Suicide Prevention Lights in Japan

By akgoemans on 11/16/09 4:17am
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Blue LightsBlue Lights

Photo Source: Let's Japan

Have you heard this one? Japanese train lines are hooking up blue lights in order to cut down on suicides. Apparently, taking your own life by jumping in front of the train is a bit of a problem in Japan and a few of these lines have been experiencing it quite a bit. That is a disconcerting bit of news. Well, these lights are meant to deter these folks.

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Rooftop Gardens in Japan

By akgoemans on 11/9/09 10:25am
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Example of rooftop gardens in JapanExample of rooftop gardens in Japan

Photo Source: Ian Mutto via Flickr

It's weird, a bunch of us were actually talking about how living space is pretty tiny in Japan and look what pops up in the news alert? Another interesting tidbit about how Japanese folks are making the most of their environment. For today's topic, I'm diving into the exciting world of rooftop gardens in Japan!



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Japanese Swine Flu Robot

By akgoemans on 11/2/09 9:05am
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Will wonders never cease? Japanese scientist have put together a robot that serves as a treatment training/testing device. The disease in question is the H1N1 virus where the human-like robot will go through all the symptoms of the dreaded virus. The objective is for doctors and medical folk to try and 'cure' the robot in time or at least come up with a workable treatment and not let the little guy die. Scientists showcased this robot on October 22 at Security and Safety Trade Expo in Tokyo.

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The Japanese Skirt Boys

By akgoemans on 10/26/09 8:57am
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Skirt BoySkirt Boy

Photo Source: Bionic Bong

Guys in skirts …. and I don't mean in a Scottish, 'I've got a hefty beard to back this up' sort of skirt. Oh no, it is really, truly young guys donning flowery skirts. Is this a hint of an upcoming trend that will captivate youth all over the world? Or will it stay localized to Japan?

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8 Unusual Japanese Snacks

By akgoemans on 10/19/09 6:08am
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Bid Daddy BentoBid Daddy Bento

Like every other country, Japan has its share of strange and quirky food. Although I got to say that, unlike most countries, Japan has more frequent instances of creating exceptionally weird snacks. Check out 8 such snack types below.



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HRP-4C, She Sings!

By akgoemans on 10/12/09 8:07am
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She's walked down the aisle and we've heard nothing from her since. Until now that is. I'm talking about the funky robot model, HRP-4C, who has been making headlines for the past few months. First we saw her strut her assets (well, in her own robotic way) at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology early this year. This was followed by the famous catwalk moment in a bridal dress. Now, she's back; this time, she's grabbing centerstage and belting out a few tunes.


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6 Must-have Historical Manga

By akgoemans on 10/5/09 7:49am
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Meet me on the rooftopMeet me on the rooftop

I've decided to write up a manga list as this week's article. I don't know about everyone else but I like to keep a handy list of shojo/shonen, fantasy/supernatural – or whatever genre floats your boat – type of manga. Why? Well, in case I showed up at the comic book shop and they happened to be out of the manga I wanted – you know who you are, local comic bookshop with a poorly stocked Nana comics – then, at least I could try out something new. So, for purposes of this article I checked out for historical manga. This simply refers to manga that are set in the distant past and/or contain number of well-known historical figures/events. Do note, most of the following also fall into the shojo genre and thus, will have generous doses of drama and romance. You have been warned!



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Dragon in Osaka's Waters

By akgoemans on 10/5/09 5:25am
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I see a dragonI see a dragon

If you happen to be in Osaka in October, you are likely to catch a glimpse of a fire-breathing dragon in the local canals. The dragon in question is called Lucky Dragon and is a 7 meter metallic creation perched on a 15 meter long cruise boat. It is part of an Aqua Metropolis celebration being held in Osaka and this beady-eyed creature will be roaming the waterways up until the 12 of October.



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Top Anime Songs [Part II]

By akgoemans on 9/28/09 7:44am
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Buck-TickBuck-Tick

This is part II of my top anime song list.  Part I covered theme songs from Nana, Death Note, Vampire Knight and Black Blood Brothers. Want to learn more? I've added more to this list; it includes theme songs from Bleach, Ouran Host club, Kuroshitsuji and Trinity Blood.



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Top Anime Songs [Part I]

By akgoemans on 9/28/09 7:18am
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Anna TsuchiyaAnna Tsuchiya
How do you expand your music taste? Do you get hooked to band after hearing it at a friend's place? Or do you make it a point to look for new bands? Reason I ask is simple: I recently found out that I expand my music collection based on my favorite anime series. Hence, I discover a new band through the official soundtracks of an anime series and next thing you know, I am looking it up on Amazon and ordering various albums of that artist or band. I wonder if this actually narrows my genre as opposed to expanding my tastes? As it is, I noticed that a number of my newly discovered bands/artists almost always fall into the power metal genre. Or at least lurk on the fringes of rock. Well, here goes the list – the folks who sang my top favorite anime opening/closing songs. [Note: this is part I, for part II click here]



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