And now, the Japan you've all been waiting for. Preparing for the 2005 World Exposition, Toyota reminds us why losing a little luggage room is worth a splash of utopian chic.
College daze, allergies, bat cracks, smoothies, happy hirees and the last of winter in this week's salute to the orthodox of unorthodoxy.
This is Jiro, Japan's prized dramatic tree-swinger, on his way to a rite of ascension.
I'd find a piquant way to express my initial speechlessness but then, as often is the case, we Americans need to offer our own little explanation.
Enthusiasts of Japanese culture will occasionally be chastised by those who say that Japan is more than robots, sumo, electronics and all things youthful — including but not limited to speakers in the squat feet of "futuristic robot cat" plush dolls.
Well, now: do you trust them, or your own eyes?
Maiko, Kyoto, liquid diamonds and more from the Mainichi Shimbun's own vote of confidence for robots, sumo, electronics and all things youthful. (Note that the Doraemon speaker set is one of several novel output devices from you-know-where.)
Serious observation and commentary can be found here.
AND THEN THERE WAS DORAEMON: Robert Mayer of Publius Pundit, whom I just added to my blogroll, noted in an e-mail that he'd seen Doraemon before — but in Chile. Now, as we know, I'm just a wide-eyed Nippon neophyte, and one futuristic robot cat is any other futuristic robot cat. It turns out that Doraemon is a founding pillar of postwar Japanese pop culture, more venerable than Hello Kitty, who celebrated her 30th anniversary last year. His backstory:
Doraemon looks like an earless blue cat, but is, in fact, a robot from the 22nd century sent to assist a likeable fourth-grade knucklehead named Nobi Nobita.Doraemon, himself, is something of a bumbler, but has a front pocket from which he manifests all kinds of wondrous gadgets from the future.
Where can you find an earless blue cat that's more than meets the eye? All together, now...
Separated by oceans, made one by baseball and bluegrass. Thank Heavens for clawhammer, string bass and the Supreme Commander of Allied Powers. (Hat tip, Idiot Nephew.)
An audio recording of the corporate brainstorm responsible for the internally combusting confectionery photographed above must be a thing of greater wonder.
Feeding ceremonies? It's par for the course when a Japanese diver will dress up as an aquatic Kris Kringle. Then again, we've got our lore invested in Shamu.
Stand-up skinny-dips, snow to put Minneapolis to shame, and kimono-clad girls on roller coasters in this week's ceremonial tribute to glorious elegance in matchless peculiarity.
ACCLIMATION>: Baseball is more or less the national pastimes of Americans and Japanese alike. But why does a penchant for robots stay on the west side of the Pacific? Some serious questions have been raised. At the same time, we ought to pay tribute to the large-scale robotics that will save the Earth several times over.
It so happens the Mainichi Shimbun holds Japan's largest, finest and oldest eponymous competition for ornamental stenography. I found no accompanying article, but no matter: the photograph speaks volumes. 3,500 children entered their creations, part poem and part painting. To one unlettered in the Japanese language, calligraphy is simply beautiful imagery. Add meaning, and you begin to understand why the craft has endured for over a thousand years.
He's been welcomed into Hollywood's Walk of Fame: now Godzilla's doing press conferences. He's already walked the red carpet, of course.
No need to elaborate.
When I sift through assorted pool photographs from Japan in Yahoo Photos and the Mainichi Shimbun, I rarely need to spend much time searching for an appropriately inspiring — yet charmingly and disarmingly silly — slice of Japanese life. The image above, for example, was a winner in less than three seconds. Godzilla, fresh from a premiere of his new film Godzilla Final Wars, staking his claim to Hollywood immortality? Perfect — just don't make me see the movie.
South Korean soap opera stars, Japanese anatomical nomenclature, a bulletin-board-thriller-turned-bestseller, tickets for "Jumbo" and funny costumes at APEC in this week's tribute to all things not to be found anywhere else but — well, you know. (Godzilla trivia here.)
What do aquatic creatures and Japan's celebration of the Yuletide spirit have to do with one another? Search me, but on the uBlog it's two-for-two in documenting our Pacific island allies heralding the holiday season with friendly, frolicking cetacea (and friends).
And speaking of flippers, Japanese tiremaker Bridgestone has fitted a dolphin amputee with a rubber prosthetic fin. Merii Kurisumasu, Fuji!
