I decided to move the blog to a new location at http://yokohamabrad.wordpress.com/
It has better stats and a cleaner interface that Blogspot.
So once again, all new posts will be at http://yokohamabrad.wordpress.com/
Friday, September 5, 2008
New Blog - Fine Filter
I just started a new blog today called Fine Filter. The slogan is "Awesome shit from the world of entertainment" so if that kinda thing interests you then check it out.
I have a ton of posts ready to go for this blog so I plan on doing another post-marathon tomorrow morning/afternoon.
I've been working on the new blog for hours now and it's time to go to sleep.
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
I have a ton of posts ready to go for this blog so I plan on doing another post-marathon tomorrow morning/afternoon.
I've been working on the new blog for hours now and it's time to go to sleep.
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Second Fireworks - Enoshima
Over the Summer months, hanabi (fireworks), is a very popular pastime in Japan. During Erin's visit we went to two hanabi, one of which was at Enoshima. Fireworks here differ greatly from those that I've seen in America. While most fireworks in the U.S. last for only 15 minutes or so, here they can last for upwards of two hours.
When we first arrived there were so many people that it overloaded the cell phone towers so I wasn't able to get in touch with Rory to find out where to meet. Just as we were about to leave the beach to check the local surf shop, I saw a pirate flag and remembered everyone's obsession with pirates and knew that it had to be the place. As luck would have it, I was right and we were instantly greeted with cool drinks and food.
After several hours of watching fireworks, Tetsu, an old friend from months ago, broke out the guitar and I played a few songs for everybody. At the end of the night, Tetsu gave a speech and then proceeded to lift everyone up in the air. The night concluded with some guy who was too drunk to stand trying to pee completely naked. Good times!
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Japanese Lingo - それがし
There are plenty of resources online where you can learn "regular" Japanese, so here I decided to let you know about words and phrases that I learned not from any textbook, but during conversations with native Japanese speakers.
それがし, pronounced "So-Ray-Ga-Shi," is how samurai's used to refer to themselves. As cool as it may seem to use the same word for "I" that the samurai's did, often times people won't understand this word because it's so old. Once they do understand it, it probably won't even get a laugh unless you're talking about samurai's at the time.
I learned it from a guy at T.G.I. Friday's during happy hour if that helps paint the picture any better. Whatever...I still think it's pretty cool.
Here's a quick example sentence:
Kanji: それがしは食べたいです。
Hiragana: それがしはたべたいです。
Romaji: Soregashi wa tabetai desu.
English: I wanna eat.
それがし, pronounced "So-Ray-Ga-Shi," is how samurai's used to refer to themselves. As cool as it may seem to use the same word for "I" that the samurai's did, often times people won't understand this word because it's so old. Once they do understand it, it probably won't even get a laugh unless you're talking about samurai's at the time.
I learned it from a guy at T.G.I. Friday's during happy hour if that helps paint the picture any better. Whatever...I still think it's pretty cool.
Here's a quick example sentence:Kanji: それがしは食べたいです。
Hiragana: それがしはたべたいです。
Romaji: Soregashi wa tabetai desu.
English: I wanna eat.
Japanese Music - The Band Apart
From time to time I'll bring you a Japanese musical artist that catches my attention and would probably be worth your time to listen to. For the most part, don't expect many Japanese people to know about these artists since I tend to like some pretty weird and rare music.
I first saw The Band Apart play in Nashville for only $5 at The 5 Spot and it was a great time. Their music is poppy yet intricate and smart. I had the chance to talk to them and try out some of my Japanese skills for the first time after their show and they were really nice people. I found a flyer for one of their shows in Japan recently and the price was a staggering $50-$70.
Here's the video for my favorite song by them called "Still Awake." It's kind of a boring video, but a great song:
Here's the link to their Myspace page.
I first saw The Band Apart play in Nashville for only $5 at The 5 Spot and it was a great time. Their music is poppy yet intricate and smart. I had the chance to talk to them and try out some of my Japanese skills for the first time after their show and they were really nice people. I found a flyer for one of their shows in Japan recently and the price was a staggering $50-$70.
Here's the video for my favorite song by them called "Still Awake." It's kind of a boring video, but a great song:
Here's the link to their Myspace page.
Another Enoshima Day
After a usual day of drinking and swimming at Enoshima beach with Rory, we later met up with Shaun, another teacher from our company. We walked around the beach for awhile and ended up at one of the many bars on the beach for a few minutes. With surprising ease, we were able to talk the bar hustlers down from $7 tequila shots to a mere $3...at which point we drank many.
Rory and I were quickly in the mood to find a party after that, but Shaun went home so we went to the other side of the beach where we rarely go and had a blast. I talked to a group of about 10 girls from Tokyo for awhile and we lit off some fireworks. When Rory came back from wherever he was, we went to hang out with a group of about 15 dudes who were way too excited to have the day off. We later met yet another group of people and drank Sho-Chu for awhile. I left to catch my last train not too long after that, but Rory stayed since he lived in the area.
Here Rory and I are making the "I have no idea what's going on" face:
Rory and I were quickly in the mood to find a party after that, but Shaun went home so we went to the other side of the beach where we rarely go and had a blast. I talked to a group of about 10 girls from Tokyo for awhile and we lit off some fireworks. When Rory came back from wherever he was, we went to hang out with a group of about 15 dudes who were way too excited to have the day off. We later met yet another group of people and drank Sho-Chu for awhile. I left to catch my last train not too long after that, but Rory stayed since he lived in the area.
Here Rory and I are making the "I have no idea what's going on" face:
Volleyball At The Beach
A couple weeks ago Erick, Rory, Nana, Craig, and I decided to play some volleyball at the beach. We rented a ball from somewhere and played for about two hours. It was a great time but for the next two days I was in intense pain since I normally don't do any physical activity of any kind.
As we were playing, one of the major TV networks was shooting a bunch of famous people who I didn't recognize playing volleyball. We had to take pictures of them in secret and were turned away when we tried to get autographs. Apparently, you can see us playing volleyball in the background of several shots and we were in the commercial for the episode for a second! If I remember correctly it aired this past Sunday but I didn't get a chance to see it.
Here's one of the pictures that we managed to get:
We later met up with Kazumi at Free Culture for a couple drinks and went home.
Here's one of the pictures that we managed to get:
We later met up with Kazumi at Free Culture for a couple drinks and went home.
Food Review - Squid
If I remember correctly, the first time I had squid, or Ika, was at my favorite sushi shop called Yoroi. It was one the times I spent all night talking to people and ended up drinking Sho-Chu all night with some old lady. After awhile, she started ordering item after item for us to eat and one of those items was squid. I was instantly hoooked and now it's one of the first things I order when going out.
You can resonably expect it to be prepared the same way every time, but once when Rory and I ordered it in Fujisawa it came out uncooked with a tiny grill so we could finish the job that the cooks didn't do. No matter how long we left it on the burner, it was still too rubbery and inedibile.
Ika comes in two sections, the first is the body sliced to make O rings. This part is usually a little rubbery, but not too much. The second part is the feet or tentacles which are usually quite crispy. It's typically served with a side of mayo, a lot of salt, and sometimes with sauce on it like the picture above.
It will usually run you about $3-$5 depending on how high class of a restaurant you go to. I think at Yoroi it's about $6, but well worth it. I've made store bought squid twice in my apartment but it's never been too good. I always end up making too much and get sick of it. If you've never had it, I suggest you try it next time you get the chance.
Ika comes in two sections, the first is the body sliced to make O rings. This part is usually a little rubbery, but not too much. The second part is the feet or tentacles which are usually quite crispy. It's typically served with a side of mayo, a lot of salt, and sometimes with sauce on it like the picture above.
It will usually run you about $3-$5 depending on how high class of a restaurant you go to. I think at Yoroi it's about $6, but well worth it. I've made store bought squid twice in my apartment but it's never been too good. I always end up making too much and get sick of it. If you've never had it, I suggest you try it next time you get the chance.
Japanese Lingo - じゃん
There are plenty of resources online where you can learn "regular" Japanese, so here I decided to let you know about words and phrases that I learned not from any textbook, but during conversations with native Japanese speakers.
じゃん, pronounced "Jah-n" or like "John," is one word that I'm pretty sure I never heard until I came to Japan. It's kind of a slang word native to Yokohama and to some extent Tokyo as well. It's pretty much just a tag word used at the end of sentences to mean "isn't it?"
Usually the "n" part of the word is only loosely pronounced, with most of the emphasis being on the "Ja" part of the word. Although it's certainly acceptable practice to say it around Yokohama and Tokyo, you may get some looks of surprise for saying if you are a foreigner. Nonetheless, you should at least know what it means in case it comes up in coversation.
Here is a real quick example sentence:
Kanji: ああ、 凄いじゃん！
Hiragana: ああ、 すごいじゃん！
Romaji: Ah, sugoi jan!
English: Whoa, pretty cool huh?!
じゃん, pronounced "Jah-n" or like "John," is one word that I'm pretty sure I never heard until I came to Japan. It's kind of a slang word native to Yokohama and to some extent Tokyo as well. It's pretty much just a tag word used at the end of sentences to mean "isn't it?"
Usually the "n" part of the word is only loosely pronounced, with most of the emphasis being on the "Ja" part of the word. Although it's certainly acceptable practice to say it around Yokohama and Tokyo, you may get some looks of surprise for saying if you are a foreigner. Nonetheless, you should at least know what it means in case it comes up in coversation.
Here is a real quick example sentence:
Kanji: ああ、 凄いじゃん！
Hiragana: ああ、 すごいじゃん！
Romaji: Ah, sugoi jan!
English: Whoa, pretty cool huh?!
The Truth - Robots
As an foreigner, I was very surprised by a lot of things when I came to Japan. Additionally, I think there are a lot of misconceptions about Japan, and for whatever it's worth, I'm going to throw my two cents in.
I've been here for 6 months and counting and I still haven't seen a damn robot.
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
I've been here for 6 months and counting and I still haven't seen a damn robot.
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPoolEmail: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Surfing = Fail
I tried surfing for the first time ever recently on Rory's board which was pretty exciting, but just as I expected I couldn't do it at all. Every time I finished trying to ride a wave the board would fly up in the air in front of me. As such, for the safety of those around me I decided to stop. All in all, I tried on two different occasions and although fun, it was vastly frustrating. As far as I know, Rory has also decided to quit surfing as well.
Below is a pic of Rory's 1980-riffic board that we used:
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Below is a pic of Rory's 1980-riffic board that we used:
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Japanese Music - Cornelius
From time to time I'll bring you a Japanese musical artist that catches my attention and would probably be worth your time to listen to. For the most part, don't expect many Japanese people to know about these artists since I tend to like some pretty weird and rare music.
Cornelius is one artist that has already had some degree of popularity in America, but if you haven't heard about him yet I highly recommend checking him out. I first found out about him from Uhh Yeah Dude and then I downloaded The Gum EP. It's pretty experimental Electronica/Rock that often has catchy hooks.
I'll let the video speak for itself.
Cornelius is one artist that has already had some degree of popularity in America, but if you haven't heard about him yet I highly recommend checking him out. I first found out about him from Uhh Yeah Dude and then I downloaded The Gum EP. It's pretty experimental Electronica/Rock that often has catchy hooks.
I'll let the video speak for itself.
Saturday Nights
One thing that really surprised me about Japan is that most people only go out on Saturday nights. There was one instance I remember that perfectly exemplifies this. In late Spring I was out on a beautiful Friday night with some ladies walking around the Sakuragichou area. It's a great place to spend an evening with plenty of Izakaiyas, coffee shops, a nicely lit harbor area, and even a ferris wheel. Despite all of this, there was hardly anyone in sight.
When I asked why no one was out enjoying their weekend after a boring week of work, they didn't really have a good answer other than that's just the way it is. I suppose if you're going to be spending an extended period of time in Japan and want to meet people it's something to take into consideration.
When I asked why no one was out enjoying their weekend after a boring week of work, they didn't really have a good answer other than that's just the way it is. I suppose if you're going to be spending an extended period of time in Japan and want to meet people it's something to take into consideration.
Visiting Japan? Get A Suica!
This is somewhat of a dry topic but it will probably save you a lot of time and energy whether you're living in Japan or just visiting. If you live here, chances are you already know about it and have a Suica card, but if you only staying for a week or so it could slip right by you.
Suica is a rechargeable magnetic debit card that is able to be used on all of Japan's train systems. At first, it will cost you 2,000 yen ($20 US), 500 yen of which goes to the purchase of the card itself and is completely refundable when you leave. While a rechargeable train card may not seem like groundbreaking stuff, it really helps in that you don't have to stare up a big map in the train station written entirely in Japanese in order to figure out how much your train ticket will cost.
Furthermore, it can also be used at stores both in and near the train stations. Since all money in Japan lower than $10 is in coinage, it can really help to cut down on how much change you have to carry around. Plus the penguin is pretty cool too!
Furthermore, it can also be used at stores both in and near the train stations. Since all money in Japan lower than $10 is in coinage, it can really help to cut down on how much change you have to carry around. Plus the penguin is pretty cool too!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Random Picture - Sleeping Cat
Erin and I came across this cat one day while walking around Kamakura. I couldn't get over how cool it was so I figured I'd post up the pic in case you haven't seen it on my Flickr account yet.
Photo credit: Erin Raduazo
Photo credit: Erin Raduazo
First Fireworks - Yokohama
The first night that my cousin Erin spent in Japan we went straight to Kazumi's apartment to watch the fireworks, or "Hanabi," over the downtown Yokohama area.
We simply couldn't have asked for a better night, or a better first night in Japan for Erin. From the top floor of the building it was a perfect view for watching fireworks. I also got to catch up with people I hadn't seen in awhile and also make some new friends.
The food was great with a full spread of sushi, pizza, and countless other dishes. The highlight of the night by far aside from the fireworks was shotgunning beers. Craig, who had never done it before, sprayed beer all over the nice furniture when he stabbed the beer can. I was far too full from dinner to do it properly and most of mine went right into the sink. Rory however took it down like a champ.
We simply couldn't have asked for a better night, or a better first night in Japan for Erin. From the top floor of the building it was a perfect view for watching fireworks. I also got to catch up with people I hadn't seen in awhile and also make some new friends.
The food was great with a full spread of sushi, pizza, and countless other dishes. The highlight of the night by far aside from the fireworks was shotgunning beers. Craig, who had never done it before, sprayed beer all over the nice furniture when he stabbed the beer can. I was far too full from dinner to do it properly and most of mine went right into the sink. Rory however took it down like a champ.
After the night ended, Erin and I headed off in search of the train station, but since I didn't know that area of Yokohama too well I wasn't sure about where to go. Luckily we met an old married couple in front of the apartment building who were waiting for their son to pick them up and they gave us a ride to the station. I thanked them profusely and we were able to make it back in time before the last trains hit.
Japanese Music - Perfume
From time to time I'll bring you a Japanese musical artist that catches my attention and would probably be worth your time to listen to. For the most part, don't expect many Japanese people to know about these artists since I tend to like some pretty weird and rare music.
Perfume is the first major label group that I've heard and liked since I've been in Japan. I found out about them from an ex-girlfriend and they're by the far the most poppy and girly group I've ever heard. However, Perfume's teeny-bop is steeped in Electronica and House which is why I took a liking to it. I can really only take listening to one or two of their songs before I get fed up. I wouldn't say that they're great...only interesting mainly because of the production behind them.
Here's a link to a fansite I found.
Here's is a video of the only song I really like called "Electro World."
Perfume is the first major label group that I've heard and liked since I've been in Japan. I found out about them from an ex-girlfriend and they're by the far the most poppy and girly group I've ever heard. However, Perfume's teeny-bop is steeped in Electronica and House which is why I took a liking to it. I can really only take listening to one or two of their songs before I get fed up. I wouldn't say that they're great...only interesting mainly because of the production behind them.
Here's a link to a fansite I found.
Here's is a video of the only song I really like called "Electro World."
Japanese Lingo - "無謀な挑戦"
There are plenty of resources online where you can learn "regular" Japanese, so here I decided to let you know about words and phrases that I learned not from any textbook, but during conversations with native Japanese speakers.
Recently when I was at my local sushi restaurant, Yoroi, I told the chef about my friend Rory who was driving his Gentsuki, or moped/scooter, all the way from Yokohama which is in the middle of Honshu up to Hokkaido, which a completely different island in Japan.
At the thought how crazy this was, he used a word that I had never heard before which was "無謀な挑戦" and in Hiragana it's "むぼなちょうせん." In normal English pronounciation, or Romaji, it's pronounced "Mu-bo-Na-Chou-Sen." It's a combination of two different words, the first meaning "reckless, mad, or foolhardy" and the second word meaning "to challenge, or to attempt." The "na" in between the two words, as far as I know, marks the adjective of the first word.
Although everyone at the time he used it understood the word perfectly, I have gotten some strange looks when I've used it in other situations. However, after showing the person I was talking to the kanji, or Chinese characters, involved in the construction of the word, they instantly understand and got a good laugh about it.
Recently when I was at my local sushi restaurant, Yoroi, I told the chef about my friend Rory who was driving his Gentsuki, or moped/scooter, all the way from Yokohama which is in the middle of Honshu up to Hokkaido, which a completely different island in Japan.
At the thought how crazy this was, he used a word that I had never heard before which was "無謀な挑戦" and in Hiragana it's "むぼなちょうせん." In normal English pronounciation, or Romaji, it's pronounced "Mu-bo-Na-Chou-Sen." It's a combination of two different words, the first meaning "reckless, mad, or foolhardy" and the second word meaning "to challenge, or to attempt." The "na" in between the two words, as far as I know, marks the adjective of the first word.
Although everyone at the time he used it understood the word perfectly, I have gotten some strange looks when I've used it in other situations. However, after showing the person I was talking to the kanji, or Chinese characters, involved in the construction of the word, they instantly understand and got a good laugh about it.
Engrish - Smoked Person
I found this awesome Engrish at Hakone. It's by far one of my favorites. You may need to click it for a larger version since the formatting is acting up. Enjoy.
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Still lazy and busy...
Ugh, no time to post. When there is time, I'm far to lazy to construct sentences on the Internet. So...look at the Flickr page and make up your own story! It'll be fun.
My cousin Erin is coming to Japan tomorrow for 13 days so don't expect too many, if any posts. However, again check out the Flickr page for pics.
My cousin Erin is coming to Japan tomorrow for 13 days so don't expect too many, if any posts. However, again check out the Flickr page for pics.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Sup
Last night was crazy. Soccer game, made new friends, went to Izakaiya, and then and all night festival at Chigasaki beach with Rory. It's 11am now and I still haven't really slept.
There's a proper post coming soon once I get motivated enough. I plan on doing another 4-5 post marathon very soon.
-Brad
There's a proper post coming soon once I get motivated enough. I plan on doing another 4-5 post marathon very soon.
-Brad
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Place Review - Kamakura
Kamakura is a mainly historic district in southern Yokohama with plenty to see and do from shrines to great food and a beach. It's also only a short train ride from other great spots like Fujisawa and Enoshima Island making it a great place to start a day of sightseeing. The main attraction of Kamakura is Daibutsu, a large bronze Buddha statue.
Before getting to the main part of Kamakura, you first arrive at a different station about 25 minutes walking distance away from all of the best stuff. From here you can either connect to a smaller train line or walk, I suggest the latter since there is some great stuff to see on the way. In front of this station (too lazy to look up name) there is a large outdoor market and mostly modern buildings. If I remember correctly, the market was mostly food as opposed to souvenirs with a number of small coffee shop style restaurants dotting the area. The street is very narrow and packed with people so I made a quick run of it, but it was still interesting nonetheless.
In Kamakura there are countless shrines and historic landmarks, close to 25 to be exact, but there is one fairly large one that is a must see...I'm a terrible tour guide...I have no idea what it's called, but it's close to the main downtown area. I happened to just stumble into it and maybe if you go you'll do the same. It's located at the top a large hill and along the left hand side of the street there are pretty decent souvenir shops the whole way to the shrine. It costs roughly 400 yen to enter and it's packed with plenty of photo opportunities and incredible views of the shoreline.
In Kamakura there are countless shrines and historic landmarks, close to 25 to be exact, but there is one fairly large one that is a must see...I'm a terrible tour guide...I have no idea what it's called, but it's close to the main downtown area. I happened to just stumble into it and maybe if you go you'll do the same. It's located at the top a large hill and along the left hand side of the street there are pretty decent souvenir shops the whole way to the shrine. It costs roughly 400 yen to enter and it's packed with plenty of photo opportunities and incredible views of the shoreline.
The beach area in Kamakura is bit lacking, but it's worth a quick stop to break up all of the sightseeing. It's quite small and the dark black sand makes the whole thing quite unappealing.
Daibutsu is the main attraction of Kamakura and it stands about 43 feet high (13 meters...I still can't get used to this whole meters thing). For 30 yen, or $0.30 USD, you can actually walk inside, but it's incredibly disappointing. You pretty much fight your way against people leaving the statue in what is barely enough space for one person to fit into. The whole experience is like being thrust into a mosh pit inside of a tiny metal box. Once inside, you immediately realize that there is nothing to see and turn around 30 yen poorer than when you came in. There is a small souvenir desk with a bunch of overpriced books about Buddhism for the foreigners that get a little too inspired, but I did manage to an awesome key chain for about 400 yen or so.
After you've seen about as much historic stuff as you can take, there is a great hiking trail about a ten minute walk from Daibutsu. You should be warned however that it is a lot longer than it appears. I decided to be adventurous and after about an hour of walking I regretted my decision. About halfway through the trail, there is a very cool looking restaurant and cafe nestled in the woods. I really wanted to stop, but my first priority was finding a way out of the woods because I had to work the next day...and I was broke. I finally came to a clearing which was surprisingly residential. Luckily, another foreigner who lived nearby gave some directions and before I knew it I was right back in the woods. After about another 20 minutes, there was another shine and a fork in the road. There I met three people who helped me find the train station and we stopped at yet another shrine on the way to wash money which is good luck or something. Thanks again to the people who helped me get out of the forest!
The statue itself seems somewhat normal after awhile until you look at the sepia photos nearby with European royalty from hundreds of years ago posing in front and it hits you just old this thing really is. I've heard of people having similar experiences while visiting the Great Pyramids in Egypt as well. When something is built by people, but has outlasted countless generations, it kind of gives you an odd perspective on things.
After you've seen about as much historic stuff as you can take, there is a great hiking trail about a ten minute walk from Daibutsu. You should be warned however that it is a lot longer than it appears. I decided to be adventurous and after about an hour of walking I regretted my decision. About halfway through the trail, there is a very cool looking restaurant and cafe nestled in the woods. I really wanted to stop, but my first priority was finding a way out of the woods because I had to work the next day...and I was broke. I finally came to a clearing which was surprisingly residential. Luckily, another foreigner who lived nearby gave some directions and before I knew it I was right back in the woods. After about another 20 minutes, there was another shine and a fork in the road. There I met three people who helped me find the train station and we stopped at yet another shrine on the way to wash money which is good luck or something. Thanks again to the people who helped me get out of the forest!
So there's that...I'm back. I actually have other posts written on paper but I'm too lazy to work them out on the blog. Tonight I'm going to an Enkai, another work party, and then one more day of work and a company meeting before starting a break until September. The next few posts will probably come around Sunday or so since I may go to the beach on Saturday.
Later - Brad
Later - Brad
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Where Am I?
Thanks to everybody that's been checking out the blog while I've been too lazy and too busy to post. It's always cool to see the hit count go up a little bit. I assure you I'll be making regular posts soon. Next Friday I start my summer vacation so I'll have plenty of time then. However, I should let you know that I started playing World Of Warcraft again. Check out my stats son! I hit 70 and it's awesome.
I've been coming up with some ideas for blog topics while I'm at work so sometime maybe this weekend I'll just do another blog marathon.
All is well in Japan. I've just been far too busy with work and play to write about how awesome of a time it is.
Later - Brad
I've been coming up with some ideas for blog topics while I'm at work so sometime maybe this weekend I'll just do another blog marathon.
All is well in Japan. I've just been far too busy with work and play to write about how awesome of a time it is.
Later - Brad
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Update
Hey I just got back from Tokyo from a crazy weekend. I played a show at Daikanyama in Shibuya and it was dope. New posts coming maybe tomorrow after work.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The Truth - Deodorant In Japan
As an foreigner, I was very surprised by a lot of things when I came to Japan. Additionally, I think there are a lot of misconceptions about Japan, and for whatever it's worth, I'm going to throw my two cents in.
With that said, lets talk about deodorant. Like most people, it's not something that I ever took into consideration before. You just buy it, put it on, whatever. It's deodorant. Who cares. But, from everything I've seen, they don't really have any deodorant in Japan.
After scrounging through two grocery stores and asking every employee, I was able to find one weird ass roll-on thing for about 650 yen...that's almost $7! Furthermore, even when doing the "Hey look! I'm putting deodorant on!" motion to show what I wanted since I didn't know how to say it in Japanese, they had no idea what I wanted.
For the time being, I'm doing okay since my Dad sent a care package to me loaded with the Old Spice red deodorants that I'd gotten so used to. Pure Sport...Aqua Reef...you know what I'm talkin' about. Also, I think I've got a good line on deodorant with someone who lives on the American base in Yokosuka so all should be well.
What tripped me out even more than the fact that deodorant is rare in Japan, is that I actually have an old roommate in America and after telling him this story I learned that he has never used deodorant and never stinks. After all my research before coming here, I had no idea. Comments...?
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
With that said, lets talk about deodorant. Like most people, it's not something that I ever took into consideration before. You just buy it, put it on, whatever. It's deodorant. Who cares. But, from everything I've seen, they don't really have any deodorant in Japan.
After scrounging through two grocery stores and asking every employee, I was able to find one weird ass roll-on thing for about 650 yen...that's almost $7! Furthermore, even when doing the "Hey look! I'm putting deodorant on!" motion to show what I wanted since I didn't know how to say it in Japanese, they had no idea what I wanted.
For the time being, I'm doing okay since my Dad sent a care package to me loaded with the Old Spice red deodorants that I'd gotten so used to. Pure Sport...Aqua Reef...you know what I'm talkin' about. Also, I think I've got a good line on deodorant with someone who lives on the American base in Yokosuka so all should be well.
What tripped me out even more than the fact that deodorant is rare in Japan, is that I actually have an old roommate in America and after telling him this story I learned that he has never used deodorant and never stinks. After all my research before coming here, I had no idea. Comments...?
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Chu-Hi by Kirin - Drink Review
Chu-Hi, pronounced "Chew-Hai," is another drink I had never heard of before coming to Japan. The first time I had it was on Enoshima beach as the sun was setting and it was awesome. Here is a picture: L-R (Rory, Brad, and Andrew)
I have no idea what Chu-Hi is made from, but it's clear and almost always has a fruit flavor of some sort such as Lemon or Grapefruit. It goes down smooth and crisp, almost like a super-fizzy Sprite that also gets you drunk. I may have heard somewhere that it's a girl's drink in Japan, but if I'm at the beach this summer and the sun is beating down I'll definitely take Chu-Hi over a beer.
I think you can also get this drink at bars and Izakaiyas, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're a guy. In that case, you probably would look like a girl drinking it. But, if you're lounging at the beach or just want to switch it up for a second between beers I think it would be okay.
After doing a little research online, I found out that this stuff is loaded with sugar. If you care about that sort of thing than take it into consideration. Whatever. I love it.
Final Decision: 4 out of 5
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
It costs around 200 yen to 250 yen at convenience stores which isn't too bad considering that most beers of the same "Duece-Duece" size are about 300 yen. The usual alchohol percentage is 6%, but Kirin also makes an 8% version as well, most likely for the same price.
I think you can also get this drink at bars and Izakaiyas, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're a guy. In that case, you probably would look like a girl drinking it. But, if you're lounging at the beach or just want to switch it up for a second between beers I think it would be okay.
After doing a little research online, I found out that this stuff is loaded with sugar. If you care about that sort of thing than take it into consideration. Whatever. I love it.
Final Decision: 4 out of 5
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Pizza-La - Food Review
When I saw Pizza-La from Doritos at Lawson I was so taken in by the bag that I just had to try it. Unfortunately, it was quite underwhelming.
One would think judging by the picture on the bag that perhaps there was some kind of awesome chip/fake pizza hybrid waiting for you to enjoy. I sure did so I handed over my 147 yen without hesitation. Even the English slogan says "All the taste and toppings you want on a pizza straight from our oven to your door." I was later surprised to find there were no toppings at all, let alone "all the toppings [I] want on a pizza."
What I did find however was just an overpriced small bag of regular-ass Doritos that just tasted a little funny. They looked exactly like every other kind of Doritos I've ever had, and nothing like the picture at all. They were Doritos after all so it wasn't a total failure. I soon got used to the "Seafood Italiana" flavor, if that even is a specific kind of flavor. I think I was just left feeling tricked, but it was worth it to try out some new food from Japan.
Final Decision: 1.5 out of 5
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
What I did find however was just an overpriced small bag of regular-ass Doritos that just tasted a little funny. They looked exactly like every other kind of Doritos I've ever had, and nothing like the picture at all. They were Doritos after all so it wasn't a total failure. I soon got used to the "Seafood Italiana" flavor, if that even is a specific kind of flavor. I think I was just left feeling tricked, but it was worth it to try out some new food from Japan.
Final Decision: 1.5 out of 5
Music: Myspace.com/TheNationalPool
Email: thenationalpool@gmail.com
Pictures: Flicker/TheNationalPool
Top Ten Websites To Prepare You For Japan
Before I came to Japan, I learned a decent amount about the Japanese language and the Japanese culture, all for free and from the Internet. Here are the top ten websites that helped me and maybe they'll help you too.
1. JapanesePod101.com: This is free daily podcast based out of Tokyo. Every day there is a new conversation about 10 minutes long with followup grammar and cultural explanations. You can find the podcast in the iTunes music store.
2. D-Addicts.com: This is a torrent site for sub-titled Japanese dramas. For me, it was essential for learning how Japanese was spoken. I highly recommend downloading My Boss, My Hero, Liar Game, and my all time favorite Stand Up! You'll first need a torrent client such as uTorrent or Azureus.
3. 1, 000 Kanji Page: If you want to learn kanji, this is a great place to start. You'll first need to learn the Hiragana alphabet and then mentally convert the website's romajii into Hiragana. There is no other way to learn kanji than to just grab a notebook and put some serious time in. Good luck.
4. JR Train Site: Once you get to you Japan, you'll need to figure out how to get around and this site is great for it. You type in where you're coming from and you're destination and it tells you where to change lines. I usually start out most long trips by visiting this site.
5. Japan Talk: This is a great podcast for keeping up with the news from Japan in an entertaining format. New episodes are posted every week and aside from the website, you can find Japan Talk in the iTunes music store.
6. Skype and Xlingo: One of the problems I encountered in learning Japanese in America is that there was no one to speak Japanese to. With Skype and the language exchange site Xlingo, you can find people in Japan to talk to. Although it's difficult to meet people at first, I had a great experience with this and one person in Kobe even sent me a care package when I got to Japan.
7. Rikai-Chan: This is a Firefox add-on that translates individual words in Japanese as you surf the web. You may also need the accompanying dictionary as well.
8. Forums: To get a first hand account as to what other foreigners think about Japan, you might want to drop by some forums such as GaijinPot.com and FuckedGaijin.com. Also sometimes crude and off-topic, they could be a good source for gaining some inside knowledge.
9. Stars21 Translator: In case the Rikai-Chan kanji translator doesn't cut it for you, I found this site to be the most accurate Japanese to English translator. I actually prefer it to BabelFish. For some reason, the site shrinks my browser but whatever.
10. The Japanese Page: Honestly, I haven't spent too much time on this page, but Rivers Cuomo is a sponsor so it must be half-way decent. There seems to be a lot of grammar stuff on there. It might be worth a look.
1. JapanesePod101.com: This is free daily podcast based out of Tokyo. Every day there is a new conversation about 10 minutes long with followup grammar and cultural explanations. You can find the podcast in the iTunes music store.
2. D-Addicts.com: This is a torrent site for sub-titled Japanese dramas. For me, it was essential for learning how Japanese was spoken. I highly recommend downloading My Boss, My Hero, Liar Game, and my all time favorite Stand Up! You'll first need a torrent client such as uTorrent or Azureus.
3. 1, 000 Kanji Page: If you want to learn kanji, this is a great place to start. You'll first need to learn the Hiragana alphabet and then mentally convert the website's romajii into Hiragana. There is no other way to learn kanji than to just grab a notebook and put some serious time in. Good luck.
4. JR Train Site: Once you get to you Japan, you'll need to figure out how to get around and this site is great for it. You type in where you're coming from and you're destination and it tells you where to change lines. I usually start out most long trips by visiting this site.
5. Japan Talk: This is a great podcast for keeping up with the news from Japan in an entertaining format. New episodes are posted every week and aside from the website, you can find Japan Talk in the iTunes music store.
6. Skype and Xlingo: One of the problems I encountered in learning Japanese in America is that there was no one to speak Japanese to. With Skype and the language exchange site Xlingo, you can find people in Japan to talk to. Although it's difficult to meet people at first, I had a great experience with this and one person in Kobe even sent me a care package when I got to Japan.
7. Rikai-Chan: This is a Firefox add-on that translates individual words in Japanese as you surf the web. You may also need the accompanying dictionary as well.
8. Forums: To get a first hand account as to what other foreigners think about Japan, you might want to drop by some forums such as GaijinPot.com and FuckedGaijin.com. Also sometimes crude and off-topic, they could be a good source for gaining some inside knowledge.
9. Stars21 Translator: In case the Rikai-Chan kanji translator doesn't cut it for you, I found this site to be the most accurate Japanese to English translator. I actually prefer it to BabelFish. For some reason, the site shrinks my browser but whatever.
10. The Japanese Page: Honestly, I haven't spent too much time on this page, but Rivers Cuomo is a sponsor so it must be half-way decent. There seems to be a lot of grammar stuff on there. It might be worth a look.
Onigiri - Food Review
Onigiri is one food that I had never had before coming to Japan. I can't recall the first time I tried it but I'm glad as hell that I did.
Pretty much all Onigiri is is a triangle of rice with something packed inside, all wrapped inside of seaweed, or nori. There are many different kinds of fillings you can get, but my favorite by far is the tuna. Without really being able to read very much Japanese, I learned what tastes good by trial and error pretty much.
You can get Onigiri from pretty much any convenience store for about 105 yen for the tuna and up to about 130 yen for the "good stuff" that tastes horrible. It makes a great snack in between meals and an even better meal when your wandering from bar to bar. I used to get three for a meal, but have lately cut down to only one since I've been making my own recently.
To make Onigiri, do the following:
I'm actually making some Onigiri as I'm making this post...and it's time to eat! Laterz.
Brad
You can get Onigiri from pretty much any convenience store for about 105 yen for the tuna and up to about 130 yen for the "good stuff" that tastes horrible. It makes a great snack in between meals and an even better meal when your wandering from bar to bar. I used to get three for a meal, but have lately cut down to only one since I've been making my own recently.
To make Onigiri, do the following:
- First clean and cook your rice. To clean the rice, add water to your rice cooker, wait a few minutes and then strain it. I was told by Japanese people to do this about five times and it seems to work. If you don't do this, your rice will be hard.
- Let the rice cool down for about 10 minutes. Rice is hotter than you might think and you will burn the shit out of your hands if you don't wait. Trust me.
- Add rice seasoning to it or more salt if you like.
- Either buy small cut nori or tear up the larger cuts of nori.
- Wet your hands and then put salt on them.
- Make small balls of rice. If you want to add a filling, press your thumb in the ball and then put your filling in.
- Place the ball of rice onto the nori and then fold it.
- Bam! Just that easy.
I'm actually making some Onigiri as I'm making this post...and it's time to eat! Laterz.
Brad
Monday, June 23, 2008
Saturday Night Sushi
It was a boring weekend for the most part, with the exception of Saturday night. I had to work all day Saturday for parent's day but after work I decided to go to a sushi restaurant near my train station.
I read somewhere online that being a foreigner in Japan is like being a C-List celebrity and that's probably true. Before I even took a seat at the bar to order, people are already trying to talk to me. When I first arrived, there was a middle-aged couple to my left and an older woman at the far end of the bar who I had talked to last time I ate there about 2 months ago.
For some decent sushi I paid about $6, one beer was $6, and a decent size bottle of sake (Nihon-Shu) was $7. After about an hour and half or so I was ready to leave until the older woman wanted to buy me drinks so, since I don't have much money these days, of course I obliged.
I read somewhere online that being a foreigner in Japan is like being a C-List celebrity and that's probably true. Before I even took a seat at the bar to order, people are already trying to talk to me. When I first arrived, there was a middle-aged couple to my left and an older woman at the far end of the bar who I had talked to last time I ate there about 2 months ago.
For some decent sushi I paid about $6, one beer was $6, and a decent size bottle of sake (Nihon-Shu) was $7. After about an hour and half or so I was ready to leave until the older woman wanted to buy me drinks so, since I don't have much money these days, of course I obliged.
People came and went as the old woman and I put down a bottle of Shou-Chu. It was the first time I had ever had it. It was hard liquor, but instead of shooting it you mix it with water and ice and perhaps a lemon. It was pretty good but I don't really plan on drinking it again anytime soon.
There were tons of characters that came in throughout the night like a guitar player, a really old lady who tried to correct my kanji, a young couple who wanted to take me to Costco, and another guy who was worried that his daughter was going to marry a foreigner or something. Many cell phones numbers were exchanged and many a story told. The sushi chefs were all about 20-30 something years old and would join in the conversation for awhile too if it was interesting.
I spent yesterday and today just watching movies and David Letterman that I downloaded. Friday I'm going to Shinjuku after another teacher's meeting and then I'm playing a show in Shibuya on Sunday night.
I got some weird notice in the mail from the electric company, all in Japanese of course, and I have to figure out what the hell it says. I hope my electricity isn't going to get cut off.
There were tons of characters that came in throughout the night like a guitar player, a really old lady who tried to correct my kanji, a young couple who wanted to take me to Costco, and another guy who was worried that his daughter was going to marry a foreigner or something. Many cell phones numbers were exchanged and many a story told. The sushi chefs were all about 20-30 something years old and would join in the conversation for awhile too if it was interesting.
I spent yesterday and today just watching movies and David Letterman that I downloaded. Friday I'm going to Shinjuku after another teacher's meeting and then I'm playing a show in Shibuya on Sunday night.
I got some weird notice in the mail from the electric company, all in Japanese of course, and I have to figure out what the hell it says. I hope my electricity isn't going to get cut off.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Zaru Soba - Food Review
One of my favorite foods from Japan even before I got here was Zaru Soba. Here's a quick breakdown of what it is.
As far as the name goes, Zaru is the name for the wooden mat that it's is served on and Soba is the name of the noodle which is made out of buckwheat. When I make it at home, I usually just put the noodles in a bowl since theres no reason to really get all fancy with it. The noodles are about the size of spagetti and are pretty much inedible by themselves. As such, you dip them into Tsu Yu which looks like soy sauce but it tastes much sweeter. The first time I made this in Nashville I was instantly hooked.
In stores the prices are usually about $1-$3 for a pack of three to four sets of Soba and around $4 for a bottle of Tsu Yu. The bottles of Tsu Yu typically last for a long time. For a full meal I usually make 2 sets of Soba. However, the first time I bought it a couple Japanese people told me that it's usual to only eat one set as a meal though.
Another thing that makes this such a great dish is that it's so easy to make. All you do is boil the noodles for about five minutes and then strain them over cold water until their nice and cold. That's pretty much it. I've had Zaru Soba a couple times in restraunts but still perfer the taste of the store bought Tsu Yu.
Final Decision: 5 out of 5
Another thing that makes this such a great dish is that it's so easy to make. All you do is boil the noodles for about five minutes and then strain them over cold water until their nice and cold. That's pretty much it. I've had Zaru Soba a couple times in restraunts but still perfer the taste of the store bought Tsu Yu.
Final Decision: 5 out of 5
Pepsi Blue Hawaii - Drink Review
On my way home from work today I found a new drink released by Pepsi only in Japan called Pepsi Blue Hawaii. Apparently it's a special drink only for Summer 2008 and after seeing Uhh Yeah Dude drink last year's watermelon Pepsi I of course had to buy it.
With it's blinding bright blue color, it looks as though it was forged in a nuclear reaction or something. Apparently it's supposed to taste like pineapple and lemon but I don't really taste it. It has a very light taste to it and is only slightly thicker than water it seems. In fact, it's difficult to even think of what it tastes like. I can tell you though that it is very fizzy.
Final Decision: 3.5 out of 5
I haven't seen it in stores before so I can only assume that it just came out within the past few days. I picked it up from 7-11 for about $1.50. Although it's not bad, I can't really say that I'll be buying it again anytime soon. The more I drink as I'm writing this, the more I think that it's really not too bad. However, there isn't really anything special about the taste.
Final Decision: 3.5 out of 5
Cafe Au Lait by UCC - Drink Review
There isn't anything particularly special about Cafe Au Lait made by a company called UCC, however I think that the whole small coffee thing in Japan is pretty cool.
This specific coffee is the brand I drink every morning before leaving for work. Essentially what it is is coffee with creamer already added to it. I get about 10 of these at a time from the 100 yen store for 50 yen (about $0.50) a piece and keep them cold in the fridge. They go down pretty quick and smooth when kept cold and usually I don't even taste it but just chug it.
These small pre-mixed coffees are also abundant on the street through vending machines at the much higher cost of about 100 yen to 150 yen for 1 can. They are usually pretty hot when you buy them from the vending machines. There are countless brands, but according to the slogan, "Boss Coffee is the boss of them all since 1992."
Before I found them in stores, I spent way too much money on these things from vending machines. I suppose the only bad part about buying them in stores is that you really can't heat them up at all, but they still taste great when served cold.
Final Decision: 3.7 out of 5
These small pre-mixed coffees are also abundant on the street through vending machines at the much higher cost of about 100 yen to 150 yen for 1 can. They are usually pretty hot when you buy them from the vending machines. There are countless brands, but according to the slogan, "Boss Coffee is the boss of them all since 1992."
Before I found them in stores, I spent way too much money on these things from vending machines. I suppose the only bad part about buying them in stores is that you really can't heat them up at all, but they still taste great when served cold.
Final Decision: 3.7 out of 5
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Last Weekend
Friday night after work I went out to an Izakaiya near Yokohama station with a couple teachers from one of my schools. I was looking for the dimly lit Izakaiya that I went to before near Yokohama station but I couldn't find it so we went to one that was a little too bright for my taste but it was a good time nonetheless. Only one of the two teachers spoke English so we decided to speak Japanese the whole time which was fun. After a couple drinks, I tend to drop the formality of my Japanese significantly which might be rude but it's a hell of a lot of fun.
Later that evening, I met up with Rory and we walked around the busy side of Yokohama station and drank convenience store beers. We met a couple random dudes who wanted to arm wrestle and I lost terribly. We caught a late train back home and all was well.
Saturday I met Rory at Enoshima beach and we went swimming for awhile. Surprisingly, we were about the only people in the ocean in the middle of June who weren't wearing wetsuits. Perhaps because of the communal mindset of Japan, nobody really steps out of line and does their own thing. I later met another white dude from New York though Rory and hung out at a surf shop for awhile which later turned into a cookout.
Later that evening, I met up with Rory and we walked around the busy side of Yokohama station and drank convenience store beers. We met a couple random dudes who wanted to arm wrestle and I lost terribly. We caught a late train back home and all was well.
Saturday I met Rory at Enoshima beach and we went swimming for awhile. Surprisingly, we were about the only people in the ocean in the middle of June who weren't wearing wetsuits. Perhaps because of the communal mindset of Japan, nobody really steps out of line and does their own thing. I later met another white dude from New York though Rory and hung out at a surf shop for awhile which later turned into a cookout.
The cookouts here in Japan aren't exactly what you might think if you're reading this in America. The Japanese idea of a cookout is various types of delicious yet tiny food. Hamburgers and hot dogs are nowhere to be found. Later, somebody brought a small guitar and we passed it around and played songs.
I tried to take a late train home but fell asleep and ended up in Ueno, Tokyo which is about an hour away. I was pretty pissed but decided to make the best of it. I met a tourist from another Asian country, I forget where exactly, who had missed her flight home. She spoke pretty good English and helped me find a capsule hotel a couple streets up from the train station.
For about $36 US, I got a tube with a TV to sleep in until 10am the next day. Surprisingly it was pretty comfortable and kinda fun. It's not really the kinda thing that you end up doing intentionally, you have to screw up the night a little bit to end up sleeping in a capsule hotel. Here is a picture of the capsule hotel next to where I stayed called Phuket, which is exactly what I was thinking when I decided to stay for the night.
I tried to take a late train home but fell asleep and ended up in Ueno, Tokyo which is about an hour away. I was pretty pissed but decided to make the best of it. I met a tourist from another Asian country, I forget where exactly, who had missed her flight home. She spoke pretty good English and helped me find a capsule hotel a couple streets up from the train station.
For about $36 US, I got a tube with a TV to sleep in until 10am the next day. Surprisingly it was pretty comfortable and kinda fun. It's not really the kinda thing that you end up doing intentionally, you have to screw up the night a little bit to end up sleeping in a capsule hotel. Here is a picture of the capsule hotel next to where I stayed called Phuket, which is exactly what I was thinking when I decided to stay for the night.
The next day I met up with Eriko after not seeing her for quite sometime. I don't feel like giving the whole story on the blog, but she's a handful to say the least. Overall though, we had a good time in Shinjuku walking around on a great Sunday afternoon. We went to the top of some really tall building with a great view and had lunch at a nice outdoor eatery thing. I made it back to Yokohama far too late Sunday night completely exhausted and thus began another work week.
Trash
So it seems I have some free time today so I'm going make as many posts as I can stand. There are a few things that I've been meaning to write about but haven't found the time yet. Surprisingly, trash is a very big deal in Japan so here's the run down.
The above picture is the end result when you take out the trash from your house. It makes zero sense to me. Every day, the biggest black crowes I've ever seen in my life tear through the covering without fail and have a smogesborg. The crowes here have enormous beaks and I can only assume that they evolved that way from having to get into the trash over the years. Sometimes the bottom of the covering will be lined with chain links but it never really seems to do any good. I would've thought that perhaps somebody had seen a trash can at some point in their life but that's just how they do it here.
There are also different days that each different kind of trash gets picked up. The categories are pretty difficult considering that plastics are lumped into the "Combustible" category, while plastic bottles are not. As a result, the hallway in my apartment was lined with trash for the first month I was in Japan.
There are also different days that each different kind of trash gets picked up. The categories are pretty difficult considering that plastics are lumped into the "Combustible" category, while plastic bottles are not. As a result, the hallway in my apartment was lined with trash for the first month I was in Japan.
Another issue is the trash cans in the street. Often they are nowhere to be found, or you can only find the trash can for aluminum cans or plastic bottles when you all you need is a regular trash can to throw something away. It's pretty frustrating.
One thing that is actually kinda cool once you get used to it is that nobody throws their cigarette butts in the streets like in America. Although it was pretty difficult to get used to at first, it's pretty nice to not see a bunch of cigs on the street everywhere you go. For 100yen you can buy pocket sized plastic pouches lined with aluminum to put your butts into. Some people take it another step further and buy a separate device where you actually ash into as you smoke which seems pretty pointless to me since it just blows away instantly anyway.
As far as trash goes, I think I covered just about everything. Word.
One thing that is actually kinda cool once you get used to it is that nobody throws their cigarette butts in the streets like in America. Although it was pretty difficult to get used to at first, it's pretty nice to not see a bunch of cigs on the street everywhere you go. For 100yen you can buy pocket sized plastic pouches lined with aluminum to put your butts into. Some people take it another step further and buy a separate device where you actually ash into as you smoke which seems pretty pointless to me since it just blows away instantly anyway.
As far as trash goes, I think I covered just about everything. Word.
Shiroi Natchan - Drink Review
Before I had Shiroi Natchan, I had another similar drink that I loved called Calpis which I bought simply based off the name. Even in the Calpis TV commericals, it sounds exactly like their saying "Cow Piss." How could you not buy something with a name like that right? Well Shiroi Natchan pretty much tastes and looks exactly like Calpis.
First off, the bottle looks awesome. To break down the name, "Shiroi" means white in Japanese and chan is a suffix often given to people's names. For example, I'm Brad, so my name might be "Bu-Ra-Chan" if you wanted to give me a cute name in Japanese. So, the whole thing is "Shiroi Na-chan" and it tastes great.
I got it from the dollar store, or 100yen shop. You should also be able to find it on the many vending machines along the streets in Japan. The taste is similar to maybe a Sprite mixed with a little bit of Cream Soda. It's made by Suntory, which you may know as the whiskey company I think from Lost In Translation. It's a little strange, but most beer companies also make a number of other soft drinks in Japan. Imagine if you will if Coors made an iced tea or something. Pretty odd.
It's not really something you can drink fast. Even if I try, I have to stop myself because the taste is quite strong. Usually a large sip is the best I can do. I highly recommend Shiroi Na-Chan. Even though it's made by Suntory which is a major drink company, perhaps Calpis might be the better of the two.
Final decision: 4 out of 5.
I got it from the dollar store, or 100yen shop. You should also be able to find it on the many vending machines along the streets in Japan. The taste is similar to maybe a Sprite mixed with a little bit of Cream Soda. It's made by Suntory, which you may know as the whiskey company I think from Lost In Translation. It's a little strange, but most beer companies also make a number of other soft drinks in Japan. Imagine if you will if Coors made an iced tea or something. Pretty odd.
It's not really something you can drink fast. Even if I try, I have to stop myself because the taste is quite strong. Usually a large sip is the best I can do. I highly recommend Shiroi Na-Chan. Even though it's made by Suntory which is a major drink company, perhaps Calpis might be the better of the two.
Final decision: 4 out of 5.
Asahi Fire - Drink Review
Here is the first post in a series of drink reviews. I got out of work a little early today and on the walk home I got the idea to write about the crazy drinks that Japan has to offer. So lets kick it off with one of my old and rare favorites, Asahi Fire.
The first time I bought this drink was at a Lawson which is a convience store somewhat like a 7-11. I had no idea what this drink was at all. I pretty much just bought it based upon looks alone. After I was halfway through with it, I realized that it was a very potent energy drink.
With most other energy drinks I've had, like Red Bull for example, the burst of energy pretty much slaps you across the face as soon as you drink it. I don't know how they managed to do it, but after drinking this, you slowly feel a renewed sense of vigor creep up on you ever so slowly. The result is a perfect jump start to keep you going for the rest of the night, without making you feel too jittery.
After the first couple that I had, it quickly became my go-to drink for late nights. However, I was very surprised to find that the Lawson near my train station no longer carried them, nor did the clerk know what I was talking about when I asked them about it. I chalked it up to the drink just being in a limited run and figured that I'd never have this awesome drink again until about a week ago I found it in a grocery store near my house.
The taste is something like cherry soda with a little bit of Red Bull perhaps. I love it but if I remember correctly, Rory said that it tasted like medicine. I still haven't drank the one I bought last week since I usually have coffee in the morning and I could only assume that mixing this drink with beer on the weekends would be very bad news.
I don't know the actual name of this drink, so I just assume that it's called Fire. In case the picture is unclear, the English at the bottom reads "The blazing flame is a symbol of your energy and enthusiasm." Strong words and a strong drink. Try it if you ever get the chance.
Final Verdict: 5 out 5
With most other energy drinks I've had, like Red Bull for example, the burst of energy pretty much slaps you across the face as soon as you drink it. I don't know how they managed to do it, but after drinking this, you slowly feel a renewed sense of vigor creep up on you ever so slowly. The result is a perfect jump start to keep you going for the rest of the night, without making you feel too jittery.
After the first couple that I had, it quickly became my go-to drink for late nights. However, I was very surprised to find that the Lawson near my train station no longer carried them, nor did the clerk know what I was talking about when I asked them about it. I chalked it up to the drink just being in a limited run and figured that I'd never have this awesome drink again until about a week ago I found it in a grocery store near my house.
The taste is something like cherry soda with a little bit of Red Bull perhaps. I love it but if I remember correctly, Rory said that it tasted like medicine. I still haven't drank the one I bought last week since I usually have coffee in the morning and I could only assume that mixing this drink with beer on the weekends would be very bad news.
I don't know the actual name of this drink, so I just assume that it's called Fire. In case the picture is unclear, the English at the bottom reads "The blazing flame is a symbol of your energy and enthusiasm." Strong words and a strong drink. Try it if you ever get the chance.
Final Verdict: 5 out 5
Monday, June 16, 2008
Still busy...
This weekend was pretty busy and crazy. I have some stories to tell but not today. I'm way too tired so here's a picture of a kick-ass cat I saw in Shinjuku, Tokyo on Sunday at the worst flea market ever.
I got so happy when I saw this cat. I mean how could feel bad about anything after seeing that thing!? He had his paw out like the whole time on the front of the bike as he was driven around.
Lately I've been thinking about making some posts about the bad parts of Japan. There are quite a few things that make zero sense to me that I want to write about. I may have time tomorrow to make a proper post so we'll see what happens.
またね！
ブラッド
Lately I've been thinking about making some posts about the bad parts of Japan. There are quite a few things that make zero sense to me that I want to write about. I may have time tomorrow to make a proper post so we'll see what happens.
またね！
ブラッド
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