Bear BEAR BIG BEAR!!

Do you enjoy this long golden-week vacation?? I haven’t gone anywhere, but I found very cute bears in Roppongi Hills on the web. The name of the interesting project is called United Buddy Bears Exhibition . Now, in there, there are 127 bears that are 2 meters. It isn’t only big and artistic bears. The bears’ exhibition has hold under a motto,
WE HAVE TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER …
… it makes us understand one another better, trust each other more and live together more peacefully.
So 127 bears are standing hand in hand to represent 127 United Nations member states.
Each 127 bears are painted by 127 each countries artists. From the bears we can see information about the each countries.

These buddy bears are on its tour around the word. After this tour, these bears are auctioned and the money are contributed for UNICEF
I think it’s good for us to see this international exhibition for free. Seeing that we could touch each 127 countries art and countries their selves.

I’d like to see 120 bears and get through artistic time!! umm… I’d like to Roppongi!!

If you want to find, or all buddy nears, enter from this!!↓
http://www.united-buddy-bears.com/de/bears/index.php?lang=en&bbbyear=2005

Buddy Bear

Does Still American take higher BTU??

monster200

According to the NPR article of Food , there are still some first food chains that serve high calorie food though the physical documentary movie,SUPER SIZE ME , was released and surprising many people.
Americans are tend to improve their eating habits, super-size eating, these days, but the people who ordered the food at these food chains eat up!!
I read the sentence written about the notion to time in my school textbook. In it, they said Americans want to minimize the amount of time they spend preparing and eating meals while Europeans spend long time, conversing with friends. This cultural perception would afford Americans’ paradoxical belief.

I can’t understand why they like the first food very much even as they already know foods, like that, are not good for their health because the US announces many article about the food. They must know the latest information, and that attract them for Japanese food or some other dieting. The only possibility that I can think is that their DNA says they should do so!

My recommend this!

English teacher told me that NPR is very good for improving listening ability. I had never heard the name like the name, but it seemed the name, like CNN or ABC.
Anyway, I heard the listening program today. umm… definitely ideal one. Though I don’t know how it is for TOEIC, it’ll become practices for TOEFL. Speed, length and difficulty of the contents are also suited. I think it may well become good for practicing for TOEIC, too!!
If you want to try it, you can go from this article or Ellen's web log.

The Manga finally became a Hollywood movie!!

Monster

It’s not the latest news but I’d like to tell about the news.

Have you already read some Naoki Urasawa’s manga?? He is an author of YAWARA!, 20th century boys and PLUTO. I think there are no people who don’t know his Manga.
This time, one of his best sellers, Monster, has been generate publicity because the Manga finally became a movie not in Japan but Hollywood!! For the past few years, Hollywood is apt to buy the rights of remaking Japanese box office hits, like THE RING, THE GRUDGE (The JUON) or Shall we dance?? . It seems that shortage of the good factures made Hollywood people see Asian movies or Manga. The circumstances are seen in series of blockbuster hits, too.

Anyway, Monster is a psychological thriller telling the story of one doctor, Dr.Temmma who used to be an outstanding future surgery and one young brilliant killer whose life Temmma saved in young man’s early age. Urasawa’s Manga is very complex and we can’t imagine the next scene. Monster has cruelty, but at the same time, he shows us confidential relationship of people and sanctity of life.

I think film version of this is very difficult because there are no places to cut in the Original. So, please read Manga (vol.1~18) and of course try another his book, 20th century boys!!

April 23, 2005

Taxi3

Today, I saw a video, Taxi 3. I had never seen this series, but often heard that Taxi is super fascinating comedy touch movie, so I had been eager to see it.
Seeing this, I found it’s one of the most interesting comedy movies that I’ve ever seen.
I don’t know whether #1 or #2, but it seems that the director made it in consideration of 007, like car chase, sexy (?) girl, cross-border locales.
High point of the movie is opening. If you see it once, you’ll never forget it because 007’s movies have unique opening. So as soon as Taxi 3’s opening began, I found it!! It’s the best parody that I’ve ever seen.
If you haven’t seen it yet, check it!!

What color do you check someone's paper by??

From Ellen's blog

In your school, Does your teacher use red color when (s) he check something like tests or another assignments??
According to the Ellen, there is the article that insists teacher shouldn’t use red because red represents not only love but also debilitating and causes stress.
Moreover, in the article (not written by Ellen) one teacher useing purple said “My generation was brought up on right or wrong with no in between, and red was always in your face. It’s uncomfortable to me. Purple is just a little bit more gentle. Part of my job is to be attuned to what kids respond to, and red is not one of those colors.” This remark is interesting, at least, for me, because Purple represents frustration in Japan (I don’t know how this color is thought in another countries). However, it said that the frustrated Purple pens’ sales are rising.

For me, the color doesn’t become any trouble because since I enter elementary school, teachers have used red pen. So I had never cared about the color. I think , unless the color is black, it’s all O.K. that whichever colors the teacher use. How about in your country?? And how do you think if the teachers use only red color in that case?

April 19, 2005

On April 15, I had a bad cough and was absent from school. I’m not a cauldrife person (it means someone who easily catch a cough) but this cold did’t come to cure at all since the beginning of March. However, sleeping all day on 15th and 16 the makes me 75% all right now! Sleeping is sovereign remedy against all disease:)
Anyway, I plan to make another web log, Japanese one. At the new blog, I’d like to write about International Tokyo film festival. In fact I’ll apply for the volunteer. Employed as a volunteer, I have to pass both documentary examination and employment interview. If I fail the exam, I won’t make the new one. According to the last year’s web site of the festival, application was starting from April 28, so this year is going to be the day (or 27 or 29) too! I’m so excited!!

International Tokyo film festival …..http://www.tiff-jp.net/ (English&Japanese)

Asyurajyou-no-Hitomi

Rie, Somegro Kanako

When I saw it first, it’s not a movie but stage version. My friend who really like to see plays lent its DVD (stage version) to me. The stage-version Asyurajyou got beyond my definition of plays. The fast-moving story, lots of actions and seasoned actions of seasoned actors are a new experience. Especially, casting was great. The leading actor is Somegoro Ichilawa, Kabuki actor, and Yuki Amami, Top-name star of Takarazuka Revue Company and Mari Natsuki played an important role. According to my friend, this stage was absorbed features of Kabuki, Japanese traditional performing art. So I could see Somegoro’s Kabuki in the stage.

At the new movie, Rie Miyazawa, representative actress of Japan, plays the role in Yuki stead. I think Yuki is more perfect for the job than Rie, but if I see the movie-version, I may feel she is good for the role.

MoVies

Ashyura

This month, two big movies that I’m very looking forward to seeing will be on screen!!
I’m so excited but I wouldn’t be able to see both of them because I’m 3rd grade of high school student and prices are high for me. I don’t want to lose 3000 yen at a month.
The remarkable movies are Ashyurajyou-no-Hiyomi (Somegorou Ichikawa, Rie Miyazawa) and CONSTANTINE (Keanu Reeves). Both are released at April 16th. Ashyurajyou-no-Hitomi is Japanese movie and latter is American movie.
I’d like to talk about each of the movies next time.

Pretty candles*** SWATi

swati

Today, I’ll introduce very pretty candle. While I was using mobile phone of au (one of the Japanese mobile phone company) I got an au booklet about the company’s new item. At that time, cover-page photo was super cute!! It was the very candle’s photo. I’ve never seen such a small elaborate candle.
I’m not interesting both candles and other small objects, but I was addicted to them.
So I sometimes go the sites (http://www.swati.jp/) and watch them.
According to the site, all of the candles are handmade! That is great, isn’t it?? The shop name is SWATi and MAYUMI NAKADA makes candles. (I think, she must be a pretty woman because she makes pretty candles) The site says that Swati means, “star” in Hindi.
I’d like to buy it, but…. they are expensive. So I’ll just watch the candles on the Internet and get satisfaction.

SWATi.......http://www.swati.jp/

SWATi's photes

swati

They are all candles! umm…pretty:)

April 09, 2005

Yesterday, We did check-ups in my school. In the check-ups, I was taken a blood sample. However, after injection, fraction of my arm that was injected was bleed internally. Because when we did check-ups, nurse collect blood from arteria, whoever collected blood have to stanch (stop bleeding). Definitely I did and make as doctor told me, I rested few minutes. I think nurse was bad at do that.
So yesterday, my arm was hurt and I couldn’t type the words!! Now I’m O.K but my arms have got a bruise and it won’t be disappear soon.

April 06, 2005

sakura

At last, school began. Teacher is the one that I really want to learn English from. I’ve heard that she can speak 6 languages fluently. That’s amazing, isn’t it??
In my new class, 20 friends are already known each other, so it’ll be not difficult to remember my new friends’ name. But it’ll be impossible to remember autonym because I (and also you) usually call my friends’ with nickname.
I wish I could make wonderful school day!!

BTW, cheery blossoms started to bloom in Japan. Compared to annual years, efflorescence was late. I hadn’t thought so, but when I went to school yesterday and saw cheery blossoms aren’t in full blossom, I agreed, too. As my enrollment ceremony of high school, cheery trees had already strewn their blossoms. This year, I may see pretty cheery blossom! And if I have a chance, I’d like to go on a cherry-viewing picnic!

sakura 

sakura

April 4, 2005

From tomorrow, the next year’s term starts but I’m trouble with my but habits. As I sometimes said on this blog, it’s difficult for me to get up. I usually set the alarm clock keeping the big sound on over an hour. But I rarely wake up. Only one way of my waking up is my mother’s anger voice. (haha)

In fact, this year will be my last days of living in JAPAN. This time next year, I will be in California. I feel a little bit lonely, but it’s O.K. because I made up my mind long time ago. If I can get a job in the US, I never live in JAPAN. So I want to treasure my last life in Japan and, of course, my final-year life as a high school student. I’d like to make great memory.

Does MacDonald's fall into the same trap?

I don’t know that it’s good news for you, MacDonald’s Co., Ltd. decided to cut a price again aiming shortening of the time to give change. So the prices of single menu are all 100 yen and set menu are all 500 yen. Of course this new effect is mostly aimed to empress their prices are cheap and put the economy on track for recovery.

On the other hands, MOS BURGER is going to contrasting way, you know. Though MOS haven’t afforded its foods with cheap (100~200yen) price by nature, it has projected “TAKUMI” series. By now, 4 TAKUMI Burger are been selling and their prices are 610~1000!! Compared with other company’s Burgers, the prices of TAKUMI are about 3 times. But my friend who tried TAKUMI said, “it’s worth to pay the price because that TAKUMI Burger goes beyond any definition of Burgers!”
I heard that president of MOS said, “Good qualities can’t be sold at low price” In order to heavy prices, MOS’s business is good.

I think, after all, if the prices are high, delicious foods attract people’s mind!

MOS BUEGER (JAPANESE) → http://www.mos.co.jp/index.html