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While I was shopping for hand soap yesterday, I came across something that looked suspiciously like a beer can in the bath products section. At fist I wondered if a beer had been placed here by mistake. Picking it up I realized by its weight that it was not a beverage. I tried to think of what it might be. Perhaps it was something to make your bathroom smell like a brewery? Or maybe it could be something that cleans your tub with the cleansing powers of beer? As strange as those ideas sound, the truth is actually even weirder.

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The age were one is considered an adult in Japan is twenty. This is a very important time for young people and Japan has never been a culture to allow important times to go uncelebrated. The second Monday in January is seijin no hi (Coming-of-Age Day). On this day many young people will dress in their finest kimonos and suits. They will then attend a ceremony called Seijin shiki at their prefectural halls.

Coming-of-Age Day has been a national holiday in Japan since 1948 and it was traditionally celebrated on January 15th. In 1999 this day was changed to the second Monday of January and has remained on the day until present. The ceremony is for all young people who are or will become twenty during the school year which ends in March. At this ceremony prominent local officials will make speeches and give small gifts to the new adults.

I had heard this event was coming up and I wanted to see it and get some pictures for the site. I asked if it was open to the public and was told that the ceremony itself was only for those turning twenty that year. However, all the people who will attend often gather outside city hall before the start of the ceremony and it was suggested that I take some pictures there. That seemed like a good idea to me so I marked my calendar. But like all good ideas this one was not without a fatal flaw.

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There is yet another video game being marketed in Japan to teach English. This time it is for the Nintendo DS system. This game will teach English and check your handwriting by use of the touch pen. But the best thing about this game is the television commercials. Each of the ads features Japanese people being confronted by English and doing what I do when confronted with difficult Japanese, smile and nod and hope the person talking doesn’t catch on that I have no idea what they are talking about. It is sadly the same look I get from my students everyday. You can see it their eyes that they want to understand what you are saying. I don’t know if this game will help them, but it couldn’t hurt. These four commercials can be seen at Nintendo’s official site. I wish they made one of these to teach me Japanese.

Watch the TV spots

It’s nearly test season in Japan and many students in their third year of Jr. high School and third year of high school, are preparing for “Exam Hell”. They will soon be taking a test that will determine what high school or university (if any) they can enter next year. Some students need all the help they can get, so in addition to studying night after night and going to a special juku (cram school), there are other less painful options for improving thier scores.

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As many people know, Nintendo started its life as a playing card company. When Fusajiro Yamauchi founded the company in 1889, it was to manufacture and sell handmade hanafuda cards. These cards proved very popular and established Nintendo as a respected Kyoto enterprise.

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The following is a comical piece I wrote a few months back for a gaming site. I was asked if I could share it here. I hope you enjoy it.

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