Spiderman Goods

My friend nicknamed “Babie” loves Spider-man (Check her blog to see her dancing with Spider-man in Japan.)

She’s got a ton of Spider-man goods.

A ton.

The English word “goods” is used in Japanese (グッツ pronounced, gudtsu). It usually means “character goods”, and refers to things such as… figures… or tissue box covers… that are themed after a particular character.

In this case, the wondrous web-slinger.

This cover wraps around a tissue box, so you can pull tissue from… eerrr. so Spider-man can shoot tissue into your nose from the web-slinging apparatus in his wrist.

Push Spider-man’s head for soap.

Spider-man twins help you carry steaming pots of spaghetti.

Spiderman-face magnet.

Half of Spider-man’s body is stuck inside of the refrigerator!

Memorabilia from Spider-man the Ride at Universal Studios Japan.

Spider-man hanging on the side of a building that looks kinda like a coffee mug.

A Spider-man Bear Brick!

Spider-man key cover.

Now that’s a lot of Spidey-goods!

- Harvey

Dango - だんご３兄弟

Mmm…. Dango.

Three individually flavored balls of sweetness.

There was a Dango 3 Kyoudai (The 3 brothers Dango) song made popular years ago in Japan. Thanks to the wonders of youtube, you can enjoy it over and over again today!

Check out the Dango 3 Kyoudai video on YouTube.

Also, if you are into cute school supplies, you can get a dango shaped eraser set from The Japan Shop.

You know. I just noticed that even the eraser set has the dango in order, pink, white, green. It just occured to me that all dango with these flavors all over Japan are ordered the exact same way… I wonder how that got started…

- Harvey

Gift Idea: Chirimen Bears

Learn something knew everyday…

Have you ever seen items, like womens bags or shawls made of a material that looks like it may have been pieced together from a Kimono? Well that style is called “chirimen”, apparantly, and J-List has these stylin’ chirimen teddy bears available.

Bamboo Charcoal Stuffed Chrimen Teddy Bear

These items that just scream “Japan”! Always make good gifts, or coffee table items for our living room… If you’re the type who likes to buy something for yourself every now and then.

If my mom didn’t already have too much Japan memorabelia I would consider getting her one… But she’s got too much stuff.

Three cheers for appropriate shopping on J-List!

- Harvey

Flashy Cat-print Car

Nice car!

I’m serious. There is something about Kansai…

This just wouldn’t fly in Tokyo.

No way.

The plates were from Kobe by the way…

But it was parked in OSAKA.

I love this crazy city!

- Harvey

Get more for your yen with a 2000 yen bill

Asahi Shinbun is reporting that at certain shops in Hokkaido, you can buy close to 3000 yen worth of goods if you use the rare 2000 yen bill.

Some of you may remember that back in the year 2000, a 2000 yen bill was released in Japan. The creating of the 2000 yen bill was simply a gimmick for the Summit that was held in Kyuusyu and Okinawa that year, and after printing about 800 million bills, printing was completely stopped in 2003. As of 2006 there were only about 160 million in circulation, according to The Bank of Japan. As you can imagine, vending machines were not adapted to support this new tender, so the bills never caught on and were forgotten as little more than a collectors item.

I know I saw one in 2000, I think. But I certainly didn’t end up keeping it. Any readers have any?

Now,  the G8 Summer is going to be held this summer in Hokkaido, so they’re bringing back the 2000 yen bill!

At pharmacies and random okonomiyaki stores in Sapporo you can exchange 2000 yen for a 2000 yen bill, and then spend them at other shops for bonus points. Bonus points? For example, apparently at one Chinese restaurant there, you can buy three 700-900 yen dishes and a drink with only one 2000 yen bill. Savings!

What fun what fun.

Any readers living in Hokkaido who can report on this incredible phenomenon first hand?

- Harvey

Source - Asahi Shinbun

Vegetable Cutters for your Bento

Ever wonder how they get those cute flower or leaf shaped vegetables into the bento lunch boxes in Japan?

You can get those special food shape cutters straight from Japan on JList.

I’m surprised to see so many food-shapers for wiener hot dogs!

If I ever become a bento making parent, I’ll have to get an arsenal of these things to always keep the kids on their toes.

“Wow today’s carrots look like roses!”

“That’s right kid. Eat em up.”

- Harvey

Poket Monster Telegram

If you ever want to send a message to a friend in Japan in a unique and slightly ridiculous way, the ポケモン電報 (Pocket Monster Telegram), is the way to do it.

For just 2,100 yen it will be delivered to a friend in Japan with a custom message in Pikachu’s belly.

Someone sent it to us because they couldn’t attend our wedding party.

Comedy.

Though… What to do with the Pikachu “trophy” that we now have…

- Harvey

More Pokemon Telegraph Information

http://www.pokemon.co.jp/info/hotnews/n070803_02.html

Mini-skirt Mouse Warmer

Only in Japan.

It’s a mini-skirt mouse warmer.

This is incredibly wrong!

- Harvey

Mos Day Plants

Hey everyone.

Yesterday, March 12th, was MOS Burger Day all across Japan.

I still had to work…

My wife happened to go to MOS Burger though for lunch, and was presented with this wonderful MOS Day present.

Apparently they give outo plants every MOS Day. Nice! This one is a 松葉牡丹 (matsubabotan), which seems to be some kind of pine tree.

I’m going to put the seed in the dirt… And put water on the dirt… and I’ll let you know if anything happens.

Time to give the green thumbs another workout!

Wasabi revenge.

- Harvey