In Japan, April is the the time for fresh new start. Some enter new schools, and some others become full-time workers for a company.
That means, today, March 31st is the very last day for all of us to enjoy the "old" positions and environment.
Although, new students probably don't feel as much differences as compared to new-workers since there's about a week till the entrance ceremony and additional few more days till classes really start. But the new-workers.... imagine how excited and anxious they are. Whew. I bet many are sighing counting down the last hours they have "the privilege" of lighter social responsibility.
...But then, I just realized now that today's a Friday. So I guess people can enjoy a couple of more days of party freedom ;-)
Monday, first day of work... must be hell :P Youngsters, be prepared!
It's actually not that bad though being a working adult.
Indeed, social responsibility may daunt you making you feel really stressed and tired, but if you have something that you really want to obtain in that field, it's actually a fantastic environment to settle yourself into. So don't be so scared :-)
I wish you all of those becoming a working adult happy departure!
...well, I myself is not that good of an adult, LOL
31 March, 2006
30 March, 2006
So is wasabi that big?
As I was watching TV the other day, it said that wasabi is really a huge craze in the West.
Well?
TV shows most times exaggerate the story like three times at least and make the story sound so true where as the reality isn't exactly as it tells. So this time, I guess half of the "huge craze" is true which means that the fact that it's popular to some extent is true.
So this show showed the extreme: this white person (I think it was in the States), in a sushi restaurant, without soy sauce --- and even without the rice of the sushi --- put some lemon juice on wasabi and dipped the sushi topping in that wasabi and carried it to her mouth. Now, I don't think that's the common way.
The reason for this wasabi craze (or whatever you call it) I hear is the anti-aging effect it has.
Originally, wasabi and other stuff like ginger are called yakumi which are a bit different from seasonings. The primary role of yakumi is to add a hint of flavor, relish and color to the main dishes. Yakumi takes away the "raw smell" of the ingredients and stimulates one's appetite. Moreover, as it is written with the kanji "medicine" and "taste", yakumi also has some medicinary efficacy.
Is this stinging flavor of wasabi something like, "Good medicine stings more"? LOL
When I was a kid I couldn't have this really stinging green stuff like many other kids, so when I had sushi they were basically all non-wasabied sushi, but strange thing, this hotness becomes comfortable as you grow old. Now I can't have sushi without it.
So I hear that the popularity in the States and Europe off from the health aspect, but you'll soon find out the medicine turning into addiction.
Anyhoo, even if you're addicted to it and you're really in love with it, no one thinks sushi with fish on top of lemoned wasabi is cool. Watch out. Your mouth (and actually prolly stomach too) is on fire.
Well?
TV shows most times exaggerate the story like three times at least and make the story sound so true where as the reality isn't exactly as it tells. So this time, I guess half of the "huge craze" is true which means that the fact that it's popular to some extent is true.
So this show showed the extreme: this white person (I think it was in the States), in a sushi restaurant, without soy sauce --- and even without the rice of the sushi --- put some lemon juice on wasabi and dipped the sushi topping in that wasabi and carried it to her mouth. Now, I don't think that's the common way.
The reason for this wasabi craze (or whatever you call it) I hear is the anti-aging effect it has.
Originally, wasabi and other stuff like ginger are called yakumi which are a bit different from seasonings. The primary role of yakumi is to add a hint of flavor, relish and color to the main dishes. Yakumi takes away the "raw smell" of the ingredients and stimulates one's appetite. Moreover, as it is written with the kanji "medicine" and "taste", yakumi also has some medicinary efficacy.
Is this stinging flavor of wasabi something like, "Good medicine stings more"? LOL
When I was a kid I couldn't have this really stinging green stuff like many other kids, so when I had sushi they were basically all non-wasabied sushi, but strange thing, this hotness becomes comfortable as you grow old. Now I can't have sushi without it.
So I hear that the popularity in the States and Europe off from the health aspect, but you'll soon find out the medicine turning into addiction.
Anyhoo, even if you're addicted to it and you're really in love with it, no one thinks sushi with fish on top of lemoned wasabi is cool. Watch out. Your mouth (and actually prolly stomach too) is on fire.
29 March, 2006
Revel in the Night Blossoms...
Last night I went to take some pix of night cherry blossoms for my web site.
Wow, can't tell in words how admirable they were.
The place I visited this time was Rikugien, a former Daimyo (feudal lord) Garden in Japanese Style. Suddenly it flicked in my mind that the cherry illumination is until the 29th so I grabbed my camera and set off.
Actually it wasn't my first time to visit Rikugien. I once visited the garden last autumn to see the light-ups of the autumn leaves, and since it was so beautiful and I loved the garden then, I was in fact expecting a lot this time as well.
As I got off the JR Yamanote Line at Komagome station and walk just a bit, I found many people forming a line at the ticket office of Rikugien entrance. There weren't this many people for the autumn leaves, and it made me reaffirm the love of Japanese people for cherry blossoms.
After a few minutes walk from the entrance, the famous shidarezakura of Rikugien came into sight. Shidarezakura is a weeping cherry tree, and it literally means "a cherry tree with drooping branches". As famous as it is, this tree was truly beautiful. Shidarezakura usually blossom earlier than the representative of cherry blossoms Someiyoshino, so already at yesterday's point the tree was at full blossoming which of course is the most beautiful of all times.
My fingers unconsciously clicked the shutter so many times, and many other people around me were also taking dozens of pictures with their cameras and cell phones.
You can see the pictures that I've taken in the PHOTO section of Japan Mode.
Anyhoo, cherry blossoms are just so pretty! Faint yet colorful pink blossoms against the dark night sky... amazing. You really forget time, you know.
Unfortunately, the illumination of the cherry blossoms end today (29th) so those who're thinking of visiting Rikugien for something lit up, consider going there in autumn for the autumn foliage. They're equally beautiful. And even if you don't really stubbornly stick to "lit-up-something" do remember the name RIKUGIEN :-) It's definitely a place to visit when you come to Tokyo.
So here I go, off to the next sakura coverage :-D
Do check back this blog and Japan Mode for seasonal pix of Tokyo!
Wow, can't tell in words how admirable they were.
The place I visited this time was Rikugien, a former Daimyo (feudal lord) Garden in Japanese Style. Suddenly it flicked in my mind that the cherry illumination is until the 29th so I grabbed my camera and set off.
Actually it wasn't my first time to visit Rikugien. I once visited the garden last autumn to see the light-ups of the autumn leaves, and since it was so beautiful and I loved the garden then, I was in fact expecting a lot this time as well.
As I got off the JR Yamanote Line at Komagome station and walk just a bit, I found many people forming a line at the ticket office of Rikugien entrance. There weren't this many people for the autumn leaves, and it made me reaffirm the love of Japanese people for cherry blossoms.
After a few minutes walk from the entrance, the famous shidarezakura of Rikugien came into sight. Shidarezakura is a weeping cherry tree, and it literally means "a cherry tree with drooping branches". As famous as it is, this tree was truly beautiful. Shidarezakura usually blossom earlier than the representative of cherry blossoms Someiyoshino, so already at yesterday's point the tree was at full blossoming which of course is the most beautiful of all times.
My fingers unconsciously clicked the shutter so many times, and many other people around me were also taking dozens of pictures with their cameras and cell phones.
You can see the pictures that I've taken in the PHOTO section of Japan Mode.
Anyhoo, cherry blossoms are just so pretty! Faint yet colorful pink blossoms against the dark night sky... amazing. You really forget time, you know.
Unfortunately, the illumination of the cherry blossoms end today (29th) so those who're thinking of visiting Rikugien for something lit up, consider going there in autumn for the autumn foliage. They're equally beautiful. And even if you don't really stubbornly stick to "lit-up-something" do remember the name RIKUGIEN :-) It's definitely a place to visit when you come to Tokyo.
So here I go, off to the next sakura coverage :-D
Do check back this blog and Japan Mode for seasonal pix of Tokyo!
28 March, 2006
The Convenient Convenience Store
End of the month! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Why whee? Of course whee. Pay day!
It's the only time of the month when I get really really dreamy doing some fictive happy money calculation LOL.
But as I drown in the sea of material desires dreaming of the next things to buy for myself, somewhere in reality what is left in the corner of my flying mind, I hear the daunting shadow tip toeing slowly bringing me back to this world.
Bills......
Oh please.
Rent, gas and electricity, Internet, water, cell phone bills bills bills...
Money so vigorously flying off from my hands...
My sweet little excited heart gets bitten by reality and shrinks and shrinks and shrinks.
In Japan, things are becoming sooo convenient that you can do pretty much anything but residing in a convenience store. Additionally to being able to buy food and drinks and daily supplies, or concert tickets or plain tickets or video game softs and books, or draw out money from the ATM, you can pay for public utility charges like water, gas and electricity and even cell phone bills in pretty much any convenience store you see around regardless the chain.
But the downside of this convenience is that because it's so convenient and easy, you tend to forget to actually do the payment thinking, "Oh, I can do it next time." It's just so easy that the convenience becomes the flaw. Right. I'm one of those (as always) falling into this trap.
I was going to pay for this month's bills during lunch time as I went to the convenience store to grab some food but beautifully forgot to. Well, I guess I'll do it on my way home tonight.
I don't usually spend more than 1,000 yen at convenience stores cuz the only things I buy there are food and magazines, but every end of the month I realize my self with thousands of yens slipping away through my fingers at the cash register of the convenience store.
Anyway, I guess I'll be in good care of the convenience store for a little more while for the end-of-the-month payments. It certainly is a bit troublesome going to the stores just to let go some big money, tho.
Huh? Why don't I just make the payments automatically at a bank?
It is a bunch of the bill that this is frightened.
Why whee? Of course whee. Pay day!
It's the only time of the month when I get really really dreamy doing some fictive happy money calculation LOL.
But as I drown in the sea of material desires dreaming of the next things to buy for myself, somewhere in reality what is left in the corner of my flying mind, I hear the daunting shadow tip toeing slowly bringing me back to this world.
Bills......
Oh please.
Rent, gas and electricity, Internet, water, cell phone bills bills bills...
Money so vigorously flying off from my hands...
My sweet little excited heart gets bitten by reality and shrinks and shrinks and shrinks.
In Japan, things are becoming sooo convenient that you can do pretty much anything but residing in a convenience store. Additionally to being able to buy food and drinks and daily supplies, or concert tickets or plain tickets or video game softs and books, or draw out money from the ATM, you can pay for public utility charges like water, gas and electricity and even cell phone bills in pretty much any convenience store you see around regardless the chain.
But the downside of this convenience is that because it's so convenient and easy, you tend to forget to actually do the payment thinking, "Oh, I can do it next time." It's just so easy that the convenience becomes the flaw. Right. I'm one of those (as always) falling into this trap.
I was going to pay for this month's bills during lunch time as I went to the convenience store to grab some food but beautifully forgot to. Well, I guess I'll do it on my way home tonight.
I don't usually spend more than 1,000 yen at convenience stores cuz the only things I buy there are food and magazines, but every end of the month I realize my self with thousands of yens slipping away through my fingers at the cash register of the convenience store.
Anyway, I guess I'll be in good care of the convenience store for a little more while for the end-of-the-month payments. It certainly is a bit troublesome going to the stores just to let go some big money, tho.
Huh? Why don't I just make the payments automatically at a bank?
It is a bunch of the bill that this is frightened.
27 March, 2006
The day when we have two Tokyo Towers
Now, the location for the Tokyo Tower Jr. has been decided and the project is on the move.
Whether a Tokyoite or not, or a Japanese or not, I guess that Tokyo Tower comes to the minds of many people when they think of picturesque Tokyo.
That tall red steel tower is actually facing a crisis of not being able to fully function as a digital terrestrial broadcasting tower being surrounded by buildings much taller. If the current situation continues, the complete shift of braodcasting from analog to digital in 2011 is highly likely to not go on smoothly and the future of the broadcasting in Tokyo would endangered!
So this is how the construction project of the 600 meter scale monster broadcasting tower came up. (FYI the current Tokyo Tower is 333 meters tall.)
And what comes next after some big project like this starts to move?
Of course, fierce competition for attracting the monster.
Although it's a junior, it's still Tokyo Tower after all. Is it like, even if you're a second wife you're still the king's wife? lol
The candidate locations for the junior included Sumida Ward (which in the end won), Saitama City, Adachi Ward, Toshima Ward and so on.
For those who have no clue about Tokyo geography it may sound very uninteresting, but anyway, so many places yelled out, "Junior to my area!" fighting to catch the heart of the board. Well, competed. Anyway, this strange committee called something like the intellectual board for the construction of the New Tokyo Tower (or whatever) decided that Sumida would be the most suitable. The reason: Sumida has the most advantage in technological terms and geographical terms, among all the candidates.
Those living outside of Tokyo may have no idea what's in Sumida. To give you a brief brief brief note, this is where Japan's biggest fireworks competition is held, where the Kokugikan is (the holy ground for the national sport sumo). In another word, it is the Shitamachi (former downtown) area which still retains thickly the atmosphere of the good old Tokyo.
I don't know what went through the minds of these intellectuals on the board to build a 600-meter-tall steel monster in the midst of the Edo downtown, but in a way, I feel like "Right, that's so Tokyo." You know, mixing the old with the newest.
http://www.sumida-tower.jp/index.html (Official Site, Japanese)
So what do you think?
All I can think of now is "what would Tokyo look like from 600 meter above ground?"
At this moment, it's just that the location has been determined and nothing more, so if there's an update I'll write about it here and on my web site Japan Mode.
Whether a Tokyoite or not, or a Japanese or not, I guess that Tokyo Tower comes to the minds of many people when they think of picturesque Tokyo.
That tall red steel tower is actually facing a crisis of not being able to fully function as a digital terrestrial broadcasting tower being surrounded by buildings much taller. If the current situation continues, the complete shift of braodcasting from analog to digital in 2011 is highly likely to not go on smoothly and the future of the broadcasting in Tokyo would endangered!
So this is how the construction project of the 600 meter scale monster broadcasting tower came up. (FYI the current Tokyo Tower is 333 meters tall.)
And what comes next after some big project like this starts to move?
Of course, fierce competition for attracting the monster.
Although it's a junior, it's still Tokyo Tower after all. Is it like, even if you're a second wife you're still the king's wife? lol
The candidate locations for the junior included Sumida Ward (which in the end won), Saitama City, Adachi Ward, Toshima Ward and so on.
For those who have no clue about Tokyo geography it may sound very uninteresting, but anyway, so many places yelled out, "Junior to my area!" fighting to catch the heart of the board. Well, competed. Anyway, this strange committee called something like the intellectual board for the construction of the New Tokyo Tower (or whatever) decided that Sumida would be the most suitable. The reason: Sumida has the most advantage in technological terms and geographical terms, among all the candidates.
Those living outside of Tokyo may have no idea what's in Sumida. To give you a brief brief brief note, this is where Japan's biggest fireworks competition is held, where the Kokugikan is (the holy ground for the national sport sumo). In another word, it is the Shitamachi (former downtown) area which still retains thickly the atmosphere of the good old Tokyo.
I don't know what went through the minds of these intellectuals on the board to build a 600-meter-tall steel monster in the midst of the Edo downtown, but in a way, I feel like "Right, that's so Tokyo." You know, mixing the old with the newest.
http://www.sumida-tower.jp/index.html (Official Site, Japanese)
So what do you think?
All I can think of now is "what would Tokyo look like from 600 meter above ground?"
At this moment, it's just that the location has been determined and nothing more, so if there's an update I'll write about it here and on my web site Japan Mode.
24 March, 2006
Have your name converted into KANJI!
Recently the "Kanji name-converter" is showing some popularity on my web site Japan Mode.
Quite frankly the visitors to my site is not that much... :-( but yet there are several requests a day on busy days and even if not that much, there is still at least one request every other day.
Visitors don't just read the contents but actually click and open up the mailer to give us an e-mail... some feel kind of reluctant doing this feeling a bit troublesome, so e-mails like these really make me happy.
At the same time of being cheered up by these e-mails, I also get this excitement and content that I'm helping people get to know a little piece of Japanese culture :-)
We thoroughly consider the best combinations of kanji for the names we receive, as if parents deeply think of what to name their newborn baby. Really.
Since kanji names can go both by sound and meaning, there can be hundreds of combination patterns for a single name, but among those hundreds we try to come up with the best one that we think has the brightest or most elegant, or strongest... so on so forth... meaning.
The only problem we have is probably the sophisticatedness of the kanji. For simpler ones don't look as cool or not enough kanji-like, the ones we choose tend to have many strokes and complicated structure (like most of the used kanji are, actually). I assume for non-kanji-readers they're all like another kind of shape or figure, and most times end up a bit difficult to write yourself...
So fixing the difficulty level as we combine the more appropriate kanji is a bit of a brainwork, but still all staffs are quite excited to see the next requests. It's all the more exciting cuz we get to know so many different names from different cultural backgrounds :-D
If there are those who want to see what your name looks like in kanji, or want to add your kanji name on your business card, or for any other purpose, come have a look at our site for some examples and perhaps send us a request.
Or, if you have anything you want to know about Japan, if you have any requests for some new contents, or have a question that you can't seem to find an answer to anywhere on the web, give us a holla!
Quite frankly the visitors to my site is not that much... :-( but yet there are several requests a day on busy days and even if not that much, there is still at least one request every other day.
Visitors don't just read the contents but actually click and open up the mailer to give us an e-mail... some feel kind of reluctant doing this feeling a bit troublesome, so e-mails like these really make me happy.
At the same time of being cheered up by these e-mails, I also get this excitement and content that I'm helping people get to know a little piece of Japanese culture :-)
We thoroughly consider the best combinations of kanji for the names we receive, as if parents deeply think of what to name their newborn baby. Really.
Since kanji names can go both by sound and meaning, there can be hundreds of combination patterns for a single name, but among those hundreds we try to come up with the best one that we think has the brightest or most elegant, or strongest... so on so forth... meaning.
The only problem we have is probably the sophisticatedness of the kanji. For simpler ones don't look as cool or not enough kanji-like, the ones we choose tend to have many strokes and complicated structure (like most of the used kanji are, actually). I assume for non-kanji-readers they're all like another kind of shape or figure, and most times end up a bit difficult to write yourself...
So fixing the difficulty level as we combine the more appropriate kanji is a bit of a brainwork, but still all staffs are quite excited to see the next requests. It's all the more exciting cuz we get to know so many different names from different cultural backgrounds :-D
If there are those who want to see what your name looks like in kanji, or want to add your kanji name on your business card, or for any other purpose, come have a look at our site for some examples and perhaps send us a request.
Or, if you have anything you want to know about Japan, if you have any requests for some new contents, or have a question that you can't seem to find an answer to anywhere on the web, give us a holla!
23 March, 2006
Could Yellow get any yellower!?
"Hey, aren't your hands super yellow?" said one of my co-workers the other day.
"Do you think so?" I replied sticking out my hands to him as we compared our hands.
"...!!" Indeed, mine looked super yellow.
"Jesus, this is what you call yellow... gross." I said to myself. This was the first time when I realized how yellow my hands are.
Hmmm, is this telling me that maybe I have jaundice?
I suddenly grew immensely worried so I looked up on the Internet what the jaundice symptoms are like, and this is what I found out:
- Jaundice is the status in which the blood vein carries excessive amount of yellow pigment "bilirubin"
- mass production of bilirubin... hemolysis/ blood infusion
- reduced processing ability of bilirubin... deterioration of liver functioning (leads to hepatitis)
- reduced excretion ability of bilirubin... blockage of biliary tract (leads to stones and cancer)
wow wow wow wow, hang on a minute. This doesn't sound any good. Let's see, hepatitis, bilestone, cancer... some of the worst names you'd like to hear, huh?
But why is it? I don't drink at all and I don't remember eating and drinking excessively either. I do keep irregular hours to some extent due to work, but still I think I'm getting enough sleep.
Why? What's this naughty little thing that's trying to make me even more yellower?
...is it the Chocola BB (vitamin supplement) that I've been taking for my stomatitis
The left is my hand, and the right of an ordinary Japanese.
Can you see that the colors are totally different??
"Do you think so?" I replied sticking out my hands to him as we compared our hands.
"...!!" Indeed, mine looked super yellow.
"Jesus, this is what you call yellow... gross." I said to myself. This was the first time when I realized how yellow my hands are.
Hmmm, is this telling me that maybe I have jaundice?
I suddenly grew immensely worried so I looked up on the Internet what the jaundice symptoms are like, and this is what I found out:
- Jaundice is the status in which the blood vein carries excessive amount of yellow pigment "bilirubin"
- mass production of bilirubin... hemolysis/ blood infusion
- reduced processing ability of bilirubin... deterioration of liver functioning (leads to hepatitis)
- reduced excretion ability of bilirubin... blockage of biliary tract (leads to stones and cancer)
wow wow wow wow, hang on a minute. This doesn't sound any good. Let's see, hepatitis, bilestone, cancer... some of the worst names you'd like to hear, huh?
But why is it? I don't drink at all and I don't remember eating and drinking excessively either. I do keep irregular hours to some extent due to work, but still I think I'm getting enough sleep.
Why? What's this naughty little thing that's trying to make me even more yellower?
...is it the Chocola BB (vitamin supplement) that I've been taking for my stomatitis
The left is my hand, and the right of an ordinary Japanese.
Can you see that the colors are totally different??
22 March, 2006
Congrats to Oh JAPAN!
The World Baseball Classics is now over stirring up great excitement across Japan.
The finals yesterday marked a TV audience rating of more than 40% since first, Japan made it to the finals and second it was a national holiday here (NOT because we made it to the finals!). Wow, this is quite something. Nearly half of the TV population was glued to the TV, right?
Well, before it all started many people were like, "Does it really mean anything?" but once it started it really produced high fever --- with some "happenings"... but I'd have to say that if there weren't these "happenings" that is to say the refereeing error issues, the tournament wouldn't have been so hot.
That "misjudgment" gathered attention of baseball fans of course, but not only them also more common people not as excited by baseball itself. Quite scary... the power of anger... lol.
But excitement with just a one-time attention doesn't last long on its own. What made the tournament to exciting was after all, the wonderful, amazing and powerful performances of the players :-)
And how did I spend my day? Well I was literally drowned in baseball celebrating the most glorious day of Japanese baseball history, watching the game all day long since I got up at noon, then the live broadcast of the champagne party afterwards, and the sports news till the very end of the day.
So what's the real thrill of baseball? Personally I think its this development rythm of the game, you know, you really put in your emotions to every move made. I used to play baseball when I was in school so I feel especially close to baseball than to other sports, but frankly my interest in it was becoming weaker as I set myself apart from it. But this tournament brought me back to the excitement of baseball. Woohoo. K, I feel like digging out my baseball glove I put somewhere.
The finals yesterday marked a TV audience rating of more than 40% since first, Japan made it to the finals and second it was a national holiday here (NOT because we made it to the finals!). Wow, this is quite something. Nearly half of the TV population was glued to the TV, right?
Well, before it all started many people were like, "Does it really mean anything?" but once it started it really produced high fever --- with some "happenings"... but I'd have to say that if there weren't these "happenings" that is to say the refereeing error issues, the tournament wouldn't have been so hot.
That "misjudgment" gathered attention of baseball fans of course, but not only them also more common people not as excited by baseball itself. Quite scary... the power of anger... lol.
But excitement with just a one-time attention doesn't last long on its own. What made the tournament to exciting was after all, the wonderful, amazing and powerful performances of the players :-)
And how did I spend my day? Well I was literally drowned in baseball celebrating the most glorious day of Japanese baseball history, watching the game all day long since I got up at noon, then the live broadcast of the champagne party afterwards, and the sports news till the very end of the day.
So what's the real thrill of baseball? Personally I think its this development rythm of the game, you know, you really put in your emotions to every move made. I used to play baseball when I was in school so I feel especially close to baseball than to other sports, but frankly my interest in it was becoming weaker as I set myself apart from it. But this tournament brought me back to the excitement of baseball. Woohoo. K, I feel like digging out my baseball glove I put somewhere.
20 March, 2006
Can't beat the sleepiness
In Japan, there is this saying "In spring one sleeps a sleep that knows no dawn".
It's originally Chinese and is a sentence from one of the Chinese poems called kanshi.
What it fundamentally means is that the sleep in spring is so comfortable that you never realize the break of dawn, and in my reality... so drowsy that I can barely keep my eyelids open.
Even when I sit towards my desk, each movement becomes super slow. First, my brain stops functioning and abandons to "think". And then from the fingers I set on the keyboard I get this sensation like my blood is flowing backwards, but still I feel so relaxing, and then that sensation spreads across my body to my head and to my legs.
Slowly any kind of sound around me starts to fade away like I got my ears muffled, then my body grows warm from inside, and by the time that warmness reaches my ears my mind is already off to the world of dreams.
And you know, at times like this you never realize that your eyelids had shut, so without being able to be aware that you're actually sleeping, time passes surprisingly fast. So when I see the clock again, I'm always like, "Hey, was I sleeping?"
Well, I'm not too different the rest of the year so it doesn't sound that...uh, you know.
But even then, why is it that you get so easily sleepy and tired in spring as people have been saying for thousands of years ago?
A recent study reports that this spring drowsiness has something to do with the disturbance in the balance of the autonomic nerve, which supposedly keeps control of various functions like breathing, digesting, circulation and metabolism.
During winter, this autonomic nerve controls the blood veins to tighten up so that no extra body heat goes out of the body. But in spring when the weather becomes warmer, the nerve orders the veins to loosen to let body heat out. The thing is that during this season shift, weather and temperature fluctuate so much from day to day, morning to night that the nerve loses control of adjusting and becomes very unstable. And when the autonomic nerve is disturbed like this, uncomfortable symptoms like drowsiness and listlessness start to show up, contributing to the increase of people saying, "I get really sleepy in spring."
Scientific researches like this really helps me you know, cuz I can make an excuse by saying "sorry, my automatic nerve seems to have lost balance" when I fall asleep during work. Hehe, just kidding.
Anyway, anyone out there coming to Japan on say a business trip, don't be upset when your business partner seems sleepy and unconcentrated. Sleepiness disturbs carefulness and discretion. Perhaps leaving your partner sleepy would be favorable to you, lol.
It's originally Chinese and is a sentence from one of the Chinese poems called kanshi.
What it fundamentally means is that the sleep in spring is so comfortable that you never realize the break of dawn, and in my reality... so drowsy that I can barely keep my eyelids open.
Even when I sit towards my desk, each movement becomes super slow. First, my brain stops functioning and abandons to "think". And then from the fingers I set on the keyboard I get this sensation like my blood is flowing backwards, but still I feel so relaxing, and then that sensation spreads across my body to my head and to my legs.
Slowly any kind of sound around me starts to fade away like I got my ears muffled, then my body grows warm from inside, and by the time that warmness reaches my ears my mind is already off to the world of dreams.
And you know, at times like this you never realize that your eyelids had shut, so without being able to be aware that you're actually sleeping, time passes surprisingly fast. So when I see the clock again, I'm always like, "Hey, was I sleeping?"
Well, I'm not too different the rest of the year so it doesn't sound that...uh, you know.
But even then, why is it that you get so easily sleepy and tired in spring as people have been saying for thousands of years ago?
A recent study reports that this spring drowsiness has something to do with the disturbance in the balance of the autonomic nerve, which supposedly keeps control of various functions like breathing, digesting, circulation and metabolism.
During winter, this autonomic nerve controls the blood veins to tighten up so that no extra body heat goes out of the body. But in spring when the weather becomes warmer, the nerve orders the veins to loosen to let body heat out. The thing is that during this season shift, weather and temperature fluctuate so much from day to day, morning to night that the nerve loses control of adjusting and becomes very unstable. And when the autonomic nerve is disturbed like this, uncomfortable symptoms like drowsiness and listlessness start to show up, contributing to the increase of people saying, "I get really sleepy in spring."
Scientific researches like this really helps me you know, cuz I can make an excuse by saying "sorry, my automatic nerve seems to have lost balance" when I fall asleep during work. Hehe, just kidding.
Anyway, anyone out there coming to Japan on say a business trip, don't be upset when your business partner seems sleepy and unconcentrated. Sleepiness disturbs carefulness and discretion. Perhaps leaving your partner sleepy would be favorable to you, lol.
17 March, 2006
The Spring Storm
Last night the wind and rain was so hard that I was actually stunned rather than surprised.
It was what we call a spring storm, and although it's not the rainy season or the typhoon season or anything like that, we often times get strong wind and rain because of the occlusion.
Oh, and I learned just now that the definition of storm is a high wind accompannied by rain, and is not an authoritative met term. Hmm. Didn't know that.
Anyway, I was a bit impressed to see the domino at the bike parking outside. Barely any bikes were actually standing and most of them were literally slammed to the ground.
The wind hasn't settled down yet, and although we have no rain today the wind is pretty strong that my hair which I perfectly set in this morning got all messed up by the time I reached my office. Not only that, the public transportation seems to be hugely affected by this wind: some train lines have stopped for some considerable time or have been delayed. So our company, with clients scattering around the country with a good number in Tokyo and the outskirts, seems to be in a petit panic today.
But to see the other side of it, it's an indicator telling us the clear switch of season, and I feel in a way happy about it cuz it allows me to see this special atmosphere in the air when the season changes. Since I like the sea very much, I often think "I wish we only had summer here" but I guess a wide variation is always welcome, be it season or fashion. So, last night and today, the storm made me feel that being able to enjoy the pleasures of four seasons is something happy :-)
It was what we call a spring storm, and although it's not the rainy season or the typhoon season or anything like that, we often times get strong wind and rain because of the occlusion.
Oh, and I learned just now that the definition of storm is a high wind accompannied by rain, and is not an authoritative met term. Hmm. Didn't know that.
Anyway, I was a bit impressed to see the domino at the bike parking outside. Barely any bikes were actually standing and most of them were literally slammed to the ground.
The wind hasn't settled down yet, and although we have no rain today the wind is pretty strong that my hair which I perfectly set in this morning got all messed up by the time I reached my office. Not only that, the public transportation seems to be hugely affected by this wind: some train lines have stopped for some considerable time or have been delayed. So our company, with clients scattering around the country with a good number in Tokyo and the outskirts, seems to be in a petit panic today.
But to see the other side of it, it's an indicator telling us the clear switch of season, and I feel in a way happy about it cuz it allows me to see this special atmosphere in the air when the season changes. Since I like the sea very much, I often think "I wish we only had summer here" but I guess a wide variation is always welcome, be it season or fashion. So, last night and today, the storm made me feel that being able to enjoy the pleasures of four seasons is something happy :-)
16 March, 2006
Ume at full blossoming
This morning as I was commuting on train, I had a pretty view of the plum blossoms just outside the window.
I think cherry blossoms come first to the minds of many people especially for non-Japanese, synonymous with Japanese spring, but it's actually the plum blossoms that come first announcing the arrival of spring.
And for some reason, the plum blossoms are so appealing and attractive that they really grasp my heart.
Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me at that time (writer burnout?) so I can't show you my favorite flowers, but if you look up google with "plum blossoms" I think you can get much better pix of the spring blossoms.
What they look like is, they have darker pink as compared to cherry blossoms, slightly smaller in size and rounder in shape, folding their petals inwards just a bit. They're really pretty and the faint sweet-sour fragrance makes them even more pretty.
And moreover, I think that they have this something beyond the beauty of their appearances that appeals to your heart.
The days are yet chilly, with even freezing days at times, but it feels like they're trying to tell us, "It's the beginning of spring, just a bit more to go for warmer days."
I think that there's a unique taste to cherry blossoms that makes you sweet and nostalgic at the same time that even gives you small tears.
If you have a chance to come to Japan this time of year and if you're like, "Damn, the cherry blossoms aren't out yet!" try out the plum blossoms. Go see the petit, soft and sweet flowers sincerely telling the arrival of spring.
I think cherry blossoms come first to the minds of many people especially for non-Japanese, synonymous with Japanese spring, but it's actually the plum blossoms that come first announcing the arrival of spring.
And for some reason, the plum blossoms are so appealing and attractive that they really grasp my heart.
Unfortunately I didn't have a camera with me at that time (writer burnout?) so I can't show you my favorite flowers, but if you look up google with "plum blossoms" I think you can get much better pix of the spring blossoms.
What they look like is, they have darker pink as compared to cherry blossoms, slightly smaller in size and rounder in shape, folding their petals inwards just a bit. They're really pretty and the faint sweet-sour fragrance makes them even more pretty.
And moreover, I think that they have this something beyond the beauty of their appearances that appeals to your heart.
The days are yet chilly, with even freezing days at times, but it feels like they're trying to tell us, "It's the beginning of spring, just a bit more to go for warmer days."
I think that there's a unique taste to cherry blossoms that makes you sweet and nostalgic at the same time that even gives you small tears.
If you have a chance to come to Japan this time of year and if you're like, "Damn, the cherry blossoms aren't out yet!" try out the plum blossoms. Go see the petit, soft and sweet flowers sincerely telling the arrival of spring.
15 March, 2006
Health-Conscious?
The recent health boom in Japan seems to see no end.
Natural food are picked up on TV shows everyday, focusing on some uncommonly heard but convincing-sounding nutrition or element in food telling that this works for preventing cancer or that works for diet.
Food featured on TV shows like that go out of the market by the next day making it hard for people to obtain it for the following few days. This is really annoying for people who have that food ordinarily.
Sparkling water was far from popular in Japan but you can now see various kinds of sparkling water from US and European brands on the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores, and just a month ago the first Japanese brand of sparkling water came out. It seems that sparkling water is popular among those who're conscious about calories and sugar but still want to have something popping in their mouths.
The supplement industry seems to be on the current too. You can easily get the kind you're looking for in any store or drug store around town, and it's not just a small number of people who buy truck loads of vitamin on the Internet, just to keep some stock.
One thing about it is that, it seems like the "hottest" supplements in Japan now is what used to be "hot" in the States 2-3 years ago, so Americans out there, try to bring in some of the "hottest" stuff in the States now into Japan a bit later. Your business has some chance of becoming a giant ;-) Not to guarantee it!
So anyway, this is what the health boom is like.
It's sooo big and ridiculous that it even makes me think "Are Japanese born to be healthy or what!!?"
But, this, is the reality.
I took this pic just now right outside of my office.
The blue-white stuff filling the air is, of course, car exhaust.
Or perhaps, is it better to call it toxic gas? Wow, now that looks healthy, doesn't it. Whew.
You eat healthy food and breathe polluted air. What kind of a health boom is that.
This morning the gossip show was sneering at Paris Hilton for her expensive effort in anti-aging but seeming unable to stop clubbing and sun-tanning.
......
Well, I guess it's not completely unrelated to us.
Natural food are picked up on TV shows everyday, focusing on some uncommonly heard but convincing-sounding nutrition or element in food telling that this works for preventing cancer or that works for diet.
Food featured on TV shows like that go out of the market by the next day making it hard for people to obtain it for the following few days. This is really annoying for people who have that food ordinarily.
Sparkling water was far from popular in Japan but you can now see various kinds of sparkling water from US and European brands on the shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores, and just a month ago the first Japanese brand of sparkling water came out. It seems that sparkling water is popular among those who're conscious about calories and sugar but still want to have something popping in their mouths.
The supplement industry seems to be on the current too. You can easily get the kind you're looking for in any store or drug store around town, and it's not just a small number of people who buy truck loads of vitamin on the Internet, just to keep some stock.
One thing about it is that, it seems like the "hottest" supplements in Japan now is what used to be "hot" in the States 2-3 years ago, so Americans out there, try to bring in some of the "hottest" stuff in the States now into Japan a bit later. Your business has some chance of becoming a giant ;-) Not to guarantee it!
So anyway, this is what the health boom is like.
It's sooo big and ridiculous that it even makes me think "Are Japanese born to be healthy or what!!?"
But, this, is the reality.
I took this pic just now right outside of my office.
The blue-white stuff filling the air is, of course, car exhaust.
Or perhaps, is it better to call it toxic gas? Wow, now that looks healthy, doesn't it. Whew.
You eat healthy food and breathe polluted air. What kind of a health boom is that.
This morning the gossip show was sneering at Paris Hilton for her expensive effort in anti-aging but seeming unable to stop clubbing and sun-tanning.
......
Well, I guess it's not completely unrelated to us.
14 March, 2006
Dash thru White Day
I kind of fussed about Valentine's Day before, but it seems like a month has passed since then in the outside world. Hey, it only feels like a week in my head. Where did the other three weeks go?
So I was wondering, do they have White Day in other places? I looked up on the web and found out that there are similar customs (I don't even know if you can really refer to them as customs) in surprisingly many countries! They have different names like Poppy Day, Cookie Day, Marshmallow Day so on so forth, but the basic common understanding seems to be "to celebrate one month from the day the lovers confirm their love." Eeeks, what an itchy day! Anyway, the customs seem to be there.
But then, why is it "white" in Japan? The story is that the candy industry (and I mean like hard candies excluding chocolate) jealous (oops, I made that part up) of the chocolate industry which successfully made Valentine's Day their day, somehow wanted to make this one month anniverssary their day to promote candies. The initial plan included ideas like calling the day "Candy Day" but some airy one suggested "white" b/c "white is the symbol of purity and goes well with the pure love of teens". So the others were like, "Okay, make it White Day and this is how it all started.
Well, is it only me that thinks the purpose itself is pretty black?
However, I don't really see guys giving back candies for White Day nowadays. It's true that if you search for "White Day" on google web search you get the candy association's "WHITEDAY OFFICIAL SITE" the very first (ugh). What the hell do they mean official???
As a webmaster myself I can't help thinking, "wow, they must've really worked on the SEO..."
Uh, sorry, but the members of the association? I'm afraid that choosing candies as the return gift in present day Japan where the tacit understanding of "return gifts must be more than twice the Valentine gift" has deeply rooted can kill you. Before spending so much time and energy on SEO perhaps you want to develop a candy that has a surprise diamond coming out :-P
So I was wondering, do they have White Day in other places? I looked up on the web and found out that there are similar customs (I don't even know if you can really refer to them as customs) in surprisingly many countries! They have different names like Poppy Day, Cookie Day, Marshmallow Day so on so forth, but the basic common understanding seems to be "to celebrate one month from the day the lovers confirm their love." Eeeks, what an itchy day! Anyway, the customs seem to be there.
But then, why is it "white" in Japan? The story is that the candy industry (and I mean like hard candies excluding chocolate) jealous (oops, I made that part up) of the chocolate industry which successfully made Valentine's Day their day, somehow wanted to make this one month anniverssary their day to promote candies. The initial plan included ideas like calling the day "Candy Day" but some airy one suggested "white" b/c "white is the symbol of purity and goes well with the pure love of teens". So the others were like, "Okay, make it White Day and this is how it all started.
Well, is it only me that thinks the purpose itself is pretty black?
However, I don't really see guys giving back candies for White Day nowadays. It's true that if you search for "White Day" on google web search you get the candy association's "WHITEDAY OFFICIAL SITE" the very first (ugh). What the hell do they mean official???
As a webmaster myself I can't help thinking, "wow, they must've really worked on the SEO..."
Uh, sorry, but the members of the association? I'm afraid that choosing candies as the return gift in present day Japan where the tacit understanding of "return gifts must be more than twice the Valentine gift" has deeply rooted can kill you. Before spending so much time and energy on SEO perhaps you want to develop a candy that has a surprise diamond coming out :-P
13 March, 2006
Lost it in Japan? Find it on the Internet.
If you come to Japan on vacation or on a business trip and happen to lose some article,
or if you realize after you get back home that you've lost something across the ocean,
do you just give up convincing yourself that that's life?
Well, now the situation will be a bit different: things might become easier for you to look for it than before.
The following is a brief citation from the Nikkei Newspaper:
"March 7th - The Japanese Government has decided on the revision of the ordination of lost and found in order to review as well as to lighten the management of reported articles - well over 10 million a year - and to improve the efficiency of returning them to the owners. The core ideas include full equipment of nationwide online management and search system of lost and found articles, and the shortening of the storage period from six months to three.
Disabling finders to claim ownership to articles with personal information input such as cell phones, PCs, various kinds of cards and so on, is another significant point of this revision.
The revision of the present law enacted in 1899 is the first time in nearly half a century after its first revision in 1958. As well as the revison of the contents of the ordinance, the language itself will be modified into "modern Japanese" from the present classic text. The government seeks the revised law to pass the Diet during the current Diet session, and to enact it by the end of 2007.
The reviewed ordinance presupposes the construction of a system enabling nationwide Internet search of lost and found information including the follwing provisions:
1) The announcement on the police headquarters' homepages of lost and found information (date, place, characteristics of the article) gathered from district police offices
2) All-points notice of "valuable" articles."
As I first mentioned in the beginning, the establishment of this system really helps when you want to look for something you lost in your travel destination or something you don't exactly know when or where you lost it. I think it saves a lot of time, money and trouble if you can search for what you lost on the net spread nationwide.
The thing that worries me though, is that frauds might (or will, more likely) increase claiming ownership to articles that have been found even though that person is not the real owner. The problem becomes worse cuz you can claim the thing is yours to articles found across the country, so identification becomes an even more serious issue. Well, I bet they're of course considering solutions for such outcomes of course. And I'm afraid you can't expect foreign language service from very the beginning :-( Well, you never know.
So, can I also search for my pure and innocent heart that I lost sometime somewhere???lol
or if you realize after you get back home that you've lost something across the ocean,
do you just give up convincing yourself that that's life?
Well, now the situation will be a bit different: things might become easier for you to look for it than before.
The following is a brief citation from the Nikkei Newspaper:
"March 7th - The Japanese Government has decided on the revision of the ordination of lost and found in order to review as well as to lighten the management of reported articles - well over 10 million a year - and to improve the efficiency of returning them to the owners. The core ideas include full equipment of nationwide online management and search system of lost and found articles, and the shortening of the storage period from six months to three.
Disabling finders to claim ownership to articles with personal information input such as cell phones, PCs, various kinds of cards and so on, is another significant point of this revision.
The revision of the present law enacted in 1899 is the first time in nearly half a century after its first revision in 1958. As well as the revison of the contents of the ordinance, the language itself will be modified into "modern Japanese" from the present classic text. The government seeks the revised law to pass the Diet during the current Diet session, and to enact it by the end of 2007.
The reviewed ordinance presupposes the construction of a system enabling nationwide Internet search of lost and found information including the follwing provisions:
1) The announcement on the police headquarters' homepages of lost and found information (date, place, characteristics of the article) gathered from district police offices
2) All-points notice of "valuable" articles."
As I first mentioned in the beginning, the establishment of this system really helps when you want to look for something you lost in your travel destination or something you don't exactly know when or where you lost it. I think it saves a lot of time, money and trouble if you can search for what you lost on the net spread nationwide.
The thing that worries me though, is that frauds might (or will, more likely) increase claiming ownership to articles that have been found even though that person is not the real owner. The problem becomes worse cuz you can claim the thing is yours to articles found across the country, so identification becomes an even more serious issue. Well, I bet they're of course considering solutions for such outcomes of course. And I'm afraid you can't expect foreign language service from very the beginning :-( Well, you never know.
So, can I also search for my pure and innocent heart that I lost sometime somewhere???lol
10 March, 2006
Graduation Season
So, cherry blossoms have started to whirl and twirl on my web site.
< http://www.jmode.com >
That means that wave after wave of graduation ceremonies are surging.
If there are any out there coming to Japan during March, I assure you'll see a bunch of beautiful young ladies wrapped up in elegant traditional clothing for graduation called "hakama". I think, in a way this is a great "chance".
But it seems that this hakama is not something that every female student actually owns. Most of them are rental costumes.
Ladies used to have one for each in the old days (decades ago), but today when ordinary clothing has shifted to Western clothes there is only like one chance of wearing a hakama all through your life.
And it's super expensive, too.
But even if you rent one it still costs you quite a bit - something like 20,000 to 30,000 yen (approx. 200-300 USD) for a 2to3-hour-long ceremony seems to be the minimum. This is quite something, isn't it? So why is it so expensive? Partly b/c almost no one can really wear a hakama by herself (it's an ancient piece of sophisticated clothing, I guess), each of them are made with special techniques, you have to have a certain set of bags and shoes to go along with, and even hair and make-up too. What a hakama looks like: it's better to search for an image of it on the web, but to verbally explain it it's something like wearing a long, skirt-like flared and pleated pants over a kimono. Did that help? lol
Guys are easier and lucky too. We just wear Western suits and appreciate the beauty of the ladies ;-)
It seems like most girls wear hakama just because others do.
So it's not like they're really dying to wear one.
In my opinion, I think that universities should financially support the students since they squeexe out so much tuition. I know it kind of contradicts with the idea above (wearing b/c you really want to), but I think that there are many who'd want to wear one if it was free.
Well that makes it sound like guy's don't get much privilege, but it's okay, our eyes do.
Click here for the image of a hakama.
< http://www.jmode.com >
That means that wave after wave of graduation ceremonies are surging.
If there are any out there coming to Japan during March, I assure you'll see a bunch of beautiful young ladies wrapped up in elegant traditional clothing for graduation called "hakama". I think, in a way this is a great "chance".
But it seems that this hakama is not something that every female student actually owns. Most of them are rental costumes.
Ladies used to have one for each in the old days (decades ago), but today when ordinary clothing has shifted to Western clothes there is only like one chance of wearing a hakama all through your life.
And it's super expensive, too.
But even if you rent one it still costs you quite a bit - something like 20,000 to 30,000 yen (approx. 200-300 USD) for a 2to3-hour-long ceremony seems to be the minimum. This is quite something, isn't it? So why is it so expensive? Partly b/c almost no one can really wear a hakama by herself (it's an ancient piece of sophisticated clothing, I guess), each of them are made with special techniques, you have to have a certain set of bags and shoes to go along with, and even hair and make-up too. What a hakama looks like: it's better to search for an image of it on the web, but to verbally explain it it's something like wearing a long, skirt-like flared and pleated pants over a kimono. Did that help? lol
Guys are easier and lucky too. We just wear Western suits and appreciate the beauty of the ladies ;-)
It seems like most girls wear hakama just because others do.
So it's not like they're really dying to wear one.
In my opinion, I think that universities should financially support the students since they squeexe out so much tuition. I know it kind of contradicts with the idea above (wearing b/c you really want to), but I think that there are many who'd want to wear one if it was free.
Well that makes it sound like guy's don't get much privilege, but it's okay, our eyes do.
Click here for the image of a hakama.
09 March, 2006
AKIBA holds the power
Akihabara UDX, the new multi-complex building right in front of JR Akihabara Station seems to have opened today (March 9). Together with the Akihabara Daibiru opened up last autumn, the Akihabara Crossfield is now complete and welcomed the grand opening.
...Well, how many of you out there can really understand what that means?
In a word, huge commercial buildings have been jumping out here and there around Akihabara area, the "center of Japanese anime and game industry" (oh, some people really don't like to refer to Akihabara in that way. no offense to those ppl).
The one opened up today - the Akihabara UDX - contains 36 commercial facilities including AKIBA_ICHI, a food court with cafes and restaurants, and the event space AKIBA_SQUARE, studies & research center "Sentan Knowledge Field", Tokyo Anime Center, Design Museum and so on. For details, go to < http://www.akiba-cross.jp/english/index.html > (English Site)
At the opening ceremony held today, the present governor of Tokyo Ishihara made a speech saying: "There is no other place like Akihabara in the world. While you see the wide main street like that of Broadway, you also see small stands and stores selling electric supplied in the back alleys," and, "Many hidden skills still reside underground in Akihabara. Most of the national politicians come from the countrysides and don't exactly know Akihabara. The real driving force of Japan hides in places like Akihabara and Tsukuba. I'd like them to see and know the situations here. Private sectors should stand at the point where they can have a wider view, and give pressure to the world instead of easily pouring out the special skills we have."
Also, according to the comment of one of the "great" politicians: "There's no place in Japan like the Silicon Valley where the latest IT technologies concentrate. I had always thought that if we're to make one, it would be AKIBA. Now we have a great container. What we need now is a live spirit."
Well, I do feel like the desires of the politicians are whirring around, but I do hope that these huge buildings would be some good once they're made.
...Well, how many of you out there can really understand what that means?
In a word, huge commercial buildings have been jumping out here and there around Akihabara area, the "center of Japanese anime and game industry" (oh, some people really don't like to refer to Akihabara in that way. no offense to those ppl).
The one opened up today - the Akihabara UDX - contains 36 commercial facilities including AKIBA_ICHI, a food court with cafes and restaurants, and the event space AKIBA_SQUARE, studies & research center "Sentan Knowledge Field", Tokyo Anime Center, Design Museum and so on. For details, go to < http://www.akiba-cross.jp/english/index.html > (English Site)
At the opening ceremony held today, the present governor of Tokyo Ishihara made a speech saying: "There is no other place like Akihabara in the world. While you see the wide main street like that of Broadway, you also see small stands and stores selling electric supplied in the back alleys," and, "Many hidden skills still reside underground in Akihabara. Most of the national politicians come from the countrysides and don't exactly know Akihabara. The real driving force of Japan hides in places like Akihabara and Tsukuba. I'd like them to see and know the situations here. Private sectors should stand at the point where they can have a wider view, and give pressure to the world instead of easily pouring out the special skills we have."
Also, according to the comment of one of the "great" politicians: "There's no place in Japan like the Silicon Valley where the latest IT technologies concentrate. I had always thought that if we're to make one, it would be AKIBA. Now we have a great container. What we need now is a live spirit."
Well, I do feel like the desires of the politicians are whirring around, but I do hope that these huge buildings would be some good once they're made.
08 March, 2006
Japanese Society and the "oyakusoku"
oyakusoku - how many of you know this word? It's not a mere yakusoku, it's an oyakusoku.
It means "a tacit understanding", and what it presicely means is the patterns of cause and effect.
For example, let's say there's a banana peel left right there in a comedy show. The actor in this show, with barely any exception, will "accidentally" step on this peel and slip. Or say, a grade-conscious mother in a TV drama most likely wears a sharp, pointy pair of glasses. I don't know about the banana peel situation or the education mama situation, but I'm pretty sure there are many many kinds of these "oyakusoku" around the world, and there must be a fit phrase in each language to describe this kind of situation.
There are so many oyakusoku and in some cases, people intentionally betray this oyakusoku to impress the audience.
Anyway, why I got into writing about this is because I have heard so many times here and there that "Japan is a very closed country." and I'd like to take some time to reconsider this preconception.
To tell you my conclusion first, yeah I'd have to agree that Japan is closed somewhat.
But I don't think it necessarily means that Japanese is bad in nature, and I even think that this closedness is what makes Japan Japan.
In Japanese culture and language there are these two concepts "honne" and "tatemae". The former is the true feeling / thought and the latter, public face. "Well I actually think A, but I don't want to break the harmony here so I think I'll just say B." In another word, if the consequences are going to be smoother for all, let's just give in to the social oyakusoku.
In a way I guess this can be explained as a Japanese survival skill to live in a small country where you have to live just a few inches away from your nextdoor neighbor and you don't want to cause any disputes.
This way of thinking is now causing some controversies in the online world these days among Japanese net users. To react in a way not to break the harmony, we describe this as "to read the air (=atmosphere).
Say, you're new to this popular blog or a forum and forget the fact you're a newbie and try to join communication rings of regulars by throwing in flabbergasting comments as if you've been here all the time. Most definitely someone would shout at you to read the air, and the surprised newbie will either stop saying anything or snap at the warner and start an endless quarrel. No one really starts reading the air.
This is most likely to be a phenomenon unique to the faceless and nameless world of Internet.
I realize these days as I write this blog, that non-Japanese people tend to have more real faces on the Internet as compared to Japanese. Not as many Japanese display their real names or have their face pictures on their profiles. What I came to think of is that maybe b/c Japanese people are more brought up to distinguish honne and tatemae in the offline society, the online world is the only place where they (or we) can blurt out our real feelings without risking to be tracked down who said this or that.
Having said so, I don't have my face out neither here nor Japan Mode. It's only because I don't think there's the necessety to do so. But some other people even put mosaics on their personal travel pictures they put up on their private blogs.
Of course, a whole lot of them are conscious about privacy and net crimes, but why then, do more non-Japanese expose their profiles than Japanese? Hmm.
Maybe some of you know about this: there's a new kind of mega net business in Japan called "mixi" and this is an online social network that boasts a huuuge number of members. This gives another kind of description to what I wrote above.
Gotten way too long... I'll try writing about the relationship b/w mixi and oyakusoku next time.
It means "a tacit understanding", and what it presicely means is the patterns of cause and effect.
For example, let's say there's a banana peel left right there in a comedy show. The actor in this show, with barely any exception, will "accidentally" step on this peel and slip. Or say, a grade-conscious mother in a TV drama most likely wears a sharp, pointy pair of glasses. I don't know about the banana peel situation or the education mama situation, but I'm pretty sure there are many many kinds of these "oyakusoku" around the world, and there must be a fit phrase in each language to describe this kind of situation.
There are so many oyakusoku and in some cases, people intentionally betray this oyakusoku to impress the audience.
Anyway, why I got into writing about this is because I have heard so many times here and there that "Japan is a very closed country." and I'd like to take some time to reconsider this preconception.
To tell you my conclusion first, yeah I'd have to agree that Japan is closed somewhat.
But I don't think it necessarily means that Japanese is bad in nature, and I even think that this closedness is what makes Japan Japan.
In Japanese culture and language there are these two concepts "honne" and "tatemae". The former is the true feeling / thought and the latter, public face. "Well I actually think A, but I don't want to break the harmony here so I think I'll just say B." In another word, if the consequences are going to be smoother for all, let's just give in to the social oyakusoku.
In a way I guess this can be explained as a Japanese survival skill to live in a small country where you have to live just a few inches away from your nextdoor neighbor and you don't want to cause any disputes.
This way of thinking is now causing some controversies in the online world these days among Japanese net users. To react in a way not to break the harmony, we describe this as "to read the air (=atmosphere).
Say, you're new to this popular blog or a forum and forget the fact you're a newbie and try to join communication rings of regulars by throwing in flabbergasting comments as if you've been here all the time. Most definitely someone would shout at you to read the air, and the surprised newbie will either stop saying anything or snap at the warner and start an endless quarrel. No one really starts reading the air.
This is most likely to be a phenomenon unique to the faceless and nameless world of Internet.
I realize these days as I write this blog, that non-Japanese people tend to have more real faces on the Internet as compared to Japanese. Not as many Japanese display their real names or have their face pictures on their profiles. What I came to think of is that maybe b/c Japanese people are more brought up to distinguish honne and tatemae in the offline society, the online world is the only place where they (or we) can blurt out our real feelings without risking to be tracked down who said this or that.
Having said so, I don't have my face out neither here nor Japan Mode. It's only because I don't think there's the necessety to do so. But some other people even put mosaics on their personal travel pictures they put up on their private blogs.
Of course, a whole lot of them are conscious about privacy and net crimes, but why then, do more non-Japanese expose their profiles than Japanese? Hmm.
Maybe some of you know about this: there's a new kind of mega net business in Japan called "mixi" and this is an online social network that boasts a huuuge number of members. This gives another kind of description to what I wrote above.
Gotten way too long... I'll try writing about the relationship b/w mixi and oyakusoku next time.
The Smell of Spring!!
The weather is so nice and warm today. I can smell spring out there!
Do you feel like there are seasonal smells (or fragrance, should I say?)? I think that summer has the strongest smell - I mean, not sweat but smell of fresh green and probably of many kinds of plants. Spring, on the other hand, I think has a bit more sweeter smell maybe because of the buds and flowers.
But once you become pollen allergy, breathing deeply with your nose holes wide open is like committing suicide. I don't have one by the way - at least not yet - but the scary thing about hay fever is that you never know when you'll really get one. So I'm still afraid of it, but I bet it's nothing funny at all for those who already have it.
I hear that 1 out of 5 Japanese have pollen allergy. Among those 20%, most suffer from cedar pollen. The direct cause of the amount of cedar pollen and the number of poor sufferers is the planting and expansion of cedar trees by the ministry of forestry back in the 1960s. These trees were planted to meet the increasing demands of wood during the rapid economic development and in fact greatly contributed to the constructions of new houses in the age of increasing population.
But soon after, cheaper wood were imported from overseas and the demands for domestic wood went remarkably low for they were much more expensive than the imported ones. So the excessively planted cedar trees were kind of abandoned I guess, growing and increasing wild. Plus, they say that cedar trees give out pollen the most when they're about 40-50 years old, so now is like the worst years for pollen sufferers.
When I was a kid, I don't remember pollen allergy being such a huge news every year. But now, you see pollen forecasts just like a normal weather forcast. I suppose it means that "patients" are increasing that much, but also think is a result of Japanese people's allergy to something like dirt, dust and pollen.
Actually, I think that some of the "counter-pollen allergy products" have gone too far. There are so many things with the ad blurb like, "The strongest sterilization!" or "photocatalytic" or "sterilize with the power of silver!"
Hmmm, I do sympathize with it to some extent, but gee, still I think people can be more... easy-going.
Well, I can't be predicted that it won't come to me tomorrow. That's a waste of energy ye know...
But I definitely don't want to be the Red-nose-reindeer even in spring.
Do you feel like there are seasonal smells (or fragrance, should I say?)? I think that summer has the strongest smell - I mean, not sweat but smell of fresh green and probably of many kinds of plants. Spring, on the other hand, I think has a bit more sweeter smell maybe because of the buds and flowers.
But once you become pollen allergy, breathing deeply with your nose holes wide open is like committing suicide. I don't have one by the way - at least not yet - but the scary thing about hay fever is that you never know when you'll really get one. So I'm still afraid of it, but I bet it's nothing funny at all for those who already have it.
I hear that 1 out of 5 Japanese have pollen allergy. Among those 20%, most suffer from cedar pollen. The direct cause of the amount of cedar pollen and the number of poor sufferers is the planting and expansion of cedar trees by the ministry of forestry back in the 1960s. These trees were planted to meet the increasing demands of wood during the rapid economic development and in fact greatly contributed to the constructions of new houses in the age of increasing population.
But soon after, cheaper wood were imported from overseas and the demands for domestic wood went remarkably low for they were much more expensive than the imported ones. So the excessively planted cedar trees were kind of abandoned I guess, growing and increasing wild. Plus, they say that cedar trees give out pollen the most when they're about 40-50 years old, so now is like the worst years for pollen sufferers.
When I was a kid, I don't remember pollen allergy being such a huge news every year. But now, you see pollen forecasts just like a normal weather forcast. I suppose it means that "patients" are increasing that much, but also think is a result of Japanese people's allergy to something like dirt, dust and pollen.
Actually, I think that some of the "counter-pollen allergy products" have gone too far. There are so many things with the ad blurb like, "The strongest sterilization!" or "photocatalytic" or "sterilize with the power of silver!"
Hmmm, I do sympathize with it to some extent, but gee, still I think people can be more... easy-going.
Well, I can't be predicted that it won't come to me tomorrow. That's a waste of energy ye know...
But I definitely don't want to be the Red-nose-reindeer even in spring.
07 March, 2006
What a moving news...
What I'm going to write about today is a little news in Japan. I think that the article probably won't be released in English or on overseas media, so I'm going to translate the article here:
"Marathoner Rios Gives His Gold Medal to a Wheelchair Girl"
Jose Rios (31, Spain), the 61st champion of the Biwako Mainichi Marathon held by Biwa Lake on Sunday, March 5th, gave his champion medal to a girl on a wheelchair after the race.
"I am so surprised, but very happy," said the girl to the unexpected gift. Being a great fan of Rios, this girl has always cheered him along the marathon course for 3 years.
"I knew she was always there and cheered for me when I ran. This time I wanted to cheer her for living so cheerfully overcoming the handicap she carries," Rios commented before leaving Kansai International Airport on the following day.
The girl's name is Mizuki Hozumi (14) a 9th grader at Dai-San Junior High School in Kita-Sakurazuka, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture. For her cerebral paralysis she is forced to live her life on a wheelchair.
Her father being a civilian runner participating in many marathon races, the family has been cheering the Biwa Lake marathon every year since several years ago. Two years ago she cheered and waved to Rios, who was a first-timer participating in a full marathon and Rios waved back to her. Rios ran through the goal line with a good record of 2 hours and 7 minutes 42 seconds.
Ever since, she has become a fan of Rios and has cheered him last year and this year. After he passed by Mizuki, she went to the goal to congratulate him for winning the race. Rios soon found her waiting by the entrance of the goal stadium, went up to her with a great smile and gave her his shining gold medal.
"The medal must be a very important thing for him that would become a lifelong memory. I don't know if I really deserve to receive this..." worries Mizuki on the other hand. She is going to send him a thank you note very soon.
Isn't it a wonderful story? I think you're already as moved as I am. There's no need for me to leave my impression here!
Wow, I never imagined that there'd be an athelete this pleasant. God, he's such a hero to me. How can you directly give the gold medal you received a few minutes ago? Too cool!
I re-felt that sports give another emotion after the event as well as during one like this.
I feel like I want to know more about Jose Rios, but I can't get much info on him since he's still not that famous in Japan.
Let's hope he'll do well in the upcoming races too and cheer for him :-)
"Marathoner Rios Gives His Gold Medal to a Wheelchair Girl"
Jose Rios (31, Spain), the 61st champion of the Biwako Mainichi Marathon held by Biwa Lake on Sunday, March 5th, gave his champion medal to a girl on a wheelchair after the race.
"I am so surprised, but very happy," said the girl to the unexpected gift. Being a great fan of Rios, this girl has always cheered him along the marathon course for 3 years.
"I knew she was always there and cheered for me when I ran. This time I wanted to cheer her for living so cheerfully overcoming the handicap she carries," Rios commented before leaving Kansai International Airport on the following day.
The girl's name is Mizuki Hozumi (14) a 9th grader at Dai-San Junior High School in Kita-Sakurazuka, Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture. For her cerebral paralysis she is forced to live her life on a wheelchair.
Her father being a civilian runner participating in many marathon races, the family has been cheering the Biwa Lake marathon every year since several years ago. Two years ago she cheered and waved to Rios, who was a first-timer participating in a full marathon and Rios waved back to her. Rios ran through the goal line with a good record of 2 hours and 7 minutes 42 seconds.
Ever since, she has become a fan of Rios and has cheered him last year and this year. After he passed by Mizuki, she went to the goal to congratulate him for winning the race. Rios soon found her waiting by the entrance of the goal stadium, went up to her with a great smile and gave her his shining gold medal.
"The medal must be a very important thing for him that would become a lifelong memory. I don't know if I really deserve to receive this..." worries Mizuki on the other hand. She is going to send him a thank you note very soon.
Isn't it a wonderful story? I think you're already as moved as I am. There's no need for me to leave my impression here!
Wow, I never imagined that there'd be an athelete this pleasant. God, he's such a hero to me. How can you directly give the gold medal you received a few minutes ago? Too cool!
I re-felt that sports give another emotion after the event as well as during one like this.
I feel like I want to know more about Jose Rios, but I can't get much info on him since he's still not that famous in Japan.
Let's hope he'll do well in the upcoming races too and cheer for him :-)
06 March, 2006
Fashion Show
I went to see the Kobe Collection (it's a huge fashion show) held in Yokohama yesterday. (URL-Japanese Site)
I actually wanted to write a special edition on my web site Japan Mode, but I wasn't allowed to take any photos so I thought I'd write here some of my impressions of the show.
Well my first impression as soon as I got there was, "girls..."
Man, I can't tell you what the air was like there. I mean, even the audience there were all like fashion models, all dressed up in the latest fashion, hair set neatly, perfect make-up... Of course, it's a fashion show so I understand that girls would definitely want to dress up in their best mode, but even then... whew
I bet friends and co-workers of the models were also there, so some of them must have been real fashion models. I have to say that the atmosphere was so gay - I dunno how to put this - flashy, elegant, fashionable... it was a totally different world from my daily life. I almost felt daunted. (Well I got a feast for my eyes though, lol)
Anyway.
The fashion models were sooo beautiful. The main models included those from the popular fashion magazine JJ and there was also Natsuki Kato whom I see on TV quite often these days. She was very cute.
They all had unbelievably long legs and they were coming down the stage in this "model walk" (or whatever the name is) and they were like right in front of me... boy was I excited.
How the hell can they walk like that? Do they have an extra joint or what!?
The show as a whole was really an artistic one and I think it was really well-made. Some major brands had really nice shows, especially "Chesty" and "MERCURYDUO". They've done a perfect job making full use of the visuals and the images and collaboration projects, making a clear difference from the other brands.
Afterall, the most important point is undoubtedly the designs of the clothings and how to make them look the best on stage. The models only help make them look the most impressive, and most of the energy is put into that very point. It's pretty tough I think. Besides the designs, each brand has to express the difference from each other. I once again felt that showbiz is a really tough industry.
Other than that, all I could think of that day was about the beauty of the fashion models.
In fact, I must admit that that was the only thing my eyes were fixed on during the entire show.
I actually wanted to write a special edition on my web site Japan Mode, but I wasn't allowed to take any photos so I thought I'd write here some of my impressions of the show.
Well my first impression as soon as I got there was, "girls..."
Man, I can't tell you what the air was like there. I mean, even the audience there were all like fashion models, all dressed up in the latest fashion, hair set neatly, perfect make-up... Of course, it's a fashion show so I understand that girls would definitely want to dress up in their best mode, but even then... whew
I bet friends and co-workers of the models were also there, so some of them must have been real fashion models. I have to say that the atmosphere was so gay - I dunno how to put this - flashy, elegant, fashionable... it was a totally different world from my daily life. I almost felt daunted. (Well I got a feast for my eyes though, lol)
Anyway.
The fashion models were sooo beautiful. The main models included those from the popular fashion magazine JJ and there was also Natsuki Kato whom I see on TV quite often these days. She was very cute.
They all had unbelievably long legs and they were coming down the stage in this "model walk" (or whatever the name is) and they were like right in front of me... boy was I excited.
How the hell can they walk like that? Do they have an extra joint or what!?
The show as a whole was really an artistic one and I think it was really well-made. Some major brands had really nice shows, especially "Chesty" and "MERCURYDUO". They've done a perfect job making full use of the visuals and the images and collaboration projects, making a clear difference from the other brands.
Afterall, the most important point is undoubtedly the designs of the clothings and how to make them look the best on stage. The models only help make them look the most impressive, and most of the energy is put into that very point. It's pretty tough I think. Besides the designs, each brand has to express the difference from each other. I once again felt that showbiz is a really tough industry.
Other than that, all I could think of that day was about the beauty of the fashion models.
In fact, I must admit that that was the only thing my eyes were fixed on during the entire show.
03 March, 2006
iiTage JUMP fever
The "iiTage JUMP", a really simple game in which you make this character jump over the holes, has been showing a pretty big craze within my office since its launch last Friday on Japan Mode.
Qualities of the visual images - from TVs to computers to games to everything - are becoming finer and more beautiful each second these days, but these really simple games using FLASH show unexpectedly high popularity still. Or maybe, they're popular because they're simple.
So anyway, this JUMP game is pretty popular but I have to come up with a new game (yes, it's Friday and I have to update the game) which is more fun than the JUMP. The pressure I feel from my co-workers is actually pretty big, lol.
Although, because I have practically no exprience in programming games so what I do is to borrow materials from web sites providing free program sources, changing the design to suit my web site.
But then of course, materials for good games aren't easily found for free so I really have to search around for something I want. It takes so much time that I sometimes do feel like I might as well study and make one myself. I hear that those kind of sources are more commonly provided around the world, but not as much in Japan.
Well...
And even after I finally find one, I have to start fussing around with that source, and that really gives me a hard time, too. So I go knocking around my co-workers' (they're all SEs) desks bugging their own jobs, get their help and finally complete one.
That's how the games on my site are made.
Today's update is "iiTage NINJA". Come try it out :-D
Oh, and if you have any recommended sites offereing free program sources, please please tell me!
I'm pretty desperate.
Qualities of the visual images - from TVs to computers to games to everything - are becoming finer and more beautiful each second these days, but these really simple games using FLASH show unexpectedly high popularity still. Or maybe, they're popular because they're simple.
So anyway, this JUMP game is pretty popular but I have to come up with a new game (yes, it's Friday and I have to update the game) which is more fun than the JUMP. The pressure I feel from my co-workers is actually pretty big, lol.
Although, because I have practically no exprience in programming games so what I do is to borrow materials from web sites providing free program sources, changing the design to suit my web site.
But then of course, materials for good games aren't easily found for free so I really have to search around for something I want. It takes so much time that I sometimes do feel like I might as well study and make one myself. I hear that those kind of sources are more commonly provided around the world, but not as much in Japan.
Well...
And even after I finally find one, I have to start fussing around with that source, and that really gives me a hard time, too. So I go knocking around my co-workers' (they're all SEs) desks bugging their own jobs, get their help and finally complete one.
That's how the games on my site are made.
Today's update is "iiTage NINJA". Come try it out :-D
Oh, and if you have any recommended sites offereing free program sources, please please tell me!
I'm pretty desperate.
02 March, 2006
Want a castle???
Anybody out there want a Japanese castle? Here's a good one.
There's a little something going on in Japan among some people.
First, just click this link:
http://www.shimada-jyutaku.co.jp/info/info_pay.html
That's right, a castle! A castle.
A castle is on sale.
This is no silly joke. It's sold just like a normal house is sold.
Of course, water, gas and electricity is drawn just like any other house so you'll have a nice and comfy life.
It costs 41 million yen. Now, I don't know if this is expensive or cheap even though I live in Japan.
Looong time ago in Japan, during the age of war after war, the monster goal of a samurai (lower rank) was to become a lord of a country (=domain) and have his own castle.
So they survived each war hoping to gain more power to become a "master of one country, one castle".
Today, this hope of owning a country and a castle has turned into a hope to owning a house instead of having to have to rent one, and so the phrase is still used in modern Japanese society.
So this castle is now really killing castle-fans in Japan.
You can literally become a master of a castle (and that's much much more than a mere house!).
It's located in the mountains of Toyama Prefecture, that's on the west coast of Japan facing Japan Sea, so why not but it as a summer house? And boast off to your friends,
"wanna come over to my summer castle in Japan?" lol
Btw, I have nothing to do with this company or the real estate. Just so you know, this is not an advertisement so I can't take any responsibility!
There's a little something going on in Japan among some people.
First, just click this link:
http://www.shimada-jyutaku.co.jp/info/info_pay.html
That's right, a castle! A castle.
A castle is on sale.
This is no silly joke. It's sold just like a normal house is sold.
Of course, water, gas and electricity is drawn just like any other house so you'll have a nice and comfy life.
It costs 41 million yen. Now, I don't know if this is expensive or cheap even though I live in Japan.
Looong time ago in Japan, during the age of war after war, the monster goal of a samurai (lower rank) was to become a lord of a country (=domain) and have his own castle.
So they survived each war hoping to gain more power to become a "master of one country, one castle".
Today, this hope of owning a country and a castle has turned into a hope to owning a house instead of having to have to rent one, and so the phrase is still used in modern Japanese society.
So this castle is now really killing castle-fans in Japan.
You can literally become a master of a castle (and that's much much more than a mere house!).
It's located in the mountains of Toyama Prefecture, that's on the west coast of Japan facing Japan Sea, so why not but it as a summer house? And boast off to your friends,
"wanna come over to my summer castle in Japan?" lol
Btw, I have nothing to do with this company or the real estate. Just so you know, this is not an advertisement so I can't take any responsibility!
01 March, 2006
Japan Blog Association founded
...hey, what the heck is that!?
Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications have announced on February 28 that they have founded "Japan Blog Association" on the same day, due to the rapid expansion. The organization will undertake its job until March 2007.
Japan Blog Association will develop and expand the activities the MIC has been working on before, and by enlightening, rewarding, studying/ researching, interacting, supporting and giving suggestions to blog-related issues, aims to speed up the growth and expansion of blogs. No executives will be set on the board for a while, and instead the Foundation for MultiMedia Communications (FMMC) will take the job.
Main activities of the organization are as follow:
enlightenment - holding of lectures and symposiums regarding blogs
rewards - rewarding outstanding (model) blogs such as those of business
research - logical analysis of awareness, market performance and future estimates
interaction - construction of a reciprocal linking site of blog-related organizations
support - offereing consultation and providing information regarding blogs to those who wish
suggestion - offering suggestions to blog service providers
You don't really need any qualifications to join the association and you can freely join as an individual entity. No fees occur in joining, just do it online.
...is what they say. Is the expansion of blogs something the nation has to act upon?
And their activities seem to be a great big ??? to me...
I mean, this entire thing sounds like a ready-made template that can be used for pretty much anything elso if you replace the word "blog" in the sentences.
Not moving or even tempting at all, huh?
Or even, what the hell do they mean by promoting the growth and expansion of blogs?
Is it like some pop on-screen talent comes up on TV commercials saying, "Let's blog!"??
I thought blogs all started from a "web log", you know, literally a personal record on the web, sth like a diary... which used to be called homepage in most cases, or am I wrong?
K, the nice part about blogs is that you can easily update on browsers and they have RSS and trackback functions making you easy to communicate with others. Well, like I have one here, I have no problems with the idea of blogs.
But it's just that I don't feel that comfortable with the idea of the nation spending money there, to promote blogs. There're a bunch of other stuff the country should be working on, I mean better stuff.
The government should do sth that the private can't do but the country can do.
But then on the other hand they try to privatize a bunch of ex-national projects like the post system.
It also makes owners of non-blog sites feel kinda isolated. It wouldn't be as bad if the project was part of a website association or whatever.
Oh well, I guess there's no good fussing about it once it started. Let's see how it all turn's out.
I just want to have this blog get going more... like boost up the counter.
Japan Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications have announced on February 28 that they have founded "Japan Blog Association" on the same day, due to the rapid expansion. The organization will undertake its job until March 2007.
Japan Blog Association will develop and expand the activities the MIC has been working on before, and by enlightening, rewarding, studying/ researching, interacting, supporting and giving suggestions to blog-related issues, aims to speed up the growth and expansion of blogs. No executives will be set on the board for a while, and instead the Foundation for MultiMedia Communications (FMMC) will take the job.
Main activities of the organization are as follow:
enlightenment - holding of lectures and symposiums regarding blogs
rewards - rewarding outstanding (model) blogs such as those of business
research - logical analysis of awareness, market performance and future estimates
interaction - construction of a reciprocal linking site of blog-related organizations
support - offereing consultation and providing information regarding blogs to those who wish
suggestion - offering suggestions to blog service providers
You don't really need any qualifications to join the association and you can freely join as an individual entity. No fees occur in joining, just do it online.
...is what they say. Is the expansion of blogs something the nation has to act upon?
And their activities seem to be a great big ??? to me...
I mean, this entire thing sounds like a ready-made template that can be used for pretty much anything elso if you replace the word "blog" in the sentences.
Not moving or even tempting at all, huh?
Or even, what the hell do they mean by promoting the growth and expansion of blogs?
Is it like some pop on-screen talent comes up on TV commercials saying, "Let's blog!"??
I thought blogs all started from a "web log", you know, literally a personal record on the web, sth like a diary... which used to be called homepage in most cases, or am I wrong?
K, the nice part about blogs is that you can easily update on browsers and they have RSS and trackback functions making you easy to communicate with others. Well, like I have one here, I have no problems with the idea of blogs.
But it's just that I don't feel that comfortable with the idea of the nation spending money there, to promote blogs. There're a bunch of other stuff the country should be working on, I mean better stuff.
The government should do sth that the private can't do but the country can do.
But then on the other hand they try to privatize a bunch of ex-national projects like the post system.
It also makes owners of non-blog sites feel kinda isolated. It wouldn't be as bad if the project was part of a website association or whatever.
Oh well, I guess there's no good fussing about it once it started. Let's see how it all turn's out.
I just want to have this blog get going more... like boost up the counter.
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