俳句フィルター：Help me find great winter haiku in their original Japanese, but with English translations. [more inside]
posted by Cogito on Dec 22, 2009 - 3 answers

There is a video making the rounds that is supposedly from an extreme Japanese pranks show called "Panic Face King." I have been unable to find any additional information on this show, which leads me to believe this is not the real name (or not the correct translation). [more inside]
posted by phonepimpster on Oct 27, 2009 - 7 answers

There's something about an Edo period setting. Recommend to me some [more] books/movies/anime/video games. [more inside]
posted by lilnublet on Oct 6, 2009 - 27 answers

Does anyone know of any web sites that provide you spoken manga? Specifically what I'm looking for is audio files for manga, read in Japanese, so I can listen to it and follow along in the manga I already own. Sometimes I have my Japanese wife read a manga to me, but often she is too busy or unwilling. I can read it myself, of course, but my Japanese is not yet good enough to know proper pronunciation, intonation and rhythm, and so on, so I find it helpful if someone reads to me. Anyways, any ideas?
posted by dbooster on Sep 13, 2009 - 1 answer

What are some good gifts for Japanese families? Also, are there any cultural taboos that I should be particularly sure to avoid breaking while staying in Japan? [more inside]
posted by bassooner on May 3, 2009 - 23 answers

This is going to be a bit of a longshot, but when I was in Japan a few months ago, I heard a cover of Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now" sung presumably by a Japanese female, and I've been trying to find it ever since. [more inside]
posted by wander on Mar 12, 2009 - 6 answers

What are some of the typical things said on Japanese variety shows? Preferably cheesy and/or cavity-inducing sweet? [more inside]
posted by Xere on Feb 1, 2009 - 7 answers

I'd like an introduction to Japanese jazz/piano ambient. Where should I start? Who's great? Who should I avoid?
posted by Xurando on Jan 26, 2009 - 7 answers

Please help me understand the ethnic/racial origin of the Japanese. [more inside]
posted by gregb1007 on Dec 6, 2008 - 10 answers

What is the best Japanese dating site? [more inside]
posted by bindasj on Nov 30, 2008 - 6 answers

What are some of the best web & print resources to aid my exploration of Japanese film? [more inside]
posted by keith0718 on Nov 11, 2008 - 5 answers

Can anyone provide deeper insight into the Japanese Harikuyo festival, where broken sewing needles from throughout the year are ritually buried and given thanks? [more inside]
posted by bitter-girl.com on Nov 3, 2008 - 3 answers

Does anybody know anything about this Japanese photographer’s website? [more inside]
posted by Rora on Sep 14, 2008 - 8 answers

How is fureai pronounced?
posted by coizero on Sep 10, 2008 - 11 answers

Asking for a friend: Can you translate this (Japanese?) tea package? PDFs here and here. [more inside]
posted by fiercecupcake on Sep 8, 2008 - 5 answers

Tokyo Damage Report's list of shows and venues has sold me on going to see bands play while I'm in Japan, are there any resources like this for cities besides Tokyo? [more inside]
posted by soma lkzx on Jul 6, 2008 - 6 answers

YouTube video got deleted...can you help me find it? [more inside]
posted by j1950 on May 9, 2008 - 2 answers

Can you point me to traditional Japanese music on the web? Looking for free downloads. [more inside]
posted by ollsen on Apr 15, 2008 - 2 answers

Can you identify this Japanese song? [more inside]
posted by Bun on Mar 10, 2008 - 0 answers

I'm looking for pre-WWII non-Japanese poetry that mentions Japan. [more inside]
posted by No-sword on Dec 21, 2007 - 5 answers

In preparation of studying abroad in the Tohoku region of Japan next year, I am looking for useful dialect-related tools and resources. [more inside]
posted by mezamashii on Sep 25, 2007 - 3 answers

How is the English language regarded in Japanese culture? [more inside]
posted by ibmcginty on Aug 25, 2007 - 16 answers

What is the next step for a soon-to-be graduate of a large school in Pittsburgh, PA who has degrees in both Computer Science and Japanese? [more inside]
posted by EduTek on Aug 23, 2007 - 4 answers

I'm attempting to find somewhere to buy this Japanese candy and having no luck at all. [more inside]
posted by divka on Aug 1, 2007 - 5 answers

Where can I buy a nice quality Go set in NYC? [more inside]
posted by spec80 on Jul 22, 2007 - 4 answers

Has anyone taken the language courses offered by the Japan Society in New York? [more inside]
posted by Julnyes on Jul 17, 2007 - 8 answers

Do you recognize this short story, possibly written by David Mamet? A Japanese couple scrimps and saves so they can incrementally improve their lives, and they go to a shopping mall/set of stores for fun, where they purchase candies/cookies that look like 1000 or 10000 or 1000000 yen. (More inside.) [more inside]
posted by Slap Factory on Jun 20, 2007 - 5 answers

I was told a story once, about an American stealing Non-obese Diabetic (NOD) mice from a Japanese lab, and smuggling them back to the States. But I can't find the story anywhere on the web. [more inside]
posted by kisch mokusch on May 25, 2007 - 4 answers

Is the Wii marketing campaign the first game console campaign to make such a big deal about its Japanese heritage? (In the U.S., anyway.) [more inside]
posted by The Deej on Dec 22, 2006 - 14 answers

In this collection of clips of Rube Goldberg machines for NHK's Pitagora Suichi, was CG animation used? [more inside]
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Dec 17, 2006 - 18 answers

Seeking the website of a Japanese photographer. [more inside]
posted by zadcat on Oct 5, 2006 - 10 answers

What was that TV show I just saw in Japan? It seemed to be a comedy about a neurotic architect and his cute neighbors. It intrigued me. [more inside]
posted by BlackLeotardFront on Sep 12, 2006 - 3 answers

What are some recommendations for Japanese language schools, especially for conversation, in Tokyo? [more inside]
posted by Ookseer on Aug 23, 2006 - 2 answers

For a friend: While on holiday in Japan several years ago, we saw this street vendor with his dancing, jumping puppet. Hows it work? Download Video (mp4) [more inside]
posted by lemonfridge on Aug 7, 2006 - 4 answers

Any good current animes in the process of being aired? I'm watching Blood+ and Ergo Proxy, but I need more quality shows. Links to your favorite English fansubbers would be greatly appreciated.
posted by exhilaration on Jul 1, 2006 - 5 answers

Calling all kids and kids at heart... what kind of souvenir would you want from Japan? [more inside]
posted by QueSeraSera on Jun 27, 2006 - 42 answers

I want to start reading some Japanese blogs in an effort to improve my grasp of the language. Any suggestions? [more inside]
posted by borkingchikapa on Apr 26, 2006 - 4 answers

Japanese TV online? [more inside]
posted by blahtsk on Mar 6, 2006 - 7 answers

What are the best Japanese language schools in Tokyo? [more inside]
posted by dead_ on Jan 18, 2006 - 1 answer

How do I find a non-teaching job in Japan? [more inside]
posted by dead_ on Dec 21, 2005 - 9 answers

A friend of mine would like to buy an electronic Japanese-English dictionary. What model do you recommend? [more inside]
posted by teem on Dec 3, 2005 - 8 answers

Does anyone have Japanese pen pals while they don't speak Japanese? [more inside]
posted by curbstop on Sep 25, 2005 - 5 answers

I've decided I want to learn Japanese. [more inside]
posted by cm on Aug 12, 2005 - 13 answers

I'm a bit ignorant as regards Japan and all things Japanese, and am not quite sure where to start. But I have some very specific questions that I hope MeFi might help with, having to do with use of the Roman alphabet for electronic communications, in Japan. How do email addresses work? URLs? [more inside]
posted by cloudscratcher on Aug 9, 2005 - 6 answers

Can anyone help me find a copy of Kokoo's 'Super-Nova' album on CD or even mp3? My Google-fu has failed me, and I would *love* to hear some of my favourite tracks (especially 'Tarkus' by Emerson, Lake and Palmer) played on traditional Japanese instruments...
posted by timpollard on Jun 14, 2005 - 2 answers

Somewhere I read (in English) about a Japanese salariman whose company, rather than laying him off, assigned him to work in an empty room doing nothing all day, hoping that he would quit. Can anyone find a reference to this case? Bonus points if there's a Japanese name for this practice. Arigato!
posted by sagwalla on Feb 4, 2005 - 16 answers

My husband and I want to take a vacation in Japan. He's been there once and speaks some Japanese, but I was wondering if there is a kind of guided tour where they don't babysit you everywhere, but do help organize English-speaking tours of things that might be hard to do on our own (Fuji, Hiroshima, possibly even Okinawa). We really don't want to sign on for the traditional guided tour, but would love to be able to have some guidance when needed. Any companies like this out there? thanks!
posted by GaelFC on Dec 16, 2004 - 2 answers

I think we've just about all heard about the Japanese internment camps of WWII. While I'm mildly curious to know if any actual pro-Japanese/anti-American espionage rings were discovered through that process, I'm really curious to know if Japan experienced the inverse-- that is, whether there was any sort of pro-American underground in Japan attempting to thwart the country's progress in its war against the US. I saw a documentary a couple of years back, probably on the History Channel, discussing how Japan had seen a lot of western modernism creep in in the 20s and 30s that then led to a strong backlash and trend towards nationalism, which helped lead to Japan's involvement in WWII. It occurred to me that some of those pro-westerners must have been plenty annoyed with their country; did any of them act on that anger?
posted by kimota on Dec 7, 2004 - 7 answers

I'd like to learn more about the Japanese comics artist Yoshiharu Tsuge. [more inside]
posted by Termite on Sep 11, 2004 - 5 answers

My wife and I are heading back to Japan for a few weeks this October. I lived for many years in Japan, but have not been to Kyoto. We are planning only a day and a half there, so I was wondering which temples/castles are on your "Do Not Miss Under Any Circumstances" List (I'm guessing Ryoanji, Kinkakuji, and Kiyomizudera for starters)? Any advice? Im planning a full day and need to make sure I make this worthwhile.
posted by Dantien on Sep 3, 2004 - 3 answers