Cool Items: New Domo Shirt, Figures, Cute Plush, Bull-Dog Sauce

Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link.

	Polo Shirt - Domo-kun Outline - Black. Although we're biased, we just love our new line of polo shirts with cool embroidered designs, including Japanese girlfriend kanji design and Domo-kun. Now we're launching a new Domo embroidered shirt based on our most popular new design, the "outline Domo."
	Black Franco 1/8 Figure. Popular figure from a Japanese game that's basically a parody of an old spaghetti Western, done as only the Japanese could do it. This figure is now in stock.
	Dragon Fly vol 01. We're quite floored by the beautiful art and coloring in this popular glossy manga/art book, from the Robot manga series. In stock now.
	DX Bamboo Charcoal Stuffed Chrimen Teddy Bear. This is an incredible item -- a teddy bear that's made with chirimen (Japanese crepe fabric, used for kimonos), a truly amazing idea. Best of all, it's made with charcoal inside, a traditional Japanese material that improves health.
	Monokuro Boo Present Plush Set. It's a plush box resembling a wrapped present, but inside are two cute black and white pigs called Monokuro Boo, which means "monochrome oink" if you can believe that. I think I'm having a cute attack!
	Re-ment Falling Love with Kyoto Full Set of 10. Re-Ment is the company that makes those incredibly detailed miniature toys that are so much fun to play with. Today we've gotten in set that's just perfect for gaijin who love Japan, called Falling in Love With Kyoto. All the famous icons of Japan's most beautiful city are here, from famous foods to Kyoto gifts and more.
	New Japanese Snacks. Today's new Japanese snacks include the spiciest-ever snack, habanero-laced Hottest Jolokia Snack, as well as a fun Sakura (Cherry) Gummy treat with plenty of collagen.
	Lotte Dragon Fruit Gum. Also, J-List carries delicious chewing gum from Japan, from delicious tastes like ume and blueberry to caffeine-laced Black Black. They've come out with an exotic new flavor for the 2008 summer season, Dragon Fruit, a popular fruit from Thailand. Delicious!
	PAW Water Proof Mini Lunch Tote Bag: Frog, Panda, Pig. From Prime Nakamura, we've gotten in some really cool waterproof bags that are perfect for carrying your favorite bento lunch. They feature bright, colorful designs with wacky English like "I want to become your friend" and "My lucky item."
	NORI-NORI Animal Lunch Picks ~ 10pcs (5 types). Adding even more kawaii-ness to your bento lunch, these animal shaped pics are great for grabbing your favorite foods right out of the bento box. Ten total animal picks included.
	S Cawaii April 2008. J-List carries dozens of great anime, manga, toy and magazines for men via our "reserve subscription" service. We also have many outstanding fashion magazines from Japan which are fascinating to look through. This is S Cawaii ("Super Cute"), which we have limited individual issues of in stock today.
	Kanji Practice Flashcards Vol. 2 - Level 2. Also, we've restocked level 2 of the outstanding Kanji Practice Flashcards from White Rabbit, the very best flashcards in existence. They're good because they're so meticulously researched, but also because they force you to read all words in hiragana and katakana, no Romanized Japanese, which helps you remember and also helps you pronounce better.
	Hello Kitty Items. Check out the fun Hello Kitty Stationery Gift Set, which give you a notebook, pencil w/ case, pocket tissue and more. Also, the retro Hello Kitty Hand Mirror based on the classic "Kitty-chan in Airplane" design from the 1980s.
	Haruka Takamori 1/8 Figure ~ Choukou Sennin Haruka *Preorder*. A gorgeous figure of Haruka from the popular eroge that you can preorder now.
	Mina Tsukishiro 1/8 Figure ~ Getsumento Heiki Mina *Preorder*. The drama Densha Otoko (Train Man) told the story of an otaku who fell in loved with a beautiful woman and won her. The opening credits were almost the coolest part of the show to a fan, a remake of the classic 1983 Daicon IV Opening Animation that launched the company now known as Gainax, also set to ELO's "Time." Here's the most excellent figure of the carrot-loving Mina-chan from the opening.
	Bull-Dog Sauce . And if you're curious about the Japanese sauce known as sauce (although it's got an actual name, tonkatsu sauce), well, we've got it in stock for you!
	Lightning Warrior Raidy. Remember that the fantastic 3D "ero" RPG Lightning Warrior Raidy is in stock and shipping now. Available for purchase either as a shrink-wrapped CD-ROM version or a convenient Internet Download Edition!
	Mini Skirt Illustrated DVD vol. 92. The #1 magazine for fans of beautiful Japanese women with long, silky legs, stockings, and mini-skirts photographed from a low angle. Great photography in this perfect-bound glossy mook (which is a cross between a magazine and a book, in case you were wondering).
	Queen's Gate -- Iroha (Samurai Spirits). The Queen's Gate series is a popular variation of the Queen's Blade line of book-based combat RPG, which uses famous characters from other shows rather than original females. This is Iroha from Samurai Spirits, and you're going to love all the artwork inside. Now in stock!
	Siesta Love Pillow Cover - Zero no Tsukaima. Then take a siesta with our gorgeous dakimakura of Siesta, who is the maid at the Tristain Magical Academy, from the popular anime Zero no Tsukaima. She's the sweetest, most loyal character you can imagine, and having her sleep beside you, even in hug pillow form, would be pretty awesome.

Understanding Japanese History through Science Fiction

If you read a lot of science fiction novels, as I have, one vehicle you'll find writers using is the idea of a "great renaming" in which familiar place names are changed, usually to denote much time passing or a period of great upheaval. (For example, 5,000 years after the original Dune novel, the planet Arrakis becomes known as Rakis.) It sounds very cool and science-fictioney, and yet a "great renaming" is exactly what happened in Japan during the Meiji Reformation, when the old system of feudal domains (han) was retired in favor of a modern prefectural system with all new names. As a result, virtually every region of Japan has two names associated with it, its current one (for example, Gunma Prefecture, where J-List is based), and its old name (which is Joshu-no-kuni). The archaic names aren't official anymore, yet they're still used quite often, for example an udon restaurant might advertise "authentic Joshu noodles" to make customers associate their food with something old-fashioned and tasty. Sometimes the use of the archaic names seems to be custom-made to confuse foreigners living here. For example, the freeway that goes from Tokyo to Niigata is the Kan-etsu Freeway, which makes use of the kanji for the old name of Niigata (Echigo), something that almost no poor gaijin would be likely to know.

What Shall We Do About Summer?

My family is going through our annual "what are we going to do about summer?" decision-making process, trying to make plans for our kids to go to the U.S. Figuring out what to do with kids during summer vacation is a challenge for any parent, I'm sure, but in our case it's extra difficult due to various cultural and scheduling differences between Japan and America. First of all, summer vacation is very short in Japan, being only six weeks long, so the time we have to work with is quite limited. We like to find activities for our kids that will help them maintain their English skills, like Girl Scout Camp for my daughter and various science-related camps for my son, but choosing the right program is never easy. While I think summer should be a time for kids to relax and have new experiences at a leisurely pace, my wife always goes into kyoiku mama ("education mother") mode, insisting that anything we choose for the kids to do have serious academic value. While the idea of doing homework over the summer break is totally alien to American children, kids in Japan aren't so lucky. In addition to everything else, we've got to factor in about 20-30 hours for the mountain of homework my kids will have to work through before school starts in September.

Capitalism and Delicious Sauce called "Sauce"

Japan is a great place, and I like it a lot. The people are kind and honest, and every day is a learning experience for me, both in terms of language as well as the wider world of Japanese culture around me. Japan is a free-market country in which products can be introduced into the marketplace to create value for smart companies with good ideas, the investors who provide capital to the companies, and the consumers who get the benefits of having innovative products to choose from. However, there are some areas in which Japanese-style capitalism doesn't always function in the way that a Westerner might expect. First of all, many companies must deal with competition from an unexpected source, the Japanese government itself, which chooses to involve itself in a wide range of businesses including operating Japan's horse racing industry and a government-subsidized provider of life insurance (Kanpo) -- they even ran Japan's largest tobacco company until it was privatized in the 1980s. Last year, an investment group called Steel Partners tried to engineer a U.S.-style takeover of Bull-Dog Sauce Company, the makers of that heavenly tonkatsu sauce that's usually usually called "sauce" in Japanese. While I'm all in favor of my favorite condiment company not being bought out in a hostile merger, there is the small issue of companies being owned by the actual shareholders, and not the management of the company, who seemed bent on preserving their own positions above all else as they fought off the takeover bid. Japan is a wonderfully litigation-free country, which is certainly a good thing all around. However there are times when a functional democracy might just need a few lawyers, for example if the management of a company did something that actually harmed the investors, yet in Japan concepts like shareholder lawsuits are completely unheard of.

Cool Products: More Hug Pillows, School Backpack Keychains, Relax Bear

Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link.

	Rilakkuma Plush (Lying on Stomach). Rilakkuma ("Relax Bar") is the popular character from San-X that reminds you to slow down and relax a little. This is a large plush toy, very soft and huggable. Even comes with a zipper pouch for storing stuff!
	Zelnogrard Action Figure from Konami ~ Busou Shinki. For all those who dig females with weapons engineered into their bodies, we've got another Busou Shinki series figure, Zelnogrard, a fabulous figure that comes with dozens of parts for building the perfect weapon.
	Monster Hunter Illustrations. Fabulous dual set of artbooks for the popular Monster Hunter game series, which is taking Japan by storm right now (my son had me drive him to more than ten stores before he found his copy). To be able to see all the art from the game is awesome.
	RANDOSERU / Japanese Elementary School Bag Key Chain. Here's a cool item: a small keychain that's shaped like the iconic school backpacks called randoseru (from the Dutch ranzel. They hold small items safely for you and won't let them fall out, thanks to the secure lid on the backpack that uses "magic tape" (er, velcro) technology.
	Ninja Snack "Fuwa-Maru" Black Pepper Flavor -- Corn Puff Snack. Wow, talk about cool! This is a new "ninja snack" from Tohato that has the coolest packaging we've ever seen, featuring a real ninja from the Edo Period. Click to view the cool TV commercial, too.
	Other Delicious Snacks. Other fantastic Japanese snacks today include Matcha Cheesecake Toppo, a fantastic baked stick snack with green tea cream inside, and Croutos in delicious cheese flavor.
	World Famous "Poop" Hat. Around here we like to bring you bizarre and fun items you may not need, but which are cool for one reason or another. See fresh stock of our popular plush Poop Hat, which has made our own Jun-kun somewhat of a celebrity on the Internets! Poop is considered good luck in Japan because the word (unchi) is similar to the word for good luck (unki).
	Vegetable Sunshine Buddies -- Broccoli, Lettuce. We love the solar-powered Sunshine Buddies (known as Nohohon Zoku in Japanese, or Sit Around and Act Lazy People), a relaxing toy from Japan that lolls his head from side to side through the miracle of solar power. The "vegetable" series is back in stock.
	niKyoro Bento Boxes, Chopsticks, More. Two popular bento boxes are back in stock, the blue niKyoro round 2-tier bento and the popular Uneru Deluxe (red), both excellent starting points for a bento collection. Also, the fantatic Love Earth DX Portable Chopsticks.
	Rilakkuma Mug Cup w/Tea Strainer. Also for Rilakkuma fans, that outstanding tea cup that comes with its own strainer, so you can make fresh tea right in the cup.
	Peek-A-Boo Animal Disposable Bento Cup 3 types. Bento is the art of eating beautiful boxed lunches in Japan, and now you can add even more beauty with these disposable condiment containers that look like little animals that can cover their eyes ("peek a boo!"). Are you feeling cute yet?
	Hello Kitty Origami: Shiny, Apple Type. Origami fans, here are two different sets of awesome Hello Kitty origami paper for you to try some great folded paper designs. We've got reflective shiny paper as well as special Hello Kitty patterned paper which you can use to make cute folded-paper apples.
	Fortune Telling Ear Cleaner. The Japanese are extremely good at coming up with interesting ways to keep their ears free of wax, and today we've gotten in a great new item: cotton swabs that work like omikuji boxes you see at Shinto shrines, with sticks that pop out telling you what kind of luck you'll have today. Awesome!
	Super Soft Fluffy Mini TENUGUI ~ Lucky Cat / Sakura. Got some more handy tenugui (te-noo-goo-EE), or traditional hand towels that are both beautiful and handy to have with you. New Lucky Cat and Sakura patterns posted today.
	Motoko Kusanagi Action Figure ~ Ghost in the Shell S.A.C "Preorder". Then for fans of the legendary Ghost in the Shell (which is going to be remade as a live action film by Steven Spielbeg if you can believe that), enjoy this deluxe large prepainted action figure with many points of articulation and a removable leather jacket.
	Gekkan -- Saya. The Gekkan" ("monthly") photomagazine in which each issue focuses on an especially beautiful model, giving you nothing but pictures of her loveliness (and no ads, either). This issue features the gorgeous Saya.
	Bomb Mar 2008. Bomb is a legend in the sexy idol world, having been in print for more than 30 years. This issue features oodles of hot Japanese stars like Aki Hoshino, Yoko Kumada, the sweet, sweet Aya Ueto, and more.
	Restocked Manga. Today's restocked "H" manga include Indecent, Tousaku -- Delusion, the similarly named but different Mousou -- Delusion, Fallen Angel vol. 1 & 2, and a favorite of mine, the futanari work First Dog part 1.
	Hiyoko Brand ~ Hiyoko Kobayashi illustration. A fabulous art book from Hiyoko Kobayashi, creator of many a beautiful "H" illustration, creator of such wacky animes as "My Wife is a High School Student" (man those Japanese guys are so wacky). 104 pages of glossy, gorgeous art.
	Hug Pillows: Ryomou, Kanu. The life-sized anime dakimakura or "hug pillows" that J-List sells are a hit, and we've restocked the Dragon Destiny offerings, with both Ryomou and Uncho printed on these beautiful dual-sided pillow coverings. Yummy.

Coffee Jelly Time!

Starbucks Japan has a new product for the coming summer season: the Coffee Jelly Frapachino, which is a coffee frap with chilled coffee-flavored gelatin at the bottom. Although coffee jelly ("jello" to our American readers) is probably up there fermented soybeans (natto), puffer fish (fugu) and pickled squid intestines (shiokara) as something you wouldn't expect to find gaijin eating, it's actually really good and easily one of my favorite desserts in the summer. It's sold in every convenience store or supermarket , usually in the form of little plastic cups that come with a separate container of sweetened milk that you add to your coffee jelly before eating it, just like you'd do to a cup of black coffee. There are many ways to eat coffee jelly, including pouring the milk over the pristinely shaped gelatin then digging in with your spoon, but I prefer to mix my coffee jelly up first then add the milk, letting it seep everywhere before I eat it.

The History of Bento

Bento are the amazing boxed lunches from Japan that are both delicious to eat and pleasing to look at, and since J-List has brought so much bento goodness to customers all over the world, I thought I'd write about the history a bit. The origin of rice in a portable box for easy carrying began in the Heian Period (794-1185), when people would pack rice that had been cooked then dried again as well as onigiri (rice balls) for journeys. The emergence of the ornate stackable bento box (jubako) came later as a way for nobles to enjoy a beautiful meal while drinking tea and viewing the cherry blossoms in the Spring. During the Edo Period (1603-1868), a popular form of boxed lunch called maku-no-uchi bento or "between-the-acts" boxed lunch appeared, which was eaten by playgoers during intermissions at public performances, or (according to another theory) by aficionados of sumo wrestling, who would wolf down the lunches in between bouts. With the coming of trains to Japan, people needed a convenient way of taking their lunch with them, which was the beginning of ekiben or train station bento, which has blossomed into a huge industry unto itself, with each region of Japan creating bento lunches you can only buy there, making even something as commonplace as lunch something special.

 

Religion in Japan

The subject of religion in Japan is a complex one. The two main religious traditions here are Buddhism, which was introduced through the Korean Peninsula along with the kanji writing system in the 6th century; and Shinto, the naturalistic original religion of Japan which sees kami, gods or spirits, in trees, rivers and mountains. Anywhere between 63-96% of Japanese report themselves as being Buddhist, with around 3% and 1% for Shinto and Christianity, respectively. Exact numbers are difficult to pin down, though, since there's no subject more "about" (an English word the Japanese use to mean nebulous or imprecise) than religion here. Although someone's family may belong to one religion or another, nearly everyone mixes themes regularly over the course of their lives, generally turning to Shinto or Christianity for life-affirming ceremonies like weddings or baby namings and Buddhism for funerals and ceremonies that pay respect to family members who have gone on. It's quite a mish-mash, really, but somehow each group is able to coexist alongside the others without friction. If you ever have a question about religeon in Japan, feel free to ask a Japanese person about it, but be prepared for a less than satisfactory answer, as Japanese rarely think deeply about their own country and culture in the way that foreigners fascinated by the country do. One of the great achievements of modern Japanese society is that they've managed to completely separate religion from politics, and when election time rolls around, the question of what religious background a certain candidate might have isn't contemplated in the slightest. (A possible exception to this might be members of the New Komeito Party, which is affiliated with the "evangelical" Buddhist movement, Sokka Gakkai, and whose members are presumably a member of that religeon.)

Cool Products: Mecha Musume, Hello Kitty, Misa from Death Note, More!

Here are today's "really cool products" that I've picked out for you, out of the 30+ new items we've added to the J-List and JBOX.com sites today. Note that some products may be "not safe for work" but that all links will allow you to redirect yourself either to the J-List or JBOX.com websites. To see all the J-List products, check out J-List or the JBOX.com updated products link.

	Dengeki Maoh May 2008. Buy a huge amount of quality manga with the new issue of Dengeki Maoh, which brings you a staggering 500+ pages of gorgeous manga from Japan, including Utawaremono, Tales of the Abyss, Code Geass and more. Also, free calendar and poster!
	Asuka Action Figure from Konami ~ Busou Shinki. For fans of the "Mecha Musume" character line, which melds awesome World War II era mecha with cute anime girls, we offer this awesome new toy series from Konami, a cute highly posable female figure that can transform into a mighty fighting machine. This is Asuka, a Japanese fighter.
	Nodame Cantabile vol. 1 and vol. 2 set. Here's a real treat: a bilingual edition of the excellent Nodame Cantabile manga from Tomoko Ninomiya, with both languages right on the page. Great both for students of either language or for the translation-curious, who just have to know what the original line was.
	Danchi San ~ Paper Craft. "Danchi" are the huge, sprawling apartment complex buildings you see all over large Japanese cities like Tokyo, the symbol of Japan's high population density that makes it necessary to live in "rabbit hutch" style boxes. Here's a cool item that's both a photobook documenting these eerily cool places, as well as removable paper craft pages that allow you to build your own apartment buildings out of paper!
	Animage, Animedia Individual Issues. J-List sells Japan's best anime magazines via our popular revolving subscription system, which lets you get the magazines you want sent to you, with the ability to change issues or cancel at any time (unless you opt for the one year advance payment option, which is totally optional). Today we've gotten some individual issues of two popular magazines, the April issues of Animedia and Animage.
	Bridget 1/7 Figure ~ Guilty Gear XX *Preorder*. Fantastic figure of Bridget from Guilty Gear, the incredibly effeminate bishounen male character from the game. Really, this is one of the most incredible figures I've seen in an age. Fair warning: this figure is really a guy who was raised in a convent. (Cue Admiral Ackbar saying, "It's a trap!")
	Hello Kitty & SAKURA Chirimen Strap ~ Blue. Talk about cool -- a plush hello Kitty phone strap that can also be attached to your keys, camera, etc. It's Hello Kitty wearing a kimono, and it's made from beautiful chirimen (kimono crepe fabric).
	Other New Japanese Snacks. Also enjoy the delicious Chelsea Yogurt Mix, the company's popular line of fruit and yogurt flavored, er, butterscotch (it's good, trust us). Also, new Honey Butter Pretz, yummy!
	Megami Magazine Deluxe vol. 8. Serious anime fans know that Megami Magazine is the best anime magazine in the world because of all the free posters and fabulous original art you get. We've gotten in fresh stock of three previous issues of the super Megami Magazine Deluxe which had been sold out, but are once again available to you. See vol. 6, 8 and 9 back on the site!
	How to make Obento Art ~ Obento Art no Tsukurikata. Take your bento art to new heights with this great book that shows you how to create beautiful Japanese lunches. This book had been backordered for several months but has finally come in again.
	FX Neo ~ Japanese Hard Minty Eyedrops We've also restocked one of our most popular items, FX Neo, the "hard minty" eye drops that will wake you up! This has been restocked.
	*KINKAKU* Kimono Cellular Phone Case ~ White . Then, we really love the "Kinkaku" line of cell phone holders, which take just about any cell phone (or iPod, or iPhone) and protect it with beautifully printed Japanese chirimen cloth.
	Nintendo DS Japanese Study Aids. Once again, we managed to sell out of the popular Nintendo DS study aids, like the Kanji DS Dictionary, the Anpan-Man game that teaches you hiragana and katakana and more. We've restocked nearly all of these popular products today though. They're compatible with every Nintendo DS in the world!
	Coloring Books for Stress Relief -- Flowers. Then enjoy more nuri-e or coloring books for grown-ups, that are great for relieving stress. You can color them with many different kinds of coloring, from crayons to paints, or do what the pros do and scan the pages in, learning coloring with Photoshop. This popular book is back in stock now.
	Misa Amane Deathnote Action Figure Straitjacket ver. *Preorder*. Talk about eerie -- here's a figure of Misa from Death Note in her straightjacket. Love it! Preorder this special figure now.
	Restocked Japanese Snacks. Finally, see a bunch of restocked J-Snacks, including Strong Tomato Pretz, traditional Toppo, the baked chocolate pretzel stick, Japan-only Mentos in Ume (plum) flavor, Genki Shigekix that are fun to eat, and something called Meiji Pine Up!
	Perfect Master -- Yoko Kumada Photobook. Yoko Kumada is one of the hottest Japanese bikini idols around, and this is her "perfect" photobook, filled with her most amazing photographs, printed on glossy high quality paper.
	"Sex Style" Sake Bottle, Coffee Cup, More. You probably know about our wacky coffee cups and other items that demonstrate the traditional 48 positions. We've restocked this great line, with several sake bottles, mug-style coffee cups and Japanese yunomi (green tea cups) all back in stock.
	Ringo Noyamano Figure Kamen ver. ~ Air Gear *Preorder*. Awesome new "ero" figure from excellent manga artist OH! Great. Preorder it now.
	Yulia Nova Poster. A special treat: you can now purchase the limited edition Yulia Nova glossy poster, which shows Russia's most beautiful angel in all her glory.
	Super Ecstasy -- Sasa Handa. Sasa Handa is the silky and elegant JAV star performing on the Soft on Demand label, and you'll love her in this most recent release, getting serviced at a very special salon.