There is a chain of souvenir stores called Nejinu (ねじぬ) that is one of the nicest places to get souvenirs which are not cheesy or tacky. Unlike the junk they offer foreigners in places like Omotesando, the items in Nejinu are for Japanese people. They include figures for the Chinese zodiac animals, clay dishes, paper lanterns, furoshiki (clothes used to wrap packages and carry box lunches), fans,
mardi 13 avril 2010
lundi 12 avril 2010
Won't Miss #154 - pay phone space hogs
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
This post was hard to name because the idea is hard to convey. Let me start by saying there are relatively few pay phones left in Tokyo at all, and I need every precious one since I don't have a cell phone. This is not the thing I have an issue with. Technology marches on and it's not Japan's fault that I refuse to join the parade. The problem is many people who have cell phones seem to think
dimanche 11 avril 2010
Will Miss #153 - adult pajama costumes
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
On holidays and at festivals (and sometimes during sales at shops), I see people wearing a particular type of adult pajama costume. The one in the picture above is Stitch from Lilo and Stitch, but I've seen people wearing dragons, eggplants, and other weird things. I imagine there is some company in Japan that makes this particular kind of costume which resembles a baby's sleeper. I don't know if
samedi 10 avril 2010
Will Miss #152 - ample Indian restaurants
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
In the rural area I grew up in, there were no Indian restaurants at all. We had psuedo-Italian places in abundance, a Chinese place, a bit of Mexican food, and some home-style American fare. Until I came to Tokyo, I never had Indian food, but since coming to Japan, I've found I really love it. Now, there are Indian restaurants within a stone's throw of my apartment. There is an abundance of them
Won't Miss #153 - sparse Mexican food
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
There are a lot of great places to eat in Tokyo, but Mexican food is sadly under-represented in the selection of ethnic food. You can get tacos which have been altered to suit Japanese tastes (for the most part) occasionally. Sometimes what are called "tacos" can be a pretty scary business. One of the last I sampled was some sort of freakish meat paste with ketchup-like sauce, cabbage, and a
vendredi 9 avril 2010
Won't Miss #152 - karaoke
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
When I was in elementary school, our teacher forced us to sing for a grade. This was always an exercise in torment and humiliation for me. Singing is not something I can do well, nor is it something that I attach a sense of joy to. Karaoke is often the cap on work-related social evenings which include "drinking parties" (nomi-kai) and you're seen as an anti-social party pooper for constantly
jeudi 8 avril 2010
Will Miss #151 - Japanese rice
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
I have spent most of my time in Japan being rather indifferent to rice in general, but over the past 4 years or so, I've grown to really like it's sticky quality and how well it goes with certain foods. I've also learned to cook it pretty well (and without a rice cooker, which I do not own). As a standalone side dish, it seems better than other types of rice.While I don't eat it at every meal, or
mercredi 7 avril 2010
Won't Miss #151 - Japanese crows
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
A crow uses the water meant for purification rituals near an altar to get a drink.There are crows pretty much everywhere, but the Japanese crows are a special breed in many ways. First of all, they are huge. Second, they are not shy about being around humans. In fact, they attack people. There are sometimes videos on television that show crows swooping in and using their huge beaks to jab people
mardi 6 avril 2010
Will Miss #150 - different movie names
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
One of the more interesting aspects of life in Japan is seeing how Western movies have had their names changed to make their themes more clearly understood. More often than not, the name change is pretty straightforward like "Ratatouille" was changed to "Remy's Restaurant". Sometimes, they're a little less direct and strip the nuances from the title like "As Good As It Gets" becomes "A Romance
lundi 5 avril 2010
Won't Miss #150 - one correct answer
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
One of my students took an ethics course at an American college and she told me that she really hated the class. The reason she hated it was that the class required a person to think through all sides of an issue and choose a particular viewpoint. She said she was uncomfortable with this because she liked the answers to be concrete and for there to be one "right" reply that she could offer. This
Posted in attitudes, Japanese culture, Japanese education system, psychology, won't miss
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dimanche 4 avril 2010
Will Miss #149 - cheap cable
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
My cable television provider's local office. Cable television in Japan varies in price, but the longer your building has cable, the cheaper it becomes. My monthly rate is now 2600 yen ($28) a month. I've heard various rates from friends and family in various areas in the U.S. and that price is quite cheap compared to what they pay. It's especially good for an urban area. Mind you, if your
samedi 3 avril 2010
Won't Miss #149 - limited job options
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
People who read and speak Japanese well will tell you that the sky is the limit when it comes to jobs in Japan, but that is simply not so. The truth is that there are two problems with being a foreigner and seeking certain job opportunities. First of all, most Japanese businesses that offer conventional jobs only hire foreigners when there is a concrete incentive to do so. They won't hire you if
vendredi 2 avril 2010
Will Miss #148 - yukata
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
In the summer, Japanese people sometimes wear a light robe made of cotton. It's often worn to festivals, but people also wear them casually. They're comfortable and quite cheap. You can buy them for nearly every size person from children to somewhat hefty adults. Sumo wrestlers can be seen wearing them around Ryogoku, where the national stadium is located.I'll miss seeing and having access to
jeudi 1 avril 2010
Won't Miss #148 - bad and expensive bagels
Posted on 00:15 by Unknown
Japanese bakers seem to believe that a bagel is simply a type of bread shaped like a doughnut. Most bagels in Tokyo suffer from a variety of problems including being too dense, too dry, or too fluffy. It's very, very rare to find an authentic, chewy bagel. What is more, even the bad bagels are relatively expensive. Getting a properly made bagel is something you have to research and travel far
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