The Many Faces of Gunma-chan — Nyanma-chan?

Posted on July 20, 2011 by superhappyawesome

It’s time for this week’s installment in…THE MANY FACES OF GUNMA-CHAN! Ooooh! Yaaay!

This week’s Gunma-chan may seem a bit familiar, if you’re, you know, on the internet.

I’m sure you’re aware of Nyan-cat? Everyone’s favorite rainbow-powered poptart cat, on an endless musical loop of ridiculous cuteness? Remixed and reimagined around the world and back again? The nyans never end! No, really, they NEVER END.

This Gunma-chan is the creative effort of the lovely and talented Robin Stafford, who submitted it to the Gunma JET Association’s recent T-Shirt Design Competition. Isn’t it great? My favorite part is the sparkles, which are actually the Prefectural Symbol. Very clever!

There were so many awesome designs in the competition–which one is your favorite?

Sadly, Sean’s から風 design down at the bottom of the page didn’t get to the voting round of the competition. One of my coworkers really wants it on a shirt, however, so I might do a little limited print run–let me know if you want one!

Posted in Gunma | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tanbara Lavender Park!

Posted on July 19, 2011 by superhappyawesome

As I mentioned yesterday, this past weekend was a lovely long one, and all of Japan had Monday off. While our fair prefecture has no ocean for us to visit on Marine Day, I decided to stay a bit closer to home and enjoy some of the local sites and amenities. Some friends were headed up to Tanbara Lavender Park, and with Sean out of town I decided to Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

海の日 — Marine Day

Posted on July 18, 2011 by superhappyawesome

Happy Marine Day! Today is 海の日 (umi no hi) or Marine Day here in Japan. It is a national holiday which originally commemorated the historic 1876 voyage of Emperor Meiji to Aomori on a specially constructed steam-ship.

Today it is considered a day of gratitude for the blessings of the ocean and prosperity it brings, in this country which has historically depended so heavily on the sea. Many people take the day to go to the ocean and spend time with their families, as evidenced in today’s special Google-doodle for Japan!

Though we live in one of the very few landlocked prefectures in Japan, we still enjoyed the lovely long weekend! Our adventures didn’t include the ocean, sadly, but we still had tons of fun. What did you get up to this weekend, internets?

Posted in Japan | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

What is this I don’t even…Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

Posted on July 17, 2011 by superhappyawesome

Do you remember Pee Wee Herman’s Playhouse, and how it always seemed delightfully trippy, in a way that you didn’t quite understand? Even if you may not have understood the very meaning of the word trippy?

Well, here is something that makes Pee Wee’s Playhouse look like Little House on the Prairie for all it’s boring mundanity. Ponponpon is the very first music video from Harajuku fashion blogger Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, of the hengao (strange face) and her very own line of false eyelashes. The song is surprisingly catchy, and the video delightfully surreal.

With her own debut mini-album “Moshi Moshi Harajuku” due out on August 17th, you can enjoy this ridiculously ridiculous video from Harajuku-girl turned fashion maven turned pop-star until then!

Colorful, surreal, insane, ridiculous–this is the perfect example of what Harajuku is, or wants to be. And if it gets stuck in your head, well…don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Posted in Video | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Happy Engrish Friday! Freedom!

Posted on July 15, 2011 by superhappyawesome

This can is full of lies. Seriously, don’t believe a word it says.

Posted in Engrish | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

KFC’s One Piece Kiddie Meal

Posted on July 14, 2011 by superhappyawesome

So as I mentioned before, the first night we went to the Tanabata Matsuri in my city, things were a bit quiet. The decorations were in full force, and there were girls running around in scandalously shoulder-baring yukata (shocking!) but there was one major thing missing from Continue reading →

Posted in Anime, Food!, Japan | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Many Faces of Gunma-chan: Tamamura

Posted on July 13, 2011 by superhappyawesome

One of the surprise hits from our panel at AX was everyone’s favorite Prefectural Mascot, Gunma-chan! When he came up on the screen the whole room reacted with a big “Awww…” and we were pretty surprised by how much people seemed to love the horsey little fellow.

Thanks to our lovely friend at the International Affairs Division of Gunma Prefectural Government, we had some great Gunma-chan stuff on hand–there were stickers to give away, and flags to decorate with, and even a big plushie to sit by our microphones and keep us company at the front of the room. I thought there was going to be a fight when Continue reading →

Posted in Gunma | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Here You Are, Here You Are

Posted on July 12, 2011 by superhappyawesome

The class had started off normally.

“Let’s begin!” I announced in a sharp voice. This is usually followed by a student commanding the others to “Stand up! Attention! Bow!”

This happens in some variation in most classrooms in Japan, at the start of most every class. It seemed really formal at first, but now I like the Continue reading →

Posted in School Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Black Eyed Peas’ Love Song to Japan

Posted on July 11, 2011 by superhappyawesome

A good friend of ours posted this video yesterday, saying that he missed Anime Expo. The lyrics are quite relevant (“I just can’t get enough” really resonates with those feelings of “con withdrawal” that always come up after such an awesome weekend!) and I think it’s appropriate that Continue reading →

Posted in Japan, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Tanabata, Take Two

Posted on July 10, 2011 by superhappyawesome

Our lovely city’s Tanabata Festival has been in full swing all weekend! While things were a bit quiet on Thursday (Tanabata proper) the place was packed today. There was tons of food, games, lovely decorations and people in traditional costumes–all the good stuff you expect at a traditional Japanese matsuri!

There was also a constant stream of students who reacted with varying degrees of shock and delight to see their teachers outside of school. I wish I could show you those pictures, but there are strict rules about posting pictures of students on the internet (no faces!) so you’ll have to make due with general festival shots!

Also, I’m thinking about entering one of these in a regional photo contest, so please help a girl out and tell me which Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments