Of Thanksgiving and Tiramisu

On Sunday it was time for our family's Thanksgiving dinner. Yes, I know, whoever heard of an American having Thanksgiving in December, but both my kids were in the middle of studying for important tests at school, and I was asked by the family in general if we could delay things a week or two. We had all kinds of Costco-enabled good things to eat, from chicken to mashed potatoes to what my wife described as a "bucket of tiramisu" for dessert, which was so large and so delicious and so cheap that it's receiving quite a lot of buzz in the Japanese blogosphere. I think that there's something about living in a foreign country that makes a person more flexible than they'd otherwise be, as you realize that the cultural ideas we all take for granted don't always need to be adhered to that closely. If I ever become leader of the world, I'll make a law that says that all young people must live for at least a year in some other country, to give them some much-needed perspective on their own lives.

"American" Tiramisu compared with Japanese. This picture encapsulates things nicely.

Costco in Japan

Over the weekend I made the 65 km journey to the nearest Costco, the membership warehouse chain from the U.S., which operates nine of its mammoth stores in Japan. To a gaijin who's been here long enough to remember driving for miles because someone heard a rumor that an import food shop had gotten in some Doritos, having a fully stocked Costco within range of my house is a little piece of heaven. The layout of the stores is exactly like the ones back home, so that we even know what part of the store to go to without searching, and the company won points with me for having my U.S. membership in their database already -- that's a lot more visionary than some Japanese video websites that not only require that you use Windows but that you use Internet Explorer if you want to view their content. There are plenty of good products from the U.S. on display at the store, but it was also fun to roam the aisles and see what unique Japanese items they stocked -- I mean, does your local Costco have takoyaki and taiyaki in the frozen foods section, and corn pizza at the food court?

Costco is an island of convenience for a gaijin in Japan.

Five Gift Ideas from Peter

J-List is really receiving a ton of orders from all over the world who want to bring a bit of authentic Japan to the people on their Christmas list. J-List definitely is a great place for anyone to look for gifts, and no matter who you're buying for, you can find that special something that will surprise and delight them. Like our extensive selection of from-Japan Hello Kitty and Sanrio products, or our fun original anime T-shirts with kanji on them, since everyone loves kanji. Our Mousse-chan Paper Clay and "Let's Make Eraser with Microwave" craft molds are great fun, and we've got tons of these items in stock, and our Fukubukuro Grab Bags are another good suggestion (if they don't sell sell out). Finally, be sure to browse our 2010 calendars -- they're frankly disappearing at a faster rate than we ever thought possible, and some of the best will soon be gone (we're looking at you, Totoro).

Do you have a website? Want to help J-List evangelize our unique brand of Japanese popular culture? Then consider the Friends of J-List Affiliate Program, an excellent way for you to help people find J-List and help your site, too. We've just rolled out a cool new feature, an automatically generated product tower that shows exactly the products you choose. The content can be totally customized, so whatever kind of site you've got, you can show exactly the cool items your readers would love to see. For more information on the program, read this page.

Theory and Practice of Christmas in Japan

Although Japanese are now quite familiar with images of Christmas presents being delivered by "Santa-san" (as he's usually called) it wasn't always that way. During Japan's long period of sakoku ("chained country"), when the only foreigners allowed were Dutch traders in Nagasaki, Christmas was celebrated unofficially as "Barbarians' Winter Solstice." The starting point of Christmas as a general cultural phenomenon is said to be 1900, when department store Meiji-ya decided to expand its operations into the upscale Ginza part of Tokyo. To attract customers, they decided to decorate their store with a Christmas theme, which caused other stores to follow suit in short order. Confectionary company Fujiya introduced the British tradition of "Christmas cake" in 1910, and now millions of Japanese families reserve a cake from a cake shop or convenience store to eat on Christmas Eve each year. Christmas is seen as a fun time for families with kids, and Toys R Us has successfully trained parents and grandparents in the art of Christmas present giving. December is also a time for couples to enjoy a special night together, walking beneath the beautiful Christmas lights that sparkle in many parts of Tokyo this month. Even Akihabara is getting into the spirit, with a gorgeous Mobile Suit Gundam Christmas tree celebrating the 30th anniversary of the series.

Christmas is a time for couples to enjoy a special date together.

Cool Products Monday, December 7, 2009

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.

	Comic Yuri Hime S vol. 10 Autumn 2009 A special issue of Yuri Hime called Yuri Hime S, which is another 500 pages of awesomeness featuring anime girls falling in love with other girls.
	Animedia Dec 2009 Great new issue of Animedia, focusing on Darker than Black, the new A Certain Scientific Railgun anime with kawaii Mikoto and Kuroko, the new Inuyasha, Metal Alchemist, Gundam 00, PandoraHearts and more.
	Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks One of the hit products of 2009 is the Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks from Kotobukiya, awesome chopsticks that let you channel a Jedi or a Sith Lord while you eat. They're in stock now, so order now! Of course we recommend EMS if you're giving them as gifts.
	Pocky Chocolate Parody Chopsticks Pocky is cool, and chopsticks are cool, so beautiful crafted chopsticks that look like authentic Pocky sticks are really something special. Back in stock and ready for your Holiday ordering.
	Electronic Cat Paw Keychains, Lucky Cat Toys There's a big boom in cute electronic cat-related products that make meowing sounds in Japan. See another "Nyaund" meowing cat's paw keychain, plus the Lucky Cat Yura Tama toys, which wobble around making cute meowing noises. We also posted a fun HD Christmas video review on YouTube (link here).
	Micro Pets i ~ Intelligent Electronic Pets! Also, we've got those awesome electronic pets from Japan, called Micro Pets-i, incredibly intelligent little friends that can do many things, like go for a walk around your house, move around objects that are in the way, play with a ball and even talk and sing with each other.
	Cute Plush Yutanpo Hot Water Bed Warmer Rather than use an electric blanket or heater to keep warm during the winter, consider using a yutanpo, or hot water bottle, which keeps you toasty for hours. See several adorable cute plush toys that hold hot water bottles, added to the site!
	Lucky Cat, Lucky Frog Display Items Next, J-List stocks some amazing Luck Cat items, and today we've got another Lucky Cat Family Display that will make you smile. Also, a matching Lucky Frog version!
	Kimi Kiss ~ Sweet Lips vol 1 & 2 An excellent adaotion of one of the most excellent moe romance stories to come along in years, this is Kimi Kiss. Kouichi's friend Kazuki is surprised when the enigmatic Futami-san suddenly kisses him in class. Will an awesome love blossom?
	Myojo Dec 2009 Myojo is the magazine for all fans of "Johnny's-kei" men, referring to stars attached to the legendary Johnny's Entertainment talent agency. Hey! Say! Jump on the cover!
	Electric Takoyaki Maker Our electric takoyaki maker sure was a hit with J-List customers, and today we've restocked it again. You can make traditional Osaka-style octopus balls, as well as "castella" cakes and other good things.
	Yamanote Line Station Light The Yamanote train line runs around Tokyo and is the train line most likely to be familiar to anyone who's come to Japan. See fresh stock of the authentic-looking train lights that really light up. Akihabara, Shibuya and Tokyo are in stock.
	Restocked Artbooks from Japan We love the beautifully printed glossy artbooks from Japan, and are happy that they're so popular with our customers. See More Training with Hinako plus other gorgeous artbooks on the site.
	Awesome New Snacks from Japan Today's new Japanese snack offerings include Boubon Choco Zutsumi in amazing Cafe Au Latte flavor, Lotte Plus X gum in Mango Mint and Acerola Lemon Mint flavors, and your favorite Japanese drinks in gummy form.
	Motsu Nabe (Fukuoka Limited) ~ Japanese Food Drops The newest exotic flavor of traditional "food drops" from Japan is motsu nabe, which is a delicious stew of beef tripe, popular in our prefecture of Kyushu. Also see fresh stock of Okonomiyaki (Osaka), Tonkotsu Noodle (Kumamoto), plus Beer, Sake and Shochu.
	Picnic Style Lacquered 3 Tier Bento Box Set The newest awesome bento box on J-List is a three-tier lunchbox that comes with a wooden handle that also securely holds the chopsticks and chopstick rest. I can't think of the last time I've seen a more awesome bento box, and I've seen more than my share.
	Red MATRYOSHKA DOLL Bento Set Also, a beautiful new bento box w/ chopsticks featuring Matryoshka, or Russian nesting dolls, on the lid. So very kawaii.
	Mousse-chan Paper Soft Clay Mold Toys Restocked Apparently a lot of people think the Mousse-chan Paper Clay mold toys make great gifts for Christmas, since we're selling 3x the normal rate this week. These are great because the molds can be used again and again, and with other kinds of materials.
	Hundreds of Totoro Products J-List stocks hundreds of Totoro products both in Japan and San Diego, which would make outstanding gifts this year. Our soft Totoro hoodies are a favorite of mine which I recommend a lot.
	Restocked BUB Bath Tablets Also, see fresh stock of the fizzing bath tablets that also make your bath a very pleasant experience. To use, fill the bath and then get in, dropping one of the tablets in the water. As it fizzes, the bubble will make you feel great.
	HANTEN ~ Warm Winter Kimono Restocked I beat the cold in the winter by wearing a hanten just like this. It's basically a warm short kimono that's worn over your cloths or pajamas, and it's really toasty and warm. See the LL-sized hanten we've restocked today.
	Rubber Ninja SHURIKEN ~ Two Styles They look awesomely realistic, but these ninja shuriken are made of soft rubber. Two styles in stock, manji type with curved spokes and a "cross type" throwing star. They're very inexpensive, so you can buy a bunch as gifts for all your ninja friends.
	Ranka Lee 1/8 Figure Cinderella ver. *Preorder* How did they know I wanted nothing more than to have a Ranka Lee with clothes I could take off? This new figure is superb, featuring the popular Macross Frontier singer wearing her famous singing outfit that can be "cast off."
	Moe Yoda USB Toy *Preorder* Many awesome products J-List carries, but a USB Yoda figure we have not seen. Available for preorder, this fantastic new product is.
	Alien USB Toy *Preorder* Also up for preorder, your very own USB powered Alien toy, which lay in wait by your computer to attack you with his cool jaws that come out.
	Huge Restocking of Our Most Popular Snacks Huge restocking of popular snacks including Meltykiss individually wrapped fudge chocolates, the awesome Nestle Kit Kat in Original Flavor and Yaki-Imo (traditional baked sweet potato), Shigekix super tart candies, plus Okinawa Black Sugar Caramel from Morinaga, Tyrant Habanero, Kompeito, Pocky Desert and more.
	Sabra Magazine Jan 2010 We love the great Sabra Magazine because it always brings us the most incredible women Japan has to offer. Enjoy this new issue, on the site now.
	Restocked Photobooks Then see restocked photobooks, too, including the fabulous Hana Haruna -- check out the cantaloupe-skinned swimsuit she's wearing! -- plus Kaori Ishii who looks so fine. Click to see.
	Love Body Risa Doll + Hole, More Restocked The newest trend in stress-relief novelty toys for men is inflatable dolls that you can really wrap yourself around, or put clothes on if you like. Today we're posting fresh stock of the Rosa Body and matching Risa Hole, plus the WX10 Wireless Remote Control Massager for couples who want to have fun in public places.
	Mizuho Kazami 1/4 Figure *Preorder* You know that I love Please Teacher and Please Twins, because I regularly make pilgrimages to the places where the anime series were "filmed" (Lake Kizaki and Karuizawa). Here's a new cast off figure of Mizuho that is very grown-up. 1/4 scale!
	The Best PC Dating-sim Games in English We're often asked at conventions what the "best" dating-sim game we sell is. It’s a hard question to answer since we have so many awesome ones, but I usually steer people towards The Sagara Family, a truly outstanding game and our best-selling tile overall.

Want To Learn Japanese? Hai, so desu.

When you start to learn Japanese, the first thing you need to tackle is hiragana, the basic writing system that lets you express sounds in writing. Back in my college days there were more people wanting to take Japanese 101 than could fit in the room, so my teacher declared that everyone who wanted in had to learn hiragana within a week, which got the class size down to a more manageable level in a hurry. Then it's time to roll up your sleeves and start learning vocabulary and getting used to sentences that are ordered differently from English, with the subject at the front of the sentence (when it's not omitted just for fun) followed by the object then the verb. One of the interesting things students discover is that the word "so" is exactly the same in Japanese as in English, e.g. so desu ka? Is that so? hai, so desu Yes, that's so. This took some time for me to wrap my brain around.

J-List has some good suggestions for learning Japanese.

Turning Japanese

The other day I met an American friend for drinks. Because his wife is from China, their kids grow up learning three languages, Chinese, English and Japanese, which always fascinates me. "But didn't I tell you? My wife is Japanese now. She took citizenship." Taking the citizenship of another country is a very special thing -- it means that you've accepted the language, culture and values of your adopted nation and are willing to be counted as one of their number, a decision my friend's wife had made. Although it's one of the most homogeneous places on Earth, foreigners can take Japanese nationality if they meet certain reasonable requirements, including having lived in Japan continuously for five years and having at least basic ability in the language. It's even easier too, now, thanks to a policy change that doesn't require foreigners to take a Japanese name and kanji (although some foreigners like to see their name in kanji). Athletes often take Japanese citizenship for one reason or another, such as the Hawaiian or Mongolian sumo wrestlers who want to run their own sumo stable one day, and gaijin tarento (foreign TV stars) like Bobby Ologun from Nigeria often become Japanese citizens. I'm often asked by J-List customers if I've gotten my Japanese citizenship yet, and I tell them no, I'm quite happy with the permanent residence status I've got now. Mrs. J-List says I would make a kakko warui (lame) Japanese and should stay an American.

It's nice to know there are few barriers to becoming a Japanese citizen, in case it ever becomes an issue.

Quentin Taratino Joins the Softbank Family

One of the more interesting aspects of living in Japan is seeing famous faces from back home starring in local TV commercials. Like Tommy Lee Jones playing an alien observing human behavior while he drinks Boss Coffee, or Charlize Theron frolicking in the bath, or Harrison Ford downing a cold Kirin Ichiban Shibori beer then wiping the foam from his mouth. The '24' commercials in which Jack Bauer chases terrorists through Tokyo then takes a quick Calorie Mate break are classic, and they even brought Audrey Hepburn back from the dead to plug Afternoon Milk Tea. There's a word in Japanese -- miihaa -- which describes a person who can't resist the latest trends and who goes ga-ga over seeing a famous person. Some companies develop reputations as miihaa too, when they use famous foreigners in their TV commercials a lot. The "King of Miihaa" in Japan has got to be Softbank, which has paid millions to stars such as Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz -- she got $3 million for six hours of work, for example -- to plug its cell phones. Now Quentin Tarantino has joined the ranks of famous gaijin in Japanese TV commercials, showing off his kung-fu prowess beside the cute white dog Otosan ("Dad").

"Uncle Quentin" is the newest addition to the Softbank family.

Green Tea Kit Kat, Fukubukuro and More

I try my best to post good Christmas gift suggestions in this space, but it can be a challenge since we have so many items, all of which would potentially be a good gift for someone, depending on what they're interested in. In celebration of International Day of the Ninja (Dec. 5), we've got lots of awesome ninja-related items that would be fun to share with others. If you love Japanese snacks like we do, you'll be tickled at the Limited Matcha and Wasabi Kit Kat in gift-able large boxes, which probably won't last long. Our "Lucky Bag" random grab bags are flying off our virtual shelves, and we've added San Diego-based grab bags with anime toy and ecchi items for you. If you're picking up any San Diego-based items, you can buy a spiffy J-List printed bag (as seen at the conventions this year), great either for putting gifts in or just for using, since it's a really awesome bag. Finally, we are loaded with cute and affordable traditional Japanese items you couldn't find outside a classy gift shop in Kyoto, like the Eco Washi Daruma and Lucky Cat figures we posted, which contain your fortune...and a seed to plant a tree!

Cool Products Friday, December 4, 2009

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.

	Comic Yuri Hime vol. 18 A wonderful issue of Comic Yuri Hime, the #1 manga for fans of yuri or romantic themes between lesbian females, which feature elegant art and awesome characters. 500+ pages in the new issue, which is also available as a revolving subscription.
	A Certain Magical Index 1 Manga Vol. 1~5 The official manga serialization of the popular anime Toaru Majutsu no Index, or if you prefer the title in Latin, Index Librorum Prohibitorum, which is pretty coo). Features furigana for easy kanji reading.
	'Lucky Bag' (Fuku-bukuro) in San Diego Our annual fukubukuro, aka "Lucky Bag" grab bags are selling like the proverbial hotcakes, and today we're posting San Diego-based anime and ecchi products!
	Official J-List Bag -- from San Diego If you attended any anime conventions this year, you probably saw our spiffy J-List bags, which are beautifully printed and designed to last for years. Now we're making these available to customers who purchase San Diego-based items. They'd make great bags for giving gifts, too!
	Egg Nov. 2009 Then get ready for another issue of Egg, the wonderful magazine that captures Tokyo street fashion life perfectly, with stylish girls on every page. See it on our Japanese Fashion Magazines page.
	Cool Eyelash Products from Japan Then, some products to help you look like those fashionable Tokyo girls: "Betty Boop" style eyelashes and great "eyelash care liquid" for making your appearance as beautiful as possible.
	High School Uniform Complete Set This is cool: a complete high school uniform set that comes in all sizes -- all the way up to 5L, if you like -- and which are very affordably priced. They come with everything you need to transform into a real Japanese high school girl!
	Authentic 'Socks Glue' From Japan J-List carries some awesome fashion items, including "Loose Socks" and those delightful "Zettai Ryoiki" over-knee socks. See fresh stock of authentic "socks glue" used to keep your socks from falling down your leg.
	Naruto Anbu Mask Also, we've gotten in fresh stock of a favorite item, the hand-made Anbu mask for Naruto fans that's extremely well made. It'd look great under a Christmas Tree near you.
	More Awesome Figures, Lucky Cat Toys in San Diego This year we've got stock of great toys and other products in San Diego, including some rare items that have been out of stock in Japan for months or more. Click to view the new toy.
	Koopa, Yoshi, Goomba, Link Plush Toys We've gotten the awesome new line of Nintendo plush toys in stock, including Koopa, Yoshi, Goomba and Link. Awesome to collect or hug.
	Street Fighter II Real Voice Action Straps Make your favorite geek squeal with delight with these Street Fighter II phone straps, which you can attach to your keys, camera, Nintendo DS/PSP, or even your iPhone if you like.
	Shirow Masamune Artbooks Shirow Masamune's popular artbook Pieces vol. 1 has come in stock again, and we highly recommend it for fans of his art. Don't forget to get his calendar if you want one -- our stock is selling out fast.
	Hello Kitty Soft Plush (Several Sizes) Nothing says Christmas like an awesome Hello Kitty plush toy, and we've gotten three different sizes of the brand series in stock, including a giant one that's great for hugging.
	Restocked Hello Kitty Christmas Items Next, see some other cool Christmas items, such as a limited Christmas Tree by BMW Japan that's really cool, plus fresh stock of Hello Kitty chocolate and snack items for placing under your tree.
	New Snacks from Japan Today's new snack offerings include Meiji Fran Whipps, semi-sweet chocolate with hazelnuts over whipped creamy goodness on a chocolate stick. Then enjoy "fizzing" Seishun Shigekix "hard gummy" candies and ramen noodles you can crunch as-is from Baby Star.
	Limited DX Japan Kit Kat in Gift Box Next, a special item that's outstanding for giving as gifts: limited edition Japan Kit Kat in a flat gift box, with individually wrapped Kit Kats inside. Enjoy Kyoto Green Tea and Shizuoka Wasabi (yes, I said wasabi) now.
	MOMO no HANA Stackable Bento Box As part of our Awesome Bento Initiative, we're bringing out more and more amazing Japanese bento boxes. This is a fabulous 3-tier jubako (stacking box) style bento.
	Jeune Fille 2 Tier Bento Box, Accessories Another gorgeous bento box that features an excellent design, and which has matching chopsticks w/ case and a bento box if you want to go for the whole set.
	MODE (L)INE Men's Simple Lacquered The elegant black and white MODE (L)INE bento boxes have been a popular item this year, no doubt being purchased as presents for that special man. Remember that bento is economical, features built-in calorie and portion control, and is also a lot of fun!
	Dream Land Egg Shaper Also: for people who really want to make a special bento creation, see fresh stock of this device that lets you make star, diamond and other interesting shapes in your slices eggs. How does it work? Click to see instructions. Restocked today (although we only have three).
	Cute Bento Boxes & Accessories Also see the too-cute-for-words Pikachu 2-tier Bento Box that's great for Pokemon fans, and the Cinnamoroll Onigiri Shaper and 3D Boiled Egg Shaper, for making kawaii bento creations.
	More Totoro Bento J-List customers keep buying all our Totoro bento boxes, so we keep getting more. Today we're restocking the Totoro in Flower Garden and Totoro Acorn bento boxes. Also see our Totoro Alarm Clock.
	Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea DVD This is the Christmas of Ponyo, and we've just gotten the popular DVD back in stock. Features full optional subtitles and has two discs, for lots of extras. Also restocked: the official Studio Ghibli Totoro DVD release.
	The Beautiful Etiquette of Japan ~ Bilingual Book Here's a really useful book for anyone wanting to come to Japan: a bilingual book that provides everything you need to know about etiquette and manners in Japan.
	Hiragana Coloring Book, Kanji Practice Notebook J-List always has fun study supplies for anyone wanting to learn Japanese, and today we've got two new items: a coloring book to teach you hiragana and a cool kanji practice notebook.
	Restocked Manga from Japan All the world loves Azumanga Daioh, and we've restocked the new "renewal versions" of the manga. They go great with the Yotsubato calendars we have, too.
	WAGASHI / Japanese Sweets Real Figure Strap Another fun phone strap from Japan, this is a delicious wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) that looks like a cute usagi (rabbit).
	ECO Washi Lucky Cat & Daruma Another cool item you probably never expected to see in your life: beautiful Daruma and Lucky Cat figurines which hold your fortune inside, as well as a seed you can plant to make a tree -- wow!
	Ninja Samurai Swords, Other Traditional Toys Since Dec. 5 is Ninja Day, J-List is restocking our fun toy ninja swords -- click to browse them all. Also see fun toys that have been played with for centuries, like the TAKE-TOMBO bamboo helicopter and Min-Min Bamboo Cicada Swing Whistle.
	R-TYPE Series RWF-9A Arrow Head *Preorder* As an old school gamer, I have fond memories of throwing quarters into the R-Type machine. Now you can buy toys of this iconic game series -- what a cool idea!
	Tsumugi Kotobuki 1/10 Figure ~ K-on! *Preorder* Tsumugi is the super cute member of the K-On! who is the daughter of a rich family. She's famous for her eyebrows, which are second only to Kenshiro's. Enjoy her new kawaii prepainted figure.
	Tamaki Mukousaka 1/7 Figure *Preorder* Then, a figure that's so awesome I can hardly describe it, this is the new Tamaki maid-school-mizugi version from ToHeart 2. Rendered in big 1/7 scale for maximum viewing pleasure.