TOKYOMANGO

Haruki Murakami wins literary award in the Czech Republic

Yesterday, Haruki Murakami--one of my favorite fiction writers ever--received the Franz Kafka Prize in Prague. His specialty is observing Japanese psyche and portraying it via surreal, mysteriously disappearing characters who often have unique insights on Western literary or musical classics. His most recent novel is called Kafka on the Shore, and I think it's one of his best so far. (No, I don't know if the title's reference to the celebrated existentialist had to do with him getting the award.) I liked Wind-Up Bird Chronicles, too, and his interviews with victims and perpetrators of the Sarin gas attacks orchestrated by the Aum cult (non-fiction). And then of course there's Norwegian Wood, the book that made him famous back in the 80s.

So if you haven't read any of his novels, stop reading this stupid blog and go pick one up now! It's better for you brain, and much more entertaining.

Samurai voodoo doll phone charm.

Is there somebody you want to cast a spell on or stick needles in? The Samurai voodoo doll is one of many variations you can buy for just 380 yen to make all your freaky, funk nasty dreams come true. Don't be fooled by its cuteness. Buy yours here.

Cameron Diaz commercial causes Softbank system crash.

Here's an example of an ad campaign that was too successful for its own good:

Cell phone numbers in Japan became portable last Tuesday, meaning DoCoMo users could now switch over to Au without changing their numbers, etc. (I remember when this happened years back in the US. I got the fuck out of my Sprint PCS contract ASAP.) Anyway, to beat out competitors, Softbank Mobile--which changed its name from Vodafone on Oct 1 and whose parent company owns 41% of Yahoo! Japan--launched a big ad campaign with Cameron Diaz advertising free calling minutes and text messaging--a new concept in Japan, where most users pay by the minute for each outgoing call.

Their campaign was so successful that Softbank stopped taking applications for new phone lines on Sunday, when their system became so inundated that it ceased to function.

Silly Softbank. That's what happens when you crowd every commercial break with footage of a hot blond with a killer smile, introduce 15 paper-thin new handsets in 64 colors in one season, and guarantee cheaper prices than anyone else in the market, no matter what.

Wonder Beat's wonderful massage.

I just had the best massage of my life! If you are ever in Tokyo and have 6000 yen and one hour to kill, I would head over to Yebisu Garden Place for a no-frills, no-nonsense shiatsu session with Mr. Hirano. I'm sure everyone else there is just as good but this man really knew what he was doing. I just want to float off into Happyland now, but I thought I'd share the experience before I do. The place is called Wonder Beat.

Coming soon: high-tech devices for blind and deaf people.

Japan's Ministry of Health just launched a major collaborative effort with 10+ companies and research institutes to create highly exportable, high-tech devices for people with hearing and vision disabilities, including one that will instantly translate spoken words into cell phone text messages for the hearing impaired. Hitachi and IBM already have gadgets that will read web sites, but nothing that reads printed text from magazines.

Once these awesome devices are created, the Ministry will start by promoting them to local and regional governments, which are created by law to assist the hearing and vision impaired. A total of 270,000 Japanese fit this category.

The robotic chick in the picture is Hitachi's animated sign language woman.

Full story here.