If you're at H-08, where are you in Tokyo?
Topic: Japanese life

Tokyo's subway revamped to make it more foreigner friendly
Thursday April 1, 6:05 PM
TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo's subway network has had a spring makeover, receiving a new mapping system aimed at making it easier for foreign visitors to find their way around.
As of Thursday, the Teito Rapid Transit Authority which operates eight of 12 subway lines in the capital, has changed its name to Tokyo Metro Co., and has assigned a letter of the alphabet to each line and numbered each station in sequence.pan class="gensmall">

"Bodey" Style Water(tm)

Coca-Cola Japan and Shiseido to Jointly Launch New Brand "aroma works"
Tokyo (JCNN) - Coca-Cola Japan and Shiseido jointly announced on March 25 that the two companies will collaborate to promote a new brand focusing on fragrance "aroma works" starting in April.
As an initial step, Shiseido will introduce body lotion "Body Stylish Mist" while Coca-Cola will bring to market refreshing beverage "Body Style Water" on April 21.
Pix via here

Hey, where's the funeral? ( black-suited new hires)
Topic: Japanese life
The April Fools, Japan Inc's newly hired employees are out in force today in their black "recuit suits" (リクルートスーツ)



Osaka guidelines for new hires
The friend which is strong in job hunting
One body of handicapped person employment guidance

Second major (besides just studying Japanese)
Topic: adviceS
Question: I'm a Japanese major right now: Any suggestions on a second major that will open up more doors than my current major/minor?


Find and take one of the US Foreign Service Exam pre-tests. If you score reasonably well, start following the suggestions for working for the US State Dept who are hiring big-time right now and for the near future in asian languages. Damn, I wish the State Dept was hiring like that when I was in my early 20s (I scored above the 90 percental and still it wasn't good enough). In the same vein, Chinese or Arabic would be be a good 2nd major if you are really into language study.
If you're un-techie but into writing, language and Japan, maybe you might like taking coursework in "corporate communications", technical journalism, and the like. If you pass the official "Level 2 Japanese" test and have a tech. writing degree many Japanese companies will hire you (hell, if you pass Level 1 Japanese" and got a techical writing degree I'll hire ya).

Japan is a "Loser Dog Nation"
Topic: Japanese life
Junko Sakai--->
Junko Sakai is bigtime in Japan and now NEWSWEEK is featuring her in their April 5 edition, page 9.

Letter From Tokyo: Loser Dog Nation
By Kay Itoi / Newsweek International / April 5 issue
This may be the year of monkey, but Japanese will remember 2004 as the Year of Loser Dogs, thanks to an ongoing national debate.
It started with Junko Sakai's book, "Loser Dogs Barking," out since October. Single and childless women in their 30s or older are makeinu, the author declared. It doesn't matter how successful, beautiful or happy they might be. They're all "loser dogs."
...nearly a third of Tokyo's female thirtysomethings are single. But the figure is 44 percent for men. (Loser dawgs?) Yet nobody blames them.
...Sakai's book has sold 150,000 copies---a big hit
... that's why "Loser Dogs Barking" has sparked such an uproar. Just as loser dogs can't live up to what society expects of them, so Japan can't deliver what's expected of it...Call us Loser Dog Nation.

Japanese 'maneki-neko' , or beckoning cat is full of pooh
Topic: Japanese life

"An employee of Disney Store Japan shows off Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals dressed in 'maneki-neko', or beckoning cat"

taro friends
Topic: Me
My friends are more fun than this site....

Rob Pongi's lovechild, Mo Kin
If that don't float your boat, there's always....

Today is ARSON DAY!
Topic: Japanese life

LET'S BURN HAPPY!

You folks in the Real World you still have time to celebrate March 29th:
ARSON DAY! when my favorite J-babe of all time, Yaoya Oshichi, started the Great Fire at Sugamo Temple.

An amazing 10% of Japanese teachers can speak engRish
Topic: Japanese life
English teachers lack language skills, survey says
Yomiuri Shimbun / March 30
Only about 10 percent of public middle school teachers and 20 percent of public high school teachers have passed the Practical English Proficiency Test at pre-first level or higher, according to a survey by the Education, Science and Technology Ministry.

Let's LOMO lucky!
Topic: Me
LOMO Climax Party
Sunday March 28, 2004
See: Let's LOMO lucky!Transendental LOMO
My car is charming

See the entire Photolog at
tarotokyo photolog

KILLER DOORS attack and kill thoughout Japan!
Topic: Japanese life

Boy dies after being stuck in revolving door in Tokyo
More... (Kyodo) TOKYO, Japan ....

My comment: These are no ordinary revolving doors, that you push but rather huge, compartments turned by a motor that fit up to 8 persons.
According to TBS TV news this morning (March 29), there have been 59 REPORTED cases of these powered doors attacking people.

Japan's Dead Zone
Topic: Japanese life
Spreading ocean "dead zones" top list of threats at UN environment forum
Kyodo / Monday March 29, 1:54 PM
So-called "dead zones," oxygen-starved areas of the world's oceans that are devoid of fish, top the list of emerging environmental challenges, the United Nations Environment Program warned Monday ...
Dead zones have long afflicted the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay, but are now spreading to other bodies of water... appearing off South America, Japan, Australia and New Zealand....

Get eikaiwa "certifiable" for $295, hee, hee
Topic: adviceS
Schools around the world need you to teach English
Teach abroad for only US$295 | CAD$400
Online TEFL Course
A cutting-edge and convenient way to learn the latest TEFL methodology utilizing modern technology.
* Learn a transferable skill that?s in great demand
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* Fund your travels to exciting locations
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Akebono is a cheater
Topic: Japanese life
210cm, 350+kg Akebono vs 185cm, 110kg Musashi... guess who wins?
Feast your eyes.


Akebono pile driver beats on the head of Musashi and is red carded in the 2nd Round. Restarts the 2nd Round with meaningless weak hits at Akebono fat. The 3rd Round has Akebono SLOWLY walking around and Musashi gamely neko punching fat.


Decision: Musashi wins on points 'cause Akebono is a cheater.


I guess Akebono had to figure out a way to lose since he was winning against a Japanese, hee, hee,
Musashi, Japan's K1 Champion VS Akebono
See the results posted on the official site at
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/feg/k-1gp/top585.htm



K-1: Former yokozuna Akebono bites dust again in K-1 fight
Kyodo
Saturday March 27, 8:42 PM
Former sumo grand champion Akebono lost his second straight bout since making his K-1 debut last year when he was defeated by Musashi in a unanimous decision in the K-1 World Grand Prix in Saitama on Saturday evening.


Pix via Nekobaba

Japanese ladies love lushes
Topic: Japanese life
Note this picture is from the Wasada University famous "Super Free" drinking/rape club.
Women teed off by teetotalers
(Mainichi and wire reports, March 27, 2004)
Young Japanese women are almost 10 times more likely to prefer a boyfriend who drinks than one who abstains from alcohol, according to a survey by brewer Takara Holdings Inc.
Takara's survey found that 60.6 percent of women in their 20s or 30s wanted a boyfriend who boozed as opposed to just 6.6 percent who preferred he either didn't drink or was easily intoxicated.

Stargate found at Tokyo Dome!
Topic: Japanese life
For more details about the Tokyo Dome Stargate...

"DANGER! DANGER! Will Robinson"
Topic: Japanese Tech


See the Japanese video of our new Robot Overlords here at
http://www.enryu.jp/
Click on the link that says QT6_format or wmf_format
This above picture is via the English article at http://www.freepressinternational.com/tmsuk.html

See also the description in my my Japanese blog.

Czech it out!
Topic: Japanese life

See the full-size picture and comments on the Easterwood.org site........For the first time since they've been keeping records of these things, 4 highest division sumo wrestler enter today, the 12th day of the current Spring tournament in Osaka....<

Posted by trek/taro at 3:34 PM JST
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Get ChipsCan 2004
Topic: Japanese life

"GET chipscan 2004," the Japanese solution!All your chips and drinks in one huge can.
Via http://www.pepsi.co.jp/campaign/chipscan2004/index.html#

Tokyo SkyPerfecTV schedules for April
Topic: FAQ
SkyPerfecTV
http://search.skyperfectv.co.jp/prog/channel/

AXN Ch 725
http://www.axn.co.jp/information/english.html
http://www.axn.co.jp/timetable/index.html
http://www.axn.co.jp/timetable/images/pdf/monthly_03_e.pdf
http://www.axn.co.jp/timetable/images/pdf/monthly_04_e.pdf

LaLa TV Ch 372 http://www.lala.tv/timetable/index.php

03-3249-7210
English:3211#
Sex in the City is now playing
http://www.lala.tv/regular/drama/satc/index.html
http://search.skyperfectv.co.jp/prog/channel/372.html

Super Channel Ch 360
http://www.super-ch.com/
http://www.super-ch.com/pdf/200403/Super2004_03_eng.pdf

Discovery Ch 321
http://japan.discovery.com/schedules/pdfe01/2004apr.pdf

Cartoon Network Ch 726
http://www.cartoonnetwork.co.jp/english/
http://www.cartoonnetwork.co.jp/english/sch_det_e.asp

BBC Ch 252 oddly Japanese only???
http://www.bbcworld-japan.com/program/images/Thismonth.pdf
I guess add +9 hours to GMT on the British schedule
http://www.bbcworld.com/content/template_tvlistings.asp?pageid=668

and oh yeh, farking FOX Ch 722 is Japanese only
http://www.foxjapan.com/tv/

Posted by trek/taro at 1:44 PM JST
Updated: Friday, July 30, 2004 4:12 PM KDT
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