Archive for July, 2011

Google Street View Special Collection: Japan’s Major Tourist Attractions

Google has added a special collection of famous Japanese tourist sites to the Street View section of its Google Maps site:

Instead of using their usual camera car, Google sent its staff into the grounds of famous temples, parks, and shopping areas. This allowed them to get some really nice close-ups from attractions such as the Kamakura Daibutsu, the Hiroshima A-bomb Dome, and Miyajima’s Itsukushima Shine. They even created a virtual stroll through Sapporo’s Maruyama Zoo!

Here’s a list of themed street view galleries for Japan:

• Tokyo Gallery
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites Gallery
• Hiroshima Gallery
• Japanese Castles Gallery
• Japanese Parks & Gardens Gallery
• Japanese Sports Stadiums Gallery
• Japanese University Campuses Gallery
• Kyoto Gallery
• Kamakura Gallery
• Nara Gallery
• Sapporo Gallery
• Scenic Landmark Gallery
• Yokohama Gallery

• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

New Japan Tourism Promotion Campaign

Japan has launched a new tourism promotion campaign in which the pop group Arashi calls on foreigners to come visit:

A film entitled “Message from Japan” featuring the five-member pop idol group began airing simultaneously across the globe in more than 133 countries and regions including the outdoor screen at New York City’s Times Square.

The video footage was also broadcast in places such as Seoul and London, and will also be shown at airports and Japanese embassies worldwide in the coming weeks.

“We would like to again issue an appeal through this film that it is safe to travel to Japan,” Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Hiroshi Mizohata told a Tokyo news conference launching the broadcast of short messages by Arashi, who were appointed last year to be the agency’s ambassadors and are popular at home and abroad, particularly in Asia.

Since they’re apparently popular in Asia, it’s probably a good idea to use them in an advertisement aimed at Asian tourists. This ad campaign might have some success in Asia.

Unfortunately, it seems poorly matched for the American and European markets. Arashi is unknown outside of Asia, so it’s almost pointless to have them star in a commercial aimed at Americans. Moreover, they seem to be speaking in Japanese the whole time. Paying to run an unknown foreign pop group’s subtitled foreign language advertisement on the big screen in Times Square is the equivalent of flushing money down the toilet.

• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

Suicide Jumper’s Body Injures 4 People

A woman jumped in front of the Narita Express train as it passed through Shin-Koiwa station yesterday, causing a very messy accident:

The impact sent the jumper’s body flying onto the station platform, where it plowed into the glass doors of a convenience store. The door was shattered and shards of glass flew around. Four people suffered minor injuries.

• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

World’s Steepest Roller Coaster (Takabisha)

A video shows what it’s like to ride Fuji-Q Highland’s Takabisha, the world’s steepest roller coaster (a 141 foot drop at 121 degrees):

And here’s a time lapse video of it being built:

Development and construction of the roller coaster cost about 3 billion yen (37 million dollars).

• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

Slow Recovery For Kesennuma’s Shark Fin Industry

Before the March 11th tsunami, Kesennuma was known as the Japan’s #1 supplier of shark fins. Now the city is a ruin, with almost all of its fishing boats and fish processing factories destroyed.

However, survivors are working hard to rebuild. Here’s a news report about a shark fin processing factory that recently re-opened for business:

The city used to have 12 shark fin processing factories. For four months after the tsunami, it had none. Now it has just one.

This company used to operate the largest shark fin processing factory in Kesennuma. Their new factory is very small and located on safe high ground. Because the town’s fishing fleet was wiped out, they’re processing imported shark fins.

With Kesennuma’s shark fin industry in tatters, Chinese restaurants across Japan have found it difficult to find fins for their dishes. One restaurant owner in Yokohama’s Chinatown says he’s only got enough stock to last until August, so he’s hoping that Kesennuma recovers quickly.

• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)

Japanese Actress Transformed Into Dark-Skinned Rapper

Would your dog still recognize you after professional make-up artists transform you into a totally different-looking person? Last week’s episode of “Shimura Zoo” tested that question by giving actress Mirai Yamamoto darker skin, dreadlocks, a beard, and some hip hop clothing:

Does the disguise fool the dog? Maybe. The dog approaches rapper Yamamoto several times and only seems to back off when its clear he’s being ignored.

• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• Dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)