TOKYOMANGO

Music and subcultures at the Japan Society tomorrow

I'm moderating a panel discussion on Japanese contemporary society & subcultures & music tomorrow night at the Japan Society of Northern California. It's only $15 to attend, so come by if you can!

Japanese teens and pre-teens are helping to boost Japan’s sluggish economy as they devour popular culture, from electronics and fashion to books and music. Others are expressing themselves through less mainstream behaviors. How does today’s youth culture reflect deeper, more complex issues—such as race, gender and cultural politics—in Japan? Two experts on youth culture will discuss current trends in music and alternative subcultures as they forecast how these trends may shape future generations.

Details here.

Laptop sleeve makes my MacBook look like a Edo period tidal wave

I've been on the lookout for a good laptop case for my new 13" MacBook forever, but it's surprisingly hard--too big, too flimsy, too ugly, too lumpy... I ended up ordering and returning a whole bunch, but finally, I've found my match. Foofshop in Australia makes these snug, cuddly MacBook and iPod Touch cases using fabrics imported from Japan. As you can see, it makes my laptop look like a cold stormy night from the Edo period. It fits the computer perfectly and isn't too bulky, which is awesome, because the whole reason I downgraded from a 15" MBP was so I could fit it into my purse. It's $42 for the laptop case and $20 for the iPod case which, apparently, is cheaper than usual because of the exchange rate.

New cell phone game pokes fun at the drunken ex-finance minister

A hilarious new invention by Tokyo start-up Liveware Inc parodies Shoichi Nakagawa's drunken stupor at the G7 conference in Rome in a silly but addictive cell phone game. The goal is to try to keep Nakagawa awake during the press conference by "poking" him with the 5 key at the right timing so that he doesn't miss any of the reporters' questions. If he does, you lose. His approval ratings are displayed in big white print at the top of the screen--I don't think they ever get super high, but the idea is to try to keep it from falling to zero. Pretty funny, and a quick and witty reaction to Japan's most recent obsession on the part of Liveware.

Press release (Japanese) via the Japan Times

Related posts:
Ex-finance minister Nakagawa accosted Vatican statue, set off alarms
Finance minister's public intoxication signals need for change

My passport, and why the Japanese post office sucks

I take everything positive I ever said about the Japanese post office back. It turns out that my passport was at the Osaki post office since February 13th, 3 days after my consular appointment. I still missed my flight on the 21st because we never got a notice in the mail, they didn't come back to redeliver, and when we called them numerous times to ask if it was there, they said no. No, no no. It's not here. There's no way we would have lost or misplaced it. Today, finally, I paid the embassy $20 to tell me the tracking number for the package, and when I looked it up online I found out it has been sitting at the post office for 10 days.

I had to buy a new plane ticket and am now on my way to Narita to catch a flight back to SF.

I just reread this post and I realize it doesn't make that much sense. But hey! I'm just glad I'm going home.

Lynchian rabbits posing in front of a gal store in Harajuku

I saw these rabbit-headed mannequins on display at a storefront on Takeshita-dori in Harajuku, and it made the store look and feel like being in a David Lynch movie. These are not cute bunny-ear bunnies. These are serious bunnies that will sit in your living room and talk about really serious things that are beyond your level of comprehension.