The Shibuya monkey is living in an internet café. These images and a video clip from a cell phone camera were sent anonymously to Lets Japan. These photos show the monkey entering a cyber café.

The story of the Tokyo Shibuya monkey began August 20, 2008, when the unaccompanied Japanese macaque monkey ran wild in Shibuya train station during morning rush hour. Surprised commuters gaped at the ape as it led dozens of cops and reporters on a chase through the station, then raced outside and outran its pursuers.

The monkey has been seen several times in different areas of Tokyo. In early November 2008, TV newscasters were wondering if more than one monkey was roaming the city.

The January glimpse of the monkey in front of the net café is the first report of the mini-macaque in 2009. It has also been learned the monkey - nicknamed Makawaii by the media - is using the popular internet social messaging service Twitter. We have been following the monkey’s writings for several days. According to its Twitter posts, the monkey is out searching for food and sightseeing during the day and returns to its rented PC-and-sleep-space at night. Makawaii also seems to watch a lot of Japanese television and often plays online games. The ape displays an odd sense of humor, and may be slightly crazy.

Tokyo police continue to search for the monkey. Now the cops can also follow Macawaii on Twitter. http://twitter.com/Makawaii related: Cyber cafe offers home to homeless

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Advertisements promoting US meat do not feature cows or pigs prominently in the ads. The Japan ad campaign features friendly farmers and happy families with few images of cattle or hogs. One US Meat Export Federation advertisement on a Tokyo train depicts a man – a farmer – standing among crops in a field. There are no cows in the picture. Where’s the beef? Another USMEF ad seen on a train depicts a young male farmer holding a little boy. Some cattle can be seen in the distance behind the farmer.

The Japanese website has beef-safety information, recipes, pages for kids, and instructions for making meat origami.

In 2004 Japan banned U.S. beef imports for the first time after a case of was confirmed in Washington state in 2003. The Japanese government lifted the beef ban in December 2005. In January 2006 the Japanese government banned imports of US beef again, then lifted that embargo in July 2007.  In December 2008 Japan banned imports of beef from a Wisconsin meat-packing plant because non-certified beef products were discovered in a shipment.

Japan, once the largest importer of US beef, is now the third-largest buyer of U.S. beef.

A US meat industry publication stated in a December 2008 report "U.S. pork continues its reign as the king of imported pork in Japan." The data shows Japan accounts for 31 percent of the total value of U.S. pork exports.

The USMEF American Meat promotion campaign is funded by U.S. beef and pork producers.

Finding the perfect gift for the monkey in your life is always a challenge. It’s especially difficult when the monkey is on the Tokyo police department’s Most Wanted list. How are you going to get that gift to the monkey while the monkey is being chased by cops? It’s not like the simian safe houses are listed in the phonebook. But this cute little bundle of fur and speed who ran through Shibuya station last summer has brought us so much joy. We can’t forget our little macaque elf who is now all alone on the streets of Tokyo. So here’s our list of ideas for presents for "our" monkey, and yours…

"I suggest an "Omawari-san Navi", the latest police detector for monkeys."
From Nick at JapanSoc .

Keiko suggests "Three day trip to Nikko." Keiko adds "Watch this funny movie! Monkey attacks tourists in countryside." (Ed. - No relation to the kindly Shibuya monkey we’re sure).

"The monkey is in need of some direction and there is only one role model for him. For Christmas I would get him the following: ‘Monkey’." (What is "Monkey"? Watch the video.) submitted by Danielle from Narrative Disorder.

Yoko says: "Gift ne…staying at Onsen hotel. Escape from big city!!(???)"

"How about a map so he can find his way back to his forest?" Suggested by an englishman in osaka.

"A backpack in the form of a tiny, stuffed, Tokyo policeman to keep his yama imo in…" Suggested by Digital World Tokyo.

And from the staff (me) here at Lets Japan:
A gift card for a lifetime supply of bananas valid at all supermarkets and green grocers in Japan.

Holiday postcards sent at the end of the year are called "Nengajo". The cards are based on the Chinese Zodiac calendar and 2009 is the Year of The Ox.

Cards are typically mailed in late December but are held by the Japan post office and delivered to residents on January 1. In the days following, more cards are sent by people who received a card but had not sent one to the given party.

Towards the end of the year, people mail unassuming "mochu" (bereavement) post cards that indicate a person has died or misfortune has occurred and nengajo cards should not be sent to that household.

Nengajo cards purchased from Japan Post have a lottery number on each card. The cards can be purchased with a blank back or with printed designs. Winning lottery numbers are announced January 15.

The Japan Post nengajo lottery first prize selection for 2009 includes the winner’s choice of a Sharp Aquos 32-inch flat-panel LCD digital TV, a Canon EOS digital camera, a Toshiba vacuum-pressure rice cooker and bags of different varieties of rice, a trip in Japan, a selection of furniture and goods valued up to JPY200,000, and a massage chair. Nengajo card 2008 lottery prizes.

Nengajo card examples for 2009, the Year of the Ox
Order them from a printer, card shop, or the post office. Or, download templates from the web and print your own. Some download sites are free, some require a fee.
Homemade Nengajo-zukuri
Japanese New Years Card Writing Nengajo

"Happy New Year" phrases for 2009 in English and Japanese. Copy and paste the text to customize your card. (If you don’t have Japanese fonts installed in your computer: take a screen picture and use an image-editing application to make your card.)
Haradakun
Writing New Year’s Card

Free downloads (all sites Japanese)  Nenga.org; Nengajyousozai; Nengajyo;  Nengajyo;  Kumamis;  Brother;  Mihosozai

Oxen and various card parts - make your own design.
Nenga-sozai (menu is on right side of the page)
Designbank Wanpagu (menu is on left side of the page)
Cowzen. Cowzen parts ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 )

Free after registration
Templatebank

Cards for sale
Examples from the Japan Post Office: Japan Post;  DEX

Others sites selling Nengajo cards
Nengajoo; Aisatsujo; Synfront; Pret-E-Shop; Cardbox

Hello Kitty:  Card: MyPrint. By mobile phone in Japan: KeitaiPost

The little monkey that has caused so much trouble in Tokyo since August has now been running loose for 101 days. The last reported sighting of the Japanese macaque was on Nov. 6 in  Itabashi, Tokyo.

The adventuresome wild monkey first appeared in Tokyo’s Shibuya train station the morning of Aug. 20. The lone simian caused a ruckus as it dashed through the rush hour crowds, then relaxed out of reach while cops and reporters gathered. The police efforts to net the monkey failed, and the macaque outran its pursuers and escaped into the metropolis.

The monkey has been spotted numerous times, and seems to favor the attractions inside the Yamanote train line, which circles central Tokyo.

Police continue to investigate reports of loose monkeys in the city. Sightings are regularly reported on Japan TV news programs. The initial August new reports and monkey-chase videos were distributed worldwide. (See monkey timeline.)

Temperatures can dip to 1 degree Celsius during the winter in Tokyo. If the Shibuya monkey is of the northern Japan tribe, the monkey will now have grown a heavy winter coat of hair.

Food sources for the monkey may be scarce in Tokyo in the colder months. Our monkey friend may have been eating heavily in the past 100 days in order to increase body fat.

Additionally, the Japan banana shortage is likely frustrating the monkey.

This holiday season, if you have some extra buds and bark, please carry it with you. If you see the monkey, please feed it.

A wild monkey has been loose in Tokyo for three months. On Aug. 20 the Japanese macaque appeared in Shibuya station in Tokyo. Morning rush hour commuters cleared a path for more than 30 net-carrying cops who arrived to capture the ape. The monkey, then perched atop a ceiling-mounted timetable display, calmly watched the police cordon off the area. The monkey eluded the police and fled the scene as TV crews and cops chased the monkey. The monkey pursuit video and the story was reported worldwide.

The monkey has been spotted several times in the Tokyo city limits. Witnesses have provided grainy  video suggestive of UFO and Bigfoot images. Television news reporters have wondered if more than one wild monkey is running around Tokyo. (Monkey timeline)

Meanwhile, the monkey seems to be enjoying the sights of the city. A Lets Japan review of monkey sightings indicates the macaque has stayed within the Yamanote railway loop line, which circles central Tokyo. (see diagram).

ANALYSIS

Shibuya station is on the Yamanote line. Lets Japan suggests the monkey is using the Yamanote line to get around the city.

Trains in Tokyo are usually packed with commuters during the morning and evening rush hours. A small monkey could easily travel unnoticed. The monkey is small enough to pass under the gates of the ticket wickets, so a PASMO card would not be necessary.

Riding a train without paying is illegal. However, the monkey has already broken several city and national laws. The infractions include failure to be leashed, utilizing a railway without the supervision of an adult ape, disobeying police orders to halt, and fraudulenty claiming a public park as a home address. Additionally, Lets Japan believes the monkey also grabbed a police cap from an officer’s head Aug. 20, which would be a charge of theft of official property.

Dressing as an elementary school student – with large cap and knapsack – would allow the money to blend in with the crowds. Tokyo police have recently begun asking school kids to remove their hats for identity checks.

Finding one’s way around Tokyo can be challenging for newcomers. But our monkey friend has learned quickly. The macaque seems to be enjoying its fame and exploring the neighborhoods along the loop line.

Bad Time To Be A Monkey In The City

In October a widely-viewed TV program reported that a banana-based diet will increase weight loss. Supermarkets in Japan were soon reporting banana shortages, and banana prices increased. Yes, stores had no bananas. Without easy access to bananas, a rogue urban monkey could become distraught, and violent.

Shibuya Monkey Desperate?

Because of the monkey threat, police warned greengrocers to watch their storefront banana displays. Some vendors have their bananas under 24-hour armed guard. Grocery employees are checking ID’s to be sure only humans purchase bananas. Some outlets allow only one banana per human.

A specialist who studies primates predicts that without easy access to sidewalk banana displays, the Shibuya monkey will be forced to turn itself in or face starvation. The scholar urged the monkey to give up. "We’ll do our best to provide fresh bananas to you," he said. "And as a side benefit, you will lose some of your monkey fat." If the monkey is sentenced to prison, according to Japanese jail rules, special diet needs of inmates, including primates, must be provided.

A lack of the monkey’s favorite fruit at easy-to-reach sidewalk produce stands could lead the monkey – or monkeys – to leave the city. Unable to adjust to different foods, our little monkey friend may become frustrated and desire to return to the forest on the outskirts of the metropolitan area.

Give Monkey Space

If the monkey begins a journey home, it’s likely more monkey sightings will be reported.

If you spot the monkey, keep a safe distance. A hungry wild urban homeless monkey on the lam may be delusional and incoherent. On trains, please give your seat to the monkey, so the monkey does not have to hang from a hand strap. Pregnant women and the elderly should also make room for the monkey. Thank you for your understanding.

More videos: Daily Mirror; Yahoo;

Macaques Encircle City

A wild monkey that appeared in Shibuya station in Tokyo on August 20, 2008 and escaped into the city, may now have a partner. A TV station in Tokyo reports more than one monkey is loose in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

On November 6, TBS-TV Evening 5 news in Tokyo reported a macaque monkey had been spotted in Itabashi, Tokyo on November 4 and November 6. Between 7:00 am and 9:00 am November 6 a monkey was seen crossing a road in Itabashi, Tokyo, and a monkey was reported in the vicinity of Shimo-Itabashi Station on the Tobu Tojo line in Tokyo.

According to the TBS report the Itabashi monkey is smaller than the Shibuya monkey. A resident in Itabashi witnessed an animal jumping from wall to wall. "I’m certain it was a monkey because it had a deep red butt," he said.  Shibuya Monkey Timeline

photo: Shimo-Itabashi-Station

Shibuya Monkey Timeline

On August 20, 2008, a macaque monkey ran wild in Shibuya train station in Tokyo. Startled commuters watched as police failed to catch the monkey. TV crews were able to video the monkey chase through the station. The macaque escaped into the city. Video of the chase was broadcast on TV stations worldwide and posted on TV and newspaper websites. The story was reported worldwide.

Media On Alert

On September 9, 2008 a monkey was seen in Tokyo and local media converged on the area. Again, the Shibuya-monkey-spotting was reported extensively in Japan and worldwide. Some reports outside Japan erroneously stated the monkey had been loose for over a month.

On October 6, TBS-TV "Evening Five" news in Tokyo reported a monkey had been spotted in Takanawa, Tokyo and then the newscaster asked if it was the same monkey as from Shibuya station.

On October 9, the NHK-TV  "Newswatch 9"  weekday 9 p.m. TV news report also reported on the Takanawa monkey sightings and the caster asked the same question: is it the same monkey? The newscast also showed photos of the monkey taken August 20 in Shibuya and October 3 in Takanawa, to a primate specialist at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. The scholar compared the attributes of the monkey noses, and concluded the images were of the same macaque.


Aping News!

Journalists in Tokyo were becoming concerned about the increasing number of monkey-sighting reports.

Then, on October 19, the monkeys came to city hall.

The Tokyo Metropolitan government office building complex in Shinjuku, Tokyo, was overrun by hordes of uniformed monkeys. Police immediately evacuated pedestrians and cordoned off the area. Stunned company employees watched as the monkeys were rounded up and taken to police headquarters for questioning.

"This is Japan. We love monkeys here. Why is this happening?", one bystander asked. Another person watching nearby said, "That Shibuya monkey has caused a lot of trouble. It should be caught."

Police suspect the Shibuya monkey is the leader of the insurgents.

It is not known where the monkeys obtained the uniforms.

A tiny dog is the honorary stationmaster at Oku-Nakayama Kogen  Station, in Ichinohemachi, Iwate Prefecture.

 Maron, a tiny 8-year-old Yorkshire terrier, wears a tiny uniform and tiny hat and serves as a tourist attraction for the Iwate Galaxy Railway Company. Since 2000, the dog had been accompanying its owner to work at the then-named Oku-Nakayama Station. In June 2008, the president of IGR officially proclaimed the dog as stationmaster at the renamed station. 

Lets Japan provided extensive coverage of Tama-chan the hat-wearing cat stationmaster.

Railway employees-as-attractions in Japan is a developing trend. A Lets Japan investigation discovered two other non-human stationmasters: Yuji-chan the cap-wearing beetle stationmaster at Kabutomushi station, and Maki-chan the frozen tuna stationmaster.

Report: Tama-chan Boosts Business

For only the price of cat food, a kitty in a train station in rural Japan has benefited the local economy.

In April 2008, Lets Japan wrote about Tama-chan (Cat in Hat Can’t Quit), the official hat-wearing stationmaster feline at Kishi train station on the Kishigawa Line in Wakayama Prefecture.
Tama-the-cat was appointed in January 2007. Since then, railway officials say 55,000 more people used the line than would normally be expected.

AFP reports on a study by Katsuhiro Miyamoto, a professor at Kansai University’s School of Accountancy.
The research released earlier this month shows sales of Tama-chan picture books, DVDs, and other goods, brought the local economy as much as 1.1 billion yen (10.44 million dollars) in 2007.

Tama-the-kitten was found on the street and brought to the station by the owner of a nearby shop, then kept by the owner of a grocery store next to the station, before becoming the cat-in-residence at Kishi station.

Tama-chan has recently been promoting the railway’s "Strawberry Photo and Sketch" contest for its "Strawberry Train". The contest deadline is October 30, 2008. The strawberry-themed train debuted on the first anniversary of the  establishment of the Wakayama Electric Railway. The line had been part of the Nankai Electric Railway until April 1, 2006.
 
Strawberries are grown throughout Japan. Wakayama is not especially known for strawberry production.