WIT Life #26: Yen-pinching
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Stories regarding ways to save a few yen just keep on coming. Today’s news polled eating and drinking establishments in the Tokyo area to see what effect the recession is having on them, and 7 out of 12 said that there hadn’t been much of an impact. Whether being hit or not, these days they are forced to come up with a variety of ideas to stay in business and keep customers satisfied.
One spot featured was a tachinomi (stand and drink) place that largely relies on self service. Here you can buy beer and other drinks from vending machines for as low as 150 yen, and small dishes such as sausage can be purchased from a kiosk for 60 yen. This one-man shop saw Read More
WIT Life #25: Laughing the Blues Away
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine and the same effect is being seen in Japan. These upsetting economic times have brought a boom in rakugo, mandan and other forms of entertainment that have people laughing out loud. In Tokyo’s Chiyoda-ku, there was a rakugo gathering where attendees cited their reasons for coming as “the need to let it all out, laugh away my troubles.” Another man expressed the fear that because of the bad economy, he didn’t know how much longer he would last at his company, and coming to the performance allowed him to temporarily forget about his worries.
In a small theater in Shinjuku, 45-year old guitar mandan Piroki entertained a crowd in his get-up which included a bow tie and hair in a ponytail. While he strummed along, he told a story of Read More
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Following up on the Tsukiji auction controversy I discussed here recently, one segment of the news took the pulse of different Japanese attitudes towards foreigners visiting the country. All of the respondents seemed to attribute any trouble they have experienced to cultural differences and not poor manners on the part of gaijin. 
The first spot was the discount store Daiso in Asakusa, where several signs clearly spell out what is not acceptable behavior in the store. For example, a comfortable looking low counter was a place many foreigners had been resting their weary legs. As this is not what Daiso intended the space for, it had to create a sign reading “Don’t sit on the counter.” Another problem the management encountered was Read More
WIT Life #23: Oyaji Bentos
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
One segment of today’s news went into a lunchroom where a group of men sat around with their bentos. The announcer assumed that they had been made for them by their beloved wives (愛妻弁当), but it turned out the men had made them themselves. They profiled several of these groundbreaking pioneers, all in their 30s. 
One bachelor had been cooking for himself the past year, explaining that each morning he simply put together leftovers from the night before to make his lunch. However, he confessed that he would like to “find someone who could do this for me.” Another single bento-maker revealed his secret to be Read More
WIT Life #22: Consumers’ What’s Hot and What’s Not 2008
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
The start to a new year always invites reflection on the previous one. Some of this delving is not so pleasant (i.e. 2008 fourth quarter earnings), but looking at other aspects such as best sellers from the year can be very enjoyable. The magazine Nikkei Marketing Journal annually examines the latter and uses sumo rankings for its classification system. 
They came up with 36 items for last year, and appropriate of 2008’s declining economy a theme running through the list was low price and good value. For example, the top rankings of Yokozuna East went to clothing store Uniqlo and Yokozuna West went to Seven Premium Top Valu, an in-house discount brand from the retailer Aeon (i.e. Jusco). Ozeki East was captured by Read More
WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). She watches Fujisankei news in Japanese (to keep her interpreting skills sharp) and shares with us some of the interesting tidbits and trends as well as her own insights.
For many foreigners visiting Tokyo, an early morning trip to the legendary tuna auction at Tsukiji fish market is a must. However, last year the metropolitan government decided it had had enough of rowdy tourists disturbing the auctions and forbid them to enter the area during this time. Restriction began in April with the closing off of certain sections, and it escalated to complete denial of access for the one month period between December 15, 2008 and January 17, 2009. This tourist destination that receives as many as 500 visitors a day distributed flyers and put up signs in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean and Russian declaring the ban. 
The reasons the conflict escalated to this point were multifold. Aside from what was cited as general gaijin rudeness, there were some actions that were particularly upsetting to the auctioneers and other employees. For example, visitors would pose Read More
WIT Life #20: 買わない生活
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
The above title Kawanai Seikatsu, or purchase-free lifestyle, describes a money-saving phenomenon taking over Japan. In the midst of the economic doldrums, people are looking for creative solutions to maintain the lifestyles they are used to without spending as much money. What they have found to be indispensible in this pursuit are a variety of websites accessible by keitai (cell phone) and computer that allow them to access goods and services through a system of sharing. 
One such site is ShareMo (shmo.jp) whose catchphrase is “With just one keitai, you can share anything.” This site has a variety of offerings, from frying pans to Halloween decorations to video games, which are lent out among members. No money exchange takes place, but members receive points for carrying out transactions and can then use this currency to borrow items listed on the site. A Tokyo customer profiled showed the items throughout her house that she had rented from ShareMo. They ranged from a tea whisk to Read More
WIT Life #19: Michelin Phenomenon
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
The famous French Michelin guide finally made its way to Tokyo last spring with a 2008 edition, and the 2009 edition came out last November. A news feature called “Michelin Phenomenon” examined how the Japanese are viewing this take on their culinary culture.
Japan’s gourmet guide with the most history is “Tokyo Ii Mise Umai Mise” (Tokyo’s Good and Delicious Restaurants), started in 1967. Written on the cover of a recent issue was the quote, “The French just don’t understand.” When the editor was asked about this assertion, he claimed, “What French and Japanese look for is different. For them the atmosphere of a restaurant is important, whereas for us it’s all about the taste.”
A new guide with a Japanese publisher came out in reaction to the Michelin guide. Its editor felt that with only a year or two of experience in Japan, it would be impossible for Read More
WIT Life #18: Kohaku 2008 Revealed
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). Recently she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Two weeks after the fact, but yesterday I finally had the chance to watch the NHK New Year’s
Eve music show Kohaku Uta Gassen aka Kohaku. This literally translates into “Red and White Song Battle,” referring to the fact that the genders split up into teams with women on red and men on white, and battle it out in the 
musical arena to see which sex takes honors for the year. The performers are a mix of contemporary pop stars and old-time enka singers (many with lavish costumes!), so there is a little of something for everyone. In addition to the interesting commentary provided by the host and hostess (representatives of their respective teams), several surprise guests drop by with acts of their own.
Each side present 26 songs during this four-hour spectacle, and this year 13 performers made it to Kohaku for the first time. For many singers, this is the pinnacle of their careers. The songs are judged by a 10-person panel of actors, athletes and other famous figures who offer their insight between songs. However, the ultimate decision of which team comes out on top is made by the live audience as well as viewers at home via their keitais.
An interesting first entry was that of Jero, a Pittsburgh native whose grandmother was Japanese. When he was growing up, she introduced enka to him and
WIT Life #17: Coming of Age in an Insecure World
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). In her recent posts, she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Coming off the news that Toyota reported its first operating loss in 70 years, Japan’s other leading manufacturers are also falling victim to the high yen and global recession. Sony just announced that it will have its first profit loss in 14 years, despite the fact that it was in the black with profits of 200 billion yen in March of last year. For the business year through this March, it looks like Sony may post an operating loss of 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion). Toshiba also revealed that it will have its first operating loss in 7 years, due largely to slumping sales of its semiconductors.
However, in the midst of all this doom and gloom there was a bit of good cheer in Japan yesterday as nationwide more than 1.3 million 20-year olds celebrated Seijin no hi or Coming of Age Day. Seijinshiki (ceremonies) took place from Hokkaido to Okinawa, and this first generation of Heisei (1989~) seijin shared their hopes and fears with reporters. With a large percentage of college students, many expressed the desire to Read More
WIT Life #16: Home for the Holidays
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). In her recent posts, she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Today’s news discussed Japanese travel trends during the New Year’s holiday, and it turns out that 2.87 million people passed through Tokyo’s domestic Haneda Airport during this time. Many were taking part in what’s called the u-turn rush, or the phenomenon of people returning to Tokyo and other big cities from their hometowns at the end of a holiday season. According to the survey, 84% were u-turning and 16% were coming back from places like Guam and South Korea where they could take advantage of the strong yen.
This piece did a check of what kind of omiyage people had received from their families. A young man from Okinawa had two large cheesecakes his mother had baked for him. A man from Kagoshima held Read More
WIT Life #15: Power Spots
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). In her recent posts, she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
A visit to a shrine, or hatsumoude, is an essential part of Japan’s oshougatsu. This year’s visits incorporated the idea of power spots, or places from which you can receive special energy. Depending on what sort of wishes people hoped to fulfill, they made visits to “power spot shrines” targeted to their desires. The third most popular request was for success in business, and one temporary worker interviewed expressed hope that work would continue to come to him. Currently laborers such as himself make up 1/3 of the work force, and their protests have received much news coverage.
The second most popular request was for luck in love, with one woman insisting that the shrine she had been visiting for the last couple of years during oshougatsu was the reason she was able to get married last year. Incidentally, the idea of searching for a marriage partner in the same way as searching for a job has become so prominent in Japan that the expression “konkatsu” has come into vogue. This phrase derives from Read More
WITLife #14: Mooooooooo….
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). In her recent posts, she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! Welcome to the year of the cow. I hope it is a happy and healthy one for all! I received some electronic New Year’s greetings from friends in Japan, and the noise a cow makes in Japanese (「モー」) was often used as a dajare (pun) in the phrase: “Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.” Gotta love Japanese humor!
Social woes are already plaguing Japan in early 2009. During the end of the year a provisional “Toshikoshi Haken Mura” was set up in Hibiya Park for temporary employees who have become jobless/homeless due to premature cutting off of their contracts. This was a village where they could live over the holidays, and on the eve traditional toshikoshi soba (extra-long soba connecting the new year to the old) with mochi in it was served. One 40-year old recipient said that it was the first proper meal he had had in two weeks. When asked about his prospects for the new year, Read More
WITLife #13 – Emperors, Towers and More Nesting
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). In her recent posts, she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Today (already yesterday in Japan) celebrated the birthday of two of this country’s fixtures, the Emperor and Tokyo Tower. The former turned 75 and the latter 50, and both have been showing slight signs of aging.
In the customary palace visit open to the general public, Emperor Akihito apologized for causing people to worry regarding his health, as he is still fighting a cold. Because of this, many of the usual events surrounding his birthday will be canceled or postponed.
Tokyo Tower has recently undergone renovations such as a new elevator and new illumination, and author Lili Frank was on hand to offer greetings at its 50th anniversary party. He wrote the 2005 best seller Tokyo Tower, later made into drama and movie versions (which I liked so much that I’m now reading the book and enjoying it just as much).
*News of this year’s nesting phenomenon continues, and two trends regarding Christmas cakes are “mini” and “luxurious.” Mini cakes as small as 5-10 cm in diameter are wildly popular, as people would rather be able to try several different kinds instead of just one. On the other hand, high-end Christmas cake is also selling well. Whereas your typical strawberry shortcake goes for 500 yen, these luxury cakes are as much as 2,500 yen each.
As one consumer explained, “This is something I buy only once a year so I might as well go all out!”
WITLife #12: Net Café Refugees and More Auto Protests
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Interpreter/Translator/Writer Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken, 2000-03). In her recent posts, she’s been watching the news in Japanese and sharing some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
The phenomenon of “net café refugees” became a hot topic in Japan last year, when it was estimated by the Health Ministry that 5,400 people with no fixed addresses, mostly those in their 20s, slept at 24-hour Internet cafes for as little as 1,000-2,000 yen per night. These legendary facilities house small cubicles equipped with reclining chairs, computers and TVs, and many cafés allow free soft drink refills. Some even have showers.
In this dismal economy, usage of net cafés has been on the increase. A café profiled in this morning’s news said that it offers a rate of 59,520 yen per month for those staying longer than 30 days, and that out of its 58 rooms, 50 were occupied long-term.
One such resident who volunteered for an interview said that he had been there for over six months. After losing his real estate job two years ago when his company went bankrupt, he has been struggling to make ends meet as a day laborer. However, being 39 prevents him Read More
