Monthly Archive for November, 2007

Guest Book Review – The Sushi Economy

Published on November 28, 2007 in Culture. 2 Comments

Sushi - By ulterior epicure

The Sushi Economy, Globalization and the making of a modern delicacy.

Sasha Issenberg (2007)

Reviewed by Marc C. Bosse
Cross-posted from tiltyhouse.

The year is 1970 in Prince Edward Island. After struggling for many hours you have hauled in a prize fish; a 140kg Atlantic blue-fin tuna. After posing for the ritual trophy photograph on the wharf you bid the charter captain good day and more often than not never see the fish again.

If it was convenient the large blue-fin will be brought to a cannery where it would be purchased for cents on the kilogram. If it was not convenient a local earth moving contractor will likely bury it in the landfill. In all likelihood little, if any, of the tuna would ever be eaten.

In 1972 an aeroplane freighted PEI bluefin tuna sold for 40 dollars per kilogram at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. This rapid change in value was a result in the globalization of trade and changes in Japanese taste since the end of World War II.

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Exploring Iwate – Part 1-

Published on November 28, 2007 in Iwate and Photography. 0 Comments

Takizawa Morning, originally uploaded by jasohill.

If you were to live in my area of Japan, you might just see this on a particularly clear morning. In this picture, Mt. Iwate stands guard over the small town of Takizawa, south of where I live, and north of Morioka. You usually can’t see the mountain as it’s covered in clouds.

Week of Crushing Immobility(part 1)

Published on November 21, 2007 in Culture, Education, Hachimantai and Personal. 2 Comments

If I were asked by someone what my worst experience in Japan was, I would have to say that this week would come very close to being the winner. I spent the last week hobbling around in a leg cast, and it left me unable to leave my house. But it’s not quite as bad as you think. What happened to my leg? Here is my sad little story.

Continue reading ‘Week of Crushing Immobility(part 1)’

Exploding Piggy-Bank

Published on November 12, 2007 in Culture and Technology. 0 Comments

I don’t usually don’t like to post stories that have made the rounds on the blogosphere. But this particular article is just too funny too resist. The story comes to us from the AFP, and can be read here.

TOMY toy company has designed an exploding piggy bank that shakes violently when you don’t add money to it in a timely manner. This “punishment” is supposed to shame you into saving more money. Oh, Japan, I should have seen this one coming. As if people here didn’t have enough shame as it is. The bank is called the ”人生銀行” or “Life Bank”, and is ready to go on sale any day now.

If you are interested in any of their other 人生 products, you should check this out. It might be the most annoying alarm clock ever devised. They call it the “Life Clock” or “人生時計.”

In order to bring you content above and beyond what the AFP is bringing you, I intend to purchase an exploding bank and play around with it. Stay tuned.

人生銀行 – Product page.

“Concentration” in Japanese

Published on November 11, 2007 in Culture, Education and Hachimantai. 0 Comments

In what is perhaps the most awesomely translated game name I’ve ever heard coming out of Japan, I learned what the game “Concentration” means in Japanese the other day.

First of all, I should explain that I use “Concentration” as a way to practice vocabulary with young learners of English. I usually choose eight words, then print out two sets of them. During a class we’ll practice the target vocabulary, then I’ll lay out the cards on the black board in a 4X4 pattern. Young children love this game, and they enjoy trying to get a matching pair of words.

Well, the other day, I was playing this game with a group of first graders and the teacher mentioned how much she like the game herself. I asked her if this was a game that is played in Japan. She mentioned it was quite popular and is called “神経衰弱(shinkeisuijaku)” in Japanese. I didn’t get a chance to look it up until recently, but when I did, I almost fell out of my chair. I asked her again about the name. I asked  why it was translated into “Nervous Breakdown.” She couldn’t give me an answer.

I can only imagine what late night session of “concentration” by a group of overzealous salarymen lead to the game being called “Nervous Breakdown.” Somebody had to be playing this game at gunpoint.

I love Halloween

Published on November 8, 2007 in Culture and Senmaya. 0 Comments

I love Halloween, originally uploaded by jasohill.

I was at the the Murone Steak and Halloween party again this year. If you’ve been following this blog, you’ll know I try to get out to this party every year. We started out at Hilltop steak out in Senmaya, and moved on to the community center, located somewhere near the Iwate, Miyagi border.

The kids party was awesome, with well over a hundred kids showing up in some of the most wonderful costumes(most of them not relating to Japanese manga and anime characters.) The after party also a lot of fun. I got the chance to meet some of the new JET programme participants this year. Overall, it was well worth the two hour drive.

A big thanks to Greg Anthony for throwing it. This is his eight time doing it.