This week’s “Nanikore Chin Hyakkei” had a segment about a samurai wedding at Matsue Castle:

The wedding was modeled after the kind of celebration that might occur if the groom had been a feudal lord. Their friends and family were dressed in samurai attire, taking on the role of the lord’s retainers.
The couple [...]

A Fuji TV news report about how protective masks that offer “99%” virus protection are selling well:

A study conducted by the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan found that most masks are far less effective than their packages claim. Of the fifteen brands of 99% anti-viral masks tested, twelve had filters with below 95% [...]

Nothing nightmare inducing about this.

Aw, I didn’t ruin your post-beauty-queen-sex-scandal spirits, did I?
If this product has convinced you that you need an ultrasonic ion brush, you can buy it here, but I think the sound will melt your brains.
I could go on about the infamous dentata of the Japanese archipelago, but I am sure the [...]

Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan, appeared on Monday’s episode of the Daily Show to talk about his encounters with the yakuza:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c

Jake Adelstein

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes
Political Humor
Health Care Crisis

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An old PR video for the JGSDF, narrated in English:

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A short Fuji TV report about Takehiyo Toguchi, a man in Okinawa who is fighting to prevent the construction of a U.S. military base in Henoko Bay[this aired a few days before Obama's visit]:

In 2006, the Japanese and U.S. governments signed an agreement that would relocate USMC Air Station Futenma from the middle of a [...]

A little bit about exchanging business cards in Japan. Stack up on your cards if you are coming over to do business over here:

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During President Obama’s visit to Japan, about 16,000 police officers were mobilized to provide extra security around Tokyo. Here’s a video clip showing some of the security measures taken:

The report says that trash cans, coin lockers, and vending machines were put out of service at many train stations. The primary method of preventing [...]

NTV news reports on a press conference that announced an exhibition of artifacts from Pompeii that will be coming to Japan next year:

Fukuoka City Museum
Tuesday, Jan. 5, through Sunday, March 7, 2010
Yokohama Museum of Art
Saturday, March 20, through Sunday, June 13, 2010
Nagoya City Museum
Thursday, June 24, through Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Niigata Prefectural Museum of [...]

Yesterday, NTT East announced the internet-enabled Hikari iFrame (光iフレーム) in a bid to increase the number of households subscribing to its Flet’s Next fiber optic broadband internet service by targeting young women who are unskilled with computers.
The device will cost between 20,000 and 30,000 yen, run Google’s open source Android mobile OS, and double as [...]

A Japanese news program follows around a group of rich Chinese tourists, observing their spending habits:

The 26 Chinese tourists are from Shanghai, and they’ve come to Japan to go shopping. Almost half the group are doctors from a plastic surgery clinic.
Their first stop is Akihabara, where they do some duty free shopping. On [...]

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary celebration of the Emperor’s reign, and today Barack Obama will be coming to Japan. Japanese police have been on high alert for security threats, as this video clip shows:

A team of police divers checked the imperial moat for dangerous objects, while other police spray-painted manhole covers to make it [...]