＼(＾▽＾*) Angry Gaijin Understand Understanding. (*＾▽＾)／
Hello everyone! Wow, it really feels good to be back! I missed this ‘type a new post’ page.
How have you all been? Super genki, I trust!
I have but one update as of this moment, but keep your ears to the tracks for more coming on Angry Gaijin. I have lots of construction and re-vamping to take care of, but first…!
I would like to invite you all to my new Canadaism Blog. As I said, I am going to continue with Angry Gaijin (although it may take new form), but I am transferring all of my Canada-related content (that means my web comic and such!) to https://canadaism.wordpress.com/
There isn’t much up yet, but I would be so happy to see you all hitting the ‘follow’ button over there. I will be using Canadaism for Canadian content, and also to showcase my freelance graphic design business.
Also, to any bloggers blogging about or from within Canada, I am compiling a list of Canadian blogs. Let me know if you want your’s featured at https://canadaism.wordpress.com/canada-blog-list/
I look forward to seeing you all there! Canadaism = Everyone is Welcome!
DON’T DO THIS TO YOUR JAPANESE MONEY
Isn’t that the hypest thing??
Now that I have your attention! I’ve recently come into ownership of some old Japanese money. As a part of Japanese history, I thought I would scan these items at my local convenience store and share them with you here. But when I tried to, the scanner BEEPED, said that it was illegal to scan money and shut it self off!
Embarrassing.
Well I guess I should have known better than to try to scan legal tender. So now I’ve been careful to obscure the images of this currency so I don’t break any laws.
Below is a picture of an old 500 yen coin. Actually, I’m not sure if it’s old or just a ‘special edition’ coin. In Canada there are like a billion ‘special edition’ Quarters (our 25 cent piece) celebrating the turn of the millennium .. then the year after that when everyone realized that the millennium hadn’t actually started yet… then causes ranging from breast cancer to Remembrance Day (Canada’s version of Veteran’s Day).
Old Japanese 500 Yen Coin – I like the lotus motif
Next we have a 100 and 500 yen note! Looks like in Japan the 100 and 500 pieces were not always coins. In Canada too, we used to have 1 and 2 dollar bills. But during the 1990′s both were transformed into coins (named the Loonie and the Twoonie………..9_9 only in Canada…).
Old Japanese 100 Yen and 500 Yen Bills
Lastly we have an ooooold, presumably Japanese coin. I actually can’t even remember where I got this from. All I really know about coins like this is that the reason for the hole in the middle is so people could carry them on a string (maybe around their necks?). But pretty much everyone around here has heard that story because the current 5 yen coin, and 50 yen coin, also have a hole in the middle.
Old Japanese Coin
Interesting stuff, no? If anyone knows any more about these old coins and bills I’d like to hear about it! I’m not sure really where to find information on this stuff myself.
NOTE TO READERS: I want to thank everyone who liked and commented on my blog this month of April, 2012. This has been Angry Gaijin’s busiest month yet and I enjoyed every minute of it! The most views; the most likes; the most comments; the most growth! Thank you all! I couldn’t have done it without you!
For the next 2-weeks I’ll be on hiatus from blogging to re-orient myself and this blog. Stay tuned for more content late May! Hope to to ‘see’ you all again soon!
-Cameron Ohara
This post is my contribution to the “Eat, Drink, Cook” Japanese bloggers’ carnival. See below for a list of the other bloggers!
Well it’s that time of year again – the plum and cherry blossoms have bloomed and the days are finally starting to warm up. Time to get out the grill and head to the park for some delicious Japanese BBQ, or yakiniku.
Oh yes, Yakiniku – the edible favourite of both Japanese and Gaijin alike. A tradition passed down (using tongs!) from one hot, steaming generation to the next. A tradition that dates back to the samurai of Medieval Japan – nay, a tradition that spans over a millennium back to when the god and goddess Izanagi and Izanami gave birth to the Oyashima, the Japanese islands.
Am I wrong about this?? Well, the Japanese Wikipedia Page for Yakiniku itself (resource) says that the origins of Yakiniku are hard to pin down, as people began frying meat with the discovery of fire, and that in Japan the frying of meat has been depicted in folk art of yore.
But surely we can get a little more specific than that! Let’s see what we’ve got…
Yakiniku – A Korean Invention
In 2002 an NHK programme suggested that Yakiniku was possibly a Korean tradition that was adopted into and changed by Japanese culture after World War Two. Evidence for this points to the presence of Yakiniku in both countries, although differing in both: many Japanese visitors to Korea are surprised when they order Yakiniku and receive a sukiyaki-style meat. Conversely, the use of BBQ sauces (or tare) in Japan, and items like horumon which have become quite popular in Japan, are uncommon in Korean Yakiniku.
Other theories posit that Yakiniku was invented in Japan, but by a Korean. It has been said that a female Korean factory-worker living in Japan before WW2 was given some entrails, which at the time were often used for fertilizer. However, instead of using the entrails in a garden, she took them home, cooked them and ate them, thus beginning the tradition of Yakiniku.
Another theory cites The Treaty on Basic Relations Between Japan and the Republic of Korea (link), which was passed in 1960. This treaty contributed to an influx of Koreans moving to Japan, where many of these migrants opened Yakiniku shoppes and claimed Yakiniku as a Korean dish.
Yakiniku – A Japanese Invention Promulgated by Foreigners
That Korean dishes such as bulgogi and bibimbap often appear in the menus of modern-day Yakiniku shoppes adds to the air that Yakiniku has Korean origins. However, in the Meiji Era Tokyo (1868-1912) many Korean restaurants existed as high class establishments which allegedly did not serve Yakiniku. Indeed, claims have been made that Yakiniku has a long history of being referred to as ‘baabekyuu,’ in Japanese, suggesting a connection to the Western food culture of BBQ.
One of the more common explanations of the origin of Yakiniku suggests that it started during the Edo Era (1603-1868) when animals such as hogs, deer, dogs, cow and birds were fried for consumption. At the end of the Edo Era when Japan was opened by foreigners, European, American and Chinese merchants opened shops for foreign travellers in port cities that served Yakiniku as an introduction to the food culture of Japan. In fact, a slaughterhouse that was founded in Kobe around this time by a British man is said to be the start of the now-famous Kobe Beef Company.
So where did Yakiniku come from?
it would appear also that Korean Yakiniku can be dated back to the Joseon Era (1392-1910) of Korean history where it was a dish served to nobles. Perhaps Yakiniku is indeed a Korean invention! Or have the artifacts of Yakiniku history been burned away or devoured over time.
Where do you think Yakiniku came from?
* * *
This post is my contribution to the “Eat, Drink, Cook” Japanese bloggers’ carnival. The other contributions are:
This post is my contribution to the “Eat, Drink, Cook” Japanese bloggers’ carnival. Please check out the other contributions!
Being Vegetarian at Japanese Work Parties by Sophelia’s Adventures in Japan. Sophelia regularly blogs about teaching, adoption, dogs, vegetarianism and general geekiness.
Eating My Way Around an Island by Big Red Dots and Squggly Inkblots. Furiida blogs about her experiences as a JET Programme participant in the rural prefecture of Oita.
The History of Yakiniku by Angry Gaijin. Cameron Ohara is a Gaikokujin (foriegner) living in Japan. But get this – he was actually Japanese in a previous life! Now it’s all he can do to get his Japanese comrades to look beyond his red hair and tall nose and see the Japanese human that exists within!
Samurai Sushi by Gaijin Explorer. Zacky Chan studies aikido and kyudo, and informally practices whatever else is relevant. He can usually be found on his days off exploring forests and mountains on his mountain bike.
Rola (ローラ) is a Japanese fashion model born to her Russian-Japanese mother and Bengali father in 1990.
Rola is known for her modeling work in the magazine Vivi, and also regularly appears as a ‘talent’ (television personality) on Japanese cable. Her Japanese Wikipedia page characterizes her as terrible with Japanese honourific language. She often speaks simply to others, and punctuates her speech by puffing her cheeks and sticking out her tongue.
After her parents divorced, Rola was raised by her father and step-mother in between Japan and Bangladesh, finally settling in Japan when she was 9. In high school she began her modeling career after being discovered by a scout in Tokyo’s Shibuya district.
What’s most interesting about Rola is her all-round charm. I have heard even the staunchest critics of Japanese ‘cute culture’ and its characteristic objectification of women as “helium-voiced, air-headed cooking machines who turn into old hags at the age of 30″ (citation needed) praise Rola saying, “It can’t be helped – Rola is the exception. She’s just so cute!” (I saw it happen on 世界番付!). She almost parodies her ‘cute’ character. The commercial below translates as follows:
ROLA: “Mama, I’m going to be appearing in a commercial for a company called DMM!
Hm? What kind of company is it, you ask?
Uhmmm, I dunno! (Laugh)”
(By the way, DMM is a stock and securities company… FTW!)
Rola’s English Wiki.
And her Japanese Wiki.
She also has done some singing with artists ISSA and SouldJa.
She started her Twitter account on Feb. 29, 2012. Check ‘er awt!
One of Rola’s trademark expressions.
Rola is also well-known for her ‘OK’ pose.
Hey! How about checking out my other posts on Japanese celebrities!
Lilico the Japanese-Swedish celeb.
Imoto the eyebrow celeb.
Mr. Kazuma, the fastest high-schooler in Japan.
I recently left my job as an Assistant Language Teacher.
This might just be me, but I couldn’t stand working within the education system in Japan any longer.
I think education is a great thing, and does a lot of good on both personal and national levels…
When it’s done well.
The following pictures are of students from Korea. And while the schooling system in Korea is apparently much, MUCH more straining than Japan’s, I share their sentiment.
In both Korea and Japan students spend long hours at school everyday. In Japan, the school day may start at 8AM and continue until 4 or 5 o’clock (there are often club activities that extend the day). I am sure that in Korea, the school days are even longer. Then when students return home, it’s time to study. I’ve heard of Korean students staying up until midnight or after continuously, just to study.
When I worked as a language teacher in Fukushima, the kids did not have a break after lunch to go out and play; only a 15 minute recess in between 2nd and 3rd period in the morning.
In my town in Fukuoka, school days are being extended into Saturday. Starting this coming year, there will be 10 or so Saturday mornings used for classes and “School Days” where parents come to see their students and teachers in action.
This past year, the number of English classes in my town increased to accommodate a textbook that, many students complain, is too difficult for them to understand. In Japan, students are forced to work and study hard at English, but few (if any) can speak the language.
Teachers in Japan may work from 7 in the morning till 6 ~ 12 in the evening (depending on the school and its level of delinquency), leaving little time for personal lives or family.
Suicide rates in both countries are high.
All these things may seem small, but I just couldn’t be apart of a system that (to me) just felt so crushing any longer. I love the kids, and I love the teachers… and this made it even more difficult for me to see them wasting away their time inside that prison called school.
It all just feels too uninspiring for words… but some manage to speak up. I really urge you to take a look at the video below: it was created by a group of Japanese students for their English teachers.
What do you think about education in Japan? How is the education system where you live?
Hope you’re all enjoying the cherry blossoms this year! Here’s a little YouTube video of me out with the dog looking at the pretty treeeeeez!
I also just wanted to let everyone know that I am officially OPEN FOR BUSINESS as an artist! Sorry for the shameless plugging, but if you are a blogger looking for art for your site, send me an email at angry(dot)gaijin00(at)gmail(dot)com or leave a comment here!
And feel free to go ahead and check out my Artist for Hire page for samples and the lot of it!
Pure awesome.
OH WOW I just got back from finally seeing Wreck-it Ralph, which FINALLY came to theaters in Japan only two weeks ago!
Wreck it Ralph was actually titled Sugar Rush (シュガー・ラッシュ) in Japan. It is directed by fellow nerd and otaku Rich Moore, who was greatly inspired by Japanese culture in the making of the film.
I mean, first and foremost there is the OBVIOUS tribute to video games and gaming. You don’t get very far into the film before characters like Bowser, Sonic the Hedgehog, Ryu and Ken make their cameos! (By the way – anyone else notice the Star Wars arcade console in the opening? Nice use of copyrights, Disney! 9_9)
Looking closer you can see more subtle references to gaming throughout the film:
… Niceland, Wreck-It Ralph’s home world, is inspired by “limitations,” specifically the technical limitations of 8-bit video games. “The backgrounds of those games are often black because it would take computing power to put color onto those video screens back in the ’80s,” … “So when you’re outside in Niceland, there’s a lot of black sky.” (♥)
Exhibit A – Donkey Kong v. Wreck it Ralph
Exhibit B – Metroid v. Cy-bug
Pretty much anyone will admit that this film pays GLORIOUS SERVICE to GAMING FANS EVERYWHERE! And in particular Japanese games are referenced. Oooooooooooooooooh watching this film was like getting to the stage goal before Shigeru Miyamoto in 2-player versus and then ROLLING with him down a GREEN HILL ZONE HILL and PINNING HIM NAKED underneath an open SKY OF STAR ROADS and R-WINGS.
But the tributes to Japan don’t end there.
cold, hard EVIDENCE (photo reference)
I couldn’t find a screenshot of good, old Beard Papa – but I think you get the idea. :)
But this film is JAM PACKED with references from gaming to architecture! What was your favourite reference??
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Science Commando Force GATCHAMAN – POW! BOOM! ZIP! BAM!
Do I have your attention?
Now, watch this and then TELL ME you DON’T THINK it’s the SICKEST THINGS EVARRR! Seriously! Watch it! WATCH IT NOW!! > > >
Please, if there’s anyone out there who finds this nostalgic LET ME KNOW! Where was I when this was big in North America??
Actually, I only fell in love with Science Ninja Team GATCHAMAN quite recently. Anyone hip to the word in Fukuoka watches the daily morning entertainment and talk show Zip. oooh man, Zip is so cool, man! Zip talks about everything from sports, to pop culture to fashion, to news and weather… and the best thing is (as mentioned) everyone in Fukuoka seems to watch it!! If you live in Fukuoka and are looking for a way to break the ice at work, TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAW ON ZIP THAT MORNING!! Seriously!! Sometimes the vice principal at school sings the theme to himself!
And my favourite thing about Zip is that for the past year, every weekday morning at 6:56 they showed my newest FAVOURITE anime, Good Morning Ninja Team GATCHAMAN!
Remember the old Hanna-Barbera cartoon Birdman and the Galaxy Trio? And then remember when Cartoon Network spoofed Birdman and the entire Hanna-Barbera franchise by making Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law? Well, Zip’s version of Gatchaman is just like that in terms of scale, humour, cheap animation, and (strangely) the bird superhero motif! Oh yeah, and AWESOMENESS. Take a look::: (Sorry, I recorded this off my television)
Well unfortunately with the end of the television season in Japan, Good Morning Ninja Team GATCHAMAN was discontinued, but CAN BE BOUGHT ON DVD! And what’s more, a new/old anime superhero will take his place starting next week, April 8th (2013) at 6:56am. TUNE IN TO ZIP, 5:00am~8:00am, on FBS (Channel 051). I totally recommend it!
And for some more nostalgia, here is the Birdman and the Galaxy Trio opening. Compare this to it’s Gatchaman counterpart video up top, and you’ll remember why anime first BLEW EVERYONE OUT OF THE WATER.
Also to note: Gatchaman was apparently slated to appear in his own movie, one created by the same team who brought us that Astro Boy film that I never saw… To say that I am extremely wary of American remakes of Japanese cartoons would be an understatement (DID ANYONE ELSE WANT TO SHOOT THEMSELVES AFTER WATCHING THE U.S. DRAGONBALL FILM??). Maybe it’s best this movie didn’t get made?? (link to trailer)
So how about you? Is there a TV show that everyone watches where you are?
I’ll be the first to admit that the content of my blog has had little to do with Japan these days, but in the month of April I’ma keep a weather eye on the horizon and focus my telescope in on this island nation once more. And what better way to refocus than by consulting me salty map o’da eastern seas!
Google’s 8-bit World Map (link)
That is to say: remember when Google Maps made a world map that was all Super Mario 3 Style? Yeah, that was AWESOME. But the option musta only been up for like a DAY or something (which is so UN-AWESOME!) coz it disappeared faster than you could say, “WHO NEEDS A MAP?” Well they’re at it again!! But this time, all the world’s a treasure map! Let’s zoom in, uhhhh… Let’s get that magnifying glass over here for a look at Japan, shall we?
the Mysterious Land to the East
Now, I’m not big on large companies and oligarchic conglomerates who grow so large they begin to consume all the smaller companies around them… and GOOGLE IS ONE OF THESE COMPANIES.
But gosh-darn it! When they make their cute little maps, I can’t help but be woo-ed… just a tad. For one, I LOVE maps – and seeing pointless (aka FUN) endeavours like these just makes me feel that Google may be the one corporation that I could possibly get behind: ONE RUN BY BENEVOLENT NERDS.
the Virgin Isles of Kyushu
Well, I dunno who is really behind the face of Google; and as it is a monopolizing corporate giant I can’t stress enough that everyone exercises precaution around them (even the kindest of giants might squash you like an ant without even realizing).
But nevertheless, it is a fun service! Go check it out while it’s up! :)
By the by, I just remembered today is April Fool’s. Is that why these maps are there??
the Noble North of Kyushu
Did you know there’s a country in this big, blue earth where you have to walk 16 hundred kilometres to your nation’s capital building just to even hope that someone on the inside hears that you’re out there screaming and pounding on the doors, “LET ME IN THE BLACK FLIES ATE ME HORSE – And now they have a taste for flesh!”?
And did you know that country is Canada?
Join the Journey of the People where David Kawapit and 6 other youngsters set out from Whapmagoostui in northern Quebec on a journey that in over 3 months would eventually snowball into a revolutionary thousand plus Canadians walking on Parliament Hill.
16 hundred kilometres! How many people have walked that in their lives! and in snowshoes no less.
Well, OK – there was the Great Goose Gallop over the Prairies last Tuesday… and then there was the time Sally bet Doug Clarke a vat of maple flavored insulin he couldn’t stick his toe in the Atlantic while his finger were in the Pacific. Boy! Were we surprised when he pulled that off!
Well but, I dunno about you but I want to see more charismatic youngsters like these in the news. Canadian heroins and heros – thats what they are! With nothing bigger to ask than that they be considered the next time a government decision puts a bureaucratic bulldozer through their lives.
And with that I’d like to sing a little song for them and everyone else out there!
Song for the Whapmagoostui Marchers
I was lost one day up in north Quebec
You know how it goes
The trees bend and the rivers wind
Just as straight as a caribou’s horn
Sent up there all on Harper’s dime to
Process land for gold
But when I’d thought I’d done
I heard them marching up the road
They said,
“Take back the land by voting with your feet!
“Take back their hearts by marching to that beat!”
I used to think in politics and war
all was fair
but they done taught me
Canada’s here to share
Raw Like Sushi Blogroll – A hand-picked collection of the best and rawest blogs in Japan
Happyuan
