of mole removals lol.

Bill Crosby singing winter wonderland on the background while getting a piece of your skin take off is quite priceless. Scary too of course.

Danchi (団地) is the Japanese word (literally ‘group land’) for a large cluster of apartment buildings. During the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, the Japanese created many such low-rent apartment complexes in the outskirts of urban areas to offset the housing demand of the then-increasing Japanese population. Fewer and fewer Japanese live in the gradually aging danchi, generally desiring individual housing left over from the Japanese bubble — new and exclusive private apartments, called mansion. Many danchi are owned by large corporations, who encourage employees to live alongside their colleagues, sometimes rent-free, in order to foster a corporate ‘family’ atmosphere.

The rent payment for a danchi is much cheaper than the lease of a mansion or mortgage of a used or new house, but usually the prospective tenant must participate in a lottery in order to be assigned an open apartment. The Japanese housing authority then assigns the tenant. Some danchi are extremely new and modern, but since there is a lottery for assignment and many open apartments in the older danchi, it is a risk to enter public housing.

It seems that the Danchi way of living is starting to recuperate again. The minimalistic living style is attracting Japan’s youngest and trendiest and it won’t be long before you see these grey/beige public housing monuments erected and re-glorified again.

Long regarded as eyesores and monstrosities that blighted the landscape, Japan’s concrete block monolithic public housing estates have started attracted a strong following smitten by what they say is their visual appeal, according to Cyzo (December).

The estates, known across Japan as danchi (which literally means “group areas”), are made in a minimalist style reminiscent of architecture during the Soviet Union’s heyday, but the usually pale cream or gray buildings are starting to attract enough fans that their appeal has spawned an admiration industry.

Symbolizing the new look at danchi is the recently released DVD “Danchi Mania: Danchi Purei Hajime no Ippo (Danchi Mania: Your First Step to Playing With Housing Estates).”

“I’d be delighted if people who don’t have a fascination with danchi picked up a copy of this DVD. There are danchi just about everywhere, but I’d say most people haven’t really taken a close look at them. I’d like people to take a different viewpoint when looking at something in their daily lives and discover just how much fun they can be,” Akira Oyama, maker of the danchi DVD, tells Cyzo.

Danchi first popped up in Tokyo suburbs during the 1950s as large numbers of Japanese deserted the country lifestyles their families had maintained for centuries and flocked to the cities so they could take part in the economic miracle then encompassing the country. Urban population growth skyrocketed and the danchi were a quick, cheap and nasty way to house people in a country then working full throttle to try and catch up with the West.

Oyama’s movie provides information on all sorts of housing estates across Japan, giving them unexplained ratings such as “sexy” “evil” or “upper crust.” Much of the material in his video can also be found on the website he operates, also devoted to public housing estates.

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Can somebody tell me why the “relaxing wine-filled onsen” is purple?

It looks like radioactive stuff.

I like the mock bowl and noodles, music performers in suits and tie, cycling through the narrow alleys of Japan, picture taking booths, sushis, little cute japanese kids….this is pretty much everyday Japan :P

I love this clip and whoever filmed this rocks! It’s another day in Japan for another person and this video makes life in Japan look so wonderful. I think it’s the bicycling around town ;)

They’re grander than just kids knocking on doors asking for candies here. The video is from last year, this year’s Kawasaki’s Halloween’s Parade’s video is not up yet but a photo of the week in Metropolis showed variety and grand costumes better than it’s western counterparts ;)

Renting an apartment in Japan seems to be quite a tedious business. Reason being, after reading up on the basics on renting in Japan, I realize that there many loopholes in tenures and agreements that comes with apartment rental. For example, the minimum apartment rental is usually 2 years and some foreigners do not stay in Japan for 2 years. Also, some landlords are very reluctant to rent their apartments out to foreigners who do not speak Japanese. The fear of “friction” is what they call it there.

But anyway, if you speak some Japanese and is determine to try looking for an apartment - we’ll walk you through some basics. As accommodation is an important factor in living just about anywhere at all, let’s be familiar with the know-how’s of going about renting an apartment in Japan. Bear in mind, the whole business is not very friendly to foreigners so you would need to go with the flow and do what the Romans do, when you’re in Rome. Or Japan, in this case.

Firstly, most apartments are rented out through a real estate agent. So you would need to look out for listing boards or real estate offices with apartment rental boards usually located outside of their offices. Considering you speak Japanese or your friend is Japanese, you will need to contact the real estate agent to view the apartment and if all goes well, you will be forwarded to these 4 steps of securing yourself a place to stay.

The first stage is the Reservation fee (tetsukekin), you would need to put a down payment to secure the apartment of your interest. It serves as a guarantee to you that the apartment will be reserved for you. The money is like insurance so to show that you are serious about the place - it is usually about 1 month’s rent and will be refunded as soon as the agreement is signed.

The second stage is the Deposit (shikikin) where it is paid as an insurance to cover future damages to the apartment should it happen during your tenure. If there is a damage done to the apartment, the deposit will be used to cover the cost for repairs and the rest will be refunded back to you. The deposit is usually worth a few month’s rent. Unused deposits will be returned.

The third stage of apartment rental is Key Money (reikin); this money is non-refundable and is usually worth a few month’s rent as well.

Fourth and final stage is Service free (chukai tesuryo), a fee for the real estate agent for going to and fro securing your apartment for you. It is non-refundable and the fee is worth about a month’s rent usually.

And here’s a little video about housing in Japan - similar stuff to apartment rentals I suppose :)

i wrote about how it was unnecessary to dress your pets up for your own entertainment but since it’s Halloween today, we can make an exception for iPhone dog!

The dog looks like it’s having a ball of fun too - but maybe it’s because it doesn’t know any better.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

-3Yen

The dude with the ‘fro, Afro Samurai, is making me laugh almost hysterically because a samurai with an afro and black skin is pretty funny on face front. Okay, I have never followed the manga before so it might have a huge following because the guy with the ‘fro always does. LOL. Anyway, the manga is going to slash its way into the cinemas soon - yes, the black dude with the ‘fro.

But anyway, Samuel L. Jackson is playing the character of Afro Samurai, just thought you’d like to know :P

Anyway here’s it’s trailer:

You might wanna read up more on it here.

Pet lovers are everywhere in Japan and you will find them waiting at pet spas for their pooch or kitty to be ready. And you wondered for a second about this new culture of pampering animals when once, these domesticated animals were actually used to help humans hunt? Well, at this day and age, animal companionship are more sought after because like it or not, it’s a type of unconditional love some find hard to attain from their human counterparts. To appreciate their feline/canine friend, pet owners have been sending them to spas and even oxygen capsules. And the cost do add up if you take your pets to these luxury every month.

Cat and dog owners have risen significantly since 1996, today there is approximately 12.5 million cats and dogs as compared to only 7.9 million and 10million, respectively. Check out the graph made by pet food manufacturers in Japan:

Frankly, I don’t know if these animals appreciates such things; spas, oxygen capsules, funky accessories for their fur and clothes for those winter months. My dog love chewing on twigs, groveling on the grass, sunbathing and running around the park like a nut case - that makes me and her happy. And not to mention, it doesn’t bore a hole down my pocket too. I am beginning to wonder if I am a bad pet owner for not indulging my dog like these owners do.

To me, I feel that all these luxury treatment and dressing up your pets serves a very selfish purpose of the owner. The dog/cat doesn’t WANT to be dressed up - nature didn’t put fur on them to be covered by a sweater. What is it if it’s not for pet owner’s entertainment only. Dressing and torturing your cats/dogs in oxygen capsules and give them aromatherapy only makes the owners happy but think about it - it’s human desires imposed on these poor animals. Do animals like being put in a small enclosure, appreciate the aromatherapy or enjoy being in a t-shirt that says “Pets’R'Us”?

It’s so unnecessary.

I am not saying that you shouldn’t love your animals but do it in ways that they deserve - buy them their favorite meat, their favorite chew toys, a nice scratch pole, a good fur brush and give them your attention because that’s all the pampering they need. Not the spas and chi-chi accessories. Geez.

It warms my heart to find a center like RBR - where people can express their feelings and soul. It’s basically a local institution of art that helps Tokyoites to unleash their right brain abilities, while enriching their life with the various workshops offered; from yoga classes to comedy improvising to music lessons.

RBR is not your typical art school. The center can be more aptly described as an innovative hub for people wanting to release their creativity. By providing classes that stimulate the right side of the brain, RBR helps everyone realize their potential.

“Art is a safe tool for people to express themselves,” says Creative Director Lia Howe. “There is no expectation as to what is good or bad art. Anything and everything around us can be included in [the term] ‘art.’” It is this broad definition that has enabled RBR to become the inspirational force that it is today. From writing workshops to yoga classes, comedy improv training to music lessons, the institute offers a mixed bag of artistic enrichment.

read the article here…