tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2043429865279576572012-01-24T03:46:22.162-08:00Former market analyst, victim of the credit crunch JP tries to work out whats going down in Japan, the highest-technology country in the world.Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.comBlogger1361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-8540719483956196592009-11-23T01:17:00.000-08:002009-11-23T01:32:07.462-08:00

So, yet another secret of life and the market gives up its (how should I put this) - you know - its secrecy, through an everyday life - erm - thing.While many clever people, most of whom have facial hair, have donated millions of collective manhours studying the why, how and where of global warming is occuring, the answer was with us all along.Here, in Hamamatsuchyo, we have the clue all

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-43119765597714743372009-09-30T23:02:00.000-07:002009-09-30T23:18:39.683-07:00

OK, so basically, once you've stimulated the economy by paying for people to do almost everything except for useful things, there can only be one rational thing left to do.And that, of course, is to put a big duck on a river:In fact, this wasn't a stimulus program, but ended up working much better than current ideas. Hundreds of people stand here everyday, just looking at the duck. Some of

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-81001107211642148272009-07-29T05:07:00.000-07:002009-07-29T05:21:58.486-07:00

What is the last place of business you would expect to see some clever technology?How about a book shop?Well, the all-pervasive march of cleverness has reached even this outpost of old-schoolery, with ....... the mini-map showing you where to find the book you are looking for, printed out in seconds on a reciept-sized bit of paper.And I'm sure this is very much like the market - I'm just trying

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-50640088071329638952009-07-27T01:54:00.001-07:002009-07-27T02:09:58.101-07:00

In Osaka there is a part of town which the locals call "overseas". It is full of homeless people.In fact, it is very full - the space available for them is running out.Recently, the number of homeless people has been increasing, and the number of tents made of the blue tarps (remember the cherry-blossom viewing?) in parks has increased visibly.Along the river there is now an almost continuous

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-77478217240815960522009-07-24T03:37:00.000-07:002009-07-24T03:56:38.269-07:00

Now, a recurring theme on this blog has been innovation.Innovation is important for business. And I don't just mean in terms of lasers, ninja-stars and internet computers, but even in mundane things, across all part of the value-generation chain, whether it is sales, distribution, accounts, or......fried potato-based snacks.Yes, here is a packet of Okonomiyaki-flavoured (Osaka leftovers fryup)

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-10362877488740559092009-07-21T23:38:00.000-07:002009-07-22T00:02:43.855-07:00

Always on the lookout for alternative indicators for the local economy (and how to get a cheap haircut), it is high time for a visit to a budget barber, Japan-style. This place has been running for a while, and advertises snips for 1000Y ($10), and ten minutes. The inside is fairly high-tech, as you would expect. A variety of space-age looking vacuum tubes leading to the ceiling - clearly we are

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-90770746432816813442009-07-20T04:53:00.000-07:002009-07-20T05:10:19.015-07:00

Now, we saw last time that it is important to have a back up plan, such as a skateboarding monkey, when things get tough. And this is applicable to many fields of life - the stockmarket, choosing between a ramen shop and a chicken restaurant for lunch, or...... designing an innovative fusion hot dog.Here we have the Kurokedogu (Kuroke + Hot Dog; a kuroke is a fried lump of potatoes, meat, or

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-35063073642545765732009-07-16T17:20:00.000-07:002009-07-16T17:38:22.201-07:00

Now, we all know that when business is sluggish, and when you're running out of ideas for things to put on the TV, you need a back-up, such as......getting a professional skakeboarder (yes, this position exists) to team up with a chimpanzee!The chimp is called Pan Kun, and greets the skateboarder very politely.Now, with little more than a glimpse of how its done, Pan Kun is thrown in the deep

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-14749896812244331582009-07-15T01:02:00.000-07:002009-07-15T01:06:05.594-07:00

Today's jinglish of the day comes from a garden shed at a german cake shop:"To preserve rich greenery...Keep gardening tools clean and fixed at all times.Greenery is the important source of the life of the earth.Greenery allows us human beings to find peace of mind."Amen. (I don't think I need to explain why that is like the market).

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-3216406943593582162009-07-13T17:25:00.000-07:002009-07-13T18:14:48.963-07:00

A few additions for the Jinglish corpus.Go into any cheap shop and the clothes are adorned with English of unknown origin, and unknown meaning.I've been looking for a while now for a really good Jinglish T-shirt, one that a foreigner here could wear with pride, without looking like they shop in cheap shops, but have mostly come up short.(Apart from a "Save the Ale" T-shirt. A good pun in a sea of

mushishinaidenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-33601328736305728542009-07-12T23:54:00.000-07:002009-07-13T00:36:52.968-07:00

Sometimes its good to change direction.For instance - say you're going around a big lake checking out stuff like White Beard Temple:...and discovering the biggest garlic know in Western Japan:...when, suddenly, you come across:Gulliver Village! Gulliver's Travels (original title: Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-75642210698756727772009-07-10T01:13:00.000-07:002009-07-10T01:16:25.969-07:00

The Jinglish of the day comes from the bar in central Osaka:"With delicious liquor and drink, I wait for you." - clearly a very tempting offer.And this is just like the market. Waiting is an important skill. So best imagine something good will come at the end of it.

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-43142021589396947482009-07-07T22:09:00.000-07:002009-07-07T22:28:21.052-07:00

With the new Transformers film now very popular, it should be remembered that the original transformers were invented in Japan - due to Japan's high technology and space-efficient packaging. However, the less celebrated aspect of the Transformers are their fantastic names - Optimus Prime, Cybertron (the name of the planet where they come from) etc.So, what is the latest trend is in terms of

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-91332131186399766632009-07-06T22:25:00.000-07:002009-07-06T23:14:02.958-07:00

Rationality is better in theory than in practice.Take food, for instance. I occasionally find myself thinking along well-reasoned, rational lines, usually in the morning following a large dose of yakiniku (grilled meat - with a side dish of meat).The argument goes something like this:"Is it a good thing to always talk about food? It can hardly be healthy. It isn't even that interesting, actually

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-47042397451437682012009-07-05T22:39:00.000-07:002009-07-05T23:07:40.151-07:00

As you know, almost everyone considers themselves contrarian. This is because almost everyone believes they are smarter than everyone else. However, this can't possibly be true, as we must explain the phenomenon of the widespread belief in UFOs, and long-dated government bonds.And, deep inside, we know that we can't hold out against a tide of popular belief on all fronts, particularly when we see

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-12232796147422418672009-07-04T23:28:00.000-07:002009-07-05T00:20:13.269-07:00

Live somewhere for long enough and your perspectives change. This is, as I once heard an American say, a "no-brainer". I used to live in London, for three years actually, and almost never went to any of the tourist spots. I wasn't a tourist.Japan is a bit like that. Except it takes about 1000 times longer before you start to just "live" there.I have met people planning to travel here who say

mushishinaidenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-34384760811489932392009-06-29T22:45:00.000-07:002009-06-29T22:56:59.146-07:00

The Jinglish of the day comes from a trendy part of Tokyo.It is a shop called...... Sugar TitI think that they do haircuts or something.Now. As JTMIJ has delivered over 100 nuggets on the markets, and how they relate to cheesecake and hippos, it is time for a break, so that you can digest all these important everyday connections. JTMIJ will not publish again till next Monday.How This Affects

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-61757101331673412552009-06-28T23:12:00.000-07:002009-06-28T23:19:20.261-07:00

A brief, but by no means trivial, message today.We have already seen some intriguing dental services advertising.However, the plot continues with the following poster:The poor hippopotamus has lost most of his teeth, and has resorted to opening his mouth, and showing all the commuters on the subway, how bad the problem has become. Granted, hippos have less teeth than humans to start with, but

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-74265996218724015992009-06-25T23:22:00.000-07:002009-06-25T23:55:01.298-07:00

As any good survival instructor will tell you, when you find yourself lost within an expansive network of underground tunnels, you should not panic. No, instead, you should stop, take a good look around, and, if available, buy yourself a sandwich.Now, the problem with this kind of approach until now has been the lack of sandwich - this is Japan, after all. Stopping and looking around is fine, but

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-71103350637800021422009-06-25T22:27:00.000-07:002009-06-25T22:51:20.548-07:00

Walking the residential neighbourhood on the lookout for jinglish, I happened across this shop (my zoom function was dissabled by a busy road).It says "Athletic Dog Club".For some reason the name struck me and I had to stop walking to ponder the meaning hidden within.First thought was, "a club for athletic dogs"?But then I thought, where's the money? Perhaps "Dog Athletics Club", where they rent

mushishinaidenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-68944940875489265092009-06-24T23:13:00.000-07:002009-06-24T23:36:57.872-07:00

Now that we have experienced the excitement of the beach at Shirahama, let's check out some other seaside spots. After all, Japan does have a few of them.Right next to Shirahama is Senjohjiki Rock Table Land. A fantastic Jinglish name, with a dissapointly correct English sign:Senjohjiki actually means One Thousand Tatami Mats, which poetically evokes the numerous layers of rock there are here. In

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-80312598507078476772009-06-23T22:29:00.000-07:002009-06-23T22:38:16.278-07:00

OK, so today is another hot and sweaty day, and again we are being lazy and sitting around drinking green tea.So what could be better than have a look at ...... an MOT (car checkup) sign:OK, so not too related to any of the above. But do notice that this shop is being promoted by...... Ultraman! Here he is showing us his Meishi (business card), but unfortunately it seems that he is holding it

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-6168505862840342522009-06-22T21:16:00.000-07:002009-06-22T21:41:56.770-07:00

What would you do if, hypothetically, you were on a beach, when, through the Public Announcement system a clear, yet polite and restrained, voice announced in an inviting tone: "time for the next round of the big challenge! Come on everyone, let's line up for a chance to win some special prizes!" ?Now, you may think that this is just a figment of an overly exercised imagination, or another

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-36008855503534893292009-06-22T20:50:00.000-07:002009-06-22T20:55:33.873-07:00

Aim for 10 years younger, from the inside out.My PlacenPlacenta, the nutritional component that grows babies in a mother's body, an essential anti-aging component that works as an all-round cell regrowth factor.Take Placenta and you will achieve amazing results both for your health, and your beauty.Superior quality Placenta, in the high-concentration formulation of "My Placen", helps support "

mushishinaidenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-68702692435135105842009-06-21T21:48:00.000-07:002009-06-21T22:23:39.407-07:00

I have to apologise yet again. Today has been a busy day. You know how on some days you mentally put aside some time into a box labelled "Productive Time", and then go and start thinking about some important questions that have been on your mind, such as "those folks in Terminator 4 did a really good job against the robots - how were they so brave against their formidable and well-organised

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-7266039258652218982009-06-18T19:55:00.000-07:002009-06-18T20:38:17.812-07:00

Following the inspirational "Bite it and its soft, soft, soft..." advert, it would be something of a minor miracle if there was another advert on TV featuring a rare and memorable dance routine, I thought.However, reaching this kind of conclusion is clearly problematic. What if there is another amazing advert, but you haven't seen it yet? The old problem of the tree falling in the forest but no

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-82529892550193327162009-06-17T21:44:00.000-07:002009-06-17T22:21:44.784-07:00

In everyday activities, as in the market, there is more than one way to skin a horse. And one of the important butcher's knives we commonly deploy is that of the quality assessment. But how can we tell if a given share, currency, or hotel is any good?I'm glad you were thinking about that question, because I have some photos at hand to illustrate.Witness the Osaka Hilton. At first, you make your

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-39807214965506816012009-06-17T20:19:00.000-07:002009-06-19T00:24:26.143-07:00

Ask anyone what the five most famous things about Japan are and they will probably reply, in some order:It had nuclear bombs dropped on it.They eat raw fish.It's got lots of really flash electronics.Something else.andThe trains are crazy.Sadly we may never see this in real life, scenes of people pushing into trains like zombies from Day of the Dead, as the video is actually from a bygone age (90s

mushishinaidenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-70636120129850030062009-06-16T22:31:00.000-07:002009-06-16T22:53:47.393-07:00

Now, with the global recession reaching the furthest and darkest corner, even potential consumers of old-fashioned board games are trading down.And where else are we to find the most compact and efficient version of Hungry Hippos, than in Japan. Here we have Hungry Hippos......on a keychain!$6.50. Ideal for those who need to carry all their entertainment needs in a trouser pocket. Also ideal for

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-42314393564111858382009-06-15T20:25:00.000-07:002009-06-15T21:57:09.830-07:00

Today being a good day for getting busy watching to see if any new commercials have made it onto the TV, I have only time to quickly update you with an important trend:The food-screen wipe:At first, it looks just like a normal doughnut you may leave lying around your computer. But, cunningly, it is a disguised screenwipe. $5.80.Also available in cake with cherry version:And, for those who think

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-31055132664145096642009-06-14T22:14:00.000-07:002009-06-14T23:39:46.979-07:00

By now, we all understand the power of advertising.Following the forceful logic of "Go on, Go on, Isuzu Truck", it was widely believed (mainly by me), that there could be another work of such genius any time soon.However, as many forecasts made under unpredictable conditions, this short-sightedness has already proven to be foolhardy.And the new king of commercials comes from the world of chewing

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-60035023407770077002009-06-14T19:56:00.000-07:002009-06-14T20:14:12.204-07:00

I start my contributions to Jan's blog with some prime rib, state-of-the-art, top draw, trousers down, bottoms up, top-of-the-line, back-to-the-wall, bona-fide Jinglish marketing.This new celebrity-vouched dietary supplement, vouched by the celebrity to help you with your diet (as in losing weight), is called "Jesus Body!".I see. I guess Jesus was known for being a healthy kind of guy. If not

mushishinaidenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-79729499612169909952009-06-11T21:05:00.000-07:002009-06-11T22:11:24.774-07:00

Given that we have gotten ourselves all excited over the discovery of Jitalian cuisine, surely there is no better time than now to look at an alternative way of getting into the same game from a different angle. This is a slightly similar strategy to worrying about overexcitement in oil futures, and taking a look at natural gas.And by this, I mean checking out my favourite convenience provider's,

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-70101950233927890152009-06-10T22:59:00.000-07:002009-06-10T23:39:25.151-07:00

In the stockmarket, there exists such an idea as a "buy and hold strategy". Perhaps not being terribly imaginative, whoever originally coined the term created a crisp expression to describe the way most people behave most of the time - i.e. do nothing. And doing a lot of nothing is often a good thing, because this protects you from the bundle of fear, excitement, imagination and panic that make

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-1776824960764426972009-06-09T22:12:00.000-07:002009-06-09T22:16:26.671-07:00

The Jinglish of the day comes from a construction company:"Keep Infinite Success"And this reminds me a little of the market. Its good to be ambitious, up to a point.

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-23829363215060944562009-06-08T21:44:00.000-07:002009-06-08T22:07:14.830-07:00

Following all the excitement of yesterday's dry noodle experience, it is time to check out what is on TV. And, as luck would have it, we have got ...... another Rare Scene in Japan!This time, instead of an 80 year old He-Man, we have...... a green iguana ? Nothing so special about that. Fairly big though.The iguana understandibly likes to sunbathe on the windowsill. If you were the size of an

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-51064448302735197492009-06-07T23:07:00.000-07:002009-06-08T00:41:30.301-07:00

Last Friday I managed to be gently irritating by promising an unusual destination for today's JTMIJ, while talking about dog poo signs. However, I am cautiously optimistic that the hardships you have endured in reading Friday's entry may be worth it. And the reason for that, is because today we are going to...... the Nissin foods dry noodle museum! The official name in English is "The Instant

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-72891928641916555192009-06-05T00:07:00.000-07:002009-06-05T00:29:42.671-07:00

OK, so today we were going to visit a highly unique place - in fact, I can almost guarantee that there is nowhere like it anywhere, except for possibly in China, where they may have made a replica 2/3s of the size. However, as it is Friday, I am just going to show you the posters in the area where this place is located, and reveal the full details on Monday. Hint: I have mentioned it before,

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-36407004961256139992009-06-03T22:43:00.000-07:002009-06-03T23:18:33.578-07:00

Today is a special day at Yodobashi Camera, which, despite its name is actually an electronics megastore. And we know that it is special, because they got Iron Man himself just to stand there and hold a 10% off DVDs sign. Now, even though they do have an entire section on train films (documentaries on Shinkansen is very popular - you can see inside the cockpit and everything), we are actually

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-90239442995187910092009-06-02T21:39:00.000-07:002009-06-02T22:22:37.438-07:00

One of my top TV programmes, and I do admit that there are quite a few of them, is "What is this? Rare Sceneries of Japan". In this case, "sceneries" are not just view of mountains and lakes, but also include a spring which produces perfectly carbonated soda water, a school where they eat Konbu (one of Japan's many seaweed products) to prevent tooth decay, and this:"When did you start doing the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-70398658691346495472009-06-01T21:14:00.000-07:002009-06-01T21:57:17.881-07:00

So, now that we have discovered the new branch of cuisine - Jitalian - and especially given the positive early signs we saw, it is imperative, I feel, that we further investigate this curious fusion of two world cuisines.And, conveniently, we find ......the Mountain Cat Pizzeria!Now, you can't really see very clearly here, but the outside looks like an overly-stocked seaside antique shop,

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-29323105307516431652009-05-31T21:33:00.000-07:002009-05-31T22:54:51.983-07:00

In this time of uncertainty everyone looks to that which is stable and reliable - and what could be more depenable and reassuring than the good nature of a simple but affectionate dog. Unfortunately, in a crowded country it is difficult to own a pet dog. And yet, Japanese dogs are surely the most pampered in the world - see here and here for examples in previous posts. Not only are they the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-26916890289332437542009-05-27T21:08:00.000-07:002009-05-27T21:56:06.901-07:00

So, since yesterday's post, I am sure that your confidence in the belief that Japan and the rest of the world are broadly the same has been shaken to its very core.Today we go one step further, using the seemingly boring subject of ......eggs.Yes, here we are at Family Mart, trying to buy some eggs, when we find...... a single perfectly-boiled (soft on the inside) egg in its own cup!  Only

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-28830237018232855342009-05-26T22:59:00.000-07:002009-05-26T23:31:15.882-07:00

note: JTMIJ will not be published on this Friday.  JTMIJ is deeply sorry, really.  In case you were thinking that there are lots of rude folks in Japan, I have to say that you are dead wrong.  And here is some evidence.This is perhaps one of the most polite signs in the world:"As we are working with safety as our top priority, please forgive us. WE ARE REALLY SORRY for the inconvenience caused".

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-31320293953484314392009-05-25T21:38:00.000-07:002009-05-25T23:23:09.023-07:00

With the Wall Street Journal reporting today that Bling is no longer the thing, lost its luster, has been traded down, etc (Culture of Bling Clangs to Earth as the Recession Melts Rappers' Ice), is now the to take this as a contrarian signal, and buy gold?Regardless of the phylosophical debate this deserves, it is fair to say that main street has been downsized, and downsizing is in the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-87602290855726932252009-05-24T17:38:00.000-07:002009-05-24T22:15:45.856-07:00

Hello Kitty, owned by Sanrio Corporation, is such a public figure, that she is drafted in to perform announcements relevant to public safety:"Your fingers will get clamped! Danger! Stay away from the doors!"And this reminds me a little of the market.  Pay attention to the warning signs, and you won't get your fingers stuck in a  (punctual) electrified railway carriage.

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-61051120598892637312009-05-21T22:39:00.000-07:002009-05-21T21:48:12.537-07:00

Today I'm going to introduce you a very important place.In fact, I can almost guarantee that you'll be asking yourself some important and meaningful questions.The place in question is special in more than one way. Combining some of the world's most advanced dinning technology with an affordable price tag of only 100Y ($1) per plate, it is the Kura kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi restaurant.Now, when

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-18206916073934168302009-05-20T17:32:00.000-07:002009-05-20T19:10:23.645-07:00

I was watching tv yesterday, the adverts specifically - I always pay particular attention to the adverts, after all, that is where all the investment into entertainment goes - when I realised that I had just watched five commercials in a row, all of which were trying to get me to buy and consume (or have my pet dog consume) some food.  And all of it looked really good. Sure, it was in between a

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-75058677428896911762009-05-19T00:39:00.000-07:002009-05-20T00:52:17.341-07:00

So, since it's been about two days since we last had our finger on the pulse of the latest technology products, it's about time we went for a little walk to see if we have missed any of the most cutting-edge trends out there.And the first thing we come across is Madu Tea Letter, which is, essentially, a teabag in a letter.  Fairly old school technology, but it does solve an age old problem - you

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-90961026755452154632009-05-18T23:58:00.001-07:002009-05-19T00:23:21.610-07:00

Reporters Sans Frontiers publishes a list of countries ranked by press freedom.   Bolivia is higher up (better) than Canada, Denmark, and New Zealand.  And the UK is more of a despotic censorship reigime than Namibia and Benin, apparently.  Japan is no. 50, behind Mozambique and Serbia, but ahead of the USA (53).This may well be true.  But what use are these numbers without knowing the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-82589367409408939472009-05-17T23:15:00.000-07:002009-05-18T01:43:57.523-07:00

OK, occasionally, and I mean very occasionally, you glimpse a product on the shelf, walk straight past, continuing to ruminate over the missing ingredient to the salad you may have already named, say, "Super Jumbo Plus", when, at that point, after three or four footsteps of progress, you mentally put the salad into a convenient draw, stomp straight back to said product, and demand of it why, of

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-60649906388522385192009-05-14T22:31:00.000-07:002009-05-15T00:30:35.370-07:00

OK, so today we are going to be quite adventurous. How adventurous? Well, I'm frankly surprised that you ask, but let me that that today I am going to shun my preferred convenience food supplier (Family Mart), and head out to unknown territory - Circle K. I don't have a picture of the front, but you can use your imagination.We walk in, and instantly our risk-leaning posture has been rewarded.....

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-84395577617360175542009-05-13T21:57:00.000-07:002009-05-14T00:42:15.918-07:00

Having had a good experience with superior letter sending in Japan recently, the very same subject came up on TV.This time we are back to our favourite program, Night Scoop. The "detective" (seen here, below, on the left), was called in to help the skinny chap, sporting the military haircut, with a peculiar request.20 years ago, haircut guy was an 8-year old school kid, and not very good at his

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-36331425868811363962009-05-12T17:20:00.000-07:002009-05-13T01:11:33.046-07:00

Now, apologies if you already are familiar with this. I think that a healthy and tasty snack is in order. So we must head down to our preferred convenient food supplier (Family Mart), and check out the Onigiri section. Perfect little triangles of rice, tasty filling and crispy seaweed - what could be better?Well, the challenge will be to open it quickly and neatly. Here we have Prawn Mayo, Tuna

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-66228221936901890102009-05-11T17:32:00.000-07:002009-05-11T23:50:25.627-07:00

To be honest, this shop only made shop of the day due to its name.Its a chain store which sells a bunch of girls' things like hair combs and belts decorated with glitter. All products are 390Yen ($4).　However, much more fun is Customer Thank You Day, here being hosted by an electronic goods shop. It means that you get some discounts.

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-85983475062537735702009-05-10T22:00:00.000-07:002009-05-10T23:44:10.121-07:00

So, you're walking around Tokyo, near Tsukiji (the fish market), and you see this:"Pafu Co. Ltd., New Grad Employment Selection"　 But check this out:　 Puff like the Magic Dragon!However, despite the promising name, there was no queue outside the door. In Japan, if anything is popular, there is usually a manditory file of patient folks lining up outside.And this does remind me a little of the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-53338061285580078092009-05-07T23:59:00.000-07:002009-05-08T00:27:17.524-07:00

OK, so since it is Golden Week (Goruden Ueeeku), we are heading down to Kyoto.No, I know what you're thinking, but the reason is not, in fact, to view Kyoto's well-known Polish Dill Pickles:We need to firstly cross the Duck River:And head down to the Philosophers Path. This is a path that runs along a canal. Nice, isn't it?However, we are slightly late. During Sakura season, this is, apparently

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-4113510288477171732009-05-06T23:37:00.000-07:002009-05-07T00:07:29.991-07:00

After receiving a phone call from an excruciatingly polite, and very nearly hyperventilating employee of Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank, detailed here, I knew that it would be diligently seen to that my 500 Yen ($5) gift card would not deviate from a smooth and punctual delivery to my oversized foreign hands.And, indeed, it was so.I was not surprised to receive the letter on time. I was more surprised

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-68494769040508635562009-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:002009-05-06T00:47:56.186-07:00

Now, while you're on a train platform in Tokyo, standing neatly in line at the designated boarding spot, perhaps you are bored. You are sure to look around and read everything your eyes can see - the posters, the newspaper held by the guy next to you, the health and safety notices, and even the vending machine.　So, good job that the vending machine has...... a chance to win a Suica (Tokyo Oyster

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-89402469535803712782009-04-30T13:44:00.000-07:002009-04-30T21:10:37.642-07:00

　 NOTICE: JTMIJ will be closed on Monday and Tuesday (4th and 5th of May 2009), due to Golden Week ("Goruden Ueeeku"), a collection of Japanese public holidays rolled up into a week.The Jinglish of the day is from a sushi shop near Tsukiji market, Tokyo, which we visited yesterday.　 Here you go:　 And this slightly reminds me of the market.Measure twice, cut once.

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-86323241764007853272009-04-30T01:02:00.000-07:002009-04-30T00:33:37.290-07:00

So, today we're going for a walk around Tsukiji, Tokyo's fishmarket, the largest fishmarket in the world, where 1/3 of the worlds fish is sold, and other impressive statistics as well. Being important to Tokyo, the market is a brief walk from Ginza, which in Europe would be like having a giant poultry market outside Hyde park.Its quite easy to find. Just look for a giant fish. Alternatively, you

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-580210547566697232009-04-28T21:31:00.000-07:002009-04-29T00:51:00.883-07:00

Now, we have been looking at some of the leading-edge trends, such as Relaxed Bear. However, today we are going to look at a bleeding-edge trend. Bored with ready-made miso soup, people are increasingly opting for custom-made miso. This lady is a miso sommelier.She mixes different kinds of miso paste according to your requirements. It is important, she says, to understand, that the taste of the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-78133918818669706012009-04-28T03:03:00.000-07:002009-04-28T04:33:51.536-07:00

The Jinglish of the day appears on the garage of a shop in a trendy part of Osaka:Here it is close up: Where planning is a pleasure. Where doing is a pleasure. Where working is a pleasure. Quite a place, I thought.The interesting thing about this company, St Savin, is that it is mainly involved in selling......baskets and stuff.And an elephant which I can't think what I would need for.And this

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-85290934677313477982009-04-26T01:09:00.000-07:002009-04-27T00:02:04.169-07:00

Every now and then, you've got to try something new. And when I say new, I actually mean something old. Like an ancient yakitori restaurant.Fairly smokey. Its filled with a charcoaly chickeny fog, which takes you right back to sitting around a fire and throwing sticks on it. A return to simplicity. Ironically, by not trying to create a "culinary experience" it actually does. These guys just burn

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-12495017894911668942009-04-24T01:00:00.000-07:002009-04-24T02:17:57.135-07:00

　Another superb Jinglish shop name : " WE LOVE DOG"　 Mainly specialising in lovable puppies, the going rate seems to be $130-190. Premium for pure breed, rare breed, and extra cute.　 However, there are two bored looking dogs inside. These must have not been sold when they were younger. They were very friendly. Or at least bored enough to look at passers-by through the window. Japan has very

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-37263587404170444172009-04-23T01:00:00.000-07:002009-04-23T01:26:21.508-07:00

So, what are the salient differences between Starbucks in the rest of the world, and Starbucks in Japan ("Staba")?The first thing you notice is a sliding door (push-button automatic, naturally):Yes, all the signage and everything is in Japanese, but a Latte is still a Latte (or Ratey). However, more important and relevant to your coffee enjoyment experience are the actual goods themselves:See any

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-21713932222560180342009-04-21T06:51:00.000-07:002009-04-22T01:11:03.271-07:00

This is a brilliant poster. There is nothing I can add to it. Your can learn more about Japan by reading this than by watching over one hour of daytime TV. I will just write out the words where they are hard to read.Where does the smoke go? Only the person producing it is unconcerned. Smoker -> Neglect -> Route of Smoke.The sparks blew off. Luckily, they were stopped by my sleeve.A portable

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-25456490231621294552009-04-20T06:51:00.000-07:002009-04-21T00:43:53.932-07:00

On the Oukawa (big river), on of the most prominent buildings is the Japanese School of Chemical Analysis. Attractively lit up in neon, it does look like a nightclub in the evening. The website is here, and contains a well-designed and informative (but Japanese-only) interactive animation, giving you entertaining chemistry-related facts. Did you know that behind every successful sportsman lies

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-48917462405502782322009-04-19T17:38:00.000-07:002009-04-20T01:03:01.170-07:00

This place is in crowded Harajuku (Tokyo):　 It only gets Shop of the Day due to its name......but what a name!　 It sells this:　 Available at a Happy Price.　 Also in Harajuku we find Pinklatte.　 In which there is an airoplane nose cone.So this is rather like the market - if you stand out you will be noticed. But also those that stand out will become crowded trades. Best to be cautious of nosecones.

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-76778113702831646472009-04-16T05:00:00.000-07:002009-04-17T00:02:47.105-07:00

Now, why is the general standard of English so bad in Japan? It isn't for want of trying. The English-teaching industry, according to hearsay, could be as big as $6B per anum. That doesn't sound like a lot, given the country's 120M people ($50per person per year), but it would nonetheless make the industry the 34th smallest economy in the world (based on 2008 PPP GDP estimates), ahead of

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-48685231895908761652009-04-16T01:00:00.000-07:002009-04-16T03:14:33.077-07:00

In Japan it is not uncommon to turn the corner in a block of medium-rise residential/shopping developments and find yourself standing in front of a traditional old-school temple. Like this one. This is actually a mini-temple. It contains a Japanese garden with a bridge a la Monet, several highly sculpted trees, and a pond with floating Sakura petals and this little detail. A daddy (or mummy)

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-84903292216962030452009-04-15T10:00:00.000-07:002009-04-15T02:20:37.140-07:00

Fluttering, drifting, gently floating back down to earth. Mostly a few petals at a time, but occasionally a small burst of wind shakes out a temporary snow-storm. Cherry blossom season has been good to the Hanami-goers, and now the trees are putting on their final act. Petals are starting to accumulate on river banks, and green leaves are showing in the early-bloomers.Many questions spring to

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-66001430361160276312009-04-13T01:00:00.000-07:002009-04-13T14:47:58.222-07:00

Today we are going downtown to Osaka's business district. The Sakura trees still blooming (in plalces).Lets walk along the shopping arcade.Theres a lot of strong advertising around.And even some giant Chinese lamps.Mac D's is still performing well.A bit further down the shopping arcade, we find ....... Rilakuma san again!Here he is being employed to market a game center which is focused on

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-44019571627626478492009-04-12T19:07:00.000-07:002009-04-12T21:34:29.586-07:00

Due to reasons of Happy Easter, JTMIJ is closed today.Normal operations are scheduled to resume tomorrow.IMPORTANT NOTICE:JTMIJ will be on the move over the next two weeks.HOW THIS AFFECTS YOUSubscribers to JTMIJ will notice a later posting than normal from the day after tomorrow, the 15th Apr 2009, until the 29th April 2009. There is no reason to be alarmed. Following the 29th April, posting

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-67861976524143329832009-04-10T00:12:00.000-07:002009-04-09T23:21:07.352-07:00

Here is an advert for a dental clienic which consists of a heart-shape holding a razor blade:

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-66569741661548640192009-04-09T19:00:00.000-07:002009-04-08T19:17:56.017-07:00

(phone ringing)JP: Hello?Caller: Hello, this is Keiko Suzuki from the Tenma branch, district 2 of Mitsubishi Tokyo UFJ Bank. Today we were lucky enough to have the distinguished client (you) come to our branch and open an account with us.JP: Oh, yes.Caller: (voice starting to tremble) I am very, very sorry, but the Visa card which you applied for...JP: Yes?Caller: I am so sorry but the 500Yen ($5

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-2058571162800409362009-04-08T23:51:00.000-07:002009-04-08T00:17:04.196-07:00

What a difference a few days makes. From worrying about potential calamity (rain), the whole of Japan is now soaking up every minute of cherry blossoms gently warmed by golden sunshine. At any one time, there is hardly a Sakura tree in Japan not being quietly admired and recorded by phone and/or camera. Imagine the business Fujifilm had before the digital revolution.In prominent Hanami spots,

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-23126314548058309862009-04-07T14:55:00.000-07:002009-04-06T22:53:31.841-07:00

OK, time to do some shopping, and answer the all-important question: what are the latest cool products out there on the Japanese market?Firtsly, how about a Gun-o-clock? Website is here. Click on the gun and the target to see a clip of how they work - "pull the trigger and the top part blows back".How about this - a competitor of Rilakuma ! Mameshiba - website here.Combines a cute innocent

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-33846942357012583952009-04-05T21:14:00.000-07:002009-04-05T21:20:45.055-07:00

For those who couldn't find the brilliant Isuzu TV commercial in the original truck marketing post, I have discovered how to get it onto the site - here it is. Lyrics are pasted below.Translitterated chorus:"I-tsu-u ma-de-mo, itsu-u ma-de-mo,Hashi-re hashi-re,Isuzu no toraku!Do-u-ko ma-de-mo, do-u-ko ma-de-mo,Hashi-re hashi-re,Isuzu no toraku!"Lyrics:Verse 1.If you open the door, the air is cold,

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-53042612950256453582009-04-05T06:30:00.000-07:002009-04-05T18:27:43.311-07:00

I love Japanese TV. And I especially enjoy the most educational aspect that TV has to offer - no, it isn't cooking programs, which are high up on the list, but rather gameshows. They really bring out the best in the human spirit.Here is one that was just on recently. Four teams (actors, sportsmen, comedians, and general TV girls) compete in a range of trials testing mind and body, but in a

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-29694907313930257782009-04-02T20:29:00.000-07:002009-04-02T22:33:38.100-07:00

　 With cherry blossoms entering the Zenkai (fully-open) stage, now is the time for an update on the Hanami ("flower-watching", drinking under the cherry blossom) season.Currently it seems that 95% of all trees in Japan are cherry blossoms in full bloom, and they are all working together, quietly trying their hardest to not disappoint the eager Hanami-goers.And this approach seems to be working.

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-67966013061900263052009-04-01T19:23:00.000-07:002009-04-01T19:24:20.747-07:00

In general, public announcement posters anywhere can give you an idea of what a given society is worried about. On the London Underground, there is a range of different threats regarding what may happen to you if you beat up on the hard-working station staff. Or there were. I seem to remember the focus changing, encouraging you to feel sorry for staff who got beaten in the face by a member of

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-70007952844050062552009-03-31T20:50:00.001-07:002009-03-31T22:20:52.703-07:00

　 So, April has arrived. Sakura season is in full swing. Cherry blossoms are blooming, filling towns and parks with soft pink fluffiness. And Hanami parties are popping up everywhere. During the daytime, blue plastic sheets reserve the best spots for company parties. Later, office departments sit down and get progressively drunk in a relatively quiet and amiable manner.For a map of the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-37301440380870192192009-03-30T18:16:00.000-07:002009-03-30T18:49:46.168-07:00

　 In Japan, many companies have their own company song. Employees in some cases are required to sing the song to show how integrated they are with the company.Unfortunately, most of these songs are not really very good at all. Some of them are outright bad. Until very recently, exports of things like electronics and "general machinery and equipment" have been the engine (if a spluttering one) of

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-54865763668828490802009-03-29T23:14:00.000-07:002009-03-29T23:17:04.676-07:00

One of the many cool things about Japan is when you see something which should be everyday and commonplace, but yet is spiced up in some important (but often subtle) way.I was on my way to some important business (actually an interview with a tent-full of thinly-disguised circus clowns masquerading as financial consultants), when I spotted something unusual about the cafe I was about to step in

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-71355937249363675732009-03-26T21:16:00.000-07:002009-03-26T21:22:47.512-07:00

Spring is upon us. Last Friday was the official first day of spring in Japan, and all people are getting excited about Hanami ("Looking at the Flowers") Season, aka Sakura Season. Hanami actually is when Japanese people go out of the office/university in droves to sit under blossoming cherry blossoms, and get blind-drunk. It is widely-regarded as the most auspicious time of year to start

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-43253845453091796382009-03-26T21:05:00.000-07:002009-03-26T21:06:33.758-07:00

Today's prize for Jinglish-titled shop goes to Dripmania, a coffee shop in Tokyo train station.　 Although I didn't actually investigate this, I suspect that the owner is expressing the drip-filter only approach to coffe-making. This also exlains the slightly funny name of:　 Cafes such as this one, which serve coffee prepared with a chemistry set, are popular (relative to Europe).　Also, you can

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-7028882466565430702009-03-25T21:15:00.001-07:002009-03-28T22:21:03.262-07:00

Octopus is popular all over Japan, but in Osaka it is a local favourite.I was watching TV the other day, there were a couple of guys in waterproof gear on a small boat in Osaka bay. They were wafting a net-in-a-hoop around in the water.Suddenly, the thing gets heavy. They yank it aboard, to reveal a squelching bright red octopus.They start talking about "That's a really nice one!", "look at the

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-72031447158567420162009-03-24T16:16:00.000-07:002009-03-24T16:17:07.801-07:00

　 Now, here is a test:Look at the picture below.What do you see?　 If by now you're not splitting your sides with laughter, you can be fairly sure that you're not an accountant. TAV is Tangible Asset Value, something widely discussed as part of the FinMay (Financial Mayhem).

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-45285331451031941692009-03-24T16:14:00.000-07:002009-03-28T22:26:39.753-07:00

Now, say you're walking around Osaka, looking for somewhere cool, but......you're not ready for fugu sushi (puffer fish), just yet.　 And getting some takoyaki (fried balls of octopus, cheese and gooey stuff) from the popular places in town could easilty take over half an hour:Now, imagine if on top of that, it started to rain.Well, in that case, you must head to......the giant Ebisu (big-eared,

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-72994371050477141422009-03-23T18:57:00.000-07:002009-03-23T18:58:08.126-07:00

What is the true message of Gozilla?　 Let's firstly take in some facts:- Gozilla ("Gojira", an ammalgamation of Gorilla and Kujira, or Whale) is originally believed to be a monster god that lives in the sea and comes from the ocean to feed on mankind- Gozilla's footprints are contaminated with radioactivity- The creature is later proved to be a dinosaur mutated by atomic tests- After firstly

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-45443833638592253332009-03-23T18:54:00.000-07:002009-03-23T18:56:24.258-07:00

There is an excelent program running in Japan called Midnight Scoop. Every episode they get reader's ideas of stuff to do.This time, this salaryman wrote in to explain his morning commute situaiton.He lives on the Yamato river (goes through Osaka and Nara), and his office is on the same river.But he needs to take three trains to get to work and back.So, naturally, he thought it would be worth

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-33104629983932897832009-03-20T20:06:00.000-07:002009-03-20T20:29:46.928-07:00

　 This superbly-Jinglish titled shop was unfortunately closed. However, they do have a somewhat helpful website which lists some of their wares. If you roll over the letters on the front page, it makes some noises. Products sold include: A pair of "TULLE DECORATION SNEAKERS".　 Selling points: "This canvas sneaker has been remade with candy magic" "Hand-made with delicate Tulle, it comes in

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-5817753148662135492009-03-19T01:35:00.000-07:002009-03-20T20:06:30.567-07:00

Ok, so today we're going to go somewhere good.It's in Ginza, the poshest part of Tokyo:　 But its on the other end of Ginza, so we need to walk past...A giant woman stuck inside a box:　 A massive Chanel store with teams of bowing women sales assistants.　 A big "Bvlgari" (is it me, or has anyone else spotted the typo?)Audi trying to sell cars into the Japnese market (good luck - so far I haven't

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-90689346134708315162009-03-19T01:26:00.000-07:002009-03-20T06:36:07.259-07:00

So, this is what a Japanese traditional buffett looks like:　 Neat, understated, with high-quality technology discretely deployed.So, for starters, load up with a selection of seaweed-based products:Almost all of these are sea-plants. And all are actually very tasty. Either with mayonaise, sesame seeds, or dried. 　On the way, check out some temperature-control technology that would embarrass NASA:

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-2989774847542312952009-03-19T01:23:00.000-07:002009-03-20T04:18:33.601-07:00

Now, you know how you sometimes are in the mood for a different breakfast, perhaps crunchy toast, sometimes some healthy fruit and yoghurt. But is the price of diverse tastes constant change?So, it must have occoured to you that surely there must be an optimal, mathematically sound solution to this everyday problem. Well, take a look at this:　 Crunchy almonds, sugar coating (not too sweet),

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-7288959087441928682009-03-18T23:36:00.000-07:002009-03-19T02:16:29.313-07:00

OK, so you go to the toilet in Japan.It looks fairly ordinary......at first.But, what's this?　 "In Operation" ?"Seat On" ? "Warm Water" ?　 Well, you sit down on the warmed seat (which prevents bad things happening), and when you are, ahem, done:　 　Look, just look at the pictures and use your imagination.The left up- and down-arrows are water (spray) strength, and the right says "nozzle" with "

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-7344744934545278262009-03-18T21:24:00.000-07:002009-03-18T23:53:58.349-07:00

Now, we've had a soak in the acidic/alkine/radioactive water, soaked in the communal pool, dressed up in traditional Japanese clothes.So, what now?Checked out the refresh salon space capsule?　　It plays music, makes smells, and generally relaxes you. After you're done you get a vitamin-enchanced drink.　 Unfortunatly, I was a little too big for the machine.So, we're done at the onsen?Wrong!It is a

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-39128698955571967232009-03-18T00:39:00.000-07:002009-03-18T01:18:13.283-07:00

　 Now, while busily marching across Tokyo station, you come aross this:Rilakuma. This is an amalgamation of Rilakusu and Kuma. Relaxed Bear.Such a cool name.And check out the bear:He's so relaxed!So relaxed, he's got a yellow bird on top of his big head.　　 They've got plenty of cute animals:　 And they're doing good business... 　So, not only are the bears cute, but it turns out that relaxed bears

Jan, the man in Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07006281929396177011noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204342986527957657.post-80292945677197696992009-03-17T17:57:00.000-07:002009-03-28T22:29:41.129-07:00

If you've spent some time busily watching daytime TV and working hard to esure a varied diet, you would probably agree it's about some for some downtime in a Japanese onsen.　 And what better place to go, than Arima Onsen ("Have Horse Onsen"), not only "the most holy onsen in Japan" (according to the tourist map), but also "the oldest spa area in Japan" (according to the website). The Jinglish

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