Lack of Foreign Tourists in Japan

Still, there are some big challenges ahead for Japan, not the least of which is rebuilding its tourism industry. After the disaster, tens of thousands of foreign tourists departed and have stayed away. Iconic sightseeing spots like Asakusa in Tokyo and the beautiful Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto are ghost towns right now, as visitors from Asia, Europe and the U.S. largely avoid Japan, a terrible situation since so much of the local economy is dependent on tourism. If you're interested in doing something to help Japan get back on her feet, you have many options including buying one of our spiffy Danny Choo + J-List T-shirts. Another idea to consider if possible is to plan a trip to Japan in the near future. You'll have a great time one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and the crowds won't be a problem at all. Best of all, you'll be doing some real good with your tourist dollars.

(Incidentally, many distributors of traditional products from Japan are located in Asakusa, and we've been doing what we can to help them by placing large orders with them. Click to browse our traditional products from Japan page to see if there's anything cool from Japan that you need.)

The media is reporting that many foreigners are staying away from Japan's sightseeing spots.

Some Good News from Japan

Japan's recovery from the terrible earthquake and tsunamis continues apace, and for the first time we're seeing some good news. Power was reconnected to several heavily damaged regions over the weekend, and thousands of the evacuees who had been living in dark gymnasiums now have electric lights again. Natural gas service has been almost completely restored, and on Sunday a ceremony was held in Sendai for locals to thank the 80,000 gas workers who worked to restore service to 310,000 homes. There's some other good news: Tokyo Disneyland is open, though running reduced hours to keep electricity consumption low. Thousands of fans gathered to be present at the re-opening of the park, and camera crews were there to capture the event. One woman was full of tears at getting to see Mickey Mouse again. "I wanted to see him so badly!" she cried.

Some more good news -- Tokyo Disneyland has reopened.

Relationships in Japan are "Vertical"

It's said in Japan that the U.S. is a "horizontal" society (in Japanese, yoko no shakai) while Japan is "vertical" (tate no shakai), supposedly due to the fact that life in the U.S. is merit-based whereas progression up the social ladder in Japan is more closely tied to age and seniority. I'm not sure that this is really the case anymore -- the last decade or two radically changed the nature of some relationships here, especially in business -- but there are certainly some ways that Japan seems "vertical" to me. One of the most obvious examples is the way relationships are organized into senpai (upperclassman, or senior member in a company or organization) and kohai (underclassman or junior member). While relationships among people the same age (dokyusei) are supposed to be neutral, they can sometimes have up/down elements, too. In episode ten of Madoka Magika, Madoka meets Homura for the "first" time, and her confident, self-assured manner sets the pace for their new relationship. "I'm Madoka Kaname. Please call me Madoka! So is it okay for me to call you Homura-chan?" The informality of using first names (only done with very close friends) lets the audience know that Madoka is the "leader" in the relationship now.

(Trying my best to not give away any spoilers here. If you're a Madoka fan and haven't seen episode 10, what are you waiting for??)

Relationships in Japan often have a "vertical" element.

Traditional Products from Japan Update

J-List tries to be a reflection of everything that's awesome from Japan, which is why we carry a lot more than anime and manga. Some traditional items from Japan that we like a lot include items made of chirimen, kimono cloth, like the Kimono Usagi with Cherry Blossoms display we've got on the site. Our customers love both takoyaki and taiyaki (uguu), and we've got products both fans of both. Finally it's fun to drink delicious miso soup out of a proper soup bowl, and we've got some great ones in stock.

Cool Products Monday, April 18, 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.

	Comptiq May 2011 Check out the latest issue of the "MediaMix Game Magazine" packed with all the bishoujo news, manga and extras you love!
	Comic Alive May 2011 Next, see the newest issue of the magazine that includes Zero no Tsukaima, Maria Holic, Infinite Stratos, and more.
	2ch ASCII Face Cushions Bring a bit of adorable and wacky Japanese net life into your home with these soft, plushy, large ASCII text art-inspired cushions! Whether the "shocked/surprised" expression is your thing, or the "delicious/satisfied" expression, we've got you covered! See the products for details of size and the source for these wacky ideas. View products »
	Monster Seitaizukan 3 ~ Artbook + Figure Sets The world of Monster Hunter comes to life through these gorgeous color artbooks and included figures of the menacing beasts that fill the game!
	Revoltech No.103 JEHUTY ~ Z.O.E Fans of Zone of Enders, the stylized robot fighting game from Konami by Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear), will love this new action figure!
	Clannad, Angel Beats! Figures In Stock We love Key games and writing by Jun Maeda, and figures from them are always so delicious. Several in stock today!
	Anime Figures In Stock Also: we've gotten the Kyon Nendoroid from Disappearance in stock, plus the Robot Tamashii from Full Metal Panic. But hurry, stock is limited on both.
	Restocked Artbooks See fresh stock of some fun anime artbooks, including the K-On! official TV series guide, which we love a lot.
	Mikoto & Kuroko Mug Cup w/Lid Fans of To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (A Certain Scientific Railgun) will love this new Mikoto x Kuroko mug we've got in stock today!
	Re-ment Hello Kitty Miniature Sushi A Kitty-themed set of adorable "conveyor belt" sushi miniatures? Japan, you know the way to our hearts. We love this to death! Now in stock.
	Restocked Japanese Tall Socks, Shimapan, More Fun items restocked: tall sexy "over knee" socks, shimapan striped panties & top, plus authentic high school loafer shoes for cosplay.
	Bra Hanger and Shape Protector Protect your investment in a quality piece of lingerie with this ingeniously designed bra hanger -- keeps the proper shape and so much more. Restocked!
	Amagami Ebikore Plus So you've seen the TV show and wondered about the original Amagami game? Now you can play it on your PSP, with extras! Great dating sim.
	Restocked Touhou Games Touhou is a line of doujin shooting games that was so well conceived, it ended up becoming a huge source of pop culture.
	Akasen Kitan ~ Mysterious Story of Old Red Light District A glimpse into a bygone era, a world of more refined tastes yet taboo all the same, is what you'll find in this pictorial journey through the abandoned ruins of Tokyo's postwar red light district. A unique photo odyssey for you to immerse yourself in and explore. View products »
	Sekirara ~ Risa Yoshiki Enjoy the casual glamour of idol and model Risa Yoshiki in this new collection of photos of quiet and intimate moments. Beautiful and tempting!
	2 Way Wooden Foot Massager This is a great item for anyone whose feet hurt after a long shift: a wooden foot massager with individual rolling parts which soothe away your pain.
	Neru Neru Nerune ~ Make It Yourself If you love Popin' Cookin' and other styles of "do it yourself" candy from Japan, you'll love this wacky candy that you can really dig into as you prepare it yourself by hand! Knead it into just the right consistency like taffy and then enjoy this sweet snack. Also good for fans of Neri Ame liquid candy. View products »
	Today's New Japanese Snacks Also: enjoy new 'soda candy' in cola, ramune, strawberry and grape flavors, Strawberry Milk Meiji Mushroom Mountain, and more!
	Restocked J-Snacks Enjoy Hi-Chew, Meiji Sushi Gummy, traditional Barley and "Pure Mist" candy, Puccho in Tsubu Tsubu Orange, plus Thin Pretz in Pizza flavor.
	Stackable 'Jubako' Bento Boxes Restocked We love jubako stacking style bento boxes, since you never know what the next level down will hold. Several popular ones restocked today.
	Silicon Tip Bamboo Long Cooking Chopsticks Japanese cooks always use extra-long cooking chopsticks like this since they're perfect for cooking. They feature silicon tips on the ends that won't melt.
	Takoyaki Set in the BOX Restocked A box that has just about everything you need to make your own delicious takoyaki from scratch, we were able to get it back in stock!
	Restocked Miso Soup Bowls, More We love to bring you new ways to enjoy miso soup form Japan, and today we're posting two new soup bowls.
	MP9 Digital Pocket Video Recorder 2GB A low profile camera in the shape of a pen, with 2GB of storage and a USB interface to record all sorts of interesting things.
	We [heart] Japanese Erasers The Japanese have the best erasers in the world,and we've restocked several. See the MONO-ONE and MONO-ZERO plus Kado-Keshi with dozens of corners.
	Restocked Traditional Items Lucky cats dressed as the god of wind and the god of thunder and lightning (Fuujin and Raijin), plus the Lucky Owl with Seven Gods Display are restocked.
	Trading Mascot Monster Hunter Airu Set of 8 *Preorder* Enjoy the company of the adorable mascot characters from Monster Hunter in this set of 8 denizens of the village of the Airu! Preorder open.
	A Certain Awesome Hug Pillow Strap Series If you've secretly wanted a hug pillow but couldn't justify the size, check out these new keychain/strap 'hug pillows' from A Certain Magical Index!
	Revoltech No.105 Getter Robot-1 Renewal ver. *Preorder* Revoltech continues building its old school cred with this amazing new Getter Robot action figure! 17 articulation points and tons of extras
	AKETEMITE! ~ Onahole in Stealth Package Don't worry, this might look like the 'party snake' equivalent of a novelty stress relief toy packed in an innocent container, but it's really just a fun new way to package everything you need to get rid of that stress that's built up, complete with flexible contoured love hole and lotion included. View products »
	Restocked Tenga Flip Hole The most popular Tenga stress toys have been restocked, including the Tenga Flip Hole, one of the most advanced products ever.
	Mobile Denma Vibrators, Sagami Condoms Enjoy the power of advanced Japanese technology and engineering incorporated into these potent massagers and sleekly designed condoms.
	BALDR SKY Dive 2 ~ Recordare The stunning conclusion to the two part mecha action eroge odyssey is here, in limited edition! Amazing KOTOKO music in this Japanese language game.
	New Limited English Eroge Release Remember that we've got great English-translated games too, like the recently released Da Capo. Have you ordered yours yet?

About The Japanese Staff of J-List

When new Japanese employees come to work at J-List it's an interesting learning experience for them. First of all, they're amazed at our customers, and the collective passion they have for Japan and its various forms of popular and traditional culture. Japanese know that there are fans of anime and manga around the world, but encountering customers who have more knowledge about a subject like Gundam mecha than 99.9% of Japanese fans amazes them. Another thing they're surprised at is that not all of our customers write perfect English in their emails, since we have customers from all over the world. Japanese have a strange compulsion against making errors when using English, and assume that everyone outside Japan uses the language perfectly. After a few weeks of replying to imperfect emails from customers in Europe or Asia who are themselves using English as a second language, they relax about their own language skills. I think that working at J-List is good for our Japanese employees for another reason: it helps them see their own country from the outside, through the eyes of foreigners who really love Japan, and that gives them a new way of thinking about their own country.

Japanese who work at J-List get an interesting view of Japan from the outside.

Perception of Words in English and Japanese

It's funny how words are perceived by people in different ways. My wife asked me how to say the word meinichi in English, and I told her, "That's 'the anniversary of a person's death.'" She was shocked. "How can you use the word 'anniversary' for that? Anniversaries are happy times, not solemn occasions for family to remember loved ones." When words are borrowed from one language to another, their meanings change slightly to fit the needs of the new group, and in this case only the happy, celebratory meaning of "anniversary" was brought over. In the new anime Hanasaku Iroha, the main character is told she must go live with her grandmother, and she says, "To live in a Japanese inn, that's very dramatic!" However, this word doesn't mean the same thing to the Japanese as it does to you and me: doramachikku is closer in meaning to "just like a story in a TV drama." (They also have an odd tendency of taking the tic (pronounced "chikku") ending from "dramatic" and putting it onto other slang words, like otome-chikku "girly" or otaku-chikku "fanboyish.") Words meaning different things isn't limited to English. I've heard that Chinese are often surprised at the Japanese use of the kanji matsuri (祭), which means festival in Japan, but is used for funerals in China.

Words "feel" different in different languages.

Taking Inspiration from Japan: the iPad 2 Cover Edition

While Japan has always had a reputation for taking ideas from the West and improving on them (sometimes beyond recognition), the reverse is often true, too, and Japan has long served as a well of inspiration for various creators from the West. I read a lot of science fiction books, and it often seems I can't pick one up that doesn't have Japanese themes in it somewhere, with the best example being William Gibson, who built his career by weaving ideas he strip mined encountered in Japan into his books. Star Wars is filled with Japanese cultural and visual elements culled from Japan's films and history, from Jedi Knights to the Force to the design of Darth Vader, whose helmet and "first name" come from famous warlord Date Masamune. (I remember my son once asking me why Obi Wan Kenobi was wearing a kimono and bowing like a Japanese person.) When the new iPad was announced, people here observed that the fancy magnetic "Smart Cover" looked exactly like the covers used to keep the bath water warm in between use.

The iPad 2's cover was inspired by Japanese bath covers (maybe).

Bento Boxes & More at J-List

J-List has always loved Japan's tradition of bento boxed lunches...we love to make them, and we love to eat them. That's why we carry hundreds of gorgeous bento boxes and related bento accessory items, including fun Hello Kitty bento and onigiri items. We like to surprise our customers by finding cool things they don't expect to find, like chopsticks that look like delicious Pocky sticks. Click here to view the most popular bento boxes and related products, as chosen by J-List's customers.

Cool Products Friday, April 15, 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.

	Newtype May 2011 The brand new issue of Newtype is here, the magazine that brings you the best of Japanese animation all year round. This issue includes a special bonus magazine (!) of 130 pages with a focus on Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha and Dog Days, plus great posters from Hanasaku Iroha and K-On! View products »
	Dengeki G's Magazine May 2011 Next, check out the great new issue of Dengeki G's, the magazine for all your bishoujo needs. New Key game Rewrite is featured, figure too!
	Cos Craft ~ COSMODE Special Magazine You'll love the new issue of CosCraft, the special edition of Cosmode that provides the photos and how-to knowledge for all your cosplay needs.
	Little Devil Ageha ~ Koakuma April 2011 If you want to add more glamor to your fashion life, Ageha is the magazine that has everything you need! Glitter and sparkle with the pro tips inside.
	Boa Parka with Bear Ear ~ Brown, Black Speaking of fashion, we've got the great "bear ears" boa parkas back in stock, a light outerwear perfect for spring or lounging comfortably.
	Bakemonogatari Nendoroid Petite Set of 4  If you like the Poyoyon Rock designs of Bakemonogatari like we do, you'll love these cute Nendoroid Petit figures, now in stock!
	Re-ment Onsen Yado no Gohan Miniature Toys One of the features of Japanese hot spring inns is the opulent dinners they serve, and now you can recreate them with these great miniatures!
	Onnanoko Database ~ School ver. ~ How to Draw Manga The study of the Japanese school uniform is a discipline in itself, and if you're going to draw them it's best to come prepared. This book has it all.
	More Moe Moe Encyclopedia Books More fun with the Moe Moe Encyclopedia books, with fighting women of war, moe weapons in history, and more. We love this great approach to spreading knowledge!
	Shell Cover for iPhone 4 ~ Miffy Next, experience the ever cute and nostalgic Dutch-designed Miffy the rabbit character on your iPhone -- very popular in Japan.
	Handy Katakana Keyboards from Elecom There's something about a computer keyboard with the Japanese katakana on the keys. Several popular Elecom keyboards restocked today.
	Gakken Otona no Kagaku Science Kits Rekindle the spirit of adventure and inquiry with this deluxe series of science project magazine for adults, produced with loving care by Gakken publishing. Each issue comes with a unique science/engineering project kit that includes everything you need to assemble your own working gadgets -- English instructions available! View products »
	iTunes Japan Prepaid Music Cards In addition amazing JPOP and anime songs, you can play visual novels on your iPhone and iPad, like the gorgeous new Otome Smile.
	Bee Kawaii Earphones Those darling bee-shaped earphones are back in stock, too. They're fully compatible with any music player you may have, and are cute as heck.
	Onechanbara Special The (in)famous "bikini zombie" series is here for the PSP! Play as any of the characters from the original Onechanbara games, co-op & more.
	Other PSP Anime Games Restocked The Hetalia PSP game is restocked, plus A Certain Magical Index, Macross Triangle Frontier, Ore no Imouto, and the ecchi Queen's Blade.
	Nice Hello Kitty Products Restocked We always have a large selection of Hello Kitty products direct from Japan, and today we've restocked several nice ones. Click to see.
	Rilakkuma Silicon Ice Cube Maker There's no better way to relax than in the company of Rilakkuma, San-X's kawaii character. These "Relax Bear" ice cubes would go great in a glass of bourbon.
	Cute One Piece Products Restocked Adorable, wacky and awesome One Piece goods in stock today, incl. the Chopper Man Furry Pen Case, Rubber Key Cover and more.
	Restocked Totoro and Ponyo Products Neat: fresh stock of Totoro plush toys, traditional chirimen "Gamaguchi" coin purses, plus those nice Ponyo cushions.
	Today's Amazing New Japanese Snacks We love bringing Japan's culture of unique snack foods to you. Today we've got awesome Curry Korokke (Croquette) flavored chips that are heavenly, plus 'Honda sauce' senbei rice crackers (no relation to the Street Fighter character). Also: UHA Zerosh tart gummy from Shigekix, which are really fun to eat. View products »
	Fun 'Neri Ame' Traditional Liquid Candy This is a unique candy confection that requires chopsticks to knead until it's ready to eat. The official traditional Japanese candy of K-On!
	More Restocked J-Snacks Enjoy Glico Cratz (goes great with beer), Sweetie Gum, Japanese Frisk Mints, Lotte March of Koala, plus the only ume-flavored Cheetos balls you will see.
	OURAN ~ Sakura Bento Box With Chopsticks (red or black) We carry a lot of complete bento sets, which come with everything you need including chopsticks. See these traditional bento boxes today.
	Restocked Bento Items See Penguin and Monkey bottles that hold mayonnaise and other condiments for your lunch, bento cups that teach you Japanese and more!
	Kawaii Animal Die-cut Bento Sauce Bottle  Then, fresh stock of those cute little bottles for carrying soy sauce in your lunch, which look like little animals or trains.
	Restocked Bilingual Cookbooks, More The popular "bilingual" Japanese Cooking book is restocked -- 100 recipes for great Japanese foods, in English and Japanese!
	New SAND de PANDA ~ Easy Sandwich Makers You haven't eaten a sandwich until you've had one that's been cut and shaped, with the insides "sealed" for you. We love Japanese sandwiches!
	Learn Hiragana the Kawaii Way Cinnamoroll and Sanrio will help you study Japanese hiragana characters with this handy workbook guide!
	Simple Black & Green Tea Leaf Container We like to carry products that help you appreciate Japan in new ways. Today we've restocked our Green and Black tea containers.
	Kyoto SAKURA Tea, More Restocked Also: our popular lineup of Kyoto Sakura Green Tea is restocked, so you can sample some of the best tastes in Kyoto this spring.
	New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt Figures *Preorder* Can't choose between Panty & Stocking or Scanty & Knee-socks, the girls who want us all to follow the Rrrrrules? Preorder both sets.
	Black Butler iPhone 4 Covers *Preorder* The enigmatic bishounen series Black Butler comes to life on these dark, gorgeous iPhone 4 covers. Preorders open today.
	Other Preorder Toys *Preorder* Other new preorders available today include Minna from Strike Witches, Mayoi Figma from Bakemonogatari, and a new One Piece coin bank!
	Black Rock Shooter Strength 1/8 Figure *Preorder* Oh, and then there's the 1/8 scale figure of Strength from the Black Rock Shooter anime, who is so bad-ass words just fail us.
	Avion ~ Mihiro (5000 Limited Edition) Fresh stock of the dreamy photobook of one of Japan's most beautiful angels ever, Mihiro. Caution, may cause nosebleeds.
	Anime-themed Onahole Toys If you're looking for a more straightforward 'love hole' experience, characters from your favorite "H" anime have their own toys ready for you too!
	Flyable Candy Heart ~ The future is always connected The Flyable Heart 'after story', sequel and (Haruhi character designer) Ito Noizi extravaganza is here! Enjoy all your favorite characters from the original, plus tons more.
	Restocked DVDs, Blu-ray Hitomi Tanaka's Blu-ray debut, Actress Tsugumi, Female Announcer Bukkake, Lesbian Night Crawling, the shocking Pussy Wall, Exchanging Positions Hospital, plus the sentai-themed Anti-Demon Ninja Asagi. Enjoy them all, and have a great weekend! View products »