Emotional Gaijin

One aspect of the Japanese is that they don't show their emotions as freely or in the same ways that Westerners do, usually hiding their external feelings depending on the "TPO," a Japanese abbreviation meaning "time, place and occasion." To the Japanese, it's almost a given that foreigners will show emotions openly, for example wildly praising food they like as the most delicious thing in the universe, and letting their excitement influence their speech when speaking Japanese. The other day there was a fly buzzing around the J-List office which I was trying to kill a fly-swatter, and Yasu said, "I wonder if Peter will shout 'yee-haw!' after he kills the fly." (Apparently I did this once, to the eternal amusement of the J-staff.) I think that most foreigners who stay in Japan for some time develop a slightly altered personality as they adapt to life here, creating what in modern anime parlance would be called a "chara," or an external face they wear. When I was an English teacher, my students expected me to be happy and outgoing, and that unconsciously made me become that person.

The biggest facepalm in the history of gaijin-nihonjin relations.

The Zen of Japan: Wabi, Sabi and Loving What's Old and Imperfect

There's something about living in Japan that makes you appreciate things from another age, which are old and out-of-date by modern standards but which nevertheless have a charm that's hard to describe. The Japanese have a name for this, wabi-sabi, translatable as "tranquil simplicity and the beauty found in the old and imperfect." (It's originally a Zen Buddhist phrase closely tied to tea ceremony, and is also used in traditional pottery made with imperfections on purpose.) Instead of central heating, Japanese homes usually have kerosene space heaters to avoid wasting energy. While they sell fancy "fan heaters" with thermostats and safety timers to remind you to open a window every three hours (since kerosene fumes can build up), I still love the older type of kerosene heater called sutoobu (stove) which are very low tech yet are somehow awesome. I love the expanding-metal sounds the heaters make as they heat up, or the chin-chin-chin sound of water boiling in a pot on top of the heater, which keeps the air from getting too dry and gives you hot water for tea any time you want it. You can find appreciation of wabi-sabi in just about anything if you look, like postcards from Disneyland or Las Vegas from the 1960s, those clear plastic umbrellas everyone uses in Japan, the cool old-timey foot-measuring things in shoe stores, or eating Haribo Gummy Bears and remembering when the package had "made in West Germany" printed on it.

The simplicity of an old kerosene stove can be worth admiring.

Study Culture in Japan, and a Heartwarming Story

Japan is a culture obsessed with benkyo (studying) as a tool for creating a fair, merit-based society that encourages had work and industriousness, and they have some interesting customs when it comes to instilling children with good study skills. The school year starts in April, and right now families with children who'll be entering the first grade are buying special study desks where kids will sit and do their homework. Families also buy standard leather school backpacks called randoseru (from the Dutch ransel) which are designed to be sturdy enough to last through all six years of elementary school. These study aids are expensive, and not everyone has money to buy them. In a heartwarming story, an anonymous donor gave ten brand new school backpacks to a facility caring for orphaned children last Christmas, signing his name Naoto Date, the alter ago of the famous Tiger Mask from the 1970s pro wrestling anime. This opened the floodgates to many more anonymous donations being made to underprivileged orphans in Japan, so they might study hard and be successful in life.

A child's study desk with randoseru backpack.

J-List [hearts] Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki recently celebrated his 70th birthday, which is an amazing achievement for Japan's premier animation director. I've been a fan of Miyazaki-sensei since seeing the amazing Nausicaa, and happened to be in the anime video room at the San Diego Comicon in 1987 when some staff members from Tokuma Shoten and Studio Ghibli brought a video tape of My Neighbor Totoro to show to fans, to get feedback as to whether American fans would like the film. (We did.) In celebration of this amazing man, we've posted a big restocking of Totoro products, including bento boxes, plush toys and more. Click here to see all items in stock, or here to see the most popular Totoro and Ghibli items!

My Son's Juken (High School Entrance Exam)

My son is a jukensei right now, preparing for the most difficult tests of his life which will determine which high school he ends up going to. Ever since my son decided he wanted to attend a high school with a good science program, we've been visiting different schools in our part of Japan to see which one would fit him the best. He's been studying like crazy, at his desk for several hours a day then attending juku (cram) school until 10:30 pm every day. Watching him prepare for these tests over the past year has been an educational experience, and I've learned a lot about my son as well as Japan as a whole. This Sunday is the first of his important tests, for a high school in Tochigi Prefecture which we've selected as his suberi-dome or "stop the slide" school, e.g. an easier school that he can enter if he's unable to get a high enough score on the other two school he'll try for. Wish us luck!

Godai from Maison Ikkoku, the patron saint of all test-taking students.

Japan's Long History of Canned Coffee

There are many things I like about Japan, like turning on the kotatsu for the first time in winter, eating omurice (an omelette-over-rice dish) with a heart drawn on top in ketchup by my wife, or that one time I found myself in an outdoor onsen bath with snow falling all around me. I also love warming my hands with a can of hot coffee while waiting for the train to arrive in winter. The first canned coffee appeared in 1969, when the founder of the Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC to you and me) created their iconic "Coffee with Milk" as a way of selling coffee in a portable package, as this was back in the days when milk beverages were sold in bottles that had to be returned to the shop. Canned coffee is the most popular beverage in Japan, handily beating out not just fizzy sugar water but even bottled Asian teas. Marketers are very good at creating products consumers will want to identify with, and coffee lovers can choose from hundreds of varieties of canned coffee, including Suntory's Smart BOSS, Coca-Cola's iconic Georgia Coffee and Roots Aroma & Tasty Blend. If you're curious about the taste, we've got some cool anime-themed canned coffee in stock for you.

There's nothing like cracking open a can of coffee.

The Comic Market and Doujinshi

Doujinshi are the fan-created comic-books which have become a huge engine of sub-culture here in Japan. The word is an abbreviation of doujin zasshi ("companion magazine"), which were originally self-published literary magazines through which writers like Kenji Miyazawa or Yasunori Kawabata got their start, through the word is perceived a bit differently these days. The Holy Land for doujinshi enthusiasts is the Comic Market, the sprawling convention held twice a year at Tokyo Big Sight, and this past December half a million fans made the pilgrimage. I remember the first Comiket I attended back in 1996, and how fast my head was spinning as I tried to take it all in -- the costumes, the books, the crowds. Although most fans living outside Japan automatically equate doujinshi with "ecchi" comics parodying famous anime and video games, the reality is quite different, and I'd estimate that between 75-90% of the products sold, from comics to fan-written novels to crafts and even doujin composed music, are all-ages. (Hmmm, it seems that looking at another country's culture through the lens of the Internet can warp things a bit.) Over the years, Japan's underground comic world has served as an incubator for talented artists who want to go pro, and a huge number of big names got their start there, including CLAMP, Peach-Pit and Rumiko Takahashi. Incidentally, we're posting some really awesome new items from the just-ended Comiket 79 to J-List -- click to see them now!

The Comic Market is the "Mecca" for doujinshi fans.

A New Way of Enjoying Japan -- Through Snacks?

There are many ways to approach a love of Japan -- through its popular culture like animation and manga, for example, or through martial arts. We think another approach might be to learn about Japan through its delicious snacks and candy, and we sell hundreds of fun items to choose from, from the delicious Meiji Rich Chocolate in Strawberry and Green Tea flavor, to "Food Drops" from all parts of Japan (including the increasingly popular Moe Food Drops), plus candy from your favorite anime series, like those Morinaga Caramels from Totoro. Click here to see our entire lineup of Japanese snacks, or here to see the top Japanese snacks today.

Cool Products Friday, January 7, 2011

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.

	Dengeki Comic Daioh Feb 2011 The manga magazine with the highest moe-per-page in Japan, Dengeki Daioh is home to Yotsuba, Railgun, Ichigo Mashimaro, Muv Luv, Shakugan no Shana, and much more. Misaka Railgun strap included as a special bonus in this issue! View products »
	Mobile Suit Gundam 00 ~ Yun Kouga Works Complete A must have for any Gundam 00 fan, with behind the scenes looks at the character designs and development process from an amazing female artist.
	Halo, Snake, Mega Man Figures In Stock Some of the most realistic action figures we've seen are here to celebrate the new Halo game - check these out, now available in preorder.
	Tomoe Nendroid Figure Queen's Blade I love Tomoe, and not just because she'd voiced by Mamiko Noto. I also love her strength, and skimpy shrine maiden outfit. Now in stock!
	Boa Parka with Bear ear ~ Brown This is one of the most adorable clothing items we've ever had the joy of bringing in stock, a cut fuzzy bear-eared parka that will keep you warm and make your friends say "awww" when they see you in it. Great for cosplay too! View products »
	Restocked Cosplay Uniforms Also we've restocked some fun cosplay items, from the Blue Scarf High School Uniform Set to "socks glue" that holds your awesome socks up for you.
	Leg Warmer Pon Pon x Knit The winter season means cute clothes and fashions that combine warmth and style. These awesome items are in stock now!
	egg Jan 2011 If you like Japanese fashion, check out the magazine with all the latest hot tips from Tokyo, fresh for the 2011 season.
	2011 Fuku-bukuro Grab Bags Restocked There's no tradition quite like Japan's "lucky bags" filled with random, awesome products. We've restocked them, with anime, toy, cosplay & bento!
	Rilakkuma Face Pen Case The face of everyone's favorite relaxing bear comes on this super-cute and plush pen case, officially licensed by San-X. Draw and write it easy!
	Chopper Wrist Watch Diver Watch Type The adorable mascot character Chopper from One Piece finds his way to a wanted poster on your wrist with these new cute watches!
	Shining Hearts Artist Tony Taka and the game designers at Sega are at it again, bringing a beautiful and memorable RPG experience to your PSP. Super game!
	Big Restocking of Touhou Games The action packed Touhou Project shooting games that formed a doujin empire and took the net by storm are back in stock for you today! Pew, pew!
	Hello Kitty Face Lunch Plates w/Red Ribbon Kitty-chan kawaii! The Japanese exclamation of supreme cuteness is fitting for these adorable plates featuring the likeness of Sanrio darling Hello Kitty. Great for presentation of your favorite treats! View products »
	Lucky Cat Soy Sauce Bottle If Kitty-chan isn't enough cat for you, you'll love this fanciful stylized "lucky cat" manekineko sauce bottle with upraised hand forming the spout!
	'Ponyo loves Hayao Miyazaki.' Happy 70th Birthday to Hayao Miyazaki, creator of so much that we love at J-List! We've got a nice restocking of Ponyo toys for you.
	New Snack Goodness from Japan We have delicious new snacks in stock for you today, from a new Strawberry Milk flavor of Meiji Mushroom Mountain snacks, to peach and plum-flavored Shigekix chewy snack candies. Rice crackers in the flavor of corn pottage too, for a taste of Japanese traditional winter food! View products »
	Moe Food Drops from Okinawa, Hokkaido Other new snacks today include two new flavors of "Moe" food drops, Pineapple Milk from Okinawa and Melon Milk from Hokkaido. Deliciously cute!
	Restocked Pocky, Pretz, Sakuma Drops See delicious Winter Pocky White, Thin Tomato Pretz, 100% Juice Gummy, Lotte Winter Air Chocolate, UHA Puccho, plus Sakuma Drops!
	Stylish and Awesome Bento Boxes from Japan Enjoy a huge selection of outstanding bento boxes from Japan, from the Mottainai line of ecologically conscious bento that cuts down on waste disposal, to deluxe multi-tiered lacquer style sets and modern stacking block style containers. View products »
	Nobody Makes Cute Sandwiches Like Japan Cute sandwich shapers that remove the crust and "seal" your sandwich...nori shapers...kanji study textbooks and more, restocked today.
	NORI (Seaweed) Punch for Bento Fresh stock of those cute nori punches, used for making cute shapes and faces in your rice balls. Wait, that sounded kind of funny...
	Waku Waku! Character no Obento Then, learn to make the most excellent character bento with this fun book presenting tons of ideas on every page. Of course my favorite is the Totoro bento!
	The Manga Cook Book We have other popular cookbooks and bento books too. Just restocked, the very popular Manga Cook Book!
	Japanese Textbooks & More Restocked Whether you're studying for the JLPT or starting with the basics of conversational grammar and vocabulary, we have the study tools you need!
	Japan Underground Photobooks We have many photobooks that show you a Japan few can ever really know, from Japan Underground to awesome train stations and more.
	Traditional Toys From Japan See TAKE-TOMBO, the bamboo helicopter toy that's been played with in Japan for hundreds of years, samurai sword keychains and more!
	Japanese Coin Key Rubber Cover & Key Chain Going nicely with the "Japanese Butt Key Covers" we stocked last time, these look like Japanese money.
	Flandre & Remilia Scarlet Touhou Figures *Preorder* Griffon continues their lineup of brilliant Touhou Project figures with Flandre and Remilia, both available for preorder starting today.
	Zoro Bobble Head ~ One Piece *Preorder* The personality of Zoro from One Piece really shows through in this fun, expressive Bobble Head toy from PLEX. Preorders now open!
	JESSICA 1st photobook ~ Jessica Kizaki J-List is no stranger to gorgeous high-quality photobooks from Japan, and this is another great offering. Beautiful new AV talent Jessica Kizaki is on parade in her first fully uncovered photobook, revealing her delights across 140 pages of succulent imagery that's sure to delight. View products »
	OREIMO PLUS Combining the themes of Ore no Imouto's title sister Kirino with "Love Plus," you get a very sexy "H" parody dating sim, with animation!
	Brand New Doujinshi Other new doujinshi straight from the recent Comic Market 79 includes the new Monster Hunter book from circle Udon-Ya, a cute Kuroneko book from Oreimo, new work from Rebis of TGWOA, and more! Check back for regular updates as we get more new doujin in this most bountiful season of the year. View products »
	Demonbane *preorder* One of the most epic eroge ever is coming in English, the Cthulhu-mythos title Demonbane. The new engine is nearly complete, so why not preorder it?
	'Futanari' H-Games & More A lot of J-List customers love the aesthetic genre known as futanari, literally "the two, being one." We recommend Cat Girl Alliance for this!
	Yen Ju Lee Hole ~ The Dignity of Great Pussy Get a feel for the lush beauty of Taiwanese nude model Yen Ju Lee in this new stress relief toy from Japan. Truly a marvel of modern novelty goods production that's sure to help you relax when you need it! Also see her amazing lotion. View products »
	Other Restocked Stress Toys See the epic pure onahole that lets you be the first, plus the Zhang Xioo Yu "Dignity" Hole and awesome TENGA Egg series.
	Epic Vibrators from Japan The venerable Japanese "Rotar" [sic] gets new life in this great series from SOD, a miniature Denma style massager for personal use.