Nippori Nick comments

It's really not rocket science. Restaurants have known for years that words sell.

One study showed that dishes labeled with sensory descriptors such as “tender,” “succulent,” and “satin”; cultural/geographic terms like “Cajun” and “Italian”; and nostalgic terms like “homestyle,” “traditional,” and “Grandma’s” versus the same meals without those extra descriptors revealed an important insight: the descriptive labels increased sales by 27%.

Makes me wonder what will happen to all those fancy 2020 structures once the Tokyo Olympics are over.

Don't really see an issue. Tokyo has over 30 million people. Now those inaka places up a mountain in Korea? Not so much.

Can’t it simply rain where the fires are? Seems like a cruel joke on all of us sometimes.

Generally forest fires and brush fires occur in regions hit by drought and dry conditions. Obviously it is not raining in areas suffering drought..so why would you expect rainstorms to appear to quell the fires?

I think any country has the right to seize fishing boats if they are caught fishing in the home country's territory. Now of course the real issue becomes were they in that territory or not? (and this assumes the territory is not in dispute as in before the international courts).

Chiba should also recognize traditional Mormon and African polygamous marriages as well.

It's wrong to deny consenting adults the right to love each other.

Foolish argument-no one is talking about multiple wives, husbands or partners, but nice try.

India have been doing this for years mostly for pedestrian crossings and other road markings. It's very cool. Don't understand why it hasn't caught on sooner?

Well, let's just say India and traffic control are not exactly world famous for compliance.

Every country were I've travelled requires keeping a passport with you if you aren't a resident.

And the vast majority of those I travel to do not have that requirement. We do agree that Japan does require it, so I follow the rule there.

His mistake was resisting arrest and hitting the police officer.

I see a poster has mentioned that one difference between Japan and USA is that a guilty plea in Japan means you still end up in front of a judge who hears the evidence. Assuming one has signed a guilty plea, how many judges end up deciding that the plea is incorrect or coerced and that you should be found innocent? My guess is that virtually never happens, but ....

When I started visiting Japan the tax was 5%. Soon it will have doubled.

I can't think of a first world country that has doubled a tax in such a short time, but maybe there are some.

I wonder what exactly Chinese community in Canada is thinking .

Why do you think they prefer living in Canada than China? They are not very concerned.

> The current Canadian government has burned most of the bridges with allies so there are not a lot of friends to turn to.

Most? Other than China and Saudi Arabia, who is this "most"? Not Europe, not UK, not Japan? Who?

Nothing wrong with more beans and I don't recall the articles saying people are eating "grass".

I have never eaten a lot of red meat in my life. Nothing to do with religion or such, I just always thought it was a good idea to limit it. When you get to a certain age you will noet a lot of your friendshave heart attacks and such...why not keep your body in better shape and avoid gulping hamburgers down so often.

Did any reader of this website actually think that Russia was going to give or cede any of these islands back to Japan? That will not happen. Only politicians fishing for votes in Japan bring the topic up.

Well that's one way to chill out. Me, I prefer a warmer onsen or sento

How can it be "tacked on" if you buy the ticket overseas? Am I missing something?

It is included in the price of the airline ticket whether bought in Japan or overseas. Same as any other airport/immigration/transit tax.

You do not call a person insane who pays more money than this for a Picasso painting.

That painting will exist a year from now, 50 years from now, 100 years from now.

The tuna will not.

 The student had confirmed at that time that nothing sexual occurred between the two of them.

Oh well then. As if he would admit it if something did happen.

Really wondering who would buy one and how many they will sell. I mean the last thing I want is to take a relatively small water bottle and give it the heft of a suitcase.

A sick individual.

Does "relieve stress" somehow have a different meaning in Japan that most parts of the world.

I mean google ways to relieve stress. I guarantee stringing a rope across a road will not show up.

Are you talking $US 350 (I mean there's a lot of dollars in the world)--I presume since you are using dollars your local J supermarket is not in fact in Japan?

Is it the end of the mini bubble era?

Ten years ago people were wearing snow shoes in Sydney in December. Now they are broiling on the sidewalks !! When will you people BELIEVE !!! WHAT DOES IT TAKE !!!??

You do understand December is mid summer in Australia. Temps are high.

Oh come on. Rice a luxury ingredient? Best laugh I have had today.

They charge you 30 percent more if you order by fax, online or by phone,"

Can someone explain to me the business logic of this? 30% more to order on line?

 but the waters are also said to help with healing wounds like cuts and burns and preventing ailments like hemorrhoids and nerve damage.

Wondering if that is true or not.

What exactly does 2.5D mean?

Really does not matter the size of the judgment. It is uncollectible.

Once you find a pair of pant you like and that fit properly, get about 10 of them and you are set for a long time.

Young children are more likely to demand specific sugary cereals for breakfast when they have seen television ads for these products, a U.S. study suggests.

No kidding. Would not be worth advertising if it didn't.

Whales eat fish more than entire human beings do.

Where is your proof of this statement. You saying the whales in the ocean eat more fish that all of the humans on earth? That's ridiculous.

The whale in this photo, a minke, is a balleen whale which primarily eats krill and zooplankton. They don't have teeth and don't eat large fish.

Christmas in my home country is really an orgy of consumerism with people stressing out all over the place about gifts, office parties, travel on snowy roads to see family etc. It's actually a lot of hassle and stress.

My first Xmas in Japan lead me to conclude I preferred the Japanese version.