A White Boy in Japan (日本での白人)

Happy New Year (2012新年)

2012-01-22T15:29:00.000-08:00

Happy year of the [super] dragon [punch]!

Here's hoping that 2012 brings health, happiness, and prosperity to you all.

新年明けましておめでとうございます！

今年も宜しくお願い致します。

B.E.W.

(...)

2011-03-15T23:20:00.000-07:00

A moment of silence for all the victims.

Thinking of all my friends in Japan...

心からお祈りしております。

B.E.W.

A New Year...

2011-02-02T23:05:00.001-08:00

...and a slightly new template!

I have yet to find a suitable Japan-themed background for the blog. But, to usher in the year of the rabbit (兎), I'm going with bamboo! And...that rocket-powered bunny chick from Densha Otoko!

Here's hoping the new year is healthy, happy, and prosperous for you all!

新年あけましておめでとうございます。

今年も宜しくお願い致します。

B.E.W.

Thank You!

2010-03-22T10:03:00.001-07:00

Well, with the odometer rolling over last night, I felt it was necessary to post a message of thanks to the over 20,000 of you who have visited A White Boy in Japan.

Or, to the four of you who visited 5,000 times each.

Thank you all so very much - the best is yet to come!

B.E.W.

P.S. - In other news, Blogger seems to have completely revamped their layout options (take that Wordpress!). The result are spiffy new background images like PLANKS OF WOOD!!! Sorry...there weren't any Japanese-y themes available. Until Blogger creates that proper Godzilla background, please just stare at the creaky boards and envision a temple.

Your cooperation is appreciated with the warm heart.

The Last Train From Hiroshima

2010-02-21T22:40:00.020-08:00

The Last Train From Hiroshima: The Survivors Look Back* is a recently published historical nonfiction book written by Dr. Charles Pellegrino. I do not often post book or film reviews on the blog, and frankly, I do not wish to start now. I am no critic. Occasionally however, a book touches me in such a profound way that I feel a deep and urgent need to recommend it to others. In this case, the hope is that Last Train's message of peace and love spreads forth like an infection across the globe.

The take-home point from this post? As a "planetary citizen," please read this book!

I borrow the term "planetary citizen" from Mr. Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a double survivor of ground-zero at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He coined this term during his address at the United Nations as a means to underscore our collective humanity.

For me, this book was the most extensive and affecting written account of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that I have experienced. While often unknown and unread outside of Japanese studies, there in fact exists a canon of "A-Bomb Literature." Classics in the genre include such books as, Black Rain (Masuji Ibuse), the comic series Barefoot Gen (Keiji Nakazawa), and the journalistic account Hiroshima (John Hersey), to name a few. Dr. Pellegrino's book can now rightfully be added to the list.

Here is truly an author who knows. Having spent the better part of three decades researching and forging real-life friendships with survivors; the result is an intensely personal and human account of those men, women, and children (American and Japanese alike) whose lives were forever changed by the bomb.

While the book delves into intense forensic detail when discussing the science behind the bombs, the survivors' voices are what propel the narrative with great efficacy. I do not intend to demean the severity of the subject matter in the slightest when I say that Last Train reads like a natural thriller. Perhaps this is why director James Cameron (a personal friend of Dr. Pellegrino) has considered adapting the work into a feature film.

Each reader is likely to come away from this book with a different image or story etched into their memory: The husband carrying a bowl of his newly-wedded wife's bones back to her parent's house - the terminally ill doctor who, upon surviving the Nagasaki blast underwent a spiritual conversion and became a staunch advocate for peace - the young girl dying from atomic bomb disease, who put "all of herself" [her soul] into folding thousands of microscopic origami cranes.

Make no mistake, this is an incredibly difficult book to read. The pages are filled with heartbreak, intense tragedy, and images of such gruesomeness, that they will haunt your dreams. This is how it should be. The sheer act of reading and bearing witness to the horrors of nuclear warfare does our future world a favor.

At the same time, it must also be said that the pages are unequivocally filled with messages of love, hope, and optimism. Having personally visited ground zero in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, what I was left with, aside from an intense sadness, was the feeling that the stories of survivors must live on for generations to come, if there is any hope of preventing a future Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

As the very real day approaches when there will be no more living survivors of the atomic bombings, we owe it to ourselves as humans to keep these stories alive. Outside of visiting the memorials in Japan, reading and recommending Dr. Pellegrino's book is the next best way to make sure these voices are heard by all planetary citizens.

Pellegrino, Charles. The Last Train From Hiroshima: The Survivors Look Back. New York: Henry Holt & Co., 2010.

B.E.W.

*UPDATE - There has been brewing controversy surrounding this book in recent weeks, with both the NY Times and the Today Show discrediting certain American military witnesses included in the book. In fact, "Doctor" Pellegrino's own educational history and credentials have been brought into question as well. The result of this hullabaloo is that the publisher has decided to cease printing, shipping, and marketing the book. The proposed James Cameron film adaptation will also likely never leave the station. So, if you are interested in reading this book (or in search of that perfect literary collectible), better snag a copy FAST!

Happy New Year (新年)!

2010-01-03T16:14:00.003-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone!

新年あけましておめでとうございます。

I hope 2010 is filled with health, happiness, and prosperity for you all.

After all, it is the year of the tiger (UPPERCUT!!!).

今年も宜しくお願い致します。

B.E.W.

Tokyo Game Show (東京ゲームショウ)

2009-09-28T23:25:00.011-07:00

*Since I will be leaving Tokyo soon to head back to the U.S., this will be my last major update for a bit.

Readers of the blog likely know (or have been able to infer) that I am a huge gamer. This past Saturday and Sunday, another personal goal of mine came true - I was finally able to attend the Tokyo Game Show (hereafter TGS)!

This year's TGS was held at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba City. It was open to the public this past Saturday and Sunday, with two business-specific days before then. The great thing about TGS is that it is an event for gamers. All of the major Japanese developers are present (except Nintendo), and each company designs a main booth and demo stations to let gamers try out the latest software.

Let's get one thing out of the way first, TGS is CROWDED! The thousands and thousands of people present are a testament to the fact that gaming is alive and well in Japan (and abroad!). Just walking from one end of the hall to the other was incredibly difficult. Sometimes you were smashed face-to-neck with people. That's part of the fun though. Even waiting in line gave you a great chance to chat with fellow gamers.

Photos and videos were technically forbidden throughout TGS. They have signs up everywhere and staff members would stop you if they saw you snapping pictures. Needless to say, I managed to snap quite a few undetected.

Overall, the event atmosphere felt a lot like a visit to Disneyland. Each company booth had long queues to play the latest games. They would even write the wait time on a little dry-erase board. Where was my Fast Pass!? Due to the long wait times, you can expect to play 5 - 6 AAA games per day at TGS. I played 11 games in total.

Here's a list of the games I played during the show with my brief impressions. Most of the games were still in development, so a lot can change before the ship date.

Assassin's Creed 2 (PS3 / 360)
I never played the first AC, but I knew what to expect going in. The animation was fluid and the graphics were beautiful. I actually enjoyed climbing around the city more than I did fighting the bad guys. I didn't have enough playtime to carry out the assassination.
VERDICT: Beautiful game with slow pacing.

Bayonetta (PS3 / 360)
This is the "Sarah Palin" game I joke about below. A Sega action game that's 1/2 God of War, 1/2 Devil May Cry. The main character is a witch, and her clothes fall off as her magic gauge empties. "But, I've seen everything!" The imaginative character and creature designs were the strong point. The actual gameplay felt a bit shallow. I was pulling of crazy combos by just mashing buttons.
VERDICT: Sorry Palin...Stick with GoW III.

Biohazzard: The Darkside Chronicles (Wii)
An on-rails first-person shooter for Wii. This could easily be mistaken for the latest House of the Dead. I played co-op with a Capcom staffer. She had the demo memorized and was able to point out where all the herbs and weapon upgrades were. I thought the game was fun enough, but perhaps a tad on the easy side. The graphics didn't seem quite up to par with RE4 on GC, which I found a bit strange.
VERDICT: Shallow shooting fun for a group of friends.

Final Fantasy XIII (in Japan, only on PS3)
The only FF game I've played is VII, so I don't know if I'm the best to judge how the game was. I much prefer real-time action RPGs (ala Kingdom Hearts) to turn-based ones. That being said, since your party characters move around as they attack, the new battle system feels quite dynamic, almost like they could have made it real-time. The graphics are also super beautiful. Square Enix has almost created gameplay footage that looks as good as the CG.
VERDICT: I want to just watch the cut-scenes.

God of War III (PS3)
I'm not a die hard fan, but I am a GoW fan. Having played both I and II on PS2, GoW III felt identical to the earlier games in terms of controls and gameplay. The only real difference I saw was that the graphics are now super hi-res. The animation was also silky smooth with 0 slowdown.
VERDICT: More of the same if you love GoW!

Gran Turismo 5 (PS3)
The graphics are beautiful and the cars are all there. I played GT5 in a racing cage with a force-feedback wheel and pedals. Rather than race, I fooled around with the car. Vehicle damage was fully implemented in this version. It's a bit depressing to see the beautiful cars all smashed up. Also, certain environmental elements (tire stacks / barriers) now interact with your car and go flying if you hit them.
VERDICT: The racing game to own!

Heavy Rain (PS3)
The next cinematic game from the makers of Indigo Prophecy (PS2 / Xbox). This was my must-play game of the show. I thought this game was just too cool for words. The control scheme is super strange at first (R2 to move the character, left analog to move the head, right analog to do onscreen actions), but you quickly get used to it. The character models, animation, and environments were all dripping with atmosphere. It felt like playing a videogame version of Se7en.
VERDICT: Watch out for this one!

Lost Planet 2 (PS3 / 360)
A 180 degree shift from LP1. This game seems like a cross between Gears of War and Monster Hunter. I played 4 on 4 team death match with some Japanese gamers. My team lost. There was a cooperative campaign too, where you worked with your team to kill a giant creature. Everything from the bulky marines to the nausea inducing "dash run" seemed ripped straight from Gears. The graphics were really pretty though. I especially liked the texture work on the monster. Lesson learned: in death match, just chuck grenades non-stop.
VERDICT: Is this just a Gears of War clone?

Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP)
Graphics are almost equal to Snake Eater on PS2. I skipped the intro cutscene because I only had 15 minutes to play ;). The game is still quite early in development. The demo mission was a basic sneaking tutorial on a beach / jungle - I beat it easily. The main change is a completely new control scheme. The analog stick moves Snake, L-button to aim, and R-button to shoot. However, when you hit aim, the four face buttons now act as a second analog stick. So to move the target reticule, you have to tap triangle, circle, X, and square.
VERDICT: Controls will take some getting used to. Classic MGS feel.

Red Steel 2 (Wii)
My first opportunity to play with the new Wii Motion Plus attachment. Never played the first RS. My initial impression was, "Man, the cell-shaded graphics look slick". The game really does look great on Wii. The gunplay was spot-on. I was able to pull of head-shots with no problem thanks to the added accuracy of Motion Plus. However, once the katana appeared, things started to get a bit wonky. The game recognized basic horizontal and vertical slashes, but it was nowhere near 1:1 tracking as advertised. I resorted to swinging my arm wildly to kill the boss.
VERDICT: Good first effort for Motion Plus. Swordplay has a way to go.

Uncharted 2 (PS3)
Loved the first Uncharted (cept for the creatures at the end). This one seems like more of everything: more explosions, more gunfights, more puzzles. The graphics and animations are top-notch. The voice acting and environments are all incredibly realistic. This was one of the best looking games on the floor in motion. Feels like playing an action movie. I had fun.
VERDICT: More of the same gameplay. A great AAA title.
---------------------

GAME OF THE SHOW

My game of the show was Heavy Rain for PS3. If you've played Indigo Prophecy, you have a good approximation for how the gaming experience will be. Thus, this game may not appeal to everyone, due to the unconventional control scheme and the fact that the gameplay emphasis is put on cinematic QTEs and environment exploration.

However, I found the atmosphere, character models, and pacing to be top notch. Here is a game that simply makes you believe that you are in a suspense-thriller movie.

My gameplay demo was of a scene called "Robbery". I played this scene twice. You're an off-duty detective who enters a convenience store to ask some questions about the origami killer. During your visit, a robbery occurs.

The scene can play out in a few ways. The store clerk initially refuses to tell you anything and you go off to get some asthma medicine. Once the robber comes in, you have some choices. If you do nothing, the robber will shoot the store clerk and escape with the cash. As he dies, the clerk points you to a box under the register.

If you sneak around and work up your courage by talking yourself through it (L2 brings up the character's inner thoughts), you can find a wine bottle and clobber the robber. This results in the clerk being spared and you are able to persuade him to talk.

Even from just this short demo, it's easy to see how open-ended the gameplay will be. It's also a bit intimidating to know that the story will continue forward no matter what decisions you make (even, for instance, if a main character dies). Every gamers' individual experience will likely be different. This is truly a choose-your-own-adventure style game. I'm excited to play more!

K, that's my report from TGS 2009.

Happy gaming everyone!

B.E.W.

2009-09-28T23:23:00.002-07:00

The Tokyo Game Show 2009 (TGS) was open to the public this past Saturday and Sunday at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba City.

2009-09-28T23:21:00.001-07:00

Various game characters greet you on your way to the convention center.

2009-09-28T23:20:00.001-07:00

I arrived at the convention center and the place was absolutely deserted. Gaming is dead in Japan!

2009-09-28T23:18:00.001-07:00

Yeah, so it turns out that gaming is quite popular in Japan*.

*This is the queue to get in on the first day, having arrived EARLY!

2009-09-28T23:16:00.000-07:00

Time to get your game on!!!

2009-09-28T23:15:00.004-07:00

A shot of the show floor at TGS 2009. This was taken at the end of the first day, so there aren't too many people roaming around. During peak hours, the place was absolutely jammed!

2009-09-28T23:15:00.001-07:00

Another shot of the show floor.

2009-09-28T23:10:00.004-07:00

Here is a quick 360 of the TGS 2009 show floor. I took this video while
waiting in line to play Uncharted 2 at the Playstation booth. Just to give
a taste of the excitement (and the crowds!).

2009-09-28T23:05:00.001-07:00

I played Assassin's Creed 2 and Red Steel 2, both from Ubisoft.

2009-09-28T23:04:00.002-07:00

This Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG was featured in the Gran Turismo 5 demo. It will also featured on the official box art when the game launches in late 2010.

2009-09-28T23:00:00.002-07:00

Waiting in line to play Lost Planet 2 (360 / PS3). I played team death-match on a 360 console. This shot shows what the gaming stations were like. All the monitors were full 1080P HD, and each station had a set of stereo headphones.

2009-09-28T22:59:00.002-07:00

Biohazzard (Resident Evil): The Darkside Chronicles was a first-person rail shooter for Wii.

2009-09-28T22:58:00.003-07:00

MGS Peace Walker for PSP had the most creative booth. There were foreign actors dressed up in military uniforms that would walk around and bark orders at you in Japanese as you waited in line.

2009-09-28T22:56:00.000-07:00

Waiting in line to play the Sarah Palin action game.

2009-09-28T22:55:00.002-07:00

I'll use this chocobo balloon to transition into some pics of the various booths.

2009-09-28T22:53:00.003-07:00

By far the most popular booth at TGS. Japanese people go berserk for FF XIII and Dragon Quest. Even the Square Enix souvenir booth had a 30 minute wait just to get inside.

2009-09-28T22:52:00.000-07:00

I love me my PS3!!!

2009-09-28T22:50:00.003-07:00

I felt that the Playstation booth was the most smartly run out of the lot. Since all the games available in this section were rated M ("for mature"), they had people checking your IDs at the gate. You then received a ticket and had to wait in line for your game of choice. Wait times averaged 90 to 120 minutes for a 10 - 15 minute play slot.

2009-09-28T22:49:00.001-07:00

Least popular gaming booth...EVER!

2009-09-28T22:47:00.002-07:00

You get a lot of gaming swag at TGS. Most companies hand out stickers, art books, or DVDs after you play-test their game. I think the best thing I got was a t-shirt for playing Red Steel 2.

2009-09-28T22:44:00.002-07:00

Right before TGS ended, there was a live Konami stage event for Peace Walker, the latest Metal Gear Solid game for PSP. I apologize for the grainy screen caps, but there were literally thousands of people between me and the stage.

2009-09-28T22:41:00.002-07:00

This smartly dressed guy is Akio Ohtsuka, the Japanese voice of Snake in all the MGS games. He's a super celebrity - upon joining the stage, he received more applause than Kojima-san.

The Konami event ended with a live stage reading from the latest script. Ohtsuka was joined by a few other voice actors and they ran through a couple of scenes. We all got to hear the Snake voice!!!

2009-09-28T22:37:00.002-07:00

Metal Gear Solid series creator Hideo Kojima. I believe this was the part where he announced to the entire TGS crowd that I would be taking over as creative director of MGS Peace Walker.

2009-09-28T22:36:00.000-07:00

Oh...and here are some Capcom booth babes. Don't think I forgot!

Hakone (箱根町)

2009-09-27T05:00:00.004-07:00

I debated whether or not to visit, but in the end, I wound up taking the two hour train ride to Hakone (Kanagawa Prefecture).

Along with Nikko, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations for Japanese and international tourists looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. The area is famous for its onsen (hot spring) resorts and majestic views of Mt. Fuji.

The Odakyu Railway Company runs a wonderful deal. For under $50 USD, one can buy a two-day unlimited "Hakone Free Pass", which grants unlimited usage of Hakone's many transportation systems (railway, bus, sightseeing ship, cable car). The round-trip train fare from Tokyo to Hakone is also included in the price of the pass.

With the Free Pass, I was "free" to leisurely explore Hakone. The primary sightseeing route is basically one giant loop that starts and ends at Hakone Station. The course includes a boat ride across Lake Ashi, a cable car ride into the volcanic Owakudani valley, and a train ride back through the mountains.

Hakone is renowned for its beauty, and indeed, the town is quite beautiful. I imagine that Lake Ashi in particular is breathtaking when all the autumn leaves change. However, visitors should be forewarned that views of Mt. Fuji can be elusive, even with clear skies.

There's not much to do in Hakone other than admire the natural beauty and visit an onsen (I did both). Many tourists choose to spend a night in a ryokan, but I found Hakone to be a perfectly manageable day-trip.

B.E.W.

2009-09-27T04:55:00.001-07:00

Torii gate leading to...

2009-09-27T04:54:00.000-07:00

...Hakone Shrine.

2009-09-27T04:53:00.000-07:00

Picture of an old Edo Era checkpoint. Gates like this used to exist throughout Japan.

2009-09-27T04:50:00.002-07:00

After viewing the shrine, it was time to cross Lake Ashi.

How does one cross Lake Ashi...?

...in a PIRATE SHIP!!!

2009-09-27T04:49:00.001-07:00

See, there's a cannon...

2009-09-27T04:48:00.003-07:00

...and a treasure chest!

There was even a guy walking around in a pirate costume posing for pictures. All that was missing was the song from the Disney ride.

2009-09-27T04:47:00.001-07:00

Hakone Shrine's beautiful torii gate floating in the water.

2009-09-27T04:44:00.001-07:00

View from the stern.

2009-09-27T04:42:00.001-07:00

Next, it was time to ride a cable car into Owakudani and snap pictures of Mt. Fuji.

2009-09-27T04:36:00.002-07:00

Mt. Fuji is a notoriously difficult subject for pictures*. Even though the sky was crystal clear on the day I visited, there was just enough mist off in the distance to make photo taking rather difficult. Still, I think this captures the spirit of the mountain.

*If the weather in Hakone is anything but crystal clear, I would recommend rescheduling your visit. As I experienced firsthand during a tour bus visit years ago, Mt. Fuji is completely invisible in cloudy weather.

2009-09-27T04:30:00.003-07:00

Looks a bit like Mt. Fuji, doesn't it?

Owakudani (lit. "Great Boiling Valley") is a volcanic valley in Hakone. The active vents spew sulfur into the air, making all the asthmatics quake in their booties. Though nowhere near as large or impressive, Owakudani was very reminiscent of Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu.

2009-09-27T04:24:00.003-07:00

The famous snack at Owakudani are "black eggs". These eggs are hard boiled in the sulfurous water, so their shells turn all hideous looking. Each black egg eaten is said to add seven years to one's life. They come in packs of five. In truth, I was ready to stop after 14 years, but I went ahead and added the full 35.

2009-09-27T04:23:00.000-07:00

Never judge an egg by its shell. Inside, a regular hard boiled egg awaits.

2009-09-27T04:18:00.001-07:00

Even Kitty-chan's gotten into the spirit!

2009-09-27T04:16:00.002-07:00

My other snack was wasabi ice cream. Seems like something they might make for dessert on an episode of Iron Chef. This was the real deal - you could clearly taste the wasabi. The ice cream was rather spicy. An interesting taste sensation!

2009-09-27T04:14:00.001-07:00

The Hakone Free Pass gives you free admission to Gora Park. Here's the main fountain centerpiece.

2009-09-27T04:10:00.002-07:00

There's also a kamaboko (fish cake) museum in Hakone. The word "museum" isn't quite accurate; the place is more like a giant gift shop. You can buy fish cakes of all shapes, flavors, and sizes. Pictured here are the biggest loaves I've ever seen. You'd only need one slice of this bad-boy for your udon bowl.

2009-09-27T04:07:00.001-07:00

Looks like somebody is home in Odawara Castle.

2009-09-27T04:04:00.003-07:00

This video was taken while walking back from Odawara Castle. I've never seen so many crows. It's like a scene from The Birds. There must have been a crow convention going on or something.

2009-09-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

One final image of Mt. Fuji as we say goodbye to Hakone.

Now That's Good Television! (テレビタイム)

2009-09-24T04:45:00.004-07:00

Two weeks and two interviews filmed for Japanese TV. It's a pity I'm leaving Japan next week; my career as a TV personality seems to be taking off!

My first encounter occurred on the Nakamise shopping street behind Asakusa's famous Kaminari-mon Gate. A representative from Fuji TV, clearly targeting oblivious gaijin, approached me and asked me in English if I'd be interested in participating in a short interview. Not having anything better to do at the time, I agreed.

After two large German men finished their interview, I was ushered to a small tourist-free nook, and placed in front of the camera. The segment director was a lanky Japanese guy decked out in a plaid shirt and glasses. He appeared around my age. His thick British accent and excellent spoken English indicated that he was more than up to the task of interviewing oblivious foreigners.

The plump cameraman showed me two videos on a small portable DVD player. The first video was of some middle aged-looking Japanese woman wearing a billowy white dress. She was roaming through an empty house, pausing momentarily at the windows to let the sunlight stream down on her face.

The second video was of a transgendered male to female TV personality named Ai Haruna. In the video, Haruna was singing and dancing one of her energetic musical numbers. You can see her picture below.

Ai Haruna is a popular TV personality here in Japan. Flip through the nightly variety programs and you will almost certainly see her on a guest panel or two. Though she completed gender reassignment surgery and now lives her life completely as a woman, since she is a comedienne, it is part of her act to surprise guests with the "gender bombshell" or make joking references to her past life as a man.

The above paragraph is all information I was not expected to know at the time of the interview. After the videos finished, the segment director began asking me a series of questions in English. Examples included, "which woman do you find more attractive?" and "which woman would you choose as your girlfriend?" After each answer, the director would translate what I said into Japanese for both the cameraman and assistant director (AD).

I repeatedly answered Haruna, not because I wanted to play into their gag, but because the billowy dress wearing sunshine lady was so boring on film. I feared our make-believe relationship would never last.

The obvious slant was to get the unsuspecting foreigner to select Ai Haruna as more desirable. The big laugh would come at the end when she was revealed to have been born a man. After being asked if I'd like Haruna as a wife, I turned to the director and said in Japanese, "Well, I don't really know for sure because she was born a man and all..."

The entire crew froze. The red filming light went off.

Mouth agape, the director, stuttering to get the words out, asked me, "H-How did you know that!?" I responded that she's on TV nearly every night, so her personal history is no secret. The interview was clearly over at this point.

Smile turning to a frown, the director mumbled in English, "So, you speak Japanese then?"

"Yes," I said in Japanese.

"That's wonderful," he replied in English, clearly not meaning it.

All that was left was to cut to the end. I had to hold up a card with the name of my overall selection. They gave me the Ai Haruna card and told me to say her name into the camera. I did just that. I was told that my reading of her name was too "Japanese".

The exact quote from the director was,

"No, no, you sound Japanese. When you say her name, can you say it more 'gaijin-like', if you know what I mean..."

I responded with my best fake smile and foreigner accent.

"Aye Haroonah!"

This brought an end to my time with Fuji Television - don't look for me on the air.

EDIT: I WAS WRONG!!! I made it on the air! I was out of the city and didn't have a chance to see it, but a Japanese friend text messaged me to let me know that I did appear on this show.

--------------------

My next encounter happened two days ago in Ginza. I was wandering around with my friend, when we spotted a huge queue of foreigners and a TV crew. This time it was a taping for the popular Saturday morning news program "Zoom In!! Saturday". I'd never heard of it, but my friend assured me it was legit. Apparently the announcer conducting the interviews was also quite well-known.

Having had my fill with the Ai Haruna bit, I was set to keep walking, however, repeated pleas from my friend finally broke my steadfast reserve. I waited in line for around 15 minutes before it was my turn to chat with the AD.

Unlike last time, this interview was conducted entirely in Japanese. I soon realized that all the foreigners waiting in line could speak Japanese, with varying degrees of fluidity. Since the AD asked lots of general questions to each participant, all the interviews were completely different.

During my pre-interview, I made sure to drop interesting information like the fact that I'm currently unemployed and that newly elected PM Hatoyama and I both graduated from Stanford. The AD scribbled notes on a piece of notebook paper and said that the interview would likely be about me trying to find a job in Japan. He lied!

With that, he pushed me in front of the camera and we were off!

The announcer and I proceeded to talk about video games for around 20 minutes. The entire interview was the two of us rambling about games. We didn't hit any other topics. I won't give a play-by-play of my interview at this point. Hopefully some of my footage will air and I'll be able to upload a copy on the blog.

Needless to say, the interview was very fun and funny. We talked about blowing into the old NES cartridges, Parappa the Rapper, and how great MGS4 was. The announcer was very knowledgeable about games and was lock-step with me the entire way. It was easy for us to banter back and forth about entertainment.

The final question was what, of all my games, would I choose to grab if running out of my burning house. Though this may not be entirely truthful, I said my "Taiko Drum Master" home version. Everyone in the entire crew, including the announcer, burst into tears of laughter.

...And I didn't even have to speak in my foreigner accent!

EDIT: This video game interview made it on TV as well! Several of my Japanese friends emailed me, saying that they had spotted me on the morning program. Apparently the interview segment they used was quite long.

B.E.W.

2009-09-24T04:43:00.000-07:00

And now for a few unrelated pictures...

Here's a blimp floating above Tokyo.

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I walked around the Tokyo Dome area the other day. There was a Giants game going on at the time. Apparently the team won their third straight Central League pennant that day. Too bad I wasn't inside the dome. Here is Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara. This is the most lifelike manikin I've ever seen!

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Most Japanese people I know aren't too familiar with the movie Forrest Gump.

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Is this not the most giant platform shoe you have ever seen? I picked this thing up - it was close to five pounds.

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These signs are now plastered around the city. Where do I go to get a piece of cake?

Photo Exhibition (写真展)

2009-09-20T01:28:00.003-07:00

Below is a grab-bag of completely unrelated pictures I snapped while walking around different areas of the city. Spotting the humorous or bizarre in Tokyo is simply a matter of keeping your eyes open.

Enjoy!

B.E.W.

2009-09-20T01:26:00.001-07:00

This sign from Shibuya cracked me up. I can't believe I've been listening to the fake stuff all these years!!

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Condom vending machine. These were once quite ubiquitous on the streets of Tokyo. These days, however, the machines are becoming harder and harder to find. Perhaps to encourage the type of passionate, unprotected lovemaking that results in population increasing childbirths?

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When you "join the excitement" of Konami's DrumMania, try not to look as idiotic as this kid.

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"I pity the _______ who doesn't stay at this hotel!"

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"Talk to the hand!"

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Display from a clothing store window. Absolutely no clue.

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Snapped this picture of the Sumida River the other day. For some reason, all the tiny clouds made the scene seem like one giant painting.

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Since former Prime Minister Taro Aso is now officially out of office, all the specialty stores in Akihabara have to get rid of their Aso-themed merchandise and sweets quickly, in order to make room for the new Hatoyama goods. GOODBYE ASO BLOWOUT SALE!!!

The sign around crying Taro's neck reads: "Aww man, I lost. But, I'LL BE BACK!!"

2009-09-20T00:59:00.002-07:00

Speaking of Akihabara, here is the nifty exterior to the popular retro games shop Super Potato. Super Potato is actually a chain from Osaka. The top floor of the Akiba building is home to a smallish game center. The bottom two floors have just about every retro game / system / accessory a gamer could want. The best thing about the store is that there are tons of fully-functioning game machines inside, so you can play all your favorite classics for free. There's even an original Virtual Boy kiosk from 1995 available to play as well!

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And finally, here's a comical number of swan boats on the water in Kichijoji's Inokashira Park. These boats are actually cursed; it's said that any couple who rides in a swan is destined to breakup. People must buy into the superstition, because the only couple-looking pair in the photo is indeed riding in a canoe.

Trash Island (ゴミの島)

2009-09-16T06:57:00.009-07:00

The actual name is "Dream Island" - This no doubt looks better on the pamphlets.

Though, since this man-made island jutting out into Tokyo Bay was constructed entirely of human waste, I think my title is a tad more appropriate.

The island was created by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. For what exact reason, I don't know. Either the government was at a loss for what to do with all their trash, or they were at a loss as to how to open a bank account and SAVE THEIR MONEY!

The island is home to three main facilities. First up was an absolutely massive sports / fitness center. Seriously, this thing looked half the size of Tokyo Disney. However, as with most places on the island, there seemed to be few people present to use the facility.

Second was a large display building home to the "Lucky Dragon No. 5", a tuna fishing boat that was caught in a U.S. H-bomb test at Bikini Atoll in 1954. The building was one-part history museum, one-part atomic bomb memorial. During my visit, a gaggle of grade school children were all receiving their requisite "horrors of war" lecture from a gray haired museum volunteer.

By far, the shining star of the landfill was its giant tropical greenhouse. I mean, if your overall design theme for the island is "nonsense", why not fully commit? The actual portion of the building open to visitors was quite small, leaving me to wonder, was it really necessary to build Ozymandias's Antarctic lair from Watchmen?

For those interested in visiting Trash Isle, it is located at the final stop of the Yurakucho Subway Line. The station name is "Shin-Kiba".

Unfortunately, Tattoo won't be there to yell, "Ze train! Ze train!"

B.E.W

2009-09-16T06:46:00.004-07:00

What better to build on an island of trash than a giant tropical greenhouse? This narrowly beat out the other top choices of "Totem Poll Museum" and "Tanuki Petting Zoo".

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Plant that looks like it belongs in Jurassic Park.

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View from behind the waterfall.

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There was also a smaller greenhouse which displayed various types of carnivorous plants.

"Feeeeeeed me, Seymour!"

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Nearby the tropical greenhouse is a building which houses this ship. The "Daigo Fukuryu-maru" (Lucky Dragon No. 5) was a Japanese tuna boat. It was caught in the blast radius of the 1954 U.S. H-Bomb test at Bikini Atoll. Thus, along with the monuments at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this little-known fishing vessel serves as stark reminder of the horrors of nuclear warfare.

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I guess these caricatures are supposed to simulate the victims' faces

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This shot shows the extensive damage to the ship's hull. The "lucky dragon" incident also provided the inspiration for the film Godzilla (Gojira) in 1954.

Dojo (どぜう)

2009-09-14T06:55:00.011-07:00

Tonight's dinner was another attempt at earning my Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations merit badge - ENTER THE DOJO!

Since you're probably wondering, "dojo" is a slimy eel-like river fish. The fish's name translates to "loach" in English, not that that helps one prepare a mental image. In Japanese, the name is pronounced "dojo", but is often confusingly written in the old Edo-style "doh-zay-ooh" (どぜう).

Though I've cumulatively lived in Asakusa for close to half a year now, tonight was the first time I sampled the local specialty. There are several restaurants that serve the fish around Asakusa, the most famous being "Komagata Dozeu" (right before Sensoji Temple on Edo Street). The Japanese tour buses stop here en masse due to restaurant's long history and appropriately stylistic jet-black Edo-Era building.

Actually, the better place to dine is the smaller, less-frequented "Dozeu Iidaya" near the Kappa Bashi kitchen street. The workers are warm, the atmosphere is traditional, and the fish are...well...grotesque.

I doubt they get many jolly white people queuing up to eat slimy river fish at Iidaya. This explained the servers' overjoyed faces and eagerness to talk to me about all things dojo. The fish have apparently been a Tokyo taste treat for hundreds of years. Families originally began eating the bottom feeders because they could be easily caught in the rice patties.

I sat next to a Japanese couple. The lady, like me, was also eating dojo for the first time. The guy, who obviously had various bottles of alcohol in his tummy, offered me the reminder of his half eaten tuna sashimi appetizer. The fish was marinated in some type of stinky fermented thing or another. I didn't know what to do but smile and eat it.

This produced applause.

According to him, dojo is a real love it or hate it type of dish - some people swear by it, others can't stand it. The fish is generally prepared in one of three ways:

Tempura - fried slimy river fish
Donburi - slimy river fish over white rice
Nabe - bubbling stew of slimy river fish

Since I wanted to most closely simulate the experience of eating slimy river fish straight from the dirty river, I chose the third option. This is coincidentally the most traditional way to eat dojo.

You can choose to have the fish with or without bones. At the recommendation of the server, I chose "with bones". I would recommend this variety, since the bones are of course completely edible. Without bones, the fish wouldn't have much resistance while chewing, making the dish a bit one-note texturally.

Culinary experiences like Dojo are steadily disappearing in modern-day Japan. There are now only a handful of specialty restaurants (mostly in Asakusa) that continue to serve these traditional Tokyo foods of yesteryear. Do yourself a favor and visit!

In the meantime, I'm camping outside my local McD's with a petition. The goal? To combine tradition and modernity in an affordable dish that kids these days can wrap their heads around.

The McLoach.

I'm lovin' it!

B.E.W.

2009-09-14T06:53:00.002-07:00

The dojo-nabe is cooking away. The dish literally consists of three ingredients:
1.) Cooking stock
2.) Green onion
3.) DOJO!!!

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Here is what the entire fish looks like. His buddy didn't make it out of the pot in one piece.

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Dojo framed by green onion. Sorry, there's just no way to make this dish look pretty.

Nikko (日光市)

2009-09-11T20:16:00.004-07:00

The shrines and temples of Nikko National Park have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Thus, the small city in Tochigi Prefecture has become one of the two most popular side-trips outside of Tokyo. The other is Hakone and the Mt. Fuji National Park area.

Due to its cultural significance and historical sites, the area was absolutely mobbed with children on school trips when I visited. One kid even stopped to interview me for a school project. I think he was supposed to speak in English, but we chatted in Japanese instead.

Nikko can be easily reached from Tokyo in around two hours or under, depending on the speed of the train. A twenty minute stroll up the tofu shop-lined main road puts one at the entrance to the park.

Below, you'll see pictures from the different shrine and temple complexes. The three main sights can all be accessed thanks to a handy $10 tourist pass. The most famous structure in the park is the exorbitantly decorated Toshogu Shrine; the mausoleum of the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.

In addition to the intricate carvings of some of the nations most beautiful historical properties, one is never far from nature. From lakes to mountains to waterfalls - Nikko has an abundance of serene, untarnished natural beauty that unfolds for and envelops the eager traveler.

Did I mention there's a pound cake factory with free samples?

B.E.W.

2009-09-11T20:14:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Nikko National Park in Tochigi Prefecture.

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According to my tourist materials, Shinkyo (pictured) is one of the three most unique bridges in Japan. I'm not exactly sure why that is. This sacred bridge is part of Futarasan Shrine, and acts as a gateway to the temple and shrine area.

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I particularly like the torii gate shaped stone supports underneath the bridge.

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We will begin our tour of Nikko with a visit to Rinno-ji Temple. But, you already knew that if you read the Japanese.

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Rinno-ji Temple is one of the three largest headquarters of the Tendai sect of Buddhism in Japan. The main hall is home to three giant Buddha images. Sadly, photography was not allowed inside.

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Our next stop is Toshogu Shrine. This is the most popular and widely visited of the shrine / temple bunch. This is because it is the mausoleum of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.

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Guardian at the front gate.

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Five-storied pagoda.

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Can you spot what's special about this wooden horse stable?

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I'll give you a hint...

THESE GUYS!

Yes, that famous phrase originated with these three wise monkeys. This carving is actually but one in a series of monkey scenes that depict different stages of the human life.

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"Hear no evil"

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"See no evil"

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Well, you know how it goes...

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The famous Yomei-mon gate leading to the shrine grounds. Toshogu is regarded as the most extravagantly or gaudily decorated shrine in Japan, depending on the individual.

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It's hard to capture all the exquisite details of the gate in digital stills. There are said to be over 400 separate carvings on this gate alone.

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Just to show some of the shrine's intricate decorations.

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A separate admission fee is required to view Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb. Above the gate leading to the tomb is this famous carving of the nemuri neko or "sleeping cat".

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Here is the actual tomb of Ieyasu Tokugawa, the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.