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Stupid Japanese puns. A
Stupid Japanese puns. A hanglider is planning to fly off a cliff. What time should he leave? Ichi ji han gurai da. (Say the above quickly. Translation: About 1:30.) With a rice cracker (senbei) in hand: Ichi mai, demo senbei desu. “Ichi mai” means “one thing,” “sen” is “1,000.” Translation: One thing, but it’s a…
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10:30 pm. Three small,
10:30 pm. Three small, unmarked utility vans pull up outside our house. They are crammed with construction equipment. The doors burst open and five young men dressed in work clothes and yellow safety vests pile out. Orange traffic cones, lights and equipment carts fly from the back of one of the vans while two of…
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Well, it’s been Spring
Well, it’s been Spring in Japan for two days and I don’t see any difference from winter yet. The last day of winter was February 3, Setsubun. To celebrate the end of the season, you go to your local temple, and throw a handful of dried soy beans while chanting “In with the good luck,…
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There are 31 Burger
There are 31 Burger Kings in Tokyo. Japan Tobacco owns 25 of them. But they want to get out of the hamburger business (which bled off several billion yen in the last five years) and plan to sell the outlets to Lotteria, another fast food chain, who will convert them to Lotterias. Soon, Americans who…
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Dan Quayle, former vice
Dan Quayle, former vice president and malaprop master, could be the next US Ambassador to Japan. According to a newspaper article published yesterday the Republican party wants to give Quayle an “important post” such as a key diplomatic position. This is, apparently, to help soothe Quayle’s ego since the party didn’t support his bid for…
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Most accidents at home
Most accidents at home occur in the bathroom. Not true in my case, as most of my accidents involve kitchen knives or boiling water. But last night, I scored one for the bathroom. Upon getting out of the bath, I fainted and fell back in. What a surprise to come to all askew in the…
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The heading on the
The heading on the catalog page is “Light Jeaning Style” Eh? The photos show a mixture of denim skirts, snap front shirts and knit tops. Casual wear. Jeaning style. Jeans are popular in Japan, as they are worldwide. Best Jeans, a Japanese manufacturer, holds a Best Jeanist contest each year. 2001 will be the 18th…
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Last night, I had
Last night, I had dinner at the Tokyo American Club. Since escaping America, we’ve mocked the American Club as a bastion for bored, bridge-playing, ex-pat wives/socialites. And to be honest, I don’t think we’re entirely wrong. The building sends off “Let’s impress everyone with our money” vibes. The lobby is a vast expanse of carpet…
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1999 and 2000 registered
1999 and 2000 registered record high unemployment levels: 4.7%. Restructuring and bankruptcies as a result of the economic decline had over a million people out of work last year. Jobs are hard to find for those who’ve been “involuntarily unemployed.” Sogo, a major department chain, let go 179 people. Only four of them have found…
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Keio, one of Tokyo’s
Keio, one of Tokyo’s suburban train companies, recently instituted late-night, “women only” train carriages in an attempt to give women a safe haven from Tokyo’s infamous gropers. This isn’t the first time segregated cars have been run through Tokyo. In 1912, a rash of groping prompted women-only cars, and after WWII there were “women and…
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