Stories about Japan from December, 2005
Japan: Gaudy Game Paddles
Japanduit has colorful photographs of hagoita, wooden paddles used in a traditional Japanese game much like badminton that is played around New Year's. The paddles are adorned with Kabuki images, cartoon characters and representations of celebrities.
Japan: Hard Gay Toy
Controversial but popular Japanese TV character Razor Ramon HG, a.k.a. Hard Gay now has a toy inspired by him. A “sexual minority” teacher's network has complained that the toy, which encourages children to stick plastic swords into a barrel until the TV character jumps out, discriminates against homosexuals.
Japan: Odd Survey
What Japan Thinks is a blog that translates quite interesting Japanese public opinion polls to English, such as on the popularity of mobile phones as gaming platforms or the market for RSS readers in Japan. Yet his most popular post appears to be this one, now ricocheting off various Asia...
Japan: Animator's Son Talks
Mutant Frog Travelogue translates from the Japanese the first blog post by the son of famed animator Hayao Miyazaki, who is coming out with his own animated film that his father was against him directing.
Japan: Remembering Ronin
David Weber at Japundit writes about the Dec. 14 commoration in Japan of the deaths of 47 ronin — an annual tribute to the samurai way.
Japan: Sushi Documentary
Making the rounds on the blogs is this spoof documentary on how to eat sushi. It's funny but also surprisingly informative.
China, Japan: Zhang Ziyi is a Race Traitor?
the leaky pen discusses the outrage on Chinese blogs over local actress Zhang Ziyi's role as a Japanese courtesan in a new Hollywood movie. He fumes: “A problem almost as big as the 400 lb. gorilla of Chinese racism is the self-inflicted stupidity of their anti-Japanese hatred.”
Japan: Correcting “Lost in Translation”
David Weber at Japundit watched a Tokyo showing of the movie “Lost in Translation” and has some suggestions on how it could be more representative of Japan's overwhelming capital.
Japan: Drag Racing
MasaManiA has pictures of street car racing on a Saturday night in Tokyo.
Japan, Thailand: Sushi Stall
The sight of a nighttime sushi stall in Thailand recalls Preetam Rai to old-time Edo, which had similar stands until the stalls went extinct after World War II.
China, Japan, Korea: Critiquing Critics
The Asia Pages comments on Asian critics’ negative reactions to Hollywood's choices in bringing the book Memoirs of a Geisha to the screen. “While it would be nice to see a Hollywood production give justice to another culture, it's rarely been seen,” she explains.
About our Japan coverage
Nevin Thompson is our Japan editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.
