Monday, 30 April 2007

One Day Blog Silence

Sunday, 29 April 2007

Karaoke

Everyone seems to be asking me why I like Japan and it's a very hard question to answer as, it honestly doesn't do that many things better than other countries around the world. Nature? Not that much and Australia has that beat. Food? Too expensive and the quality just way to different than what I'm used to. People? Very hard to get to really know them and racism and ignorance is a huge problem here. I hate to say it but up until now my answer had really been work or money related or that Japan just feels like home now. It's not that Japan is a terrible country but it's very difficult to find something that it specialises in...

...until last night when I realised what I would miss if I ever left Japan. Karaoke!

Weird huh? Who'd have thought that karaoke would be something that I would end up doing as part of a night out! Dinner, drinks and then karaoke for the next 8 hours until the first trains runs. I know this must sound strange for those who have never been to Japan but after three years of being here karaoke feels as natural as grabbing a beer down at the pub. It's something that I'm definitely going to miss when I go back to Australia for my sister's wedding in December.

I was talking to an Aussie friend the other day about what we used to do before we came here. We had to rely on conversation! It's so hard to imagine now.

Now, I'm not a good singer by any stretch of the imagination but it's just so much fun to do with a group of close friends, Hell sometimes even strangers.

I'm currently teaching myself two Japanese songs to sing at Karaoke. The first is a truly beautiful Okinawan themed song from the 90s called Shima Uta (Island Song). Here's one of many video clips I've found of it.

The second is a fun JPop one from the popular (in Japan anyway) boy band, Kat Tun called Real Face.

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Labels: japan, Karaoke

Thursday, 26 April 2007

Buy Tales of Earthsea on DVD!

Alright! Just found out that Studio Ghibli's latest animated film based on the amazing Earthsea novels by Ursula le Guinn will be released on DVD on the fourth of July in Japan with both an English and Japanese audio track option as well as English and Japanese subtitles! This regular edition can be preordered HERE.

As usual with Japanese DVDs and moreso anime releases, there will be a super deluxe DVD release for double the price with four DVDs featuring audio tracks in Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Korean and French (what, no Spanish?) and subtitles in French, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Japanese, English and Traditional Chinese. This huge edition can be ordered HERE.

I was beginning to wonder if this film would ever be released as apparently there were licensing issues in the US over the English language version. Normally that wouldn't be a problem for a Japanese DVD release, but Ghibli releases all of their movies on bilingual DVDs in Japan. Very unusual, but very appreciated.

I didn't get around to seeing this film in it's theatrical release but Ghibli is Ghibli (even if it is a different director for this film than the previous hits) and it would be nice to have it in my collection.

Will let you know what I think in a few months!

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Labels: Ghibli

Wednesday, 25 April 2007

Is it offensive... or does the truth just hurt?

I began thinking this morning about my previous post about infidelity in Japan and what I would think if I were Japanese reading it. I would probably assume that the writer was racist or had an anti Japanese view on the subject matter and probably hasn't lived in the country very long. But if a Japanese person wrote the article, I bet I wouldn't have a problem.

It's weird that works. It's like someone bringing up the obesity level in Australia. When a non Australian says it it sounds like a jab at the country but if I said it (being Australian) it would be an intelligent conversation starter about social problems (seriously I swear Australians are getting fatter every time I go back and it's not due to me being surrounded by skinny Japanese people. A fair share of Japanese people are overweight. Almost every businessman on the Tokyo Metro is unfit and sleep deprived.)

If I was in Australia I would be blogging about becoming a republic, obesity, diabetes, AIDS, gay marriage, racism and the Stolen Generation but I'm not. I'm in Japan and this country has it's fair share of problems that affects the lives of people living here.

Since being in Japan, I've become so politically minded (who'd have thought!) that serious (even though they come across as negative sometimes) issues really interest me.

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Labels: blog, japan, Japanese Social Issues

Tuesday, 24 April 2007

Japan Affairs

A great Japan themed blog which I'm currently subscribed to, Kirainet.com has posted an informative and rather hillarious article about sex in Japan and infidelity. In the article it says how Japan is second in the world with the highest rate of infidelity.

I really can't say I'm surprised and I mean that with no ill feeling towards Japan (anyone who comments with another frilling "If you don't like Japan, why are you still there?" post will get shot. Seriously if I made posts like "Japan has apples. So does Australia! Japan rulz!" I think you'd stop reading).

Anyway, the amount of people I've met who's Japanese partner has cheated on them is just incredible. Several of these partners were married (not sure about kids). When working at NOVA so many of the adults (in the age range of 27-60) who would brag about sleeping with another woman (or man, yes the housewives do it too!). Several would go to hostess bars after a lesson despite the fact they had a wife and kids waiting at home.

I remember a hillarious evening at the Peppermint House (sounds like a gay bar but it's just a Japanese pub. Seriously) in Shin Koshigaya when a woman at the table next to ours let me speak to her husband who was overseas on her mobile before asking me if I wanted to have sex with her. "Lady, I just spoke to your husband ten seconds ago!"

Good times. Good times.

Just to be clear, I'm met some amazing Japanese men and women here who I would trust completely and who are genuinely good people. Similar to groping on trains, infidelity in Japan seems to be something visitors to Japan will either deal with personally or through association.

Interestin article. Check it out.

P.S. Just for the record I have never been cheated on during my stay in Japan. Unfortunately several close friends have been.

And now for something romantic and frigging hillarious!

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Labels: japan, Japanese Social Issues

Sunday, 1 April 2007

Spring is Here! ...or is it?

I didn't realise how much weather affects my general mood and feeling towards living in Tokyo. It's incredible how almost every day this week I've just been enjoying the walks to the station in the morning on my way to work and actually thinking about how nice Tokyo is. The temperature is a nice medium and the subtle scents in the air bring back memories of when I first came to Japan (March/April).

Life is good.

Am just about to head into Shibuya to meet Yuri for some freelance graphic design work and then head over to Yoyogi for a hanami (cherry blossom pissup in English). This is my one day off this week and I just can't be arsed spending it inside.

Hope everyone else is enjoying Spring as much as I am. In celebration of my good mood, here's a message from the hillarious Ask Ninja who has some important advice for those thinking about uni or college.

Email and Feed readers watch the movie HERE.

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Labels: japan