The Great Touhoku Earthquake: One Year Later

This Sunday marks the first anniversary of the terrible 9.0 earthquake and tsunamis which caused so much pain and loss of life in the Touhoku region of Japan. The quake was the strongest ever recorded here, moving the country 2.4 meters towards North America and slowing the Earth's rotation slightly. Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world, and if it had only faced the quake, it would have come through with flying colors thanks to its excellent building codes. It was the unprecedented waves that did the real damage, an unstoppable wall of water that reached as high as 40 meters (133 feet) and stretched 10 km inland in places. Now the names of towns like Kuji, Ofunato and Namie live in infamy as regions which were greatly damaged by the disaster -- in the single hardest-hit area, half the town of Minami-sanriku's 18,000 inhabitants were carried away by the waters.

While March 11 marked a terrible tragedy, there were bright spots, too. Television images of people calling out for loved ones, fearing the worst yet being reunited with their family members in the end. A baby, found alive and unhurt in the midst of so much destruction. One happy tale was the "Miracle of Kamaishi," a town in windswept Iwate Prefecture that had strictly adhered to a regiment of disaster preparedness drills in its schools when most other towns were lulled into a sense of security by their offshore breakwaters. As a result, 98.8% of the town's 2900 children were able to evacuate safely. The aftermath of the destruction was touching, too, as the entire world moved to help Japan get back on her feet, from the U.S. military's "Operation Tomodachi" relief mission to the huge amount of help from the Red Cross and people like you. The popular Japanese picture sharing site Pixiv was filled with images of support by artists from Japan and all around the world. Although the new Japanese tourism slogan of "Japan. Thank you." is somewhat cryptic and odd-sounding, the country is very thankful for the help she received.

(Speaking of thanks, March 9 is called "thank you day" in Japan since san-kyu sounds like "thank you" when pronounced in Japanese. Hatsune Miku's name kanji can also be read as san-kyu, so today is known as Miku's Day by Vocaloid fans, too.)

I Lost My Japanese Wife To South Korea

This weekend is a special one for me. Mrs. J-List has gone with a friend to South Korea, so I have the house to myself, which means I can sit around in my underwear playing video games and drink an extra six-pack of beer if I'm so inclined. (Married men know the joy I'm talking about.) Like many women in Japan today, my wife has been caught up in the Hanryu ("Korean style") boom, watching Korean dramas for several hours a day, following K-POP bands and cooking lots of exotic Korean foods for me. It's especially amusing to hear her talk about why Korean dramas are better than Japanese dramas -- the more dramatic stories and engaging characters that draw you in -- which always sound like me talking about why I was attracted to Japanese animation in the 70s and 80s. She also likes Korean actors, who are more hardened and manly than Japanese "talents" dominated by effeminate Johnny's-kei stars. One big difference between Japan and South Korea is that over there, every man is required to serve two years in the military, which probably toughens them up compared to the "herbivore" guys in Japan. If you're interested in K-POP music [iTunes link], consider the iTunes Japan prepaid cards we offer, which are the most popular item Koreans buy from J-List.

There's a lot to like about female K-POP bands, IMHO.

J-List EMS & Manga/Artbook Sale Update

J-List is having a sale on all manga and artbooks this month, giving 2x J-List points for these products. We've been posting lots of new and restocked books to tempt you, and today we've got some great new offerings, including new Maken-ki, Ika Musume, Guilty Crown, Railgun plus restocked manga, as well as some ecchi books too. In addition to the sale on manga and artbooks, we're continuing our popular EMS shipping sale for all products. Get $10 back for ordering $100, or $25 for ordering $200, when you ship via EMS from Japan. What can J-List do for you this weekend?

Cool Products Friday, March 9, 2012

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 G's Festival vol. 25 April 2012 ~ Photo Kano Memorial Box It's time for an new issue of Dengeki G's Festival, the magazine that brings you the best omake free stuff ever! This issue is dedicated to Photo Kano, the new dating sim from the Amagami creators in which you take photographs of girls to progress romantically with them, and that means you get a life-sized dakimakura hug pillow of Niimi Haruka, plus a combination clock and moe picture stand. Awesome! View products »
	Persona Magazine vol. 5 Persona fans will want to check out the latest issue of Persona Magazine, loaded with great art and insider info from one of the hottest series around.
	S Cawaii April 2012 Another amazing issue of S Cawaii magazine, where only the hottest Japanese fashion resides -- this month with a Hello Kitty mirror case.
	Fun Fashions from Japan Restocked And we've also got a great selection of top quality fashion items and accessories, like the very popular panda hoodie.
	Knee-High Striped Stocking Socks Then check out cool restocked stocking/socks that will make the perfect addition to any stylish girl's dresser. Gothic lace, striped socks and more.
	Restocked Striped Panties Because, Why Not? We sure to love the striped panty crazy, because they look so, so... moe-tastic! Available in "Mio blue," "Miku green" and other colors.
	Cosplay for 'Trap' Fans Too Then see a big restocking of other cosplay items, including shimapan sizes for larger fans, plus the popular "Hideyoshi type" school uniform.
	Fireball, Subaru Konoe Figures Cool and cute new figures in stock. Check out the Fireball set of miniature Disney robots and a mouthwatering cast-off of Subaru from Mayo Chiki.
	Moekana ~ Learn Hiragana with Mirai-chan Learn Japanese the moe way with this new study tool starring Danny Choo's popular mascot character Mirai-chan. Preorder now.
	Marriage Royale Dakimakura Long Pillows Sleeping at night alone can feel cold and lonely. Find yourself a warm companion, designed by female artist Aoi Nishimata, that is just the right size. A great gift for a lonely friend, or those needing some extra support at night. A great new trio of über-kawaii girls in soft pillow form to make you warm and cozy at night. Get the full set of all three pillows and get a discount automatically. View products »
	GALGUN Advanced Pantsu Game for PS3 Featuring four hundred and twenty-three different pairs of panties to find, and compatible with the Playstation Move, this is the ultimate in otaku gaming.
	ONE PIECE ~ KAIZOKU MUSOU Take control of Luffy and lay the smackdown on your enemies in this One Piece beat-em-up for PS3. Do you have what it takes to become the Pirate King?
	Pink Cotton Swab ~ 200pcs Soft and pink cotton cleans ears like mimikaki but much cuter, right? (Dude, that's a haiku.)
	Charcoal, Green Tea Toothpaste & More Get your teeth sparkling clean with the power of natural charcoal (it works!), plus other restocked health items from Japan.
	Taiyaki in the House ~ Taiyaki Pan For all our Japanese snack lovers out there, we have this fun item that will let you make your very own taiyaki! This is *full sized* Taiyaki by the way.
	NanoBlock Building Sets NanoBlocks are tiny building blocks that come together to build all sorts of things. Try these fun models of the Tokyo Tower, Sky Tree, and more.
	Totoro Clover Combi Set ~ Chopsticks & Spoon  Dine with Totoro in with this portable chopstick and spoon set -- the perfect item for Ghibli bento fans.
	Hello KITTY Silicon Chopsticks Rest We like Hello Kitty a lot, and these chopstick rests are great enough to have at your next dinner party or lunch.
	Rilakkuma Boiled Egg Shaper ~ 2 Face Set Using innovative techniques, you can transform a boring boiled egg into a Rilakkuma bear shaped treat. Your friends will be amazed.
	UCC Coffee Figures Sets We've gotten in the last restocking of those awesome Evangelion UCC and Haruhi Wonda coffee figure sets. Several are selling out soon.
	Awesome New Japanese Cheetos, Milk Candy, Collagen Candy Looking for some high quality, rare treats that you just can't find anywhere else? Check out these amazing authentic Doritos and Cheetos, made from high quality ingredients to give you a taste you can only find in Japan. Also new treats like Strawberry Milk candy and healthy diet tea are available too. View products »
	New Anime Snacks in Gift Boxes We love our anime snacks, because food just tastes better when it is in the form of your favorite anime character. AnoHana and Monster Hunter!
	Fun Snacks Restocked Today we have Morinaga Hi-chew in new flavors, Kokochi Gum in Sakura and Green Tea flavor, Sakuma Drops candy, amazing Glico Pretz, plus Kracie Gummy Fishing!
	Fun Kiki's Delivery Service Bento Restocked We love everything Ghibli, and the Jiji the Cat bento boxes we restocked today are very nice. Very stylish yet with a great functional design too.
	Our Most Popular Vegetable Cutters For Bento Check out our large selection of super popular bento accessories, like cutters, shapers, molds and containers, all very fun to use.
	Katameru Temple ~ Magic Eco Powder This is amazing: a magic powder you can use to get rid of oil after frying tempura. Just sprinkle the powder into the oil to harden it.
	Restocked Japanese Study Items From gourmet goodies, to super study tools for killer kanji, we've got just about everything you need, for any level of Japanese speaker.
	Matatabi (Asian Catnip) Restocked Today Matatabi is a type of catnip that is popular in Asia, and cats love it, going crazy when they smell it. Click to see the Youtube video.
	Japanese Kokeshi Dolls, Kiseru Pipe, More Traditional items gathered from all over Japan, you'll find almost anything you could ever want, like mimikaki, dolls, traditional pipes, art and more.
	Knee Socks 1/8 Figure *Preorder* An amazing, and sexy, rendition of the Knee Socks, from the hit anime Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, in perfect 1/8 scale.
	Set of 10 Kawaii Nichijou Figures *Preorder* Ten of the cutest Nichijou figures ever are yours in this fantastic set. You get two kawaii versions of each girl. Plus, make your own decorations!
	Fate.T.Harlaown, Sonico Figures *Preorder* Sexy new figures up for preorder. Try a bikini-clad Fate from Nanoha StrikerS, or big-breasted idol Sonico in a cast-off nurse uniform. Hot!
	Atelier Rorona, Estelle Bright Figures *Preorder* You'll also want to take a look at these cute figures of Rorona from Gust's Atelier series and Trails in the Sky heroine Estelle Bright.
	Gorgeous Ero Photobooks from Japan Browse J-List's hand-picked selection of adult photobooks featuring only the most beautiful Japanese girls. There's a girl waiting just for you.
	Moeru! Succubus Encyclopedia ~ Inma Jiten Learn all about the world's sexiest demons with this moe moe encyclopedia. Which one would you let suck the life out of you? Great art and information.
	New Cast-Off Figures from Japan Another super-sexy figure from Chara-Ani for your viewing and fondling pleasure. This one features Maken-Ki's Haruko and her enormous breasts.
	Onaho Fairy ~ DX Toy from Japan This fun new stress relief toy from Japan takes the shape of a miniature body, so you can imagine a cute fairy tending to your manly needs.
	Stress Relief for Tired Otakus J-List has restocked our popular parody onahole toys, based on cute moe characters from your favorite shows, like Haganai, K-On!, and Ikki Tousen.
	Fap-tastic Onahole Toys from Japan We love Japan for being so innovative when it comes to the ero products they invent. This oppai onahole might be all you need for the rest of your days.
	Fun Oppai Toys Restocked The Oppai Onanie Hole is back, one of the most amazing inventions for self-pleasure we've seen, plus the welcoming mounds of Mami from Madoka.
	Restocked Import Eroge Too See Fate/stay night and Fate/hollow ataraxia, the gorgeous Real Kanojo, Starless by the creator of Bible Black plus Sengoku Rance and more.
	'Yuri' Eroge in English We love eroge in English, and we love yuri themes, so we were pretty happy to release this fantastic title. Two games in one!

Seichi Junrei: Making an Anime Pilgrimage

One of the more enjoyable aspects of watching anime in the 21st century is seichi junrei or "making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land," fanspeak for visiting locations from famous anime series. Pretty much every anime these days is set in a real place, and if like you can hunt down all the actual location spots for Steins;Gate in Akihabara, search for Menma in the town of Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture or even explore the windswept seaside town seen in the Air anime and eroge (though sometimes you can take anime location viewing too far). While anime locations are usually in some far-off corner of Japan, you never know when they'll turn up in surprising places, like when I learned that Nichijou just happened to be set in J-List's hometown of Isesaki (the Daiku Burger restaurant is a stone's throw from my office window), or the episode of I Have Few Friends in which the characters go to a pool that I've taken my kids to many times. Sometimes people in other parts of the world can get in on the fun, for example a J-List customer who was overjoyed to see the gorgeous anime Fractale was based in her hometown of Galway, Ireland, and fans in London can explore the K-On! movie locations. The other evening I started watching the innovative horror film Paranormal Activity and was surprised to see that it was shot in San Diego, not far from my home there.

It's fun to make "pilgrimages" to famous places.

Funny Place Names Around the World: Eromanga, Chinko, Boin

There are some pretty hilarious place names in the world, like Hell, Michigan, Hookersville, West Virginia or Lord Berkeley's Knob, Scotland. There are some that sound funny to the Japanese, too. The second largest city in Idaho is Nampa, which happens to be a common slang term that roughly means "girl hunting," what bored young people in Japanese cities usually do on weekends. The Boyne Valley in Australia causes snickering when rendered into katakana, since boin is the sound of soft, round things associated with females going, well, "boing." There's a mountain called Kintamani in Indonesia, amusing since kintama means "gold balls" and represents something very dear to most men; the Chinko River in Africa is also amusing, since chinko is a common word for the male member. The most common "catch-all" Japanese insult is baka, meaning "stupid," but in Osaka they prefer the term aho, and I'm sure the town of Ajo, Arizona gets at least a few additional tourists each year because of this name. But the strangest accidental place name would have to be Eromanga, a mining town that's the farthest point from the sea in Australia, with a name that sounds like manga comics that are naughty. I am totally going there someday.

Road trip to Eromanga! Who's with me??

We Love Matsuri (Japanese Festivals)

One of my favorite Japanese words is matsuri meaning festival, which in Japan is an excuse to wear traditional yukata, eat delicious foods and basically have a great time. Matsuri celebrations are generally a regional thing, with each area holding unique events according to local traditions. Some of the more famous festivals include the Nebuta Festival in Aomori, marked with extravagant floats, the 1100 year old Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, which started out as a purification ritual to appease the gods and protect the land from earthquakes and fires, and the infamous Kanamara Matsuri in Chiba, the Festival of the Steel Phallus, a fertility celebration of...something. There's also Tanabata, a festival based on a Chinese folk tale about two lovers named Hikoboshi and Orihime (the stars Vega and Altair) who are separated by the "River of Heaven" (the Milky Way) and can only be together one day a year. The joy foreigners feel when going to their first Japanese festival is accurately captured in the currently running anime AnoNatsu (Waiting in that Summer), when Ichika -- who is about as much a gaijin as you can get, being an alien and all -- falls in love with everything she sees there.

Fun fact: the kanji for matsuri (祭) means "funeral" in Chinese, and they wonder what the hell is wrong with Japanese people, dancing around and celebrating such a sad event.

Foreigners (and aliens) love Japanese festivals.

The Most "Wishlisted" Products on J-List

J-List has an excellent "wishlist system" that makes it easy for you to save any product for later viewing or purchasing. You can optionally make your wishlist public so others can see the products you add to it, great for letting others know what you'd like them to buy you or just point out cool stuff to others. You can browse all J-List products in order of how often they've been added to wishlists, which is a fun way to see the coolest products from Japan, from our delicious Taiyaki cooker to bento products, snacks and eroge.

Cool Products Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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.

	E2 Reserve subscription ~ Etsu Reserve your very own copy of E2, a new art magazine that brings you tons of cute moe anime girls drawn by Japan's top illustrators. You also get free pin-up posters with every issue! This quarter's issue features famed visual novel artist Kantoku, so fans of Kantoku's work should definitely check it out. Remember that J-List magazine subscriptions can be cancelled or changed at any time, so why not start a revolving subscription now? View products »
	Comic Alive April 2012 A new issue of Comic Alive is here, and it's a thick one! Enjoy over 800 pages of quality manga like Infinite Stratos, Mayo Chiki, and Haganai.
	Quarterly Pixiv vol. 08 (Hatsune Miku Special) Miku fans will be happy to know that this issue of Quarterly Pixiv is dedicated entirely to the Vocaloid craze sweeping the internet. Free Nendoroid!
	Usakoro Kyubey Powder Plushy Fans of the adorable Kyubey will love these plush Kyubey heads, perfect for hanging from you bag, keychain, or rearview mirror. Comes in three colors.
	Hatsune Miku, Madoka Figures Going Fast The beautiful Madoka figure by Goodsmile is now in stock, complete with an adorable Kyubey. Click to see this and other great Madoka Magica figures.
	Moeru! Goddess Encyclopedia The world's goddesses in cute moe form! Try this upgraded version of the popular Moe Moe Goddess Encyclopedia, with added content and all-new art.
	Anime Artbooks Restocked J-List is having a sale on all artbooks this month, so you can get a bunch of good visual illustration books. Akiba Festival Book, plus Steins;Gate and more.
	Fate/Zero Blu-ray Box I - Limited Edition Get pumped for season 2 of Fate/Zero by purchasing the first season collector's set on Blu-ray. Comes with an artbook and other great extras.
	Rewrite  From the writers of Little Busters, Cross Channel, and Higurashi no Naku Koro ni comes a breathtaking visual novel masterpiece. Don't miss it.
	IdolMaster, White Album, Other PS3 Titles We have tons of great PS3 titles for fans of kawaii girls, like Idolm@ster (incl. limited version), Umineko, White Album and more.
	Evachu ~ Pikachu x Evangelion Parody T-Shirt J-List presents an original T-shirt that will have your friends dying of laughter. Combining two of Japan's most famous icons, this hilarious parody T-shirt sports a fearsome Evangelion/Pikachu hybrid, complete with gaping jaws and cute lightning-bolt tail. Try this fun parody product today, in stock in San Diego and ready for your order! View products »
	mini April 2012 Mini is an amazing magazine featuring some of the hottest styles found in Japan, plus many other great magazines you'll only find in Japan.
	Kateigaho International Edition Spring / Summer 2012 vol. 29 Enjoy some of the best kinds of food, art and architecture Japan has to offer in this amazing new issue of Kateigaho, for those with high taste.
	Hello Kitty Omatsuri Straps are Kawaii! This box comes with a total of 10 different keychain/cell phone straps of traditional omatsuri (festival) items transformed into Hello Kitty.
	Bilingual Books, Japanese Study Books Some good Japanese study books restocked today, including the bilingual book Living Japanese Style and JLPT study books.
	Many Restocked Totoro & Ghibli Items Enjoy the Totoro Plush Tree House w/Totoro plush to live inside, Totoro Melody Music Box, that awesome Totoro light for your room and more.
	Lots of Surprises in the iTunes Japan store You can find some pretty cool stuff in the iTunes Japan store, like the Hetalia songs, the Ikki Tousen best album and a new single by Momoiro Clover.
	Origami Sushi, Cake Shop & More Enjoy some amazing origami ideas, like sushi! So many great things to be made using just paper and imagination.
	Our Favorite Paper Clay Crafts Craft your fun with this new edition of the Mousse-chan clay sweets shop, the most artful and inventive "paper clay" molds you will ever seen.
	Kyubey Shaped Snacks, Japanese Drink Snacks These custard-filled Kyubey snacks are an awesome novelty item for fans of Madoka Magica. Also: delicious candies based on Japanese drinks.
	New Snacks, Ramune Stocked in San Diego And don't forget we've got some rare Japanese snacks distributed from San Diego too, for our North American customers.
	Restocked Japanese Snacks Too Enjoy delicious Meiji Choco banana and Liquid Candy seen at festivals, plus Choco Zutsumi, Meltykiss Whip, Fujiya Country Ma'am cookies, Rice Crackers w/peanuts and more.
	Microwave Caramel Popcorn Maker Make your very own caramel popcorn with this fun cooking tool. Uses our Morinaga caramels, so you can even make Totoro Milk Caramel Popcorn.
	Kawaii Panda Bento Containers, Trio Set Wow. These super kawaii bento items featuring panda bears are made in Japan, and are safe for those young and old alike.
	Sanrio Bento Boxes Restocked We've got a bunch of cuteness today from Japan, like this Hello Kitty bento box. Fits perfectly in your purse.
	Pan Pocket ~ Sandwich Pouch Making Kit A fun and new way to enjoy delicious lunchtime sandwiches, with this wacky Japanese invention that makes easy to make sandwich pouches.
	Our Most Popular Microwave Rice Cooker Using just a microwave you can create almost anything, including delicious rice, a very popular J-List product. Rice scoops in stock, too!
	Random Products for your Kitchen Restocked The Mini "Temaki" Rolled Sushi Making Set, Boiled Egg Cutter, and Ramen Microwave Cooking Bowl, all restocked, plus other great kitchen items.
	Guilty Crown Phone Pouch *Preorder* Join Funeral Parlor in the fight against GHQ with this cool black-and-red pouch for your phone. Great for fans of Guilty Crown.
	Aoi Yamada Nendoroid ~ WORKING!! *Preorder* Add to your Nendoroid family with this cute figure of Aoi from Working!! You won't believe how adorable her expressions are. Moe waitresses rule!
	Tekkaman Blade Figma Action Figure *Preorder* Relive the awesome Tekkaman Blade series with an ultra-cool action figure from Figma. Comes with plenty of VOLTEKKAAAAAAAAAAA!
	Lingerie the Best ~ Sexy White Wedding Lingerie It's not every day that we get in a magazine as awesome as Lingerie the Best. In addition to great ero photos for innocent brides in lingerie, but a DVD and a pair of pantsu as well. Japan is truly awe-inspiring in everything ero that they do, and we love being in such an awesome country. View products »
	Restocked Photobooks Top-notch glossy hardcover photobook dedicated to the showing off the best gravure girls Japan has to offer, now restocked.
	Super Awesome Ero Artbooks We're having a sale on all artbooks this month, including the ero ero kind. Today we restocked the gorgeous Satoshi Urushihara "H" book and more.
	Cast-off Figure by Masamune Shirow *Preorder* We also have this sexy Nenenn Cranberry figure coming out soon, so preorders are open for all you Masamune Shirow fans.
	Ageha Vibrator Twin A highly recommended pleasure product with double action, designed by young women for women.
	Japanese Lotion, Other Personal Items Restocked Also, enjoy the awesome Pepee lotion plus slippery, sliding lotion based on your favorite JAV actresses, and more.
	Restocked Ikkitousen, Amagami Parody Toys Amazing parody stress toys featuring great moe characters that will give you hours of fun and enjoyment.
	Bokkin Boy Beast (Ring), More Restocked Give your manhood a shonen power-up with these "girth enhancement rings." Slip one on and listen to your partner's screams of ecstasy.
	Hitomi - My Stepsister We've got dozens of outstanding English-translated dating-sim games for you, like the popular Hitomi My Stepsister, such a fun naughty story.