Sotheby’s International Realty is now open in Japan. The premier global luxury real estate brokerage firm is an exclusive franchise has open it’s very first branch in Japan. However, it is curious that only now a chain is open in Japan seeing the high standards of living there, I thought they should have capitalized on it years ago.

Tokyo, Apr 4, 2008 – (JCN Newswire) – Urban Corporation (TSE: 8868) today launched Japan Sotheby’s International Realty (incorporated name: K.K. Urban International Properties), a premier global luxury real estate brokerage firm, as part of its exclusive franchise agreement with Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC signed on July 19, 2007. It has opened its first office in Tokyo’s Chiyoda-ku, Kojimachi, paving the way for clients to have access to an unprecedented and unrivaled global real estate network.

Japan Sotheby’s International Realty will operate as the independently owned franchise of the Sotheby’s International Realty(R) brand, which currently consists of 484 offices in 33 countries. By working with the brand’s more than 9,000 brokerage professionals worldwide, Japan Sotheby’s International Realty is able to offer more than 20,000 luxury property listings around the world to Japan’s real estate market. Meanwhile, the launch also provides domestic and foreign clientele with access to the finest domestic property listings, such as luxury residences in metropolitan Tokyo and Osaka, as well as premium resorts and vacation homes in Karuizawa, Okinawa, and throughout Japan.

The Sotheby’s International Realty brand has brokered some of the world’s top luxury real estate, concentrating on property listings over US$1.5 million. In 2007, the brand recorded more than 10,000 property transactions. With the rapid growth of the affluent class worldwide and the global expansion of the Sotheby’s International Realty network in strategic regions, the number of transactions is expected to rise in the near future.

Alongside its official business launch, Japan Sotheby’s International Realty has formed partnerships with domestic and international financial institutions that have proven track records for working successfully with domestic affluent clientele, and has promoted business partnerships with a major tax accountant network and key groups such as domestic real estate firms. By joining forces with these potent partners, Japan Sotheby’s International Realty will develop a unique and effective business strategy that is unrivaled and unprecedented in Japan.

Read the rest here…

During summers in Japan, a line of firework displays are scheduled weekly for the public eye in Tokyo. And usually these fireworks are a wrap up to festivals during the summer so here is a list of events to check out and mark on your calendar if you want to catch these work of art in the sky.

Yokohama 150th Anniversary Fireworks Festival
Sun July 20. Boom Factor: 6,000. 7:30-8:40pm. Nearest stn: Sakuragicho (JR Negishi line); Minato Mirai (Minato Mirai line). Tel: 0180-99-4045.

Katsuhika Noryo Fireworks Display
Tue July 22. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:20-8:20pm. Nearest stn: Shibamata (Keisei Kanamachi line). Tel: 03-3838-5558

Sumida River Fireworks
Sat July 26. Boom Factor: 20,000. 7:10- 8:30pm. Nearest stn: Asakusa (Tobu Isesaki line, Ginza line, Asakusa line); Kuramae (Oedo line). Tel: 03-5608-6951.

Teganuma Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 13,500. 7-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Abiko (JR Joban line); Kita- Kashiwa (JR Joban line). Tel: 04-7182-3131.

Sakura Shimin Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:20-9pm. Nearest stn: Usui (Keisei Main line). Tel: 043-4866-6000.

Ageo Fireworks Festival (Saitama)
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 13,000. 7-9pm. Nearest stn: Ageo (Takasaki line). Tel: 048-775-5917.

Atsugi Ayu Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom factor: 10,000. 7-8:40pm. Nearest stn: Hon-Atsugi (Odakyu line). Tel: 046-295-5496.

Kanagawa Shimbun Fireworks Festival
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 8,000. 7:15-7:30pm. Nearest stn: Sakuragicho (JR line, Yokohama Municipal Subway); Minato Mirai (Minato Mirai line). Tel: 045-227-0744.

Edogawa City Fireworks
Sat Aug 2. Boom Factor: 14,000. 7:15-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Shinozaki (Shinjuku line); Koiwa, Ichikawa (Sobu line); Keisei Edogawa, Konodai (Keisei Main line). Tel: 03-5662-0523.

Seiseki Tama River Fireworks
Tue Aug 5. Boom Factor: 4,600. 7:30-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Seiseki Sakuragaoka (Keio line). Tel: 080-6574-1404.

Enoshima Fireworks
Tue Aug 5. Boom factor: 5,000. 7:15- 8:15pm. Nearest stn: Katase Enoshima (Odakyu line); Enoshima ( Enoshima line); Shonan Enoshima (Shonan Monorail). Tel: 0466-24-4141.

Tateyama Bay Fireworks Festival
Fri Aug 8. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:30-8:45pm. Nearest stn: Tateyama (JR line). Tel: 0470-22-8330.

Tokyo Bay Fireworks
Sun Aug 10. Boom factor: 12,000. 7-8:20pm. Nearest stn: Kachidoki; Hamamatsucho; Toyosu. Tel: 03-3248-1561.

Nikkan Sports 2007
Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival Thu Aug 7. Boom Factor: 10,000. 7:30-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Sendagaya; Shinanomachi (Chuo-Sobu line); Yoyogi (Chuo-Sobu, Yamanote lines); Gaienmae, Aoyama-Itchome; Omotesando (Ginza line). Tel: 03-3547-0900.

Chofu City Fireworks
Sat Aug 23. Boom Factor: about 12,000. 7:20-8:30pm. Nearest stn: Keio Tamagawa. Tel: 042-481-7311.

Festivals
August
Hachioji Festival
Fri 1-Sun 3. Some 1,500 participants stomp around carrying a flotilla of four-ton portable shrines. Day three is the highlight, when the six floats start a running battles, or buttsuke (literally, “hitting”). Nearest stn: Hachioji (Chuo line). Tel: 042-648-1531. www.hachiojimatsuri.jp

Asagaya Tanabata Festival
Sat 6-Wed 10. The highlight of this Tanabata “Star Festival” is the elaborate kusudama decorations. Nearest stn: Asagaya. Minami-Asagaya Tel: 03-3312-6181. www.asagaya.or.jp

Fukagawa Hachiman Festival
Wed 13-Sun 17. One of the three biggest Shrine festivals in Tokyo. Also known as the water-covering festival: water is splashed while the crowd carries 120 portable shrines calling out “Wasshoi!” Nearest stn: Monzen Nakamachi (Tozai line or Oedo line). Tel: 03-3642-1315.
www.tomiokahachimangu.or.jp

Azabu-Juban Festival
Fri 22-Sun 24. Hundreds of food stalls, plus traditional dancing and music. Expect large crowds. Nearest stn: Azabu-Juban. Tel: 03-3578-2111. www.azabujuban.or.jp

Asakusa Samba Carnival
Sat 30. Interesting combination of traditional Brazilian dance in Tokyo’s most traditional town. 1:30pm. Nearest stn: Asakusa. Tel: 03-3847-0038. www.asakusa-samba.jp

Koenji Awa Odori
Sat 23-Sun 24. A huge traditional summer dance festival in this vibrant area of western Tokyo. 6-9pm. Nearest stn: Koenji (Chuo line). www.koenji-awaodori.com

Super Yosakoi Festival 2008
Sat 23-Sun 24. The Tokyo alternative to the southern island of Kochi’s traditional dance festival featuring about 80 amateur teams. 10am-6pm. Nearest stn: Harajuku; Meiji-Jingumae; Omotesando. Tel: 03-5766-1320. www.yosakoi-harajuku.com

Katsushika Noryo Fireworks Display
Kicking off Japan’s hanabi season, the Edo River lights up with about 10,000 fireworks. Head over early to beat the crowds. July 22 7:20-8:20pm, free. Shibamata Baseball Field. Nearest stn: Keisei Kanamachi Line, Shibamata.

The list is courtesy of Metropolis.

Music conductors will be the first to be out of work. Check it out.

Soon, dancers too:

You better understand Japanese to listen to this. Miss Universe organizers are too cheap to have her translated. But really, they could have done better in my humble opinion. I think the best candidate Japan sent for the Ms. Universe pageant will always be Ms. Kurara Chibana – the epitome of smart and beautiful.

This reality TV program is aired in US/Canada since June and it’s extremely hilarious. We all know how extremely out of this world Japanese Game Shows are :P

Now, a bunch of Americans are taken to Japan to participate in this game show without prior knowledge in what they are about to expect.

Where will we get our fresh sashimis now?

A lot of people do not know or appreciate where their food comes from or who, in truth, is actually feeding them. It is people like the fisherman, the farmers and the cattle and sheep herders that are feeding people in the world. Without them, we’re too modernized to actually know how to use a fishing hook to catch our feed for the day.

Because of the rising oil prices, the fishermen in Japan have began a strike to protest against the fuel prices. Fishermen in my country do not earn an enormous amount of money after all costs are considered, they only have enough for the year providing if the season is a good one. And with this rising fuel prices, it would be almost impossible to make a decent living. I am not saying I am for this strike because fish prices is going to go up due to this protest, which will raise the prices in restaurants, etc if it goes on long enough….but whose fault is it really?

Fishermen across Japan suspended operations on Tuesday as part of a huge protest by 16 main fishing organizations to highlight hardships caused by surging fuel prices.

The one-day fishing suspension by organizations including the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations and the Japan Fisheries Association, representing about 200,000 fishing vessels altogether, was the first nationwide fishing stoppage sparked by high fuel prices.

Since the suspension halted the supply of nearly all fresh fish, there is a possibility that fish prices could temporarily be affected.

Under the move, the commercial operation of most domestic fishing boats was suspended. In addition to boats in home waters, vessels fishing for tuna and other fish in the open sea refrained from unloading fish at ports in Japan on Tuesday. Fish farming operators were also due to suspend shipments.

The National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations said that the estimated going rate of A-type heavy oil used in fishing boats was 115,400 yen per kiloliter, roughly triple the price five years ago. For coastal fishing boats under 20 tons, the cost of fuel accounted for about 23 percent of operating costs in 2006, but recently it has reportedly passed 30 percent.

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This story sort of reminds me of a scene in Meet the Parents when Gaylord “Greg” Focker was taken out of his flight for saying bomb, the conversation went like this:

Security: You were acting like a manic and you threatened her with a bomb.
Greg: No, I said I didn’t have a bomb.
Security: But you said bomb.
Greg: I said, “It’s not like I have a bomb”.
Security: You said “Bomb” on an airplane.
Greg: What’s wrong with saying ‘Bomb’ on an airplane?
Security: You can’t say ‘Bomb’ on an airplane!
Greg: Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb. You gonna arrest me? Bomb bomb bomb bomb! During the war I was a BOMBadier!

ROFL

Man arrested after ‘joking’ with flight attendant he had stick of dynamite on plane in Hokkaido

CHITOSE, Hokkaido — A man has been arrested for telling a cabin attendant that he possessed a stick of dynamite on a plane, causing the flight to be delayed by three hours, police said.

Takanari Deto, 69, a real estate company owner of Chuo-ku, Sapporo, stands accused of forcible obstruction of business.

He admitted to the allegations. “I did it as a joke,” he was quoted as telling investigators during questioning.

The incident occurred at around 1:50 p.m. on Tuesday when the aircraft was parked at New Chitose Airport waiting for departure, local police said.

Deto told a cabin attendant on Hokkaido International Airlines (Air Do) Flight 20 bound for Haneda Airport in Tokyo that he had a stick of dynamite as he was placing a paper bag into an overhead compartment, according to investigators.

All of the 214 passengers and crewmembers were evacuated and police officers searched the cabin but found no explosive.

The flight departed for Tokyo three hours behind schedule.

Source

Come Julu 14th, is an event that will rock the beauty world while contestants from 100s of different countries will send their ladies of choice to represent their country’s women.

This year’s contender for Japan: Hiroko Mima

It seems appropriate that this year’s Miss Universe Japan, Hiroko Mima, excels at the high jump. She is, in fact, aiming for the highest bar of all in Vietnam on July 14 when she represents her country in the Miss Universe final, following in the footsteps of Riyo Mori, who won last year, and Kurara Chibana, who was first runner-up in 2006.

Born in Tokushima, the 173cm-tall Mima, 22, says she always wanted to be a physical education instructor, and has competed nationally in the high jump. “I never saw many beauty contests on TV when I was growing up. They didn’t really have a positive image then. I knew of Miss Japan, but didn’t know Miss Universe at all. Then I saw the news about Kurara, and last year, when Riyo won, I discovered we were the same age. I thought if she could do it, so could I.”

Mima’s determined spirit has not only propelled her onto the world stage, it has helped her through some difficult times. In junior high school, she had a serious spinal illness. Then her grandmother died in 2003 and her father three years ago. “I loved them so much, and I was very sad. [But] when my dad passed away, I didn’t confine myself to my room crying. My family and I all supported each other by talking about how enjoyable life was with him. Everybody remembers him in a positive way. I think he is looking over us from heaven. These tragedies made me realize we only get one life, and I am determined to take on many different challenges.”

metropolis

Get your head out of the gutter when you see this :P