Congrats to Godzilla

For the most part, this face dominates the advertising space in Japan:


And rightly so. Ichiro has done wonders bringing to light the talent and compassion Japan has invested in baseball for years. Ichiro has played for the Seattle Mariners in the United States since 2001 where he has showcased his talents as a hitting machine. Now, second only to the legendary Pete Rose for career hits, Ichiro has cemented himself with the baseball elite both in the States and of course, back in his native Japan. Thus, you can find Ichiro's face on numerous ads in Japan from Kirin beer, to NTT Telecommunications (above), to Mizuno sporting goods.

Yet, there is another power-house baseball player who has been working in the United States. Hideki Matsui, nicknamed, "Godzilla", has been playing with the New York Yankees since 2003. He is a power left-handed hitter who grew up a right-handed hitter. He changed to a lefty growing up in order to level the playing field with his friends. This advertisement for for Kirin's "Fire" Coffee brand came out a few months ago with his face on it. I remembered thinking that he is often overshadowed by Ichiro, and this was one of the few ads I had seen of him.

Matsui's performance in the 2009 World Series with the Yankees might change that a little. He not only helped the Yankees to victory, but won the World Series MVP award by tying a World Series record with 6 RBIs in the decisive game. When you think about it, it's pretty impressive that Matsui bats clean-up in a Yankees lineup worth over $300 million and half of whom will arguable end up in the hall of fame. Maybe even Matsui himself.

Congrats to Matsui, and to the people of Japan who support their ambassadors of baseball. Matsui enters the off-season a free-agent and who knows where he'll land. Rumors have circulated he would go play with Ichiro in Seattle, return back to Japan to play for the team he supported as a kid, the Hanshin Tigers, or maybe even be re-signed by the Yankees. Although, he's 35 and showing his age in the outfield, his face alone brings in millions from Japanese advertisers and fans. One thing is for sure, though, we'll probably be seeing a lot more of Matsui's face in advertisements around here!

What's in a Greeting? A Lot.

President Obama faced heavy scrutiny from the 24-hour news programs again this week for none other than bowing. Yes, bowing. Apparently, the fact that the president had been traveling in Asia, and was caught (gasp) bowing in Japan (the nerve) set off a wave of scrutiny from CNN, to MSNBC, to Fox News. In response, the most relevant point I can make is that they do, in fact, bow as a show of respect during greetings or farewells in Japan. Is that so crazy?

Actually, I give the president a lot of credit for trying to bow here. It’s quite hard to pull off the intricacies without looking silly. I always feel awkward trying to bow myself, and have compared it in recent posts to giving a limp handshake in western cultures. You can go throughout your life giving limp handshakes and never know it; meanwhile everyone you encounter will judge you for it.

If anything, the president should be scrutinized for his bowing technique. I thought he showed good form with the angle he bowed to, and his foot and leg posture were good, but he threw in a simultaneous handshake, which deviates from tradition. In the end, like I said, I applaud the president for making an effort. What it boils down to is a generous show of respect for Japan and their Emperor, and not a sign of weakness.

Shouldn’t that be our aim? Think about our everyday life. What would be the outcome if you met a colleague for lunch and didn’t stand up to shake his/her hand? My guess is that the lunch would be a little cold from the start and not progress very heartily. If it were a business lunch with a potential investor, do you think he/she would at least think twice about why you didn’t offer a formal greeting? Now take that idea broader. Let’s say you’re travelling in France and you’re hungry. You can walk up to the counter and say, ‘I’d like a sandwich.’ Now, that might get you some service; heck, you might even get a little more acknowledgment if you say it with a polite intonation and add a ‘please.’ The problem is that more often than not, the nice little French lady running the counter will not understand a word you say. She might know a little English, but won’t be able to follow what you’re saying. What if, instead, you try a little French to break the ice before slowly making your request in broken French or slow English? My guess is, the store worker will acknowledge your sincerity and try to help you with your sandwich. You might even get a pickle out of it!

The point is, it’s not always necessary to be the aggressor, and it doesn’t always get you far acting like a bully. ‘My way or the highway’ or ‘Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.’ Which do you think will get you further in the long run?

This is where the short-sightedness of the talking heads on the 24-hour news cycles got it wrong. This wasn’t a story, this was an opinion set to fire up a response. First of all, any credibility that these stations might have had is in serious jeopardy in the wake of the balloon boy fiasco. Second of all, it points to an increasing pattern of poor journalism. They are making stories out of opinions, and masquerading as news sources. I would love to see the ratio of budgets for pundits compared to actual investigative journalism at these news stations. Unfortunately, that would require some investigating…how ironic.

Kirin's Autumn Brew

Don't let Tanuki fool ya. He'll get excited about anything, especially if it's in the form of alcohol.

Personally, I thought that there didn't seem to be anything seasonal about this autumn brew from Kirin. In the end, it tasted just like the regular Kirin beer. Call me a sucker. I guess I got caught up in the cool fall temps, beautiful fall colors, and seasonal advertising on the store shelves.


Any good autumn beers where your at? I'm looking forward to being able to try some of the Christmas brews back in the States when we're back for a visit!

Fun with Fido & Friends

Wouldn't the world be a better place if we could all be this happy about a sac of s$%#!!!

Snail Mail SPAM

Once a month a binder full of information gets passed around our complex. Usually general information affecting our neighborhood or building - construction, clean-up days, maintenance fees, local school meetings, etc. It comes around the end of the month to remind us of next month's activities, and I always dread seeing this thing sticking out of our mailbox or leaning up against our door when that time comes.

I really don't like getting it because number one, it's information we generally can't comprehend (that whole language barrier thing); number two, if the few words we can make out seem important then I have to take it to work for help from a co-worker; and number three, more often than not, the information after all of that is...well...useless.

Although, last month's binder had a great write-up about being aware of roaming fingers on the subway. Either that or a reminder that rear ends aren't the best things to hold onto in order to maintain you balance on the train.

Yebisu Premium

For the most part, the variety of Japanese beer leaves little to be desired. Most grocery stores offer a selection of Asahi, Sapporo, and Kirin (i.e. Bud, Coors, and Miller), and beyond the basic varieties within each label there isn't much diversity. But recently, I've discovered a brand that has risen above the rest...
Yebisu Premium Beer.


Yebisu offers a selection of four beers. The most popular, which is also served on tap in some restaurants, is the gold can, 'All Malt Beer'. It's pretty good, but not really all that different from either of the big 3 mentioned above. 'The Hop' is supposed to offer a hoppier flavor from choice hops, but to be honest, I don't think it's much different from the 'All Malt'. The dark can, obviously the dark option, is Yebisu's black beer and is actually really good.

But the winner goes to the Yebisu in the red can. It's new to the shelves, and quickly became my favorite. It's a pretty flavorful pilsner with a bit of a hoppier taste.

The downside with Yebisu is that the price is a little steeper than the already high prices for Japanese beer. However, it's a good break from the ordinary every once in a while, and worth the few extra Yen.

Jolly ol' Vending Machines

Vending machines are deeply ingrained in Japan life as both my wife and I have conveyed in past blogs. Automated convenience everywhere you look for just about anything you want - drinks in a cup, drinks in a can, snacks, batteries, ice cream, etc. But on our walk home from dinner last week, we stumbled upon this vending machine slice of Christmas heaven. It's the Christmas gift that keeps on giving all year round!

Climaxing

While the baseball playoffs are well underway back in the States, this weekend brings the beginning of the Japan baseball league playoffs. Better known here as the "Climax Series."

There are a total of twelve professional baseball teams here in Japan, and much like the US's Major League Baseball there is an American League and a National League. Only they are called the Pacific League and the Central League (six teams in each). Each year, these teams battle to reach their climax. Sorry, to reach the Climax Series.

The top three teams in each league's standings by year's end move on. In the first round of the Climax Series, the 2nd and 3rd place teams fight in a three-game series for the right to move on to round two where the 1st place team is waiting. Round two is a six-game series, which seems odd because usually you need an odd even of games to determine a series winner. But not in Japan. For winning your league during the regular season, not only do you get an automatic pass to round two, but you start with an automatic one game lead in the six-game series. The winner is the first to four wins. Confusing, but fun nonetheless, especially with all the climaxing.

Finally, the winner of the Pacific League Climax Series moves on to face the winner of the Central League Climax Series in the Japan Series best of seven. The winner is the champion of Japan.

This weekend we'll be rooting for our hometown boys, the Nagoya Dragons. They finished second to the Tokyo Giants (aka. Yankees of Japan), which means they will face the third place Yakult Swallows in the first round of the Central League Climax Series. Go Dragons!

I'm hoping a Japan Series playoff run by our adopted Japan team will make up for the void left by our precious Detroit Tiger's late-season collapse back in the States. But enough moping, it's time to Climax!!!

Influenza Masks

Well, it's finally happened. I had to spend the last week wearing one of these...


One of my co-workers - my boss in fact - came down with the H1N1 flu last week. He was visibly sick the two days he came to work prior to finally going to the hospital, which made the news that he did, in fact, have the H1N1 flu that much worse. Let me just say, in general, it sucks when people come to work sick. I get it. You can't imagine how the company would survive without you...and all that work would just pile up. But for crying out loud, the company is going to be in worse shape when more people get sick from the virus you bring to work. Stay home people!

Ok, now that I've got that off of my chest...I promise, no more yelling.

As you might imagine, there's a lot of panic and tension in the air, and the company has gone into containment mode. Everyone is following the procedures laid out in a memo sent a few weeks ago. The H1N1 prevention policy was issued reminding us of general precautions to take on a day-to-day basis. There are rules for who must wear masks depending on the proximity to co-workers and family members, how long we should wash our hands, and gentle reminders to cover mouths and such.

Now, we're putting it to the test. So far so good. Only one other person on our floor was diagnosed and had to miss a few days. Of course, he was in close proximity to the original carrier during those two courageous days he came to work, so it shouldn't count against our preventative measures. I've also heard of other cases on other floors, but nothing crazy. I've since been able to stop wearing my mask temporarily - oh darn - but now there are now spray bottles of disinfectant at every entrance and exit. I won't miss the masks (I'm still reserving judgment on the effectiveness of those things), and part of me wants to joke about all of the policies and procedures, but I just don't want to jinx myself...oh, who am I kidding? The flu hits us all, and we're probably better off once we've gotten it. If only I could only guarantee that these policies and preventions work until after this next weekend because I have a date with my wife...oh, and maybe the weekend after that because we have visitors coming into town...oh oh, and it's not going to work in November because of that trip we have planned...and come to think of it, December's not so good because we're going back to the States for a visit and that would just ruin everything...

I guess there's just no good time to be sick! Until then, I'll enjoy smelling my own breath!!!

Rise and Shine!!

"Huh, that's funny. At least we got ourselves a new umbrella out of all of this!" was my first thought this morning after opening the door wall in the main room.

And here's what it sounded like when I went outside to retrieve our new-found treasure...


So I guess Mary Poppins wasn't waiting on our porch with her spoonful of sugar... It turns out, we were just going to be able to experience our first typhoon. As luck would have it, the first typhoon to reach land in Japan since September of 2007. About 5am it whipped through Aichi prefecture on its way up north to wreak a little more havoc.

In all honestly, it wasn't all that much different than a tornado, but then again, we had only a small point of view. The whipping winds and thoughts of what to do in an emergency kind of added some extra anxiety, but all-in-all it was more invigorating than anything.

The major winds and rains had passed through our area by the time I had to leave for work, but my ride was eerily empty. Usually, there's a lot of hustle and bustle, but most people delayed their starts. Trains weren't operating due to the heavy winds (many people dependent on the train at work arrived after 10 or so). Besides the lack of traffic, the streets were littered with branches and leaves, which seemed odd if only because the streets are always immaculate. And for those of you who have been to Japan, you know how all the bridges you pass or walk over seem oddly shallow and almost overgrown? And you then wonder why in the heck they are built up on either side by 10-20 foot walls...? Well, this morning I saw the reason. Those little trickles turned into fast-moving rapids. Quite a sight!

Here's a snapshot from the Japan meteorological agency whilst all this was happening. Our home is the little Google mark in the middle!

Black Impact

It would be fun to market products like this...Imagine the advertising possibilities!

Black seems to be a favorite for labels. I can understand it for the coffee and gum shown above, and mixed with words like silky, well that's just gold!

I'm a bit puzzled with the 'Black Impact' ad campaign for Seven Star cigarettes here, though. I don't know if it works as well for a product that literally leaves a black impact.

Every time I see this ad, which is on just about every other vending machine here, I'm reminded of a quote from 'Swingers':

"When I lived in New York they made it sound like they were giving sitcoms out to stand-ups at the airport here, you know? I've been here six months, all I've got to show for it is black lung." (Mike - Jon Favreau)

Nagoya Castle Summer Festival

The summer is nearing it's end here in Nagoya, but it wasn't without plenty of firework shows and festivals. Last month, we had the opportunity to experience the Nagoya castle at night and partake in the summer festival atmosphere there.

The castle was absolutely beautiful lit up at night, and all of the people were fun to be around. My wife and her brother had their feet cleansed by an army of nibbling fish, and we had a blast trying some of the Japanese festival foods, but the highlight of the night was a tie. Decide for yourself...

It was really cool to watch this traditional Japanese song and dance, although it could be construed as Japan's version of 'The Hustle.'



And any magician - no matter how good or bad - should get bonus points for working in the theme from 'Beverly Hills Cop' to his or her act.

Toilet Buttons

Like most humans, buttons intrigue me. So, I usually push them to find out what happens.


In this environment, you wouldn't expect so many buttons. Nor, would you expect so much from a toilet for that matter. But, as I said, I'm only human. So, I experimented and pressed a few buttons.


The blue one nearly knocked me through the ceiling. Luckily, after composing myself, I was able to cover up what was going on with a little excess toilet flushing sounds!!

The Japanese are modest (hence the flushing sound and volume control buttons), but they are also known for their technology and efficiency. So, it should only make sense that they brought it into the place we spend a good amount of our lives in - the bathroom. And with heated seats, who would want to leave? More and more, these types of toilets can be found in most modern Japanese buildings, restaurants, or homes. And heck, they definitely beat the alternative of the traditional Japanese toilet, which amounts to not much more than a hole in the ground.

Richie the Flower Guy

Another shout-out for one of our Issha neighborhood stores. This time it's our local flower shop, Le Soleil. It's a modest shop with a bubbly store owner named Richie (of course that's just the name he gives to foreigners). Richie goes out of his way to accompany English-speaking foreigners with an English-based website, and pleasant conversation. The amazing thing is that he picked up the language on his own over the years through Western music (especially the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac) and movies. He spent 3 months in New York city over 20 years ago and fell in love with the culture. Now, it seems his eyes light up whenever he gets the chance to speak a little English and tell stories about New York.

I try to go in as much as the budget or special occasions allow for (Although I'm sure not nearly as much as my wife deserves), and every time I'm amazed at the customer service. In a way, you could say that Richie's service is a microcosm of the Japanese culture's consideration of others. The Japanese don't work for tips, it's considered an insult in the service industry to leave a tip. Instead, they work for the customer. It seems everyone in every service job no matter how small, performs it with the same meticulous detail and routine to respect not only the customer, but the job itself.

Richie does a lot to make the flower buying experience fun. With, 'You Can Go Your Own Way,' blaring in the background, Richie let's you pick and choose what flowers look good depending on what he has in the store for the season. Based on your budget, he fills in the rest, paying close attention to each flower, how it's cut, and how they are wrapped. Finally, he goes through each flower and writes what each one is on the back of his card, so you can sound like a connoisseur when presenting the finished product to your loved one. Thanks Richie!

A Turbulent Year for the Hand Drier

It’s funny how a silly insignificant thing like a bathroom hand drier can symbolize the year’s events, but after the year we’ve all experienced it shouldn’t be too out of the ordinary. Over the last year Capitalism took us on a roller coaster, Wall Street put our retirement funds through the spin cycle, we’ve been facing a global pandemic scare, and the U of M football team had a losing season. (Sadly, UM’s season might be the most disheartening of the bunch…)

In all of that, the hand drier in my office bathroom has served a vital role in reminding me of the topsy-turvy nature of today’s problems.

Last Fall as the recession loomed near, our company here in Japan took aggressive cost-cutting actions leaving no stone unturned. Even the hand drier’s fell victim to the cost cutting as their power was soon cut. A few cents here, a few cents there…it had been the nature of the reaction to the recession. No matter how insignificant, save a penny…errrr…Yen anywhere possible.

After nearly ten months of using my pants as a towel, things have recently changed. Thanks to the H5N1 influenza the power to the driers is back on. The old dusty plastic bags have been removed and the driers are plugged back in. There are now signs reminding and encouraging everyone to wash their hands thoroughly for 30 seconds before drying them with the word インフルエンザ , or INFLUENZA, written in bold-faced print in the middle of the sign.

I think I’ll continue using my pants as I’ve now learned those driers aren’t all that helpful or necessary, but it also begs the question, ‘I wonder if turning the power back on will somehow re-boot the UM football team this year?’

New Japan Prime Minister's Lofty Goals

Japan's LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) has enjoyed political supremacy for the better part of the last 40 years. However, on the heels of one of the country's worst recessions, and calls for more agressive actions from critics, current Prime Minister Taro Aso and the LDP were soundly defeated in last week's elections here in Japan. The winner, Yukio Hatoyama of the DPJ (Democratic Party of Japan), has come to office with a lot of support and some aggressive ideas.

Among them, new goals set forth to reduce the country’s greenhouse gases. The previous administration had put forth a goal of 8% reduction in greenhouse gases from 1990 levels by 2020 ahead of the Copenhagen meeting of over 200 countries later this year to renew the Kyoto Protocol. Hatoyama and the DPJ on the other hand, ran on a more aggressive campaign and this week promised to follow through. His goal is a 25% reduction from 1990 levels by 2020. Very lofty, and one in which Hatoyama hopes to follow through on because of the traction and popularity the topic received during the campaign.

I’m guessing these hot Japan summers make it a little easier to convince voters or gain traction on such an issue. August was brutally hot and humid here in Nagoya, and there hasn’t been a sign of letting up heading into September. With temperatures still hovering around 95°F and overwhelming humidity around 65%; many people are starting to refer to this season as 残暑 (ざんしょ), or extended heat. The ‘extended heat’ seems to make people anxious for action.

Hatoyama faces critics from industry regarding the new plan, but he hopes to use the initiative to encourage other countries to increase their own goals as well as financially and technically support developing nations with climate change. Hatoyama plans to meet these goals through a series of legislation such as creating a domestic emissions trading market, introducing a ‘feed-in’ tariff that financially rewards industries that expand their use of renewable energies, subsidized energy technologies, and backing jobs in the renewable energy manufacturing sectors.

Source: Japan Times (09-08-2009) Hatayama Firm on 25% Emissions Goal

This One's Juicy

Over the past few weeks at work, there has been one particular part that has come under intense scrutiny during development. A plastic piece, or plate, that's part of the larger assembly.

Now, my Japanese is a work in process...I have trouble getting by using it in daily life, let alone during meetings or in the lab at work. Depending on who's accompanying me, who's talking, or how much I'm willing to try to focus the level of my understanding varies. If I'm grumpy and mad at the world at that moment because for example, no one's speaking English, that level gets worse. If it happens to be the day after Thursty Thursday, that level gets even worse. If it happens to be the day after Thursty Thursday and I'm in a foul mood...well you get the picture.

Anyway, a few days ago, I was in a good mood. So, when I kept hearing what sounded like, "Juicy plate...blah blah blah...Juicy plate...blah...blah...blah...Juicy plate...blah...blah...blah...Ne!?!?!" in reference to the afore-mentioned plastic plate, I decided to whip out my handy electronic dictionary and piece together what they were actually saying about a juicy plate. (The Japanese language typically borrows words from 'outside' languages, but they are pronounced slightly different based on the phonetics. For example, iPod sounds like 'iPoad-o', or jeans sounds more like, 'Jean-zu.' They aren't native words, but are adopted into the language as Katakana. So, it would be entirely possible that they were indeed referring to a juicy plate in this instance.)

Well, it turns out juicy, or Jyushi (樹脂), means resin or mold. It's still fun to hear about the juicy plate, but not nearly as fun when it's just referring to that little ol' resin plate!

Putting the Scare in Scarecrow

It's just about time to start harvesting the rice in Nagoya. And the closer the harvest has come the more scarecrows have started popping up in the rice fields. Rice fields are very common, even integrated into some dense city areas. So, I have seen quite a few different types of scarecrows, known as kakashi (案山子), throughout Nagoya. Usually handmade, and thrown together with old Cd's or bright rags, you can tell they aren't put out for show. Whatever it takes to keep the pests away.

I gotta say though, this field on my way to work that absolutely takes the cake. These guys even scare me. I was half nervous just trying to snap their pictures!


That's right. The ol' mannequin head-on-a-stick trick. At least they had the decency to give this guy a helmet to protect him from the angry birds getting their revenge.

Separating Fact From Fiction

Living abroad makes it rather difficult to keep up with the pulse of America. In some ways, it has been a blessing, like during the recession. In other ways, it has been kind-of disappointing, like missing out on the election of our first African American president, or not being in Detroit for the Tigers' pennant run. Sure, we do our due diligence to keep up with the headlines, listen to day-old podcasts from NPR or the like, and watch day-old nightly newscasts or ball games, but none of them can really capture the energy or the national conversation.

What's more, it's increasingly becoming difficult due to the lack of journalistic integrity. The blog-o-sphere is fun, and political commentaries can be interesting, but they don't, nor should they, become a replacement for fundamental journalism. The scary thing about the 24-hour news cycle, radio personalities, and political blogs is that it takes away the individual's ability to decide. Naturally these outlets are opinionated, so we gravitate to what we like. Hearing, watching, or reading opinions that only reinforce our beliefs are nothing less than cowardice if it becomes our sole source of information.

People need facts to generate opinions. We don't need our opinions given to us. And it's getting worse with the ever-dwindling newspaper industry and slow demise of the 7 o'clock national news.

Recently, we heard and read a lot of crazy reporting. Like I said, it's hard to gauge a pulse or accurately read the energy at home, so it has been troubling to read that our nation is turning into a socialist, fascist, communist state ruled by a man not even born in America who wants to set up an agenda based on encouraging people to die. Or so some headlines, podcasts, or cable news clips, might have you believe. Whatever happened to reporting the facts without injecting an opinion?

I suppose it's up to the consumers to search for and demand respectable journalism.

Thankfully, the White House set up a website that we recently discovered to present some facts without the ... ahem ... BS. Here's a tantalizing example given recent 'headlines':
http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/7

Happy Teeth

Learning the Japanese Kanji characters is fun. Usually, once you learn one, you end up seeing it everywhere in signs, billboards, menus, etc. Last week I learned tooth (歯) and by extension, dentistry (歯科), cavities (虫歯), etc. So, walking around lately I have started noticing all the signs for dentist offices.

At least I thought I knew dentistry...

I thought this was an advertisement for Kubota Dentistry (窪田歯科), but the fun cartoon might suggest otherwise...

Is that a happy tooth...?

Tanuki-chan

I’m a big fan of this character. Tanuki is actually the common name for the raccoon dog found in the wild, but Tanuki also has deep roots in Japanese folklore as a mischievous character with a love for sake, uncommonly large testicles, and a welcoming personality. As a result, Tanuki statues can often be found outside of restaurants, bars, or homes beckoning guests to come in and enjoy themselves.

Because of his love for sake, Tanuki is always shown with a large sake bottle and a promissory note or empty purse. This is seen as a reminder not to be stingy and enjoy life. Also, Tanuki is always depicted with a bamboo hat to protect against trouble, a big tail, a big belly, and a friendly smile.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t explain the uncommonly large testicles that are a big part of the folklore. Also known as Kinbukuro (金袋), which means ‘money bags’ or ‘golden balls’, this feature can be found on all the statues as a symbol of financial luck. Legend also has it that Tanuki has large testicles because he is over-sexed, which is actually biologically true of the real-life raccoon dog because of fierce competition among males for female ‘companionship.’

To see Tanuki and his…ahem…testicles in action, check out this link!

Sun Protection

Every summer it’s the same thing. No matter if it was from my mother growing up, or from my wife now, it’s the never-ending reminder to put sun block on. Being a redhead, the sun has never agreed with me, but for some reason I can never escape the annual summer burn(s). This summer in Japan, of course, was no different.

The Nagoya climate is hot…a lot hotter than I’m used to, and because I have a hard time with the sun, I wondered how the Japanese would handle it. It’s very common to find women carrying sun umbrellas, wearing full-length clothes or long-sleeved gloves, and sometimes even long-range sun visors to protect themselves from the sun.

We asked a few of our women friends about this, and they simply said that even though it’s hot, they would rather protect their skin. To some, it’s even considered more attractive to have whiter skin.

What a simple answer.

Don’t get me wrong, I do think tan skin is beautiful, but at what cost? Of course I’m biased. Me + sun = red…always. I am jealous of those that have it easy and turn bronze with no trouble, but I have to side with the Japanese on this one.
Why do we worship the sun so? After all, UV is damaging regardless if it turns your skin dark brown or bright red!

The Industrial Lawn Complex

Imagine all the water you would save, chemicals you would avoid putting into the ground, and most importantly, free time you would have back if you didn’t have to worry about keeping your lawn perfectly green and manicured. Let’s face it, Americans' if nothing else have made the lawn industry quite profitable. Don't get me wrong, I love a green lawn, and the smell of freshly cut grass is hard to beat. But, we can’t overlook the fact that Americans' have over 20 million acres of private lawns to care for. Between energy, water, chemical, and manpower use, we have manufactured the industrial lawn. In the age of the green revolution, this industry surely deserves some scrutiny and its practices should be examined for sustainability.

Japan, on the other hand, finds little use for the lawn mower. Granted, we live in the city here, but most of the places we have traveled in Japan have similar landscape. For the most part, Japan chooses to live and build with nature and their native plants rather than manicure the perfect green lawn. There is one glaring difference between Japan and America – space. America has the great frontier and rolling plains – space-a-plenty. In Japan, however, that space is at a premium.

So, when you do see lawns or weeds that need maintenance here in Japan, it often looks like this:

Men or women yielding gas-powered metal weed-whippers to maintain the areas that need trimming. Personal lawns aren’t very common, but these weed-whippers are used to trim around rice fields, along roads by road maintenance, and in the case of the above picture, park maintenance.

Certainly, gas-powered weed-whippers aren’t much better than lawn mowers, but I think the key is the lack of lawns. Lawn space is more efficiently used for gardening, or native plants. A wise idea for those looking to reduce weekend chores and their carbon footprint!

The Halls of Medicine

During my recent bout with a summer cold, I reached for the Halls of medicine for temporary relief. Of course, in America Halls are marketed as cough and cold medicine. Not so in Japan. Here, they are marketed as candy, which had a few of my co-workers questioning why I was eating so much candy if I felt sick.

I then took the time to read the Japanese katakana characters on the package. Sure enough, above the HALLS it says, 'Menthol Candy.' Although, to be fair, the package also says, 'Throat and nose refresher!' which is typically why we reach for the Halls of medicine when we have a scratchy throat or stuffy nose.

Another fun fact. The Halls are also marketed based on their menthol level (note the number in the bottom right hand corner). The regular Halls (blue) has a menthol level of 2, while the strong, or Hyper-mint (red), goes up to a whopping level 5!

"Hey, You Wanna Hear the Most Annoying Sound in the World?"

Jim Carrey makes a pretty good case for that in Dumb and Dumber, but lately my vote goes to these little buggers, the cicada. They are fairly common in temperate or tropical places all over the world, so being from the north back in the States, Japan is my first experience with them.

For most of their lives, 13 to 17 years in all, cicadas live under ground. That is until they embark on their final journey to mate when the summer gets to be its hottest. Once above ground, they don't last very long, but they certainly like to be heard. When these little guys get going it can really mess with your head if you allow yourself to focus on it. They typically reach 120 dB at close range, and combined they make for a constant buzz everywhere you go, but then as if it were planned the buzz stops and there's nothing. It can really drive you crazy. They can even be heard within the confines of home, which makes sleeping a bit more difficult.

Here's an example of one I recorded recently:



And in case you wanted to compare, check out the clip from Dumb and Dumber.

Eating Habits

I often wonder what eating habits I'll take back with me when it's time to leave Japan. Everything from etiquette to serving size to the utensils is fairly different, and took some getting used to. Now, however, I find myself eating a lot of the Western style food we eat at home as if I were out at a restaurant or in the work cafeteria.

Noodles are by far the best. I suppose my wife would hope this habit doesn't stay with me, but anytime I'm told that slurping is polite, well, I think it's only natural to oblige. All through childhood we were told not to slurp, but here in Japan it's considered a sign of how tasty your noodles are the louder you slurp. Noodles are not easy to eat with chopsticks, so using your mouth as a vacuum, so-to-speak, really expedites the process and allows for any faults I may have with my chopstick technique to go unnoticed.

Picking up your bowl to bring it close to you is very convenient. A lot of Japanese dishes are served in small bowls - rice is an obvious, albeit boring, example. Needless to say, it's quite advantageous, especially if you have a long track record of stained shirts! I think part of it stems in the way you sit at the table. Men typically sit cross-legged on the floor so it helps to grab your food and bring it to you rather than straining out of that awful position. This is one habit that I've increasingly noticed myself doing while eating at home. Hey, it's just really easy to bring that plate of salad to your face and shovel it in...really I do have decent table manners...

Finally, not touching your food. The best example I can give of this is eating out at Mos Burger. Look at the wrappers the burgers are served in - and this is how they're served basically everywhere. They are really conducive for eating out of the wrapper and not touching your burger. The only downside is that you end up with your face planted in the wrapper.

Sun Muchin

We were able to taste a little bit of the sun this morning here in the land of the rising sun - a solar eclipse with 80% coverage. And boy was it delicious!

The Japanese word for solar eclipse is 日食 (NiShoku), literally means sun eating. Pretty fun when you think about it.

I've never experienced a solar eclipse, at least not one that I stood outside and watched. I know this wasn't as rare as a total solar eclipse. Nonetheless, it was a pretty special moment to catch a glimpse of the moon eating the sun from the other side of the world.

Thanks for the photo Herban Girl!

Blog Endorsement from an Unlikely Source

Last weekend, we were privileged to attend the first day of the 15-day Nagoya Sumo Tournament. Herban Girl details the sumo and tournament background here.

I wanted to share this particular clip from the event. Sumo is an amazing mix of culture and tradition. It seems some of the ceremonies and gestures were just as important as the actual fight. The ceremony shown in the clip occurred just prior to the top grouping's fights, the Yokozuna group.

This ceremony is performed by one of the fighters in the Yokozuna group along with his two attendants from a lower rank and a senior gyoji (referee). You'll see the Yokozuna clap his hands, extend and show his hands, and then stomp on the ground. The hands are clapped to call attention to the gods, the hands are then extended and both sides are shown to reveal that no weapons are concealed, and the stomp is intended to drive evil from the dohyo (ring).

By far the best part of this is the stomp when the crowd simultaneously yells what else, "YOISHO!"

Atsui Desu Ne!!!

Nagoya summer. I know I shouldn't complain because there are much worse places - Death Valley comes to mind - but it is freakin' hot and humid here. I grew in Michigan and my blood is a healthy mix of northern Europe, so clearly I wasn't built for this heat - as evidenced by the sweet heat rash I'm currently dealing with. Between the office being kept at the ripe temperature of 28C (82.4F), trying to protect our budget from the exorbitant energy bills by maintaining a cool 25C (77F) at home, and dealing with the 30-40C (86-104F) Nagoya summer temps outside, I think complaining is justified somewhat. Tack on the humidity, and I've almost been given a mandate (not quite a Bush 51% of the vote mandate, but same ballpark).

And it's not just me. I can safely say that this is uncomfortable weather for the native Japanese judging by their constant, almost obsessive use of the phrase "Atsui", meaning 'hot'. It can be heard everywhere, by anyone doing just about any activity requiring the least bit of energy. I think, though, that the use of this word exemplifies the nuances of the Japanese language. It's just one word, but by stressing various syllables, or cutting out syllables, the degree to which the person wants to express how hot it is can be manipulated. For example,

It's hot. = Atsui Desu.
Kinda hot today, huh? = Atsui ne.
Man this sucks! It's freakin hot! = Atsui neeeee.
Alright. This blows. I am very hot and very uncomfortable!!! = AAaatsuu.
O jeez...(sigh)...it's so hot...I can barely move = aatsss

Now think about it. Imagine if we went around manipulating the word, 'hot', all day. Confirming and reconfirming to each other or randomly to anyone in the vicinity just how hot or annoyed you feel.
"Hot."
"Hhhhhot."
"Hottttttt."
See, pretty weird, huh? The English finds fun adjectives, swear words, or clauses to make a point. Japanese, on the other hand, uses few words to make a statement.

By the way, in the winter, you can substitute "Atsui" with "Samui" (Japanese word for cold), and you get the same effect. Same inflections and manipulations apply. And yes, the same frequency abounds.

Pocket Change

The Japanese currency system is wreaking havoc on my budget. My wife and I usually give ourselves each a little petty money every week for miscellaneous things or emergencies. Back in the States, I rarely spent it as I always hated the thought of breaking bills. Hoping instead to stash it away for a bigger item after the savings accrued. In the rare case I did, for example, buy a soda out of the vending machine, I would still be left with some dollar bills making it hard to go back for more.

In Japan it's been a different story. All of my discipline is out the window thanks to these:


The Japanese Yen to Dollar conversion is generally 100 to 1. So, you can think of the big, gold 500 JPY coin and the little, silver 100 JPY coin shown in the picture above as $5 and &1 respectfully. Unfortunately, I can't get over the idea that whatever's in my pocket as I near a vending machine (which there are a plenty) or a convenience store (which there are a plenty) is simply pocket change taking up unnecessary space.

Uggghhh....I'll never be able to save up for that Boss Coffee bomber jacket I want ever so badly!!!

Soccer Shoes

Soccer shoes have changed quite a bit since I last had to buy them back in high school. Shin pads have morphed quite a bit as well. Fortunately, playing the game I grew up with for so many years managed to linger long enough in my feet that I wasn't too rusty when I decided to strap the boots back on here in Nagoya.

Back in March, my wife had found an ad in the ex-pat newsletter for the Shonai FC soccer team. Nothing official, just a group of fellow ex-pats from all over the world who love the game of soccer and get together and play every Sunday at The Shonai-Ryokuchi Park in northern Nagoya.

Thanks to some encouragement from my wife - and some new shoes she bought me for my birthday - I've been playing ever since and really look forward to it every week. Ages range from 23 to 45, and backgrounds are from England, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Romania, France, and yes, Japan.

Besides meeting fellow ex-pats, it has also offered a chance to see different parts of Japan. Tournaments are held a few times throughout the year for ex-pat teams from all over the country. Back in May we went south to the Awaji-island tournament (near Osaka), and there's a Nagano tournament in the fall. The competition is fun and in some weird way it's like fulfilling a boyhood dream of playing internationally!

Just Another Day at the Beach

When it gets hot, wasting the day away at the beach is hard to top. With that in mind, we decided to head southeast to the Pacific Ocean and the Tahara City beaches last weekend. It was about a two hour drive, which was a little frustrating due to traffic jams, but the view and relaxation once we arrived was worth it.

Well, minus the string banana hammock this guy was sporting.



My wife said it best, "It's like a train wreck. You really don't want to look, but...what is he thinking?" The funny thing is, he has two of these puppies, and thought it best to sport them on the same day. Prior to the white one, he had a florescent orange hammock on. Perhaps, he thought he needed to tone it down a notch, so he switched to the white mid-afternoon. Yeah, that'll draw less attention!

Well, despite the banana hammock setting up shop to our right, we enjoyed the warm Pacific water, a nice lunch, the beautiful view to our right, and the mountains behind us. We lucked out on timing as well because this isn't the beach season yet. Apparently, it starts with the beginning of summer next month. We did, however, see the crews setting up the stands and painting the docks for the crowds that are sure to flock to the beach when summer 'officially' starts.

Jenglish

One of my favorite things about working with the Japanese is the language. Indeed, it has kept me entertained for six years working with the same company, and has yet to get old. I love the interaction with a Japanese person willing to try speaking English. I give them credit for trying despite how hard some of our pronunciations may be, let alone remembering the words and proper grammar.

By far, my favorite of these interactions here in Japan has been with my first team leader. His English is not great, but it has been getting better with some encouragement. What is interesting is that he has developed a fondness for learning and practicing American slang, or common English one-liners.

Every day he tries using a new phrase he has found or heard. It's the delivery, more than anything that gets me. You hear the words you're used to hearing from back in America, but inflections and timing are out of sync. I love it. "Today I will leave at 5 sharp!" "After you." "That's disgusting!" "Once a slob, always a slob."

You have to understand. It's one thing to learn a language. Quite another to learn how it is 'actually' spoken. So, I give him a lot of credit. He has made it somewhat of a hobby now, and I love encouraging it. I suggested he watch the movie, A Few Good Men, because it has two of the best one-liner scenes I know. Both occur when Tom Cruise picks up his newspaper at the local newspaper stand. They are short scenes, but the dialogue between Cruise and the newspaper man in each case is a series of one-liners.

Not only did my friend buy and watch the movie last weekend, but he came to me the following Monday with each dialogue written in his notebook with the Japanese translations (see below). He of course, watched with Japanese sub-titles, but I was impressed that he picked up on the scenes I was telling him to look out for, and now he has a fresh set of one-liners for me.

Haaiiii Cheezzu!

According to a recent USA Today article, Arkansas, Indiana, Nevada, and Virginia do not allow drivers to smile for their license photos, and more states are expected to follow suit. (from the USA Today article):

The serious poses are urged by DMVs that have installed high-tech software that compares a new license photo with others that have already been shot. When a new photo seems to match an existing one, the software sends alarms that someone may be trying to assume another driver's identity.

But there's a wrinkle in the technology: a person's grin. Face-recognition software can fail to match two photos of the same person if facial expressions differ in each photo, says Carnegie Mellon University robotics professor Takeo Kanade.

Here in Japan smiling for government or business-related photos also seems to be discouraged. I first noticed this when a few of my co-workers commented on my id badge during the first few weeks working here. When they snickered at my smile in my photo I started noticing that everyone has a rather serious look on their face for their id badge.

When I got my Japanese driver's license I had to go through the process of getting my photo taken three times. After the first time, it was explained to me that, you guessed it, smiling was prohibited. I was shocked and tried to smirk during the second attempt - a hidden smile out of protest I thought. Not to be. I was caught and finally gave in on the third attempt. So now, I have a plain, ordinary, dull face on my Japanese id. It was later explained to me that you just aren't supposed to smile for 'official' photos - work, school, government, etc.

Truth be told, nobody ever really seems happy with their driver's license photo. It's true in the States, and I'm sure it can be said for most places. I just don't like the idea of taking smiling out of anything.