200 square meters of open land -- it’s the somewhat daring and expansive setting that makes for the claim. Splashing out The…

  • iReport: Insta-geisha! Kyoto's traditional beauties meet Facebook app

    Angi Brzycki
    6 May 2012 | 4:55 pm
    by Angi BrzyckiIn a recent CNNGo iReport assignment, we asked readers to share their photos of their favorite Japanese destinations. Angi Brzycki, a 31-year-old American living in Okinawa, submitted a gallery of shots from ancient Kyoto taken using the rather-more-modern Instagram app on her iPhone 4. Brzycki told us how she ended up in Kyoto taking shots of tourists dressed as Japanese Maiko, or apprentice Geisha, entertainers in traditional dress. “I have been living in Okinawa for the past year on the JET Program as an assistant language teacher,” she says. “Before living in Okinawa…

  • What's it like to eat at the world's best sushi bar?

    Dan Shapiro
    2 May 2012 | 4:55 pm
    by Dan ShapiroHeralded as a Japanese national treasure, Jiro Ono, 86, is the first sushi chef in the world to receive three Michelin stars, and is the proprietor of the world’s most celebrated sushi restaurant, Tokyo’s Sukiyabashi Jiro. Hidden in a basement attached to the Ginza Metro Station, Sukiyabashi Jiro has vaulted into the worldwide cultural milieu thanks to its appearance on Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” TV show and the recent release of the David Gelb feature-length documentary “Jiro Dreams of Sushi.” Rather than simply watch the mouthwatering food porn that is…

  • The New iPad Contest

    2 May 2012 | 3:13 am
    Download the CNNGo app now: Android iPhone or visit CNNGo.com on your smartphone browser.  Conditions apply. For CNNGo's privacy policy, please click here.read more
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  • Fune no Kagakukan, the ship-shaped building in Odaiba, Tokyo

    Erik
    4 May 2012 | 9:39 am
    When you move to the artificial island of Odaiba across the Rainbow Bridge, on the right, beyond the palace of the Fuji TV, you will notice a big white ship. From that distance, the only detail that could possibly indicate that in fact it is a building, is the unusual height of the control tower, that is too tall to be a real ship, with a strangely color red on top. In fact this construction is called Fune no Kagakukan, and it is the Museum of Maritime Science of Tokyo.     The unusual tower is actually a two-story observatory, one of the…

  • Hanami in Tokyo : full bloom of cherry blossoms

    Erik
    11 Apr 2012 | 10:50 am
    The Hanami is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of spring flowering trees, especially those of Japanese flowering cherry trees, the Sakura. In the last weekend, Japan has been celebrating the hanami, the full bloom of cherry blossoms, that despite the powerful winds andrains of recent days did not affect their beauty nor their full bloom.     Hanami is celebrated as parties from Japanese that meet with friends to make picnic, drinking and eating under cherry blossoms. The sakura bloom reach their peak and then vanish in…

  • Hina Matsuri : The Festival of Dolls

    Erik
    28 Mar 2012 | 9:24 am
      On March 3 in Japan was held the Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival. On this day, as every year, families with young daughters, show a very special series of dolls (called Hina-ningyo), praying that their daughters will be healthy and happy. The set of dolls Hina Matsuri, can be seen from the middle of February, but according to tradition, if the set of dolls are not shown by the end of the festival, the girls are getting married later .   Hina Matsuri dolls are an exquisite work of art and, of course, they are very expensive. They are often passed down from generation to generation,…

  • TOP 5 Izakaya in Tokyo

    Erik
    6 Feb 2012 | 9:25 am
    The “Izakaya” are those places where you can eat and drink at low prices, although the food quality remains high. Izakaya are the favorite places of Japanese Salarymen that, when they end up their working days, they meet together with their colleagues, consuming food and gallons of beer and sake. The Izakaya, excluding dining areas that offer expensive high-class cuisine kaiseki, are the most representative places in which to find the real Japanese Cuisine. Every Japanese has hig favorite Izakaya, but obviously for visitors is not so easy to choose among the myriad of…

  • Top 10 Best Japanese Idol Girls – 1 part

    Erik
    13 Jan 2012 | 2:33 am
    The phenomenon of Idol in Japan and Tokyo mainly refers to those young girls who achieve fame in the Entertainment World. Usually, Idol remains at the top of the only successful for a short period. This is the first part of a list of the Top 10 Japanese Girl Idol ever.   10. Arisa Oda Arisa Oda is a Japanese Idol and Bikini model. She was born on October 13th, 1982 in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Besides Basketball, she lists Karate as one of her hobbies. She released several DVDs in Japan and appeared in two Japanese movies, Tokyo Shugo Tenshi (2007) and Maranika – Ochiru Onna…
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