Belly button Festival

On July 29, 2009, the city of Furano, Hokkaido held it's "Heso Matsuri 臍祭り” (Belly button Festival). In the street parade, children and adults danced with a variety of amusing faces painted on their bellies. Dancers make their “heso” (belly button) into a face, using paint, special costumes, and props. Competition is intense as dancers compete for prizes and glory in various categories.

The Hokkaido Bellybutton Dance began about thirty-five years ago. It was decided that a town festival was needed, in order to unify and energize Furano's people, who are spread over a large area. Inspired by Furano's location in the very middle of Hokkaido, the festival organizers came up with the idea of a dance featuring the bellybutton. In the first official Heso Matsuri, only 11 people joined the dance. However last year, over 5,000 people participated in the two-day dance, with thousands more gathering to watch.



Freaking awesome. Next year, maybe?

Politics

With all this talk about the Happiness Realization Party running for elections here, I couldn't help but dig in further into the insane parts of Japanese politics. So because I don't have the right to vote although I pay my taxes and am a PR and all that BS crap, I will personally choose my own nominees for the most eccentric F-ed up people who are/were running as political candidates.

In no particular order:

1.

Toyama Koichi (外山恒一). He is officially insane!!! He is a Japanese street musician, and a leftist political party. He is 39 years old this year and lives in Fukuoka. He actually got more than 15,000 votes! He wanted to be the governor of Tokyo in 2007. He was imprisoned for two years for political crimes.

In this video, he denounced Japan as being a horrible nation (最低な国）and doesn't offer anything. I loved it when he said, "Gentlemen!!! The only thing we can do now, is scrap and scrap..." and then he goes on to say, "Please give me a call. You can find my contact number on the posters." Finally, you gotta love the obscene gesture (middle finger) towards the camera at the end of the broadcast.

In this second video from 2008, he put on a monologue performance in which he claims the US as a global hegemony. He claims it is an injustice that although he is a rightful citizen of "America's 51st state", and was flabbergasted that he is not eligible to vote, nor to stand as a candidate in the last presidential election. I would have loved to see him go against Obama though.

2.
Mitsuo Matayoshi (又吉光雄）aka Matayoshi Iesu (Matayoshi Jesus) named himself, "The only God Mitsuyo Matayoshi Jesus Christ (唯一神又吉光雄・イエス・キリスト)." He is the leader of the World Economic Community Party (世界経済共同体党). He developed his own concept of Christianity, which was influenced by Eschatology and established the party in 1997. He believes that he is God and Christ. His first step as the Savior is to be appointed leader of Japan upon which he will reform Japanese society. Following this, the United Nations should offer him the General Secretary post. He will then reign the entire world. During his activities for his eccentric political (religious?) campaigns, he urges his opponents to commit suicide by hara-kiri (disembowelment); yes, hara-kiri and NOT seppuku (more polite). He blasts his slogans in his own kabuki-inspired voice. Watch this video if you can understand Japanese and this one for kabuki-voice. He is apparently in the top ten most eccentric people you didn't know list.

3.

Then of course, there is the Happiness Realization Party （幸福実現党）. I won't talk about a particular leader in this party but rather just summarize the party itself. It is the political wing of the Happiness Science religious movement (Koufukunokagaku, 幸福の科学). The founder Ryuho Okawa claims that all major religions originated from the same heavenly source. Some of their interesting prophecies include:

* Within the next 100 years, the United Nations will collapse. There will be war in the Middle East and Japan will be the next religious center (just like Mecca and Jerusalem).

* Angel Gabriel will be reincarnated in Bangkok, Thailand in 2050.

* From 2100-2200, the US will sink because it has angered the gods. BUT, if enough people convert then, there will be no sinkage.

* From 2200-2300, people will only have to work a maximum of four hours a day because robots will run almost everything. Half of Russia, and East Asia will sink into the Ocean. More specifically, Russia will fall into the core of the earth so the earth will re-create the continent of Mu, which will be at the current location of Indonesia.

* In 2300-2400, the new continent of Atlantis will be re-created because the US would have sunk and Martin Luther King and Nichiren will be reincarnated.

* Jesus will be re-incarnated between 2400-2500. Aliens that visited earth in the 80s will return and they will have more than 10 races by then.

As for their political wing, their sales pitch is:

* they will eliminate all sales taxes, they will double Japan's population to 300 million by 2030, and welcome 100 million foreigners. They will protect Japan from North Korean missiles, they will ban cram/prep schools, they promise 6LDK condos for the majority of people in their 30s, they will make English a "semi-official" language in Japan, and they promise a world-wide bullet train service.

Here are two of their propaganda videos. The first one is where they try to create paranoia by making a video of North Korea launching their missiles at Japan and the second one compares the Liberal Democratic Party and Democratic Party of Japan with the Happiness Realization Party.

ps: For those of you reading this post on FaceBook, click on "view original post" at the bottom.


All right then, they must think that we're stupid enough to think that we believe they think like that, or do they really think like that? WTF? Take your pick! I can't believe people say there isn't hope for Japanese politics. I see a lot of potential.

*** EDIT ***

I have to add another one of my entertainment politics favorite. It's called 日本スマイル党 or, the Japan Smile Party. Mac Akasaka who calls himself Dr. Smile, represents the aforementioned party. He wants to end the Self Defense Force, cut suicide rates, cure depressed people, and introduce Smile Education in schools. Instead of making boring speeches, he does the Smile Dance when he campaigns through the streets of Tokyo.

Holy Sheit! Japanese Frankensteins!!!

This is called Body Inflation. People with heads that have been intentionally distorted, kids who have deliberately disfigured themselves by experimenting with saline inflations. Gross!
Apparently this isn’t new, but it’s growing in popularity. This particular phenomenon isn't exclusive to Japan but the nature of Japanese subculture and the propensity for its people to take things to extreme levels have helped body inflation gain popularity. I do wish some of my students would be that extreme so we'd have more to talk about.

This is how it works by:

Body mod pioneer Samppa Von Cyborg.

The professional body piercer will use a saline bag, tube and needle. It works in a similar way to a hospital drip, so the bag needs to be raised above the body part picked for puffing.
* Body inflators never make their own saline solution and steer clear of tap water, due to the risk of infection.
* The needle is placed under the skin but not in a vein – or the build-up of pressure could mean exploding blood vessels all over the show.
* While it’s not that dangerous, some people who’ve done it regularly have found their skin has permanently explanded.
* The most interesting place to inflate is the forehead, as the taut skin means the effects are extremely obvious.
* Inflatees can prod the inflated lumps to make them look more interesting.

The Cutest Ship

From the makers of your 懐かしい & 美味しい　snacks like:

• カッパえびせん：
• サッポロポテト：
• じゃがりこ：

They bring you the most adorably named 499 ton cargo ship that specifically only freights potatoes:

Calbee Potato Maru

I'm just a mops

There are many things that leave me frustrated and annoyed about this little city called Tokyo. I must admit a lot of it probably stem from comparisons. Comparisons I make to Colombo, comparisons I make with Singapore, and not forgetting the comparisons I make with 昭和 (Showa) Japan of the 80s. My memories of being in Japan in the 80s are scarce, but vivid I must add.

It was awesome being here then... from the toys, to TV, to people watching. Seeing all the crazy rockabillys dancing their hairs off at Yoyogi park, Yankee boys hanging out in the neighborhoods, wild 80s pop looking office ladies... There's lots to blast from the past but here is an awesome link to some 昭和music that I have forgotten about that were pretty much the BGM of my childhood in monthly apartments of Tokyo with my parents.

60s Japanese Garage-Psych

'When I come back to home
My mother says I'm a mops
But I don't care about them
Cause I'm just a mops..."

F-ing brilliant. It's good to know that 40 years since that song, my students still speak like that, although it's unfortunate that they aren't as creative as to write songs like that.

Associations in Japan #2

The Pizza Association of Japan.

I found this while I was looking at them pizza crusts at the supermarket. How interesting. It was established about 14 years ago and I guess their purpose statement talks about how they want to improve quality, increase consumption, exchange business information and ideas between pizza-related businesses, and to develop the pizza industry. Currently there are about 39 member companies and these are their symbols:

Their website also talks about the nutritional values of pizzas and the "pizza market."

11/8: Tanuki's Day Off

I can't believe I missed Tanuki's Day off!

The town of Shigaraki in Shiga gives Tanuki a break on November 8th. The tanuki is the town's favorite creature, and is the tanuki statue capital of the nation. It is the Tanuki's well-deserved day of rest and relaxation.

The tanuki has been part of Japanese folklore since the ancient days. is a symbol of fortune and good luck and can be seen at the entrances of business establishments. They are reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise but also gullible and absent-minded.These statues often wear big, cone-shaped hats and carry bottles of sake, and an empty purse in the other hand. They have large beer belles and also show humorously large balls, or nutsacks, typically hanging down to the floor.

Organizers chose November 8th for a bunch of reasons. According to Wikipedia, the eight traits of the tanuki are: (1) a bamboo hat that protects against trouble, (2) big eyes to perceive the environment and help make good decisions, (3) a sake bottle that represents virtue, (4) a big tail that provides steadiness and strength until success is achieved, (5) over-sized testicles that symbolize financial luck, (6) a promissory note that represents trust, (7) a big belly that symbolizes bold decisiveness, and (8) a friendly smile.

Pink Tentacle

Gender Discrimination

I went to a little store the other day to get me some dessert after lunch. The first thing that caught my eye was Chocopie. Well this time, there was something different about them individually packaged ones. It was dark green and the picture looked うまそう！I had chosen Chocopie for men!!! Hmmm what is that like you ask? It's chocopie with coffee cream and bitter caramel. Anyway the dude beside me was like, "You can't buy that. You're not a man. You gotta get the lady's version." So I looked at the pink packaged Chocopie and it said, "Chocopie for Ladies." The first problem I had with it was that it seemed gross: It's Chocopie with rose flavored cream and rose jam. Yuck. The other problem was how I stopped to question myself it it really was OK for me to get the dude version.

I also remember Pocky doing the same shananigan: Pockymon... no, Men's Pocky
or this site gives you instructions on how to make Men's Pocky with EXTRA NUTS.

Suicidal?

OMFG. So apparently suicide rates are increasing in Japan. I wonder why?



Well if it's kawaii, then it's gotta be good! Yay!

Panty!

One of my cousins who is flying in today from South America is determined to look for that famed underwear vending machine in god-knows-where. My gut instinct tells me it is to be found in Shinjuku. But then again, who needs that when you have this? Who knows what the story is behind this. But I saw it on my way home from work in the neighborhood mall, bicycle parking area. People of course did their mini little jump, twist around and jumped again to overreact to what they saw. But I just whipped out my phone and snapped a picture. Brilliant.