I already wrote about it on "Made in Japan" in Japan Mode yesterday but I think I'll write here too that the entire country (with some exceptions :P) is about to dive into the Golden Week as we call it. It's a weeklong May holiday and this year if you take off just a couple of days of work you can get a 9-day weekend!! ('m not sure if you even call that a "weekend")
Unfortunately my holiday isn't that long... I have to work on both the 1st and the 2nd :(
It's about time for me to head south to Okinawa. Man, it must be so nice there this time of year! Wanna swim in that clear blue water.
Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and I think it belongs to the sub-tropical climate zone? It used to be a Kingdom apart from Japan and the islands still retain a lot of its unique culture, customs, language and life. It's an exotic and fascinating place for the people living in the rest of the country, especially for those in the northern half. It's Japan but isn't like the rest...time passes slowly and life is tranquil.
There are many Japanese like me who are strongly attracted to the southern islands, and I hear it's becoming a little boom among some people to move to Okinawa and live there for the rest of their lives.
I, of course would absolutely LOVE to move there and spend everyday diving and swimming. Well, my ultimate dream I guess.
I can't go there this Golden Week, but I am definitely going to step on the land by the end of 2006, so be prepared Okinawa, I am coming!
I can write a looong report here and/or on Japan Mode about Okinawa when I do go.
28 April, 2006
27 April, 2006
ob-gyn please
As I watched TV while getting ready for work, it said that there is a huge shortage in obstetricians and gynecologists (ob-gyn) in Japan. It said the problem is especially severe in the suburbs and the rural regions. An increasing number of maternity clinics are forced to close down or cannot give emergency surgeries/ cannot respond to emergent cases due to the lack of doctors.
Some local administrations are even trying to recruit ob-gyns with an unbelievably high salary (53 million yen = approx.USD460,000) but still they can't find anyone raising his/her hand, and some other administrations have to invite ob-gyns from abroad to see the local residents/mothers.
It doesn't naturally mean though, that doctors in general are running short. In fact, the number of doctors in Japan is increasing. However, only the ob-gyns are showing remarkable decrease.
In contrast to the aging of the present ob-gyns in Japan --- more than 40% of them are older than 60 years of age --- new doctors hoping to become ob-gyns have decreased to the point of only 3-4% of the total of those who pass the national exam for medical practitioners.
What's behind all this?
The TV show pointed out three reasons.
1) The frequency of duty: it is said that ob-gyn doctors have to be on duty more than twice as much as doctors of other departments. Makes me feel the fragility of tiny lives...
2) The number of medical lawsuits: because giving birth is a happy occassion unlike injuries or illness, failure in child delivery is considered to cause much more shock. Well... true, I guess. But then, ob-gyn doctors are given mental stress on top of physical fatigue. Poor thing... s/he'll be worn out.
3) Last but not least, the increase in high-risk pregnancy & delivery and the lack of hospitals' ability to respond to emergency: due to increase of the demand and supply of female labor force, more and more women marry late and become pregnant at an older age than before. For this reason and also because of fertility treatment in other cases, pregnancy has gotten riskier. But on the other hand not many hospitals are actually ready to take care of such pregnancy and thus the burden of each doctor is becoming heavier.
Each reason is pretty heavy and I can understand that not many want to become ob-gyn doctors...
You know, in a country which the birthrate is dropping one-way, isn't it critical that there aren't many hospitals that are ready to welcome those precious ones who want to give birth to their babies? Makes me feel like the future of this country is collapsing silently.
Several decades ago, like in my parents' or more like my grandparents' generation there use be a lot of midwives called samba-san. Samba-san didn't only deliver the baby, but took care of the mother while pregnancy, from food, daily care, massage, councelling and all that. They supported the mother physically and mentally.
The Japanese ob-gyn association looking ahead of the situation announced on 22nd a plan to secure maternity clinics that can respond to the described situations.
But as far as what I can see from the plan, there doesn't seem to be a concrete plan to increase the number of doctors.
Hey, I think that samba-san can save the future of Japan. Why don't the clinics and samba-san tie up and work together? Why don't the samba-san deliver babies with low birth risk while doctors take care of the more serious cases?
A pretty difficult and heavy matter, huh? But I think people have to face the reality so I decided to choose it as the topic of today's blog. Any revolutionary suggestions out there?
Some local administrations are even trying to recruit ob-gyns with an unbelievably high salary (53 million yen = approx.USD460,000) but still they can't find anyone raising his/her hand, and some other administrations have to invite ob-gyns from abroad to see the local residents/mothers.
It doesn't naturally mean though, that doctors in general are running short. In fact, the number of doctors in Japan is increasing. However, only the ob-gyns are showing remarkable decrease.
In contrast to the aging of the present ob-gyns in Japan --- more than 40% of them are older than 60 years of age --- new doctors hoping to become ob-gyns have decreased to the point of only 3-4% of the total of those who pass the national exam for medical practitioners.
What's behind all this?
The TV show pointed out three reasons.
1) The frequency of duty: it is said that ob-gyn doctors have to be on duty more than twice as much as doctors of other departments. Makes me feel the fragility of tiny lives...
2) The number of medical lawsuits: because giving birth is a happy occassion unlike injuries or illness, failure in child delivery is considered to cause much more shock. Well... true, I guess. But then, ob-gyn doctors are given mental stress on top of physical fatigue. Poor thing... s/he'll be worn out.
3) Last but not least, the increase in high-risk pregnancy & delivery and the lack of hospitals' ability to respond to emergency: due to increase of the demand and supply of female labor force, more and more women marry late and become pregnant at an older age than before. For this reason and also because of fertility treatment in other cases, pregnancy has gotten riskier. But on the other hand not many hospitals are actually ready to take care of such pregnancy and thus the burden of each doctor is becoming heavier.
Each reason is pretty heavy and I can understand that not many want to become ob-gyn doctors...
You know, in a country which the birthrate is dropping one-way, isn't it critical that there aren't many hospitals that are ready to welcome those precious ones who want to give birth to their babies? Makes me feel like the future of this country is collapsing silently.
Several decades ago, like in my parents' or more like my grandparents' generation there use be a lot of midwives called samba-san. Samba-san didn't only deliver the baby, but took care of the mother while pregnancy, from food, daily care, massage, councelling and all that. They supported the mother physically and mentally.
The Japanese ob-gyn association looking ahead of the situation announced on 22nd a plan to secure maternity clinics that can respond to the described situations.
But as far as what I can see from the plan, there doesn't seem to be a concrete plan to increase the number of doctors.
Hey, I think that samba-san can save the future of Japan. Why don't the clinics and samba-san tie up and work together? Why don't the samba-san deliver babies with low birth risk while doctors take care of the more serious cases?
A pretty difficult and heavy matter, huh? But I think people have to face the reality so I decided to choose it as the topic of today's blog. Any revolutionary suggestions out there?
26 April, 2006
What's hot Shibuya?
Today I headed down to Shibuya to get some pix and ideas for the webmanga ChamaTama.
It's known to be one of the craziest place on earth (those who've been there know what I mean, I guess) but since it was a gloomy Wednesday 2 o'clock it wasn't as bad. I mean, I kinded wanted to get hold of a pic of the world's craziest crowd, but still I think it was the most crowded 2 o'clock in Japan April 26th.
Here's where the mecca of teens and early twenties girls Shibuya 109 is, and I (male) went into this fashion building (the whole building is another world) gathering up all the courage I have. Man was I nervous. I was dog-tired by the time I crawled out of the building.
So here I think I'll write down this season's trends (or perhaps more like tendencies) that I felt today.
First of all, the marine look. Something new this year, I think. I saw a bunch of border stripe patterns or clothing with sailor-looking embelishment. Colorwise, definitely white and navy blue. White is making its way this year, and cropped length rather than long pants.
Other than that, the sexy style still holds it position in the fashion trend. I'd even say it's gaining energy and is spreading throughout all styles. A little show-off of skin here and there. Phew.
In Japanese girl's fashion, the sexy-line and the cute/conservative-line for a long time were considered to be on the opposite side, but this time I saw sooo many cute&girly brands dressing up the mannequins with short-lengthed stuff.
Let's see, the other style that's becoming more popular is the 60-70s American style (at least, what Japanese acknowledge as 60-70s American... dunno if Americans would call it American). Can't explain it well, but it's like Samantha from Bewitched with a modern Japanese twist. I hear from the ladies that the latest fashion must-have items are... uh, what do you call them in English? Those plastic hair bands that kindergarten girls wear.
This time of year (when it's not exactly warm nor cold) many girls wear denim jackets like they have for the past several years. Short denim jackets with lacey fluffy frilly skirts here, fluffy curled hair with hair bands there... Gosh, how am I suppose to distinguish one from another from a distance? They all look the same.
Anyhoo, you can see the latest fashion everything if you go to 109. Items, shop staffs (cuz of course they wear the featured items of each shop) and last but not least the customers...
Imagine me thrown into such place. Must've looked like a real nerd.
Oh, forgot to say that these fashion styles will appear in ChamaTama ;-)
Today's Shibuya
It's known to be one of the craziest place on earth (those who've been there know what I mean, I guess) but since it was a gloomy Wednesday 2 o'clock it wasn't as bad. I mean, I kinded wanted to get hold of a pic of the world's craziest crowd, but still I think it was the most crowded 2 o'clock in Japan April 26th.
Here's where the mecca of teens and early twenties girls Shibuya 109 is, and I (male) went into this fashion building (the whole building is another world) gathering up all the courage I have. Man was I nervous. I was dog-tired by the time I crawled out of the building.
So here I think I'll write down this season's trends (or perhaps more like tendencies) that I felt today.
First of all, the marine look. Something new this year, I think. I saw a bunch of border stripe patterns or clothing with sailor-looking embelishment. Colorwise, definitely white and navy blue. White is making its way this year, and cropped length rather than long pants.
Other than that, the sexy style still holds it position in the fashion trend. I'd even say it's gaining energy and is spreading throughout all styles. A little show-off of skin here and there. Phew.
In Japanese girl's fashion, the sexy-line and the cute/conservative-line for a long time were considered to be on the opposite side, but this time I saw sooo many cute&girly brands dressing up the mannequins with short-lengthed stuff.
Let's see, the other style that's becoming more popular is the 60-70s American style (at least, what Japanese acknowledge as 60-70s American... dunno if Americans would call it American). Can't explain it well, but it's like Samantha from Bewitched with a modern Japanese twist. I hear from the ladies that the latest fashion must-have items are... uh, what do you call them in English? Those plastic hair bands that kindergarten girls wear.
This time of year (when it's not exactly warm nor cold) many girls wear denim jackets like they have for the past several years. Short denim jackets with lacey fluffy frilly skirts here, fluffy curled hair with hair bands there... Gosh, how am I suppose to distinguish one from another from a distance? They all look the same.
Anyhoo, you can see the latest fashion everything if you go to 109. Items, shop staffs (cuz of course they wear the featured items of each shop) and last but not least the customers...
Imagine me thrown into such place. Must've looked like a real nerd.
Oh, forgot to say that these fashion styles will appear in ChamaTama ;-)
Today's Shibuya
25 April, 2006
One Year from the Tragedy
Today one year ago, there had been a huge train crash... probably the worst train accident in decades, in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Since it was in the morning during the commuting hours the crashed train was loaded with passengers and in the end, 107 including the motorman died and 555 injured in this terrible accident. So today marked the first anniversary of this tragedy and there has been a memorial service held with many many victims' families attending.
Yesterday in fact, a track fault was found on a JR railtrack in Tokyo and the Yamanote Line (it's the loop railway running through core districts in Tokyo) had stopped for nearly all day. It just came at the wrong time I guess. I mean, it's only been one year and similar faults being found... I'm just glad that the fault was discovered early so that it didn't develop into a major accident. Geez.
Things like safety and security are disappearing from Japan today.
Worried about food due to BSE and bird flu,
doubts against public transportation due to the JR accident and faults,
having to have to suspect your own house's strength because of the quake-resistance data fabrication...
Since when have worries and concerns and doubts and suspicion spread across Japan like this?
Of course, I don't think that no country in this world has absolutely no worries at all. But a lot of them I suppose are worries beyond domestic issues. I mean, a country can't really solve problems like hunger and poverty and war issues all by her own, right? A bit different from the kind of worries Japan carries, I think.
Japan is not threatened by severe poverty or immediate wars. On the contrary, she's rather peaceful and rich. So at a glance, I guess she looks like a free and easy happy country.
But I believe that that's what makes it scarier and disappointing. The absence of tension makes people irresponsible and sloppy and lazy and we all have to feel worried and have doubts against each other because of that irresponsiblity. Very sad and disappointing and upsetting, isn't it.
Extreme selfishness lurk behind this insanity. In fact, the "restruction" of this extreme selfishness may be the most effective way to help Japan out from this insanity.
What do you think about the modern social disease of Japan?
Since it was in the morning during the commuting hours the crashed train was loaded with passengers and in the end, 107 including the motorman died and 555 injured in this terrible accident. So today marked the first anniversary of this tragedy and there has been a memorial service held with many many victims' families attending.
Yesterday in fact, a track fault was found on a JR railtrack in Tokyo and the Yamanote Line (it's the loop railway running through core districts in Tokyo) had stopped for nearly all day. It just came at the wrong time I guess. I mean, it's only been one year and similar faults being found... I'm just glad that the fault was discovered early so that it didn't develop into a major accident. Geez.
Things like safety and security are disappearing from Japan today.
Worried about food due to BSE and bird flu,
doubts against public transportation due to the JR accident and faults,
having to have to suspect your own house's strength because of the quake-resistance data fabrication...
Since when have worries and concerns and doubts and suspicion spread across Japan like this?
Of course, I don't think that no country in this world has absolutely no worries at all. But a lot of them I suppose are worries beyond domestic issues. I mean, a country can't really solve problems like hunger and poverty and war issues all by her own, right? A bit different from the kind of worries Japan carries, I think.
Japan is not threatened by severe poverty or immediate wars. On the contrary, she's rather peaceful and rich. So at a glance, I guess she looks like a free and easy happy country.
But I believe that that's what makes it scarier and disappointing. The absence of tension makes people irresponsible and sloppy and lazy and we all have to feel worried and have doubts against each other because of that irresponsiblity. Very sad and disappointing and upsetting, isn't it.
Extreme selfishness lurk behind this insanity. In fact, the "restruction" of this extreme selfishness may be the most effective way to help Japan out from this insanity.
What do you think about the modern social disease of Japan?
24 April, 2006
The ChamaTama Wave?
It's been one week since the release of the first chapter of JMODE's webmanga ChamaTama. Thanks to several portal webcomic lists, the manga has been having quite a number of guests. Good start, I guess.
Some of the viewers kindly left comments (and we are very very grateful for them), and there was one suggesting us we should pay attention to the details of men's fashion as much as women's. True enough, but I have to say that it wasn't really in our initial plan. But he or she does have a point once that s/he's brought it up. Japanese men these days are quite conscious about fashion. And if we want to present the reality of Japan today, we simply can't neglect it, right?
So what's hot in men's fashion now? Largely influenced by the celeb fashion trend in women's mode (celeb fashion is a style imitation Hollywood celebreties and top Japanese actresses or charismatic idols/singers) Japanese men are into men's celeb fashion right now. What kind of a style is that? In a word, neat and cool. No dirty looking, no baggy clothes, no. And where do these men go shopping to? A lot of them go to Marui men's or the men's floor on 109-2. I tend to wear second-hand clothes so I'm on the Harajuku side, but.
My favorite shops are always the same. I just browse around my favorite places and that's it. Sometimes I go on new adventures but I can't seem to find new favorites that easily. Although, because I don't find new favorites that often the satisfaction of when I do is pretty big.
In that sense, the fact that a bunch of trendy shops in a wide range of styles and genres gathering around Shibuya - Harajuku - Omotesando area (they're pretty close to each other. barely walking distance, if you wanna give a try) is really helpful. Even if I cruise around town looking for secondhand clothing, I get to see the trendiest clothes on display on the streets so I get to know what's hot in town.
Anyhoo, I got off the track a bit but what I wanted to say is that ChamaTama isn't only a ninja-action manga but is a dispatcher of the hottest fashion and pop culture in Japan this moment. And now that I've written this, for both men and women. You'll see if you walk around Shibuya or anywhere elso around in Tokyo, there is no single style that everyone really follows. There are several styles and trends indeed, but different people have different tastes and they dress themselves quite differently. You see a whole lot of varieties in a city as big as this. It's a biiig mixture of different-ness. And I hope to implement and express this variety in the manga.
The second chapter of ChamaTama is scheduled to be updated on May 1st. That's next Monday. There'll be Shibuya and Shibuya fashion and all that sort in it, so make sure you check it out! Keep tuned to Japan Mode ;-)
Some of the viewers kindly left comments (and we are very very grateful for them), and there was one suggesting us we should pay attention to the details of men's fashion as much as women's. True enough, but I have to say that it wasn't really in our initial plan. But he or she does have a point once that s/he's brought it up. Japanese men these days are quite conscious about fashion. And if we want to present the reality of Japan today, we simply can't neglect it, right?
So what's hot in men's fashion now? Largely influenced by the celeb fashion trend in women's mode (celeb fashion is a style imitation Hollywood celebreties and top Japanese actresses or charismatic idols/singers) Japanese men are into men's celeb fashion right now. What kind of a style is that? In a word, neat and cool. No dirty looking, no baggy clothes, no. And where do these men go shopping to? A lot of them go to Marui men's or the men's floor on 109-2. I tend to wear second-hand clothes so I'm on the Harajuku side, but.
My favorite shops are always the same. I just browse around my favorite places and that's it. Sometimes I go on new adventures but I can't seem to find new favorites that easily. Although, because I don't find new favorites that often the satisfaction of when I do is pretty big.
In that sense, the fact that a bunch of trendy shops in a wide range of styles and genres gathering around Shibuya - Harajuku - Omotesando area (they're pretty close to each other. barely walking distance, if you wanna give a try) is really helpful. Even if I cruise around town looking for secondhand clothing, I get to see the trendiest clothes on display on the streets so I get to know what's hot in town.
Anyhoo, I got off the track a bit but what I wanted to say is that ChamaTama isn't only a ninja-action manga but is a dispatcher of the hottest fashion and pop culture in Japan this moment. And now that I've written this, for both men and women. You'll see if you walk around Shibuya or anywhere elso around in Tokyo, there is no single style that everyone really follows. There are several styles and trends indeed, but different people have different tastes and they dress themselves quite differently. You see a whole lot of varieties in a city as big as this. It's a biiig mixture of different-ness. And I hope to implement and express this variety in the manga.
The second chapter of ChamaTama is scheduled to be updated on May 1st. That's next Monday. There'll be Shibuya and Shibuya fashion and all that sort in it, so make sure you check it out! Keep tuned to Japan Mode ;-)
21 April, 2006
A film on udon!?
Heyhey, hold the phone, a movie on udon!? How can you do that without inviting me to the board???
Uh, for those who are unfamiliar with udon, see here => http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udon
So anyway, why this news makes me go crazy is because I'm from the land of udon, Sanuki. Sanuki is the old name for the present day Kagawa Prefecture, and as everybody in the country knows its THE land of udon.
Sanuki udon is excellent, of course (you MUST try it), and because of its brand Sanuki udon eatouts are extremely popular in Tokyo, too. As I wrote, I was born there so naturally I grew up with the most delicious udon in the world. I can even say that my baby bath was water used to boil udon! JK.
Newayz, I can't stop talking about udon once I start so I think I won't.
So this movie, it's going to be directed by the same director AND the producer as the biggest domestic hit Odoru Daisosasen which makes me really excited!
For a person like me who wants to someday become a film director, it's umbelievable that this project is going on without me in it, but just because the director Motohiro is from Sanuki like me, I think won't fuss about it anymore :P
Click here http://www.udon.vc/ for the official site of "UDON". It's all in Japanese but you can just enjoy the pix of udon appearing one after another :-)
Uh, for those who are unfamiliar with udon, see here => http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udon
So anyway, why this news makes me go crazy is because I'm from the land of udon, Sanuki. Sanuki is the old name for the present day Kagawa Prefecture, and as everybody in the country knows its THE land of udon.
Sanuki udon is excellent, of course (you MUST try it), and because of its brand Sanuki udon eatouts are extremely popular in Tokyo, too. As I wrote, I was born there so naturally I grew up with the most delicious udon in the world. I can even say that my baby bath was water used to boil udon! JK.
Newayz, I can't stop talking about udon once I start so I think I won't.
So this movie, it's going to be directed by the same director AND the producer as the biggest domestic hit Odoru Daisosasen which makes me really excited!
For a person like me who wants to someday become a film director, it's umbelievable that this project is going on without me in it, but just because the director Motohiro is from Sanuki like me, I think won't fuss about it anymore :P
Click here http://www.udon.vc/ for the official site of "UDON". It's all in Japanese but you can just enjoy the pix of udon appearing one after another :-)
20 April, 2006
All time McDonald's
The head of McDonald's Japan held a press conference and announced that from this May they'll start a 24/7 McDonald's here in Japan. They'll begin with 200 stores and will see how they turn out.
Come to think of it, 24/7 in Japanese fastfood industry is nothing surprising. I mean, most of the gyudon (beef bowl) eatouts are open 24/7. It's even strange that McDonald's wasn't open 24/7.
You can easily predict what the places are gonna be like, though. They'll definitely become good midnight "accommodations" for youngsters.
I once went into a First Kitchen at one o'clock in the morning and it really was a mess, I tell you. They act like the place is their own room, messing around, screaming yelling screeching, wearing make up, sleeping so on so forth... It really was a devil's nest :-(
Anyway, there's gonna be another night ZOO to look into!
Are McDonald's open 24/7 in the States?
Come to think of it, 24/7 in Japanese fastfood industry is nothing surprising. I mean, most of the gyudon (beef bowl) eatouts are open 24/7. It's even strange that McDonald's wasn't open 24/7.
You can easily predict what the places are gonna be like, though. They'll definitely become good midnight "accommodations" for youngsters.
I once went into a First Kitchen at one o'clock in the morning and it really was a mess, I tell you. They act like the place is their own room, messing around, screaming yelling screeching, wearing make up, sleeping so on so forth... It really was a devil's nest :-(
Anyway, there's gonna be another night ZOO to look into!
Are McDonald's open 24/7 in the States?
19 April, 2006
63 years...
Today there was a news on a former Japanese soldier stepping on the land of his mother country for the first time in 63 years.
Wow, 63 years! sixty-three years! I haven't even lived half of that...
He says he has forgotten most of Japanese language and now all he can say in Japanese are only greetings.
So these things do happen I guess. I don't mean to discuss here about the War at all, but it makes me feel like the war is still going on. Born as a Japanese and fought as a Japanese, but couldn't come back to Japan and being declared among war dead, forgot the language but welcomed back after 63 years... unbelievable.
Recently the Japanese Diet has been having heated discussions over nationalism. The core of the discussion is whether or not to add a single sentence of "nationalism" to the Basic Education Law. So the ruling and the opposition parties have been confronting on this, but come to think of it, is there any other country in the world that actually refuses to teach their people to love their country?
In the end they concluded on the expression: "cultivating an attitude which respects tradition and culture, loves the nation and homeland that have fostered them, while respecting other countries and contributing to international peace and development." (Apr 14, 2006 Japan Times).
The former soldier coming back to Japan after 63 years says, "I'm really happy to be back in Japan. I can't describe in words how much I appreciate the Japanese Government and those who worked to make this come true. I'm excited to see and talk with my brother and my cousins."
Before arguing whether or not to teach nationalism (or patriotism?), I wish the country was one that would be loved by its people before having to be taught, just like this former soldier who had even forgotten is mother tongue didn't forget the love for his country.
Wow, 63 years! sixty-three years! I haven't even lived half of that...
He says he has forgotten most of Japanese language and now all he can say in Japanese are only greetings.
So these things do happen I guess. I don't mean to discuss here about the War at all, but it makes me feel like the war is still going on. Born as a Japanese and fought as a Japanese, but couldn't come back to Japan and being declared among war dead, forgot the language but welcomed back after 63 years... unbelievable.
Recently the Japanese Diet has been having heated discussions over nationalism. The core of the discussion is whether or not to add a single sentence of "nationalism" to the Basic Education Law. So the ruling and the opposition parties have been confronting on this, but come to think of it, is there any other country in the world that actually refuses to teach their people to love their country?
In the end they concluded on the expression: "cultivating an attitude which respects tradition and culture, loves the nation and homeland that have fostered them, while respecting other countries and contributing to international peace and development." (Apr 14, 2006 Japan Times).
The former soldier coming back to Japan after 63 years says, "I'm really happy to be back in Japan. I can't describe in words how much I appreciate the Japanese Government and those who worked to make this come true. I'm excited to see and talk with my brother and my cousins."
Before arguing whether or not to teach nationalism (or patriotism?), I wish the country was one that would be loved by its people before having to be taught, just like this former soldier who had even forgotten is mother tongue didn't forget the love for his country.
18 April, 2006
Oh no, not again...
Um, is it only that I lack a sense of season? Some weeks or months ago (when I'm pretty sure I hadn't started this blog here on blogspot) I wrote that I accidentally wore a down jacket to work on a really nice 'n warm day and had a tough sweaty day.
Big surprise, I did it again. Although, it's the opposite this time.
Today I came out in a T-shirt and a thin jacket, and naturally took off the jacket in office that naturally made in T-shirt and blue jeans.
Before long I felt something wrong with my nose... and then I realized I got a bit of a runny nose... it was chilly. It was damn chilly.
I mean, the weather forecast said that the highs are gonna be as warm as 23C! That's almost summer you know! Why the hell am I so bad about this?
Well it's not me, it's the weather that's to be blamed! So cold for days and suddenly warm, and then you get cheated by the forecast and all that... gimme a break!
This morning on the news I heard that NY is getting more springlike, warmer and warmer. Now, I have one question here.
I feel like so many Western people here in Tokyo (I dunno if they live here or just on vacation, doesn't matter anyway) are stronger against cold weather/ temperature than many Tokyoaites. Like say, there's a day when the majority of Japanese people are wearing at least two pieces of long sleeved clothes (eg a shirt and a jacket) but then a white guy goes cruising down the street in a T-shirt.
The news of spring in NY said that the outside temperature there was 18C. People there were wearing short-sleeved Ts. Saying so, I started to feel like I came out in a T-shirt BECAUSE I saw that on TV. Today's high in the end was something like 18.
Are Japanese originally more weak against cold as compared to western people?
I don't think I can spend an 18C-day in a T-shirt.
Big surprise, I did it again. Although, it's the opposite this time.
Today I came out in a T-shirt and a thin jacket, and naturally took off the jacket in office that naturally made in T-shirt and blue jeans.
Before long I felt something wrong with my nose... and then I realized I got a bit of a runny nose... it was chilly. It was damn chilly.
I mean, the weather forecast said that the highs are gonna be as warm as 23C! That's almost summer you know! Why the hell am I so bad about this?
Well it's not me, it's the weather that's to be blamed! So cold for days and suddenly warm, and then you get cheated by the forecast and all that... gimme a break!
This morning on the news I heard that NY is getting more springlike, warmer and warmer. Now, I have one question here.
I feel like so many Western people here in Tokyo (I dunno if they live here or just on vacation, doesn't matter anyway) are stronger against cold weather/ temperature than many Tokyoaites. Like say, there's a day when the majority of Japanese people are wearing at least two pieces of long sleeved clothes (eg a shirt and a jacket) but then a white guy goes cruising down the street in a T-shirt.
The news of spring in NY said that the outside temperature there was 18C. People there were wearing short-sleeved Ts. Saying so, I started to feel like I came out in a T-shirt BECAUSE I saw that on TV. Today's high in the end was something like 18.
Are Japanese originally more weak against cold as compared to western people?
I don't think I can spend an 18C-day in a T-shirt.
17 April, 2006
Alas! The MANGA starts!
Well, here you go! The original webmanga series on Japan Mode has made its start!
Completely created by Japanese staffs only, from scratch, directed towards every computer screen in the world. Geez, I can't tell you how nervous I am. I mean, how are people going to react to this???
It's fully colored, completely free, no registration required, no software downloads needed, so if you get a chance, or have some free time, or like manga or are bored not having anything better to do, please please come have a look :-D
And if you have any comments to give, post it up here or give us an e-mail thru Japan Mode.
Here's the link to the manga. Enjoy!
Completely created by Japanese staffs only, from scratch, directed towards every computer screen in the world. Geez, I can't tell you how nervous I am. I mean, how are people going to react to this???
It's fully colored, completely free, no registration required, no software downloads needed, so if you get a chance, or have some free time, or like manga or are bored not having anything better to do, please please come have a look :-D
And if you have any comments to give, post it up here or give us an e-mail thru Japan Mode.
Here's the link to the manga. Enjoy!
14 April, 2006
Things do come out if you look for them
Some days ago I mentioned about the Singaporian karate family lost in the north mountains looking for the secret book. Well guess what? They've found it! Can you believe that? Now it's even more manga-like.
To go over the whole story again, 13 members of a Singaporian budo family came to Japan looking for a Japanese karate master, all because their deceased father left a message to do so. His last words were, "In the northern land of Japan which is not Hokkaido, there is a Japanese karate master. Visit him and ask him to give you the Secret Book."
There was a little accident in which 3 of the 13 members once got completely lost in the woods of Shirakami Mountains, safely found, but 11 of them still remain in Aomori Prefecture.
Well this was the story few days ago. This news was reported nationwide, and one person came forward thinking it could have been him that they're looking for.
His name is Mr.Fukuda. He was told by one of his friends "Mr.Fukuda, aren't you the one?" and as he wondered he went to see them in Hirosaki city on April 9th.
According to Mr.Fukuda, the Singaporian deceased father came along with a companion to the mountain training hall in Aomori Prefecture, and with a translator practiced karate discipline for 3 days. Their relationship lasted even after the father went back to Singapore, for Mr. Fukuda flew over.
At their meeting Mr.Fukuda told the deceased's wife and son about the training then and about the deceased. He described the deceased as "a serious, stubborn, introverted budo-ka whose hands were quicker than his mouth" and the family listened to him as they agreed with the described character.
Introverted... hmm, well, he was with him for only 3 days...
Anyway, what really attracts me is the Secret Book. This guy, Mr.Fukuda is actually not exactly a karate master. He's a master of this rare martial arts called Kukenpodo or something like that. I think it's a Chinese martial arts but what they do is this: they control the movement of the air and aura which is called "hado". Ain't that awesome? I wonder what's written on the Secret Book. I want one if I could LOL.
In the end, this Secret Book, Mr.Fukuda cannot give it to anyone because it's something he received from his master when he completed his training in China. But instead he offered to award the deceased a certificate of this art, and the family happily accepted his offer. The awarding ceremony is (or was?) held today, on the 14th of April.
Well if you can get it just by asking for it, then it wouldn't be a "secret" book right?
But then they had this "ceremony"... who imagined things would become this big? It's a national news LOL.
Anyhoo, it was the first news in a loooong time that made me feel like a little boy again, with lots of exciting words in the news. Let's see, shall I start creating a Secret Book on yam-natto salad (see yesterday's article)?
To go over the whole story again, 13 members of a Singaporian budo family came to Japan looking for a Japanese karate master, all because their deceased father left a message to do so. His last words were, "In the northern land of Japan which is not Hokkaido, there is a Japanese karate master. Visit him and ask him to give you the Secret Book."
There was a little accident in which 3 of the 13 members once got completely lost in the woods of Shirakami Mountains, safely found, but 11 of them still remain in Aomori Prefecture.
Well this was the story few days ago. This news was reported nationwide, and one person came forward thinking it could have been him that they're looking for.
His name is Mr.Fukuda. He was told by one of his friends "Mr.Fukuda, aren't you the one?" and as he wondered he went to see them in Hirosaki city on April 9th.
According to Mr.Fukuda, the Singaporian deceased father came along with a companion to the mountain training hall in Aomori Prefecture, and with a translator practiced karate discipline for 3 days. Their relationship lasted even after the father went back to Singapore, for Mr. Fukuda flew over.
At their meeting Mr.Fukuda told the deceased's wife and son about the training then and about the deceased. He described the deceased as "a serious, stubborn, introverted budo-ka whose hands were quicker than his mouth" and the family listened to him as they agreed with the described character.
Introverted... hmm, well, he was with him for only 3 days...
Anyway, what really attracts me is the Secret Book. This guy, Mr.Fukuda is actually not exactly a karate master. He's a master of this rare martial arts called Kukenpodo or something like that. I think it's a Chinese martial arts but what they do is this: they control the movement of the air and aura which is called "hado". Ain't that awesome? I wonder what's written on the Secret Book. I want one if I could LOL.
In the end, this Secret Book, Mr.Fukuda cannot give it to anyone because it's something he received from his master when he completed his training in China. But instead he offered to award the deceased a certificate of this art, and the family happily accepted his offer. The awarding ceremony is (or was?) held today, on the 14th of April.
Well if you can get it just by asking for it, then it wouldn't be a "secret" book right?
But then they had this "ceremony"... who imagined things would become this big? It's a national news LOL.
Anyhoo, it was the first news in a loooong time that made me feel like a little boy again, with lots of exciting words in the news. Let's see, shall I start creating a Secret Book on yam-natto salad (see yesterday's article)?
13 April, 2006
Maybe tonight, too
Yesterday I wrote that a new webmanga will start on Japan Mode, but sad news... due to some technical problems we can't release it tomorrow :-( I'm so sorry. But we will have it out definitely during next week, I promise, so those of you looking forward to the manga, I'm super sorry but please wait for a few more days and please please check it out.
Sorry for opening up the blog with "sorries" two days in a row.
Now. I haven't had chances to get back home as early as I wish to... it's actually quite late... so naturally I have dinner around or past midnight. And this, by no means is good for me, a person who is quite conscious about his weight. I don't want to fill in my stomach before I go to bed, but I can't sleep starving so I have been having just small meals for dinner these days.
And I've found a new hit! At one chain of the convenient convenience stores, there is this... uh... salad? which is a mixture of cut yam and half-boiled egg. You add some natto to it, pour the attached soy sauce-based dressing and a hint of wasabi, mix it, and then you get a marvelous taste! This and one onigiri (rice ball) make a nice dinner. Satisfies your stomach and nutritious, too ;-)
...Uh, having said that, I realized it's a 100% Japanese dish. Can you imagine what it's like by reading this? Frankly, it doesn't look good at all so I won't put a pic here, but if you're in Japan and are okay with natto AND yam... and wasabi and egg and soy sauce... (wow, then you have a Japanese tongue!), it's available at any Seven Eleven so go grab one!
Sorry for opening up the blog with "sorries" two days in a row.
Now. I haven't had chances to get back home as early as I wish to... it's actually quite late... so naturally I have dinner around or past midnight. And this, by no means is good for me, a person who is quite conscious about his weight. I don't want to fill in my stomach before I go to bed, but I can't sleep starving so I have been having just small meals for dinner these days.
And I've found a new hit! At one chain of the convenient convenience stores, there is this... uh... salad? which is a mixture of cut yam and half-boiled egg. You add some natto to it, pour the attached soy sauce-based dressing and a hint of wasabi, mix it, and then you get a marvelous taste! This and one onigiri (rice ball) make a nice dinner. Satisfies your stomach and nutritious, too ;-)
...Uh, having said that, I realized it's a 100% Japanese dish. Can you imagine what it's like by reading this? Frankly, it doesn't look good at all so I won't put a pic here, but if you're in Japan and are okay with natto AND yam... and wasabi and egg and soy sauce... (wow, then you have a Japanese tongue!), it's available at any Seven Eleven so go grab one!
12 April, 2006
A new MANGA is starting!!
Firstly the rain. I wrote that it's too bad that the cherry blossoms had to be beaten down to ground.
But it wasn't just the cherry blossoms were beaten, so were the houses! The storm was so much more powerful than I imagined.
Geez, I feel so sorry for those who were worse affected by the storm. Sorry for being so carefree.
OK. So those of you who had a peek in our web site (thanks a ton!) already know, we are going to launch on Japan Mode a completely original webmanga :-D
It's fully colored (so beautifully), totally charge-free, and solely created by Japanese staffs from scratch. If I do say so myself, I believe it's high-quality. So all the manga work is in high gear, and I do hope you guys'll like it. Don't forget to check out Japan Mode this Friday. k?
The locale is Tokyo in the near future (really near, like a few years from now), and I can't tell you much about it right now but two ninja girls and a guy unfold an amazing series of nifty and cool action against the enemy. We're trying to bring in latest Japanese fashion elements into the manga as well as other craze and traditional elements at the same time, so it shall give the readers a new punch ;-)
Anyway, I'll pick it up here on this blog every now and then.
Come join the fun!!
But it wasn't just the cherry blossoms were beaten, so were the houses! The storm was so much more powerful than I imagined.
Geez, I feel so sorry for those who were worse affected by the storm. Sorry for being so carefree.
OK. So those of you who had a peek in our web site (thanks a ton!) already know, we are going to launch on Japan Mode a completely original webmanga :-D
It's fully colored (so beautifully), totally charge-free, and solely created by Japanese staffs from scratch. If I do say so myself, I believe it's high-quality. So all the manga work is in high gear, and I do hope you guys'll like it. Don't forget to check out Japan Mode this Friday. k?
The locale is Tokyo in the near future (really near, like a few years from now), and I can't tell you much about it right now but two ninja girls and a guy unfold an amazing series of nifty and cool action against the enemy. We're trying to bring in latest Japanese fashion elements into the manga as well as other craze and traditional elements at the same time, so it shall give the readers a new punch ;-)
Anyway, I'll pick it up here on this blog every now and then.
Come join the fun!!
11 April, 2006
Storm Beats the Blossoms
The entire country is covered by thick and heavy rainclouds. Rain is pouring pretty much everywhere from north to south of the country. The low that hit Kyushu yesterday is said to have brought more than 250mm (1 inch) of rain in 24 hours.
Now this low is trying to make its way from west to east as it gradually grows, so it's hanging out around western Japan today and will come across Kanto tomorrow.
It's ok to rain... it's a natural law... but this time it's very unfortunate that it's coming at the time when the cherry blossoms are starting to fall.
Cherry blossoms at full blossoming is certainly beautiful, but to walk through a shower of falling sakura petals is as beautiful and moving. I think it takes you to another world for a while, and the pink carpet created by the fallen petals too is something you can't miss. Or at least, I can't miss.
But this heavy rain...
Too bad :(
Instead of a light sweet shower and pretty carpet of sakura what I'll have is a real cold and gloomy rainshower and dirty, beaten up poor petals.
Very disappointing, but I guess I won't see the marvelous end of sakura this year. I'll have to stand it. I've seen a lot of full blossoming through my reports. I hope next spring will be a pretty one to the end. And I hope the front will wonderfully avoid Kanto region so that I won't be soaked.
Now this low is trying to make its way from west to east as it gradually grows, so it's hanging out around western Japan today and will come across Kanto tomorrow.
It's ok to rain... it's a natural law... but this time it's very unfortunate that it's coming at the time when the cherry blossoms are starting to fall.
Cherry blossoms at full blossoming is certainly beautiful, but to walk through a shower of falling sakura petals is as beautiful and moving. I think it takes you to another world for a while, and the pink carpet created by the fallen petals too is something you can't miss. Or at least, I can't miss.
But this heavy rain...
Too bad :(
Instead of a light sweet shower and pretty carpet of sakura what I'll have is a real cold and gloomy rainshower and dirty, beaten up poor petals.
Very disappointing, but I guess I won't see the marvelous end of sakura this year. I'll have to stand it. I've seen a lot of full blossoming through my reports. I hope next spring will be a pretty one to the end. And I hope the front will wonderfully avoid Kanto region so that I won't be soaked.
10 April, 2006
Released on the same day in Japan and US!
Released on the same day in Japan and US!
...wow, that's pretty long to say in English. Nichibei-Douji-Koukai in Japanese.
Anyhoo, this is about movies.
This phrase is kind of like a biiig ad word in Japan. It makes the movie sound really special and it gives great advertising effect. But of course, it's not a bit effective to promote movies this way in the States, is it?
I didn't even care about it until I saw the trailer for DaVinci Code.
Come to think of it, Japanese people have a unique and interesting national character. They feel huge complex against the West and at the same time love foreign stuff. Some Japanese person who didn't exactly succeed in Japan sometimes goes abroad and gets great praises, and guess what? He or she becomes a hero back in Japan. It actually happens quite often.
Is it that the grass looks greener on the other side all the time? Or is it because Japanese people is said to lack nationalism?
This so-called lack of nationalism is actually one of the most significant problems regarding the connections between Japan and the world.
Globalizing Japan and Japanilizing Globe.
As this is probably my biggest interest at this moment, I'd like to write about it every now and then if I notice something or if there's any news on it... or more likely, when I don't have anything else to write about :P
...wow, that's pretty long to say in English. Nichibei-Douji-Koukai in Japanese.
Anyhoo, this is about movies.
This phrase is kind of like a biiig ad word in Japan. It makes the movie sound really special and it gives great advertising effect. But of course, it's not a bit effective to promote movies this way in the States, is it?
I didn't even care about it until I saw the trailer for DaVinci Code.
Come to think of it, Japanese people have a unique and interesting national character. They feel huge complex against the West and at the same time love foreign stuff. Some Japanese person who didn't exactly succeed in Japan sometimes goes abroad and gets great praises, and guess what? He or she becomes a hero back in Japan. It actually happens quite often.
Is it that the grass looks greener on the other side all the time? Or is it because Japanese people is said to lack nationalism?
This so-called lack of nationalism is actually one of the most significant problems regarding the connections between Japan and the world.
Globalizing Japan and Japanilizing Globe.
As this is probably my biggest interest at this moment, I'd like to write about it every now and then if I notice something or if there's any news on it... or more likely, when I don't have anything else to write about :P
07 April, 2006
a VERY manga-like true story
This is a news from April 5, 2006.
Several members of a budo-ka (martial arts) family from Singapore, lost in the snowy roads of Aomori (northern end of mainland Japan) were safely taken into protective custody.
If this was all about the news, then I would have been like "hmm, maybe they were going through some kind of shugyo (training/ discipline)... which already is enough manga-like.
Anyway, what really flipped me out was the reason for coming to a snow mountain in Japan all the way from tropical Singapore.
5 years ago this family had lost their family who was a grand master of martial arts teaching Karate and other budo in Singapore. The two sons of this GM were not at all interested in their father's passion and occupation, and while they (this was when the father was still alive) hovered around the succession problem, the dojo's most precious Book of Secrets of Karate got stolen by one of the disciples.
The poor dying father had to worry about his dojo and succession untill his very last breath. Coming up with no concrete solution to get back the stolen book, he finally gathered his last breaths and voice and told his family, "There is a keeper of Kyokushin Karate in Soma-mura of Aomori Prefecture. Pay a visit to him and ask him to pass over his Book of Secrets."
So, that's why they were in the middle of freezing white way up north in Aomori.
Doesn't this sound like a story inside fiction books or manga?
Well I do understand this is fricken serious business for the family, so I dear hope they get to obtain the Book and complete the succession ritual.
....
So do they have like this ultimate esoterica?
Wonder what it's like... :-)
Several members of a budo-ka (martial arts) family from Singapore, lost in the snowy roads of Aomori (northern end of mainland Japan) were safely taken into protective custody.
If this was all about the news, then I would have been like "hmm, maybe they were going through some kind of shugyo (training/ discipline)... which already is enough manga-like.
Anyway, what really flipped me out was the reason for coming to a snow mountain in Japan all the way from tropical Singapore.
5 years ago this family had lost their family who was a grand master of martial arts teaching Karate and other budo in Singapore. The two sons of this GM were not at all interested in their father's passion and occupation, and while they (this was when the father was still alive) hovered around the succession problem, the dojo's most precious Book of Secrets of Karate got stolen by one of the disciples.
The poor dying father had to worry about his dojo and succession untill his very last breath. Coming up with no concrete solution to get back the stolen book, he finally gathered his last breaths and voice and told his family, "There is a keeper of Kyokushin Karate in Soma-mura of Aomori Prefecture. Pay a visit to him and ask him to pass over his Book of Secrets."
So, that's why they were in the middle of freezing white way up north in Aomori.
Doesn't this sound like a story inside fiction books or manga?
Well I do understand this is fricken serious business for the family, so I dear hope they get to obtain the Book and complete the succession ritual.
....
So do they have like this ultimate esoterica?
Wonder what it's like... :-)
06 April, 2006
Recovery...?
Hmm, my cold doesn't seem to get any better. Well it hasn't been that long since I first felt something wrong with my throat so I can't expect that good of a recovery, but you know, when I was much younger I never dragged colds. It only took me a night's good sleep to cure it.
This half-recovery is again a bit difficult. Since it's half recovering I go like "Ok, it's almost cured" and stay up late. But that ends up torturing my poor body. So in another word, it's the time when I have to be the most careful, isn't it?
And I'm pretty sure this is universal. But similar my stomatitis editions, there must be a zillion folk remedies around the world. Why don't we have a contest to see which folk remedy works the best? LOL
Who knows, you might get some interesting result.
For those who can read and understand Japanese, see this: http://www.nandemo.syo-ten.com/search3/hidentop.html
You can browse through all kinds of Japanese folk remedies.
BTW, my symptoms now are coughs and sore throat so the remedy for that must be "sugered kumquat with a hint of ginger".
Doesn't sound that exciting... I mean, pretty normal isn't it, considering the "baked snail" for stomatitis... which apparantly I have NOT tried.
This half-recovery is again a bit difficult. Since it's half recovering I go like "Ok, it's almost cured" and stay up late. But that ends up torturing my poor body. So in another word, it's the time when I have to be the most careful, isn't it?
And I'm pretty sure this is universal. But similar my stomatitis editions, there must be a zillion folk remedies around the world. Why don't we have a contest to see which folk remedy works the best? LOL
Who knows, you might get some interesting result.
For those who can read and understand Japanese, see this: http://www.nandemo.syo-ten.com/search3/hidentop.html
You can browse through all kinds of Japanese folk remedies.
BTW, my symptoms now are coughs and sore throat so the remedy for that must be "sugered kumquat with a hint of ginger".
Doesn't sound that exciting... I mean, pretty normal isn't it, considering the "baked snail" for stomatitis... which apparantly I have NOT tried.
05 April, 2006
The sick season
Four seasons in Japan are quite distinctively different. Weathers and temperatures change dramatically…supposedly.
Of course, there are the shifting seasons which we are experiencing just now, and this shifting season is the most difficult time to go through. For example, you have a couple of days which the temperature goes above 20C with clear blue sky, and then the next day you suddenly get a rainy 14C. You don’t know what to where so your room becomes so messy with woolen and down feather coats with T-shirts all mixed together.
There’s this saying in Japan “sankan-shion” which means “three cold, four warm”. It literally means after having three days straight of cold weather you get four days of warm one. What it really means is though, you get a whole mixture of different weather and temperature during the 7 days of the week.
What’s bad about this is it really confuses the human body. If it was getting gradually warm, you can adjust and adapt to the shifting of the seasons, but this “faint attack” of switching b/w warm and cold really makes you sick physically.
And so here I am, with a nasty cold. Well I guess it’s my bad that I wasn’t careful enough, but how could I be? So many people around me caught colds.
If you’re coming to Japan during any of the season shifting seasons, beware. Don’t forget to bring some clothes both for warm and cold weather (and pollen allergy’s pretty nasty this time of year too). Of course you can buy them here too. So many people still think everything is freaking expensive in Japan, but it’s not that bad everywhere. I mean, you just have to look into the right places.
Buying some clothes here can be souvenirs for yourself, but bringing back a cold definitely isn’t cool.
It is a season that is also beautiful cherry blossoms, really the best for the
travel.
Of course, there are the shifting seasons which we are experiencing just now, and this shifting season is the most difficult time to go through. For example, you have a couple of days which the temperature goes above 20C with clear blue sky, and then the next day you suddenly get a rainy 14C. You don’t know what to where so your room becomes so messy with woolen and down feather coats with T-shirts all mixed together.
There’s this saying in Japan “sankan-shion” which means “three cold, four warm”. It literally means after having three days straight of cold weather you get four days of warm one. What it really means is though, you get a whole mixture of different weather and temperature during the 7 days of the week.
What’s bad about this is it really confuses the human body. If it was getting gradually warm, you can adjust and adapt to the shifting of the seasons, but this “faint attack” of switching b/w warm and cold really makes you sick physically.
And so here I am, with a nasty cold. Well I guess it’s my bad that I wasn’t careful enough, but how could I be? So many people around me caught colds.
If you’re coming to Japan during any of the season shifting seasons, beware. Don’t forget to bring some clothes both for warm and cold weather (and pollen allergy’s pretty nasty this time of year too). Of course you can buy them here too. So many people still think everything is freaking expensive in Japan, but it’s not that bad everywhere. I mean, you just have to look into the right places.
Buying some clothes here can be souvenirs for yourself, but bringing back a cold definitely isn’t cool.
It is a season that is also beautiful cherry blossoms, really the best for the
travel.
04 April, 2006
Tokyo - Osaka 3,900 yen!?
You know, something about spring really makes you want to go to Kyoto. Well if you know Kyoto even just a bit, it's an awesome place to visit at the peaks of every season.
Anyway. I used to live in Osaka so Kyoto was only a stretch away. It was a tiny excursion. But in the past 3 years ever since I came to Tokyo, I only visited the ancient capital just once.
It's not that cheap you know. If you take the shinkansen (the bullet train) it easily costs you more than 10,000 yen which is not cheap at all. It's a big trip. You can't be like, "hmm, maybe I wanna go to Kyoto over the weekend for hanami" anymore.
But the other day I happened to come across this unbelievable number Y3900. Wow was I surprised. Tokyo - Osaka for only 3,900 yen! And what's the transportation? Bus.
I knew about the overnight bus services even before I got to know about this Y3,900 service, but those were somewhere around Y5,000. In fact, I used it a lot cuz it's cheap, but the presence of this Y3,900 one really knocked me out.
If you take the shinkansen it takes only a bit less than 3 hours, whereas you'll have to see a good 10-hour-ride if you take the highway bus. Time is money, if you want to make it cheap, you have to take time I guess. So for a 10-hour-ride I actually think 4,000 is quite decent.
But as many of you probably know, these kinds of long-distance-buses run only during night so as soon as you hop on, all you have to do is to fall asleep... which for some people may be the hardest part.
I hear that the seats are nearly full if not completely full even on weeknights. It may be hard to take a ride right after landing in Japan, but for those backpackers it may be an efficient and cost-saving way to travel around. Keep it in mind ;-)
...but I can't guarantee the comfort level of your sleep.
Anyway. I used to live in Osaka so Kyoto was only a stretch away. It was a tiny excursion. But in the past 3 years ever since I came to Tokyo, I only visited the ancient capital just once.
It's not that cheap you know. If you take the shinkansen (the bullet train) it easily costs you more than 10,000 yen which is not cheap at all. It's a big trip. You can't be like, "hmm, maybe I wanna go to Kyoto over the weekend for hanami" anymore.
But the other day I happened to come across this unbelievable number Y3900. Wow was I surprised. Tokyo - Osaka for only 3,900 yen! And what's the transportation? Bus.
I knew about the overnight bus services even before I got to know about this Y3,900 service, but those were somewhere around Y5,000. In fact, I used it a lot cuz it's cheap, but the presence of this Y3,900 one really knocked me out.
If you take the shinkansen it takes only a bit less than 3 hours, whereas you'll have to see a good 10-hour-ride if you take the highway bus. Time is money, if you want to make it cheap, you have to take time I guess. So for a 10-hour-ride I actually think 4,000 is quite decent.
But as many of you probably know, these kinds of long-distance-buses run only during night so as soon as you hop on, all you have to do is to fall asleep... which for some people may be the hardest part.
I hear that the seats are nearly full if not completely full even on weeknights. It may be hard to take a ride right after landing in Japan, but for those backpackers it may be an efficient and cost-saving way to travel around. Keep it in mind ;-)
...but I can't guarantee the comfort level of your sleep.
03 April, 2006
Beginning of April!!
As I wrote last Friday, it looks like the new shakaijin (lit. means 'ppl of the society' = full-time employed workers) have entered their new environments.
This morning as I was commuting, I could see that there were more people on the train than before and I could really feel that a new year was beginning (as explained before, the fiscal/school/work year starts in April). Thanks to the recovering domestic economy, this year the private sectors have employed more workers as compared to the previous several years. Even the well-off companies like for instance Toyota, has increased new employees from 1700 last year to 1900 this year, and held the entrance ceremony in Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture.
The news tells that the rate of senior students with job offers at the point of February 1st 2006 was 85.8% which exceeded that of last year's by 3.2 points. Like I said, the gradually recovering economy plays a big role in the increase of job offerings, but there is a bigger reason behind it.
This is kind of a unique case to Japan, but there is this problem called the "Y2007". Anyone heard of it before?
Just after the War ended, from about 1947 to 1951 there was this phenomenon in Japan called "baby boom". People born during these years are generally called the dankai generation (the babyboom generation) and these dankai generation people are the very actors who played the most significant role in bringing Japan up to one of the largest economic countries in the world.
However, the roles they have played are so big that the loss would no doubt be as big when they retire, and in the following few years most of these people are going to.
Of course, there's this problem of severance pay too, but the loss of working skills are much bigger. The number of workers retiring - people who are in a way professionals and adaptable fighting potentials in each field - is significantly large, large enough to tilt the management of companies especially those with quite a bit of history. So to fill in the biiig hole which will come soon, companies have started to recruit more new employees, and in year 2007, it is said that the numbers of demands (companies) and supplies (newly graduating students) will equal if you won't be too picky about which job you want.
Well this was too much of an abstract description and the reality is much more severe.
So here you go, shinshakaijin! The hole is big and deep, so work hard to fill it in ;-)
This morning as I was commuting, I could see that there were more people on the train than before and I could really feel that a new year was beginning (as explained before, the fiscal/school/work year starts in April). Thanks to the recovering domestic economy, this year the private sectors have employed more workers as compared to the previous several years. Even the well-off companies like for instance Toyota, has increased new employees from 1700 last year to 1900 this year, and held the entrance ceremony in Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture.
The news tells that the rate of senior students with job offers at the point of February 1st 2006 was 85.8% which exceeded that of last year's by 3.2 points. Like I said, the gradually recovering economy plays a big role in the increase of job offerings, but there is a bigger reason behind it.
This is kind of a unique case to Japan, but there is this problem called the "Y2007". Anyone heard of it before?
Just after the War ended, from about 1947 to 1951 there was this phenomenon in Japan called "baby boom". People born during these years are generally called the dankai generation (the babyboom generation) and these dankai generation people are the very actors who played the most significant role in bringing Japan up to one of the largest economic countries in the world.
However, the roles they have played are so big that the loss would no doubt be as big when they retire, and in the following few years most of these people are going to.
Of course, there's this problem of severance pay too, but the loss of working skills are much bigger. The number of workers retiring - people who are in a way professionals and adaptable fighting potentials in each field - is significantly large, large enough to tilt the management of companies especially those with quite a bit of history. So to fill in the biiig hole which will come soon, companies have started to recruit more new employees, and in year 2007, it is said that the numbers of demands (companies) and supplies (newly graduating students) will equal if you won't be too picky about which job you want.
Well this was too much of an abstract description and the reality is much more severe.
So here you go, shinshakaijin! The hole is big and deep, so work hard to fill it in ;-)
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