Japan is a unique place, and the economic forces that cause this kind of business or that to spring up can be quite interesting to observe. During my 14 years in Japan, I’ve seen quite a few businesses that don’t exist in the U.S., or if they do, I’ve certainly never come across them. One convenient service are the daiko, or replacement driver taxis, basically a taxi with two drivers; if you drink too much while at a bar, one will drive you home while the other follows in your car, so you have it in the morning. Near my house there is a company called Orange Hat, which is basically a building with nothing but vending machines of every kind inside, from video games to UFO Catchers (e.g. crane games) to dispensers that sell you microwaved meals. Since the business can be operated with just one caretaker employee, it’s a profitable concept even in very rural areas. Nearly all Japanese homes and apartments have bathtubs and showers, but a couple of decades ago this wasn’t the case, and people went to a sento (public bath; the kanji is 銭湯, so named becuase it used to cost one sen, or 1/100 or a yen, to go there) a few times a week to keep clean; nowadays, sento provide a place to relax and bathe socially. What you may think of as an Internet Cafe is usually called a Manga Kissa (Manga Coffee Shop) here in Japan, a place where customers can sit and read manga, surf the net, play online or console games, study and of course have a cup of coffee. And for those times when couples feel the need to be alone, there are always Japan’s famous Love Hotels, where you can enjoy a clean, private environment with or without the Arabian Nights theme.
Japan is experiencing a revival of the classic Rubik’s Cube, with sales of the addictive and frustrating (to me) puzzle cube soaring through the roof. The 2005 Rubik’s Cube Championship was recently held at Disney World in Florida, and among the 145 contestants was Yuki Hayashi, a well known Rubik’s Cubist from Japan, who managed solve the standard 3x3x3 cube in 12 seconds. These guys can solve a Rubik’s Cube with blindfolds on — it’s really amazing to see!
The Japanese do like English, and use it to add spice to their speech, but some of the words are changed so much you might not recognize them. For example, the word “my” is used to indicate ownership of something, and banks might use the term to advertise special rates on a “My Home Loan” (home mortgage) or “My Car Loan” (a loan for that special automobile you’ve been pining for). Various other simplified words abound, for example, a child’s crib is a “baby bed,” screwdrivers come in “plus” and “minus” varieties, and when a man no longer wants children he’s likely to get a “pipe cut.” Titles of Western movies can also be hard for Japanese to remember, so they’re sometimes reduced into simpler English. “The Professional” was retitled “Leon,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer” became simply “Last Summer,” and “Honey, I Shrank the Kids” became “Micro Kids.”
At J-List, we genuinely love Japan and want to help people around the world learn more about this enigmatic place. During my time in Japan, I’ve made heavy use of a powerful tool for students of Japanese: Canon’s Wordtank electronic dictionary. A great dictionary that’s packed full of great features for serious students, including 11+ different complete dictionaries, full English menus, and a handy compact size despite the easy to use QWERTY keyboard that makes looking up words very speedy. We’re happy two announce two new models of Canon’s excellent Wordtank in stock, the brand new C50 and deluxe G55, two excellent brand new dictionaries for you.
Christmas is coming, and J-List has stocked up on thousands of amazing and unique gifts for the Japanophile on your shopping list (even if it’s just you). From our original kanji T-shirts to wacky plush toys to calendars you can only find in Japan and much more, J-List has that unique gift you’re searching for. Since most of J-List’s products ship from Japan, it makes sense to browse our site and make your order right now, since shipping can slow down around Christmas.
