Japanese Body Language - 頭の回転が遅い

April 17, 2008 - 7:47 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

Japanese Body Language -
頭の回転が遅い[あたまのかいてんがおそい, atama no kaiten ga osoi] be slow; be slow on the uptake; be dull or dimwitted
This expression is quite similar to atama ga warui except in my opinion, it’s a bit more colorful.
kaiten is spinning or turning. And in the case of a dull person, [...]

Japanese Body Language - 頭が悪い

April 14, 2008 - 7:42 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

Japanese body language -
頭が悪い[あたまがわるい, atama ga warui] be dumb; be slow
Yup, the Japanese can insult with the best of them.
When a person just doesn’t get it, can’t figure it out, can’t be taught, or is just plain slow to come around..s/he is said to have a bad (warui) head.
It’s [...]

Things Japanese/Americans Can Say With Their Feet

April 9, 2008 - 9:48 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

A look at a dictionary and one will find these 10 other things (in addition to the ones I have already written about) that Japanese can say with their feet/legs.
It might be more of a testimony to what I don’t know than what I do, but these ten expressions never made it into any conversation [...]

Japanese Body Language - 足が遅い

April 4, 2008 - 4:49 am by Bill Belew in Culture  

I spent a long time in Japan - nearly 20 years.  To be sure, a lot got by me. On the other hand, I picked up quite a bit, too. Including the language.
I ran a business, fought with the auditors from the Tokyo Tax Bureau (IRS-types) and taught Japanese people about Japan in Japanese among [...]

Katchaman’s Amazing JAPAN guide at Miyazaki-ken Power Spot (Sacred Place) “Eda-jinja Shrine”

December 14, 2007 - 6:42 pm by katchaman in Others  

“Eda-jinja Shrine” is situated near the Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort in Miyazaki.(within a 10 minute walk to Eda-jinja)  One of Shrines(Jinjya) of Japanese myths and legends in Miyazakiis Tsuma-jinja Shrine. Here is Power Spot.  Here is my favorite place. I can relax and regain composure. I recommend this power spot strongly.    
In Eda-jinja Shrine,  November [...]

Foreign Credit Card is now acceptable @ 12,000 Seven Eleven Banks

July 24, 2007 - 7:31 pm by akko@hakata in Travel  

On July 11(Seven Eleven!), the ATM machines of Seven Eleven Banks started to deal with foreign credit cards, master, visa, American Express, JCB. Now you can draw Japanese Yen with your credit cards anytime at nearest Seven Eleven.

Throughout Japan there’re more than 12,000 Seven Eleven Banks in each Seven Eleven Shops, the most popular convinience [...]

Foreign Money Exchage in Akihabara

July 22, 2007 - 11:24 am by akko@hakata in Travel  

Japan has a bad reputation for not having enough money exchange machine, but situation is changing.

Akihabara, the mecca of cult culture (maid kissa, manga, and of course electrics), has a Foreign Money Exchange center in front of Yodobashi Camera Shop, attached to Akihabara Station.
Beside this, you can try Daikokuya’s money exchange servicea discount ticket shop. [...]

Kyoto cheap restaurant DARUMAYA

May 8, 2007 - 6:08 pm by mickey in Food, Travel  

Restaurant since 1953
DARUMAYA serves set meal(teisyoku), noodles(udon and soba), rice bowl dishes(donburi), a la carte and coffee.
DARUMAYA is near Ryoanji, Myosinji, Ninnaji, Tojiin temple and Ritsumeikan, Hanazono university.
http://www.eonet.ne.jp/~darumaya-syokudo/en/

Luxurious Nagasaki; meet Ryoma @ Kagetsu!

April 12, 2007 - 1:09 pm by akko@hakata in Travel  

What do you think this is?
And who did this?

He, is the person who made this mark with his knife,
and his name is, Ryoma Sakamoto !
So now you see how treasurable it is.

This pillar is preserved and chereshed in Kagetsu, the most well-known and traditional Japanese Ryotei in Nagasaki, and is, historic site.
Ryotei is a [...]

Kobe

March 12, 2007 - 11:19 pm by Yuk in Culture, Food, Travel  

Kobe is a good place where I who live in Kyoto can go by the day trip. That day was Chinese New Year. So I went to Kobe by the Hankyu train. It took 2 hours from Karasuma (Kyoto) to Sannomiya (Kobe), fare was 600 yen (if you buy a ticket in Kinken shop [...]