supeeku

Man's Worst Nightmare

2011-05-07T00:55:00.000-07:00

(from http://www.engrish.com/)

and yes...English is taught in Japan from grade school....

Good Work is Hard to Find These Days

2011-04-26T22:20:00.001-07:00

Yes please.

(from Engrish.com)

Good Stuff

2011-04-23T00:47:00.000-07:00

Tantakatan. It's a Japanese shochu drink that has a shiso flavor to it. Everyone should try it if they can find it.

Japanese Binocular Soccer

2011-04-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

80's Japanese television; a comedic renaissance. Bring back the real estate bubble!

Forget Jishuku (自粛)! Just Get Drunk!..and look at some flowers while you're at it.

2011-04-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

The earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown trifecta has devastated northeastern Japan, but more damage could be done to Japan's future due to the Japanese being too damn respectful. The Japanese psychology tones down to bereavement mode after such disasterous events where many perish. It's called Jishuku. The word itself is difficult to define in English since it's a very Japanese thing. Basically, the Japanese do not want to be out galavanting and enjoying themselves when there is so much pain and suffering. It's out of respect. However, walking around in doom and gloom mode could kill off small businesses and hurt the Japanese economy.

A group of sake (not sa~ki~) brewers from Iwate created a series of Youtube videos to plea with the Japanese public to get on with and enjoy life. Japan is in sakura (cherry blossom) season when, usually, hordes of party seekers get together under the sakura trees to eat, drink and sing karaoke (regrettably). But the sour mood caused by jishuku has caused the Japanese to refrain from these gatherings. This is killing the sake business in this most difficult time.

Come on people, find the nearest cherry blossom tree, park your arse right under it and start drinking sake!!! Okay Okay, you can sing too if you have to.

BTW - the video features the brewer of Nambu Bijin, a particularly delicious sake. They sell this stuff in the States too, so pick some up and drink to Japans health!

Hooters Tokyo...mm hm...

2011-04-06T02:08:00.000-07:00

Tokyo now has a Hooters....as if the typical Japanese salaryman needed another distraction.

Where did they find all the girls from Caucasia? Hope they're all still there to cheer on the Japanese work force; there's rebuilding to do!

The Cows Came Home!

2011-04-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

Yomiuri Shimbun reported a story about some cows that came home....AFTER being swept away by the massive tsunami that devasted northeastern Japan.

(from Yomiuri Shimbun)

After hearing the evacuation calls, Yuto Atsumi, a dairy operator, rushed his apprentices to higher ground but returned in an attempt to save his 34 cows. Not having enough time to take them all to the evacuation zone, he removed their neck chains and released them in order to give them a fighting chance. He prayed for their survival as he witnessed the tsunami sweep them away.

Miraculously, some of the cows started showing up at the evacuation zone within a couple of days. Some were washed 5 kilometers away, where neighbors provided feed and water to the injured cows. 14 of the 34 cows survived the harrowing ordeal. The cows licked Mr. Atsumi's face as he hugged each of them.

I think I'll have the chicken, instead of beef, tonight.

Jackie Chan Donates.....His Net Worth!

2011-04-04T00:46:00.000-07:00

(from Sankei Shimbun)

Sankei Shimbun reported that the Hong Kong Kung Fu movie star, Jackie Chan, was donating his entire net worth (estimated at approx. $300 million) to relief efforts in Japan. Jackie also stated that he will not leave an inheritance to his son, Jaycee Chan (ouch).

Jackie's Japanese fans, throughout the 80's and 90's, were responsible for catapulting him into stardom. Stars all over the world talk about giving back without really doing anything significant (selfish publicity stunt)...but this is one hell of a give back.

Shuwa-chan

2011-04-01T21:42:00.000-07:00

The following is one of my favorites from the past. I love how Japanese marketers can talk Hollywood stars into doing stupid things.

Maybe the Governator thought no one outside of Japan would see this. Youtube rules.

If Can, Kan. No Can, No Kan.

2011-03-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

The leadership of Prime Minister Kan during this nuclear crisis has come into question. Aside from what many view as his inability to handle the situation, he seems to be missing in action; Instead, delegating the important work of speaking directly to the Japanese people.

from fencer-x.livejournal.com

It seems that many in the western world mistakely think that the government spokesman, Yukio Edano, is the prime minister. This guy has been on TV constantly, day and night, informing the public of the ongoing developments in the nuclear crisis in a cool and collected manner. He's been on TV so much, there have been calls by the Japanese public asking Edano to go get some sleep. A new lexicon, "Edano-ru",which means "doing the Edano", has emerged among the Japanese to describe staying up all night working or not getting any sleep. Someone, give this guy pint of Guinness and a pillow!

Phrase(s) of the Day - How much is this?

2011-03-29T22:38:00.000-07:00

English

How much is this?

Japanese

これ、いくらですか？: Pronounced "kore, ikura desuka?". Ikura means "how much", and sounds similar to ikutsu, which means "how many" or "how old".

TEPCO's Hiring!! Anyone? Anyone? C'Mo~n

2011-03-28T23:20:00.000-07:00

Below is a recent job posting on Japans Hellowork employment system......

(from Hellowork website)

For those that can't read Japanese, the following is a summarized English translation:

Job Category:
Worker (Fukushima 1 and 2 Nuclear Facilities)
Job Description:
Work involving inspections, machinery, electric, welding, scaffolding.
Compensation:
Daily 9,000 to 11,000 Yen (approx. $100 to $130)
a. Average monthly compensation is approximately 189,000 to 231,000 Yen
(approx. $2,300 to $2,800)
b. Other compensation

a + b = 189,000 Yen to 231,000 Yen

c. Misc. (Vacation, overtime, etc) 8,000 Yen (approx. $95)

Two grand!!! Maybe we should give the CEO of TEPCO a couple water buckets and send him over to Fukushima so he can go earn his pay. The radiation may help him grow some bullocks. What do you think?

Originally found this on http://blog.livedoor.jp/sronomoto/archives/51284010.html

Japanese Comedy King

2011-03-26T22:55:00.000-07:00

Ken Shimura was/is a famous comedian in Japan. Some of his funniest stuff originally aired in the 80's and 90's. This is classic...

Rats leaving ship

2011-03-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

From Kyodo News

Chinese man turns himself in seeking deportation over nuclear fears

NAGASAKI, March 27, Kyodo
Police on Saturday arrested a 48-year-old Chinese man, who turned himself in to Nagasaki prefectural police seeking deportation due to his fears about the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power station, for illegally staying in Japan, police officials said.
Lin Jian Ming is suspected of remaining in Japan beyond the allowed period of 90 days after arriving on June 8, 2000, the officials said.The man came to the Nagasaki prefectural police headquarters on Saturday afternoon, telling them that he lived in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, but had fled to Nagasaki to escape the nuclear power plant crisis and wanted to return to China, the officials said.
Lin has told police he arrived in Nagasaki a week ago.
An investigative source said the man may have thought that he would be safe from radioactive contamination from the plant in northeastern Japan if he came all the way to Nagasaki in southwestern Japan. Chiba Prefecture in eastern Japan is located about 200 kilometers south of the Fukushima plant.
The devastating earthquake and ensuing tsunami on March 11 crippled Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Buy your own damn ticket.

Phrase(s) of the Day - What time is it (now)?

2011-03-25T00:54:00.000-07:00

English

What time is it (now)?
Japanese

今,何時ですか？: Pronounced "ima nanji desuka?". Nanji means "what time?".

He Be Illin'

2011-03-24T01:28:00.000-07:00

Interesting article from Kyodo news regarding international relief in the aftermath of the worst earthquake/tsunami in Japan.
N. Korea extends $100,000 in assistance to quake-hit Japan

PYONGYANG, March 24, Kyodo
North Korea's Red Cross Society has sent $100,000, or about 8.1 million yen, in relief funds to the Japanese Red Cross Society for victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan, official media reported Thursday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il separately sent $500,000 to pro-Pyongyang Korean residents in Japan who suffered from the magnitude 9.0 quake and massive tsunami, Korean Central News Agency said.

uh....maybe a couple stranded Japanese salarymen can spend that whopping contribution at a hostess bar in Ginza..in one night. Maybe there are other people that can benefit more from uncle Kim's $100,000 donation....you know, people that are razor thin and dying from starvation...I wonder where we could find such people to help...hm....

Phrase(s) of the Day - How old are you?

2011-03-23T01:38:00.000-07:00

English

How old are you?

Japanese

おいくつですか？:(formal) Pronounced "oikutsu desuka". Make sure to pronounce each syllable, like "o e ku tsu de su ka" , but say it quickly.

or

何歳ですか？:(formal) Pronounced "nansai desuka".

Like with many other question phrases, these can be shortened to "ikutsu?" or "nansai?" if talking at a very informal level.

Phrase(s) of the Day - What's your name?

2011-03-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

English

What's your name?

Japanese

-お名前は何ですか？: (formal) pronounced "onamae wa nan desuka". "Namae" is the word for name and is NOT pronounced like "namai"; the "e" is pronounced like "eh". "Nan desuka" means "what is", and the letter "u" should NOT be silent... I hear many non-speakers pronounce it like "deska".

The phrase can be shortened to "onamae wa?" or "namae wa?"(very informal)

Potassium Iodide Anyone?

2011-03-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

I've heard stories that high demand for potassium iodide and radiation detectors are causing sellers to run out of stock. I was able to find these at trusty old Amazon.

iOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets, 130 mg (14 Tablets)

Digital Geiger Counter

I don't think we in the U.S will be affected, but who knows. Although, I wouldn't mind growing another...

Phrase(s) of the Day - Hi, Hello

2011-03-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

English

Hi, Hello

Japanese

konnichiwa
- こんにちは: (formal) pronounced "kon-nichi-wa", not kani~chiwa~.

Ossu
- 押忍、おっす (very informal) pronounced "o'su". This is a shortened version of ohayougozaimasu (good morning) that originated among maritial arts students who used this word to greet one another. This is a very informal hello, equivalent to a "yo!" or "what's up" in English. Good and short for lazy bastards like me.

Best Places to Get Japan Earthquake Information in English

2011-03-20T01:32:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd list some links to Japanese news sites that offer up-to-date information. The crap that CNN is shoveling was just getting on my nerves. Specifically, the so-called "expert" commentator Jim Walsh and his bad actin-tinactin interviews were getting annoying. I think he's trying to get nominated for the Academy Awards. I think these guys want a total nuclear holocaust so their ratings will go up, and Hollywood would come a knockin'. At least try to be helpful.

Here is the list:

- Kyodo News

- Yomiuri Shimbun

- Asahi Shimbun

- Mainichi Shimbun

Japan Tragedy

2011-03-18T23:37:00.000-07:00

As if things couldn't get any worse after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake...a hugh tsunami wiping out entire towns and villages followed by a potential nuclear disaster. God, please give us a break! Go pick on Canada for a change.

fonix werked fur me

2010-10-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

A book? Really?

This has nothing to do with Japan...except that his father spewed chunks at a state dinner in Japan some time ago...

Maybe this was father Bush's reaction to the first draft.

Copying, while sucking at it.

2010-09-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

It is widely known that China is the ripoff capital of the world. Everything from electronics, clothing, automobiles, music and even cartoon characters are "copied" and sold/used. Much of the ripoffs involve Japanese products or characters.

Some may argue that the Chinese are doing what the Japanese did in the 70's and 80's (e.g. the automobile, stereo, etc). I beg to differ. No one is criticizing China today because they are manufacturing automobiles or electronics. Rather, the blatant and obvious copying of brand names and designs is occuring, and more importantly, there's no effort to creating a superior product. The copiers are attempting to capitalize on deception, not by creating a product or service that is superior to that of their ripoff victims and thus, contributes very little to society. At least everyone will agree that the Japanese entering the automobile market several decades ago was a good thing for the market and the world; Cars ultimately became safer and more fuel efficient because of this. The Japanese didn't design crappy cars and call them Phord Mustango, they used they're own brand and built cars that were 10 times better than what was coming out of Detroit. Same thing with stereos and TVs.

If you're going to copy and misuse a successful companys brand or design, at least make stuff that's not so crappy. Believe me, when you buy a SQNY, it works like a SQNY.

No, a horse didn't step on my lower face

2010-09-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

(Photo of Pastor Terry Jones from www.voanews.com)

Instead of burning Qurans, maybe we should burn that circa 1970's-gay homage to Spinal Tap-horseshoe aftermark-ball carpet from his face.

This fruitcake is the reason why the world hates us (I'm speaking of my American half). That's what happens when you never leave your county. The VOAnews article states that he'll go to New York though..maybe he can hook up with some buddies in the Village.

Smoking Update

2010-09-11T12:44:00.000-07:00

Almost a month since quitting. Although I miss my tasty cigs, I can go on without them. Maybe when they come out with a lung cancer cure pill, I'll puff again.......if I can afford it. A pack costs about $8.00 over here, which probably helped. In Japan a pack still costs around $3.00...lucky bastards.

God! Please Save the Chickens From Those Murderers!!

2010-09-01T00:24:00.000-07:00

The following article from japantoday.com reminded me of the fiasco caused by "The Cove".

Dolphin-hunting town begins annual pursuit
Wednesday 01st September, 02:05 PM JST

TOKYO —
Japanese fishermen set out Wednesday on the first dolphin hunt of the season in Taiji, the Japanese village portrayed in the Oscar-winning documentary “The Cove.”

About two dozen fishermen who left early in the morning returned empty-handed a few hours later, according to an official at the Taiji fisheries cooperative, who asked that his name not be used because he doesn’t trust the foreign press.

(Click here for the full article)

I get sick when I hear about a bunch of fake sincerety-feigning papa-didn't-hug-me-enough-when-I-was-a-kid tree hugging activists start attacking another culture or tradition they know nothing about. The idiots that produced the above-mentioned film attack the tradition of dolphin hunting, which is a way of life for folks in Taiji village of Japan. If they wanted to make a "Save the _________(fill in the blank with an animal)" film, they should have started back home with Tyson Chicken...or maybe chickens aren't cute enough to save. Losers.

Glorified Mimes

2010-08-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

(from Yahoo Japan News)
Not necessarily Japan-related, except that a Japanese guy won this thing a while ago, but this story was on Yahoo Japan and it caught my eye. Apparently, some French guy won this years Air Guitar World Championships. Must have been the flaming tights.
Where do they find these people?....Maybe we should have an Air Weight Lifting Chapionship...or an Air FIFA World Cup. Maybe we can save some money by not having such lame contests and give it to the starving masses in Africa or Pakistan that are currently practicing air eating.

萌え～ (mo'e~) = Japanese for "shoot me, I'm a loser."

2010-08-23T21:31:00.000-07:00

Over the years, just as there have been wanna-be-American Japanese people, I've noticed that there are a growing number of westerners that wanna-be-Japanese, so to speak. The legitimate ones study Japanese and travel to Japan to emerse themselves in the culture/traditions...then there are others that like Japanese pop culture..or the girls, etc. One worrying trend is that of the anime/manga fanatics...I'm not talking about the anime/manga we enjoyed as kids...but the 萌え～("moe~") kind. These are fantasy world, girl meets beast, lolita monkey sex kind of comics. Eventually, the die hard fans travel to Tokyo to visit the maid cafes and splurge on these moe comic figurines. The problem is that these fans mistakenly think that this moe anime/manga stuff is widely popular in Japan...this is not true. There is a small population of forgotten males that live the moe~ (pronouned mo'e~) lifestyle. So if you're a moe manga fanatic and get the 1 in 1,000,000 chance to chat with a cute Japanese girl...don't tell them you collect moe~ anime figurines...they're going to think you're one of these....

(from www.the-two-malcontents.com)

Smoking Update

2010-08-23T01:33:00.000-07:00

Haven't had a cigarette for over a week now..I thought I'd update this stuff on my Quit Smoking Page, but I suck at web design and am not sure how to do it.

Anyway, the patch has helped. I think I'm going to cut the leftover patches in half to lessen the dosage....I'm too cheap to buy the next step.

Business caters to sexual needs of disabled › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

2010-08-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

Found an interesting article from japantoday...

Business caters to sexual needs of disabled
Sunday 15th August, 05:00 AM JST

“The disabled too have sexual desire. Well, of course they do, it goes without saying, and yet most care facilities ignore the fact.”

One that doesn’t is a Niigata-based organization called White Hands. “It’s very businesslike,” writes investigative journalist Kaori Kawai in Shukan Post (Aug 20-27). “A young woman slips on a pair of disposable gloves. She removes the man’s trousers and underwear and covers him with a bath towel. She dips a cloth in warm water and rubs him down. She slips a condom on him. The woman does not remove her clothes, engages in no superfluous sexual contact, uses no erotic DVDs or books. The entire procedure lasts 5 to 10 minutes on average.”

White Hands was established in 2008. As of June 30, it had 155 clients scattered all over the country. Some 80% of them are men suffering from cerebral palsy – either singles who due to paralysis cannot masturbate, or married and unable, for the same reason, to engage in sex without assistance.

Kawai introduces us to one regular client. Akio Sudo, 54, lives in Joetsu, Niigata Prefecture. The youngest of eight children, he never went to school; his father went bear-hunting with the disabled child strapped to his back. He was 20 when his father died. He went to live in an institution, vowing to get out of it someday and live independently. It took him 20 years to develop the skills and confidence, but he did it.

Being in a wheelchair hardly seemed to confine him. He made frequent train trips on his own from Joetsu to Tokyo for the sexual services there. This was before the age of barrier-free convenience. If his wheelchair got stuck or upended, observing how people reacted became part of the fun. With an attitude like that, you can go far.

But his disease progressed, his paralysis worsened. So he turned to the Internet and discovered White Hands. The charge: 3,500 yen for 15 minutes, 5,500 yen for 30 minutes, 9,500 yen for an hour – plus transportation.

“Sex, like eating, sleeping or excreting, is a basic bodily function,” says Shingo Sakatsume, White Hands’ 29-year-old director and founder. He works out of an office in his mother’s house. A graduate of Tokyo University’s literature faculty, he had little love for academics and less for the business world. As a student he had done his share of enjoying paid sexual services.

He always wondered, he tells Kawai, why both clients and service providers seemed to feel guilty about what they were doing. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life, but thought it might have something to do with “making the ero-entertainment industry more wholesome.” He seems to have taken a big step in that direction.

....and I actually thought Japan was not ADA compliant. Shame on me.

Police officer attacked with samurai sword near PM's office › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

2010-08-19T00:33:00.000-07:00

Police officer attacked with samurai sword near PM's office › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

Why didn't they give the policeman a gun.....no more Wii for him.

Goodbye, old friend.

2010-08-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

I've decided to quit smoking...which doesn't have much to do with Japan. See my new page to follow my progess...or relapse. Not that anyone would care. Honja.

Come Again?

2010-08-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Not only are there instances where the Japanese language is butchered, but same is true for English. I played an unwitting part as a child by sporting t-shirts that my Japanese mom bought from the local Japanese department store. Everything was normal with these shirts, except for the "English" written on them. Some had sentences like "Look up in Sky! underneath is your life together!"...........and to think, English language is taught from grade school in Japan.

(from mab's MemoBlog)

...apparently, the committee is not pleased with God.

Funniest Shows on the Planet

2010-08-11T00:12:00.000-07:00

I may be biased, but I think the Japanese have the best comedic programming on the planet. I grew up watching Japanese TV, and there was always something hilarious on.

I was fortunate enough to find a Youtube clip of a show I saw before. This is a show headed by the comedy duo Downtown (they all have catchy names), Downtown are comedy superstars in Japan, kinda like Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien if they ever teamed up. Anyway, one of their shows "Gaki no Tsukai..." does an annual special where the hapless chosen comedians have to spend 24hours in a location that's based on whatever the theme is for that show. For example, they shot shows at an abandoned hospital, school, Japanese inn, etc, etc. The catch is that they are not allowed to laugh. If they do, they get wacked, blowdarted or punished in some other hilarious way. The objective of the show is to get them to laugh as much as possible, creating a painful but funny TV show.

BTW - the guy trying to read the English text is a former comedian famous for being dense. He is not pretending, this is real stuff. Enjoy.

Japans Femi-Men

2010-08-05T00:51:00.000-07:00

The recent escalation of tensions between North Korea and the region, along with the U.S. military base issues in Okinawa has caused me to ponder the what-ifs. Even with the ever present danger of a North Korean attack, a majority of the Japanese population wants the U.S. military to be removed from their country, specifically Okinawa where there's a large presence. So what if the U.S. decides to oblige, and leave the Japanese to fend for themselves? Can the male population of Japan defend their beloved country from a North Korean onslaught? There's a better chance of me winning the Nigerian lottery.... those daily e-mails asking me to claim my winnings are for real, right?

The feminization and wussification of the Japanese male has been ongoing for a number of years now. The once feared and respected samurai warrior is no more. Guys in Japan focus more on their hairstyiling, eyebrow tweezing, fashion trend-following and keeping a wafe-ish girlish figure, then on anything the West would consider manly.

A famous trendy magazine called "An An" in Japan has been publishing rankings on various celebrity men over the years. Takuya Kimura of SMAP (it's a Japanese triple threat talent group, they sing, dance and suck) has placed in the top spot for a number of years now in the "ichiban dakaretai" or the "No.1 man I want to let have his way with me" ranking...I'm assuming they're asking women. God save us.

Sake, not Sa~ki~

2010-07-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

Being half Okinawan and having lived in Japan for many years, I am not a stranger to alcoholic beverages. Over the years, I have been priviledged enough to drink a multitude of beers, wines, spirits, awamori (Okinawan spirits) and Japanese sake. I have the gut to prove it.

I have to give a shout out to my buddy Kris for introducing me to a great sake, Nanbu Bijin. Translation is "Beauty from Nanbu"..many mistakenly translate it by saying "Beauty from the South" or "Southern Beauty". Although Nanbu means "southern area", in this particular instance, the word refers to a particular region in the northern area of Japan. Anyway, Kris is a sake master...literally, he holds the title of "Sake Specialist" and works for a major distributor in California. Kris is one of a very few "outsiders" who were allowed to train and brew at Nanbu Bijins brewery. He is a half breed like me.

The sake is slightly mild, has a touch of sweetness and is easy to drink even for the sake novice. I drank the stuff while munching on saki ika (dried cuttlefish)...typical oyaji behavior.

Also, learn about other sakes by checking out some clips from another buddy of mine, Doc. www.meetoworld.com/category/blog/

Ahhhh...the Bubbly 80's. In Japan, that is.

2010-07-28T21:37:00.000-07:00

The U.S. has gone through two major bubbles within a span of a decade. Pondering the most recent real estate bubble burst brings back memories of the not so distant past...

Times were good in Japan. A raging stock market, surging real estate prices and a burgeoning economy. Average Joes...or Jiros, became semi-instant millionaires (billionaire if your counting in Yen) just by owning a house or piece of land in Tokyo. At one point, it was said that the real estate value of the Imperial Grounds in Tokyo, which is similar in size to Central Park in NYC, surpassed that of the entire state of California. The Japanese went on a global buying binge, picking up priceless works of art, entire corporations, and Rockefeller Center, among other things. Amidst this orgy of spending, gorging and galavanting, what stands out in my memory during these years of my childhood is....Japanese idol-bad singing-poofy hair-mania. And it wasn't pretty.

You may say "hey, America went through the same phase..you know, the feathered hair, bright colored clothing, Wham...". True, but comparing the two during those very trying times in pop music is like comparing Pavarotti to that guy that sang "She Bangs" in American Idol. The criteria for a successful Japanese female idol were the following, in order of importance:

1) Cute Face..for the times.
2) Poofy hair. Preferably feathered.
3) Protruding Canines - teeth (sharper the better)
4) Robotic movement, with generous use of the hand and fingers to accentuate meaning
of the lyrics.
5) Singing skills good enough not to cause blood to flow from facial orphuses

Feast your eyes on this video. Take me back to the times.......

Kanji Tattoo Disasters

2010-07-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many of you have seen kanji or chinese character tattoos on various people. They look cool, right? Heck, a nice fat kanji character on my muscle-less right arm would tell the ladies how hip and cultured I was...unless it read "breast milk". There is a massive problem with these tattoos...at least the ones I've seen. The problem lies in the fact that the characters are chosen for how they look, or because they are a literal translation of one's favorite English words...like "LOVE", "PEACE" or "World Domination", etc etc.
The most problematic are the former. I've seen tattoos on unwitting tatooees that, in English, literally means "toilet seat"....I'm going to venture a guess that that is not what was intended. Then again, I could be wrong. Maybe some people have a penchant for toilet seats..I sure spend a lot of time on one, but not sure I want one on my arm.

There are also problems with characters that are just plain wrong. There aren't a lot of tattoo artists that are at a native Japanese writing level...one or two missed strokes could mean something totally different. For example, missing the top stroke for the character "Happiness" will change the word and meaning to "Painful"...although the latter would more accurately describe how you would feel after making such a dumb mistake.

So before you cut out some kanji character from your favorite manga (comic book) and run down to your friendly neighborhood tattoo shop, submit them to me. I will take a look at it and give you an accurate translation...and if you like, my opinion as to whether a native Japanese person would think you were crazy for considering to stain your flesh with such ridiculous writings, free of charge.

BTW - The tattoo in the photo is the saying "there is no better friend"..but it's upside down. Literal translation is dneirf retteb on si ereht.
Photo from www.rankmytattoos.com

honja mata.

Need to say something in Japanese?

2010-03-04T17:25:00.000-08:00

The purpose of this blog is to help non-native speakers that want to say something in Japanese but don't know how...and maybe from time to time, post things regarding Japan that I find interesting. Anyway, feel free to post questions.