Video: “Tonoharu” explained in unique video by creator Lars Martinson
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Lars Martinson (Fukuoka-ken 2003-2006), author of the graphic novels Tonoharu: Part Two and Tonoharu: Part 1, has put together a rather unique video that “explains” the Tonoharu series in a marvelously tongue-in-cheek way. (BTW, does anyone know if there’s a Japanese term for “tongue-in-cheek”?)
Anyway, have a look at the video. I think it’s fair to say that no one has captured the JET/living in Japan experience in as intricate a way as Lars has:
JET alum Josh Zimmerman crafts a name for himself in ABC News article
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Thanks to Gail Meadows (Hiroshima-ken, 2007-10), former Editor of the Hiroshima JET online newsletter The Wide Island View and current resident of metro Detroit for sharing this item about her former Wide Island View Co-Editor Josh Zimmerman (Hiroshima-ken).
According to an ABC News article titled “From Whittling to Knitting: How Modern Men Craft,”
Joshua Zimmerman’s creative outlet is tinkering with small electrical projects. The 28-year-old, fourth-grade teacher in Milwaukee makes Altoid tin USB chargers and flashlights, and small robots from toothbrush heads and solar battery chargers. His creations usually can be made with a few bucks and a few parts, often from recycling old electronics.
He simplifies ideas he finds online, assembles them in kits, and sells them from his online shop, Brown Dog Gadgets, and at Etsy. He also posts the instructions for all of his projects, most of which take under an hour for a novice and require a little metal soldering.
Here’s a description of the Altoids Solar iPhone/iPod/iPad Charger direct from Josh’s Brown Dog Gadgets website:
After weeks of sweat, blood, and soldering burns we’ve finally done it. We’ve made a solar charger for all the iProducts out there! Now you can charge up your iPhone, iPod, and even the iPad via the wonder of solar.
What separates this from our Solar Altoids USB Charger is that you can actually charge up those iProducts, which you’ll also find separates us from most solar USB chargers out there.
The charger works by recharging two high capacity rechargeable AA batteries through the included 4V solar cell. When you need to charge up your iPhone or iPod just plug it in via the three foot retractable cable. Then relax, because you deserve it
Features:
4V Solar Cell
2X High Capacity Rechargeable AAs (Between 2500-3000 mah)
3 Foot retractable charging cable.
Your choice of a fun Altoids tin.
Has been tested on and works with any iPod Classic, iPod Nano, iPhone, and iPad. We honestly went to a store and tried it out on all of the display models. We’re just happy that it works with our iPhone 4!
***iPods and iPhones will not directly charge up from the solar panel. You need to first charge up the internal AA batteries to a certain level before an iPod or iPhone will actually charge from it.
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Hey Josh, any chance we could order some with the JETwit logo? :-)
Surviving in Japan: How to find cheese in Japan
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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.
Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese"
Most expats in Japan know how difficult it can be, at times, to find cheese (and I don’t mean the Japanese types of cheese). Even when you do come across something like cheddar, it’s often more expensive and smaller in size than a giant block you could easily buy in the U.S., for example, for the same price. (And I’m sure size and cost of cheese varies by country all over the world). Strangely enough, ever since I got pregnant, minus the three weeks of smoothies and saltines, I’ve been craving various American-type foods (which I don’t normally crave very often). Lasagna and enchiladas especially. Ok, so those aren’t inherently American, but who are we kidding, how much food can the U.S. claim as its own? Aside the altered versions of food from other backgrounds… the kind of food that means “comfort” to me – like my aforementioned lasagna).
Now, both of those meals require a decent amount of cheese, and specialized in the case of ricotta cheese for lasagna. I can easily find cheddar, bagged parmesan and similar cheese at my local supermarket, though the amount of cheddar is quite small and costs around 500-700 yen. One of the closest import stores actually carries cheddar (and various other cheeses you won’t find at a local supermarket), and the cheddar blocks are twice as large and only cost around 400 yen (or more depending on the brand you get). Ricotta is impossible to find locally I’ve found (if different for you, please share below). One of two nearby import store carries ricotta, though for a hefty price at 900 yen (250 grams). Needless to say, lasagna will not be a frequent meal in our home (but it was worth it then).
Before we talk about how to find the cheese you want, let’s go over some cheese terminology – that is, Japanese translations. — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
WIT Life #174: Saga Setting the Nuclear Standard
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Yesterday’s NYT had an interesting article about Japan’s nuclear policy going forward. Increasingly local governments are being depended on to determine this, though they believe these are decisions the central government should be making. Currently the debate is taking place in the rural prefecture of Saga located in Kyushu, where battle lines are drawn between nuclear power plant operators who insist their facilities are safe and wary citizens. In the middle is Saga governor Yasushi Furukawa who is being looked to for approval or rejection of restarting two of the four reactors at the plant. After being shut down for routine maintenance, the question is whether Read More
JET alums involved in yoga benefit for Japan quake victims (NY)
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The below article mentions JETAA U.S.A. Country Rep and former JETAANY President Megan Miller-Yoo (Hyogo-ken). And the reporter, Seana Magee (Okayama-ken, Niimi-shi, 1988-90) also happens to be a JET alum.
FEATURE: New Yorkers turn on heat, use yoga to benefit Japan quake victims
By Seana K. Magee
NEW YORK, June 28, Kyodo
Drenched in sweat, Megan Miller Yoo and about a dozen other students were pushing themselves to new limits during a special Sunday yoga session held at a Manhattan studio.
Stretching their muscles and testing their flexibility, they intently followed the instructor moving through 26 prescribed poses at Bikram Yoga Grand Central in a humid, 40 C room.
From the outside it looked like an ordinary 90-minute Bikram class, but it was not.
The hot yoga devotees were part of a so-called donation class specifically designed to raise money to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan on March 11.
Yoo explained to Kyodo News how taking part in the special class took her practice to a new level, particularly because of her close ties to the country, where she lived for two years.
”One instructor always says, ‘If you breathe through Bikram, you can breathe through anything,’ so I often think of that when I am in a tough situation, and it makes me realize I can get through anything if I just hang in there and don’t give up,” said the 33-year-old former Japan Exchange and Teaching Program participant who taught English in Hyogo Prefecture.
”I think that is the perfect message for the people in the affected regions of Japan.”
Before the March disaster wreaked havoc in her country, Kyoko Katsura, one of the two studio owners, and her business partner were mulling over ways to motivate students. So they hit upon the idea of offering the weekly donation class to highlight various charities. Read More
Surviving in Japan: A Guide to Sunscreen in Japan
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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.
Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese"
Just in time for summer (despite some of the gray days during the rainy season): an overview of sunscreen (or sunblock) in Japan.
I should note that I’ve heard various complaints about sunscreen tubes and bottles being relatively small here, and in many cases, this tends to be true. In my experience, women here often seem to prefer covering up their skin with clothing, hats, scarves, etc., carrying around an umbrella, and/or just avoiding being outside during the peak times of day. It’s not uncommon when stopped at an intersection to see pedestrians waiting under store eaves in the shade until the light turns green (though this is also just to get out of the heat). So I think one possible reason the quantities may be smaller is simply because they are primarily used on the face, neck, hands, and/or arms. Their small size also makes them easier to carry around.
As for men in Japan, it doesn’t seem that protecting their skin from the sun is as popular as it is with women. I’m sure some do, but women seem to be more concerned about this (in general, of course does not apply to everyone) and in general, sunscreen in Japan seems to be marketed more towards women.
First of all, sunscreen or sunblock in Japanese is: 日焼け止め (ひやけどめ, hiyakedome)
Other words to know:
紫外線 しがいせん ultraviolet rays
耐水性 たいすいせい water resistant
ウォータープルーフ waterproof
無香料 むこうりょう unscented
無着色 むちゃくしょく no coloring
Understanding UVA/UVB protection
Every country has its own form of indicating a sunscreen’s effectiveness against UVA and UVB rays, though the use of “SPF” is fairly standard.
Japan uses SPF to measure protection against UVB rays. You’ll see standard numbers such as 15, 30, 50, etc.
Protection against UVA rays is indicated in Japan as “PA” with a plus sign (+). There are no numbered measurements for this; more pluses equals more protection. You’ll find 3 versions: — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
WIT Life #173: Homeless by mandate
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Almost four months have passed since the earthquake/tsunami hit Japan, and one might think that after this amount of time things have gotten back to some semblance of normal. That seems to be the case for the most part in Tokyo, where except for limited electricity usage and the omnipresent uncertainty regarding radation levels, it is back to business as usual. However, for those who lived in the disaster area, it is a different story. I recently spoke to a close friend over Skype, who told me about her brother who had lived with his family in Tohoku.
They, like many others from the disaster zone, cannot be cleared to return home due to restrictions on entering areas that exceed a certain level of radiation. Instead, they have spent the last few Read More
Harper Collins set to publish a new book by JET alum Bruce Feiler
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JET alum Bruce Feiler (Tottori-ken, 1989-90), author of Learning to Bow, The Council of Dads, and several books on the Middle East including Walking the Bible, Abraham and Where God Was Born, has a new book to published by Harper Collins soon titled Generation Freedom: The Middle East Uprisings and the Remaking of the Modern World.
From the Harper Collins website:
At a time when the world is asking how the Arab Spring and the death of Osama bin Laden will reshape our times, Bruce Feiler, bestselling author of Walking the Bible and Abraham, offers a vivid behind-the-scenes portrait of history in the making. He marches with the daring young organizers in Liberation Square, confronts the head of the Muslim Brotherhood, and witnesses the dramatic rebuilding of a church at exactly the moment sectarian violence threatens the peaceful movement. Drawing on fifteen years of travels across the region, from Egypt to Israel, Iraq to Iran, Feiler brings his unprecedented experience to the most pressing questions: how the rise of freedom will affect terrorism; Middle East peace; and relations among Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide. Eloquent and thoughtful, Generation Freedom offers a hopeful vision of how this unrivaled upheaval will transform the world.
Surviving in Japan: How to Send Your (Extra) Luggage to the Airport
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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.
Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese"
Heading home for the summer? Going somewhere exotic for vacation? If you are leaving Japan, and many of you may already know this, did you know you can have your luggage delivered straight from your home to the airport? The cost is actually quite reasonable (depending on how far you are from the airport, how much luggage you have, how heavy it is, how big it is, etc.)
There are various delivery companies in Japan, but Yamato (Kuroneko) is my favorite. They have an English version of their site with instructions on how to deliver your luggage to the airport, otherwise known as “Airport takkyubin.” (Takkyubin is Yamato’s special term for delivery.)
When I sent our luggage (two large suitcases weighing somewhere between 15-20 kg) off to Narita Airport, I simply called Yamato about 2 days before our flight, gave them my home address, told them how much luggage I had to send, and they asked for the best time to send someone for pick-up. I believe they came by that same day, and when the delivery guy arrived at the door, he gave me two slips of paper (the address labels) for each piece of luggage, on which I wrote our address, phone number, contents (i.e., clothes, etc.) and our flight information (don’t worry, you can do this in English/romaji).
The woman I spoke to on the phone when I called Yamato spoke English, though I may have had to ask for an English speaking person (it was a year ago so I don’t really remember that part). You can just ask, “Eigo ii desu ka?” (Is English ok?) or “Eigo o hanasu hito imasen ka?” (Is someone there who speaks English?) or something similar, if/when someone answers in Japanese. — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
WIT Life #172: Global Justice
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Last week New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman profiled the Harvard University political philosopher Michael J. Sandel. This professor’s classes were picked up by PBS and made into a television program that has attracted worldwide attention. Last year, Japan’s NHK TV broadcast a translated version of the series, which sparked a philosophy craze in Japan and prompted the University of Tokyo to create a course based on Sandel’s.
As Friedman details, the PBS series is now available at http://www.justiceharvard.org, and here you can find a thought-provoking discussion of the ethical and global implications of the 2011 Japanese earthquake and nuclear disaster among students in Tokyo, Shanghai, and at Harvard.
It is interesting to see Japanese students voicing their opinions in a proactive way, and I am curious to see what kind of feedback the university course has received since being introduced.
Subscribe to the JETAA Sydney (Australia) Newsletter
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Here’s the link for anyone who’s interested in subscribing to the JETAA Sydney Newsletter:
http://sydneyjetaa.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=074f1003f7e0dbeb3de9861cc&id=8cc42074cb
Surviving in Japan: How to find Tylenol in Japan
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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.
I’ve previously showed you how to find ibuprofen in Japan, but what about acetaminophen? Otherwise known as Tylenol. Though Tylenol itself is a bit more difficult to find in Japan than ibuprofen (I can’t find it in my local drugstore but I can find it in the drugstore in the closest major train station in my area). You can also find it online quite easily. Though, keep in mind that other brands of medicine in Japan also contain acetaminophen, but many of those brands also contain caffeine (カフェイン), occasionally aspirin (アスピリン), and some other active ingredients, which may or may not be exactly what you want.
First things first: acetaminophen in Japanese is アセトアミノフェン.
And, Tylenol is — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.
MEF Bruce Rutledge article on CNN: Japan’s post-quake kawaii cute movement
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MEF Bruce Rutledge, founder of Seattle-based independent book publisher Chin Music Press and editor of Ibuki magazine, has an article on CNN GO titled:
“Japan’s post-quake kawaii cute movement: Harajuku’s colorful street-styles used to combat the quake crisis.”
JET Alum Launches Cross-Cultural Business Consulting and Training Service
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Jennifer Jakubowski (Hokkaido, 1995-97), founder of Bridges To Japan
JET alum Jennifer Jakubowski (Hokkaido, 1995-97) has launched Bridges To Japan, a cross-cultural business consulting and training firm.
Jennifer has been engaged in Japanese-American cross-cultural business consulting and training for a number of years, including work for the Nagano Winter Olympic Committee and cross-cultural training for numerous Japanese and American executives. She is also the author of Executive Guide to Japan: The ABCs of Japanese Culture & Business Etiquette.
For more information:
- Bridges to Japan website: www.bridgestojapan.com
- Jennifer Jakubowski bio
WIT Life #171: Radiation fallout (both literal and emotional)
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WITLife is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
As more information comes out regarding the lack of disclosure as well as intentional cover-up that took place regarding Japan’s nuclear crisis, people are becoming more and more empowered. This article from Sunday’s New York Times details how citizens have begun protesting, a relatively rare action in Japan. This longer article from this morning’s NYT discusses how little PM Kan knew about what was actually happening.
Media reporting on this issue tends to be either sensational or opaque, so I really value the “on the ground” reports I periodically receive from friends in Tokyo. Here’s an excerpt from a recent mail (long but worth reading) from a close friend describing the continually changing information being provided to them, as well as her thoughts regarding the situation going forward. It provides a backdrop that illuminates why the normally docile Japanese have been taking to the streets:
“Here life is slowly returning to “normal,” but still lots of worries about the radiation affecting Tokyo and outlying areas. There are new setbacks to the nuclear plant situation each day and we wonder Read More
