The top ten booms in Japan now.

Forest girl boom. Fashion inspired by Anne of Green Gables. For your fashion life in the forest.

(9)
Tokai region local government mascot character boom. More than 30 municipalities in Tokai have mascot characters.

Calligraphy boom
Influenced by "Tomehane Suzuri High School Calligraphy Club" TV show on NHK-TV. Click here to try NHK calligraphy.

Running boom
A survey by Sasakawa Sports Foundation indicates the number of runners who ran two times or more during the week increased from 2.15 million in 2006 (the previous survey year) to 2.48 million according to the 2008 survey.

(6)
Eco boom
Japanese follow the green theme, from carbon offset mindfulness, recycling clothes, and shorter showers, to eco-cars and eco-bags.

(5)
Castle boom
Influenced by "Taiga" historical stories TV series on NHK-TV.

Sakamoto Ryouma boom
Includes TV programs, books, movies, tours, fairs, restaurant menus, and ramen. The ronin Sakamoto led movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate during the Bakumatsu period.
 (3)
History boom
Inspired by television quiz programs featuring questions about Japan history.

(2)
Quiet life boom
Leading a slower-paced, low-stress life. Volunteerism, continuing education, personal growth, cultural pursuits, and contribution to society. Also includes leaving big cities to start a farm in rural Japan. (related:  Slow food life.)

(1)
Fried chicken boom
Started in Oita and is now spreading across Japan. More chicken is consumed in Oita Prefecture than any other prefecture in Japan.

Station cat promoted

Tama-chan, the cat stationmaster of a rural Japan train station, has attained the position of Operating Officer.

The stray cat was found in front of Kishi Station on the Wakayama Electric Railway Co. Kishikawa Line in 2007. Named Tama-chan, the kitty was offered the position of Stationmaster and held that post from 2007 until being promoted to Super Station Master in April 2008.

With the appointment as corporate executive Tama-chan becomes the first cat in the world to hold an executive post of a railroad corporation, a company official said.

Tama-chan, 10, will continue to perform stationmaster duties in addition to its responsibilities as Operating Officer. Those additional duties have not yet been determined.

The cat is responsible for an increase in passenger numbers. The company plans to rebuild Kishi Station into the shape of a cat’s face this summer.

Maron, the 9-year-old Yorkshire terrier stationmaster for the Iwate Galaxy Railway Company died the evening of August 29, 2009. The cause of death was bronchitis. The dog had served as Station Chief at Oku-Nakayama Kogen Station, in Ichinohemachi since September, 2000. A funeral service for Maron was held on September 12, 2009.

Analysis

With Tama-chan promoted, and Maron out of the way, cats are poised to pounce on stations throughout Japan. Cat-blogger and star of the Wii game Sukeban Shachou Rena Wii, "Rena" is likely to take over the position formerly held by Maron. Rena is currently CEO of Cat Queen Inc.

It is rumored CQI is a subsidiary of Virtucon Corporation. Following the mysterious disappearance of CEO "Number 2", leadership of Virtucon was assumed by "Mr. Wigglesworth". Police suspect Wigglesworth was involved in the Number 2 case and the sudden death of Maron. Police also link Wigglesworth to the quick promotion of Tama-chan. "We believe this Mr. Wigglesworth cat is the mastermind of these plots," said one police official.

Station employees had originally protested the latest promotion of Tama-Chan, but they denied they were threatened. "A hairless cat wearing a thick leather collar and flu mask did come to see us late one night after the last train had passed", said one employee who refused to be identified. "But the feline was very polite and did not hiss or scratch us," the employee said.

Police continue to investigate possible foul play among the cats. "It is highly unusual to reach a management position in such a short time. Especially for a cat," the police official said.

Virtucon Corporation did not respond to inquiries. In addition to assigning cats to oversee train stations in Japan, it is believed Virtucon Corporation desires to take over the world.

A new Mcdonald’s TV commercial depicts a 1960’s American scenario that seems to be featuring the witch Samantha from the TV show Bewitched. In the ad, "Samantha" serves a single Quarter Pounder Bacon & BBQ burger to a birthday party consisting of 6 kids. Her husband "Darren" and another woman (possibly nosey neighbor Gladys Kravitz) watches the fun. Everyone claps when the burger is served.

1978 Mcdonald’s Japan TV Commercial

Bewitched in Japan(J) Wiki; Ochiochi wonderland. Bewitched around the world.

Invasion of the Three-Word Ad Slogan — Quiz

These slogans appear in English text on the product's ads in Japan. Match the slogan to the company. (No cheating!)

Instructions: For each company in the far left column, enter in the small box the number of the slogan from the slogan list. If the slogan number you enter is correct, the correct answer will appear in the large box adjacent to the company name after you put the cursor in the next number box. Data cannot be entered in the large boxes. 

The first item is done for you as an example. Some slogans in the slogan list are fake.

This quiz may not function correctly if you are viewing this post in a reader (such as Google Reader). Please access the blog post page link in order to enable the quiz functions. Click here: Invasion of the Three-Word Ad Slogan

Are you tired of scratching your itches? Don’t like applying skin cream throughout the day? Rohto Pharmaceutical’s over-the-counter Tokiinshi Jyo tablets will stop your scratching. Take 4 tablets per day to suppress the itching caused by dry skin or eczema. The pill is intended for non-allergy-caused itching.

Ingredients include Chinese herbs: Dong Quai; Radix Saposhnikoviae; chi-li-tzu; Rehmannia Root; Schizonepetae Spica; Shou Wu Chih.
Korean herbs: Cnidium officinale Makino.
Other: Peony; licorice extract; additives.
price: 252 tablets (three weeks) JPY 4725; 84 tablets (one week) JPY 1680.

Researchers in Japan seem intent on putting an end to unpleasant, sometimes vital, human bodily functions, as previously mentioned here on Lets Japan.

• Piss a little during exercise? See your pee disappear! The pee pad for women!
• You really do not have to piss so often when you use Lady Guard!
• Know you’re going to eat too much? Here’s how to stuff your face without experiencing the onset of that unpleasant full stomach feeling! The pre-party pill! Good for your alcohol-drinking plan too!

WARNING: Do not mix these powders, pills and pads. May be hazardous to your health.

Stylish Masks Cool, Steam, and Fit Lips and Noses

Blue surgical-style face masks are being worn by millions around the world in an effort to prevent contracting the swine flu H1N1 virus. In Japan, masks are a common sight anytime people are suffering from a cold, hay fever or other allergies.

The world news reporting of the global swine flu situation indicates the wearing of masks in places other than hospitals is rather uncommon. Japanese have years of experience with mask-wearing, and we’ve gathered the best mask fashions. Choose from the nose-fit models, the form-fitting model with wire, the masks that won’t fog up your glasses, the designer masks, the menthol masks, the tea-filter masks, the masks that feel like a steam facial, and the masks that look like bra cups. Now you can fight the flu in style!

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Ladies who might inadvertently urinate during sports activities or other strenuous activities can now feel protected with the new Natura pee pad. Natura is worn like a sanitary pad and absorbs urine like a mini-diaper.

There are plenty of urine-catching pads, plastic panties, panty inner-sheets and liners for menopausal conditions, elderly ladies, women post-childbirth, and others who suffer from temporary or long-term incontinence. But Natura is specifically targeting accidental urination caused by sports and activities.

Natura is aimed at new moms and women who suffer from conditions necessitating a "more/mole pad" (leak out pad). Natura also seems to target ladies who might be caused to pee by: the sudden movement of a train; being groped by a tennis instructor; stress after experiencing her grocery bag ripping and spilling dozens of potatos; or by standing up from a seated position. Natura pads are available in various sizes up to the 26cm version, which will absorb 60cc of pee. 

Kao makes Freeday, a similar product which is advertised for use by women suffering from menopausal conditions or who have recently given birth. Freeday also can be used to prevent urination triggered by sports activities or lifting heavy loads. The Freeday advertising material says women do not have to worry about light urination caused by coughing, frequent sneezing due to hay fever, or laughing to one’s heart’s content. The information goes on to explain the physical reasons that women are more likely than men to have this activity-induced piddle problem.

Customer comments on the Freeday website include how Freeday was useful when dancing, playing volleyball, jumping on a trampoline, hiking, skipping rope, at the batting center, swimming, tennis, badminton, aerobics, dodgeball, and landing from a very long slide at the playground.

Together with Lady Guard, the piss prevention pill, ladies in Japan will be totally relieved of the need to pee while participating in sports and leisure activities, during long trips, working long hours without a break, sleeping, chatting at the cafe, and peeling daikon.

Lets Japan is not aware of any products in Japan for ladies who suffer from Sudden Movement Excrement Leakage Syndrome.

"Locally grown for local consumption" is a common practice in many cities in Japan. Small plots of urban land dedicated to farming can be found in cities of all sizes. Kunio Tsubota of the Kyushu University Asia Centre writes in Urban Agriculture in Asia: Lessons from Japanese Experience "The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) estimates that about 1.1 million hectares of farmland exist in "urban-like areas" and are producing ¥2.6 trillion worth of products."

Tsubota states that municipalities desire some farmland in urbanized areas because the land provides open areas necessary for emergencies, residents don’t want buildings constructed on green spaces, and that it’s more cost effective to grow crops than to convert urban farm plots into parks, and then maintain the parks. 

Tsubota’s report  cites the efforts of Nerima ward, Tokyo as a typical example. Nerima’s Agricultural Promotion Plan consists of about 55 activities to promote agriculture. The plan includes using locally produced vegetables for school lunches, providing small subsidies and office space to citizen-farmers, and promotion of locally grown produce.

Kawasaki City began its "Reborn Agriculture Plan" in 2005. The campaign promotes the sale , freshness, and safety of city farm products. Kawasaki also organizes distribution of produce to schools for use in school lunches.

Some other cities and prefectures with "Locally grown for local consumption" efforts: Sagamihara; Himeji City; Kushiro; Nagoya; Nobeoka City; Hiroshima; Yokohama.

related: Kitchen gardens enjoy a comeback in Japan
photos: Hiroshima; Kanagawa; Kawasaki crops; Kawasaki sign; Nerima; Setagaya-ku.

After 20 years, Japan Airlines has stopped publication of it’s calendars that feature pictures of cabin attendants. The wall and desktops calendars were first offered in 1989 and have been sold in bookstores, on the internet, and in JAL catalogs. Demand peaked in 1993, with about 100,000 copies printed. For 2009, JAL printed 50,000 of the flight attendant photo calendars. JAL cancelled future editions due to the low demand. The status of JAL’s "World of Beauty", "Fleet" and other calendars is unclear. The cabin crew calendar costs JYP 1500.

For calendar collectors who cannot obtain the final JAL flight attendant calendar, public TV channel NHK sells a 2009 calendar featuring NHK-TV female news anchors, for JPY 1600. Our favorite NHK weathercaster Sae Nakarai appears in the NHK calendar.
related: NHK announcer profiles (J).

Now natto lovers can access their fermented beans without having to pull off the usual troublesome plastic film that always sticks to the food. Mitsukan’s Kin No Tsubu brand of natto is in nonstick packaging that eliminates the need for a film layer separating the natto from the inside of the lid. The pouch of tare sauce that is usually included with the natto has been replaced with a a blob of jellied sauce.

Diners no longer have to struggle to tear open a sauce packet. The polystyrene tray package is divided into two compartments – one for the natto and the other for the jellied sauce. The sauce can be picked up with chopsticks and dissolves when mixed into the natto. Mitsukan says the new package was created in response to complaints about the difficulty of opening the sauce pouch without spilling the contents, and that the process of removing the film spreads long sticky streaks of natto onto one’s hands and the table. How to eat natto video.