空き家

One of the BRCM guys mentioned that he was looking into akiya in Japan partly because his niece was married to a Japanese guy (ironically he wants to stay in the U.S. and she wants to live in Japan).  Anyway, he sent me a link regarding akiya and the potential issues with buying such property.

Macross

Since the fam and I watched Macross, now I'm into it again, although the modifications from the Robotech version confuse things for me.  A couple interesting links:

• Episode notes in English for the AnimEigo release of Macross
• Japanese dialogue from the DYRL movie

I was surprised to see that Macross was released with English subtitles some 15 years ago.  It's neat that it's available on Amazon Prime Instant Video, though!

のっち

パヒュームののっちについて検索したら、ゴシップのページが出てきた。自分ものっちの顔が若い頃から変わったように思ったから、やはりそうなのかな。まぁ、整形したとしても何だってことに至るけど。

Cherry Blossoms

Perhaps I need to get the wife some Yoshino Cherry trees.  The JNTO map says there are some in Hokkaido.  And there's some indication that they'll survive in Minneapolis...?!

Kanamara Matsuri Photo

I found this photo to be hilarious.  Probably because I've been to the Kanamara Matsuri and have witnessed the weirdness firsthand.

ぼく、おいしいよ。

This is horrible: what sicko would make such a graphic?  But bacon is too tasty to resist....

Danny Choo

I'd never heard of Danny Choo before, but saw him in a photo on Facebook with Alodia Gosiengfiao.  Turns out that the dude is bad-ass.  He has a post on his site, "How I started to build my career in Japan", that writes about the experience I perhaps could've had in Japan had I not been such a short-sighted introvert.  This bit was particularly salient:

Its always important to understand what your skill set is and how much they are valued at. Keep your options open all the time and speak to folks in the industry who can advise you on job opportunities and your market value. You know whether a carton of milk is expensive or not because you know the market value - do you know your market value? If not you must find out today - not tomorrow.

Yeah.  I have no idea what my market value is.  Certainly less than I'm paid now!

The Shape of Things That Hide

A guy I know self-published a book of short stories on the Tokyo life.  It's available on Lulu, and soon to be available on Amazon.

Google Online IME

Google Transliteration has a web-based Japanese input method editor so that you can type Japanese even on computers that don't have an IME installed.  Kewl.  I knew that in this day and age, there had to be one....

Babolat

The wife was asking me if Babolat was a public company, so I looked into it.  The official site doesn't really say, and other search results turned up responses that it's a privately-held company.

Except when I put "Babolat" into Google Finance, a Japanese company called Descente turned up.  The company profile was from Reuters, and states that Descente makes Babolat products.  The Descente website has almost nothing on Babolat in English, except one line in the history, but the Japanese page has mention of the French brand started in 1875.

So the question is whether or not to invest in Descente.  The French company likely retains the brand rights, and could switch manufacturers should they see fit.  Plus, it's hard to analyze financials of overseas companies that don't have the same accounting practices that the U.S. has.  But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Shine on with Shana

２月の出張で会社のKIさんがスローガンについて聞いてきて、結局化粧品会社のために考えていた。そのスローガンがウェブサイトに載っているが、記念日のことは載っていなかった。あ～ぁ。

わらしべ長者

話のなかで谷口さんが使って、説明してくれた、わらしべ長者。

Blades & Spray

I was looking for information on whether pepper spray is legal in Japan or not.  According to Wikipedia Japan (「日本の法規制」の下に「所持や販売は特に規制されていない。」という）, there isn't really a legal restriction to selling or carrying it.

As far as blades go, a 2009 article from a military-related news site claims that double-edged blades greater than 2.2 inches and single-edged blades greater than 6 inches are prohibited.  The article words this as "possession", as in ownership, not just carrying.  And it's not legal to carry a knife for defense purposes.  In that regard, it makes sense to have pepper spray.

What's not clear is if pepper spray with tear gas, i.e. the "3-in-1" sprays, are legal in Japan.  Obviously that's more effective since some bad guys develop an immunity to pepper spray.

園子温

この前テレビジャパンを見ていたら園子温という監督をインタビューやっていた。かなり変わっている人物だけど、おもしろそうな映画のシーンがあったので名前をメモっておく。

"The Scot who shaped Japan"

The Japan Times had an article in the print edition last weekend about a Scotsman, Thomas Blake Glover, who had an inordinate influence on post-Meiji Japan.  The centennial anniversary of his death is today (2011.12.16).

哀戦士

I haven't seen Gundam, but Ai-Senshi is a great song.  The few English translations I've seen online suck, so I'll have to give it a go one of these days.

The original lyrics:

哀戦士

作詞：井荻麟／作曲：井上大輔／編曲：井上大輔／
歌：井上大輔

哀　ふるえる哀
それは　別れ唄
ひろう骨も　燃えつきて
ぬれる肌も　土にかえる
荒野をはしる　死神の列
黒くゆがんで　真赤に燃える

哀　生命（いのち）の哀
血の色は大地にすてて
新たな　時をひらくか
生き残る　哀　戦士たち
荒野をはしる　死神の列
黒くゆがんで　真赤に燃える

死にゆく男たちは
守るべき女たちに
死にゆく女たちは
愛する男たちへ

何を賭けるのか　何を残すのか
I pray, pray to bring near the New Day

哀　かなしみの哀
いまは　残るだけ
名を知らぬ　戦士を討ち
生きのびて　血へど吐く
疾風（はやて）のごとき　死神の列
あらがう術（すべ）は　わが手にはない

死にゆく男たちは
守るべき女たちに
死にゆく女たちは
愛する男たちへ

戦う男たちは
故郷（ふるさと）の女たちに
戦う女たちは
信じる男たちに

何を賭けるのか　何を残すのか
I pray, pray to bring near the New Day

Theme song for a revolution?

Tonoharu

MRG sent me this link to a cartoonist, Lars Martinson, who uses ex-pat life in Japan as a basis for his material.  He's a Minnesotan, so he's something of a kindred spirit.

Also, linked from his page was the site for the Japan America Society of Minnesota, which I didn't know existed.

Japanese Whisky

A coworker had requested that I bring back some Japanese whisky, and since I didn't really know of good varieties, I referred to the Google oracle.  (Once I'd tried some Nikka Black or somesuch and didn't care for it.  However, that's before my tastes in alcohol became more refined.)  An article that popped up noted that in 2008, Nikka Yoichi of the 20-yr-old variety took first place in Whisky Magazine's world competition for single malt, and Suntory Hibiki was the best blended whisky.

I bet that pissed off the Scots, getting owned by Japanese whisky on both awards in one year.

湘南三線のど自慢大会

グリソがリンクを送ってくれたので貼っておく。

Howa M1500

So after reading Kopel's article on gun control in Japan, I developed a renewed interest in the Howa rifles I've seen advertised.  My Browning shotgun has a Miroku barrel, and their stuff in Japan is crazy-expensive.  Some people don't dig Japanese-manufactured parts, but the Japanese have probably forgotten more about metallurgy than the West ever knew.  That's hyperbole of course; still, Japan knows steel manufacture.

Anyway, Legacy Sports imports the Howa M1500 rifle.  The 24-inch "heavy barrel" model is considered a sniper rifle.  Unfortunately it doesn't take a box magazine.  Weatherby, who uses the M1500 action in their Vanguard rifle, issued a press release in 2008 saying that they were to release an upgrade kit.

One interesting bit of info is Howa's recommended barrel break-in procedure.  The proper method always seems to be debated amongst gun people, but my chief concern is from a metallurgical perspective, and they ought to know!  Interestingly enough, they recommend cleaning with Windex, rather than powder solvent.  Observing the copper fouling is interesting as well.

Davidson's has an M1500 with 24" stainless heavy barrel in a laminated stock for $768.  The addition of a scope base, rings, and a good scope will certainly drive up the total cost.

There's a site online dedicated to the M1500 as well.