Month: August 2003

Uber-producer Tsunku shows a bit of patriotism (from Japan Today): The Self-Defense Forces (SDF), chronically undermanned due to the nation’s shrinking youth population and a general dislike of physical hardship among young Japanese, have “gone pop” in a novel recruitment drive to fill the ranks. A new recruitment poster commissioned by the Defense Agency features…

Seems like I can’t escape Japan. On top of all the news segments on TV showing us images from the Hiroshima commemorations (in between of the non-stop Kobe Bryant trial coverage), I see that they’re showing Takeshi Kitano’s hilarious film KIKUJIRO NO NATSU on CBC tonight at midnight.

The first issue of TIME ASIA out after I leave (I subscribe, so I’ll get it when I’m back in Tokyo) features a special report on “Cool Japan”, as well as Shiina Ringo on the cover. Looks like there are a whole bunch of articles on different aspects of what is cool about Japan right…

The jet lag is killing me. It doesn’t get any worse than a 12 hour time difference, and that’s what I have to deal with. I thought I was pretty good on the first day, getting up early, but also staying up until fairly late. But the second day. I’m fighting to keep my eyes…

For Patrick‘s birthday the other day, I got him the book KANASHII TOKI. By the comedy duo Itsumo Koko Kara, it’s full of illustrations representing sad events in a person’s life, but in a humorous way. They always do their shtick with classical music playing in the background, and then just keep saying “kanashii toki”…

I’m sort of bummed because I just learned that the onedotzero_nippon festival has launched its site, and the whole thing is taking place August 22, 23, and 24, which is when I’ll be getting back to Tokyo, but I’m sure I’ll be in no shape to go. I went last year and saw two great…

Just a reminder that THE AGITATOR: THE CINEMA OF TAKASHI MIIKE, the new book by Midnight Eye’s Tom is now out. You can get more info at this feature that appeared at ME, as well as at the publisher’s website. I’ll order it when I get back to Tokyo.

Well, I made it to Canada safely, but it wasn’t the smoothest of trips. All our bags were opened and checked at Narita, which took time, and then when we got to the counter to get our seats, it ended up that me and Yuko couldn’t sit together. Then, on the plane, there was a…

This is the last message I’ll be writing in Tokyo. Just woke up, and we’ll be heading out to Narita in a couple of hours. I do intend on still blogging while I’m in Canada, but it probably won’t be so frequently, I don’t think I’ll be putting up daily pics, and I definitely won’t…

So yesterday I’m packing my stuff for the trip, looking for things I promised to bring back to my parents (I’m giving them my old Kodak digital camera, which has been buried in a box for over a year), and I find a couple of postcards that I had written during my trip to Beijing…