Big in Japan: Girls’ Day

by Matthew Firestone on

Today’s column is written in honor of Hina-matsuri (雛祭り) or Girls’ Day, an annual March 3rd celebration for those of us with two X chromosomes. The striking focal point of this event is the presentation of up to seven tiers of handmade dolls, which have a material history dating back more than a millennium.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of life in Japan is the near constant occurrence of special events and festivals. Many of these are steeped in ritual and tradition, yet retain a firm place in the modern world.

Case in point: despite the decreasing size of Japanese dwellings, Hina-matsuri is reason enough to clean out the apartment and make some extra space for dozens of elaborate dolls. As symbolic representatives of the royal court, they are said to capture evil spirits while simultaneously bringing luck and love to young women.

Want to know more about this strange spectacle? Sure you do…Girls’ Day has its roots in the Heian Period (794-1185), which is often referred to as the ‘Golden Age’ of classical Japanese arts. With the the royal court flourishing, and peace reigning supreme across the archipelago, there was ample time to devote to the pursuit of beauty and personal fulfillment.

According to custom, in the weeks leading up to March 3rd, Japanese households would prepare an elaborate display of handmade dolls. From top to bottom, they would run the gamut from representations of imperial officials to more utilitarian items such as ox-drawn carriages and palanquins.

On the morning of March 4th, families would immediately set the dolls afloat on miniature boats and send them off to the sea. Failure to comply would severely harm the marriage prospects of any female members in the household.

In the modern era, the price of acquiring new dolls each year became prohibitively expensive for such a practice to continue. Still, old customs die hard, and today savvy matrons are quick to pack away Hina-matsuri dolls in discrete boxes, and store them well out of sight.

If you happen to be in Japan right now, consider taking a break from your normal routine to visit a local temple or shrine. There is a good chance that there will be plenty of dolls on display. And if you happen to have a Y chromosome along with an X, fear not as Boys’ Day is just around the corner on May 5th.

** All images courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons Project **

Big in Japan: The Re-Launch!

by Matthew Firestone on

Long-time readers of Gadling may remember the Big in Japan series, which reigned for 200 posts from 2007 to 2009. Well, we’re proud to announce the re-launch of our weird, wacky and wonderful coverage from the Land of the Rising Sun.

My name is Matthew D. Firestone, and I’m a long-time resident of one of the world’s greatest megalopolises, namely Tokyo. When I’m not stuffing my face full of sushi and drowning my cares away in sake, I’m usually on assignment as an author for Lonely Planet.

But we’re not here to talk about travel writing and guidebooks. There will be plenty of time for that in some of my other posts. On the contrary, this featured column is all about Japan, and why you shouldn’t overlook this tiny archipelago floating in the vast Pacific.

Like what you hear? Please keep on reading…Since 2009, Japan has been suffering from what many in the PR business would call *bad press.* The original Asian tiger is no longer the world’s second largest economy, and analysts predict that many others aren’t too far behind.

The all-mighty yen aside, Japan’s divine sport of sumo wrestling was rocked by match-fixing scandals, prompting the first tournament cancellation since World War II. And lest we forget the Toyota recalls, which shattered the image of Japan’s once reliable export market.

Here on the ground, the general mood has certainly soured like an umeboshi or pickled plum. Japan may be down on its luck, but in this blogger’s opinion, it’s certainly not out. And that is exactly why we’re here today to celebrate the re-launch of Big in Japan…

China and India are catapulting themselves towards world economic dominance. And SE Asia may be the world’s next great investment hot spot. But when it comes to the weird, wacky and the wonderful, Japan still has plenty of lucrative equity too offer.

So be sure to tune into Gadling for Big in Japan updates from the Land of the Rising Sun. Rather than setting a regular timeand a place, we’ll leave it at an informal invitation. Indeed, inspiration comes from all sorts of random places.

In the past, weblogged about everything from the perfect bowl of ramen and pig placenta beauty supplements to flesh-eating doctorfish and Japanese language primers. In the future, you an expect all this and much, much more…

In short, we’re glad to be back, and a bit sorry that we even left in the first place. We hope you feel the same (^_^)

** All images courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons Project **

A travel guide to the 2011 Oscar movies

by Meg Nesterov on

The 83rd annual Academy Awards are coming up in a few weeks and the Oscars race is on. This year’s nominations contained few surprises, with many nods for Brit period piece The King’s Speech, Facebook biopic The Social Network, and headtrip Inception. While 2010’s ultimate travel blockbuster Eat, Pray, Love failed to made the cut, there’s still plenty to inspire wanderlust among the Best Picture picks.

Read on for a travel guide to the best movies of 2010 and how to create your own Oscar-worthy trip.

127 Hours – Location: Danny Boyle’s nail-biter was shot on location in Utah’s Blue John Canyon near Moab and on a set in Salt Lake City. Go there: Should you want to explore Moab’s desert and canyons while keeping all limbs intact, check out Moab in fall for bike races and art festivals.



Black Swan – Location: Much of the ballet psychodrama was shot in New York City, though the performances were filmed upstate in Purchase, New York. Go there: To see the real “Swan Lake” on stage at Lincoln Center, you’ll have to hope tickets aren’t sold out for the New York City Ballet, performing this month February 11-26.

The Fighter – Location: in the grand tradition of Oscar winners Good Will Hunting and The Departed, the Mark Wahlberg boxing flick was filmed in Massachusetts, in Micky Ward’s real hometown of Lowell, 30 miles north of Boston. Go there: For a map of locations in Lowell, check out this blog post and perhaps spot Micky Ward at the West End Gym.

Inception – Location: The setting of this film depends on what dream level you’re in. The locations list includes Los Angeles, England, Paris, Japan, even Morocco. Go there: There are plenty of real locations to visit, including University College London and Tangier’s Grand Souk. Canada’s Fortress Mountain Resort where the snow scenes were shot is currently closed, but you can ski nearby in Banff.



The Kids Are All Right – Location: Director Lisa Cholodenko is a big fan of southern California, she also filmed the 2002 Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles. Go there: Love it or hate it, L.A. is still a top travel destination in the US and perhaps this year you can combine with a trip to Vegas, if the X Train gets moving.

The King’s Speech – Location: A prince and a commoner in the wedding of the century. Sound familiar? This historical drama was shot in and around London, though stand-ins were used for Buckingham Palace’s interiors. Go there: It might be hard to recreate the vintage look of the film, but London is full of atmospheric and historic architecture and palaces to visit. If you’re a sucker for English period films or places Colin Firth has graced, tour company P & P Tours can show you around many historic movie locations like Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.

The Social Network – Location: Another Massachusetts and California movie, this very academic film shot at many college and prep school campuses, but none of them Harvard, which hasn’t allowed film crews in decades. Go there: If you enjoyed the Winklevoss rowing scene, head to England this summer for the Henley Royal Regatta June 29 – July 3.

Toy Story 3 – Location: The latest in the Pixar animated trilogy is set at the Sunnyside Daycare. Go there: Reviews are mixed, but Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a new Pixar parade, to let fans see their favorite characters in “person.” Visit any Disney gift shop to make your own toy story.

True Grit – Location: The Coen brothers western remake may be set in 19th century Arkansas, but it was filmed in modern day Santa Fe, New Mexico and Texas, taking over much of towns like Granger. Go there: If you’re a film purist or big John Wayne fan, you can tour the locations of the original film in Ouray County, Colorado.

Winter’s Bone – Location: Many moviegoers hadn’t heard of this film when nominations were announced, set and shot in the Ozark Mountains in southern Missouri. Go there: The difficult film centers around the effects of methamphetamine on a rural family, but travel destinations don’t get much more wholesome than Branson, Missouri. Bring the family for riverboat shows and the best bathroom in the country.

[Photo by Flickr user Lisa Norman]

Japanese monkey on the loose with a criminal record

by Meg Nesterov on

Mothers of Japan, lock up your daughters, there’s a monkey on the loose and she has a record. A Japanese macaque named Lucky escaped from a government nature park in Mishima in central Japan while her cage was being cleaned this morning. City officials and residents are especially wary as Lucky escaped last year and went on a two-month “biting spree,” attacking 120 people before being caught in October.

Lucky got her name after her capture last fall, when she was put on display in the nature park along with “Lucky” souvenirs (temporary bite tattoos, perhaps?) until the stress of her new fame got to her. The macaque was spotted near JR Mishima Station today and officials are working to get her back to the nature park before she bites again.

UPDATE: Lucky’s latest reign of terror has ended after less than 24 hours on the loose with no injuries reported. Despite last fall’s two-month search, this capture was easy. “We called her name repeatedly, and she came to us,” city official Hidetsugu Uchida said. “She has been used to being called by her name.” Here’s hoping her next escape attempt is not so Lucky.

[Japanese macaque photo by Flickr user Kabacchi]

Capsule hotels come to China

by Melanie Nayer on

Following in the footsteps of Japan, China has introduced “capsule hotels” – a cheap, convenient and possibly claustrophobic option for travelers on a budget.

If your travel plans take you to Shanghai, you could enjoy a night at a capsule hotel for as little as $10 (68 Yuan). The 68 “room” hotel opened next to the Shanghai Railway Station, making it easy accessible for travelers on-the-go. The concept of capsule hotels — small pod-like spaces complete with a narrow bed, tiny TV, reading light and “shade” that you pull down for privacy — originated in Japan and book up with business and budget travelers needing a quick nap and cheap hotel option before their next stop.

The Shanghai capsule hotel imported the miniature hotel rooms from Japan, and each room is complete with a power point, clock, light, television and wireless internet. Each of the capsules is 1.1-meters (3 feet) high, 1.1-meters (3 feet) wide and 2.2-meters (7 feet) long. The hotel also has a public lavatory, shower room, smoking room and shared guest room.

As of right now, the hotel is for men only. Prices start at 68 yuan ($10) for 10 hours or 88 yuan ($14) for 24 hours.

Our friends at AOL Travel have more information.