It’s amazing that the truck made it 1.2 kilometers with no driver before crashing!
Via: JapanToday
A black skin watermelon from Tomachou is sold at 300,000 yen at an auction in Sapporo city. That’s about $3800! These watermelons are famous for its black luster skin and rich red flesh which have a high level of sweetness compared to the common green-skinned watermelon. They are being sold at different department stores in the Tokyo Area.
To boost the shrinking population of Yuni, a small farming town of Japan with 5,900 people in the middle of the northern island of Hokkaido, it has been selling plots of land for only $1.50 per square meter. The town is hoping to encourage out-of-towners or visitors with the bargain offering and aims to help people from outside to settle in their town, help the town revitalize itself, and prevent the lessening of the population.
Photo by locket479
Yuni is selling eight 330 square meter plots on a former public housing project. The buyers need to commit in building a house on the land they have bought and they must live in it within three years. Interested buyers who are eligible to apply or to buy are only Japanese nationals or foreigners with permanent residency in Japan.
The offer price is just two percent of the local going price of 6,000 yen which is 120 yen and just a small portion of the 21.5 million yen or $272,000 charged for a square meter of earth in the upmarket Ginza district of Tokyo.
Since the sale of the plots was made public, around 200 people have already enquired about the deal in just 2 weeks, according to the town official. The official also said that the price had been set to go along with the 120th foundation anniversary of the town.
Japan holds a strange and somewhat magical hold on the imaginations of some travelers. The subject of fascination can vary greatly between each individual, ranging from romantic visions of ancient landscapes to those of modern pop culture exports. However, to residents of Japan these landscapes (and many more in-between) exist simultaneously. While most foreign travelers focus their sightseeing efforts on the ancient city of Kyoto or the modern metropolis of Tokyo, I’d suggest that those planning a trip to Japan go off the beaten path and experience Japan as it is lived by those who make their homes here. The city of Kobe is a great place to do this; it offers travelers gorgeous natural scenery, delicious food, and lots of history, yet it is a city that many tourists seem to overlook. Though, Kobe doesn’t have an international airport but one one can book an airline ticket till Osaka, which is minutes away from Kobe. Kobe is the sixth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū.
In the heart of downtown Kobe you will find the bustling narrow streets of the Sannomiya shopping and bar district. Nestled between its sky-scraping buildings is one of the oldest shrines in the country, Ikuta Shrine. The traditional spirit of this shrine was apparent upon my first visit whereupon I witnessed a Shinto wedding procession, bride in kimono and draped in a white headdress, passing a gaggle of hurried and undistracted businessman, all with seemingly identical briefcases in tow, visiting the shine to make an offering, pray, and ring the bell. I was struck how the traditional lives right alongside the modern in this landscape and how alive the past is within the gates of this shrine, which stands almost timelessly against the radically modern neon and steel backdrop of the city beyond.
I am always on the lookout for street art and graffiti; it has always held some fascination for me. While graffiti often comes with a host of negative connotations, to me it is an artistic expression as valid as any painting found on the walls of a museum. Near Ikuta shrine, the walls of the surrounding district offer many examples of graffiti. They juxtapose the timelessness of Ikuta Shrine, they are capricious but for as long as they last they will provide a creative identity for the individuals who painted them. Japan is a country of strict social expectations and it seems to me that these works are a way for some creative individuals to claim and transform their landscapes into dynamic narratives that they share with all who have an eye to appreciate them.
While I enjoy the city and its nightlife, I sometimes hunger for a little escape from the concrete paths and fluorescent light interiors. Not far north of the city center at the foot of Mt. Rokko, situated across a large river is Shin-Kobe train station. Feeding this river is a series of ancient waterfalls named Nunobiki, considered one of the great “divine falls” of Japan. The falls are only a mild and picturesque 30-minute walk from the city center and offer the city dweller and tourist alike a chance to experience a more “natural” landscape. Surrounded by mountains, trees, wildlife, and greenery, the loud cascade of the falls offers me a chance to clear my head, be still, and reflect.
The citizens of Japan often tour their own country and are generally very interested in their own history, culture, and many landscapes. This makes being a foreign traveler, especially one who wishes to experience Japan more like citizens themselves, a much easier task. Keep an open mind, do some preparation, and leave some of your expectations at home, and you are sure to have some memorable adventures.
Flights are expensive, and that’s why I’m happy to see budget airlines succeed and expand. Air Asia, a Malaysian company, is a very affordable airline that mostly flies around South East Asia and in 2011 they teamed up with Japan’s All Nippon Airways to offer affordable flights to and from Tokyo and Osaka. I wasn’t sure how the company would do since they recently pulled AirAsia X out of Europe, but things seem to be fine and they’re moving forward.
This year I’m pretty excited about their proposed expansion into Fukuoka, Okinawa, and Seoul Korea. I’m looking forward to seeing what destinations are offered departing from Fukuoka and how much the airfare will cost. There are a lot of places I’m interested in traveling to.
In other news, ANA (All Nippon Airways) announced it will sell 914 million new shares priced at 184 yen ($2.33) each, with the proceeds used to fund a huge purchase of Boeing Dreamliners and boost its international network.
In the past, tattoos have been a sign of rebellion and in Japan it has traditionally been associated with yakuza or gang membership, especially large, intricate designs, but not anymore. However, they might get you demoted in Japan’s third largest city the Osaka.
In May, a full-scale crackdown on tattoos was launched by a rising political star, Mayor Toru Hashimoto. In a mandatory survey, he demanded that public employees (including teachers) to disclose their tattoos, both visible and concealed. They will also need to detail how long they had had them.
According to results that were released, 113 of the over 32,000 city workers and ten of 17,000 teachers admitted to having tattoos. Body art is hugely banned from gyms, some major companies, swimming pools, and popular onsens or hot springs. There are also places where people are asked to cover up their ink to avoid any speculation.
With all the tattooed workers found in the survey, the city is now considering what to do with them. According to a welfare officer, those employees with positions that require daily interaction with members of the public will be transferred to a “behind-the-scenes” role. And for the teachers, they will not be expelled, instead they will be asked to remove any tattoos that are visible to students.
Times are changing, and more and more people of the younger generation are getting tattoos to follow a fashion trend. Disregarding if you like or dislike tattoos in general – do you think tattoos should be more accepted in the country of Japan?
A new residency management system will be introduced on July 9th. Get ready! You’ll have 3 years from this date to get your new Residence Card (zairyu card). This new system will apply to mid-term and long-term residents in Japan. The aim is to enable the Ministry of Justice to maintain up-to-date information required for managing the residency of foreign nationals and to help local authorities provide them with better administrative services using that information.
The introduction of the system will bring big advantages, including easier procedures for foreign nationals residing in Japan to reenter the country and longer maximum periods of stay. This program will introduce the new residency management system.
What exactly is the new residency management system? You can get more info at that site and also download a PDF file. If they take the PDF offline, I have uploaded a copy
Download Here
See even more in depth details here
Target Group – Permanent Residents
Expiration date of Alien Registration Card (gaikojin torokusho) – 3 years from the date the new system goes into effect. As for a person under 16, whichever takes place first: 3 years from the July 9, 2012 or your 16th birthday.
New certificate type – Residence Card
Where to switch over to Residence Record – Regional Immigration Bureau
Target Group – Others
Expiration date of Alien Registration Card – When your Period of Stay and/or Status of Residence changes after July 9, 2012
New certificate type – Residence Card
Where to switch over to Residence Record – Regional Immigration Bureau
The Samsung Galaxy S III is the strongest Android challenger to Apple’s iPhone in the mobile market. It is very interesting to see how Japanese consumers as well as consumers across the world will respond and take to it.
Two launching events were held by NTT Docomo in Tokyo for the chief handset of its new summer lineup which is the Samsung Galaxy S III with 2GB of ram. To make the occasion, the recently appointed CEO of Docomo has made an appearance.
According to the president of Samsung mobile, the handset will sell better than its previous Galaxy models and they expects that it will pass the 10 million unit milestone by July.
The launching of Galaxy S III on Thursday marks the official entrance of the phone into the Japanese market. The handset went on sale in the United States on June 21 and June 25 in South Korea, its home market.
A hands on demonstration:
A review in Japanese:
An official ad:
Japan provides the world with many great things. From a rich culture to world-leading developments in technology, Japan is home to great people doing great things. At the 2012 Olympics in London, they hope to show off just what some of these great people can do. Here are some of Japan’s top Olympic stars you’re sure to be hearing about.
Saori Yoshida: Women’s Wrestling
While the Women’s Freestyle Wrestling event probably isn’t the most talked about competition at the Olympics each year, it has been home to some exciting match-ups over the years. Saori Yoshida has been at the forefront of that excitement more often than not, and that is because her skill and drive have made her a nine-time world champ in the 55 kg weight division. She took home the gold in 2004 and 2008, and most suspect she’ll take home the gold again this year in London.
Koji Murofushi: Hammer Throwing
Though he didn’t take home a medal in 2008, Koji Murofushi’s big gold medal win at 2004′s Olympic Games suggests he’ll be tough to beat in London. Over the years, Murofushi has set more than a fair share of records in the event, including beating a long-standing record set by his father Shigenobu, who also happens to be a former Olympic athlete. With the drive to succeed in his blood, Murofushi is sure to be one to watch at this year’s games.
Kosuke Kitajima: Men’s Breaststroke
Kosuke Kitajima didn’t just win a gold medal during 2004′s Olympics; he won two. And he didn’t stop there as he again won 2 gold medals in the 2008 Olympics for the same events. Winning the gold in both the 100m and 200m Men’s Breaststroke for two consecutive Olympics, it would be hard to imagine that anyone wouldn’t favor Kitajima to win over his opponents. If he takes home the gold again this year, his fans in Japan will definitely have something to talk about.
Japan Women’s National Soccer Team
Rounding out the list of Japan’s Olympic hopefuls are the members of the Japan Women’s Soccer Team. While they only finished in 4th place in the 2008 Olympics, Japan was able to overcome the United States soccer team during the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, proving that they are one of the best soccer teams in the world. With a world championship under their collective belts, the Japan Women’s National Soccer Team is almost certainly hungry for the gold in London.
Keeping Tabs on the Japanese Olympians
If you want to follow the ups and downs of these Japanese Olympic athletes, you’ll want to be sure to watch the Olympics live this July and August. While watching from the comfort of your own home is sure to be a popular option, if you want to see the games in person there is still hope. Tickets can still be had in places, and some sweepstakes like the one recently held by Chase Sapphire card and the Chase Freedom offer could allow you to win a trip there for free.
After the last year’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the country is now moving closer to restarting the nuclear reactors for the first time since the calamity disaster. Under a law approved by parliament’s lower house the new nuclear regulator will be set up by the country around September 2012. One reactor was started just the other day.
Nuclear power supplied almost a third of Japan’s electricity before Fukushima but all of the 50 workable reactors of the country have gone offline because of safety concerns and for maintenance. The disaster in Fukushima has brought a rough attention on the cozy ties between politicians, regulators, and utilities. But despite of the continuing strong public opposition to nuclear power, the government has been pushing for the restart of reactors because they believe that nuclear energy is important to the economy of Japan.
The new regulatory commission could revise a rule limiting the life of reactors to 40 years under a deal ending months of arguing by ruling and oppositions parties. The new law would create five members of independent nuclear regulatory commission and a nuclear regulatory agency to handle the work of the heavily-criticized Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) of trade ministry and the oversight commission of the cabinet. This law is expected to be approved by the upper house.
Mayor Shinobu Tokioka has approved the plan for restarting two reactors in the western town of Ohi because he is concerned about possible power shortages and its impact on the domestic economy. Local consent is not required for restarting the reactors but the government is asking for support because of the sensitivity of the issue.