Heave-Ho Yoisho

Nippon Energy

2010-06-13T15:04:00.000-04:00

This is not a blog about global warming. There are several arguments for and against it, and if it helps the reader, I will preface this blog by stating plain and clear that I support the evidence that humans are contributing to global warming. However, like I said, this is not about global warming. Instead I want to focus on what I consider a greater catastrophe, the inefficient use of our limited resources. I think that it is something that concerns everyone. When they are gone, they are gone, so why not focus on creating a more efficient harmony with those resources - both renewable and non-renewable. Perhaps this quote from Thomas Friedman's, Hot, Flat, and Crowded, states it better:

"We humans are now playing lead electric guitar in Mother Nature's symphony orchestra. In doing so, we forget a fundamental truth: We are the only species in this vast web of life that no animal or plant in nature depends on for survival - yet we depend on this whole web of life for our survival. We evolved within it. As we adapted to it, it shaped us into what we are. We humans need that web to survive - it doesn't need us. But we sure need it - and it thrives only if the whole system works in harmony."

It is true that changing the way we harness and use energy will be expensive, problematic, and come without road blocks and failures. But that's what happens in the natural cycle of development. And if we don't change, those scarce resources become more and more expensive. So, doing nothing now, will cost us dearly in the end. I believe an energy revolution is the next great revolution and it would be very beneficial to invest in now. The wheels of ingenuity are spinning all over the globe, even in the countries that choose not to reign in their carbon emissions like China and India. It is a race, and right now, America seems stalled at the start line. Private investment is always the preferred method, but there is a case to be made for government initiatives to stir that inventive and entrepreneurial spirit that Americans are famous for.

Japan is a great example of a country off and running. After living in Japan for nearly two years, it became quite clear that there is a completely different mentality. There is a greater sense of urgency and a greater spirit for change. Consider this article from Tokyo by Martin Fackler in The New York Times (January 6, 2007):

"In many countries, higher oil prices have hurt pocketbooks and led to worries about economic slowdowns. But here in Japan, Kiminobu Kimura, an architect, says he has not felt the pinch. In fact, his monthly energy bill is lower than a year ago...Energy -efficient appliances abound in the many corners of his cramped home. There is the refrigerator that beeps when left open and the dishwasher that is compact enough to sit on the kitchen counter. In some homes, room heaters have a sensor that directs heat only toward occupants; there are enegy navigators that track a home's energy use. And then Mr. Kimura, 48, says there are the little things that his family of four does to squeeze fuel bills, like reusing warm bath water to wash laundry and bicycling to buy groceries...Japan is the most energy-efficient developed country on earth, according to most specialists, who say it is much better prepared than the United States to prosper in an era of higher global energy prices...Its population and economy are each about 40 percent as large as that of the United States, yet in 2004 it consumed less than a quarter as much energy as America did, according to the International Energy Agency, which is based in Paris.
Japan's obsession with conservation stems from an acute sense of insecurity in a resource-poor nation that imports most of its energy from the volatile Middle East, a fact driven home here by the 1970's shocks. The guiding hand of government has also played a role, forcing households and companies to conserve by raising the cost of gasoline and electricity far above global levels. Taxes and price controls make a gallon of gasoline in Japan currently cost...twice America's more market-based prices. The government in turn has used these tax revenues to help Japan seize the lead in renewable energies like solar power, and more recently home fuel cells...Higher energy prices have also created strong domestic demand in Japan for more conventional and new energy-saving products of all sorts. That has spurred the invention and development of things like low-energy washing machines and televisions and high-mileage cars and hybrid vehicles, experts say. Japanese factories also learned how to cut energy use and become among the most efficient in the world. Companies like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are now reaping the benefits in booming overseas sales of their highly efficient electric turbines, steel blast furnaces and other industrial machinery, particularly in the United States. The environmental ministry forecasts that exports will help turn energy conservation into a $7.9 billion industry in Japan by 2020, about 10 times its size in 2000."

Japan, the article noted, has also encouraged development of energy-saving appliances with its Top Runner program,

"which has set goals of reducing energy use. Products that meet the goals are awarded a green sticker, while those that fail get an orange sticker. Japan's trade and industry ministry says consumers heed the stickers, pushing manufacturers to raise the energy efficiency. The average air-conditioner now uses two-thirds less electricity than in 1997, and the average freezer 23 percent less, the ministry said. The savings add up. The average household here used 4,177 kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2001, the most recent figure, according to the Jyukankyo Research Institute in Tokyo. In the same year, the average American household consumed more than twice that, or 10,655 kilowatt-hours, according the the Energy Department."

After our time in Japan, I was inspired inspired to take a look at how our energy use while living in Nagoya, Japan compared to our energy use while living in the States (Michigan to be precise). Using old bills, I compared the energy use from the same time span over the course of 10 months. The Michigan data is from 2007-2008, while the Nagoya, Japan data is from 2008-2009. To take the size of each apartment out of the equation, I have calculated the cost and energy use per square foot. Also, the climates of the two locations are slightly different, so the average monthly temperature is shown. Finally, it should be noted that I used the average daily exchange rate for 2009 (93 JPY = $1). The results are below:

It is clear that while living in Japan, we paid quite a bit more for energy per square foot despite using significantly less kilowatt-hours of electricity in every month but January. Friedman suggests in his book that the US will be on the right track when our monthly energy bill begins showing an increase in cost per kilowatt-hour of electricity, while the overall bill remains the same or has been reduced. In this 'energy revolution' there are two phenomenon's:

1. A smarter grid paid for by the increased cost per kilowatt-hour
2. A move to cleaner power and efficient means of delivering it

Is this revolution possible? It'll be up to you and I, and a healthy nudge from the government. Japan did it, and is continuing to move forward trying to optimize that balance and harmony with our resources.

Japan's Craft Brew Industry

2010-04-24T03:55:00.000-04:00

The fact that the self-proclaimed King of Beers, Budweiser, lost market share last year can be directly attributed to the rise in popularity of craft beers in the US. Indeed, craft beers have been gaining momentum over the last decade as consumers look for more flavorful beer on a more local level.

While it's not fair to say that this phenomenon is global, I can say that it certainly seems to have planted its roots in Japan. Admittedly, the amount of craft beer in Japan is way behind the US, however, the quality is quite competitive. Case in point, at last month's 2010 World Beer Cup held in Boulder, Co. Baird's Brewing Company from Numazu, Japan tied for the most gold's with 3:

Numazu Lager – American-Style Amber
Country Girl Kabocha Ale – Specialty Beer
Saison Sayuri – Belgian- and French-Style Ale

That is no small feat considering the competition included 642 brewers from 44 countries and 47 states offering 3,330 entries for 90 beer categories. My wife and I were lucky enough to visit Numazu back in March for my birthday with the sole purpose of satisfying our craving for delicious craft brews. You can imagine from the 3 gold medals, we weren't disappointed!

This experience did something a little unexpected. It helped to plug us into a neat little pipeline of brewers beginning to pop up all over Japan and growing in strength and ingenuity. For years, craft brewing in Japan was discouraged due to some archaic laws banning home brewing. However, these laws were relaxed over the last decade, and beer entrepreneurs have begun taken hold.

Our experience at Baird's in Numazu led us to another strong brewer in Ise, Japan (Ise Kadoya), where we visited last month on a day trip. We met the owner himself, who has traveled extensively in the US over the past few years to learn from masters of the craft beer art there - Dogfish and Stone to name a few. Because of our efforts in searching for a decent IPA, he rewarded us with a bottle of his own IPA from his personal stash. It was delicious both for the flavor that included 10 varieties of hops and for the fond memories of meeting the brewer!

The more we dig in, the more we begin to find that there are several craft breweries making headway in Japan. There's even a new publishing started by some of the brewers encouraging the industry's growth and communication. It even included a listing of all the craft breweries and their locations currently in Japan. These craft beers haven't quite found their way to the mainstream market, or the grocer's shelves, but isn't that what craft beers are supposed to be about? It's about the unique flavor from each individual brewer or region. I only wish we had more time to search out some of the other brewers! For now, though, I will relish the memories of Baird and Ise Kadoya. Who knows? Maybe with Baird's success in the World Cup of Beers last month, it may soon be available in America!!

Where Do You Think You're Goin'? Grab a Rake!

2010-04-13T06:41:00.002-04:00

As pointed out on a previous post, it's not that often that you see grass in Japan. For the most part, what available space there is after housing, buildings, and infrastructure, is generally designated for rice fields or gardens. Parks are liberally mixed in most cities where possible, but they don't necessarily come with grass. Even the parks meant for soccer, field hockey, baseball, etc. Instead of grass, which requires too much upkeep and water to survive the climate, generally these pitches are simply fine gravel or dirt.

So, what about grounds-keepers? They aren't very common as far as I can tell. You use it. You clean it up. That's the rule. And you learn that rule quickly if you grow up playing sports. I first learned of this rule the hard way. After a friendly match with another gaikojin (foreigner) team last year on an excruciatingly hot, humid Nagoya day, all I wanted to do was get to the sideline and douse myself with shade and water. Not so fast. All of my teammates - the other team got to relax as we were the hosts - quickly told me to pick up a rake from the nearby shed. We got in a line at the end of the pitch and walked the length of the pitch back and forth until the entire field was nicely groomed. A bit like a zamboni - only not automated!!!

This is the rule. If you host a team, or simply use a field for a day of fun, you clean it up. In this case, rake it up. I managed to snap a photo of some kids raking this field on a recent Saturday.

I like the rule. It teaches you a little discipline, while at the same time, makes you appreciate the people who keep our parks clean and beautiful.

My Lovely Japan Car Accident (Part 3: The Wrap)

2010-04-07T06:46:00.000-04:00

It's been over two weeks now, and the dust has settled. I've had plenty of time to reflect, which, in hind-sight, I guess gets at the heart of some of the public shaming I went through. To be honest, all of the frustration with work - the reports, the speeches, the safety videos, the funny yellow hats and signs we stood with at the scene of the accident, etc etc - were hard, but not overbearing. As funny as it sounds, I was okay with it. In fact, it gave me a chance to brush up on my public speaking.

The hardest part was the waiting and worrying that came with the week between the accident and the policeman's verdict. His verdict would determine if my wife and I could leave the country as planned on April 29th, or if we would have to wait around for a court case. You see, a week after the accident, I had to meet with the policeman, the person I hit, and my bosses at the sight of the accident. There, the policeman gathered both of our stories, to make sure there was no dispute of fault and the exact severity of the accident, before making a judgment on the case.

We drew chalk lines, and discussed the details of the accident, as well as the extent of the whiplash sustained by the man I hit. Luckily for me, the police judged that the injury was not that severe based on the doctor's official note. Also, the policeman mentioned that he appreciated my efforts to learn and speak Japanese. Although I didn't follow a lot of the details of the conversation, he did mention that he would look kindly on my situation because of my efforts to understand Japanese. 'Phew,' I thought at that moment, 'What a relief.' I couldn't help but think that finally I had a solid reason for waking up at 5am every morning during this Japan adventure to spend an hour studying the language before work. It was going to get my wife and me home as originally scheduled!

Since the accident, I have lost the privilege of driving my car to work. Although there was no rule, and despite mine and my colleague's comments from back in America, there is no changing the mind of the department head. This is also part of the unspoken social rule - don't disturb the balance, and in this case, don't undermine the authority.

But it's okay, actually. I have a longer commute now - bus and train - which I've come to enjoy. Plenty of time to read. Plenty of time to relax and listen to music I haven't listened to in ages. Plenty of time to properly reflect. No, not reflect on the accident. Time for reflection and worrying about that is over. I'm going home in a few weeks. It's about time I reflect on the time spent seeing a beautiful country, time spent meeting interesting people from all over the world, and time spent learning an amazingly complex, sometimes stressful, but always intriguing culture. Time that I will always treasure.

My Lovely Japan Car Accident (Part 2: The Shaming)

2010-04-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

The Japanese are fond of an old proverb:

"A pebble thrown in the water creates a ripple eventually felt by the entire pond." In other words, the Japanese like to do what they can to avoid disrupting society because every action, no matter how small, has its reactions.

It wasn’t until my recent car accident that I finally understood fully what that philosophy means. You see, I thought the worst of my problems occurred the day of the actual accident - dealing with the insurance, police, rental cars, and the person I rear-ended…and all in a foreign language of which I understood little. However, it was the fallout afterward that truly tested my patience and strength of character.

I quickly found out that this accident wasn’t just about me or the person that I hit. It was the company’s problem because there is an image to uphold, especially as an automotive supplier. It was my superior’s problem because they are responsible for my training and me. Finally, it was my peers’ problem because this was a problem within the system.

Perhaps my father’s analogy for the situation explains it best:

"You are part of a machine, and a fly flew into your gear, so now, if this was on the assembly line think of what would happen. Meetings to evaluate why and how that fly got in there, by the whole work team of course. And the Manager will have to answer for that fly every day at staff meeting with some sort of action plan. So, more grease applied daily now, hourly inspection for any more flies, the whole department must spray fly killer every two hours, etc."

So, what was the fallout, list of activities, countermeasures, what-have-you…

1) The day after the accident, Tuesday, I had to watch a safety driving video showing potential accidents and the damage they can cause. With my entire division, of course (about 80 people).

2) The following day, Wednesday, I had to write a report detailing my commute to and from work complete with detailed maps and potential accident locations. The potential accident locations had to explain what the problem was and what I should do every day to avoid it.

3) Thursday I stood in front of the department and explained the accident, what my error(s) were, and how they should be avoided in the future. The speech itself was nerve-racking enough, but doing the speech partially in Japanese was even more humiliating.

4) Finally, on Friday I got the wonderful news that the department general manager had decided that I could no longer drive to work. Of course, the length and details of the penalty…ahem…risk management…was unclear, but it was clear that the general manager had spoken and there was no challenging that.

This all came on the heels of news from the police – through my manager – that the report may not be complete before the date I was due to leave (April 29), and thus, I may not be able to leave the country. That news would not be finalized until a final meeting between the police, and both parties the following week.

So, by last Friday, this pebble had definitely caused some waves, and the wheels were in motion by everyone to calm the waters. The water seemed pretty calm to me, but I guess that’s what cultural education is all about, and I was definitely feeling the reverberations.

So, what did I learn? What was my ‘reflection’? Stay tuned for the final installment…

My Lovely Japan Car Accident (Part 1: The Incident)

2010-03-28T05:28:00.003-04:00

There's a fantastic scene in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in which a traffic accident is portrayed through the series of events and encounters that lead up to the climactic accident itself. The idea being that had any one of those chance events occurred any differently, the woman involved in the accident would not have been crossing the road at the exact time same time that the taxi, its driver, and his passenger were driving through, and thus, no accident.

We had just watched this movie over the weekend, so naturally, a similar thought process went through my mind last Monday as I sat stunned stunned, staring at my sunglasses that were now resting on the floor mat. A few seconds prior to this, they were blocking the sun from my eyes on a normal, sunny, morning commute. Now that they sat on the floor of the car, I realized things were suddenly about to change.

I thought about how I decided to fore-go one more cup of coffee, and the opportunity to sit and chat with my wife before leaving for work. I thought about the fact that I chose today to return my co-worker's golf clubs that I had borrowed for over a year and the extra time it took to pick up, carry, and load the clubs. I thought about the time I spent laboriously unloading our recycling including half a dozen beer bottles - not 3, not 8, only 6 - into the community bins before getting into my car. I thought about how I drove a bit slower than usual on the highway because - at the time - I knew I would be early to work. And then I thought, what if the girl who had crossed traffic on her bike had been any later or any earlier?

I remember these thoughts, I suppose, because had any one of these events been different or had not occurred, I wouldn't have been staring at my glasses on the floor mat. And I wouldn't be looking up at the man getting out of his car in front of me rubbing his neck, taking in the damage. And I wouldn't have been wondering how in the world I had just gotten into my first ever traffic accident.

The police and the insurance companies would later decide that it was a 100-0 incident, meaning I was 100% to blame. And they were right, I looked down momentarily, looked up and traffic had stopped to allow the girl to cross the street on her bike. I tried to stop and swerve, but it wasn't enough. You're run-of-the-mill rear-ender. I hit the car in front of me - an old 1980's Nissan station wagon built in the days before cars were engineered to absorb energy, when they were built like rocks. Thus, the front of my 2009 Toyota Auris was bashed in pretty good, and the rear corner of the Nissan only had a slight dent. The Auris absorbed much of the blow and I was unharmed. Unfortunately, the Nissan did not do much absorbing, and the seat lacked any sort of whiplash-preventing head restraint. Needless to say, the person I hit walked away with a bit of a sore neck, which makes matters worse, but I'll save that for the follow-up blog.

This all happened right in front of work, so a lot of my co-workers recognized me and stopped to help. I was fortunate for their help in dealing with the police, the tow trucks, and insurance. They helped sort out everything, and I tried to answer questions as best I could. Everything took about 2 hours, and in the end, both cars were towed, the police said to wait a week for any report or fine, the person I hit was on his way for a routine examination to make sure there was no damage unseen, insurance was notified, and rental cars were in the works. I wanted to feel some sort of relief, but I couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that I hadn't fully grasped the situation from not speaking the language well. For the time being, I was worried about insurance, the person I hit, and what this might mean for my pocket-book. Unfortunately, I had no idea what a nightmare this incident would soon become.

Living abroad, we are told to represent our country with class and dignity, and to abide by the host country's laws and culture. This ambassador would certainly be tested over the next few days.

McDonald's Big America Campaign

2010-03-21T06:02:00.009-04:00

The McDonald's machine (or should I say 'Mack-do' as it is commonly called here in Japan) keeps rolling out the gems to increase their presence and popularity in Japan. My wife and I sensed a subtle but impending doom for the Japanese when McDonald's finally thought the timing was right to unveil its quarter-pounder to the Japanese market last summer. Prior to that, it was just thought to be too much burger for the petite Japanese culture. Apparently not.

Alas, it was met with resounding popularity in Japan. And why not? Let's be honest, despite the health concerns, the stuff tastes good. The only problem is that, while the Japanese might have some idea of why America has an alarming obesity rate, I don't think they are taking seriously the potential long-term dangers that can result from America's fast-food machine. So, naturally Mack-do has decided to capitalize on the popularity of the quarter-pounder.

Starting back in January, McDonalds began running ads for their 'Texas' burger as part of their new 'Big America' campaign. Doesn't anyone here in Japan see the writing on the wall?!?! The irony is hilarious. One could argue that the ad actually suggests fast food can lead to an increased belt line. I'm sure its not what they meant, but I can't help but smirk when I see the 'Big America' billboards.

In all, McDonalds has unveiled 4 types of 'Big America' burgers, all variations on that ol' classic, the quarter-pounder. The Texas burger, California burger, New York burger, and Hawaii burger will attempt to provide different tastes from well-known regions in America. As you can see from the picture, the Texas burger was so popular, it will be coming back.

A great marketing ploy to be sure, but in the end, I wonder what the effect will be on 'Little Japan'.

More details on each variation of the burger in the 'Big America' campaign can be found here.

30 for 30

2010-03-17T18:20:00.000-04:00

Contrary to the T-Shirt in the photo, I'd say Haikus are not always easy. At least not in this case. After months of planning, organizing, begging, reminding, and I'm sure quite a few road bumps, my wife pulled off a wonderful birthday surprise. 30 Haikus from 30 of my friends and family to celebrate my 30th birthday, and all presented in a beautiful hardcover book form.

Honestly, I was blown away by it. All of the work, all of the support, and all of the individual touches from all of the participants brought a smile to my face. Each Haiku was presented in the authors' original handwriting or creative approach along with a photo from our time in Japan. I am grateful to my wife for organizing all of the responses and putting together such wonderful photos in this book. I am also grateful for everyone that participated giving me quite a lot to be happy about!

As a token of my appreciation I feel it only fair to reply in Haiku form:

Thirty years gone by
USA, Japan, the world
Everywhere Love

Suntory Highball in A Can

2010-03-09T06:06:00.000-05:00

Over the last few years, it has become quite trendy and more common to see mixed drinks in a 12 oz. can or bottle. The huge selection today is certainly a far cry from the days of simpler choice between Seagram's or Bartles and James. Nowadays, there are companies like Smirnoff who have taken pre-mixed vodka cocktails to a whole new level, or Mike's Hard lemonade who have the market on lemonade cocktails of all flavors virtually cornered.

The selection is quite large and growing. Naturally, it will only be a matter of time - if it has not already happened - before the market is flooded with options, especially from the big breweries or drink manufacturers.

Personally, I normally don't go for these types of drinks as they are not really to my liking, but I just couldn't stop the childish voices in my head telling me how legendary this drink would be when I was in the store the other day...

That's right. Suntory got into the game with it's whiskey and soda in a can offering. I'm not sure exactly what it was that pulled me in like a tractor beam. Perhaps it was the Suntory-Bill Murray connection, or maybe it was the mere mention of the word 'highball', or perhaps it was just the fact that it came in a can...??? I don't know, but I do know that I probably will never buy it again.

It was ok, but it reminded me that I just don't like sweet drinks. If you're a fan of a whiskey highball, or any other sweet cocktail for that matter, then I can see how you might become a fan. They're convenient and get the job done. I just hope we never see the day when bartenders start serving these traditional cocktails out of a can.

Right Hand Driving

2010-03-04T21:24:00.008-05:00

There were certainly many adjustments to basic living when we moved to Japan, but driving has definitely got to be up there on the list of most difficult. So much so, that my wife - who never really liked driving anyways - ultimately gave it up in favor of public transportation while we are here in Japan.

I'd say that besides the obvious like adjusting to triangular stop signs or signs written in Japanese, there are two huge differences between driving in Japan and driving in the States. First, the size of the roads. Japan is a crowded country that makes efficient use of space. That's why when it comes to the size of the roads, there is really no excess room. You have to get used to using your mirrors more to check your spacing, and there are even times when you have to gauge the space ahead to decide whether or not you should pull over for oncoming traffic to share the road. Remember the Seinfeld episode when Kramer buys a stretch of highway and then paints over the lane stripes effectively making one huge lane out of two lanes? After which, he drives down the highway giddy with all the space as he gracefully swerves from left to right. Let's just say, that's how I felt during my return trip to the States last Christmas. So much space, I didn't know what to do with it.

Second, the cars are right hand drive and drive on the left hand side of the road. This was particularly difficult for lane spacing and making turns - especially turning right across oncoming traffic. Inside the car is another story. Everything is reversed. From the shifter to the wiper controls to the blinkers, everything is on the opposite side. So, inevitably, I made the mistake of turning the wipers on when I wanted to make a turn several times before I got the hang of it.

All these adjustments were especially difficult at work when I had to do test drives on the high speed test tracks. Try down-shifting coming off a high banked curve in a right hand drive car going 100 kph. Not easy. That's why last week during a test drive, I couldn't help but laugh to myself as I watched the windshield wipers inexplicably turn on when my Japanese co-workers were turning out onto the test track with the American left hand drive car we were testing. It was a comforting reminder of how much we've accomplished here and how close we are to the subtle comforts of home.

Japan's Bob Costas

2010-02-28T07:52:00.000-05:00

With the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics winding down, I wanted to take a quick moment to reflect on the games from our perspective here in Japan. In all honesty, it was quite a treat. Because of the time difference, the majority of the games happened during the morning to early afternoon hours here. Although it would have been a welcome distraction for my wife during the day, she made sure not to tune in or pay attention to internet headlines so that we could enjoy the recap coverage together sandwiched around the evening news.

Every day for the past two weeks, I've raced home to catch the coverage after work. Like I said, it's really been a treat because its nice to settle in with a routine on TV. Something we haven't really had the opportunity to do with Japanese dramas, game shows, or comedies. Struggling with the language has a lot to do with that.

Neither of us speak well enough to understand the commentators, but we did enjoy watching the clips of the day's events. For the most part, the recaps focused on how the Japanese performers did in a certain competition, aired their interviews, and medal ceremony if they were winners. The clips also provided the winners and top performers in each event, so we did get to see our fair share of our home country's success (Congrats USA)!! I just feel as though I watched way more curling and figure skating than usual (two of Japan's strong events), and not enough luge, bobsled, or downhill. Oh well, at least our coverage was never short of human-sized puppets. There was a new one almost every night! Definitely made up for the lack of fire-side chats with Bob Costas. I like this guys excitement. He could hardly contain himself during the segment. It looks as if the poor guy's gonna race to the bathroom once the segment is done!

Congrats to Godzilla

2009-11-22T04:58:00.001-05:00

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.

2009-11-20T04:23:00.007-05:00

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

2009-11-11T04:14:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-08T04:55:00.000-05:00

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

Snail Mail SPAM

2009-11-04T04:10:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-28T05:36:00.001-04:00

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

2009-10-21T05:09:00.001-04:00

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

2009-10-18T05:35:00.006-04:00

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

2009-10-15T09:36:00.002-04:00

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!!

2009-10-08T07:24:00.000-04:00

"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

2009-09-30T05:28:00.003-04:00

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

2009-09-27T07:00:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-23T05:08:00.002-04:00

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

2009-09-20T06:53:00.007-04:00

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

2009-09-13T04:46:00.000-04:00

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

2009-09-09T04:33:00.004-04:00

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

2009-09-02T05:15:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-26T05:45:00.003-04:00

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

2009-08-19T05:00:00.001-04:00

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

2009-08-17T06:15:00.000-04:00

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

2009-08-12T05:37:00.001-04:00

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

2009-08-09T05:09:00.001-04:00

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

2009-08-05T05:36:00.002-04:00

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

2009-08-02T06:27:00.000-04:00

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?"

2009-07-30T05:48:00.001-04:00

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

2009-07-27T06:52:00.001-04:00

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

2009-07-22T06:47:00.007-04:00

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

2009-07-18T01:00:00.004-04:00

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!!!

2009-07-13T06:46:00.005-04:00

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

2009-07-08T04:54:00.001-04:00

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

2009-07-05T04:27:00.003-04:00

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

2009-07-01T04:30:00.002-04:00

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

2009-06-28T04:43:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-06-24T06:24:00.001-04:00

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.

Mojito with a Twist of Phlegm

2009-06-21T01:06:00.007-04:00

Over the weekend we decided to try the new British Pub near Nagoya station, OXO. British-style pubs are fairly popular in Nagoya, and tend to draw a lot of ex-pats, which can be a nice injection of western culture once in a while.

OXO is in a really great location right downtown near Nagoya station and Midland Square (Central Japan's tallest building). The atmosphere was great and any pub that serves a proper British pint is ok in my book. OXO uses a cash on delivery system of service. This card is placed at each table to explain:

Without cash on delivery, I would never have had the privilege of seeing the interesting technique adopted by the bartender responsible for our mojitos. I watched as he diligently prepared the glasses, taking special care with our drink regardless of the people waiting behind me (a trait I find common with most bartenders in Japan). Everything happened so fast, but here was his routine:

1. Wipe the glasses down
2. Carefully select the mint and place into glass
3. Crush mint
4. Add carefully measured Bacardi Rum
5. Place a healthy scoop of crushed ice in each glass
Here's where it gets hairy...
6. Take out the long stirring spoon and mix the ice, mint, and rum in each glass
7. Lick the spoon and set aside. ('Okay that was weird, but carry on...')
8. Add sugar, slice of lime, and kiwi juice
9. Take out the long stirring spoon - the same long stirring spoon - and stir the ingredients in each glass
10. Lick the spoon and set aside

I hesitated telling my wife, but in the end, I just couldn't resist. Clearly, this bartender took his job of making our drinks seriously. My guess is, he was taught to taste his creation to ensure it was properly mixed - like a good chef checking his or her soup. He was probably taught to do tricks like these to re-create some traits of western culture. Unfortunately, he was unaware of the now infamous unwritten rule about double dipping in our society.

Well, the mojitos were delicious, and we had a good laugh. Besides, the bartender made up for it later. As we were walking out, I noticed him call back a patron who had taken his Guinness prematurely. He called him back so that he could top off his proper pint after the initial pour settled.

Recycle Me Silly - Work Style

2009-06-16T19:14:00.005-04:00

The area in my office designated for recycling is equivalent to about 4 of my desks. Granted, I have very little space at my desk, but at least it gives you an idea of the priority placed on recycling in the office. Of course, you can also find places to recycle your aluminum cans or paper cups next to the vending machines in the halls, but the space I'm talking about is just for office goods.

Altogether there are 19 separate bins for our group, each with a different recycling designation. To be honest, I can't tell you what all of them are for. However, based on what I have had to throw out...ahem...recycle in the past 11 months working here, these are the categories that I know get recycled or disposed of and have their own designation:

The Obvious

White paper - confidential to be shredded
White paper - non-confidential
Magazines
Batteries
Kleenex or disposable tissue (actually burnable trash - but separate designation nonetheless)
Plastic or paper wrappers from snacks (actually non-burnable trash - but again, separate nonetheless)

The 'Huh, I guess you can recycle that'

Cardboard boxes - broken down and packaging tape removed
Color paper
Tape

The 'No kidding!?! We really have to do that?'

Used staples
Aluminum tops
The sticky part of Post-It notes torn from the Post-It Note itself

Two times a week after lunch, one team within our group has the responsibility of taking out the recycling and trash. On top of that, two members from each row are required to vacuum that row during this time. I don't know what happens with the recycling, and I'm sure my row and desk doesn't need vacuuming two times per week, but I think the teamwork/socialized behavior speaks volumes of the attitude in this country. If there's a process, standard cultural procedure mandates that you do it, lest you be the clog in the wheel.

The Fifth Season

2009-06-14T08:44:00.004-04:00

Japan is lucky enough to lay claim to a "Fifth Season." It would be cool, except that it is dubbed, the "Rainy Season." Somewhere between the beautiful Sakura spring blossoms in April and May and the hot and muggy heat of July and August, there exists about a 3-5 week period of this lovely season. It arrives about a month earlier in Okinawa - the southernmost island of Japan.

Three weeks ago, I was told that the morning radio's weather information had reported that Okinawa's rainy season had come and, thus, to buckle down in Nagoya. The season of rain was on it's way. Sure enough, last week it rained heavily for about two days. Everyone claimed Nagoya's rainy season had begun. The way they all sounded, life was about to get absolutely miserable. For the next few weeks clothes won't dry, food will mold, and bugs are going to come out of hiding. Since then, it has been gorgeous. Sorry, fellow Nagoya ex-pats, I know that as I type those last words it won't do me any good to go back and delete. The rain gods are already gleefully rubbing their hands at my ignorance.

Well, the mass media has already gotten everyone in a tizzy for the 'Fifth Season.' Glad to see stores are capitalizing off of it:
"Enjoy Rain." What an ad campaign! (I swear I didn't pay this lady to pose for me.)

Recycle Me Silly

2009-06-11T06:01:00.004-04:00

It has been almost 11 months since moving to Japan, and I'm still learning all of the rules for recycling. I've almost got our home recycling down pat, although I had to be reminded by my wife last night that the delicious used floss I had just thrown into the bathroom garbage was actually "プラ" (Plastic) that needed to be recycled. Here's a photo of our main recycling center - makes for a lovely kitchen center-piece!

In all, we separate our trash/recycling into 9 different bins - plastic, metal containers, glass containers, plastic bottles (with the wrappers and caps removed), paper food containers (think cereal box), newspapers (that must be stacked and bounded), beer cans, burnable trash, and non-burnable trash (anything that doesn't fit into the aforementioned categories).

It certainly takes some getting used to, but I keep telling myself it's better than wasting away in landfills, especially the landfills that Japan simply doesn't have room for. Each city has different recycling rules and pickup days, but for the most part, the basic recycling can be found in any city and at any convenience store.

Recycling at work is a whole other set of rules, worthy of another post to itself, but let me just say, did you ever think you'd have to tear the sticky part of a Post-it note off because it doesn't belong in the paper recycling? It has a completely different bin to itself. And, oh yeah, make sure the remaining paper of that Post-it note ends up in the colored paper bin!

Geography of Japan - Todōfuken (都道府県）

2009-06-03T17:21:00.008-04:00

Thanks to a recent geography lesson in my Kanji study book, I learned a bit more about the geography of Japan, specifically the government bodies within Japan and how they are categorized. So...........take your seats children. Class is in session.

Japan is divided into 47 jurisdictions or sub-bodies, which are groups of cities, villages, etc. with prefectural government representation similar to our State governments and representation. Originally there were over 300 when this system was first established in 1871, but that number was reduced to 47 in 1888. They are commonly referred to as the 47 Todōfuken (都道府県) for the 4 types of characterizations of these sub-bodies. There is 1 metropolis, or 'To (都)', 1 administrative area, or 'Dō (道)', 2 urban prefectures, or 'Fu (府)', and 43 prefectures, or 'Ken (県)'. Here's some names of commonly known areas that might help:

都 (To): Tokyo-to (東京都) is the 1 metropolis (pronounced Toe)
道 (Dō):Hokkaidō (北海道) is the 1 administrative area
府 (Fu): Osaka-fu (大阪府) and Kyoto-fu (京都府) are the two urban prefectures. Interestingly enough, Kyoto-fu is the imperial capitol of Japan, and literally means 'capitol metropolis'. 'Kyo' means capitol, and 'To' means metropolis (like Tokyo-to). For some reason, however, Kyoto gets the additional 'Fu' designation.
県 (Ken): Aichi-ken (愛知県) where we live, is an example of 1 of the 43 prefectures (#1 on the map below). Can you find it? Look in the middle of the main island just West of Tokyo.

Just Another Routine Physical

2009-06-03T05:09:00.008-04:00

The Japanese sure did live up to their notoriety for efficiency today. Over this week and the next, all employees at our company are receiving the mandatory annual physical. I think the best way to describe my experience this morning is that I got an 'Assembly Line Physical.' We could have just as easily been hunks of steel moving down the line in a plant, or cows being herded - poked and prodded along the way. I think my curiosity as an engineer to see how quickly and efficiently we were moved in a line from one station to the next en route to a complete physical kept me from being too shocked at the idea of being moved from one station to the next en route to a complete physical.

This morning I prepared for my 9:30 appointment by blocking off 3 hours on my calendar, and unfortunately I couldn't fill in the meeting location portion of the calendar entry because at the time I didn't know that we would be receiving our physicals in the lobby of our main building. Once my co-worker arrived at 8:30 we diligently began going through the health sheet that we were to bring with us. Basic information, how's your health, how's your stress, do you get enough sleep, do you eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, mid-afternoon snacks, how soon do you go to bed after eating, do you drink alcohol, smoke, exercise regularly, recent history of illness, etc. (Interestingly enough, there was a block of questions specifically related to stress - if I take it home, if I feel useful, etc - I think stress might be a problem here...?).

By 9:00 we finished our 'survey' and were ready to go. From here it was a blur, but I'll do my best. I left my desk sometime around 9:15. I was back seated by 9:52. So, in a span of a little over half an hour, I walked down to the lobby (5 floors mind you), got a complete physical - chest X-ray, urine sample, height and weight measurement, vision exam, blood pressure, blood drawn, 5 minute mandatory break to make sure the bleeding stopped, hearing test, quick session with one of the doctors to do that breathe in and out while he listens all over routine, and then walked back upstairs. 37 minutes.

Like I said, we might as well have been herded to each station like cows, but at least all the doctors and nurses (about 15-20 in all) had smiles. There were quite a few of us, but it went very smoothly considering the volume of patients. Japanese efficiency at its finest.

Think about it. Normally, we all dread a physical. You have to schedule it on a half day (or full day). Drive to your doctor. Wait in the waiting room for half an hour. Wait in the examination room for another 10 minutes. Then...then get your physical. Easily half a morning. Here I got my physical at work in less time than I probably would have spent in the waiting room back in the States. Amazing. I'm still not fully sure how the insurance and health industry works here. I think there is a bit of socialized medicine, but I also know we have company insurance. Either way, this didn't cost me a dime, and I didn't have to waste a vacation day!

The Subways Here are Filthy

2009-05-31T04:27:00.000-04:00

Actually, they are the cleanest I've ever seen. I've been lucky to ride on the L in Chicago, the subway in New York, the Tube in London, the Metro in Paris, and the Person...I mean People Mover in Detroit. None of them stand up to the cleanliness of the subway's here in Japan. Ok, the People Mover is pretty clean, but that's likely more a result of its lack of use. I kid because I love ya Detroit!

On a few Saturdays, we've been lucky enough to see the reason why. These women mean business and seem to take a lot of pride in it. I have no idea where they come from, but it seems there's an army of them that silently, yet earnestly go about their work spreading elbow grease. No sticky piece of trash goes un-scraped, and no stubborn brake dust gets by them.

Photos taken at Issha station and Kakuozan station along the Higashiyama line in Nagoya.

Sake in a Box

2009-05-28T06:01:00.006-04:00

Thanks to a suggestion from my friend and co-worker living upstairs, Special Agent ADub, I decided to do a little research about why the heck our glass of sake was served in a box on a recent night out.

Not surprisingly, drinking sake has its own rituals for making, serving, and consuming. In this case, I'm going to focus on the fun stuff - serving and consuming (Although, I stumbled upon this website describing how sake is made, which is really quite interesting).

The box that our sake was served in is called a masu. In the restaurant, our sake serving consisted of an overflowing glass inside the masu. It turns out that the glass is not standard for serving. The main thing is that the sake has to be served overflowing either from or into the masu. If, as was our case, the box contains a glass brimming with sake, that is best sipped without hands until the glass can safely be picked up and used without fear of spilling. Once the glass is empty, the overflow can be drunk from the box.

Our plastic masu was more for show. Traditionally, the masu is made of wood in order to complement the wooden cask, which traditional sake is brewed in. A true masu will hold the standard measurement of 1 fl oz. Filling to the brim and over is a customary sign of prosperity.

As the traditional sake-serving cup and a symbol of prosperity, the masu still has a place in modern times and is still used for the purpose of ceremony or to show generosity. Lot's of Japanese restaurants, however, will serve it in an overflowing glass inside of the masu in order to highlight the tradition and enhance the drinking experience regardless of whether you are celebrating a special occasion or not.

Whew, all that research has made me thirsty. Off to fill my masu!

Japan, Belgium, & Aretha Franklin

2009-05-24T03:47:00.000-04:00

What could make a Friday morning commute any better than knowing the weekend is right around the corner? Try a pleasant blast from the past care of Radio-i followed by an interesting news report.

I couldn't help but crank up my radio last week when that classic duet by George Michael and Aretha Franklin, "Knew You Were Waiting," came on. (Go ahead. Click on this youtube link to refresh your memory. Definitely worth it. Go ahead. I'll wait).

Freshly buttered up from George and Aretha, the Radio-i morning jockey then delivered a report (First in English, then in Japanese) talking about Belgium going vegetarian for a day. (Here's the London Guardian article for a complete report). Being married to a vegetarian, and passionate about reducing the amount of meat I myself consume, I was intrigued.

It turns out, that in an effort to promote sustainability and healthy living, the city of Ghent in Belgium is attempting to go vegetarian every Thursday. What a novel idea! Over the course of the last fifty years or so, our diet has been saturated with meat. It has become common-place for most of us to think every meal, or at least dinner, should include meat in some form or another. That meat is somehow synonymous with a "real man's" meal, and without it, dinner would be boring. When, in fact, this couldn't be further from the truth.

As I said, I'm married to a vegetarian who also happens to be one heck of a cook. I have no complaints. Of course, I'm not completely meat-free and like to indulge every now and then. But that's the point. It should be an indulgence when you think about where it comes from and how it is produced. I don't necessarily think everyone has to become complete vegetarians and give up meat altogether, but there's overwhelming data to support a need to reduce our consumption. It certainly doesn't help our hearts or the ever-climbing obesity numbers. And do you think it's just a coincidence that the birth of the H5N1 influenza outbreak (ie. swine flu) was found in a city miles from an industrial pig farm in Mexico? You know, those places where pigs are farmed under enormous stress in tight quarters, drugged and overloaded with antibiotics to prevent the spread of disease that would otherwise run rampant in such an environment, and produce vast seas of pig feces? You know...those places we try not to think about? But most importantly, is the data which Ghent cited in making their decision to go vegetarian for a day:

The organisers cite UN data arguing that meat production and consumption are to blame for 18% of greenhouse gases – more than cars. (Complete Guardian article on UN data).

Now I work in the auto industry, and believe me, it's not fun constantly having the finger of blame pointed at you. So, I welcome the spotlight on the other areas of our life that we can all do a better job at in reducing our carbon footprints. Sooner or later, we all have to stop pointing fingers, stop complaining, and start doing our own parts together.

Like Aretha herself says in the song, "So we were drawn together through destiny."

Sonne Garden

2009-05-21T22:24:00.001-04:00

I owe a shout out to our friends at Sonne Garden. This, of course, is the local organic grocery store where our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box comes from every week. You can read about some of the interesting veggies and recipes that my wife has worked with from the contents of this box on her blog here. On occasion we are even given 'extra' fruits deemed too sweet for Japanese taste buds. It has really been a great store right around the corner from us for its location, friendly staff, and organic way of life.

Being on my own while my wife has been visiting family in the States, I have had to be more active in the kitchen and with the groceries. So of course, last week I forgot to pick up our CSA box as I thought we had skipped a week. Never fear, though. Our friends at Sonne Garden hunted me down through friends in my office. I felt terrible that I had forgotten our box on Monday, so when I went in to pick it up on Wednesday I was very apologetic. To my surprise, I was given a discounted rate because the veggies were 2 days old (mind you it was my fault). However, as I was leaving one of our friends, the owner, came running out to replace some of the greens and potatoes that I just received a discount on with fresh ones. Amazing!

Thanks for taking care of me Sonne friends! You guys always have a smile and are always open to helping your community. In a world that seems to be increasingly moving faster and where everyone seems more apt to find and maintain friends in online communities, this is one relationship that I'm proud to have in the 'real world' and in my community. Sometimes it pays to slow down and be involved in your community, and our friends at Sonne garden are a good reminder of that.

Japan & Guns

2009-05-17T04:28:00.001-04:00

Spurned on by all of the model novelty guns showcased at KAC's CAFE Beer & Kiyono Arms - a combination bar and US Marine Corp novelty store located down the street from us (see 5/10/09 post) - I decided to check out Japan's gun laws. I've heard from some co-workers that guns are illegal in Japan. I've heard from others that they are, in fact, legal but only can be used to hunt. After a little research, it appears both statements are accurate.

While gun control in Japan is considered stringent compared to most democracies, there a some exceptions. No citizen is allowed to possess guns, unless they are for sporting (hunting, skeet, or trap shooting). Furthermore, the guns are limited to shotguns and single-shot rifles. No handguns or semi-automatics are permitted. Before you can acquire one of these guns for hunting or sport, you must take a class and pass a written test. After passing the first time, the gun owner must repeat the test every year thereafter. Furthermore, every 3 months police will come on an 'unexpected' visit to inspect gun and ammunition storage. And oh yeah, the gun and ammunition must be stored in a designated locker with a corresponding map of its location in the house for when the police show up.

It should be noted that the military and police are allowed to carry semi and full automatic guns. But the main point is that there is no, 'Right to bear arms', mentality here. That is a far cry from the message often referred to in the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution - a rally cry for many in the States. I know it's our right, and I'm far too naive to seriously argue for or against the right to bear arms. Truth be told, I've just never liked guns. It is an awful lot of power for a human to hold, regardless of how 'responsible' he or she may be. I've also never understood why that right has to include semi automatics. It's just a different mentality I guess. Perhaps that's the best way to explain Japan's gun laws - just a different mentality as well. A mentality that has produced a nation with one of the lowest amount of gun violence in the world. From a 2007 Japan Times article:

According to the 2006 Police White Paper, in 2005, Japan had a grand total 19 firearms-related homicides, of which only five were non-gang related and none of whom were minors. This remarkably low number, moreover, represented a marked decline from 2002, when 42 people were killed in gun violence.

'Hawk-eye to Rabbit, We Have a Parking Spot Open'

2009-05-14T05:24:00.006-04:00

It's no secret Japan is dense. Lot's of people translates into a lot of pedestrian and bicycle traffic to go along with car traffic. To manage this, many areas of Japan utilize parking lot attendants. My first impression of Japan was that there are way too many of these parking lot attendants/security/traffic officers. After living here for a while, I still think there are way too many of them, but I can see where they can be helpful in many situations. Pedestrian blind spots coming out of a parking lot or parking building, knowledge of the nearest open parking spot, and to look simultaneously cool and professional with a helmet and a parking guide tool/light saber, just to name a few.

On a recent road trip to Kyoto while our friend Marvin was visiting, however, I was blown away by the highway rest stop parking crew. Now granted, the rest stop seemed busy, but it was perfectly navigable. This was a situation where I thought to myself, "Yeah, one attendant makes sense to help guide us to the open spot, but 4 on the ground and one on the roof? Really?"

Yes, one attendant was actually on the roof for a bird's eye view transmitting that vital parking lot information to the ground crew.

KAC's CAFE Beer & Kiyono Arms

2009-05-10T04:38:00.004-04:00

This bar is quickly becoming my favorite in our area, KAC's Cafe Beer & Kiyono Arms. It is about 1 block west of Issha Station, or a 5 minute walk from our house. The combination of American novelty items in the window plus the name of the place were enough to draw us in. Once inside, however, you'll find an amazing array of US Marine paraphernalia from World War II - model hand guns, model rifles, Marine fatigues, old bullet shells, US Marine shot glasses. Literally anything USMC-related, you name it, chances are Kiyono-san has it. There's also a small bar serving Budweiser on tap. In all honesty, there is literally, no space in this bar, and the amount of marine paraphernalia is overwhelming, but that that adds to the experience. Apparently, the owner runs the bar by night, while maintaining a website for collecting and selling USMC novelty items. It is a site to behold. Here is the website if you have that sudden urge for say, I don't know, a gold-plated US Marine toilet paper dispenser (Yes, they exist, no kidding; there's even one in the bar's bathroom).

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/k_arms/index.html

My visits there have included some great conversations with the owner, the bartender, and some salary men getting their Budweiser fix after work. I love history, especially World War II, so many of my conversations inevitably stumbled into this subject given the setting. The owner, Japanese of course, obviously loves the subject as well. When I told him that my grandfather fought in the Pacific, he immediately brought out some fatigues to show me what he might have worn.

There's no doubt of the brutalities of war. I don't necessarily like the history of World War II because I'm a war buff. I like it because it was an incredible time when political and cultural philosophies clashed - the entire world was engaged, and as a result, millions of ordinary people lived incredible, heroic tales of survival. Everywhere life as it was typically known was suddenly turned upside down. It's these stories that I enjoy.

Kiyono-san is an extension of these stories. Decades have past since the war ended, yet he is obsessed with US Marine paraphernalia from the era. He doesn't look at the war with hostility. Instead, like Hiroshima's memorial, he likes to use it as a reminder of what to avoid.

NBC Nightly News

2009-05-08T07:32:00.003-04:00

I don't know how much of it is nostalgia...okay probably a lot of it...but there is something about hearing the music as the NBC Nightly News rolls in (or exits). You know, "dah dah dah da da da daaa daaa daaaaaaa."

Anyway, I'm pretty sure this is what my parents had on in the background of my childhood every night around 7 o'clock. That might be why I find that sound so comforting. That, or the fact that I'm a little nostalgic for the good ol' days when news was what you got from the morning paper and the evening national TV broadcast.

While living abroad, we've found that the NBC Nightly News offers a free podcast of their show. So, if we're in the mood for a little 'un-biased' news from the States (or a little 'dah dah da da da'), we can watch the previous day's Nightly News while we eat dinner.

It's a good way to get our news and remind us of life back at home. And from what I've seen, I'd say Brian Williams is doing a pretty good job filling the shoes of Tom Brokaw. Of course, Brian Williams has yet to have an SNL character immortalize him like Dana Carvey did in this skit impersonating Tom Brokaw.

Head Chef

2009-05-04T21:45:00.001-04:00

With my better half leaving today for a return visit stateside, I thought this post seemed fitting. She has pulled off a lot of great meals during our time here in Japan, which is no small task given the language barrier and the new or unusual fruits and veggies we've encountered in our CSA box.

Since she'll be in the States for the next few weeks, however, kitchen duty falls on my plate (pun intended). I enjoy cooking, but it is never easy. She left me with some tips and a list, which will help, but it won't be the same. Part of it is watching her cook. It is an art. From timing, to planning, to presentation, she's got a knack, and you can tell that she loves it.

I recently finished the book, Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell. A great book dealing with life on the cusp of poverty. In it Orwell explains this 'art' of cooking better than I ever could. Here is Orwell's perspective of the head chef while working as a plongeur to earn end's meat at the Hotel X in Paris:

"Undoubtedly the most workmanlike class, and the least servile, are the cooks. They do not earn quite so much as waiters, but their prestige is higher and their employment steadier. The cook does not look upon himself as a servant, but as a skilled workman; he is generally called 'un ouvrier,' which a waiter never is. He knows his power-knows that he alone makes or mars a restaurant, and that if he is five minutes late everything is out of gear. And he takes a genuine artistic pride in his work, which demands very great skill. It is not the cooking that is so difficult, but the doing everything to time. Between breakfast and luncheon the head cook at the Hotel X would receive orders for several hundred dishes, all to be served at different times; he cooked few of them himself, but he gave instructions about all of them and inspected them before they were sent up. His memory was wonderful. The vouchers were pinned on a board, but the head cook seldom looked at them; everything was stored in his mind, and exactly to the minute, as each dish fell due, he would call out, 'Faites marcher une colette de veau' (or whatever it was) unfailingly. He was an insufferable bully, but he was also an artist."

Thanks for the tips darlin, but it won't be the same. Safe travels!!

Our Mule Marvin

2009-04-29T02:46:00.000-04:00

Our friend Marvin arrived last Friday for a 9 day visit. During his trip we'll visit some of our favorite Nagoya spots, Kyoto, and Tokyo. I was really excited to see him, but he blew me away with his gifts! (Do I blog about how much I miss beer and micro-brews too much?)

I have no idea how he got through customs un-checked, but certainly thankful he did. The only problem now is that I can't find it in me to open one. I just like looking in the fridge knowing they're there.

Thanks Marvin!

To Bow or Not to Bow...

2009-04-23T21:45:00.000-04:00

That is the question.
Of course, if you're a Fox News pundit talking about the President of the United States, the answer is a resounding No.

Luckily, I'm no pundit, but I can say that I actually put a lot of value in respecting the customs of other cultures. That's why while living and working in Japan, we have tried to learn and respect some of the Japanese customs. Bowing, however, has been one of the toughest.

Before leaving for Japan, I asked my friend at work who had lived in Japan for a time and has married into a Japanese family how to properly bow. He started to explain, but then quickly stopped and told me not to even bother. He said that foreigners just end up looking funny and awkward. I suppose it's bit like a bad handshake in American culture - you know the limp handshake?

Bowing is, of course, deeply ingrained in the Japanese culture for greetings or good-byes. Often times at work, the end of a meeting is met with everyone bowing. I still have yet to partake, not wanting to give a "limp" bow. There just seem to be a lot of rules to it - where to put your hands, keep your legs straight, and most importantly, how far of an angle to bow to depends on the level of superiority, rank, etc.

As for Obama, I think he pulled it off rather admirably. Bowing to a Saudi king probably comes with a different standard of rules than bowing in Japan. But at least he came away showing a mutual respect for the king, which I suppose is the goal for any greeting in any culture.

Ichiro vs. The #42

2009-04-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

In honor of the great Jackie Robinson and his contributions to baseball, the MLB designated April 15th as Jackie Robinson day. To celebrate this day, every baseball player across the league wore jerseys with Jackie Robinson's #42 on them. It was a fitting symbol of unity paying tribute to Jackie Robinson's pivotal role in breaking the color barrier for African Americans in baseball when he broke into the league 61 years ago for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

I wonder if someday, major leaguers will wear Ichiro Suzuki's number for a day of celebrating his contributions to the sport. Not only is he a future hall-of-famer in American baseball, but his success in the big leagues has helped pave the way for Japanese baseball players. He wasn't the first Japanese baseball player in the major leagues, but he is arguably one of the most successful. In fact, his numbers certainly make him one of the top baseball players of all time. His accomplishments have made him an instantly recognizable icon and a legend in Japan. He has a career .331 batting average since entering the league in 2001 and has remained a Seattle Mariner for his entire career. He has certainly done a lot in his brief career, but wearing Jackie Robinson's number 42 on Jackie Robinson day recently, had to be one of his bigger challenges.

See, the irony of the number 42 is that it comes with a bit of stigma to the Japanese culture. In the same way we are taught to think of 13 as unlucky, or 666 as evil, the number 42 has a negative stigma as well. I had heard that the number 4 carried a stigma with it. In Japanese 4 can be pronounced "shi", which is also how the word for death, "shinu", starts. So, the number 4 signifies death. We noticed the extent to this stigma when we first stayed in our hotel on our preview trip. The number 4 did not appear on the list of buttons in the elevator. I hadn't know about the number 42, though. Apparently 42 can be taken to mean "dead people". You see, 2 is pronounced, "ni" in Japanese, which is similar to the counter for people, pronounced, "nin". So, 42 in Japanese can be seen as "shi nin", or "dead people." Quite a stigma, huh?

So how did Ichiro fare wearing such a terrible number during his game on Jackie Robinson Day? He met the challenge with a 2 hit, 4 RBI night. One of those hits was a grand slam! So much for a negative stigma.

Pink Snow

2009-04-17T07:02:00.002-04:00

I know, I know, enough with the sakura and cherry blossoms. Just one more, I promise.

We heard that there would be a fairly short window to see the cherry blossoms from the time they're in full bloom until the leaves of the tree take over and force the cherry blossom petals off. Two weekends ago they were in full bloom. This past weekend they started shedding. That was quick! I was told this was definitely something we didn't want to miss, and I can see why.

On our trip to Nagoya castle last weekend we lucked out with the weather. Lots of sun, and just enough of a breeze to encourage those stingy petals to let loose. The result is a beautiful pink snow. In those areas where there are a lot of sakura trees, the ground gets a beautiful pink coating - like the first snow only pink and a lot warmer! As we exited, I noticed one of the guards sweeping up some of the heavier petaled areas. Even snow that comes in the color pink brings with it back breaking "shoveling" work.

Sakura Celebration Comes Full Circle

2009-04-14T07:31:00.001-04:00

We had heard the cherry blossom season was pretty big here, but I had no idea it was this big. To the Japanese, cherry blossom time is referred to as the sakura season, and it comes with quite a lot of hype. In a lot of ways the energy was very similar to Christmas season in the States. There's music on the radio singing about the sakura, the weather forecast tracks the cherry blossom front (sakura zensen), and people plan flower watching parties (hanami) to picnic and drink under the cherry blossoms. It is quite a time, and I can see why. The trees themselves are beautiful and there is about a 2 week span from when they initially blossom to when the petals begin to fall like pink snow. Along with the beauty the sakura trees represent, I also think it's somewhat of a rite of passage to spring.

Curious about this phenomenon, my wife and I joined our friends A & M from upstairs for a lighting ceremony at Tsurumai Park on the Friday of the first weekend that the sakura trees were in full bloom. It was Friday night after work so it was dark, but it didn't take away from the beauty, or the spectacle that had us all rather speechless.

We found a place to "picnic," but were quickly snatched up by some happy (and drunk) Japanese business men claiming they had a better spot and plenty of food and spirits to share with us. It was very fun. We met a bunch of guys, whom by the end of the night I had promised to go golfing with and exchanged business cards.

That was last weekend. This weekend, my wife and I heard Nagoya Castle was a prime spot for viewing the cherry blossoms. The cherry blossoms themselves were breathtaking, but I was more excited about finding the same image on that business card. So this is the construction job that guy was trying to tell me about...

Uptune Girl

2009-04-11T06:54:00.006-04:00

A perfect Saturday in Nagoya. Temperatures reached 81F with nary a cloud in the sky and a slight breeze. Perfect for checking out the Kakuozan Spring Festival near downtown Nagoya. The festival itself was fun, complete with music and street vendors selling mostly artsy goods. But the real treat was a cover of Billy Joel's 1983 smash-hit "Uptown Girl." Those of you who know me, know that I'm a sucker for 80's music, so when I heard those oh-so-catchy and familiar Owowowowowowowowowowowowowowo's, I had to turn and make a B line for the stage. It's one thing to hear a Billy Joel cover. Quite another to hear it from a Japanese singer.

Turns out the guitarist also had one of the stands amongst the street vendors selling, what else, soap-on-a-rope.

Customer Service

2009-04-02T08:33:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, life came to a sudden halt. That's right. Our Internet service went down. Don't worry. I'm typing and posting today, so all has been righted.

OK. So losing Internet service isn't quite as bad as I made it seem, but I think everyone can sympathize with the frustration that Internet blackouts lead to. As you fumble around helplessly unplugging and then plugging in random cables. It's a fun game, but gets you nowhere if you don't know what your doing...like me. And deep into my game of "How many times can you cuss at inanimate objects?" I kept thinking how long I could hold out before breaking down and calling customer service.

Our Internet provider is StarCat. They have an English call center, so it wasn't the language barrier I was worried about. It was more the idea of calling customer service given my history dealing with our IT friends back home, Comcast. Customer service isn't really something Comcast is known for. I'm not just talking from personal experience, either. This chart shows how Comcast fared in a 2007 JD Powers survey to reinforce the point.

So, naturally, I was expecting some sort of hastle like, oh, I don't know, like how Comcast used to manage to turn the problem onto me. And by the end of the conversation, I was an idiot and reluctantly they would be sending somebody to clean up my mess. You know, something of that nature.

You can imagine my surprise when I recieved nothing of the sort from StarCat. In fact, quite the opposite. Although no one answered the English call center line for StarCat, I was able to navigate to somebody who could speak English from the main line. Although they couldn't offer technical support - I think because they just grabbed someone who could speak decent English in the office - the kind person told me that the server had gone out that morning, but that it should be on later in the day. Two things then happened. First, my confidence was restored in the ol' trouble-shooting with random plugging in category - Hey, this problem was no fault of mine. And second I was more than pleased to give the fine lady my number because StarCat was going to call back later in the day to make sure my Internet came on and there were no further problems. Not bad customer service right?

Well, later that day I came home to find the Internet working. Yay. And I also found 3 missed phone calls and 2 messages from StarCat. Ace Ventura's quote, "Obsess Much?" immediately popped into my head. OK. Well, the Internet works at least. I'll just make sure to pay attention to the phone to get the next call.

Day 2. At work, I missed two more of their calls...and two more messages. Ugghhh. This is the most phone traffic I've had since I've been in Japan, I thought. And now I was actually starting to get annoyed with StarCat. So, I tried calling them, to tell them the Internet was ok and to stop calling.

Problem solved. Until the next day. Missed another call before finally catching them on try 2 of the day. "Yes. Yes. The Internet is fine. It was fine three days ago like you said it was going to be. And it was fine yesterday when I called to tell you everything was fine. Now for the love of God, Please. Stop Calling Me!" I wasn't that harsh, but I did feel relieved. And you know, it actually kind of made me miss Comcast's customer service...or lack there of.

Success!!!

2009-03-31T05:02:00.001-04:00

Sort of.

You see, these were perfectly edible green onions - organically grown right here on our porch. Green onions that we planted in an effort to train our green thumbs. It's our grand scheme of practicing organic gardening for our 'real' dream garden when we move back to the States.

Like I said. They were edible, and that's all that matters. Except that I think they were supposed to look like this.

A lot bigger to say the least. But, the truly unsettling thing is that in the planter where the green onions were grown, there are now phantom sprouts popping up - including what I think are carrots planted in a moment of desperation a few months ago. Apparently, my harvesting also needs practice. Or you might say, I have the ol' magic green thumb.

Definitely, Lost In Translation

2009-03-27T05:58:00.010-04:00

The global economy has been brutal, and I think I've touched on it a few times, but only to try to bring some light and brighten up an otherwise miserable time, especially because it certainly adds to the experience of living and working abroad. This week saw yet another shaking reality of the economy, and unfortunately, it hit a little closer to home. Our company has begun, like a lot of the other Japanese corporations in this recession, to lay off the temporary employees. Today was the last day for many of them. In our group, there was one person. I didn't know her that well, and her English was limited, but she was quick to offer help if she saw that I needed it. She was very friendly to everyone, and I'm sure her smile and upbeat personality will be missed.

Saying good-bye to a fellow employee on their last day because they have been laid off was a first for me. Certainly not an easy thing to do when you share the same language let alone trying to do it in terribly butchered Japanese.

Today, as I was packing up, I was reminded to say goodbye. Before I could think twice I was quickly, almost ceremoniously ushered over to her by the person reminding me. The following is what I believed transpired - an uncomfortable good-bye that was definitely lost in translation.

Okay, don't panic. What is it people say in these situations. 'Nice knowing you??'...no too rude. Be sensitive. Ugghhh slow down, you're walking too fast. Give yourself some time to think. Ummm...Okay. How 'bout, 'Thank you for your help. Good luck with your future endeavors, and I'm sure something is bound to come up.' Yeah, yeah that's good. Not too gloomy. Offers some encouragement. Now, what of that can you say in Japanese???? Shoot. Slow down dammit. Oh no, now she sees you're coming. Okay, quick. Think. Shoot...quick...ahhhh.

"Konichiwa," I say.
"Oh Mike-san. Hallo."
"Ummmm...Sappoto o arigato gozaimasu. (Thank you for your support). Ohh...and omedeto gozaimasu! (Congratulations!)"
"Eh," she says, "Omedeto gozaimasu?? Naze. (Why congratulations?)"

Oh great. You just said congratulations. What happened to the good luck schpiel? Shoot you idiot. Quick think of something else. But what? How do you say, endeavors??? Crap...okay try this...

"Shiawase desu. (Good luck and happiness)."

Good luck? Good luck?...okay see how that plays. Should probably say something else, but considering the circumstances...

"Huh, naze? (Why again)?" She says as she crosses her fingers as if to say, why do I need luck?

Ummmm...good question. Of course she doesn't need luck. That's not what you meant. She'll be fine, but how to say it? Quick! Come up with something. Wrap it up you idiot.

"No....ahhhh...that's not...ummm...what I meant was...Gomen (Sorry)," I manage to blurt.

Yeah, sorry works better. Okay don't make her feel worse. Tell her how nice she was to have in the office and you're sure she'll land on her feet. Wait, in English or Japanese?? Oh jeez...just say something and leave it be...

"Jyaa...Arigato (Thank you)," I manage to blurt and follow up with, "Yoshhhhhhh."

So apparently my Japanese needs some work. And things like the 'Good luck' sentiment, just don't translate directly. This economy can be brutal for a lot of good people, but I hope we can all keep smiling and hold our heads high like my fellow co-worker did in an otherwise uncomfortable situation.

Hiroshima

2009-03-22T06:13:00.011-04:00

"A dragonfly flitted in front of me. I stood up took my cap in my hands and was about to catch the dragonfly when..." From Yoshito Matsushige, the sole surviving photographer who could only bring himself to take five photographs immediately after the bombing in Hiroshima.

When my wife recently asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday weekend, I replied that I wanted to go to Hiroshima. I've always been a fan of history, especially during America's coming out party of the 20th century. In fact, I think my minor in 2oth century US history allows me to call myself a 'scratch historian' (Hey all those credits had to earn me something right?). So, naturally, Hiroshima intrigued me. Upon arriving at the Peace Park in Hiroshima, however, my wife's initial response suddenly kept ringing in my head, "Are you sure you want to go there for your birthday?" Of course, it sounded like a good idea at the time, but then as I stood looking at the entrance to the Peace Park and the A-Bomb Dome I knew we were in for a long day.

The Atomic Bomb Dome, formerly the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, was one of the only buildings that survived the Atomic Bomb blast within a 2 km radius of the epicenter (survive being the interesting word here). It was actually 160m from the epicenter. Initially, many called for it to be destroyed as it was too painful to look at, but it was finally decided that preserving it as a monument would be a good reminder for future generations of the catastrophic damages war inflicts. Here is a 2km snapshot of Hiroshima before and after to give perspective. The arrow points to the A-Bomb Dome.

The portion in the middle has now been converted into a park, designated The Peace Park, where several monuments are located. It is quite an overwhelming feeling walking around this city and these memorials. Initially, it is quite a feeling of awe and despair. It's hard to fathom that where you walk and what you look out on was all destroyed some 60 years ago. But the monuments and the memorials have another goal that soon takes over. Hiroshima was destroyed, but they rebuilt. And they rebuilt with stories of survival and a conviction to eliminate nuclear arms. Striving for nuclear disarmament and a greater call for peace is a rather lofty goal, indeed, but don't we need that reminder? In fact, after walking amongst the monuments, and witnessing the destruction and rebuilding presented in the museum, how can you not feel anything but hope for their success?

I want to point out that it seems Hiroshima and the Japanese harbor no ill will. It is looked at as an atrocity of human nature, of which they arguably share some of the blame. America has its own painful reminder of the war - Pearl Harbor - and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum does an exceptional job of bringing that entire story to light. The point is, that this was a brutal war, with a brutal outcome for both sides. It is up to future generations to learn how to prevent them.

We met two gentlemen in the museum literally pointing at their houses in the "before" model. Yes, they were survivors. And they told us their story through a mix of horrible Japanese and English. Their stories were tales of luck, and they weren't angry about what they lost. They only wanted to tell their tale in hopes that there's something to learn from it.

I'm not about to brush off world politics with a broad 'call for peace' stroke, but I think we can look at the positive light of a city rebuilt from ashes into one of hope, with a mission to prevent any future catastrophe of the same kind. I mean what does it say that I am here in Japan now working alongside the same people that my grandfather fought against over 60 years ago? Isn't that a start, or a lesson in and of itself?

Room to Stretch

2009-03-20T07:09:00.006-04:00

Japan is well known for its mass transit, specifically the high-speed rail system. You might know it more commonly as the bullet train. The bullet train, or Shinkansen as it is called here, is by far one of my favorite experiences in Japan. The combination of the high-speed rail, local rail, and subways makes getting around this country incredibly convenient, and drool-worthy for those of us who are fans of mass transit.

Recently, my wife and I traveled to Hiroshima for a weekend trip. That alone speaks volumes of its convenience - weekend getaways are much more feasible due to reduced travel time. But the point I want to make here is the seating space. Look at this room!
Seating room affects me a bit more being 6 foot 4 inches. It goes without saying that planes are no cakewalk, especially because I always end up behind the passenger who is bound and determined to get the seat back to recline even farther than seemingly possible. Anyways, towards the end of our 2.5 hour train ride to Hiroshima, it occurred to me that the Shinkansen had given me yet another reason to broadcast its convenience. In these train cars, you can stretch for days, and recline almost 45 degrees without even coming close to the passenger behind you!

That's Funny. How'd That Get There?

2009-03-16T06:26:00.000-04:00

The slob gene is in my blood. And yes, that is scientific jargon. In this case, it's the slob type-c gene. Not to be confused with type-a, which typically categorizes your slob in the lazy, unclean, and unhealthy sense. No, type-c is reserved for more of the 'What the?...How'd that spot get there,' type.

For years I watched my dad suffer ad-nauseum at the dinner table, or while my mother would find stains on his clothes in the laundry. At first, I would kind of smirk, but then I began to restrain myself from commenting. The kind of restraint that keeps sons from poking fun of their father's male pattern baldness. You know. Sure, they say male pattern baldness comes from your grandpa on your mother's side, but you're never really quite sure, so you just don't ridicule in order not to set off the balding gods. Similarly, I bit my tongue during any number of my father's slob gaffes.

Through college and the early part of my marriage, I like to think I was relatively clean (although my wife, I'm sure would not back me up). Then came life in Japan. Like a runaway train, my clothes over the past month or two have been wrought with mass chaos. Day after day, I would come home, start changing, and suddenly...'what the?...huh...that's weird. Did I walk around with that on my shirt all day?'

I spent the first few episodes depressed. Hopelessly, I tried to find a reason to avoid coming to terms with the stark reality that I did indeed inherit slob type-c. "Maybe I just need to be more careful with the chopsticks at lunch...It's those damn trays in the cafeteria. You know they are warped. Who wouldn't spill something every now and then dealing with those trays?... The line at lunch is pretty crowded..."

My wife, for her part, has remained relatively silent. As if she's known for a long time now, she has spared my feelings and allowed me to come to terms with this on my own. You see, due to our circumstances here in Japan, she has had to take on more of the domestic chores. And my increasing volume of stained laundry certainly hasn't helped. But, to her credit, she never really says anything. And when she finally reminded me that maybe I did have a problem and should try to be more careful, it came in the most subtle way - a Tide stain pen. I found it on my bag before going to work last week. And to ease the blow, the entire bag of Valentine candy hearts from my in-laws. Hey, at least those candy hearts won't stain!

Fear Does Not Exist in This Doujyo. Does It?

2009-03-12T06:24:00.006-04:00

Fear certainly exists when you’re trying to learn the Japanese language. For one thing, the sentence structure is opposite that of English (Subject→Object→Verb as opposed to Subject→Verb→Object). For another thing, there are three sets of characters or alphabets. Two of which are what you might think of in the traditional sense of alphabets – called Hiragana and Katakana. The third set of characters, Kanji, has somewhere north of 10,000 characters. They are basically pictograph representations of a given object or action and can be quite complex. Not many Japanese people know all of the Kanji characters, and most will tell you they can readily identify only about half. So you can imagine that learning the language can be frustrating at times!

Fortunately, I’ve learned to lean on old tricks for remembering characters or new words – memorization by association. My favorite of recent note was learning the word for factory, pronounced koujyo. In Kanji, koujyo looks like this 工場.

Hmmm, how can I remember this one? Hmmm…koujyo, koujyo, koujyo…of course, "Karate Kid". Don't you remember the scene where Daniel goes to the Karate gym, or doujyo? Ring any bells?

So, we have doujyo and koujyo. Doujyo looks like this in Kanji, 道場, and basically means training center. Notice how it shares the same second character. It turns out that jyo (場) means place. So, koujyo is the place where things are made, or a factory, and doujyo is the place where people are trained, or a gym. Thanks to Daniel and his legendary crane kick, I have a convenient way to remember the words for factory, training gym, and place.

The Recession's Over...

2009-03-08T00:43:00.015-05:00

Well maybe not over in the sense of traditional economic measures (unemployment, GDP, etc). But certainly finding a new international store carrying Hitachino Nest beer is a sign of good things to come right? It's like the Obama says, "Crisis is a great time for opportunity." In this case, after being dealt a serious blow with the tragic loss of Hitachino Nest beer a few weeks ago due to our favorite international store closing, I was devastated. However, that loss led us to find a new international store this weekend that is actually closer to home, and which offers a bigger selection of beverages.

Oh yeah, and the new location has a fine selection of giant over-sized jugs-o-whiskey. I figure it can double as a great buffer for the recession as well as an economic alternative until I can afford to be a Hitachino beer snob again.

Tourist in Your Own Town

2009-03-06T01:00:00.002-05:00

Don't let this economy get the best of you. Every night it seems the news is bad, at work it seems water cooler convos are blue, and during the day skies seem a little more gray than they should be. We're all tightening our belts, which is probably a good thing, but don't tighten so much that you squeeze out human nature's natural thirst to expand its outer limits and tickle its senses.

I'm not here to preach, but I am here to offer what's on the wall of my in-laws bathroom. Hanging amidst a sea of beautiful pastel leaf wallpaper sits a lonely frame with a few simple reminders for the day, "A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul." (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

With that in mind, I'd like to offer this suggestion, be a tourist in your own town! My wife and I had big plans about how we would spend our time and money here in Japan with a new exotic world to tour. The economy has forced us to scale back a bit, but it hasn't stopped us from seeing as much as we can with what we have.

I'm constantly amazed at my co-workers reactions here in Japan when I explain places we went to over the weekend - a museum, castle, shopping district, restaurant, park, historical site, etc. I'm amazed because usually these co-workers say they have never been, or last went when they were in grade school. I shouldn't be amazed because I think we all fall into the same category with our own hometowns.

But, we shouldn't. There are treasures in every hometown. I think about my hometown in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I bet I could make an entire weekend getaway out of our nearby metropolis, Detroit. Go ahead and laugh, but then reconsider. With the DIA, Fox Theatre, Henry Ford Museum, restaurants from every corner of the world, Detroit has plenty to offer. But the point isn't to promote Detroit, the point is to remind you that there's plenty in your backyard. In this economy maybe you can't afford to fly somewhere exotic, but it shouldn't mean you scale back completely. Be a tourist in your own town.

Oh, I'm Sorry. Could You Say That in My Good Ear?

2009-03-02T05:18:00.007-05:00

Got an old home appliance, PC, TV, or DVD player you want to get rid of? No need to even leave the house. Just wait for the Recycle truck (リサイクル業者) to stroll through your neighborhood. Take it off your hands for a fair price, too. Oh, and don't worry. You can't miss it...

I was shocked, and admittedly a little concerned the first time a truck like this strolled by our apartment (slow moving vehicle with a loud speaker is generally a recipe for disaster, no?). It was especially discomforting when we first moved here and were getting acquainted with the culture.

The Japanese people are generally really cognizant of their neighbors, especially living in such close proximity of each other. For instance, BBQ grills aren't generally allowed on your porch because the smoke can disturb your neighbors, and loud music is frowned upon after certain hours. So, despite the dense living, our neighborhood remains quite peaceful. Peaceful that is, until the piercing decibels from the Recycle Truck's loudspeaker announcing its arrival. Usually, about a two-minute advertisement played on a loop really, really loudly Quite annoying actually, especially at the excruciatingly slow pace the truck is traveling.

I have since gotten the full story from some co-workers. These trucks are used for more than just recycling - selling sweet potatoes, politics, or other various merchandise - and they aren't very popular because of the noise pollution. Apparently, this particular trade - "recycle truck" - is further frowned upon because some consider it illegal. The recycle trader takes your old appliances as "trash" and sells them in other less advanced Southeast Asian markets, so as to make a profit. The sketchy part comes with avoiding the recycle tax that is usually paid to the government. Hey, one country's trash is another country's treasure, right? In this case, at the cost of my eardrums!

What the Heck is that Smell?

2009-02-26T04:51:00.010-05:00

It took a few hours into my usual morning work routine before I realized that the musky, rotten egg smell I kept getting whiffs of was coming from none other than me. Not a great epiphany when you're sitting in a sea of desks surrounded by your co-workers. It happened to be a smell that haunted me throughout my Valentine weekend getaway with my wife, and now, as if to tease me...it was back.

Over the recent Valentine's day weekend, my wife and I thought it would be fun to getaway to the Japanese Alps - about 2 hours north of where we are living in Nagoya. We hadn't heard too much about the Alps other than the fact that Nagano was nearby (1998 Winter Olympic host City). Yearning for a little snow, and a new sight to see, we found a great B&B at the base of Mt. Norikura, and headed out for the weekend.

The B&B touted a nearby natural Onsen, which is a Japanese spa or bathhouse. Onsens are really popular amongst the Japanese and are deeply engrained in their culture. Americans don't normally bathe publicly, so it takes some getting used to, but having tried it a few times, I have to say I was really looking forward to escaping to a natural spa in the mountains!

I'm still new at this so, unbeknownst to me, Sulfur is a prominent bi-product of natural spas. I entered the spa house as giddy as a kid, but this being my first "natural spa" experience I was overwhelmed by the rotten egg smell that was hard to avoid. Needless to say, I tried to shake it off and enjoy my nice bath in the open mountain air. However, putting my clothes back on that had been baking in the Sulfur-rich air was not so nice.

I left the spa house feeling clean, but reeking of rotten eggs. I was hoping it would go under the radar and it was just a product of sensitive nostrils, but seeing my wife's face upon entering the room led me to believe otherwise. We put the clothes in a bag and sealed it for the weekend until the washer could tackle it.

Unfortunately for me on this odoriferous morning at work, the the sulfur was too much of a match for our washing machine...and I was wearing the T-shirt to prove it!

The Threshold of Hell

2009-02-23T04:00:00.003-05:00

Okay maybe we're not quite on the threshold of hell yet - which I think is somewhere around 355 Kelvin (190F) - but I'd say we'd have to be close - say 322 Kelvin (120F) - after witnessing another brutal casualty of this horrendous economy today.

Despite the crazy world, I like to think I'm an eternal optimist. Heck, I still think Joey "Blue Skies" Harrington could have been the Lions savior. So, naturally, I had been trying to maintain a positive outlook despite the seemingly relentless onslaught of bad news lately. You know: the crumbling economy, Keynesian economics, GM in Washington on its knees, global weather catastrophes, terrorists, Iceland going bankrupt, Joaquin Phoenix, the Detroit Lions...the usual hellish threshold type things. Alas, my spirit took a major blow today as I felt one of the brutal realities of a recession - doing without my favorite beer.

One of our favorite things to do on the weekends is take the subway to downtown Nagoya, especially for the International Store there, Yamaya. It is one of the few places that I've been able to find something other than Kirin, Sapporo, or Asahi beer (a.k.a. Budweiser, Labatts, or Miller). At the risk of sounding like a beer snob, I became quite accustomed to the wide variety of IPA's, Stouts, and Ales back in America. Sadly, one of the biggest adjustments for me in Japan is doing without that variety. That is until I found Hitachino Nest beer at Yamaya!

Needless to say, walking through the aisles today something didn't feel right. As the pieces of the puzzle began to unfold...the boxes on the floor...the empty shelves...

and finally, the eerily half-stocked beer selection...

...it dawned on me that survival in Japan might have just taken a turn for the worst. The international store was going under and taking with it my favorite option for beer. The economy has really done it this time! Another brutal blow. And with that, this eternal optimist had to face the realization that I would have to deal without...

No more Hitachino Nest Beer..."Oh the Humanity."

A Note On Japanese Bathroom Behavior (Part 1 of 3: Schedules)

2009-02-19T05:07:00.008-05:00

I am trying to remain sensitive to profiling the Japanese people and culture, so it should be noted that I can only speak for observations in my office alone, or similarly, restaurants/events that I have been to. With that said, I felt that while living and working here in Japan, there have just been too many intriguing observations coming from the world where all of us spend between 2.5%-5% of our lifetimes on average (my guesstimate). I am talking, of course, about the bathroom. There are three specific topics I hope to address at some point on this blog related to bathroom behavior, so we'll call this 'Part 1: Schedules'.

Schedule time is very reliable in Japan. Time is everything. Meetings start on time. Subways and trains arrive on time. Even a bus, amidst all the traffic keeps a tight schedule. And by on time, I quite literally mean to the minute. To be sure, I don't think the term 'fashionably late' is used often. Being on time is pretty nice, but took some getting used to. America is a little more relaxed I think. For example, back in college, there was a standard 10 minute rule for every class. Sure the syllabus says 10:00-11:00, but you could always be certain the professor would not start until 10:10. Even meetings in America tend to have a relaxed start as people tend to trickle in. And let's face it, public transportation in America is too much of a joke to even think about setting your watch to the reported arrival time.

So, here in Japan, schedules and plans are pretty reliable. However, little did I expect this scheduling to delve into the world of, ahem, 'Potty time' (Excuse the childish reference, it just seems so fitting). When thinking of the best way to explain this, I want to take you back to elementary school to the world of pre-arranged 'potty times'. You remember, don't you? Ok, maybe not. Hey, I went to private school growing up! Anyways, everyone would line up, boys in one line, girls in the other, at a specified time in the morning and afternoon, and promptly do their business when their turn was up. Gradually over the years - junior high, high school, college, and finally the business world - most of us sort of moved away from that and developed our own, you know...potty schedules. Here in Japan, however, I am becoming convinced this shift over time did not occur.

To best explain this phenomenon, I thought a graph would be appropriate:

This is a microcosm of my building. Here, I show the 3rd floor of a 6 floor building. There is a similar bathroom on every floor, with similar traffic. You can plainly see there are times when there is just too much traffic in the bathrooms. But what shocks me the most is the people that stand in line and wait. Standing in line at, say Comerica Park, doesn't seem out of the ordinary, but it just seems weird to see that at work, especially for stalls!

I generally prefer the comfy confines of my own home, but dealing with the unpredictable nature of being a coffee drinker, or those 'What the heck was in that miso soup?' emergencies every now and then makes a bathroom schedule a little more difficult for me. Fortunately, the surprising nature of the bathroom congestion and lines have allowed me to know when the 'peak' hours to avoid are.

"よいしょ" ... Splained

2009-02-07T21:33:00.027-05:00

I first noticed the phrase, よいしょ, pronounced YOISHO, while working with one of my Japanese co-workers in the US. This, of course, was before my wife and I started our 18-month journey working abroad in Japan. So, naturally, I had no idea what he was saying, or how prominent the phrase actually is in Japan. What he said, actually sounded more like, "yooissshhhhhhh," pronounced in a strained tone as we lifted a crate. When I questioned what the heck he just said (or grunted), he shrugged it off and said that it was a typical phrase more for older people and is used for any sort of strenuous activity - like lifting a crate. 'Ok...’ I thought, and decided I didn't understand. Besides, I thought, he's 32...that's not old...?!

Not until I reached the land of the rising sun would I fully begin to realize how popular that phrase is, and all the different ways it can be pronounced, groaned, etc. Moreover, in the process of training my ears for listening for such nuanced pronunciations, I have since adopted the phrase in the same manner. It is quite addicting. What started as a mock joke with my wife and amongst friends has quickly become, I fear, a habit.

Translating Japanese words is never easy. Often times words don't directly translate. Type in "よいしょ (yoisho)" on my translator, however, and you get "Heave-HO." No other random explanations that usually accommodate a translation to put it into context. Just...heave ho. I love it. That was the first piece of the puzzle. Then I started hearing various mutilations of the pronunciations. When I began to realize I was hearing this phrase, or noise, during situations you might consider strenuous, I began to understand these people were actually saying...yoisho.

After almost seven months in Japan, here are my top 5 "yoisho" grunts:
5) My boss grunting as he gets up from his seat. Usually it is a distinct, "yoisho" but said really quickly with an extra emphasis on the 'yo'.
4) The lady who works the cafeteria snack shop. I usually call my wife after lunch near the shop. This is also when the lady, probably in her 50's, is restocking shelves. Every time she lifts a box, there is a high-pitched, "yoooisho," where the first part is drawn out. I talk to my wife for maybe 5 minutes. I swear I hear the lady lift a box 5 times!
3) The well-established version from the guys who have been saying it for a long time. They've said it so long, and so often, that their version has become, "yosssssssssshhhhhhh." A long drawn out shhhhhh sound accommodates the strain of say, opening a door.
2) The, "this is way heavier than I thought and requires a lot of energy," grunt. The 'Yo' part is way over-pronounced, most likely because it's timed with the initial lift. "YyyyOisho."
1) My favorite. Awkward conversation? Meeting finished? Awkward goodbye? Give it the ol', "sssshhhhhhhhhh." No, not a hush. Sounds like one, but it really means, "See ya."
And on that note..."sssshhhhhhhhh."

Feel the Waves, Soothe Your Mind

2009-02-07T21:33:00.026-05:00

I only wish I could sing that catchy phrase like the radio station itself does.
Radio-i is one of the main radio stations offered here in Nagoya, and once you've heard the station's call phrase, "Feel the waves, soothe your mind. Raadioooo-iiiiiiiii," accompanied by the soothing sounds of waves crashing on a beach, you'd be hard-pressed to get it out of your head, too.

There isn't a large selection when it comes to radio stations here in Nagoya. In fact, I'd say my choice boils down to two, Radio-i or Zip FM. There are 4 other stations on FM, but I think two are NHK (Japan's public radio), and the other two I just haven't had the patience for. So, Radio-i and Zip FM are the primary selections that I flip between depending on the level of excitement in the DJ's voice, or the random song playing. Also, I should say, a lot of the programs incorporate some English. Some parts of the day are completely devoted to an English jockey - who's kind of a weasel to tell you the truth - but it's English and it's comforting. The AM dial...I won't even touch.

Most mornings, I'd rather listen to my Podcasts. I've become quite addicted to the day-old NPR and ESPN Radio Daily, but I do try to share a little of my work commute with Japan radio. I'm not going to pretend to tell you that I understand what the heck the DJ's are saying, but I do think you can get a lot out of training your ears for the different inflections and tones of the Japanese language. Plus, as I mentioned before, once in awhile there's English thrown into the convo.

But the real reason to listen is because you'll hear some real gems from the past. Last week, for example, I rocked out to Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire" (song that Kanye West sampled for "Through the Wire"), Outkast's "Sorry Miss Jackson," and Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl." Plus they usually mix in some of today's billboard hits, some awesome Japan pop, and sometimes even English word lessons. Where else would I have properly learned about the word, 'Recessionista'?

The Boss

2009-02-07T20:27:00.016-05:00

It's no secret vending machines are everywhere in Japan. You can find them on almost every street, and usually find just about any kind of drink in them. We've seen a lot of various types during our time here - ice cream, beer, even batteries - but the most common is clearly a hot or cold beverage (coffee, tea, soft drink, etc).

One of the more popular vending machine leaders, with an ironically fitting name, is Boss coffee.
So popular, in fact, that Tommy Lee Jones is the random, American, "Do they even know what they are endorsing," celebrity endorsement here. Do you think it was Tommy Lee that finally convinced this guy that he needed to save up enough Boss coffee can tops to send away for the sleek, stylish, 90's era, Bomber jacket complete with the Boss logo on the back?

I suppose the more important question is whether or not this guy actually bought the jacket, that my theory of sending away for this jacket paid for in Boss can tops is actually true, or that this guy might actually be so cool as to pull off the Boss bomber jacket, whilst smoking, and whilst riding his bike nonetheless. I think he might actually just be that cool! Honey, add it to my wish list.

If Only My First Name Started With A "Q"

2009-02-07T04:15:00.015-05:00

Inspired by the blogs of my wife, LJ, her cousin, Seth, my fellow co-worker and friend abroad, A, and her boyfriend, M, I have decided to get my own blog up and running (Their blogs are really fun to read - I hope you check 'em out).
What's with the abbreviated names you ask? That, it seems, is the preferred method of protecting identities, which has quickly caught fire amongst LJ, A, and M on their respective blogs. How does it work? My name is Mike, so I get dubbed rather cleverly, M. Unfortunately, I think this blog and my profile have blown my cover.
The nicknames are pretty cool when you think about it. After all, M is also the code name for 007's boss in the Ian Flemming James Bond classics. I just wish my first name started with a Q. I am a huge fan of Bond, and being an engineer, the man behind all of Bond's cool gadgets, Q, is one of my favorite characters.
Oh, well. Fortunately, for the other M in this group, there have been three separate actors portraying M in the 007 movies, so we have a few options to choose from. I'm actually a huge fan of the most recent one, Dame Judy Dench.