For those of you that don't have a syllabus telling you what this week's topic is Japanese popular culture. As with all of the topics that we have been given, this needs to be narrowed down quiet a bit. So this week I'm going to talk about something that was a big part of my life growing up in the United States but are now becoming relics of the past, like the drive-in movies of a few generations ago; arcades. There are at least two fairly large arcades that I know of around Hirakatashi, a place called Dino Land in the Hirakatashi station and a bowling alley near Makino station. They are both fairly good sized arcades with people in them pretty much all day. There have been articles written on why American arcades have been failing across the country, this http://www.michigandaily.com/content/charles-paradis-death-american-arcade being the best I could find (there were several others that I came across, but they were much more casual and less informative). I agree more or less with what was said, but I believe that he understated the impact that home gaming has had on arcades. As he said, it used to be that the only place to play games with non-standard controls were the arcades. Now it is relatively easy to go and pick up specialty controllers of all kinds. Another factor that I think effects why Japanese arcades are more prevalent is the internet. Online gaming is huge in U.S. and finding someone to play against in a fighting game is as simple as going to an online lobby. However online gaming has never taken of in Japan like it did in the U.S. Therefore to play against strangers in their favorite fighting game the arcade is one of the only options for a Japanese gaming enthusiast. Also the following link provides more (and higher quality) pictures. http://www.japanator.com/elephant/post.phtml?pk=6631

外大生 (Gaidai students)

This post is supposed to be about the Japanese people. Now the only reason I used such a clumsy opening sentence is because it is a very vague question. Also somewhat dangerous. I mean, making broad generalizations of an entire group of people is always treading on uncomfortable ground. So I'm going to try to narrow it down to just the Japanese students I have met at Gaidai. Granted that isn't much better, Gaidai is a pretty large school of about 10,000 Japanese students. Still, it is better than trying to talk about the people in a nation of over 127,000,000. I took two pictures for this week, one of a few of my male Gaidai friends and one of a few of my female Gaidai friends. One thing that I have noticed about Kansai Gaidai is that it appears to attract very similar students. When I have asked what movies, music, books, etc. the answers are all very similar. It struck me as a little strange that there would be so many people with such similar tastes. Then I began to think; almost all of the Gaidai students are English language majors. It would make sense that they would have similar interests. I think one of the reasons that it stuck me as odd was that I am from a liberal arts school where there are many majors that one can choose. I know that many of the film majors at my school have similar tastes, there are just far less of us so it seems more feasible.

Neighborhood Makino

This post might be easier for me then it will be for some of my peers. I've got the benefit of nearly half a year in Japan. One of the places that I frequent the most is a restaurant located about fifteen minuets away by foot. It is called グリルサンドル (guriru sandooru), as evident by the below picture.I'm pretty sure it is supposed to be Grill Sand Dollar or Sand Dollar Grill. It is very well known among the students living at the Seminar Houses. You can get a lot of food for very cheap. The most popular dish by far, at least among the exchange students, is the yakiniku donburi. For 650 en the meal consists of a very large bowl of rice topped with grilled beef with miso soup, a fried chicken cutlet, some noodles, and tea on the side. This is far from the only meal served at Sandoru, or mom and pop's as it is sometimes colloquially called by some of the exchange students. Below is the display of plastic food that stands outside of Sandoru.
These pictures, while fine, do not include the picture that I wanted. It is not uncommon to go to Sandoru on a sunday and see the place packed with exchange students eating there. I've seen the restaurant completely full of Seminar House residents. Alas, when I went to Sandoru today, it was empty.

Early impressions of Japan (specifically doughnuts)

I guess that this whole 'early impressions' thing might be a little late in my case. Not only have I been in Japan for the last semester, I've actually been here twice before in high school. But one thing that I do remember from my earliest visit to Japan is Mister Doughnuts. Back in the States the big name in doughnuts is Krispy Kream, a name which my built in spellchecker is telling me should not be. And, as is often the case, I find myself agreeing with my spellchecker. Mister Doughnuts has hands down the best doughnuts I have ever had. Below are two of my favorites. Well, actually I left out my favorite, it just wasn't as photogenic. An intersting note about doughnuts; often I find myself talking with some Japanese students and my fondess of Mister Doughnuts comes up. Many of the Japanese students are surprised because Japanese doughnuts (and snacks in general) are less sweet then their American counter parts. Maybe Mister Doughnuts sereves doughnuts that are less sweet, but is it really that big of a shock that an American would perfer less sweet doughnuts? Anyway, the doughnuts:

The above is a chocolate doughnut with a strawberry cream center. 

And this one has some frosting and angel cream filling, Mister Doughnuts special cream filling.