2011 in review

It is now the evening of 2011 December 31st in Japan…a few hours ’til New Years Day 2012.

So, what do you think the five biggest news stories of 2011 were?

I think I’d say:
● The 2011 March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku, Japan.
● The ten year anniversary of the 2001 September 11th terrorist attacks in America.
● The death of Muammar Gaddafi on 2011 October 20.
● The death of Osama bin Laden on 2011 May 2.
● The Occupy protest movement.

Which events epitomized this past year to you? Tell me in the comments section of this post.

Here’s a YouTube video that shows many photos and videos of this year’s biggest news through a series of “Google searches“:

Wendy’s back in Tokyo

I wrote before that Wendy’s, the American fast-food hamburger chain, closed all of their stores in Japan two years ago.

And then, as I wrote in another post, they announced last March that they would be re-opening their stores in Japan beginning in autumn (2011).

But, about a week after that announcement, the 2011 March 11 earthquake struck northern Japan and caused Wendy’s Japan to delay their re-opening.

Well, Wendy’s first store in Japan since they closed all of their stores here almost exactly two years ago will open tomorrow (2011 December 27th).
It is located in 表参道 (the Omotesando area of Tokyo) on the famous 「表参道通り」 (“Omotesando-doori“) road.

Their menu will include “regular” Wendy’s items…but it will also have some “only-in-Japan” things such as a “「フォアグラ・ロッシーニ」 (Foie Gras Rossini Burger)” and an “「アップル＆ナッツ・チキン・サラダ」 (Apple & Nut Chicken Salad)“.

Personally, French food isn’t one of my favorites. I don’t think I’ll be trying the “Foie Gras Rossini Burger”…but I do like Wendy’s chili!

“Christmas Cosplay” Contest

Last Thursday was 「冬至」 (Winter Solstice). I’ve written about it before.
This is a day in Japan that pumpkins and Yuzu fruit are important for one’s health.

Click here to read the post I wrote that explains more.

And last Friday was 「天皇誕生日」 (the Japanese Emperor’s 78th birthday).

Members of the Japanese Royal Family, including the Emperor and Empress, in front of the crowd that came to the Imperial Palace to listen to the Emperor's birthday speech.

And today is 「クリスマス」 (Christmas).
Yahoo! Japan is currently running the 「第4回クリスマスコスプレ・コンテスト」 (4th annual Christmas Cosplay Contest) for pets.

It’s a photo contest of pets dressed up for Christmas that Yahoo! Japan is running on their website.

People can upload a photo of their pet in a Christmas setting and visitors to the site can vote for their favorite photo.

Here are some of the photos:

I like this one a lot...but it's currently only at 390th place!

#42

#79

#94

#19

#148

Fifth place

And the top three…

Third place

Second place

First place

Last year, I wrote about another pet photo contest that Yahoo! Japan ran. Click here to see that post.

And I also wrote a post about a popular Japanese parenting magazine’s funny “Crying Baby Video Contest“. Click here to visit that post.

You’ve been in America too long when…

Many people who live for an extended time in another country make “You’ve been in (such-and-such country) for too long when…” type jokes.

They can be interesting to read because you can tell something about their native culture by the types of things that they find peculiar about another country.

I found a list titled 「日本人がアメリカに長くいすぎたと実感するのはこんなとき」 (Roughly: “You’ve been living in America too long when… (by Japanese people)”).

It’s a list of things that Japanese people who have been living in America for a long period find unusual about American culture.

To tell the truth, I’ve been living in Japan longer now than I lived in America so I can understand the Japanese people’s reactions.

Here is some of the list:

You’ve been living in America too long when… (by Japanese people):

◎ you wear a T-shirt even in winter.
◎ you blow your nose in public
◎ you don’t wear skirts any more.
◎ you feel you’re lucky when a train is only five minutes late.
◎ you  say ‘Thank you’ to a cashier in a store.
◎ you don’t carry an umbrella.
◎ you cross a street when the light is still red.
◎ you wear your shoes indoors.
◎ you understand measuring units such as Fahrenheit, miles, gallons and inches.

If you’re unfamiliar with Japanese culture, you may find that list confusing.
I’ll try to explain them a bit…

◎ About “wearing a T-shirt in winter”…foreigners, especially Americans, have an image amongst Japanese of wearing T-shirts all year–even when it’s cold outside.
◎ Regarding “blowing your nose in public”…it’s considered bad manners in Japan.
◎ About “skirts”…Japanese girls wear them more often than Americans do. Generally speaking.
◎ As for “feeling lucky about a train being ‘only’ five minutes late”…public transportation in Japan is extremely punctual. Announcements and apologies can be heard in train stations in Japan if a train is even a minute late.
◎ About “thanking store clerks”…people in Japan, especially Tokyo, don’t usually do that.
◎ “Umbrellas”…people in Japan use them. I know when I lived in America, I have no recollection of ever seeing anyone use an umbrella.
◎ About “jay-walking (crossing before the light changes)”…most people in Japan wait for the light—even if there are no cars on the road.
◎ About “shoes indoors”…in Japan, people take their shoes off when they enter a house.
◎ About “measuring units”…Japan uses, as most other countries do, the metric system.

+++

Then, of course, there are “You know you’ve been in Japan too long…” jokes, too:

(The cartoon images in this post were found on “Google Images“).

Big America is back

About two years ago, McDonalds Japan offered, for a limited-time, four original burgers that were collectively known as “Big America“.
Individually they were the “Texas Burger“, “New York Burger“, “California Burger” and the “Hawaiian Burger“.

Click here to read the post that I wrote about them.

Then, about one year ago, “Big America” returned to Japan with four new original burgers. These four were called “Big America 2” as a group.
They consisted of the “Texas 2 Burger“, “Idaho Burger“, “Miami Burger” and the “Manhattan Burger“.

The “Texas 2 Burger” and “Miami Burger” were, by far, the best of the eight “Big America” burgers, in my opinion.

Click here to read the post that I wrote about “Big America 2”.

And now McDonalds Japan is offering, for a limited time, the third set of “Big America” burgers.

The first one being offered is the “Grand Canyon Burger“. It’s available now at only two McDonalds locations in Tokyo…but it will available all over Japan from 2011 December 26 until 2012 January 4th.

Then, they’ll be selling the “Las Vegas Burger” starting in late January (2012).

Then, in mid-February (2012), the “Broadway Burger” will be on the menu.

And finally, starting in early March (2012), the “Beverly Hills Burger” will be available.

Some other limited-time menu items coming to McDonalds in Japan include:

"Blueberry Cream-cheese Pie" (starting 2012 Jan 4)	"Creamy Ranch" McNugget sauce (starting 2012 Jan 4)
"Maple Custard Pie" (starting early Feb 2012)	"Spicy Buffalo (Wing)" Chicken McNugget sauce (starting early Feb 2012)
"American-Cherry" Milkshake (starting early March 2012)	"Sweet and Sour" Chicken McNugget sauce (starting early 2012)

What unique menu items does McDonalds offer in your area?

This years kanji

Every December a 漢字 (Japanese kanji character) is chosen in Japan that best summarizes the year that is ending…and it becomes the official 「今年の漢字」 (“Kanji of the Year”) in a ceremony in Kyoto with the temple monk writing the character in calligraphy brushstrokes on a large board.

The 2011 Kanji of the Year is 「絆」 ("Bond").

The official character for 2011 was announced today. It’s 「絆」 (Kizuna)…which means “(to) bond“.

This was chosen because of the way the people of Japan and the world came together to help the victims of the March 11 earthquake.

(Last year (2010), the Kanji of the Year meant “hot”. Click here to find out why.)

The Earth “ate” the moon

On Saturday (2011 December 10th), many parts of the world, including Japan, could see a 月食 (full lunar eclipse).

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, earth and moon are all aligned in a straight line causing the moon to be completely hidden by the shadow cast by the earth.

In Japanese, it’s called 「月食」 (“Gesshoku“). The written characters could be literally translated to “Eaten moon” (hence my title for this post).

Before the moon was completely covered in the earth's shadow, some of the sun's reflected light caused the moon to appear red. (The picture was taken in Tokyo).

This photo shows the earth's shadow beginning to cover the moon. (Tokyo Tower is in the foreground).

Were you able to see the lunar eclipse where you live?

(The two photos in this post were found on Google Images. My camera’s not powerful enough to take such close-up shots of the moon.)

70 years after the day of infamy

Today is the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
It was 1941 December 7th in Hawaii when the attack occurred…but, due to the time difference, it was December 8th in Japan.

So in Japan, December 8th is considered the anniversary of 「真珠湾攻撃」 (the Pearl Harbor Attack), but in America it’s December 7th.

Here are some American World War II propaganda posters made after the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor.

(the images in the post were found on “Google Images”)

Interview with an Italian Samurai

Have you ever heard of Holy Martyr? My great friend Masa told me about them.

They are a heavy metal band from Italy. But their album titled “Invincible” is quite unique because the songs on that album are about famous Japanese samurai stories and battles!

The guitarist of Holy Martyr, Ivano Spiga, did an interview with me.

The interview is on my website’s “Interviews Page“…Click here to read it.

Even if you’re not a fan of heavy metal, you should read the interview to learn why they decided to make a Japanese-themed album and also if it’s true that Italians use a spoon when they eat spaghetti, as many Japanese people believe.

Of course, I also recommend that you check out the music of Holy Martyr.

After you read the interview, come back to this page and leave a comment to let me know what you thought.

A Chevy TV commercial? There’s something you don’t see everyday!!

I saw a TV commercial yesterday for a 「シボレー」 (“Chrevolet“) car.
It was a car called the 「シボレー・ソニック」 (“Chrevolet Sonic“).

This may seem like nothing unusual to you…especially if you live in America, where TV commercials for American cars are quite common.

But I realized, after seeing that commercial, that I don’t recall having seen an ad for any foreign (ie: not Japanese) cars, until now, since I came to Japan in 1990.

I realized that every advertisement I’ve seen in Japan for automobiles or electronics (Japan’s two biggest industries) have all been for Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba and other Japanese companies.

Almost every car and motorcycle on the road in Japan is Japanese. Sometimes wealthy people buy a foreign car as a kind of “status symbol”…normally it’ll be an Italian or German car that they choose.
Also, close to every single electronic product sold in Japan is made by a Japanese company. Products made by American companies such as Kodak, Polaroid or Zenith aren’t normally found in Japan. Do those companies even exist anymore?

Here’s the commercial for the 「シボレー・ソニック」 (“Chevrolet Sonic“) that I saw on TV:

Do you see many TV commercials for foreign companies in your country? Are American products popular in your country? Have you ever seen a Chevy “Sonic”?