It’s one thing to idolise someone who happens to be stupid. It’s quite another to idolise someone because they’re stupid.
Japan’s pushy mothers may be missing a trick by keeping her offspring in juku (cram school) until late at night every day, when there is a clear alternative - professional idiocy.
There used to be a […]

The New York Times recently ran an article on horse breeding in Japan.  I have to say, horse breeding and horse racing are not my thing, but if you’re into it, give the article a read.  It mostly focuses on a horse named Casino Drive who is related to many big-name horses and is living and training in […]

Remember Benjamin Fulford?
He’s the guy we wrote about here who claims to be hooked up with an international team of ninja assasins who are just waiting for the word to start taking out heads of state and save the world by making Fulford the Minister of Finance of Japan so he can start handing […]

Who knows when knowledge like this may come in handy?

The folks over at BoingBoing TV have written in to alert us to something called TOKYOLOGY, a new documentary exploring contemporary Japanese pop-culture hosted by Carrie Ann Inaba.

Oh, what adventures await: sneak behind the scenes at a Japanese Rock TV show that pretends it’s shot in Los Angeles, cruise Harajuku, go clubbing with goth girls […]

Caught a special on TV on Tuesday about The Candies, which was a female super group in Japan in the 1970s, and it reminded me of a time when girl groups in Japan were more than just the music.

Japan’s oldest “modern” robot — the 10-foot, 6-inch GakuTenSoku — has been awakened in Japan. Gone are the inflatable rubber tubes of the original 1928 android build by biologist Makoto Nishimura. The bot now tilts its head, moves his eyes, smiles, and puffs out his cheeks thanks to a $200,000, computer-controlled, pneumatic-servo makeover. While nothing […]

Tokyo Youtube Gathering at a Hub Pub in Shibuya courtesy of Tokyo Cooney. We talk about Tokyo, Youtube, and our lives which are often intertwined.
This is the second half of the Tokyo Youtube Hanami Gathering on March 30, 2008. I missed the first part with the hanami at Yoyogi Park and the last part at […]

Something to relax by this weekend.

This was from a monthly dance event in Tokyo called Tokyo Decadance where people dress in wild outfits and such.
This guy wore a combination of Predator and Optimus Prime which he called Preda-Prime. He had two light sabers which he swung around the dance floor.

Music by Koko T.

CNN.com/Asia has a report claiming that business women in Japan are paying up to $50,000 a night to spend time with hosts that CNN referst to as “geisha guys.”
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) — At first glance, the man and woman at the nightclub look like any other couple on a date. He flirts and pours […]

Released in 2007, Shonen Young was the first release from Denki Groove since 1999.

Thanks to Kurisu.

Meet Vanilla, a dancer who has gained quite a following in Kansai for her spectacular and complex 7-meter (23-foot) pole techniques.

Via Japan Sugoi

Japundit reader Mark Robinson has written in to let us know about his new book, titled Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook a food culture and cookbook that gets behind the counters and into the kitchens of Japan’s izakaya.
Here’s what they say about it on Amazon.
Product Description
Japanese pubs, called izakaya, are attracting growing attention in Japan […]

Check out this vlog that shows a young Japanese woman describing things that happen during her daily life.
The following are just two episodes, but you can see all of her posts (27 in total) here.
Believe it or not, it is pretty fascinating!

Via JapanSoc

Long-time Japundit reader Carlos Aguirre has written in to alert us to the world premier of a feature-length documentary named Tokyo Cowboys at the Japan Film Festival 2008 in Los Angeles on April 14.
Tokyo Cowboys: a new feature length documentary tells the stories of a group of westerners who gave up their jobs, homes […]

Reader Mike Jones (known as maiko here on Japundit), writes in to let us know about how last week’s post about Yael Naim reminded him of talented New Zealand songstress Anika Moa.
The following is one of her older hits titled Youthful.

Check out more great stuff from Anika Moa on YouTube.

From CBC News:
Japan has created an unusual government post to promote animation, and named a perfect figure to the position: a popular cartoon robot cat named Doraemon.
Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura appointed the cat as “anime ambassador” at an inauguration ceremony Wednesday.

Another member of the Pretty Boy Factory has Matsuoka Matsushiro, the drummer for TOKIO was spotted leaving his apartment with a girl said to resemble talento Nakagawa Shoko. The drummer confirmed that the relationship had been in existence for five years. Draconian Johnny’s Jimusho issued this statement implying that they had nothing particular to […]