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Spring comes to Takashimaya, Shinjuku.
2008-04-12 00:57:00
???????Takashimaya Times Square, accessible from the south exit of JR Shinjuku Station (but actually in next door Shibuya ward), is a one of Tokyo's most chic and spacious shopping complexes. Incorporating the Takashima Department Store, the Tokyu Hands DIY/interior store, the Kinokuniya bookstore and the HMV music store, it is a massive treasure trove of consumables. Think arty money.From the B2 floor underground carpark to the 14th floor restaurants, from 10am to 8pm (8.30pm on Saturdays) it offers a thousand and one very tasteful ways to convert those boring bills into something more memorable.Cartier, Fendi, Prada, Gucci and many, many more big fashion brand names, an art gallery, a cinema, an overseas goods delivery service, and travel agencies are among the services on offer.Takashimaya Times Square was built in 1996 as the long-awaited Shinjuku presence that the Takashimaya Group had been aiming for since the 1960s. In the 1970s, the site nearly became the Tokyo shinkansen (...
More About: Shopping , Spring

Trainspotting in Japan
2008-04-11 02:31:00
?????1000?????????With scores of different engine types employed by numerous private railway companies, Japan is a trainspotter's dreamland.Every weekend thousands of mostly young to middle aged men gather at stations across the nation photographing and videoing their speeding steel idols.I rode with a group of spotters in the front seats of a train recently and was amused to see them flashing the V peace sign with their fingers as we roared through stations to be caught on film by their rival geeks shooting away on the platforms. Every station on the trip had someone taking photographs or video.Here is a video homage on YouTube to Meitetsu's Panorama Super shot mainly at Nagoya , Kanayama, Jingu-mae and Arimatsu stations. The video is set lovingly to Abba's "Dancing Queen.""Having the time of your life. UUUHHH!"Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Panorama S...

In group, out group Japanese terms
2008-04-10 05:21:00
????????As has often been noted, in Japan ese society much is made of the in/out group distinction. The way you relate to, talk to, and consider people depends to a great extent on whether that person is part of your group or, conversely, outside of your group.These groups can be as simple as your family, but also your college club, a company, etc.Today we will look briefly at the appropriate way to describe someone. This depends on your relationship to the person you are talking about.If, for example, you are talking about your own mother to a neighbor, you would use the word ?? (haha), which means "mother." If the neighbor was talking about the same person--your mom--he would would say ???? (oka-a-san). You are talking about a person in your group; he is talking about a person not in his group.Below is a list of terms for various people, and which to use depending on the relationship of the person you are referring to. The first example, on the left, is how you describe a person in...
More About: Tokyo , Japanese , Terms , Group

Kumogahata, Kyoto
2008-04-08 13:25:00
??????In the mountains of far north Kyoto , a small village lies at the end of a narrow road that snakes its way up from the Kamo River: Kumogahata.Hard as it is to believe, you are still within the city limits of Kyoto.For a tourist, there is little to see. It is however a step back in time, and the area is popular with hikers, cyclists, and campers.The road follows a narrow, fast-flowing river that feeds into the larger Kamo River. In spite of recent road work, in many places only one car can pass at a time.The buildings in the village have tiled roofs, white plaster walls, and an engawa porch.Our purpose was to clean my wife's family's ancestral grave. My father-in-law brought flowers, incense, and matches. We cleaned the sticks and leaves that had fallen on the plot. Then he placed flowers on either side of the headstone. Finally, each of us put a lit stick of incense into the altar on the headstone.We placed our hands together briefly and prayed.The area was in the past the ma...
More About: Tokyo , Kyushu

Nagoya Friends Latin Fever Night @ Salsa One 4/12
2008-04-07 12:35:00
Latin Fever at Salsa One in Sakae Date: April 12th, 2008 (2nd Saturday)Time: 18:30 - 21:00Drinks will be served between 6:30pm-8:45pm.Free Salsa Lessons for anyone who wants one!Place: Salsa One, Okuda Bldg 3F, 5-3-4 Sakae, Naka-ku, NagoyaFee: 3000 Yen Gentlemen, 2500 Yen LadiesDress code: Anything (Casual, etc)Reservations: Not necessary but recommended and appreciated. Just show up to the party!Over 25,000 Yen worth of exciting prize giveaways each month!First 15 foreigners in the DOOR, only 2000 YENReserve HEREThere will be free food along with free drinks (beers, wine, cocktail drinks and juices). Our party is not a dinner party, but we will have light food & snacks. Quantities are limited, so please come early! Please free to come alone or bring your friends. EVERYBODY is welcome to join regardless of nationality/gender. Reservations are greatly appreciated. About 125-150+ people are expected to attend. Approximately 55% female and 45% male, 70% Japan ese and 30% non-Japanes...
More About: Friends , Tokyo , Night , Latin

Kansai International Airport KIX
2008-04-07 02:36:00
??????For those travelling to and from KIX from Kobe or points further west and north, a new connection service has started that cuts down on the journey time AND is cheaper. The high-speed ferry runs from Kobe Airport and takes just 30 minutes to cut across the bay. The fare is 1500yen for adults, 700 yen for kids.Due to Japanese transport systems shutting down through the night, it can sometimes be difficult to get to KIX for early morning flights without having to book a hotel in Osaka or at the ridiculously expensive airport hotel the night before, but a new service has opened that also offers a comfortable place to relax for a few hours between flights.The Kanku Lounge is open 24 hours a day, and is modelled on an internet/Manga cafe. There are public spaces with comfortable seating, internet connection with movies, and shelves and shelves of manga.For a slightly higher fee there are "private" booths, both smoking and non-smoking, and there is also a "Ladies Only" space.Soft dr...
More About: International , Flights , Kansai

Japan This Week 06/04/08
2008-04-06 13:48:00
?????Court rejects suit against writer and Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe.NY TimesSexlessness in Japan .GuardianMt. Fuji can "cure" depression.GuardianUS sailor admits guilt in murder of Japanese taxi driver.Japan TimesGlobal survey ranks Japan as the country with the most positive international influence.Daily YomiuriPenguins in Matsue fall in love with white rubber boots--and draw in huge crowds.AsahiNew restrictions placed on US troops based in Japan following murder of cab driver.BBCSpectacular debut for Chicago Cubs Yosuke Fukudome.Yahoo! SportsApril 1st marked the 50th anniversary of the banning of prostitution in Japan.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsIn February 2007, the Asahi Shimbun surveyed 2,642 adults concerning the question: ?Does a company name or brand name matter when you buy processed food products??. 14% said yes, 55% said a qualified yes. 31% said no.The Sankei Shimbun reported that public pay phones throughout Japan have decreased from 800,000 in 1986...
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Miyajima
2008-04-05 04:39:00
??The cherry blossoms have arrived on Miyajima this week. While this UNESCO World Heritage Site is more famous for its displays of autumn colors, there are plenty of cherry blossoms to be seen along the streets and at Omoto Park and along the nature walk that winds its way along the hills just above the small town.The deer of Miyajima are well known, and to my mind are a lot more "genki" (lively) than the deer of Nara, probably owing to the fact that the Miyajima deer live in the forested mountains and only come down into the town to be fed by the hordes of tourists.From Hiroshima Station, take the JR Line to Miyajima-guchi. It costs 400 yen, and the ride takes about 25 minutes. From there you will take a short ferry ride to the island.Another option is to take street car line #2, which runs from Hiroshima Station past the Atomic Dome and on to Miyajima-guchi, the final stop. It costs 270 yen from Hiroshima, but takes more than an hour.If you are going to be traveling in and around ...
More About: Deer , Cherry Blossoms

Rentafone Japan
2008-04-03 17:41:00
Besides your passport, air tickets and credit card an essential travel accessory for Japan travel is a mobile phone.Rentafone Japan provide a cheap and convenient cell phone rental service for short-term visitors to Japan.Whether you are coming to Japan for business or pleasure, a rental cell phone is essential for keeping in touch with your contacts in Japan, as well as giving friends and family back home direct access to you.Rentafone's models are Sharp phones operating on the Softbank (formerly Vodafone) network.All Rentafone's models:Have an English menu and can be used all over Japan.Can be used to make/ receive both national and international calls.Can be used to send/ receive e-mail (not SMS), including pictures taken on the phone.Come with simple operating instructions, covering the basic phone features on one sheet of paper.201SH ---79g11.5 x 4.5 x 1.5 cmno camera301SH ---94g9 x 4.5 x 2 cm (folded)0.3 mega-pixel camera402SH ---132g9.5 x 5 x 2.5 cm (folded)1.3 mega-pixel c...
More About: Cell Phone , Mobile Phone

Introductions in Japanese
2008-04-03 14:58:00
??????With a level of formality higher in Japan than in the English-speaking world, introductions are an important linguistic ritual in Japanese . Fortunately, you can keep it fairly simple.Basic GreetingsGood morning ????????? (ohayo gozaimasu)Hello (in the afternoon) ????? (kon-nichiwa)Hello/good evening ????? (konbanwa)Introducing YourselfMy name is Smith ????? (Sumisu desu)I'm from England ????????????????????(igirisu kara kimashita, or, igirisu shusshin desu)There are four people in my family ?????? (kazoku wa yon nin desu)I have two children ???????? (kodomo ga futari imasu)My daughter is ten years old??????? (musume wa ju sai desu)I work at Kyoto University ????????? (kyoto daigaku dehatarakimasu)I teach English in the Law Faculty ??????????? (hohgakubu deeigo o oshiemasu)Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Japanese language Introductions

Japan This Week 23/3/08
2008-04-03 03:39:00
?????Utagawa exhibit in Brooklyn, USA.NY TimesJapan ese Everest climber in limbo because of Tibet troubles.GuardianJapanese interrogations to be taped.Daily YomiuriForeign visa stays to be increased from 3 to 5 years.Daily YomiuriUS sailor's credit card found in murdered cab driver'scab and suspect apprehended by US authorities.Japan TimesJapanese navy boss sacked.BBCStabbing frenzy in Tsuchiura.BBCDelay on appoinment of new Bank of Japan (BOJ) head.BBCBoston Red Sox in Tokyo.Yahoo! SportsJapan's Pan-Asianism and the Legitimacy of Imperial World Order, 1931?1945.Japan FocusCoin shower in downtown Tokyo offers more than soap andwater.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsJapan's population fell during the period October 2006 to October 2007. The number of births during the 12 months was 1,101,000 compared with 1,103,000 deaths.Japan's GDP growth rate in 2006 was 2.2%.Japan's GDP is world's second largest at approximately USD4.6 trillion in 2007.In 2004, the annual cut ...
More About: Kyushu , Nagoya , Week , Kyoto

Takamatsu Symbol Tower
2008-04-02 16:10:00
?????????The Takamatsu Symbol Tower near Takamatsu JR Station is the city's major landmark and part of the Sunport Takamatsu revelopment project of Takamatsu's port area.The 30-storey tower, the highest building on Shikoku, has an observation deck (open 10am-8pm) with excellent views of the Inland Sea and Takamatsu city below, plus extensive shopping and restaurant options.Takamatsu Symbol TowerTel: 087 811 2111Restaurants are open 11am-10pm; shops 10am-10pmYahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Shikoku Takamatsu Skyscraper

Hello Kitty meets the Mint
2008-04-01 03:43:00
??????In a surprising departure from its usual hidebound ways, Japanese bureaucracy has made a major concession to the country's popular culture in its latest plans for the redesign of the ten thousand yen bill.After a survey commissioned by the Japan Mint in February of 2007, it was found that a mere 22% of Japanese aged 14 or over could state anything about the personage whose figure presently appears on the 10,000 yen bill, Yukichi Fukuzawa, beyond the fact that he was "an historical figure". Of the remainder, 21% had "never heard of" the man pivotal to Japan's late 19th century modernization drive. On the other hand, the same survey found that the "personage" scoring highest in both recognition and popularity was the fictional Hello Kitty character created by Sanrio Co., Ltd. in 1974.The decision to redesign the bill incorporating the image of the near-ubiquitous feline coincides with what the Mint states was a decision to redesign in anyway due to another recent spate of coun...
More About: Money , Tokyo

Japanese Manga in America
2008-03-31 03:49:00
アメリカ��漫画A recent business trip to San Francisco left little time for any sightseeing. Time constraints notwithstanding, manga was easy to find.A book store on Union Square had an entire section, shelf after shelf, devoted to Japanese manga in English translation.Not far away, south of Market Street, the Cartoon Museum has a large collection of work. While it is not specifically devoted to Japanese graphic art, hardcore fans of manga will still find something of interest.I had time to take in an exhibit of Mary Blair, who designed "Alice in Wonderland" and did early work in anime. She was one of the first women to work as an animator at Disney, in the 1940s.The upcoming exhibit is "The Ten-cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How it Changed America ."AccessCartoon Art Museum655 Mission StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105Tel 415-CAR-TOONAdults: $6. 11 am - 5 pm. Closed Mondays.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget...
More About: Manga

Yozakura - night cherry blossom
2008-03-29 20:11:00
??Yozakura means ?night cherry blossom,? and, as such, has a recognized place in the Japanese spring canon. As expected, it has associations with the more seminal aspects of beauty - its forbidden and passionate side.This year?s cherry blossom season is now at its peak (mankai) and Tokyo ?s parks, in particular Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno Park, were seething with picnickers vying for a coveted place under today?s cascading branches and blue skies. Even by evening the streets were fuller than usual and there was a carnival sheen to the general atmosphere of the city. Nevertheless, the cherry blossom viewing crowds were gone and the cherry blossom were left in solitude, sometimes grand......sometimes wistfulWhether gracing main streets or decorating hidden corners of the city, the sakura-in-shadow each weaving spells of their own. In the schoolyard...By the riverside...and roadside...lightly trembling in the cool, fragrant, dark spring air.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan w...
More About: Night , Cherry Blossom , Cherry

Manga in San Francisco
2008-03-29 05:32:00
????????????A recent business trip to San Francisco left little time for any sightseeing. Time constraints notwithstanding, manga was easy to find.A book store on Union Square had an entire section, shelf after shelf, devoted to Japanese manga in English translation.Not far away, south of Market Street, the Cartoon Museum has a large collection of work. While it is not specifically devoted to Japanese graphic art, hardcore fans of manga will still find something of interest.I had time to take in an exhibit of Mary Blair, who designed "Alice in Wonderland" and did early work in anime. She was one of the first women to work as an animator at Disney, in the 1940s.The upcoming exhibit is "The Ten-cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How it Changed America."AccessCartoon Art Museum655 Mission StreetSan Francisco, CA 94105Tel 415-CAR-TOONAdults: $6. 11 am - 5 pm. Closed Mondays.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodati...
More About: Manga , Kyoto

A's, Red Sox get MLB show on the road
2008-03-28 10:05:00
Major League Baseball created a lot of buzz in Japan when it opened its 2008 season in Tokyo with two games between the World Series champion Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics on March 25 and 26.The teams split the series, Boston winning a dramatic encounter on opening day 6-5 in 10 innings and the A?s holding on to win Game 2 by a score of 5-1. Both games were played at Tokyo Dome.Former Seibu Lion right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka became just the second Japanese native to start a season opener following Hideo Nomo, who did it three times, once for the Detroit Tigers in 2000 and twice for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2003-2004).Matsuzaka was also making his first appearance in Japan since joining Boston for 51 million dollars at the end of the 2006 season. Dice-K, as he is known stateside, went 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA in his rookie MLB season and topped that off with a World Series ring.Matsuzaka?s homecoming was a bit of a letdown, however, as he struggled with his control early on ...
More About: Show , Kyushu , Nagoya

Japan in Washington, Spring 2008
2008-03-28 00:49:00
????????????Spring is slowly but surely coming to Washington , DC.The most obvious signs of that are the yellow forsythia and pink cherry trees that were coming into bloom around the city.At right is the National Cathedral, just prior to Easter, with a willow cherry gracefully bending in a garden just outside the nave.Other signs of Japan ese presence in the capital are the many tourists enjoying the strong yen--and the ubiquitous sushi bars and other Japanese restaurants.Following a visit to the Cathedral, we headed down to Georgetown to a sushi bar near the intersection of Wisconsin and M Streets.The staff was nearly all Korean and the food was delicious.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Washington Spring
More About: Sushi , 2008

Abunai!
2008-03-26 23:13:00
???You don?t need to live in Japan long to hear the word abunai (ah-boo-NIGH), or ?risky,? ?dangerous,? ?hazardous,? or, as an exclamation, ?Look out!?. It is used for:- (potentially) unsafe situations: Mado kara atama o dasu nante - abunai yo! (?Sticking your head out the window like that is dangerous!?)or, when followed by tokoro (or, ?place?), for:- ?touch and go? situations: Jikan ga sematte kita yo ne. Abunai tokoro da yo! ?Time?s run out on us, hasn't it. It?s touch and go if we?re going to make it.?- ?close call? situations: Sono torakku ni ga tsukanakute abunai tokoro datta yo ne! ?Not noticing that truck, it was close call, wasn?t it!?, or,Abunai tokoro desu ga, Tanaka-san wa tsuyoi hito dakara daijoubu desho."It?s too early to say, but Tanaka-san is basically strong, so I?m sure she?ll pull through."A colorful phrase using abunai is abunai hashi o wataru, literally ?to cross a dangerous bridge,? meaning to walk a thin line, live on the edge, play a dangerous game, play wi...
More About: Tokyo , Language

Yokkaichi
2008-03-25 18:54:00
???Yokkaichi in Mie Prefecture on the Kintetsu and JR Lines west of Nagoya Station is definitely off the beaten track.Best known as an oil-refining city, you can smell the petrol from Yokkiachi's refineries if the prevailing breeze is blowing inshore. Thankfully on the day we visited it wasn't. Yokkaichi means "four days market" and was a thriving international port in the late 19th century. During the 1960s the chemical industries in town gave rise to Yokkaichi zensoku - a kind of asthma caused by the sulphur emissions from the town's many chemical plants.Congested during the week, Yokkaichi is pleasantly relaxed on Saturdays and Sundays. I could not find a tourist office at either the Kintetsu or JR station, separated by about 700m on the town's grand boulevard, so I gave up sightseeing and just walked the town.Unless you draw the short straw and are posted here as a JET assistant high school teacher or lecture at the respected but failing Yokkaichi University, there is little...

Okinawa jamming in Nakano, Tokyo
2008-03-24 16:02:00
????????????? I was walking back to Nakano Station from a yoga lesson in Heiwa-no-mori Park in Tokyo ?s Nakano ward at about 5pm yesterday (Sunday). The street fair I had noticed on the way was still in full swing, and the sounds coming out of it made me check it out.Being late in the day, several people were crashed out on the ground, but it was still buzzing. Stalls were selling food, booze, photos, jewelry, second hand books and magazines, and promoting one or two worthy causes.But the focus of attention was on a three-piece musical unit from Okinawa : bongos, electric guitar, and trumpet/vocals. They were good! Check out the video I put up tonight on YouTube. Be prepared not only for music, but some words of wisdom, too!Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Nakano Okinawa music fair
More About: Music , Fair

Nagoya Friends - Spring Celebration 3/29 at Tsurumai!
2008-03-24 06:14:00
Nagoya Friends is holding it's 50th party in Nagoya! Date: Saturday Mar. 29th, 2008 Time: 18:15 - 20:45 Drinks will be served between 6:30pm-8:40pm. Place: Nagoya Tsurumai City Public Hall, 1-1-3 Tsurumai (very close to JR Nagoya Station) Fee:3000 Yen Gentlemen, 2500 Yen Ladies 1st 15 foreigners 2000 yen each! Dress code: Anything (Casual, etc) Reservations: Not necessary but recommended and appreciated. Just show up to the party! Over 25,000 Yen worth of exciting prize giveaways each month! There will be free food along with free drinks (beers, wine, cocktail drinks and juices). Our party is not a dinner party, but we will have light food & snacks. Quantities are limited, so please come early! Please free to come alone or bring your friends. EVERYBODY is welcome to join regardless of nationality/gender. Reservation is greatly appreciated. About 125-150+ people are exp...
More About: Japan , Spring , Celebration , Nagoya

Japan This Week 23/3/08
2008-03-23 13:46:00
?????Utagawa exhibit in Brooklyn, USA.NY TimesJapan ese Everest climber in limbo because of Tibet troubles.GuardianJapanese interrogations to be taped.Daily YomiuriForeign visa stays to be increased from 3 to 5 years.Daily YomiuriUS sailor's credit card found in murdered cab driver'scab and suspect apprehended by US authorities.Japan TimesJapanese navy boss sacked.BBCStabbing frenzy in Tsuchiura.BBCDelay on appoinment of new Bank of Japan (BOJ) head.BBCBoston Red Sox in Tokyo.Yahoo! SportsJapan's Pan-Asianism and the Legitimacy of Imperial World Order, 1931?1945.Japan FocusCoin shower in downtown Tokyo offers more than soap andwater.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsJapan's population fell during the period October 2006 to October 2007. The number of births during the 12 months was 1,101,000 compared with 1,103,000 deaths.Japan's GDP growth rate in 2006 was 2.2%.Japan's GDP is world's second largest at approximately USD4.6 trillion in 2007.In 2004, the annual cut ...
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Nob & Pecker Sakae
2008-03-21 17:01:00
?????????Shop signs written in English in Japan can still cause merriment and wonder to visitors with a grasp of English language slang.Here are a couple of classics seen in the Sakae district of Nagoya .Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Sakae Shop sign Nagoya Japanese language
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Keihan Railways
2008-03-21 06:05:00
????Keihan Railways is a private rail company that has service from central Osaka to central Kyoto. It was the first private railway to offer service between the two cities, which began in 1910.Its terminus in Kyoto is Demachiyanagi Station, which is under Kawabata Street, and convenient for Kyoto University, Doshisha University, and many other schools and businesses.From there it runs parallel to the Kamo River to Marutamachi, Sanjo, Shijo, and then through the southern suburbs of Kyoto and on to Osaka.In Osaka, it currently ends at Yodoyabashi Station, which is next to City Hall and along the city's one elegant boulevard, Midosuji.Construction is currently under way to extend the line farther into Osaka. This fall, service will continue from Yodoyabashi on to Nakanoshima.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Keihan Osaka
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Romaji
2008-03-20 04:13:00
????Previously we looked at the Japan ese syllabaries hiragana and katakana. The Japanese language is also represented in Latin script and this is referred to as romaji (literally "Rome letters"). Thus the sentence: ????????? is transcribed in romaji as "watashi wa amerika jin desu - I am American."Romaji, and by extension English, is all around you in Japan, used in road signs, station names, advertising, magazine titles, company names, shop fronts and of course, on those wacky "Engrish" T-shirts.The Hepburn romanization system dating from the late nineteenth century is still the most widely used method of transcription of Japanese into the Latin alphabet. At elementary school Japanese children are taught to read and write romanized Japanese and romaji is widely used to imput Japanese text into computers, electronic dictionaries and mobile phones.Some romanization can, however, be puzzling to the Western reader. For example, the sound sho, or jo, is sometimes alternatively written s...

Omotesando Subway Station
2008-03-19 02:43:00
??????????This chic, aerodynamic subway exit is at the corner of Omotesando and Aoyama Dori.It is located in Aoyama, which is one of the playgrounds of the very wealthy of Tokyo .Befitting the style and elan and elegance of the neighborhood, the subway stop has a clear glass roof.Climbing up the steps, you are bathed in light. For the matrons and o-jo-o-chans (rich girls) out for an afternoon of boutique-hopping, there is not a whiff of urine, no month-old wads of gum to get stuck on your Jimmy Choos or Manolo Blahniks, and not even trash--and it was sparkling clean!.Even the railings were spotless.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Omotesando Subway
More About: Station

Akasaka Sacas
2008-03-18 02:39:00
?????Tokyo ?s newest luxury shopping experience is about to get underway. Akasaka Sacas is a sprawling, tasteful, expensively-done shopping/café/restaurant complex that gets its ?Grand Opening? on March 20 ? although most of it is already actually open for business.Sacas is conveniently and very adeptly segued into Akasaka subway station on the subway Chiyoda line (exits 1, 3a, 3b, and 7). It comprises four main buildings: an office skyscraper ?Akasaka Bix Tower,? (above photo) which also houses most of Sacas?s many shops, cafes, bars and restaurants (top photo), another building housing the Tokyo Broadcasting System Headquarters, a high class apartment block ?Akasaka The Residence,? and a theater called ?Akasaka Blitz? (below photo).The restaurants of the main shopping area include a number of ethnic options, plus everything else from the painstakingly posh to the streetest of terraced chic.Akasaka Blitz is a welcome addition to what?s on in Tokyo. A perusal of the fliers showed up ...
More About: Shopping , Japan

Myoshinji Temple
2008-03-17 04:30:00
???On a stroll through Myoshinji Temple in the fall, I took a picture of one of the many sub-temples whose gate happened to be open.Unless there is a special exhibit or occasion, the sub-temple gates are usually shut tight.As a working temple that is less interested in tourist lucre than in its stated mission--zen--Myoshinji manages to maintain a very other worldly feel and a very down-to-earth feel.Priests scurry about in robes while children play in the (almost) car-free paradise of the grounds.Students and older people use the temple--which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year--for walks or to cut through on the way to Hanazono Station or school.The grounds are vast, and the thrum of traffic soon recedes as you enter the gates.AccessTake the Saiin Line four stops on the local line from Kyoto Station. Get off at Hanazono Station. From there it is a five-minute walk to the south gate.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget ac...

Japan This Week 16/3/08
2008-03-16 17:19:00
?????Yen's rise against the dollar is hurting exports.Washington PostWar-time Asian workers seek compensation from Japan ese government.NY TimesSisters who hid GBP29m in shed face tax charge.GuardianJapanese government in insurance plan to aid Mitsubishi jet.Daily YomiuriUltraman the hero, again.Japan TimesJapanese space probe sends high-definition movies of the Moon's surface back to Earth.BBCBoston Red Sox ace pitcher's wife gives birth to son, so Dice-K heads for Tokyo.Yahoo! SportsNuclear power in Japan.Japan FocusTeenager runs "delivery health" prostitute business.MainichiAmerican congressman Michael Honda sponsored the resolution calling for an apology for Japan's wartime sex slavery.International Herald TribuneLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsSingle member households reached 14.71 million in 2006, more than 14.55 million households with one child or more.Source: National Institute of Population & Social Security ResearchThe number of people using file sharing sof...
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