Toy Missile IS Love!

Here are a couple of videos of one of the most awesomest little bands I ran across in Japan, playing in the exact same spot I saw them, just outside Shinjuku Station:



They were incredibly nice when I talked to them.



I'd love to see the full band perform sometime. If I had the money, I'd bring them to the US and set them off on tour. Toy Missile would spread positive vibes from coast to coast and blow away all this pall of anxiety and uncertainty. Worry no more!

Kuriyama Chiaki really is a Kawaii Girl at heart...

It looks as though she's really pushing herself as a singer these days. That's cool. She can be a multi-talented threat. Nothing controversial or unusual in these remarks; the things she loves about Japan are pretty much the same things my students used to tell me when asked the same question-- especially the "four seasons" part. But there's a flash of the wild Chiaki right at the end, a little teaser for something dangerous to come!

Wanna Work for Domino's in Japan? The Pay's Pretty Good!

A Reuters news story describes one of the promotions for Domino's Pizza's 25th anniversary celebration in Japan-- a part-time job that pays about $31,000USD for an hour's work! If you've ever been to Japan and had a chance to spend time in a residential neighborhood, you know how bewildering the tangle of streets can be. The numbering system for buildings is also confusing at first; I eventually caught on, but it took a dummy like me almost 6 years!

I couldn't imagine trying to deliver pizzas on one of those brightly-painted little pizza scooters to a Japanese house in say, Hirosawa-cho, Hamamatsu. It would be like driving along a noodle in a plate of spaghetti and trying to find a specific tomato.

Pay attention to the photo accompanying that story-- it's heartbreaking. I have no idea why they chose that particular photo. Yes, it's a Domino's, but it's not even in Japan. The Tokyo log line just under it could lead to confusion. Much like trying to find a residence in Hirosawa-cho!