Word for the Travel Wise (01/11/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Coming up this March for all the anime lovers is the Tokyo International Anime Fair in March. To be more exact, the event will be open to the general public on March 24-25, 2007. The event is known as the world’s largest anime exhibition held every spring at Tokyo Big Sight.

Today’s word is a Japanese word used in Japan:

kokusai – international

Spoken Japanese comes smoothly for those who either practice or submit themselves to hours of Japanese pop music, but either way one can learn this language in through several avenues. Japanese Online is a VERY good FREE site to start learning. They have audio and a great conversation lessons. The lessons get more in-depth as you become a registered user which is still free of charge. Takese.com has a list of over 2000 words worth checking out. Those on the road already may want to pick up the LP Japanese phrasebook or check into a school for a few weeks of learning. Study Abroad has a list of school located all over the country. If you’re seeking help with written Japanese best of luck to you!

Past Japanese words: hajimemashite, dewa mata, tomodachi, omocha, uchiwa, nori, shigoto

Photo of the Day (12/30/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Now that Christmas has come and past and with New Year’s only two days away it felt natural picking this shot of the ever-so-famous Mickey Mouse head. Why? I don’t know. Maybe someone out there put a trip to Disney World in Orlando or Tokyo on their 2007 vacation list. Sure it’s cluttered with tourists, but the mouse man has always been popular with the kiddies and the kid at heart. The fireworks show around the holidays is said to be an extra special site to see, so I’m told.

Anyhow, today’s POTD goes to vyxle. Taken on some type of Disney train in Tokyo, I wonder what puzzles the woman.

Japan’s Vinegar Bars

by Adrienne Wilson on

As a child my taste-buds had always been fond of vinegar. While my brother scrunched his face up as I poured it atop of my dishes, I kept munching on salt n’ vinegar chips, dousing it on homemade collard greens and naturally placed it on fish with chips. Without ever knowing vinegar was a good thing for the body, I simply kept it around because I liked it, but in Japan in turns out people have found more inventive ways to mix vinegar into drinks and desserts. This makes me stop in my tracks.

As much as I like vinegar I’ve never thought of drinking it in a beverage, but oh, how popular the Vinegar Bars and Cafes have become in Japan! The trend of drinking vinegar picked up in 2004 when people started to realize that is a good remedy to high blood pressure and from there started mixing it with soy milk in addition to orange and grapefruit fruit drinks. At Kurozu Bar in Tokyo’s Shinbashi Station interested foodies can get a blueberry vinegar shake or vinegar with blood orange juice beverage. That ought to cool you off on a hot day in the city if you can just get past the sound of the entire concoction.

via Gridskipper

Mobile Ashtray Museum

by Adrienne Wilson on

Imagine a world where non-smokers and smokers live harmoniously. How do you picture it? What does it look like? Does the smell of cigarette smoke pollute the air or do you only catch whiffs of apple-pie, roses and other delightful scents floating in the air? I do not yet have a clear vision of what this harmonious world looks like, but Japan Tobacco seems to have one or a piece of one at least.

According to this Japan Times article the world’s third-largest cigarette-maker aims to push portable ashtrays so that smokers can place their butts in a safe place until further disposal and non-smokers can enjoy a landscape unblemished by discarded cigarettes. Are you feeling the harmony yet? The Mobile Ashtray Museum (MAM) is a private collection of manufacturer’s products from the past, but also an emporium selling more than 300 portable ashtrays. Other goods for up for grabs include lighters, cig cases, and all the JT-made cigarettes, of course. I mean, after you go check out all these sort-of cool devices to help keep butts off the ground, I mean you’re going to want to puff on something right? From the sound of this piece the smoking tourist might have somewhat of a blast in the so-called quirky museum, but the truly anti-tobacco minded will choke up and probably burst into flames at Japan Tobacco’s attempt to keep smokers smoking and therefore passing on their second-hand smoke, which is always the biggest issue with smokers anyway.

Right?

Photo of the Day (9/30/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on


This picture totally reminds me of My Favorite Martian for some very odd reason. Could it be all the three-eyed alien like figures? Hmm… Out of the Gadling Flickr pool – SunToad took this one almost a year ago at a Halloween celebration in Tokyo Disneyland. While it’s still rather early to think about Halloween I thought the glowing eyes and lights and overall cuteness of the creatures deserved a moment of fame. Besides it makes me think of traveling out of this world.