Photo by lestaylorphoto.

Just came across this article published by the Yomiuri Shimbun on how Japan wants to put a greater effort into promoting tourism. Of course the devastating tsunami and resulting nuclear scare has certainly effected the tourism numbers, I had no idea how low they actually were.

Japan ranked 39th in the world as a destination for foreign visitors in 2011, trailing far behind China (third), Malaysia (ninth), Thailand (15th) and South Korea (25th). Although the earthquake and tsunami disaster must be factored into the equation, the figures are sobering.

While it’s too soon to tell how Japan will increase their tourism draw, there are already a few ideas (yay more internet!) already being purposed.

The tourism industry must improve its capability to disseminate information on expenses, facilities and services, and increase the number of places where Internet service is accessible free of charge, thereby improving the environment for foreign tourists to travel easily and comfortably.

You can read the full article here.

Photo by Jokin Sukuntza on Flickr

To be honest I had no idea that Mount Fuji wasn’t listed among the United Nations cultural sites already. But thanks to the BBC article Stacey just sent me, I’ve been set straight.

A formal decision is expected when Unesco’s World Heritage Committee meets in Cambodia in June.

This would make Mount Fuji the seventeenth world heritage site in Japan. So we’ll see what happens in June :)

Photo by e.g.gatsby on Flickr

Granted, there is a debate on what exactly being fluent in Japanese means. Personally my aim is to be conversationally comfortable rather than try and pack in 30,000 words. Truth be told, even if I know 30,000 English words, how many of those will I actually use every day or even in a year? So here’s what I think it means to be fluent in Japanese and how many words that’s going take.

My 2,000 Word Goal

I’ve decided to set a personal goal in learning 2,000 words as well as kanji to see how far that will get me in becoming conversationally fluent. I figure this will provide me with a fairly good grasp on the language and allow me to construct most of the sentences that I’m going to need. It won’t allow for a massive amount of variety in my sentence construction, but it will hopefully help me to carry on a regular conversation in everyday situations.

I figure 2000 kanji will allow me to read most Japanese websites or newspapers, or at least I will be able to figure out the gist of what’s going on.

Here’s a interesting video from a Japanese learner. Through his research he comes up with a similar figure of about 2,500 words for a basic fluency.

Granted I’m taking the really, really slow method of learning the language by doing small, short study sessions everyday. But I’m OK with my progress and I have to keep reminding myself that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Currently I’m sitting at about 750 words and 860 kanji and I hope I’ll be at 1000 words and 2000 kanji by the time I go to Japan next (whenever that will be?). I’ll be sure to let you know how it works out and what stage of “fluency” I think I’m at when I try in out in the real world :)

So what do you think? How many Japanese words do you think you should know before you would consider yourself fluent?

Photo by Davezilla on Flickr

Finding WiFi spots in any major city can sometimes be a royal pain. I’ve spent much time wandering through Osaka and Tokyo looking for a place to connect. Well the good news is that it has got a little easier to find Internet access in Tokyo, at least in the major tourist areas. I just came across this new initiative by NTTEast for offering some free WiFi hotspots to visitors to Tokyo.

It looks like you can pick up a wifi package at several locations throughout the Narita airport.

The code will allow you 14 days of free WiFi access at any of the hotspots sprinkled throughout several of the major tourist areas of Tokyo.

Here’s an example of the Shinjuku spots:

Sounds like a great starting point for offering travellers easier access to Internet services. For more details and maps of what WiFi hotspot areas are available, please check out the NTTEast website. And thanks to Shift East for the original story :)

Photo by Skiwalker on Flickr

This is one of the more unusual idioms that I’ve found and we don’t really have a comparable English one. The idiom is around cracking a star and the meaning is not what you think.

hoshi ga wareru – 星が割れる　（ほしがわれる）

Meaning: a star cracks

In the West a star is often thought of as a positive label. For example you’ll talk about a big movie star or that person is a real star. The use of the idiom “a star cracks” in Japanese is a little different. In this example it’s actually talking about a criminal.

Here’s an example sentence from the book 2001 Japanese and English Idioms:

Sengetsu no ginko goto no hishi ga waremashita.

先月の銀行強盗の星が割れました。

The police found out who the culprit was (cracked the star) in last month’s bank robbery.

In this usage it’s almost similar to the English idiom of the police “cracked the case”. However, I also see it used in the idiom hoshi o ageru which means to catch a star or to catch a criminal. So maybe the usage of “star” is not always positive in Japanese?

I’d like to hear more about these idioms if you have any further insights :)

I discovered a lovely artist that I thought I would write about. I can’t remember how I found her but her work is marvellous. She is an embroidery artist.


I don’t know a lot about her. Her webpage states that she was born in 1975. She studied at Tama Art University. She has been designing handmade bags since 2000. Since 2008 she has worked as a Embroidery Artist.

The one thing I do know, is that she is a very talented needleworker….is that a word?

The cloths she embroiders to make handbags from are adorable!!

Check out the beautiful lily of the valley work she did:

She then uses the pieces to create cute little handbags. Look at this one:

Higuchi’s work is incredibly intricate and so precise. But even more that her skills, I really love what subject matter she chooses to use them on: Lily of the valley, bees, nature themes…including some of my favourite subjects:

Mushrooms!

She also has such a great eye for the thread and cloth combinations:

Her blog can be found at http://yumikohiguchi.com/index.html.

If there are any other Japanese artists you think I would like, please let me know!

Photo by EugeniusD80 on Flickr

Himeji Castle has long been my dream location to visit. It has also proved to be on of my most elusive locations. Twice I’ve tried to visit and each time I have been unsuccessful. Once I arrived after the gates had closed and the other time the castle was completely entombed in a massive reconstruction project. It appears that the White Heron Castle has become my White Buffalo.

All About Himeji Castle

Let me borrow liberally from our post on the Top 5 Castles to visit in Japan:

Himeji Castle has long been the number one castle in Japan – in fact, many travel books recommend that if you can only visit one Japanese Castle, you should make it Himeji.

History

Built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Himeji Castle became a staging point for many of Hedeyoshi’s campaigns across Japan. The castle grounds were built with plenty of defensive elements, including a confusing maze of paths leading to the main keep. The idea was that attackers would get confused and lost while navigating the castle streets, all the while getting picked off from arrow and gun emplacements.

Reasons to visit Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is probably the most beautiful castle in Japan, and being that it’s the most visited castle in Japan, plenty of tourists think so too. Poised like a great white heron, the castle looks out over the city – making it very easy to find after coming off the train.

Another great reason to visit Himeji Castle is that the castle is not a reconstruction, meaning you’ll be seeing the castle much like it was originally constructed.

Since I spent too much time in Kobe, I was only able to see Himeji Castle in the dark after it had closed. It was still very breathtaking, but I definitely recommend seeing it in the day. If you’re fortunate enough to time your trip during sakura (cherry blossom) season, Himeji Castle makes for some outstanding photography opportunities.

Location

68 Honmachi, Himeji.

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Why I want to visit Himeji

Photo by tizianoj on Flickr

I love Osaka Castle. It has such an impressive castle and park area nestled in the heart of beautiful Osaka. It’s a great castle for photography that you can get right up next to without having to pay anything. But sadly Osaka Castle is a reproduction while Himeji is the real deal.

Himeji Castle has kept its original form for nearly 400 years and has miraculously never been damaged by warfare. There’s something to be said for putting your hands on that much history, and it’s the reason why Himeji edges out Osaka Castle as my favourite.

I also like how easy it is to get to Himeji. It’s only a short train ride away from Osaka, Kyoto or Kobe. So it doesn’t require a long out of the way trip to visit. The city of Himeji is also a quaint city that is easy to stroll through and begs to be explored.

Castle Construction

What makes Himeji Castle so elusive is that it has been undergoing a massive repair and renovation that is stretching over several years. This means that areas of the outside of the castle has been covered in scaffolding. While the inside of the castle in open for tours the outside portions will likely remain under cover till 2014. I don’t know about you but I didn’t travel to Japan to see beautiful examples of Japanese scaffolding :)

Photo by Japanguide.com

The Japanguide.com website posts ongoing updates to the construction project so you can see what areas are currently under construction and you decide whether you still want to visit.

Here’s a few videos to get you excited for when you can visit and see the castle in all it’s glory. Just hope you can wait like me till 2014 :)

Photo by Stuck in Customs on Flickr

If you are planning a trip to Japan, you are probably going on a visit that you only take once in a lifetime. While in Japan, you will want to take advantage of seeing all the top spots in the least time possible. There are not that many places in the world that have the kind of mystique that Japan does. Even though Japan has gained a lot of attention in the past few decades due to its booming economic success, there is still a lot about Japan that remains unknown. To really find out what Japan is all about, you will have to take the time out to visit the place. If you are planning on taking a trip to Japan, a great way to begin your journey is by visiting some of the top attractions Japan offers.

Mount Fuji

Photo by digicacy on Flickr

Mount Fuji is one of the most photographed locations in Japan. This famous attraction is one that will make the entire trip worthwhile. July and August is the official climbing season months for Mount Fuji. Because this is such a hot spot for tourists, you will never find yourself climbing alone. If you should decide to climb the mountain, it is best to head out early in the morning so that you can reach the top when the sun has completely risen. Because of the inclement weather, climbing is discouraged during the winter months of October through May.

The Imperial Palace

Photo by kevinpoh on Flickr

The Imperial Palace is a historical landmark located in Tokyo and is the home of the Emperor. It is quite impressive with a unique blend of land, ornamental gardens and buildings. The Imperial Palace is on the same land as the Edo Castle, which was originally built in the 1800s.

The Geisha Show

Photo by jonrawlinson on Flickr

The Geisha shows can be seen all over Japan. Some of the best shows are found in Tokyo and Kyoto. The Geisha girls train hard so that they can show off their many talents. The show consists of lots of dancing, art forms and musical instruments and guarantees a show you will not forget. Everyone who visits Japan must see a Geisha show.

Ueno Zoo Tokyo

Photo by Sumatra-Tiger on Flickr

If you like animals and visiting zoos, you will enjoy the Ueno Zoo. This is the most famous and oldest zoo in Japan and has been open since 1882. As of today, the zoo is home to over 400 species of animals. The zoo has the greatest amount of different species in all of Japan. Visitors can take the monorail ride located inside the park which connects the western and eastern parts of the zoo.

Japan has so much to offer visitors that it might be hard to narrow down your list of things to do while there. Take the time to experience and see all you can while you are there so that you are sure to make the best of your visit.

Author Bio

Author Jason Harter is an accounting professional who wanted to move his career forward. He traveled to Japan for a business opportunity and fell in love with his surroundings and the culture of the Japanese. He also enjoys blogging and is a contributing writer for http://www.bestaccountingschools.net

I just took a look at our current poll results on “Why do you want to visit Japan?” and I noticed that “anime” is starting to pull away. While Stacey and I don’t watch a ton of anime we find it helpful with our Japanese and some of the shows are pretty fun. Currently in our anime play list is Figure 17. Here’s a quick review.

Figure 17

The Anime Network gives a much more detailed description on Figure 17 but in a nutshell it’s the story of a young girl in Hokkaido that fights aliens along with her “twin sister” that also happens to be some sort of alien or something. Very detailed description, I know :)

I can never really get the girls figured out. I’m sure there is a way to tell who is who by their hair style or something, but I’ve given up on trying.

When the girls join up they transform into the battle armor Figure 17 which is in the format of a pale blond woman in spandex. So pretty much your typical anime battle armor.

We’ve only watched a few episodes so far but each one seems to conclude with the girls needing to destroy some alien worm-like creature that likes to go crazy in the Hokkaido country side. I’m thinking as the show progresses that someone is going to start wondering what the heck is happening up in Hokkaido.

When the girls are not fighting giant eyed wormy creatures they’re living their rather normal lives and working through common adolescent issues around family and friends. These parts move in a sometimes painfully slow process and makes me wonder if Figure 17 is more of a mashup with the alien parts thrown in to try and appeal to a young male audience. The slow pacing of the daily activities of the girls can actually be enjoyable from a cultural standpoint and the attention to detail the artists use to portray life in Hokkaido is informative as much as it is relaxing.

Overall Figure 17 is paced a bit slow for my taste but I still find the glimpse it gives into life in Hokkaido to be interesting enough to try a few more episodes.

Let us know what you think about the show in your comments :)

It’s been a while since we did a cute food post :) Here’s a video that the fun people over at Kawaii Kakkoii Sugoi (great name!) just sent us. If you’re an onigiri or Totoro fan you’ll be sure to like it.