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TokyoMango reader Sam Koh writes:
Last year I spent 3 months in Sapporo, and here's a picture that I took while I was wondering through the shopping centres one night.Its the picture of a child reading a book while his mother goes shopping.
My friend Steven sent me this Cup Noodle video that uses the same camera tech as the Ray-Ban and MSI laptop ads on American TV. In it, two guys throw a cup of noodle across crazy distances without spilling any of it. It's directed by Daisuke Izumi. Fun to watch!
The body of Yoshito Usui, the author of the hugely popular comedic manga and anime called Crayon Shin-chan, was found dead at the bottom of a cliff in Gunma Prefecture on Saturday. It appeared to have been an accident — his backpack full of hiking gear was found about 50 yards away, and it was near a hiking trail with no rails. His camera, found with his belongings, had a photo that looked like it was taken right by the cliff. He was 51. According to his wife, he left the house on the morning of September 11th and never returned.
Crayon Shin-chan was a hit among all age groups; he's an adorable little goofy boy whose dialogue and obsession with pretty girls are reminiscent of a dirty old man. It started as a manga in 1990 and became an anime in 1992. I didn't know this, but Usui had still bee creating new segments every month. Here's a short clip from an episode in which Shin-chan's dad loses his keys.
Rest in peace, Mr. Usui.
TokyoMango reader Miss Birdie says:
This is a photo I took in Miyajima Koen. It makes me want to return to Japan again every year.
People taking a break at a bus terminal not too far from Tokyo were stunned on Friday by a sudden bear attack that left 4 people seriously injured. The black bear was preparing for hibernation and out looking for food. He was shot dead after he ran into the terminal building. Here's a low-res video of him taken by a tourist of the bear mauling one of his victims.
In 2008, Chronicle published my book: Urawaza: Secret Everyday Tips and Tricks from Japan.
I am also the founder of The Tofu Project, a boutique program that helps Japanese entrepreneurs and creators think deeper, tell better stories, and go out into the world in a much bigger way. We work with companies like Mixi, Japan Airlines, and Salesforce.com.
Sometimes I try to explain Japanese culture on CNN, BBC, CBC, WSJ, ABC (so many acronyms!) or in person at places like the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, ETech, and Ignite!
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