watashi to tokyo

Free Tokyo and more topics

I found some interesting topics on the Internet. I can't pick one for today. So here are all.

Free Tokyo
Hmm. I understand the tissue part, but the massage machine in the electric shop is so amazing? I have never thought like that.

a Livedoor holder blog
He lost $700000 and got $1million debt within 2 days of the livedoor shock. As long as he has such vitality to laugh at his loss, he can recover from this trouble. I hope so.

A collection of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci
Yes this is great. Which one do you like most? I like this.　Even these "mere forms" have some power, don't you think so? A product of genius is in a different class.

A real Portion of final fantasy llX
I will try it, I suppose they will sell elixir too.

Inachu figures
Ike Inachu Takkyubu (Go! Inaho Junior high table tennis club) is manga from the 90s. Although you don't know the manga, I think you like these figures.

Windows Bento
ha ha ha so pretty Windows.

Neon from au design project
Oh cool. Designer is Naoto Fukasawa who designs plus minus 0 brand.

Me and Goldfish is in the same level.
Yes, yes, yes. I must admit myself my concentration time is shorter and shorter.It is painful to attend long meeting. My limit seems 15minutes or so now.

A cold cataplasm
After using, it was almost dried. So he soaked it water for one night. It looks like a sea cucumber.

While I was in a bed

I got a cold, then while I was sleeping on a bed yesterday. The Tokyo stock market was broken. It is called Livedoor shock . The reason was the panic caused by the accounting fraud of the IT company "Livedoor" ; not only that, but also the Tokyo Stock Exchange showed its weakness (unbelievable!! it is not the days of floor traders) and Monex Beans holding disrupted the market with their shallow judgment. I have never seen Nikkei down over 700yen in my life, it's an eye-popping price drop. Financial Times said Horie, Livedoor's president, is a person of necessity in Japan. Actually He was a new type in the Japanese economy, called "Hills zoku" which is the nickname of IT companies in Roppongi Hills . Some feel Hills zoku is cool and some take it as a little bit bubbly negative image.

At any rate, fraudulent financial reporting is a crime and he will have to leave front stage. Here is his blog. He tries to update it still without showing panic. But the Livedoor Yahoo message board is crazy now. I must tell you it is worse than 2channel. If Livedoor has to be delisting, the stock is as good as a paper. I understand the stock holder's panic, but the worst part is the bad jokes that stir their anger. It is not fun to see. As far as I can see by the avatars and ways of talking, most senders seem to be guys. Then I found this news today: "Men enjoy others' misfortune more than women -study." Goodness! guys are scary.

I am not sure I can say if this is financial fraud. :-) Secret money in the family is called "Hesokuri" in Japanese. Sompo Japan DIY life insurance asked married women about the winter bonus of 2005. Generally speaking, wives bear the bad luck in Japan. Reports said 40% answered that their winter bonus increased. If she pays a bonus to herself for her homemaker job, the value would be 240000yen. 45.6% has some secret money for her husband. That amount is about 2.41 million yen. Why? So much! It means 45.6% of husbands don't know their wives have over $20000?? Such big money can't fit into this Hesokuri storage! The funny part is 76% think their husband doesn't have any secret money, even if he had, it would be less than $4000. (Oh, so detailed. Complete control?!). Goodness! women are wily.

It's entrance exam season.

In japan, entering a college is much harder than graduating from it. (I heard that the opposite case is true in foreign countries.) Elementary school kids take private school until late at night to be able to enter a nice college in the future. Parents also enroll their children in establishments affiliated with prestigious colleges so that they can skip the difficult entrance exam. Japan is still an academic career-based society even now. If you can enter a good college, you may join a famous company after college. That would mean that you may get a good salary and stable life....Ahh it sounds so empty to me. What a boring life it would be. but recently, things are finally changing. I won't say that it is "meritocratic,” though. A good "college filter" is still working very well for job chances, but at least people’s idea for happiness seems to be changing. I would never want to work for one company until retirement.

By the way, today’s topic is not a serious one. February and March are the entrance exam season. In this season, entrance test takers and their parents are nervous. Many people make wishes to a god and businesses take advantage of it. Sometimes they are so funny and sometimes excessive. I wrote about ratboy, a Japanese robin hood. people chip off a piece of his grave because people wish for his "slipping into" skill. At a shrine, we write our wish on a wooden plate called an "ema". This is a regular type. I read Shiga prefecture has their own special ema. Shiga is well known their sigaraki pottery and the most famous motif is a Tanuki, which is a small animal that looks like raccoon. So they made this, Tanuki writes number 5. This is a play on words. in Japanese ta= other, nuki = over pass. The number 5 is read "go", and kaku = write. In Japanese gokaku = pass a test. "Tanuki writes 5" means "you will overpass others and pass a test". (does it make sense?)

Not only shrines, but you can also see such distorting(?) of wishes at the super market. Karl is very popular corn puff snack. During this season they have an Ukarl version because "ukaru" means to pass a test in Japanese. Hi-lemon is a lemon candy and it changes its name to Hi-ru-lemon, because "hairu" means to enter in Japanese. KitKat sells well in spring because KitKat sounds like "kitto katsu", which means perhaps to win. The reason why many of them have a cherry blossom design is not only because the entrance ceremony is held during cherry blossom season in April. In the past a notice of test results was sent by telegram and cherry blossoms blooming meant that "you pass", while fallen cherry blossoms meant "you fail". There are not only these, but there are many many wish goods and wish versions during this season.

Books I am reading

Winter nights are long. Currently I am reading two books. One of them is Nou Seirihou = The way of fixing the brain written by Kenichiro Mogi. He is a neuroscientist who put forward a theory of the Qualia Movement. He says "Qualia are the subjective sensory qualities like 'the redness of red,' 'aroma of Rose,' 'taste of milk,' or the 'texture of sound of a violin' that accompany our perception."

I like to read neuroscience books, regardless of whether I can understand them or not :-P Our brain is so mysterious. I feel my imagination can reach the ability of the brain. Last week, when I walked down the street along a railway track, I suddenly felt an old familiar "happy feeling." It was close to deja-vu but I could not tell what exactly it was. I was free, happy, delightful. Maybe those feelings come from an old memory that I don't consciously remember. It would be related to small stuff like the angle of sunshine, direction of the wind, temperature, scent of the air, or something in my vision. When I have such a moment, I always wonder how to keep that or re-experience it at my own will. photo is the closet one to the scene where I was. I can touch the tail of that feeling still now but it's almost gone.

Another book is Himitus = secret, the English Title is "Naoko." Naoko is a tale of metempsychosis--after an accident, your daughter has the spirit your dead wife. Please check this Amazon review. You might know the story. The book became a movie "Himitsu" in Japan; here is the New York Times review. I didn't see the movie but I heard the story was a little bit changed. And some site said this story would be a film in Hollywood with David Duchovny. When it will be released?

And in the end, I got a mail yesterday. Candace said she translated Lemon written by Motojiro Kajii. She said she had become interested in the book because of my post. Thank you very much, Candace. I am very happy to introduce Lemon in English here. 本当にどうもありがとうございました。

A 2channel festival on wikipedia.

Some Festivals of 2 channel, like this and this. Then I found another one. You know wikipedia, that is the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. 2 channelers had fun there this time.

L'Arc en Ciel is a popular band in Japan. We think they are visual band but they hate to be called Visual Band. (Actually they protest and refused to appear on NHK, because they called them a Visual Band. ) Hyde is the vocalist who has a sweet face, but he is very short, his height is said "156cm" (5.15 feet or so). But officially it is a secret.

Then one day someone found when an edit "Hyde: height 156cm" on L'Arc's page on wiki, the height was deleted in a few hours. Then the festival began. Here is the history page.

>>404
>>yeah! (^0^) it has deleted already!!

>> Wow I wonder how much would be okay, I will edit 205cm!

>>I will edit height is 156cm - 176cm

>>Who wrote "retractile"??

>>Wow it has already deleted!!  It's so quick!! it was just a few second.

>>The way of reading Hyde is 156cm?? No Way!

>>1560mm... laugh

>>Let's see...Hyde (156cm) made fantastic lyrics...

>>approximate 156cm in length! He is a insect??

>>Who wrote 156 in Link!!

----then festival heated up----

>>156cm was written as extra period in his history and profile.
1969年1月29日生まれ。156cm。出身は和歌山県。156cm。本名は宝井秀人。156cm。Hyde、S's。156cm。S's、画家への道を諦めた。156cm......

>>He is well known as a talented singer and his height(156cm), Oh bad!!

>>Since 2003, he united Hyde Band and he changed the direction 156 degree.

>>Born:1/56/156, Birth Place:156. Name:百五十六之助, Body height:156cm. Hyde(156cm) had dreamed to be a painter (156cm) .......

Bad joke? Yes it is. Do you hate this? I like those bad joke. :-p   
You know what?? We know L'Arc is the big Band in Japan, but when you check the band in wiki, it is sometimes blank. Check it out.

Is this sexual harassment?

This is very discursive talking. But I enjoyed it and I was wondering what other country's people think about this.

Sekisui House is a housing maker, their product Sekisuiheim is a series of houses having Eco theme.

Here is the TV ad of Sekisuiheim, the top one is named "market". - Heim san (a guy) was going to buy a pumpkin, then his wife (woman) picked 1/4 one and said "this is enough for us". Then smiled at him [Otoko no Hitotte Dame desune], I don't know how can I tell this nuance in English. It will mean bosh? bum? dud? Then Heim san said "yeah, guys are" :-)-

A guy wrote in his blog "WHY!", he said "Why she can tell guys are bosh because he was going to buy pumpkin, of course he wouldn't throw it away if they couldn't eat it at once. There are many way to cook, Salad, Pie, etc. If tables are turned, he smiled to her and said "women are bosh". A mountain of protests would come and Sekisui house would stop the TV ad as soon as possible. This is unfair! I need gender bias free!".

Ha ha ha, this is interesting. As you saw, the TV ad made good mood, of course she was kidding to her husband with warm heart, her message would be "so that I will support you always". But like he wrote even though the ad made the same mood, if the guy said to her "women is..." Women would protest so badly. I understand I wonder why guys are okay for this, or only Japanese guys??.

By the way I laughed to read this, wife is much stronger than husband anywhere in this world?

What will be big in 2006?

Nikkei Trendy is a nice magazine to check Trends in Japan, which is published by Nikkei (Nippon Keizai Shinbun). I will pick a topic from this magazine and other Nikkei related magazines this year, so that I may tell more about trends in Japan.

At the end of every year, we have "What was big in 2005", and in every new year, Nikkei Trendy guesses "What will be big in this year". Here is their ranking.

1. A role playing based amusement park for kids.
You may read the article in The Japan Times "Japan to get Kidzania adult-role play hub" on this page. Kidzzania came from Mexico? Here is the English site. Wow it's interesting!  They said we will have more of this type of amusement park.  I envy kids.

2. Mobile number portability.
Finally we will have mobile number portability in autumn this year. Now NTT DoCoMo has 56%, au has 27%, and  Vodafone has 17% share in the market, but we don't know what will happen after this autumn. Mobile is a wallet, credit card, radio transceiver, digital broadcasting etc. Apparently DoCoMo try to keep their customers with various services. Me? I want to change to this Willcom.

3. Next generation of Game machine.
Sony PS3 did not show up in CES. And we have no information yet about Nintendo Revolution except for "One Hand control". Nikkei Trendy said Revolution seems to have the advantage to win because of its radical change.

4. Platinum nanocolloid
Polyphenol, Q10, lipoic acid they were popular in Japan for their anti-aging functions. Then next is "Platinum nanocolloind", Nikkei said. Platinum has antioxidant action and clear active oxygen which is said to be the reason for aging. We have cream, drink, tooth paste, even a pet food! I will try one. He can who believes he can! right?

5. Convenient Fitness
I pay 10,000yen per month as gym member fee. Since my gym has big bath, open-air spa, I don't have any plan to change to gym now, but I think fee is very expensive. I read about 30-minutes workout place in the U.S. Then in Japan, 30minutes fitness for women is increasing. Their studios are on the 2F of 7/11 or such convenient place and member fee is 5,000-6,000yen (what?! I prefer my gym though).

After those, No.6 is 37inch full HD LC Monitor, No.7 is high grade chill dinner, No.8 is Pod casting, No.9 is Omotesando Hills, (can't wait!) and No.10 is nose aroma, working for a stuffy nose. Personally, I am looking forward to IKEA!! Finally they will come to Japan in this year. I heard furniture store and makers are in great fear. Hoping good competition!

New counter mouse for your PC.

I wrote about funny USB plugs before in this Gimmicky USB memory article. The maker is Solid Alliance and their products are all unique and funny. Talking about USB memory; not only sushi, takoyaki and Shrimp fry, they also have Sake, and Finger types named "Yeah!! USB".

Ge-ge-ge no Kitaro is a popular Japanese ghost animation. The "main" character is Kitaro, Neko Musume is a "cat girl", and Kitaro's father is an eyeball man named "Medama Oyaji."  And the company made this Oyaji Web camera!

They have this helmet type mouse, but today I found their new mouse named "Reiko Akiyama."  What? What is the meaning of Reiko? It's a "female" name. They say the concept of this mouse is a manager of a track club. She is a master of counting members' records. Reiko can count your clicks and you can check how you are addicted to the Internet... Oh, okay, if you say so.

Anyway, if you saw this, you would think "eyeball candy"; but most Japanese would think "It's Kitaro's dad!" Oyaji Candy. I am serious!!  We have many Oyaji items, and I can find many Oyaji topics on the Internet. I like this costume play. Fighter Oyaji LEGO is cool!  Don't know if I would like Oyaji Juice. Serves you right! Oyaji Kitty. Ha ha ha cute! Oyaji Lunch.

Cute!! Kiss EOS TV ad

Canon digital camera EOS KISS has a cute TV ad. Look at this page. Little KISS singing "Lovin' You Baby". KISS was very popular in Japan when I was a kid and they are loved very much still today. Talking about foreign bands in TV ads, Sugercult covered "A Hard Day's Night" of the Beatles, and it was the tune used by TOYOTA Ractis. I heard TOYOTA got a lot of mail asking about the band. X-Trail of NISSAN used "Broken Bones" by MXPX. Copy is "Can't Stop Being Reckless." It's pretty. One that's a little strange is the ASAHI green tea TV ad with a Samurai and "You really Got Me."  (click "CMを見る" button)

YEBISU Beer always has a beautiful site, and if you like you can listen on the opening page of the site. They use the theme of the movie "The Third Man" on their TV ads (nice!). YEBISU beer got its name because they had their factory in Ebisu. Originally Ebisu meant one of the Seven Deities of Good Fortune. So the happy and light mood of the TV ad matches to Beer and our image of Ebisu. Anyway, JR Ebisu station uses "The Third Man" as their arriving and leaving alarm tone because of these popular TV ads. In the same way, Takada-no-baba Station uses the theme of Astro Boy because he was born in Takada-no-baba in the original manga. Here is the alarm. Lovely? No way, I have to say it's too noisy.

Adult day

Today is the national holiday called "Adult Day". To celebrate many girls will wear furisode("swinging sleeve" kimono) that is traditionally worn by women before marriage. With such formal clothes, boys and girls who will be 20 years old this year will go to a special ceremony, which is usually held in each neighborhood.

At the age of 20, Japanese can drink alcohol and smoke in Japan. A few years ago, some public ceremonies were completely ruined by stupid drunk youths who acted rough and rude. But I heard no such bad news today. I previously wrote how Bosozoku (Motorcycle gang）is not cool anymore, actually recently young people seem to think "being rough" and "being rude" is not so cool. At my work, many younger people hate drinking to get drunk. Of course there are many many rude and rough young people in Japan.  You see them in the train, sitting on the floor, listening to loud music. Girls make up anywhere. On the road,  some smoke while walking, throw away garbage, etc. And I hate people who don't know etiquette. But I am talking about just a trend.  I sense the trend now is that being neat is cooler.  The Yomiouri says like this today to young people.

By the way a set of Furisode is not so cheap, so when I turned 20 I asked for "cash" instead, which I used to get a drivers license. (To get a drivers license usually costs more than 200,000 yen in Japan). To be honest with you, I have never worn Furisode in my life.