Happiest Advertising Laughs Edition

10Mizuho Bank Happy Photo
9Kewpie Monthly Happy Present
8Calpis Happy Refresh
7Microsoft Happy Digital Life
6Docomo Happy Lucky
5Happy Lawson
4Rent-A-Car Happy
3Indy Japan Happy Bowling
2Daiwa Happy Hug House
1Happy Period

Most Attractive Gifts Announced

Found a beautiful gift in Japan? How does it compare to winners of the second “Attractive Souvenir” contest held by The Visit Japan Campaign (Yokoso Japan)?

Some winners:

Food Category, using regionally produced ingredients
Gold Prize - Nambu Hand-baked Senbei Rice Cracker Set
Bronze Prize - Kameya Grated Wasabi Mustard

Crafts & Skills Category
Gold Prize - Edo Kiriko Glass Furin Wind Chime

Cool Japan Category
Gold Prize - Artistic Japanese Erasers

All prizewinners here.

The objective of the Contest is to promote tourism in Japan by selecting particularly attractive souvenirs in terms of quality and design as seen by foreign visitors, that will lead not only to nurturing and finding attractive Japanese souvenirs, but to promoting regional brands, and conveying through such merchandise the beauty and the appeal of Japan.

Write Novel Like Real Author

Pretend to be a writer and these inns will also have a lady bring a snack to your room and inquire about the progress of your manuscript. The Arima hot spring resort was a favorite place of inspiration for writers. Now, accommodation in the area is offering would-be authors three writing-stay plans.

Targeting baby-boomers, the writer plans are available at 26 hotels and ryokan at the resort. The cost of accommodation is additional.

Lodgers may request a writing desk, writing pad, and a tanzen jacket. And you can ask for the late-night visit from that female muse – she’ll encourage you and address you as “sensei”.

Rates:
3 days: learn how to write a story, 15,000 yen
5 days: write a digest version of a story, 15,000 yen
7 days: a story you’ve already written will be proofread and prepared for publication, 30,000 yen

Prisons Plan for Geriatric Perpetrators

Age: 80Gender:M Crime: punched, hurled souvenirs and sandwiches at shinkansen conductor

Age: 65Gender:M Crime: attacked son with hammer then accidentally stabbed himself and died

Age: 87Gender:M Crime: strangled 82-year-old bed-ridden wife

Age: 67Gender:F Crime: stabbed her 76-year-old husband in murder attempt

Age: 69Gender:M Crime: murdered, buried 74-year-old woman

LetsJapan has been tracking this trend. Now The Sydney Morning Herald reports on Japan’s “neo-geriatric” crime wave and prison preparations, and offers some theories about why senior citizens are trading their little houses for time in the big house.

related stories:
As Japan Ages, Prisons Adapt to Going Gray (New York Times); Japan’s Ageing Society (BBC) Tokyo Greying (Reuters) Slideshow - Japan’s Aging Prisoners, elderly inside prison in Japan (New York Times)
Illustration from graphic novel “Doing Time” by Kazuichi Hanawa

Anime Voice of Toilet Information

Stations on the Yurikamome Line in Tokyo each use a different anime voice actor for all the electronic information kiosks in a given station. Map, fare adjustment, and toilet locator audio guides are provided.

The 16 voice actors and the stations they represent are profiled here.

Real or fake?