Japan Crazy for Obama
Posted by harvey in Culture, Media on 30. Oct, 2008 | 5 Comments
Obama Japan is for Obama! Old news, but I had never seen all these incredible videos until last night. The letter that Obama signed has some Japanese in it as well. It reads, “あなたの友人” (anata no yuujin) which means, your friend. Here is another Obama in Japan video that is umm… lower profile. Japan is [...]
Yuko no Monogatari – Free Audio and Text
Posted by harvey in Language, Media on 29. Oct, 2008 | 4 Comments
Just got word from The Japan Shop that a story called “Yuki no Monogatari” 「ゆきの物語」is available online for free at TheJapanesePage.com. It’s a story, accompanied by a video that displays the Japanese and English translation at the same time. Good for studying if you’re an intermediate level Japanese learner. The first chapter is embedded here. [...]
Four-character Phrases You Can Use
Posted by harvey in Language on 28. Oct, 2008 | 7 Comments
Japanese are always impressed when a foreigner (or even another Japanese for that matter…) can work a four-character phrase into daily conversation. Here are a few that I have run across while reading stuff that are good to know. Complete definitions and usages of these can be found in your trusty electronic dictionary, and shorter [...]
World War II Propaganda: Know your Enemy
Posted by harvey in Culture, Media, Society on 25. Oct, 2008 | Comments Off
Propaganda was used by both the Axis and Allied powers to influence the hearts and minds of every actor and observer during World War II, and America was no exception. After America declared war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the military decided that a documentary on the new enemy, the [...]
Google Translate Mistakes
Posted by harvey in Culture on 13. Oct, 2008 | 5 Comments
Ever use Google Translate to exchange messages with a Japanese friend? You might want to be a bit more careful next time… Look at how it translated the following… 「バスの乗客にけがはなかった。」 Google translation… “The bus passengers were injured in the incident.” Correct translation… “No passengers were injured.” Literal translation would be something like… “There were none [...]
Yakuza and Bar Fights in Tokyo Drifter
Posted by harvey in Media on 10. Oct, 2008 | 3 Comments
I recently saw Tokyo Drifter 「東京流れ者」and really enjoyed it. This movie has everything… A catchy theme song, yakuza, disco, crazy fight scenes including foreigners, English speaking 60s girls, crazy car driving, ridiculous gun tossing action scenes, and blue suits in the snow. Yet, after all that, the main character still has this respectable air about [...]
New Japan Blog – Making Monks
Posted by harvey in Culture on 07. Oct, 2008 | Comments Off
Heads up everyone, a fascinating new Japan blog created by my former IUC buddy called Making Monks just went live. Behind every interesting blog is an interesting story… now tell me this story isn’t interesting. I quote. On October 27th last year, I had my head shaved and I was given the dharma name (hōmyō, [...]
Ramenz FootSteps Pantomime
Posted by harvey in Humor, Media on 05. Oct, 2008 | 1 Comment
Here’s a routine by Ramenz (ラーメンズ) that a Japanese friend was passing around on Facebook. I think the “frog balloon bit” is especially Japanese. Let me know if you know what I’m talking about and agree. Other Ramenz videos have also been posted on JapanNewbie before, including the super-famous Japanese Culture bit on Sushi. Good [...]
