If the world famous Japanese movie director Akira Kurosawa were still alive, yesterday would’ve been his 100th birthday.
Akira Kurosawa (1910 March 23 - 1998 Sept 6), R.I.P.
I wrote a post last summer about Hollywood remakes of Japanese movies…and of course it includes some of Kurosawa’s classics (such as “Yojinbou” and “The Seven Samurai“).
(Click here to read that post.)
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It has been announced that all homes in Japan must have a 煙感知器 (smoke detector) in every room by 2010 March 31.
A smoke alarm needs to be in every room.
If you live in Japan, and your house doesn’t have smoke alarms, you can buy them at department stores or electronics stores for about ¥2,500 – ¥3,000 each.
(Even if you don’t live in Japan you should have smoke detectors and a 消火器 (fire extinguisher) in your house.)
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What size beer cans are commonly sold in stores in your country?
What types of places sell beer where you live?
In Japan, beer can be purchased 24 hours a day from convenience stores. It’s also sold in most restaurants (including some fast-food places), supermarkets, etc.
There are even beer vending machines in Japan.
Restaurants usually sell beer in mugs or glasses. Or else they’ll give a 瓶ビール (bottled beer), which is usually 633ml.
Canned beer is usually sold in 350ml or 500ml cans. But other sizes are available too.
Japan has very small 135 ml and 250ml cans, the “regular” 350ml can, the “tall boy” 500ml, and a very big 1,000ml can.
Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「HACHI: 約束の犬」 (Hachi: A Faithful Dog)
Original Japanese movie: 「ハチ公物語」 (Hachiko’s Story)
ハチ公物語
(Click here to read another post I wrote about this movie).
U.S. remake: “Shall We Dance?”
Another US remake of a Japanese movie starring Richard Gere.
Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「Shall We ダンス？」 (Shall We Dance?)
Original Japanese movie: 「Shall We ダンス？」 (Shall We Dance?)
U.S. Remake: “The Ring“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「ザ・リング」 (The Ring)
Original Japanese movie: 「リング」 (Ring)
U.S. remake: “The Grudge“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「The Juon」
Original Japanese movie: 「呪怨」 (Juon (Grudge))
U.S. remake: “Dark Water“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「ダーク・ウォーター」 (Dark Water)
Original Japanese movie: 「仄暗い水の底から」 (Dark Water From Below)
U.S. remake: “Last Man Standing“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「ラスト・マン・スタンディング」 (Last Man Standing)
Original Japanese movie: 「用心棒」 (The Bodyguard)
U.S. remake: “A Fistful Of Dollars“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「荒野の用心棒」 (The Bodyguard Of The Wilderness)
Original Japanese movie: 「用心棒」 (The Bodyguard)
U.S. remake: “The Bodyguard“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「ボディガード」 (Bodyguard)
Original Japanese movie: 「用心棒」 (The Bodyguard)
“Eight Below“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「南極物語」 (South Pole Story)
Original Japanese movie: 「南極物語」 (South Pole Story)
“Magnificent Seven“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「荒野の七人」 (Seven Men Of The Wilderness)
Original Japanese movie: 「七人の侍」 (Seven Samurai)
“Dragonball“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「ドラゴンボール」 (Dragonball)
Original Japanese movie: 「ドラゴンボール」 (Dragonball)
(Click here to see an earlier post I wrote about this movie).
“Speed Racer“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「マッハＧＯＧＯＧＯ！」(Mach GoGoGo!)
Original Japanese movie: 「マッハＧＯＧＯＧＯ！」(Mach GoGoGo!)
“Godzilla“Japanese Translation Of US Title: 「ゴジラ」 (Godzilla)
Original Japanese movie: 「ゴジラ」 (Godzilla)
(Click here to see an earlier post I wrote about this movie).
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And, HOLLYWOOD MOVIES THAT WERE INSPIRED BY JAPAN:
Also, I just found this “Pixar ‘Cars’ X ‘Tokyo Drift’“:
Black Rain
Black Rain
Blade Runner
Blade Runner
Austin Powers: Goldmember
Austin Powers 3: Goldmember
The Simpsons: 30 Minutes Over Tokyo
(It’s not a movie…just one episode of a weekly U.S. TV show. But I wanted to include it since the characters go to Japan. And it’s funny.)
I’ve written an earlier post (click here to read it), Japan has many types of 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) machines.
If you want to know about what 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) is, you can read my earlier posts that I wrote about it.
(click here and here).
「パチンコ」 (pachinko) is often called “Japanese pinball”…and like pinball machines, 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) machines are decorated with pictures of famous people or characters.
In Japan, there are Spiderman, JAWS, Marilyn Monroe, 「ウルトラマン」 (Ultraman), and 「七人の侍」 ( The Seven Samurai) 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) machines.
That’s just an example. There are many others.
There’s even a 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) machine for the Japanese pop singer 「倖田來未」 (Koda Kumi):
(Click here to see the Koda Kumi Pachinko website).
As I mentioned in the earlier post I mentioned above (click here to read it), there are also KISS and Star Wars 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) machines:
(Click here to see the Star Wars Pachinko website.)
Now there’s a new 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) machine. And it’s also decorated with images from American pop-culture.
It’s the Bon-Jovi 「パチンコ」 (pachinko) machine. It plays some songs by the band and has cartoon images in their likeness.
(Click here to visit the Bon Jovi Pachinko website).
Tokyo Five 
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