Find Your Local Fireworks Displays

We're in the midst of summer now, and any long-term visitor of Japan knows what summer here means: Weekend after weekend of crepuscular booming in your neighborhood!

Event news and entertainment site WalkerPlus has put together it's annual Fireworks Display Calendar, with a cute (and highly distorted) little map of Japan you can click on to find dates and locations for fireworks and summer festivals going on wherever you live or are visiting in Japan.

Take care to arrange your method of travel and accommodations beforehand. Large displays in Japan are well-known for their massive crowds, blocking off whole segments of cities from vehicular traffic and tying up mass transit lines for hours following the grade finale.

Local Event Guides

When it gets to the weekend, hanging out at home or revisiting the same pub for the umpteenth time can be a drag. Why not use the Internet to find something new to do? Any Google search can pull up a number of websites with local event guides, of course, but why spend your time wading through all those garbage sites to find the few that regularly update and have events you might actually want to attend when we'll introduce two to you right here today!

One of my personal favorite event guides is the JR West and JR East sister-site combination "Odekake-Net" and "Eki-Net." Their starting pages aren't much to gloat about. Although Odekake-Net gives you a large friendly map of western Japan on its home page, this isn't what you actually want to be clicking on. And Eki-Net's layout is just another Yahoo! Japan style mess of thumbnails and text. For the real gold of these sites, follow the directions below:

Odekake-Net
That large map on the front page will give you some good info about famous locations to visit in Japan, but the far more impressive, constantly-updated list of events is more easily accessed from the pull-down menus at the bottom of the site. Under the button labeled イベント検索, pick the prefecture or region you're staying in or visiting, and you'll find a friendly and useful list of seasonal events going on around you. The list includes items like festivals, flower shows, and museum exhibits, along with their running times, entrance fees, and addresses of their locations. It's provided me with some nice day trip ideas, and you might find it useful for date ideas or planning family outings as well.

Eki-Net
For you Eastern-Japaners, the event list is located along the right side of Eki-Net's starting page. It has a similar pull-down menu, labeled 祭り・イベントはこちら♪ and with a similar location selection set-up. Click on your prefecture and then hit "検索" to get the same type of event list as Odekake-Net offers: You'll be able to find out how long each event is running, how much it costs, and exactly where it is.

If you have any favorite event guides that you use in Japan, please let us know. We're always interested in expanding our horizons, too!

Virtual Travel in Japan

Earlier this year, NHK unveiled their "Michishiru" interactive map site, a virtual tour guide of places and events all over Japan, introduced through streaming video segments of NHK on-location footage. The site targets a Japanese audience, as a way to find out about different destinations to visit within Japan.

However, it also makes for good intermediate-to-advanced Japanese listening practice, and even travelers who don't read or speak Japanese well will find that the intuitive interface and videos speak quite well for themselves.

Just drag and zoom the map around to any part of Japan you're interested in and click on one of the "Play" icons for a virtual tour of it!

Check out the site here: NHK映像マップみちしる

Dialects in Japan (map)

Japanese learners beware: Japan has some vastly different dialects. This post features a map of where the most prominent variations apply. Yay!



This image came from an interesting thread on Reddit Japan. They didn't mention where they found it, so all credit to them for posting. Check out the thread for a discussion of some of the specific language differences.

Click to enlarge.

Japan Matsuri Volunteers

Need a Japan fix? In London this September? Want to get involved in the action?

Japan Matsuri is looking for volunteers for it`s third annual event. Held in the heart of London.

If you are homesick for Japan, or missing the wonderful festivals then look no further. This is designed to feel like a typical Japanese festival: dancing, music, food and shows.

Read below for more information.


Period: From NOW until Sunday September 19th
Venue: London
Language Skill required: English or Japanese (depending on the roles)

Volunteers can gain:

• No salary :(
• Certificate/Reference upon request
• The chance to see behind the scenes of a Japan related event attracting tens of thousands of visitors. 

Roles
 A: Administrative roles:

• A1: Liaising with Stage Performers
• A2: Liaising with Participants Groups/Schools in Activities
• A3: Liaising with Stall
• A4: Liaising with Media
• A5: Web
• A6: Others

B: Art related roles（☆Urgently Needed☆ suitable for Summer Internship and portfolio）:

• B1: Decoration of the event site (the County Hall)
• B2: Design of event brochures and posters
• B3: Fabrication of Mikoshi (portable shrine), Chochin (lanterns) and others
• B4: Others

C: Infrastructure related roles (* mainly need to work on 18/09):

• C1: Electrical wiring
• C2: Health & Safety, First Aid, nurses/doctors
• C3: Patrol (traffic control, security stewards, parking area, wastes etc.)
• C4: Installation / clearing
• C5: Others

Dates
Japan Matsuri is looking for people for the following time frames.

• On a weekly/bi-weekly basis (from now)
• Available from September 11th
• Available on the day of the event.

 If you want to find out more information you can visit Japan Matsuri here, or for more information about volunteering go here. Or email your CV, along with a choice of position (from those above) and the times you are available to volunteer (at) japanmatsuri.com

How to Take a Crap in Japan

Japanese toilets come in three guises.

1. a toilet
2. a hyper-toilet with loads of buttons etc (well founded stereotype)
3. squatty potty

In times of old (20 years ago or something), most number 2s were done in number 3s. Nowadays, you'll still find squatties in most train stations, country schools and other public facilities. Some people go on about squatties being good for your rectum or something, but to be honest I think you'll be fine either way. At least with a regular toilet there's little risk of urinating in your own pocket.

Anyway, below is my deftly illustrated guide on how to correctly operate over such a thing.

Step 1: Get totally naked. This is optional, but my friend couldn't go any other way for fear of messing himself up.

Step 2: Squat facing the raised end and fittings.

Step 3: Poop. Peeing is also acceptable.

Step 4: Flush. Wiping is also a popular preceding step.

Job done. Get dressed if necessary.


As an addendum, you would do well to note two things:

1. We Westerners are not well adapted to the flat-foot squatting which Asians do a lot. Luckily, the metal fittings on the front of the toilet serve well as handles should you need them.
2. Those same metal fittings are reflective. Do NOT look at them unless you want to see the very worst your body has to offer.

Happy shitting!

10 Varieties of Cherry Blossom Trees

Well, it's well and truly 花見 (hanami/blossom viewing) season again. This coming weekend will see the peak in my town. Check our past entry for the full-bloom sakura dates for your region of Japan.

The trees became nationally iconic in a bid, many years ago, for Japan to distance itself from China (whose national symbol is the plum blossom). In hindsight, they probably should have picked something a bit more different, as the two are often confused by outsiders.

The distinctly white, mildly pink (when in full bloom) blossom which dominates much of Japan belongs to a tree known as 染井吉野 (somei yoshino). This is the "standard tree". There are around 100 other varieties, such as the low hanging, droopy branches of 枝垂れ桜 (shidarezakura). Intensely pink blossoms most likely belong to 関山桜 (kanzanzakura).

Anyway, someone asked me the other day about the different types of cherry trees seen in bloom. So, here's the answer they wanted:

Click to enlarge.

1. 染井吉野 (Somei yoshino).  Distinctive for being everywhere.

2. 八重桜 (Yaezakura) Distinctive for it's bushy, double-blossoms.

3. 山桜 (Yamazakura). Distinctive for growing wild.

4. 関山桜 (Kanzanzakura). Large, clumpy blossoms.

5. 普賢象桜 (Fugenzozakura) Distinctive for it's heavy, thick blossom.

6. . 枝垂れ桜 (Shidarezakura). Distinctive for its fountain effect.

7. ウコン桜 (Ukonzakura). Distinctive for being yellowy green.

8. 一葉桜 (Ichiyozakura).

9. 松月桜 (Shougetsuzakura).

10. 十月桜 (Juugatsuzakura). Distinctive for flowering in October.

Things To Do: Shiga Prefecture

Shiga houses Biwako, or Biwa Lake - a large and beautiful getaway very close to Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya and Gifu.

Here's a map with virtually everything worth doing in the prefecture.

Just like our other maps, this is a work in progress, so please let us know of any places you have been or know about which should be added. Thanks.


View Things to do in Shiga-ken (www.accessj.com) in a larger map

Things To Do: Nagano Prefecture

This map is an on-going project. If you have any suggestions, please let us know in the comments.

We have included a couple of locations/sights just outside the border of Nagano-ken. It seemed like the right thing to do.



View Things to do in Nagano-ken (www.accessj.com) in a larger map

Ear Cleaning: The Horrible Truth of Mimikaki and Mimisouji

If you live in Japan then you have surely come accross the ear-cleaning-scoop-things (耳かき - mimi kaki) used for the horrifying practice of mimi souji (耳掃除).

The Japanese love to clean their ears, and cleaning a child's ears is a sacred moment akin to breast-feeding.

BUT I have some terrible news for the proponents of this practice, and some weird genetic information (!!!).
Read on.

First of all, Japanese ear wax is not the same as gaijin ear wax. I can hear your "WHAT?" from here - this sounds exactly like the kind of thing a Japanese person would say (like when the nurse asked my girlfriend what temperature gaijin were supposed to be), but actually it's true.

• In East Asians (and Native Americans), a dry, grey type of ear wax is the most common, whereas on the other side of the world - Europe/Africa, you'll find we have the moist orange gunk. It's something to do with ancient climates. Weird. The moist stuff is dominant, though, which means that if you have a half-Japanese baby you can be assured it has good old Western Wax.

So okay, the Japanese are right this time about being different from the rest of the world, but they are most certainly wrong about thwe need for mimisouji in the first place. Here's a tip for you curious gaijin out there: don't buy a mimikaki and definately don't stick it in your (or anyone else's) ears.

• Wax is in your ear for a reason, it's a normal secretion which is naturally removed when necessary. If you have a blockage, go to an ear doctor. Never put one of these things inside yourself or you could end up with some serious internal damage. You can't see what you're doing in there. Furthermore, scraping at the walls of your inner-ear actually causes more discharge. だめ！

More 

• Mimikaki come in all shapes and sizes. You can get them with red LEDs inside, anime characters on the end, in horrible multi-layers dental tool fashion, and far too many other styles. Google images has more.
  
• The weirdest part of this whole situation is that you can pay (~3000yen) for a kimono-clad woman to rest your head gently on her lap and scrape at your ear-canals for 30-minutes. No thanks. Sounds even less fun than getting an ear-candle (which, incidentally, is totally useless and potentially harmful).
  
• If you're completely twisted you will probably enjoy watching this disgusting yet fascinating Japanese video of earwax removal:
  
• You could go even further and use one of these mimikaki with a camera on the end. We recommend you don't.
  
• For yet more fun, there is a(n award-winning) manga short-story entitled Yamamoto's Ear Cleaning Shop which you can read here.

Mending/Changing the Paper in Shouji Screens

Japanese paper doors may be attractive (at least from the inside), but it's very easy to stick an object through them, as anyone living here will know. Guests staying have a particular knack with this.

Anyway here's a guide to changing/mending the screens (障子を張り替える) if you're nervous or curious.

First of all, shouji paper (washi) comes in several sizes and literally hundreds of types. You can get very high quality stuff, sometimes with beautiful designs (just like the screens themselves), or you can just buy the regular stuff in a supermarket for abour 300yen (it's reportedly possible to get paper-esque plastic, too). It comes in either squares for one panel/section, small rolls or rolls wide enough for the entire lattice (kumiko).

Little shapes

If you only have a small hole to fix, you can buy little shapes to stick over the damage. They can look a bit crappy but a lot of people use them.

1. You can buy special paper loosening liquid in home stores. Alternatively you can usually strip from the frame easily enough with water or steam. Moisten the glue lines and it should come off easily. If you just want to replace one panel then scour around the area and (if you're lucky) you should be able to peel it up and off without disurbing other panes.
   NB: if someone has used the wrong type of glue or if it's been a particularly long time since the paper was changed, it can be very difficult to get off. Use a blunted scraper of some kind if you're left with soggy bits, but be careful not to destroy the lattice.
   
   
2. When the frame is dry again, use shouji glue on the area that needs replacing. Buy the glue in a squeezy bottle in virtually any supermarket. These come with a handy nozzle which will apply the glue universally along the correct distance from the edge of the frame. Keep the glue line very thin (1-2mm).
   If you're doing an entire door, it's fine to apply glue to the whole thing in one go.
   
   
3. For a whole door, place the roll of paper at the bottom (tack or tape it to keep a straight line) and simply roll it gently down to the top. Some more expensive papers will have a smooth and a rougher side. The smooth side should face outwards. If your paper has a pattern, double-check to make sure your orientation is correct.
   For one panel, row, use a small piece and roll or gently apply the paper.
   Don't trim the edges until the glue has dried.
   
   
4. Don't be tempted to use a cloth to smooth out the panels, as this can cause sagging if done too roughly. If you have any bad areas it may be because you used too much glue. In anycase, wait until the glue is dry and then reassess the situation.
   Some people like to spray a fine mist of water onto the doors to tauten the paper.
   
   
5. Trim off the excess. It's pretty frustrating to have half the paper catch and rip off when sliding across another door, so get this bit right.

That's it. The whole process shouldn't take very long. For a whole door, as long as you don't have too much trouble removing the paper, you should be done in ten minutes, and able to trim about an hour later.

Some people get very anal about their doors, and sometimes even want to make their own traditional rice-paste glue. If you want to know how, then here's a guide.

Tips/stories in the comments please!