If you have a Japanese friend and you suddenly got emoticons like =^.^= or m(_ _)m – don’t be alarmed. Unsurprisingly, like in many things in life, Japanese have a different way of showing their emotions when using emoticons. As always Japanite! has a short guide for you on understanding the Japanese emoticons.
(photo by antjeverena)
We know that Japanese truckers can invest heavily in their trucks, but this Japanese officer has taken his bike for a very long makeover.
via [Neil Duckett]
It’s sounds weird but true: you can visit Tokyo, one of the most expensive cities in the world, without being ripped off. The global economy situation, the economy in Japan, and our great tips – can help you see Tokyo and get home with a few dollars left in your wallet.
This is a guest post by one of Japanite! friends, who visited Tokyo recently and collected some proven advices before his trip. Some veteran Tokyo tourists will find them familiar, but if this is your first time, you might want to print out the list for the road.
1. Sleep in a Japanese Inn
Accommodation is always a great part in any travel budget. If you are not fixed on sleeping in high-priced hotels there are some great alternatives.
The Ryokans are all around Tokyo and they are nice inns that can be found in prices starting from $40 per night. The bonus is that they styled in old fashion Japanese style with paper curtains and futon bed. This is not your regular king size you are used to in high priced hotels, but this will be a much better way to feel the Japanese way of life.
If you are not spoiled and feel you can share bathrooms you can found some Ryokans in central spots for as low as $30 per night. For example you can find Kimi Ryokan that offers English speaking staff and some Japanese atmosphere for $50 per night for a single room. Kimi Ryokan is conveniently located in the Ikebukuro area in close proximity to a subway station.
a typical Ryokan (photo by spinksy)
If you girlfriend is into gadgets, and you wandered what to by her for Valentine’s – look no more. This Japanese boob warmers are exactly what every woman desire in her most secret dream, and was embarrassed to buy for herself.
Powered by USB port and weigh only 38grams and cost only $22, they are the perfect gift. Just don’t expect your girlfriend to wear them on the next visit to your mother.
The Japanese toilet Institute – Yes, it is really exist – has started a new campaign for Japanese on how to use the toilets. The campaign is called “Let’s love the toilet”.
Well, what’s there not to love? as we all know that Japanese people are crazy about their toilet’s. They have robots to clean it for them, and they spent so much time there, that they offering some golf games while you are thinking on your boss.
The campaign aim is to educate the people on how to leave the toilet for the next person (how can I know if it’s a boy or a girl?? oh, the dilemma!) , and how to save on toilet paper. It appears that according to a research done by this prestigious institute, men use 132cm of toilet paper, while women use only 99cm. The institute is waiting to see if the campaign will end in a huge toilet paper savings. We just can’t wait.
[Asahi] via [DannyChoo], Toilet image [Flickr]
P.S.
If you want to kids to also learn about toilets in the Japanese way, just let them watch this: