Japanized

For once, instead of the 'breathless fawning' they mention themselves in the subhead here, or priapic babble about 'hipsters,' whatever that means, the authors have said something of substance - an impressive feat when clearly just aiming for linkbait.

Convenience stores may be handy once in a while, but they're a blight on the landscape for the most part, not to mention the stomach. Just try eating konbini food a few days in a row and it's Supersize Me writ large. Ghastly stuff - try your locally grown shops instead.

With so many small retail units empty over the last 18 months, it's alway positive to see a new business pick up the keys and start refitting, but when it turns out to be yet another konbini, the heart just sinks. Am I alone in that?

For years, I fought the same battle for hearts and minds over the inflated view of Japanese cell phones, so could this do the same for these street-corner neon palaces?

via cnngo.com

It happened yesterday, apparently, and featured acts like Azu, Scandal and One Draft. I bet they looked marvelous in 3D...

Seriously, is it just me thought that? They're pretty tasty, actually...

Having a Japanese surname (and, thus, being treated a few steps differently than a talking dog) I use my hanko (name stamp) a lot, particularly in the doorway when a delivery arrives, just as in the pack illustration.

I've never had any problems using my opposable thumbs to pick up said hanko and apply it to any proffered delivery note, however the 'Genkan Hanko - Standing Name' seem to be made for folk who find that tough.

The shiny little thing just sits there waiting to be grabbed ahead of some serious doorway hanko action, so go the heck ahead and splash out ¥1,260 on the thing. You know you want to.

Having seen the trailer, it ain't hard to believe, is it?