Bear attacks

This year there have been an increase of bear attacks in Japan and believed to be due to shortage of food in the mountains.

According to Belfast Telegraph, there has been around 84 attacks killing 4 people from April to September this year compared to 64 attacks last year.

I’ve heard stories of bears searching for food in autumn particularly eating kaki (persimmon) from people’s gardens but there seems to be a lot more bears roaming around for food now. I'm also very surprised there are a lot of reports of bear sightings in Ishikawa Prefecture where I stayed during exchange.

Here’s a video of a bear caught in Ishikawa Prefecture: (warning: contains a dead bear)

Smell-O-Vision?

The Smell-O-Vision device developed by Japanese researchers is a gadget that releases aromas according to the images on the TV or computer screen. Creators believe this will revolutionise the way people watch TV.

The Japanese team adapted a printer to squirt four scents instead of the colour ink used in printers. Leading researcher Kenichi Okada of Keio University Tokyo said the scent from the ink jet lasts only for two human breaths and is still in its early stages of development.

This reminds me of the 4D movies in Disneyland where there is also the sense of touch incorporated when watching. Now when smell is incorporated we would be not only looking at mouth-watering dishes on Masterchef, but also smell the food as if we were really there. Bringing aroma into entertainment is not new: as early as the 1950s there was Aroma-Rama and its updated version Smell-O-Vision was designed to release smell through air conditioners in the cinema, trying to attract people to keep coming back. However that failed to hold.

It will sort of be like the Food Lion billboard which releases aromas of black pepper and charcoal from 7-10am in June, but only in our lounge rooms we will experience continuously a variety of smells.

Haneda Airport

Haneda Airport began to use its new fourth international runway on Wednesday. The internationalisation of the airport is a significant move as it is much more closer to the heart of Tokyo than Narita Airport. The structural innovation of the airport is also quite impressive with most of the floor and ceiling glass so that there is maximum exposure to light.

Haneda is Japan’s largest domestic airport, and flying into Haneda makes easier to connect to domestic flights. Japan’s other regional attractions such Hokkaido and Okinawa also become much more accessible through the new service at Haneda Airport.

The introduction of this terminal also has gotten local businesses excited, where according to Daily Yomiuri, it has given hope to many Tokyo bathhouses anticipating floods of foreign visitors. The Ota public bathhouse association has already made posters in four foreign languages to help foreigners who are not familiar with Japanese bathing customs.

Christianity in Japan

The passing of my grandma yesterday has left me pondering about the meaning of life as well as why there are such a small percentage of Christians in Japan (thought to be around 0.5%). The history of Christianity in Japan dates back to 1500s, however according to the OMF site, Christian was banned in Japan in 1626 since there were so many Japanese Christians being persecuted and elements of Buddhist and Shinto elements were introduced into Christian worship.

I found it very difficult to find a church when I was in Japan, and it took at least a month to find a Baptist church which was in the city (Kanazawa Baptist Church). Congregations are normally very small (around 30 people) but I found it so comforting that I could worship with them! However compared to Australia, there is definitely a lack of resources in Japan in terms of study materials, support groups, evangelism and much help is needed.

Most Japanese people are atheists and only older generation are Buddhists. Japan is a country with strong traditions and culture which tends to be hard for them to take Christianity as it is. It is difficult to start a conversation and talk about Christianity, however the interesting thing is most weddings in Japan now are conducted in Western style: meaning: bible reading, prayer, hymns except the sermon. Please pray for a breakthrough in Japan!

Kanji - Chinese Characters

Japan has been borrowing Chinese characters called kanji as well as using the other two simpler writing systems: katakana and hiragana. Recent reports have been concerned about the loss of writing kanji because of the rise of technology, especially computers and mobile phones. What this means is that with technology all three writing Japanese systems are combined into one, so that users easily forget how to write kanji because it is just a press of the button away. I remember the mobile phone was especially convenient in changing hiragana into kanji without needing to recall what the character was. Judith Evans from the South China Morning Post says part of the reason why characters are difficult to enter into computers and mobile phones ‘…are innate to the character-based writing systems themselves’.

However recent iPhone applications have tried to bring the focus back on learning kanji, allowing users to draw characters onto the screen.

Mos Burgers

I really love Mos Burgers and they are really different to McDonald’s. When I first when to Japan, it was definitely near the top of my ‘to try’ list. They are Asian-fied burgers which are made after you order and can take about 10-15 minutes to make. I remember trying the teriyaki flavoured burger which is one of the classic ones. Recent flavours are crazy and are designed specifically for the Japanese tastebuds. For example, they now have rice burgers which means instead of using bread, it’s replaced with rice, barley and millet which holds it in the shape of a burger. On the Japanese website, if you click on each burger, they show you what it actually inside the burger and how many calories each burger has (which is typical thing on all Japanese food labels). There are also international stores opened in Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia, etc and can’t wait for this to open in Australia (if it ever will!).

The Way of the Tea

The tea ceremony is one of the distinctive traits of Japan. The word 茶道 literally means ‘the way of the tea’. It is linked to peace, tranquillity, and even samurais. It was started by Sen no Rikyū who intended the tea ceremony to be free from social and political trappings. The tea room door was only two and a half feet square, so guests had to crawl inside, which is an act of humbling themselves before the ceremony started.

The Japanese tea ceremony continues to thrive today and I had the privilege of learning how to perform the tea ceremony. Of course, there are many different types of ways, but the precision required is crucial to the whole ceremony. Every day I practised tea ceremony, but still easily made mistakes such as walking the wrong number of steps or using the wrong hand to get a bowl. There are also certain rules being the guest, where there is a certain way to hold the bowl of green tea, eat sweets, and have to comment on the painting on the wall. The beauty of the tea ceremony though is that it is completed in silence and whispers are hardly heard. This allows everyone to appreciate and enjoy the ceremony – looking at the performer make the tea, listening to the boiling water in the kettle, the shuffle of feet, etc. It also is a symbol that you forget all of the things clouding your mind and enjoy the peace and tranquillity the ceremony brings.

Some ceremonies nowadays are even outdoors and these coming weeks in Tokyo, there is the 2010 Tokyo Grand Tea Ceremony for both foreigners and locals to enjoy.

Game shows

Japan is known for their crazy game shows which are full of crazy ideas and humiliation.

Below is a really classic one where teams try and eat marshmallows whilst their face is strapped to a rubber band.



Americans have also attempted to adapt Japanese game shows by mixing the most common elements of Japanese game shows and getting Americans to compete in Japan - 'I Survived a Japanese Game Show'. However, the atmosphere is definately very different and doesn't have the same aura as Japanese people competing in game shows so has been axed this year.

Have included just some parts of Episode 2.

How English is changing Japan

In August, major Japanese companies announced they would be adopting English as their official and has created mixed reactions in the Japanese community.

The influence of English in Japan has been quite temperamental. Japan has adopted many phrases from the English language in day-to-day conversations termed as ‘Japlish’, however problems with English education in Japan have also been deep-rooted.

During exchange in Japan, when stuck with words in Japanese, I could easily use English words and pronounce them in a Japanese accent to express myself. Although most Japanese people deny they know how to speak English, many English expressions slip through conversations unnoticed. Words like Ma-ku-do-na-ru-do stand for McDonald’s and su-pe-rin-gu for spelling.

The English language is continually seeping into Japan, following closely behind Chinese influence. Back in the eighth century, the early part of Heian period was described as the peak of Japanese culture. The Chinese language was perceived as the best vehicle for literary expression in poetry and prose.

However, Japanese women found it hard to express their deep feelings in Chinese, so developed kana, simplifying basic Chinese characters. This saw the formation of the Japanese language, and the Heian period produced famous literary works including Tale of Genji and the Pillow Book, which detailed cultural activities.

The adoption of English in Japan has also vigorously increased. Besides from ‘Japlish’ expressions, recent announcements by two major Japanese companies have revealed they would be adopting English as their official in-house language by 2012. This is the mark of a dramatic change in Japan and has caused ripples in the Japanese community. It has raised fears and questions of Japan’s ability to master the English language.

Rakuten Inc, Japan’s largest online shopping mall and Fast Retailing Co, operator of a casual clothing chain have explained this is the best method of surviving globally. Recognising English as a universal language, Rakuten have put pressure on its employees to master the language in two years. The headquarters in Tokyo have begun implementing English labels on menus in its cafeterias and floor directories.

I find it hard to see how the Japanese community can reconcile such a decision by the companies even though this means the potential of expanding businesses internationally. The requirement of speaking fluent English in Japan working for a Japanese company is a heavy blow to the cultural pride built since the Heian period.

The prospect of mastering English in two years is daunting. The average Japanese student would have spent at least 10 years of their life studying English and still would not be fluent. This is because they acquire only textbook English, where grammar points are learnt for tests and university entrance examinations.

A recent proposal by the Meiji University was the ‘Cool Japan Summer program’, seeking to promote Japan internationally. However to be in line with the rest of the world, more focus should be put on improving the quality of English teaching methods in Japan rather than drawing people into the country. Realistically, the actual process of mastering English in Japan is difficult. Whilst English is taught as a subject in most schools, English education has turned out to be fruitless as students are poorly coached.

Learning the English language and being fluent at it also poses a threat of making Japanese inferior to English. ‘Japlish’ comparatively is harmless, as it is all about playing around with English and incorporating some of it into Japanese with the fusion creating a tinge of sophistication.

There is great comfort some English words are already used in Japanese conversations. Instead of mastering the English language, perhaps ‘Japlish’ will suffice. In the words of McDonald’s Japan Co, ‘I-em-ra-bin-it-to’ (I’m loving it). This will protect the cultural integrity of the country.

This was submitted as part of an assignment.