Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Hello Kitty hero?

With Japan’s ‘Disaster Preparedness Week’ drawing to a close today, those in charge can congratulate themselves on a job well done, as regardless of how well such things are planned, promotion is pivotal as far as overall success is concerned.

hello kitty Japan

And with this in mind, what (or indeed, who) could be better at furthering interest in such an educational event than everyone’s favourite feline firefighter, Hello Kitty?

hello kitty Japan

This somewhat unexpected move into the emergency services perhaps finally proving that there is absolutely nothing Japan’s most celebrated cat can’t do.

Well, apart from forming facial expressions that is.

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Tokyo housing huddle

Japanese houses, it has to be said, are lacking in longevity somewhat, with an average lifespan of around 25 years. A number that perhaps doesn’t paint the country’s construction companies in a particularly good light.

But whilst constructing things to last may be somewhere near the bottom of Japanese builders’ abilities, making the most of the meagre amount of land available is something they excel at.

Like the art of having houses so close together that if they weren’t different colours it would be hard to tell them apart, for example.

Japanese house

However the more experienced are able to cleverly construct round corners to create valuable extra space and rooms, with some of the latter big enough for a small child to lie down in, or even swing their arms about.

Japanese house

Albeit it in a rather restrained manner.

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Rina Akiyama rears up

The Japanese media’s big news story of late has been the baking summer heat and the holiday horrors that have accompanied it, with the temperature in some areas hitting the record figure of 40.9 degrees Celsius. Yet in regards to non-weather-related news, it would appear that actress Rina Akiyama made something of a splash with a Sailor Moon-themed cosplay show. A story that presumably gained more attention than it really deserved to due to Akiyama-san being famed for the delectability of her derriere — the 21-year-old boasting what are believed to be the nicest buttocks in Japanese show business.

rina akiyama

In fact, her posterior is said to be so peachy that the youngster has garnered the nickname ‘Oshirina’, a clever combination of her name and the word for one’s nether regions (oshiri). A rare honour it has to be said, with possibly the only other recipient of a body part-related moniker being Eri ‘suikappu’ Furuse, whose massive mammaries are likened to melons.

However moving swiftly back to bottoms, Akiyama is thankfully blessed with several other talents apart from a nice set of buns.

rina akiyama

Although when talk inevitably returns to her bum, it admittedly has little trouble beating off the opposition.

rina akiyama

So to speak.

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Tokyo tumble

How much truth there is in the much favoured phrase “60 is the new 40” is certainly open to question, but if it is considered credible, then where does it leave the Japanese? As undoubtedly the longest living people in the world, could 70 actually be the new 40 in Japan?

In fact for some so-called elderly Japanese, even such a claim could be classed as conservative, with more adventurous activities still being continued well into later life. Take skateboarding for example. Whereas many of their western counterparts may weary of their wheels before reaching 30, Japanese boarders never surrender — they simply support themselves with sticks instead.

Japanese old boarder

(image from Nero’s great uncle, via the FG forums)

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Single-minded salary man

Having a pastime is always pleasant, although Hiroyasu Imura’s homage to Himeji Castle is certainly more than a mere hobby, as the 69-year-old has spent the last 19 years building a replica of the famous white-walled wonder.

himeji castle Japan

Similar perhaps to people who maintain Japan-related websites, Imura-san is undoubtedly guilty of having too much time on his hands; however as well as countless construction hours, the former insurance examiner has also spent a whopping 18 million yen (145,000 dollars) on the project.

Yet with the model matching the original in every single detail, the purposeful pensioner’s dedication to precision has been rewarded with the title of ‘Tourist Ambassador’ — an honour bestowed upon him by the Himeji Government. In fact the only person apparently not overly enamoured with the object is Imura’s wife, as she had hoped that upon its completion she’d be able to enjoy trips to hot spring resorts. But the huge number of visitors wanting to see her husband’s masterpiece has sadly put paid to that.

himeji castle Japan

Something that is slightly surprising considering that the real castle itself is only about 3 hours away by train.

himeji castle Japan