Japanese Culture

Paris Syndrome, Japanese Tourists, and Modern Journalism

There is news going around that seems to reference a 5 year old BBC article that calls up 20 year old research and has been recycled into an article on the internet that points out that nearly a dozen (nearly a dozen! That could be 10 whole people or more!) Japanese citizens are treated for […]

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Hitoshi Matsumoto’s Films – Saya Samurai Trailer and Big Man Japan for Hollywood Remake

Hitoshi Matsumoto of the comedy duo Downtown, recently told fans he had a big announcement to make. Known for having a playful and almost sadistic sense of humor at times, fans didn’t know what to expect until he announced that his film, “Big Man Japan” (Dai-Nipponjin in Japanese) was picked up for a remake by

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Japanese Satire News Site Similar to The Onion

I was recently asked if Japan has anything similar to “The Onion” which is a humorous website that publishes satirical stories or parodies of current events. Although The Onion is already quite well known, one of its charms is that it publishes stories that are well-written and close enough to reality to give a person

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Saturday Night Live Japan Set To Air Beginning July 4th 2011

If you are a fan of Saturday Night Live, the iconic, long-running skit and stand-up comedy show broadcast live from New York with the opening catch phrase… “Live From New York – It’s Saturday Night!”… Then get ready to hear “Live From Tokyo – It’s Saturday Night!” Japanese veteran comedians Akashiya Sanma and Koji Imada

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Top 10 TV Japanese Shows Parents WANT Their Children to Watch

A previous post listed the 2011 Japanese tv shows that parents don’t want their children to watch as voted by members of Japan’s national PTA association. The flip side of the list are tv shows Japanese parents want their children to watch. Some of these are a lot of fun as well. Here is the

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Top 10 Japanese TV Shows Parents Don’t Want Kids to See

This is a part of the annual poll conducted of members of Japan’s National PTA Association. It lists the top 8 Japanese TV shows that members think kids should not see. Topping the list for the 8th year in a row is a favorite among non-Japanese residents in Japan, followed by other perennials and even

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#RealJapan hashtag for Twitter and Media Representations of Japan

Well, I took advantage of a late night to do some light internet reading. Although I don’t often read news about Japan in English, tonight I was in the mood so I checked some of my RSS feeds for interesting articles. I came across a few that I don’t really want to link to, but

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24 Hour TV Marathon Runner for 2011 Will Be Kazuo Tokumitsu

Every year, Nihon Terebi, also known as the Nippon Television Network has a 24 hour telethon. The telethon, known as 24 Hour TV (Love Will Save the World) always features an entertainer as a marathon runner. The marathon runner’s training and story are featured throughout the weeks leading up to 24 Hour TV, and during

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Traveling in Japan and Learning About the Ainu People

One trip that I feel is worth the money if you are in Japan for any significant amount of time is a trip to Hokkaido. Hokkaido has wonderful hot springs, food, and natural wonders (yes, wonders!). The difficulty of a trip to Hokkaido is that everything is very spread out and it may be a

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Aya Ueto Praised for Spending Time Cooking and Serving Earthquake and Tsunami Victims

Aya Ueto is a huge star and idol in Japan, but she is being praised for showing up and actually doing some work in the area affected by last month’s earthquakes and tsunami. She especially received praise for showing up ready to work without her face and nails done, and for earnestly giving out food

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Ishihara Wins 4th Term as Tokyo Governor – Any Thoughts?

My vote would have been with Mac Akasaka of the Smile Party. However, I am honestly surprised that Hideo Higashikokubaru, the former entertainer and governor of Miyazaki, was unable to take Tokyo away from incumbent governor Shintaro Ishihara… … some friends have said that I should not be surprised at all. The readers of NewzJapan tend

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Mac Akasaka (Makku Akasaka) Tokyo Governor Candidacy Video

If I had a vote in the Tokyo election coming up, I can tell you who would get my vote… however, being a fan of good writing I would rather show you than tell you. Introducing Mac Akasaka or Makku Akasaka who identifies himself with the “Smile” party and has decided to announce his candidacy

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