Shirihoudai

After reading about this on DannyChoo, I decided to  test it as an alternative to youtube (which is blocked here, grrrr). I like the slick Sony-like interface but the download speed is something much to be desired.

So bite me!  Mixed onsen are rare, but you can find them.  For those not in the know, onsen are hot springs, and Japan is full of them!  It’s one of the great pleasures and should be on your “to do” list if you visit Japan during the cold seasons.   I’ve been to a few onsen in Gunma-ken, Saitama, Tokyo area and Hakone.  Hakone is definitely the best.  Found a nice list of onsen ryokans in Hakone here. I forget what the name was called but the place we stayed was like log cabins next to a river with an outdoor private onsen that you can reserve for yourself and whomever you wish to partake the hot water with.  Food is usually excellent so don’t be afraid to splurge for the most expensive course.   What can be better than snow falling, great food, tons of beer and sake, and you running naked around a cauldron of boiling volcanic water?

Being surrounded by naked members of the opposite sex, of course!  Granted, naked obachans (grandmas) and ojiichans (grandpas) are the ones with no shame and most likely to be run into, but there are some mixed onsen which cater to the younger crowd.  You just have to know and/or ask the proprietor the average age of their customers.   Which brings me to this story on the Mainichi.

In Aomori-ken (always wanted to visit, but not sure now), they are starting a campaign to STOP men from staring at women at the hot spring!  The nerve of some people! Not talking about the people staring - they paid their money and are entitled to viewing the people around them.  I’m talking about the people who call themselves Konyoku wo Mamoru Kai (Protect Mixed Bathing Association)!  What the hell?  You go to a “mixed” onsen and you should know that your private bits are there for all to see.  As long as the “look but don’t touch” rule is in effect, I don’t see the problem.   Also the “no picture taking” rule should be in effect, although I did bring my camera in to get evidence of the hyjinx that my teachers and myself got into one trip.  Want a picture of my bare ass?  Too bad, not gonna happen!

Anyway, here is the original story on Mainichi.

And here is what you have to look forward to when you get to Sukayu:

Ueno Zoo’s only giant panda dies

The giant panda Ling Ling is pictured in April 2006. (Photo courtesy of Ueno Zoo)

Ling Ling, the sole giant panda at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, died in the early hours of Wednesday only one day after he was taken off display for veterinary treatment, officials said.

Veterinarians at the zoo in Taito-ku are poised to conduct an autopsy on his body in a bid to determine the cause of his death.

A worker came to the zoo on Wednesday morning to find 22-year-old Ling Ling dead in its viewing pen. After examining video surveillance footage, zoo officials concluded that he died at around 2 a.m.

Ling Ling, which is the equivalent of 70 years old in human terms, became less active at the beginning of this year. The zoo took him off display on Tuesday for veterinary treatment.

Ling Ling was born at Beijing Zoo in September 1985, and was sent to Ueno Zoo in Tokyo in 1992. He was the only giant panda for which Japan holds ownership rights.

original story on Mainichi

My buddy will be devastated.  I remember seeing Ling Ling on my first trip to Japan.  I think he was sleeping at the time. . .

You heard it here first! Well, not really. . . but anyway, Sak pulls out a victory over Andrews Nakahara at Dream 2. I have hopes for this organization - if they are able to bring together the big names in Japan mma without going corrupt, get some cable station to air their shows, pull a profit. . . . yeah, i’m dreaming (pun intended).

(photo via Dream via mmaweekly)

Disappointed that Minowa lost again, I love his pre-fight routine.

Full results of Dream 2 (spoiler):
(more…)

And it will be the Suzuki Kizashi2!

(image via edmunds)

That car is so cool (ugly) looking, I must have it. Also gotta remind myself to visit Japan during the auto show . I just missed it last year!

NTT DoCoMo posts its first operating profit in 3 years!  With all the competition in Japan I suppose this is a great accomplishment.  Anyhoo, this gives me an opportunity to show some cool cell phones:

DoCoMo kid’s phones:

(image from docomo site)

Sleek and sexy FOMA series:

(image from docomo site)

but the latest secret technology being developed is this model:

Original story here on Forbes.com.

Yeah, he will miss his start against the California Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Orange County.

Just hope he isn’t spreading the deadly Osaka flu. . .

Original USA Today story here.

California’s happy cows make the best cheese, but that still doesn’t change the fact that Japan is paranoid about Mad Cow and US beef. 

Japanese officials said Wednesday that a spinal column was found in a U.S. beef shipment in violation of a trade accord that prohibits parts believed to pose a risk of mad cow disease.

…

The meat was in storage since August and was intended for fast-food chain Yoshinoya D&C, which uses U.S. beef for its popular beef bowl dish, said a Ministry of Health spokesman who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to media.

I’ll take extra spine in my gyu-don please. . .

This is how you remove the spine:

(picture via Harris News)

yummy.

Found more kancho related products. This time, the Kancho wasn’t as blatant as the first, but the ingredients translation confirmed my kancho finding senses.

Of coure is has the groovy characters on the other side:

Oh, and of course the chocolate filled cookies were quite tasty.

(photo courtesty of Andy’s official website)

Andy Hug arguebly may not have been the best K1 fighter but there is no denying that he represented all that was pure in the sport.  A true warrior and showman, he never ceased to win over the crowd whether it be a spinning back fist, devasting axe kick, or that winning smile that just lit up the ring after a match.   I can pinpoint the exact moment when I became a K1 fan - Andy’s spinning back kick to Mike Bernado’s knee that resulted in a KO.  Up until that moment, I never saw fighting that you could KO someone with a leg kick. 

His life story is tragic.  Being able to retire from the sport on top, but then passing away a couple months later on August 24, 2000.   I’ll never forget his gyu-don commercials where he is holding a bento box in one hand and knocking down doors with his axe kick saying “gomennasaiyo!”  Those wacky commercials no doubt paved the way for other K1 athletes to cash in on Japan marketing (Bob Sapp).  In an age where corruption is tearing down the faculties of Japan mma, it was athletes like Andy who kept it afloat and still awe-inspriting.  Just felt compelled to write a little something about this guy after finding his website, thats all.