Asahi News in Japanese reports that the problems plaguing Toyota’s cars extend all the way to the new Prius models, but one of the most significant understatements in the article are reports that there were 2 incidences in Japan in which drivers in Prius new model cars were unable to stop at crosswalks. These are…
I’ll start with some of the bad advice I got before moving to Japan one June many Prime Ministers ago… One person told me not to bring any shorts or anything that would expose my legs because it’s not done in “that culture”. Another person told me to pack a black suit just in case…
The Japanese media tried to make a big story bigger this weekend by complaining about the way Maki Goto wore her hair to her mother’s funeral. Her mother died this week in a fall from her apartment balcony in a suspected suicide. Maki Goto showed up with her hair brown. The media responded with outrage….
If you live in Kansai and need your books… like… tomorrow, you are now in luck. Amazon Japan has opened a new warehouse in Sakai, Osaka which offers 1 day shipping in the Kansai region as well. Amazon has plans to eventually be able to offer next day shipping to every city in Japan.
The Japanese website “Kon Katsu News“, or Married Life News has posted an article about an easy and free way to tell if your boyfriend is marriage material. The method? Search all of the drives on his computer for the following types of files: .jpg, .bmp, .wmv, .mpg, .avi, and .rm… I’m not sure if…
Here are the winners of the 2009 YouTube Japan Video Awards. There are 7 categories, and the winning videos can be found below. In the MUSIC Category: This is a very cool video, definitely worth watching and definitely deserving of the award. An amazing amount of planning and preparation must have gone into this. SOUR…
If you’ve been to Japan, you’ve seen the ubiquitous 100 yen shops like Daiso, Can Do, and others. As with any “dollar shop” type place, there are deals and busts. Here are the results of a recent Excite News Poll in which the website Escala Cafe asked women in their 20s were asked what the…
In March 2006, a teacher in Yamanashi Prefecture was murdered by a student who had graduated from the school 24 years prior. Fifty-nine year old Yuji Iwama was found dead of multiple stab wounds. The perpetrator’s name was not released because he was determined to be mentally ill. The man who suffered from persecution complex…
This is one of a series of videos by the comedy group “Ramens”. It endeavors to poke fun at a lot of the “how to eat sushi”, “sushi etiquette”, and Japanese culture videos that abound. Some of it’s a bit too true, and some of it is just crazy. I like the part about the…
A 48 year old police captain from Chiba Prefecture was arrested in Ibaraki for stealing an “bishojo” anime figurine at a recycle (second hand) shop. The figure was worth about 6,500 yen (about $71 now). Upon his arrest, he commented “Ma ga sashite, yatte shimatta.” Which has the sound of “the devil made me do…
More Korean budget airlines are offering service to Japan’s airports, including Kansai International (KIX). This could mean cheaper airfares to and from Japan if you are willing to go through Korea. The airport in Seoul is really nice so that should not be a big problem if you are willing to have a long layover….
Another Excite news poll has come out this time giving us a look at the moments in a first date when Japanese women realize they could never date the guy they are with. This could be helpful if you are new to dating in Japan, or just interested in the differences and similarities between dating…