Hamish Downie’s News Sushi #121: Morsels of News From Japan and Beyond Template
Hamish keeps serving the best News Sushi!
Hooray! More News Sushi for you to enjoy!
Editor Note:It is Friday and that means it is time for the World Famous, soon to be Intergalactic Famous, News Sushi from our very own, Hamish Downie. Hamish brings us a decidedly different slant on Pop Culture as viewed through the lens of a non-native living in Japan.
Thank you (ありがとうございました) Hamish, for your insights.
🐯TIGER, TIGER🐯
The Year of the (Water) Tiger is here, and rather than a New Year's resolution, how about a famous proverb to keep in mind…"If you don't enter the tiger’s den, you won't catch its cub" (虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず), meaning "Nothing ventured, nothing gained". pic.twitter.com/PQEyax7wHr
— Camellia Tea Ceremony (@camelliakyoto) January 5, 2022
Is it too late to say Happy New Year? Well, I think I just said it. I’m going to be very 70s and ask, what’s your sign?
With the new year coming, what’s your sign? pic.twitter.com/dPZOa9VwlX
— Conbini Boys 🐣🍗 (@conbiniboys) December 31, 2021
The Combini Boys host an irreverent podcast on the new releases in Japanese Convenience Stores and the Fried Chicken wars. Check it out sometime. Speaking of fried combini chicken, someone finally called it out – what is that memo section for?
a sadly underused feature of the Famichiki sleeve wrapper is the "memo" section. great place to jot down your thoughts or maybe those feelings you have a hard time voicing to loved ones pic.twitter.com/iy9PNcE59W
— Derek Wessman (@dwvcd) January 15, 2022
My film was released over the Christmas holidays, and honestly, it was a bit like graduating from college (both took about 4 years to complete), and it’s bittersweet. I’m happy it’s finally out there, but at the same time, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with the promotion and release. Reactions seem to be either love or hate. Thank you to everyone who has watched it so far, and if you haven’t, it’s on Gagaoolala, and it’s free with a seven-day trial.
Watch it here: https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/2470/matcha-and-vanilla-2021
I’m also excited to be able to reveal that the music from “Matcha & Vanilla” is now available on all streaming platforms:
Have you heard Matcha & Vanilla (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Various Artists on #hearnow? https://t.co/2EqMSikus5
— Hamish Downie (@hamishdownie) January 13, 2022
Congratulations to Felicity Tiliack of Where Next Japan, who applied for the JNTO influencer workshop and was lucky enough to be selected. Says Felicity, “For my workshop project, I decided to visit Kinosaki onsen and, in my typical style, use the voices of the people I met there to introduce their town.” Check it out:
I’m excited to see what Felicity does this year.
This is the content you come here for. You might have heard recently that Japan has developed a lickable TV screen. Before you start thinking of the scene in Pink Flamingos where Divine (no, not that scene) licks everything in the Marble’s house, this is where maybe I can give some context. You see, just about every show on TV here is a variety show, and usually there is some restaurant or food that the panelists get to try, and they always shout, Oishii! or Umai! Typically after registering some form of faux shock.
So, you see, this is really about truth in advertising. Is it really delicious like they say? Maybe. The method I use is the split second after trying the dish where you can sometimes see the person’s real reaction, and that’s where you find out if something really is good or not. Or, you just stop watching TV, and then go to the restaurant with the longest lines waiting to get in. Or you go by recommendations.
Would you ever lick a Television?
For more information: https://www.reuters.com/technology/lick-it-up-japan-professor-creates-tele-taste-tv-screen-2021-12-23/
NEWS SHORTS
Be transported to the world of Dragon Quest: https://japantoday.com/category/features/travel/slime-cocoon-hotel-room-will-transport-the-guest-to-the-world-of-dragon-quest
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work in an izakaya in Hokkaido? Too many drunk Australians? https://blog.gaijinpot.com/what-its-like-working-in-an-izakaya-in-hokkaido/
Have you ever wanted to brew up a soup? Here’s the product for you! https://japantoday.com/category/features/new-products/drip-brewed-drinkable-soups-developed-by-japanese-soy-sauce-giant
TOKYO SNOW
Do you want to build a snowman? Papa, can you hear me?
HOT LINK OF THE WEEK
That’s all for this week, hope to see you again next week! Keep the conversation going on Twitter:
@thetwogaygeeks @tggeeks
こんにちは！Which means “Hello”!
「またきんようびね！」
