Japan Pulse

Here are the latest Pulsations, links to fresh stories and visuals about Japan, shout-outs to fellow bloggers, and highly clickable stuff that we think you might enjoy.

In no particular order, they are . . .

• Hello Kitty Toilet With Pink Surprise (from Hello Kitty Hell): When we say there’s nothing that Sanrio can’t make pink and cute, we mean nothing. Rather, this blog post proves that there’s nothing they won’t try.
• To fight is human; to forecast, divine (from Ampontan): This ancient forecasting method is not exactly tarot cards . . .
• Kashiwazaki Turkish Culture Village and the psychology of nuclear power (from Spike Japan): What do the world’s largest nuclear power station, a mad bubble-era investor and a graffiti-ed Gulliver have in common? Pour yourself a cup of Turkish coffee and read on.
• Muji to GO stickers (from 8Tokyo.com): Remember that Muji to GO game we featured a little while back? Ako-san won a collection of 10 stickers, and she shows them off here.
• Japan’s Advanced Rubber Band Weaponry (from Tofugu): Japanese tourists visiting Hawaii or Los Angeles often include a trip to a shooting range, to experience that rare feeling of shooting a real live gun. They could, however, just invest in a rubber band machine-gun.
• Cute (and Maybe a Little Creepy) Legged Paper Planes (from Rocket News 24): Look! Up in the Internet! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s asshi-kun!

Visual pulse:

Spoon & Tamago highlighted an exhibition at The Open Space 2012 of Rhythmushi, a nifty little hand-drawn music app that has quietly been building a big fan base over the last two years. If you can’t make it to Shinjuku for the hands-on experience, enjoy the video demo here.

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Here are the latest Pulsations, links to fresh stories and visuals about Japan, shout-outs to fellow bloggers, and highly clickable stuff that we think you might enjoy.

In no particular order, they are . . .

• Sendai-shi: This isn’t just one post . . . it’s one whole blog of WWII photos, taken by Abraham Lincoln. Intrigued yet?
• Generation gap in Japan (from What Japan Thinks): Japan, here’s looking at you, over four key generations.
• soba rocks @ Fuji Rock – and other festival food faves (from tokyo food file): Japan Times’ wandering food writer surveys festival chow.
• Don’t Suffer – Live Life Positively – Learn! (from Kurashi): You too can learn how to overcome the black thoughts with these expert-approved mental techniques!  Let’s re-team together!
• George Psalmanazar, the famous fraud of Formosa (from Mutant Frog Travelogue): OK, so it’s only tangentially about Japan but a fascinating tale nonetheless.
• Using Kid’s Songs to Learn Japanese (from Tofugu): Because it’s so much more fun that way.
• Awesome Gundam Statue Time-Lapse Videos (from Altfista.com): And a little eye-sweet for dessert.

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• 100% of people surveyed by Goo Research said they did not want a line on their palm indicating a tendency toward financial troubles.
• 75% of people surveyed say that they have reserved hotel rooms online; 75% of those have had problems booking online.
• 75% of survey respondents said they’re concerned about the personal information that can be gained from their garbage.
• 69% of people surveyed want to see more change in the sumo world.
• 65% of people use hand disinfectants.
• 60% of people are not interested in the latest trend of remaking or customizing their old clothes.
• 58% of people surveyed don’t want to borrow money. 7% thinks loans are useful.
• 58% of Onagawa, Miyagi Pref., residents are opposed to a nuclear power plant.
• 57% of people surveyed realize they’re going bald, but only 7% tried hair-growth products.
• 56% of housewives want to cut down on food expenses, much lower than last year’s 85%.
• 55% of people say they use almost the same password for different accounts.
• 39% of surveyed PC users purchased Windows 7, while 54% don’t feel the need to buy it.

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One of sumo’s two present yokozuna (grand champions) may have just cemented his place in the sport’s history last weekend, but far fewer people were watching than just a decade earlier. Could playing cards help rekindle interest?

The traditional Japanese sport has been simultaneously battling two nebulous forces: controversy and apathy. Not only are popularity and new recruits dropping, but at the same time a number of scandals continue to fester. There was the hazing death of a young wrestler in 2007, the recent accusations of special treatment of yakuza bosses in Nagoya and an assault charge and civil suit filed this month by a tokoyama (sumo hair stylists). And, of course, few have forgotten the marijuana busts.

Long before these pratfalls, many of Japan’s purist (and arguably nationalist) fans were already decrying the influx of non-Japanese grapplers – including the two present yokozuna, both  Mongolians – and their lack of deference to the sport’s rigid and time-honored traditions. Asashoryu, last week’s victor and 24-time winner of the Imperial Cup, has been repeatedly criticized for his behavior, which may seem tame when compared to Western athletes but is considered barbaric by sumo’s strict standards.

Controversy generates attention, so one could argue that such scandals actually help sumo attract more eyeballs, but certainly not enough. Interest in sumo among younger generations has been waning for some time, overtaken by video games and J. League soccer, the youth’s pro sport of choice.

What to do? One proven method of garnering attention in Japan is by developing your own line of adorable character goods. Enter Sekitori-kun. The name for these chicken littles is a play on the word sekitori (関取, top-ranked wrestler) and the kanji for bird (鳥) which also has the sound “tori”. The characters are packaged as playing cards similar to the Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! brands – with strength, endurance and other fighting characteristics mapped out – and then handed out to kids at tournaments.

Is the pre-teen demographic what they’re aiming for? That would explain the recent flirtation with fast food – I’m imagining Asashoryu-shaped Happy Meal toys at McDonald’s by 2010. If Japanese kids buy enough of them – and eat enough of those hamburgers – then sumo may form its next generation sooner than expected.

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