Going To Hokkaido and Tohoku, BRB

For the past few months I've been seeing those awesomely-designed advertisements promoting tourism in Japan's northern Tohoku region, damaged so terribly by Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunamis. A year on and the area is still struggling to recover, with much left to be done, including deciding where to put the mountains of debris left over from the destroyed cities. One important aspect of rebuilding is getting tourists to return, including overseas visitors, who have dropped off sharply compared with previous years. Starting today I'm taking one of my random trips with my son to Hokkaido and Tohoku, where we'll go sightseeing in some of Japan's most beautiful areas and spend money on omiyage (oh-mee-YAH-gay), gifts and souvenirs for the J-List staff, to help the region economically. We'll be taking the Cassiopeia, a famous sleeping-car train I've always wanted to ride, visiting Sapporo, Hakodate, Aomori, Iwate and Sendai. We both love onsen, Japan's volcanic hot springs, and will be taking more than a few baths during our trip. If you want to follow my adventure, follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr.

There are eight defined regions in Japan: southernmost island of Kyushu; Shikoku, Japan's 4th largest island; Chugoku, where Hiroshima is located, confusing since it's written with characters that also mean China; the amusingly named Kinki Region, home of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe; Chubu (Nagoya), where Toyotas are built; Kanto (Tokyo, Yokoyama and J-List's home prefecture of Gunma); cold, windswept Tohoku; and Hokkaido, where most fresh dairy products come from. While Tohoku hasn't exactly been at the center of Japan's history, being far from the political centers of Nara, Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo), it has contributed much to Japan's development. The city of Aizu, in Fukushima, saw one of the most interesting battles of the war between the Tokugawa Shogun's forces and the new pro-Emperor Meiji government, during which 19 young samurai fighting on the shogun's side committed ritual suicide rather than submit to change. Tohoku is where the Ainu -- Japan's aboriginal inhabitants -- lived, and they left their mark in the form of strange place-names that no one from outside the region can read.

I'm making a trip to Tohoku for tourism and hot springs.

Magazine Subscriptions from Japan

J-List loves to carry fun products from Japan, and we have a popular "Reserve Subscription" service that makes it easy for you to get the newest issues of Japan's best anime, manga, JPOP, fashion and "ecchi" magazines sent to you every month. We've got tons of magazines available, from anime magazines with free posters to epic moe magazines to magazines that help you learn Japanese. Best of all, the subscriptions are month-to-month, so there's no need to pre-pay, and you can cancel or change magazines at any time. Click to see the top Japanese magazine subscriptions on the site today.

The Junior High School Student who Stands Out Will Be Hammered Down

Last time I mentioned the words uchi and soto, meaning in-group and out-group, which is a favorite topic of Japan bloggers since there are so many examples of it at work in daily life in Japan. Another well-known Japan-related concept which I'm required by the Japan Blogger's Treaty of San Francisco to bring up at least once a year is deru kui wa utareru, which means "the standing nail is driven" and which describes the tendency for Japanese society to identify unique individuals -- the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels and all that -- and "hammer" them into shape until they're the same as everyone else. While all societies must strike a balance between individuality vs conforming to the larger group (we all want to live our lives in a unique way, yet we must all wear pants in public), Japan has historically had real issues with people who didn't fit in with the majority, to the point that parents of savant children will often leave Japan and live in the West, where rare gifts can be appreciated more. No place is the "standing nail" proverb more apt than junior high school, which is more than just the final three years of compulsory education -- it's a machine for turning bright, creative children into straight-laced, confirming Japanese adults. My daughter is half Japanese and half American, with her American side being quite strong, and she's encountered more than a little stress trying to being a round peg in a square hole in Japanese junior high school...I'm really glad it's all behind her.

Junior high flattens Japanese "standing nails."

Cool Products Friday, March 23, 2012

Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link.

	Megami Magazine Deluxe vol. 18 Starved for moe moe art? Don't worry! Megami Deluxe is here with hundreds of beautiful illustrations to make your heart soar. This issue's theme is swimsuits, so you can expect tons of cute girls in bikinis having a great time at the beach. You'll also get two huge posters starring characters from Nanoha and Horizon. Excellent! View products »
	Animage April 2012 A new issue of Animage magazine, featuring Tiger & Bunny, awesome 2D art, latest anime news and 3 clear files included for free!
	Comic Coro Coro, Famitsu DS Another great monthly comic, Coro Coro. The official home of Pokemon, Doraemon and many other classics, plus free stuff for collectors!
	Nyanpire Coffin Tissue Case The cat who is also a vampire, is not scary at all. We think this new product, a coffin shaped tissue holder, is super kawaii.
	Queen's Gate ~ Pyrrha (Soul Calibur V) Speaking of sexy girls, fans of Queen's Gate and bishoujo artwork will want to browse our catalogue of collectables and artbooks.
	Kera May 2012 Enjoy a new issue of this wonderful fashion magazine, showcasing the latest in gothic and punk lolita fashions. Great for fans of Tokyo youth culture.
	KARA Idol Notebook  Fans of Asian Idols will know the name Kara, the extremely famous group that is famous even in Japan.
	Restocked 'Shimapan' Striped Panties We sure to love the striped panty crazy, because they look so, so... moe-tastic! Available in "Mio blue," "Miku green" and in 5L size for "trap" fans.
	Star Wars Light Saber Umbrellas Keep a young padawan's head dry on a rainy day with one of these official Star Wars umbrellas from Japan. Your choice of red, green, or blue.
	Gorgeous Anime Figures In Stock Fighting witches and keeping your office safe, this excellent figure is a magnificent display of fandom for all Madoka Magica fans.
	Cute Panda Products Try Pandadarake, the game where you stack tiny panda figures and try to keep them from falling over, plus many other wonderful panda products.
	Electric Takoyaki Cooker Restocked You can't go to a Japanese festival without eating at least one takoyaki, and we've restocked our favorite octopus ball cooker today, plus other fun items.
	Fun Chocolate Molds Restocked The fun deluxe Sweet Chocolatier mold set is restocked (for now), along with other fun ways of shaping chocolate in interesting ways.
	Totoro Bento Cloth ~ Vegetable Take this wonderful Totoro themed lunchtime cloth with you to make every meal special. Totoro makes everything better.
	Other Restocked Totoro Products High-quality bath towels and washcloths based on your favorite Studio Ghibli characters are now back in stock. So warm and soft, just like Totoro.
	Restocked PS3 & PSP Anime Games The One Piece brand is strong as ever, pressing forth some amazing games, like these available for the PS3 and PSP.
	Reduced Prices on iTunes Japan, PSN Cards Our customers love the iTunes Japan and Sony PSN Japan prepaid cards we sell, and today we're lowering the prices on both.
	Glico Pocky x Mart, Other New Snacks Another new flavor of Pocky to try. Grab these winter-exclusive sticks that have a very delicious taste to them. Also: Hokkaido Condensed Milk Caramels!
	New Snacks from San Diego For our US customers we have some amazing and easily accessible Japanese snacks, shipping speedily to your door.
	Neru Neru Nerune, Kracie Snacks Restocked A big restocking of Neru Neru Nerune, Gummy Fishing and other fun "interactive" snacks by Kracie, our favorite company ever.
	Other Fun Food Items from Japan A product we're proud to evangelize is Bull-Dog Sauce, the amazing Japanese sauce that tastes great on any fried food, and heavenly in a fried egg sandwich.
	Umehanabi Fireworks Bento Boxes While your co-workers are eating sad sandwiches wrapped in plastic, you'll be enjoying your delicious, luxurious Japanese bento.
	Kawaii Panda Bento & More Restocked  Kawaii bento items, like these featuring panda bears, are made in Japan and safe for those young and old alike to enjoy.
	New and Restocked Chopsticks from Japan Plus, you wouldn't want to have a bento without the proper accessories to make the experience even more delightful, like personal chopsticks.
	Fun Bread Shapers for Making Kawaii Sandwiches Make your lunch items in fanciful and cute shapes with these durable molded cutters, great for cutting dough, bread, meat, cheese, or anything else.
	The Best Pens in the World Restocked Also see more Japanese pens, which are the most advanced in the world. See the Uni 0.18 Signo, PILOT Hi-Tec Gel Ink, and Surari Emulsion Smooth Ink pens.
	Popular Traditional Items Restocked Enjoy the official seal of the Tokugawa Shogun case, natural flint stone "Magatama" talisman, plus awesome authentic Daruma dolls for bringing good luck.
	Black Rock Shooter Figma *Preorder* Figma action figures rule, so we're stoked to offer this cool rendition of raven-haired beauty Black Rock Shooter.
	Alvis & Lavie 1/8 Figure ~ Last Exile *Preorder* This super kawaii figure from Last Exile shows off Alter's high quality and design sense. Enjoy two cute girls based on Range Murata's moe designs.
	Yashiro Hoshimiya 1/7 Figures *Preorder* Check out this fantastic rendition of self-proclaimed alien Yashiro from the Denpa Onna series. Comes in regular and deluxe cast-off versions!
	Persona 4 Can Pen Cases *Preorder* Wow your friends with a super-cool pencil case sporting art from the hit Persona 4 anime. Comes in two awesome flavors!
	How To Draw (Ecchi) Manga Learn to draw sexy warrior schoolgirls with the aid of three gravure idols who pose in revealing costumes and in the nude, with lots to offer both fans of ero phootgraphy as well as budding artists! A great resource for the aspiring artist, and also a fantastic photobook for anyone who likes gorgeous Japanese girls in cool poses. View products »
	Great Photobooks for your collection! J-List has a great selection of photobooks featuring various themes, from Fashion to Nude, Artsy to Erotic Fetishes and more! Check them out!
	A Certain Nipple Pure Oil Lotion A cool nipple lotion, that will light up the fire between you and your partner. For girls, boys or traps!
	Fap-tastic Onahole Toys from Japan We love Japan for being so innovative when it comes to the ero products they invent. This oppai onahole might be all you need for the rest of your days.
	OL Pantsu, Products for Traps Restocked Lots of great ecchi cosplay items back in stock, like sailor uniforms, swimsuits, panties, shimapan, pantyhose, kneesocks, and more!
	Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai! S - Majikoi S The sequel to hit eroge Maji de Watashi ni Koishinasai is back in stock, so if you missed this awesome game, now's your chance.
	Material Brave No one mixes story and gameplay like visual novel developer Giga. Pick up their newest title today!
	Recommended Eroge: Cosplay Academy People ask me to recommend eroge in English a lot, and one I like is this super cosplay game by the artist of the Raidy series.

Spring 2012 Begins

Yesterday was the Vernal Equinox and the official start of spring, which is welcome news to this San Diego boy, who never managed to get used to Japan's cold winters. Now Japanese people will do nothing but talk about sakura for the next three weeks, enjoying open-air parties beneath the cherry trees while they drink beer and sake and generally have a great time. You don't have to be in Japan to enjoy Japanese-style cherry blossoms, of course, as there are many sakura festivals at various cities in the U.S., from Philadelphia to Seattle. This year is an extra special one if you're in the Washington D.C. area, since 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the planting of the first cherry trees, a gift of friendship from the nation of Japan to the U.S. in 1912. What are you going to do to celebrate spring this year?

I want to walk beneath the cherry trees with Tomoyo.

The Glory of Japanese Shrines

Near my house there's a hill that rises sharpy out of the surrounding fields, and one day when my son was small, we decided to climb the hill and see if there was anything interesting there. I knew instinctively what we'd find, and when we got to the top, there it was: a small Shinto shrine for making offerings to the kami (god or natural spirit) of the hill. Shinto is the original religion of Japan, which reveres the spirits that reside in natural places like mountains, rivers and trees, and if you travel to an exotic natural location (such as the top of Mt. Fuji), you can be sure someone will have erected a shrine there. The most active volcano on the main Japanese island of Honshu is Mt. Asama, and at the top there's a place called Onioshidashi, with gnarled lava rocks left over from a massive 1783 eruption...and sure enough, there's a really cool shine there. Shinto shrines are among the most beautiful places to visit in Japan -- my own favorite is the 1300-year-old Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island, near Hiroshima, home of the famous floating torii arch.

Shrines are found in exotic natural locations.

We Love Master Maid Training Game -- Finally In Stock!

J-List has worked hard to bring you every English-translated visual novel and eroge from Japan we could, and today we've got some great news: the newest hardcopy title from MangaGamer is in stock in San Diego and shipping now! Called We Love Master, it's a lighthearted game of love and "H" and training. The game is presented in shrinkwrapped DVD-ROM format with no DRM or activation. Enjoy this great new release!

Our Favorite Japanese Snacks

We're big fans of learning about Japan through its snack meme culture, and we love to carry popular foods from Japan for you to sample. From anime treats like the One Piece Devil Fruit Gummy to delicious spicy snacks like Tyrant Habanero to Calorie Mate and Pocari Sweat, if it's from Japan and delicious, we probably have it. We also stock all varieties of Japanese Kit Kat, with such flavors as Green Tea, Yokohama Almond Pudding, Shizuoka Wasabi and Rilakkuma Hot Cake flavor...though all chocolate products will be going away in May as summer approaches, so you should order what you need soon.

Invisible Japanese Social Rules: "Another" Edition

It's fun to analyze the various social rules at work in Japan, most of which are completely invisible to Japanese people themselves. Humility is an important trait here, and it's considered good manners to act in a reserved and unaggressive manner, which is why Japanese athletes are so self-effacing during interviews. A lot of the "vertical" nature of Japanese relationships is reinforced by the language, and you always use different verb forms depending on whether you're addressing, say, a senpai or kohai (a senior or junior in a school or organization). Then there's the huge body of customs related to uchi and soto, or in-group and out-group, e.g. how people behave with individuals from the same class, club or company. In episode 10 of the horror anime Another there's a scene in which the class poses for a group photo. After one student (Mochizuki) takes the picture, another (Teshigawara) says, "Now Mochizuki, you get in the picture and I'll use the camera." In any group photo it's important that two photos always be taken, so that every member of the group is represented in a picture. If the person who took the first shot wasn't invited to be in another one, it would imply that he was an outsider, not a member of the group, which would be very rude to him. This is one reason why I was happy to see digital photography arrive after many years of sacrificing unnecessary film in the name of Japanese social dynamics.

There are subtle rules for taking group photographs.

Cool Products Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link.

	Hiragana Times April 2012 NO. 306 The quintessential new and language learning guide to Japan has released their newest issue, this time featuring articles on Japan's secret cultural treasures, hobby trends and fashion, language tips and tons more. Your language skill with skyrocket after reading this amazing magazine, that you can also order on a subscription basis too. View products »
	Animedia April 2012  Enjoy more great art and cool omake with a new issue of Animedia. A great way to check on upcoming shows and see what strikes your fancy.
	Julie Samurai Girl A very cool photography and illustration artbook that shows off the Japanese world of wacky otaku and moe sub-culture.
	Kawaii Nendoroid Figures In Stock Also, my favorite yandere from the Oreimo universe, Ayase-chan, who is nearly the perfect girl except for her violent anti-eroge tendencies.
	Other Gorgeous Anime Figures In Stock You'll want to check out our latest anime figures, including Madoka's Mami, Aegis from P3, Edward Elric, Metal Slug's Fiolina, and swimsuit Tooru.
	A Certain School Swimsuits ~ Otokonoko 3L And speaking of swimsuits, try this delightful invention - a girls' school swimsuit made just for men! Perfect for cosplay.
	Kawaii Rabbit Ears and Tail Set Bring your cuteness level way up with this fluffy rabbit ears and tail set. Great for cosplay, parties, or as a super-kawaii fashion statement.
	ICHIKAMI Hair Treatment Essence ~ SAKURA Scent Give your hard some luxury treatment with natural herbal extracts that will repair damaged hair while also adding a scent of sakura.
	Knee-High Striped Stocking Socks Check out our great selection of knee-high socks too. Matches the shimapan we also sell (and we hope you are wearing).
	New Anime Songs on iTunes Japan Enjoy new albums by "Ranka Lee" including the Rinne no Lagrange OP, and "Sheryl Nome" with many famous anime songs.
	Fun Sakura Products Posted to the Site Spring is here, and that means that Japan will be exploding in shades of pink and white as Japan's cherry trees bloom together. J-List has some great sakura products for you today, from the new Sakura Crystal Stap and Gel Window Stickers to our cherry tree that blooms before your eyes while you watch. View products »
	Nanoblock Giant Panda Nanoblocks are the cool mini building blocks that can make just about anything, we carry all the cool Japanese models, plus this kawaii panda bear.
	Doki Doki Nyan Egg NEKO TAMAGO Restocked Nyan! -- we love cute neko cats, especially when we can take them home. Enjoy our selection of soft, plushy cat toys.
	Melarou Furi Furi Keychain ~ Monster Hunter Great for fans of the Monster Hunter series, we love this Melarou key chain, plus we have many other great Monster Hunter items too.
	Tiger & Bunny Jockey Mug From the amazing Robot battling TV series comes another great product, a Tiger and Bunny mug, perfect for saying kampai (cheers).
	Rilakkuma, Sushi Vibrating Massagers? These miniature vibrating keychains are the perfect way to grab a quick massage with Rilakkuma. Sushi vibrators restocked too.
	Hello Kitty Face Die Cut Vinyl Bags We have lots of fun Hello Kitty products, including the restocked Hello Kitty Die Cut Vinyl Bags, great for carrying your stuff in kawaii fashion.
	Stylish and Kawaii Pen Cases Restocked A big restocking of our most awesome pen and pencil cases, including Mameshiba, Hello Kitty, plus the highly functional Neo Critz Pen Stand Case.
	Steins;Gate, Super Sonico and More! We love to carry fun games for PC from Japan, and we've got Steins;Gate, the Super Sonico photography game, the Touhou series, and more for you.
	More Gorgeous Photobooks from Japan The awesome book of rural towns around Kyoto is restocked, plus the photobook that captures the insides of interesting Japanese love hotels is back.
	Kyoto SAKURA CHA Gift Set ~ Sakura Tea & Cookies Spring is coming in Japan, and so are the sakura themed items, like this perfect tea and cookie gift set.
	New Deadly Hot Yakisoba, Korean Style Cheetos Lots of bold new snacks from Japan today, including two Korean style Cheetos from FritoLay, proving that you can never run out of new snacks to try from Japan. Then, Japan is in the middle of a "spicy noodle boom" and Pair Young's extremely spicy yakisoba noodles, Japan's version of chow mein, are great. View products »
	Big Restocking of Popin' Cookin' DIY Candy by Kracie These do-it-yourself candy toys are one of our most popular products. See what the craze is all about with Popin' Cookin', now restocked.
	Pocky Panda, Other Restocked Snacks Also: awesome Pocky restocked including Pocky Panda, Calorie Mate (all flavors), Kompeito traditional candy, Mister Donut snacks plus Smoke Cheese Cratz (Nyoro~n).
	Anime Bento Boxes & More Restocked We love it when anime and bento come together, and we love the Pokemon Bento Box (ball...?) a lot. Also see My Melody Face Bento Box and the Pikachu Face Bento.
	Pink LEGO Bento Box Elastic Band Strap your bento box together with a hip Lego-like elastic band, or anything else that should be held together. Very cool.
	Good Shape Onigiri Makers in New Shapes Two fun "onigiri sandwich" makers you can use to make a riceburger or any other rice ball creation. Also: our awesome Sandwich Pouch Kit is back.
	Cute Bento Picks for Kawaii Bento Lunch See bento picks restocked too, including some kawaii ones and a couple that will make you do a double take (that Koala is way too happy to see us).
	Microwave de Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki We have lots of ways to enjoy Takoyaki and other fun Japanese treats, and today see fresh stock of our microwave Takoyaki cooking set.
	Traditional Japanese Phone Straps, More Lucky Cat phone straps, a super Beer Mug phone strap, plus ninja shuriken strap, a Lucky Koban coin from the Edo Period and good luck charms.
	Reimu Hakurei and Patchouli Knowledge *Preorder* Beautiful new figures for Touhou fans are now available for preorder. These Reimu and Patchouli figures will take your breath away.
	Good Friends with Menma Forever Figures *Preorder* Make the adorable Menma your best friend forever with these sets of chibi figures. Each set comes with 3 figures of Menma in different cute poses.
	Yukiko Amagi Nendoroid Figure ~ Persona 4 *Preorder* Show your love for Persona 4's Yukiko with this cute Nendoroid. Comes with everything you need to find a pose that will fill you with moe feelings.
	Other Fun Preorder Figures We also have beautiful figures of Last Exile's Alvis Hamilton, Leonmitchelli from Dog Days, and the moe Retia from Daiteikoku, all for preorder.
	Peace Hame! Limited ver. Vol. 1 & 2 Wow! Check out this epic two-volume H-manga by Shiwasu no Okina, one of today's hottest erotic artists. You won't believe how much fun one guy can have when he's assigned to take lewd photographs for the school yearbook. Enjoy over 500 total pages of hilarious comedy and awesome hardcore sex with lots of different girls. The second volume currently comes with a limited edition full-color omake manga, so get it while supplies last! View products »
	Ryofu Housen 1/7 Cast off Figure The super-sexy figure of Ikki Tousen's Ryofu in nothing but a blouse and panties is now in stock. Only a couple are left, so get 'em while you can!
	Hatsune Miku Can Be Your Waifu! Our latest parody stress relief toys are based on everyone's favorite virtual idol, Hatsune Miku. Pick your "Future Loid" and have at it!
	A10 Cyclone & Starter Set Stress Relief System The most famous stress relief toys ever is the A10 Cyclone series by Rends, which promises to bring more stress relief than you can possibly imagine.
	Eririka's Pussy Perfect Replica Experience ultimate pleasure with this parody stress toy based on the body of popular JAV idol Eririka Katagiri. Comes with a free bottle of lube.
	Nekonade Distortion Exodus Pick up the sequel to Nekonade Distortion for more wacky romance and philosophical musings from the cute Nanakase girls.
	Import Eroge Restocked, Too Enjoy the popular White Album 2, plus Song of Saya (the JP edition, which comes with a free English download when done), Devil on G-String and more.
	Outstanding Visual Novel: Family Projects Looking for a great visual novel to try? Then we recommend Family Project, voted the best H-game in the genre. Includes the voice of Wakamoto Norio!