Otakon wrap up, Japanese election results, and various thoughts about the “Founding Fathers” of modern Japan
Well, Otakon is over, and it was a real blast. As the premier anime convention on the East Coast, it's ...
Tag: cosplay
More on the language of men and women, the Jerusalem of Otakuism, and all about sex and nudity in Japan (cool!)
There are subtle nuances in how we use language, and the speech we choose to use says something about all ...
Anime Expo update, advice on traveling in Japan, on the idea of Japan as “#81” and two words every pop Japanologist must know
We're still here at Anime Expo in Long Beach, and it's been a real blast. Monday is the last day ...
More fun at Star Wars Celebration IV, all about Japanese bathing, and some interesting ways you can study Japanese (or anything)
The Star Wars Celebration IV convention continues, and we're having lots of fun. Highlights have included Carrie Fisher coming by ...
Happy news at Torino, things foreigners find odd when they come to Japan, and all about Japanese heaters
The Torino Olympics have been going on for two weeks, and Japanese fans have been eagerly watching all the events ...
Chinese New Year and Japan, what Japanese drivers’ put on their cars, and our faithful dog
Chinese New Year is going on right now, and throughout Asia people are celebrating the cultural holiday. Although Japan switched ...
The origins of Japan’s cult of “studying,” more warm weather for Tokyo, and the latest in Otaku Culture from Japan
Japan is a very seasonal place, with specific things done only during the appropriate times of year. August is when ...
Being an American in Japan during Thanksgiving, subtleties of Japanese pronunciation, and a cultural lesson for PSP owners
By and large, an American expat living in Japan has two choices when it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving: completely forget ...
Japanese tricks to memorize anything, fun with “companions” in Tokyo, and thoughts on evangelical Buddhism
Hello again from Japan, where it's believed that only good things happen on Friday the 13th. There was a lot ...
Returning to my Otaku roots, my adventures in a “capsule hotel,” and what the Japanese really eat
Time was, people would go to the Akihabara (ah-ki-HAH-bah-rah, meaning "field of autumn leaves") area of Tokyo to buy some ...
A happy day in Japan, forgetting which kind of English you speak, and feeling “natsukashii” with my old Japanese textbook
It's a boy! All Japan is currently cheering the news that Princess Kiko has given birth to a boy. The ...
The hierarchy of language in Japan, trouble for “unhurried education” and, is my wife a Desperate Housewife?
Hello again from Japan, where, when two people say the same thing at the same time, they're then supposed to ...
More reflections on “freedom” and how it relates to James Dean, my trip to the Moon, and Japanese “standing nails”
Well, Otakon has passed and we're safely back in San Diego, our long, multi-stage vacation across America finally over. After ...
The end of Comicon again, thoughts on math and the abacus, and strategies for communication
It's that time of year again: the crowds have gone home, the D.C. Comics banners have been pulled down, and ...
What you can learn about public baths from Street Fighter II, Japan and Yellow Cabs, and the end of 0%
There are many things to like about Japan: beautiful temples, delicious food, cherry blossoms, and Hello Kitty bento boxes. But ...
The end of Anime Expo 2006, North Korea and their damn missles, and views on my ESL teaching days
Once again, Anime Expo has come to a close, and we're all going home, tired but feeling very energized. The ...
Notes from Anime Expo, culture shock and toilets, all about MOS Burger, and fun in Graceland
Hello again from an extremely enjoyable Anime Expo, which is still going on here in "Animeheim, CA." We're having lots ...
Benefits from Japan’s homogeneous culture, drawbacks to living in Japan, and the Japanese futon defined
Japan is, by and large, quite a homogeneous place. I've travelled from Sapporo to Hiroshima and have seen much of ...
Back in Japan with culture shock, all about Japanese dialects, perceptions between countries and A-Kon wrap up
Well, I'm back in Japan now, the land of sushi and small cars and very cute things. No matter how ...
Japan’s education and going to school on Saturdays, the Protestant Work Ethic in Japan, and all about Japanese dentists
I've always been impressed with Japan's dedication to education, the great amount of national resources that are put into teaching ...
Golden Week in Japan, “indoctronating” my bilingual kids, and all about the otaku
We're right in the middle of Golden Week, a cluster of Japanese holidays that usually fall near each other. One ...
This year’s Meat Day celebration in Japan, my lust for American cell phones, and the meaning of “recycle” in Japan
The Japanese often play with numbers in interesting ways, converting the numerals into sounds to make messages. Through a phonetic ...
Halloween in Japan, some funny Japanese English words, and all about Daylight Savings Time
Happy Halloween from all of us at J-List. Yesterday was the big Halloween Party at my son's experimental elementary school, ...
Lexus is coming to Japan, the concept of Idioms in Japanese, and more about OH! Mikey
A new car company is coming to Japan, but Japanese consumers are already quite familiar with their products. After years ...
