都民の日

Today (October 1st) is 「都民の日」 (Tokyo Residents’ Day).

I wrote about this day last year (Click here to read it).

Students in Tokyo have the day off today, and public zoos, aquariums and museums offer free admission today (private ones normally don’t).

If you’re in Tokyo and you want to go somewhere free (and don’t mind the inevitable crowd)…here’s a list of places in Tokyo offering free admission on October 1st every year (there may be others…these are the ones I remember off hand):

– Koishikawa Korakuen
– Tama Zoo
– Ueno Zoo
– Tokyo Sea Life Park
– Inokashira Zoo
– Yumenoshima Greenhouse
– Edo-Tokyo Museum
– Edo-Tokyo Open-Air Architectural Museum

Japan is Eco

Japan is becoming more and more 「エコ」 (“eco”).

How do you say “eco” in English? I’m not even sure. 😉
It’s a Japanese abbreviation for “ecological” or “ecology”…and it describes acting out of concern for the environment.

In Japan, most convenience stores won’t give a plastic bag for small purchases anymore until the customer requests one.
And supermarkets often give bonus points on the customer’s point card if they use their own personal shopping bag rather than taking bags from the store.

Also many restaurants now use regular, washable 箸 (chopsticks) instead of 割箸 (disposable chopsticks).

Japanese automakers are working on making cars that use rechargeable batteries, solar power, or hybrid vehicles.

Every household in Japan separates their garbage.
And large, unnecessary appliances such as clothes dryers and dishwashers are virtually non-existent in Japan.

And even people who have cars in Japan use public transportation such as the trains and buses as often as possible. And when going short distances, most people walk or bicycle.
It’s possible to buy auto insurance in Japan that is only valid on weekends, because many people only use their cars on the weekend and use the trains for their work commute.

Also, last year, a few of the busiest train stations have begun using the footsteps of people walking through the train stations to generate electricity to run the station.

This sign says that the foot traffic over this special mat in Tokyo Stn generated over 3600 watts of electricity so far that day.

And then, if you go to 「江ノ島水族館」 (“Enoshima Aquarium“) south of Tokyo by 2009 December 25, you can see the 「デンキウナギのクリスマスツリー」 (“Electric Eel X-mas Tree“).
The electricity to power the lights on this Christmas tree is generated by an electric eel.

How about your country? Is there an “eco movement“?

Nonapus

A researcher at an 水族館 (Aquarium) in 和歌山県 (Wakayama Prefecture, Japan) recently found a nonapus (nine-legged octopus).

It seems that octopuses* grow a new limb when one is cut off and sometimes an extra limb grows when the octopus is cut but no limb has come off…resulting in octopuses* with extra limbs.

(*I always thought that octopi was the plural for octopus. I never liked that uncommon term, and was pleased to read (here) that “octopuses” is acceptable, too).

The octopus that was discovered with the most limbs ever was also found in Japan. An octopus was found in 三重県 (Mie Prefecture, Japan) sometime ago with 96 legs:

That’s creepy looking.

By the way, do you like to eat octopus? I love たこ焼き (Takoyaki; grilled octopus dumplings). Have you ever tried it?