I think the most surprising revelation in this story for me was that the identity of Hello Kitty's creator has been kept secret all this time. It wasn't as surprising that Shintaro Tsuji is a billionaire. Growing up in Hawai'i, I've been surrounded by Sanrio characters since, I don't know, preschool. . .I have the faint memory of female classmates walking in Hello Kitty slippers that squeaked with every step. But maybe it's just a conjured memory; I can't be sure without photographic proof. Anyway, the girls that I knew from that wee age loved Kitty and friends no more than did the adult women I worked with decades later at a drugstore (Longs), where I believe employees had a 50% discount on Sanrio products. They bought that stuff up like crazy.
Fast forward to Japan, where I started out at an English conversation school in Tokyo, teaching alongside Becky from Great Britain. Becky's on a trip round the world, put on pause so that she can properly experience Japan and build her savings a bit before continuing her journey. She and her boyfriend have seen some things, trekked the hard way through South America and Australia. She carries her own humongous backpack, a seasoned traveler who's pulled her own weight through multiple continents.
I can't recall the name of the student, but Becks and I both taught her. Very nice young woman. So whenever she and Becks get together, they whip out Hello Kitty stickers or Hello Kitty compact mirrors or, I honestly don't know because I wasn't really paying attention, but I guess there are literally thousands of other cute, cute products available. The ladies sit in a corner and share these products and scream out "Kawaiii! Kawaii!" as they revel in the cuteness and femininity. I swear those were the only times I've seen my dear friend Becky be like that. It was transformative, and endearing of course. That's when I knew that Hello Kitty and Sanrio were a worldwide phenomenon. Apparently Becks fell in love with Kitty before she set out from the UK.
A short bit on the creator's life on this page, and in the video below.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Mt. Fuji's mixed blessings
A story from the Canadian Press recently came out (through the AP) about Mt. Fuji's recently-bestowed status as a World Heritage site:
World Heritage status a mixed blessing for Mount Fuji, as region braces for crowds
Climbing Mount Fuji, Japan's most iconic landmark, is a group
activity: Seldom is it climbed in solitude. The recent recognition of
the 3,776-meter (12,388-foot) peak as a UNESCO World Heritage site has
many here worried that it will draw still more people, adding to the
wear and tear on the environment from the more than 300,000 who already
climb the mountain each year.
Safety is another concern. At least seven people died and 70 were hurt climbing Fuji In 2012, and traffic jams of climbers in the pre-dawn darkness can add to the risks, says Shomei Yokouchi, governor of Yamanashi, the area to the west. The official climbing season runs July to August, and the trek — nine hours round trip in good weather — is especially treacherous other times of the year.
Mount Fuji's near perfect cone was created by an eruption thousands of years ago that buried earlier peaks, and pilgrims have been climbing it for centuries — though women have been allowed only since 1868. It towers over the Pacific coast, ringed by lakes, national parks, temples and shrines that are also part of the World Heritage site.
The new status, granted in June, will likely help area businesses — a welcome boost given the economic decline in most of rural Japan. Local authorities are puzzling, however, over how to preserve the mountain's natural beauty while improving traffic access and other facilities to accommodate the anticipated increase in visitors.
Some have suggested limiting access by raising tenfold the 1,000 yen ($10) climbing fee. But that might lead climbers to risk hypothermia by roughing it outdoors instead of staying in the 16 huts along the top of the trail, which charge up to $100 a night for cheek-by-jowl communal accommodations.
"With more foreigners visiting, we will need to think of improving the facilities," Gov. Yokouchi says, noting that the installation of composting toilets has helped. "They are cleaner than before and the smell's not so bad, but there are not enough of them."
Then there's the litter. Each year 40,000 to 50,000 volunteers clean up garbage on the peak. Groups collected nearly 900 tons to prepare for June's World Heritage vote by UNESCO, the U.N.'s cultural organization.
The designation is something to be proud of, says Hisataka Kurosawa, a 16-year-old high school student who recently joined a group of volunteers who climbed part of a trail and then scrounged around a car park near a visitor centre, collecting several big bags worth of oil cans, cigarette butts, car parts and candy wrappers.
"It's getting polluted and so many people are running around. I'm a bit disappointed about that," he says.
The volunteers were led by Toyohiro Watanabe, a former local government official who runs a civic group called Groundwork Mishima.
It's not just the crowds that worry him. He also frets over acid rain from sea water mixed with emissions from factories on the coast. And over invasive plant species, such as the bamboo grass that grows thick along the roadsides, obscuring some of the litter tossed from passing vehicles.
Global warming may be contributing to huge fissures on Fuji's slopes, prone to erosion and landslides, he says. "Although Fuji has a power of its own, it is being influenced by global warming and other factors," Watanabe says as he looks for trouble spots in some of the most frequented areas. "It is getting weaker."
Though it last erupted in 1707, Mount Fuji remains an active volcano and Japanese seismologists watch it closely. The bigger risk, though, is from accidents.
Fuji is hardly steep, but its high elevation and fickle weather can make it a hazardous climb. "There are rock falls, and sometimes people are unable to get out of the way," Gov. Yokouchi says.
UNESCO has long acknowledged the risks to World Heritage sites, both from natural disasters and unsustainable levels of tourism. Even for a country as wealthy as Japan, tight budgets mean fewer resources available to support conservation.
Click here to go to the website source.
World Heritage status a mixed blessing for Mount Fuji, as region braces for crowds
By Elaine Kurtenbach, The Associated Press | The Canadian Press
MOUNT FUJI, Japan - They trudge up well-trod cinder
paths by the thousands, headlamps glowing in the dark, and then settle
in, shivering, to await and cheer the sun's blazing ascent over the
horizon.
Safety is another concern. At least seven people died and 70 were hurt climbing Fuji In 2012, and traffic jams of climbers in the pre-dawn darkness can add to the risks, says Shomei Yokouchi, governor of Yamanashi, the area to the west. The official climbing season runs July to August, and the trek — nine hours round trip in good weather — is especially treacherous other times of the year.
Mount Fuji's near perfect cone was created by an eruption thousands of years ago that buried earlier peaks, and pilgrims have been climbing it for centuries — though women have been allowed only since 1868. It towers over the Pacific coast, ringed by lakes, national parks, temples and shrines that are also part of the World Heritage site.
The new status, granted in June, will likely help area businesses — a welcome boost given the economic decline in most of rural Japan. Local authorities are puzzling, however, over how to preserve the mountain's natural beauty while improving traffic access and other facilities to accommodate the anticipated increase in visitors.
Some have suggested limiting access by raising tenfold the 1,000 yen ($10) climbing fee. But that might lead climbers to risk hypothermia by roughing it outdoors instead of staying in the 16 huts along the top of the trail, which charge up to $100 a night for cheek-by-jowl communal accommodations.
"With more foreigners visiting, we will need to think of improving the facilities," Gov. Yokouchi says, noting that the installation of composting toilets has helped. "They are cleaner than before and the smell's not so bad, but there are not enough of them."
Then there's the litter. Each year 40,000 to 50,000 volunteers clean up garbage on the peak. Groups collected nearly 900 tons to prepare for June's World Heritage vote by UNESCO, the U.N.'s cultural organization.
The designation is something to be proud of, says Hisataka Kurosawa, a 16-year-old high school student who recently joined a group of volunteers who climbed part of a trail and then scrounged around a car park near a visitor centre, collecting several big bags worth of oil cans, cigarette butts, car parts and candy wrappers.
"It's getting polluted and so many people are running around. I'm a bit disappointed about that," he says.
The volunteers were led by Toyohiro Watanabe, a former local government official who runs a civic group called Groundwork Mishima.
It's not just the crowds that worry him. He also frets over acid rain from sea water mixed with emissions from factories on the coast. And over invasive plant species, such as the bamboo grass that grows thick along the roadsides, obscuring some of the litter tossed from passing vehicles.
Global warming may be contributing to huge fissures on Fuji's slopes, prone to erosion and landslides, he says. "Although Fuji has a power of its own, it is being influenced by global warming and other factors," Watanabe says as he looks for trouble spots in some of the most frequented areas. "It is getting weaker."
Though it last erupted in 1707, Mount Fuji remains an active volcano and Japanese seismologists watch it closely. The bigger risk, though, is from accidents.
Fuji is hardly steep, but its high elevation and fickle weather can make it a hazardous climb. "There are rock falls, and sometimes people are unable to get out of the way," Gov. Yokouchi says.
UNESCO has long acknowledged the risks to World Heritage sites, both from natural disasters and unsustainable levels of tourism. Even for a country as wealthy as Japan, tight budgets mean fewer resources available to support conservation.
Click here to go to the website source.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Tokyo Olympics 2020
The first thing I found out when I woke this morning was that Tokyo had won its bid to host the 2020 Olympics. I'm not sure why but I was a little surprised; maybe it's because it seems like people have been trying for so long to bring the event here. Some people, I should say. It was about eight or so years ago that I heard the mayor was campaigning hard for it to happen.
To tell the truth, during the months leading up to this I hardly heard people talk about it. I had one somewhat lengthy discussion with one of my fellow teachers at work, and he felt that most Japanese people were indifferent to the Olympic bid. (He's from the UK.) We talked with a couple of our Japanese colleagues, and they expressed some mild hopes that 2020 would happen for the city.
So after learning the news, I had a second small surprise; my Facebook newsfeed shows almost nothing but shouts of joy over this morning's announcement. Here are a handful:
YAAY!! 2020 Olympics in Tokyo!! Now all of u have to visit me in Tokyo!XD
Tokyo Olympic in 2020!!!! — :))) feeling excited.
Tokyo won the Olympics in 2020?? I can't imagine Tokyo will be more crowded than it already is...
TOKYO 2020!!!:D #summerolympics
Tokyo Olympic 2020:)
Congrats Tokyo!!!!! オリンピックを観に行くわー！てかその時の私はどこにいるかしら（笑）有明のテニスセンター新しくなるみたいんで楽しみ！
TOKYO Olympic 2020!!! Yay!!!
- Tokyo Olympic 2020. so who is gonna come visit me
-
Congrats JAPAN!
Yes!!!
Tokyo will be hosting the Olympics in 2020 but I'm not too keen on the idea... Tteiuka thinking that far ahead makes me a bit depressed. I will be 38 and my parents will be 75 and 67!!!
Tokyo 2020!!!! Yaaaaaaaaay! Woohooo!!
Olympic city, cool!
Can't believe, the Olympic will be held here!? Hope it willl do good for many people. Btw, my friends in foreign countries, are able to come here hahaha
Tokyo Olympic:)))
I really didn't know that so many of my friends cared. . .
Thursday, August 8, 2013
kaiten sushi (or kaiten-zushi), a.k.a. revolving sushi. sushi on a conveyor belt, sushi merry-go-round
My apologies for once again having gone AWOL. When work is in full
force, I seem unable to stem the tide of tasks coming my way, and
blog-writing (and other kinds of writing) is one of the first things I
tend to sacrifice. There must be a way for me not to do that, but I
haven't found it yet.
Well, I just finished a short anecdote about a kaiten sushi (or kaiten-zushi) experience on another blog (Japanese Word of the Day), and I wanted to follow up a bit. I'm on vacation in Hawai'i now, and I found myself missing the sushi in Japan today. Hawai'i has its share of sushi places but, to me, it's not as good as the stuff I can get in Tokyo. In Japan, the freshness of the fish and size of the cut that you get for the same price (or less) is better than what I'm finding back home, my beloved home. Of course, there are upper middle and higher-end sushi places on O'ahu--the last one I went to was Sushi King on King Street--but I'd have to say that dollar for dollar (or yen for yen), Japan is the place to go for this particular thing. Just amazing what you can get for 105 yen in Tokyo.
Ever since 3/11 (March 11, 2011, the day of the Tohoku earthquake and subsequent nuclear power plant leak in Fukushima), I have been concerned about radiation contaminating the sea life and seafood, and most of my friends share this worry. And it isn't resolved; I can't honestly say that I know that none of the fish I'm eating is contaminated. My compromise has been simply to eat the local and domestic fish in Japan less frequently. Every now and then, I look for updates on what scientific folk think about the risks posed by the Fukushima leak; the most recent article I've read is linked below, from sciencedaily.com:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130603183103.htm
In it, some professors say that the radiation doses involved in eating contaminated seafood, "even in large quantities, is comparable to, or less than, the radiological dosages associated with other commonly consumed foods, many medical treatments, air travel and other background sources," and generally that the Fukushima leak poses little threat.
No doubt, good news. . .but I'm still reflexively cautious about it. But, well, I want to live if I'm going to live. I go out to sushi less than once a week, and I enjoy it when I do.
I was looking through some kaitenzushi videos on YouTube, and I thought this one was pretty good. She gives some nice explanations.
Well, I just finished a short anecdote about a kaiten sushi (or kaiten-zushi) experience on another blog (Japanese Word of the Day), and I wanted to follow up a bit. I'm on vacation in Hawai'i now, and I found myself missing the sushi in Japan today. Hawai'i has its share of sushi places but, to me, it's not as good as the stuff I can get in Tokyo. In Japan, the freshness of the fish and size of the cut that you get for the same price (or less) is better than what I'm finding back home, my beloved home. Of course, there are upper middle and higher-end sushi places on O'ahu--the last one I went to was Sushi King on King Street--but I'd have to say that dollar for dollar (or yen for yen), Japan is the place to go for this particular thing. Just amazing what you can get for 105 yen in Tokyo.
Ever since 3/11 (March 11, 2011, the day of the Tohoku earthquake and subsequent nuclear power plant leak in Fukushima), I have been concerned about radiation contaminating the sea life and seafood, and most of my friends share this worry. And it isn't resolved; I can't honestly say that I know that none of the fish I'm eating is contaminated. My compromise has been simply to eat the local and domestic fish in Japan less frequently. Every now and then, I look for updates on what scientific folk think about the risks posed by the Fukushima leak; the most recent article I've read is linked below, from sciencedaily.com:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130603183103.htm
In it, some professors say that the radiation doses involved in eating contaminated seafood, "even in large quantities, is comparable to, or less than, the radiological dosages associated with other commonly consumed foods, many medical treatments, air travel and other background sources," and generally that the Fukushima leak poses little threat.
No doubt, good news. . .but I'm still reflexively cautious about it. But, well, I want to live if I'm going to live. I go out to sushi less than once a week, and I enjoy it when I do.
I was looking through some kaitenzushi videos on YouTube, and I thought this one was pretty good. She gives some nice explanations.
Friday, June 21, 2013
a different kind of ramen
Man, I've never had anything like this before. A ramen place near Tokyo Dome has this tonkotsu (pork bone based broth) ramen that is more like a stew, it's so thick. The place is called Hyouri Ramen. To get there, take the train to Suidobashi Station (JR Sobu line), take the East exit, turn right after coming out the turnstiles, and then turn right again when you reach the first corner/crosswalk. (Don't cross the street.) Walk straight for a few seconds and you'll see this on your right-hand side:
We had the "Ninkimono No.1," or the most popular dish. Not because it's the most popular, but because my brother has been to this place many, many times--his Japanese school is close by--and this is his favorite choice. It was my first time, so I followed his lead.
As you can see, it's topped off with tonkatsu (pork cutlet, not to be confused with the earlier mentioned tonkotsu) a bit of cabbage, and bean sprouts. If you look closely at the broth you might be able to see the grated garlic.
Rarely am I unable to finish a bowl or plate of something in Japan, its portion sizes being so much smaller than typical American portions. But something about this one filled me up, and I left a few noodles behind. If I had to pick one work to describe this bowl of noodles, it would be hearty. It was also spicy, to a degree to which most ramen generally isn't.
The manager seemed like a nice guy. I think his name is Jun. The guy below isn't him, but another customer. In the framed pictures is the former manager, a guy who also ran another quite popular ramen chain called Taishoken.
"Ninkimono No.1" cost 980 yen, or about $10.
We had the "Ninkimono No.1," or the most popular dish. Not because it's the most popular, but because my brother has been to this place many, many times--his Japanese school is close by--and this is his favorite choice. It was my first time, so I followed his lead.
As you can see, it's topped off with tonkatsu (pork cutlet, not to be confused with the earlier mentioned tonkotsu) a bit of cabbage, and bean sprouts. If you look closely at the broth you might be able to see the grated garlic.
Rarely am I unable to finish a bowl or plate of something in Japan, its portion sizes being so much smaller than typical American portions. But something about this one filled me up, and I left a few noodles behind. If I had to pick one work to describe this bowl of noodles, it would be hearty. It was also spicy, to a degree to which most ramen generally isn't.
The manager seemed like a nice guy. I think his name is Jun. The guy below isn't him, but another customer. In the framed pictures is the former manager, a guy who also ran another quite popular ramen chain called Taishoken.
"Ninkimono No.1" cost 980 yen, or about $10.
Monday, June 17, 2013
fugu (河豚 or 鰒; フグ)
According to Wikipedia, the literal translation is "river pig," but we'd normally call it "pufferfish" or "blowfish" in English.
Its notoriety is based on the chance of death from consuming it. The fish has poisons running through it, and fugu chefs need to be licensed to prepare fugu dishes, their expertise being in removing the poisonous parts. It's also known for being quite expensive, but these days a lot of the restaurants raise their own blowfish in fish tanks / aquariums, which helps to keep costs down (as opposed to buying the fish from specialized fugu farms). At such establishments, a person can have a multi-course fugu meal for about 5000 yen (approx. $50).
I just took my brother out for his first fugu experience. They say that eating it induces a moderate buzz, and my bro felt it, a kind of light-headedness. I've eaten fugu four or five times and have never experienced this buzz--although granted, I'm already drinking by the time the fish comes, so maybe the alcohol just drowned out the fugu buzz.
Tonight's meal consisted of:
We also had fugu sake (rice wine). Basically, it's warm sake with fugu fins. They light it on fire before serving it to you. It wasn't part of the set course, but we wanted to try it. To tell the truth, it didn't taste that great, but the sake felt nice going down.
These pictures are from tonight. The first dish was the appetizer, fugu skin.
This was followed by fugu sashimi. You eat it with the greenery, dipping it in the sauce in the small dish.
followed by fugu boiled in a pot. Amazingly, the pot was made of paper and didn't leak a drop.
If you watch carefully, you'll notice the flesh twitching, as the chefs have just sliced up the fish. To me, it was a horrific but sort of fascinating part of the experience. I felt genuinely sorry for those fish. . .
above is the dipping sauce.
And finally, deep-friend fugu:
At the end of the night, we had the fugu sake:
All in all, a pretty nice time, and an experience to remember. Most people that I've talked to seem to feel that fugu itself doesn't have much a distinctive taste, but I think that's what makes it so versatile. All these different ways of preparing it worked out well, and the texture was quite delectable.
Its notoriety is based on the chance of death from consuming it. The fish has poisons running through it, and fugu chefs need to be licensed to prepare fugu dishes, their expertise being in removing the poisonous parts. It's also known for being quite expensive, but these days a lot of the restaurants raise their own blowfish in fish tanks / aquariums, which helps to keep costs down (as opposed to buying the fish from specialized fugu farms). At such establishments, a person can have a multi-course fugu meal for about 5000 yen (approx. $50).
I just took my brother out for his first fugu experience. They say that eating it induces a moderate buzz, and my bro felt it, a kind of light-headedness. I've eaten fugu four or five times and have never experienced this buzz--although granted, I'm already drinking by the time the fish comes, so maybe the alcohol just drowned out the fugu buzz.
Tonight's meal consisted of:
- fugu skin
- fugu sashimi
- fugu boiled in nabe (a pot)
- rice porridge
- dessert (ice cream with mochi and azuki beans)
We also had fugu sake (rice wine). Basically, it's warm sake with fugu fins. They light it on fire before serving it to you. It wasn't part of the set course, but we wanted to try it. To tell the truth, it didn't taste that great, but the sake felt nice going down.
These pictures are from tonight. The first dish was the appetizer, fugu skin.
This was followed by fugu sashimi. You eat it with the greenery, dipping it in the sauce in the small dish.
followed by fugu boiled in a pot. Amazingly, the pot was made of paper and didn't leak a drop.
If you watch carefully, you'll notice the flesh twitching, as the chefs have just sliced up the fish. To me, it was a horrific but sort of fascinating part of the experience. I felt genuinely sorry for those fish. . .
above is the dipping sauce.
And finally, deep-friend fugu:
At the end of the night, we had the fugu sake:
All in all, a pretty nice time, and an experience to remember. Most people that I've talked to seem to feel that fugu itself doesn't have much a distinctive taste, but I think that's what makes it so versatile. All these different ways of preparing it worked out well, and the texture was quite delectable.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Taiko no Tatsujin (太鼓の達人, an arcade game)
This is a video game mainstay in Japan. Any respectable arcade should have it. I don't personal love playing it, but I love that it's been around for over a decade and can still draw a crowd. There's something wonderfully symbolic about it. I don't have any statistics on this (so if anyone out there does, please let me know and fill me in) but it doesn't seem to me like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, etc. has caught on in Japan to the extent that it did in the U.S. I'm only basing this presumption on my experience--I know a bunch of people in the U.S. who have those games at home, but no one in Japan. But then, my old professor once told me that you need at least a thousand samples to make a statistic, and I definitely don't have that.
Anyway, what I like about the symbolism of Taiko no Tatsujin is that even though (I think) Guitar Hero, Rock Band etc. hasn't caught on here as much as it once did in the U.S., this game of traditional Japanese drums is not just in every decent arcade, it garners respect. I personally don't find it that interesting, but the guy who was playing it in Ikebukuro, Sunshine Doori, must have had some game for all these people to hang and watch. I also love the juxtaposition of traditional elements manifesting in modern entertainment. Keep it alive man!
And this is what it looks like from the perspective of the player:
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