Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Atom and Anne

As popular as manga now is, it has simply never appealed to me. Yet that’s not to say that I don’t appreciate it as an art form, and in Japan especially, it is used to introduce a whole host of ideas and issues. Invariably garnering a much wider audience than the more traditional text-only format.

That said, some things one would presume don’t really need the manga treatment. The story and message resonating strongly enough without pictures. Or in the case below, the cute contrast of perennial favourite Atom Boy.

anne frank

Yes, The Diary Of Anne Frank is available not only in manga format, but Atom Boy, his sister Uran, and the dodgy looking Dr. Ochanomizu kindly help the story flow. The cheery little chaps guiding the reader along in their usual jaunty and jolly manner.

anne frank japan

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Boobs R Us

Tokyo has enough bars to cater for most people’s needs. Plus if one is prepared to venture into the seedier side of town, it can be upgraded to all people and all needs.

A good example being that on a recent stroll around Shinjuku’s sleazy kabukicho district, I came across the bar of my dreams.

boobs

To paraphrase Belinda Carlisle, heaven is indeed a place on earth.

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Ludicrous loaf

Now I’m aware that rice is the staple diet in Japan, and consequently the consumption of bread isn’t as important (or indeed commonplace) as it is in my native Britain. Yet even bearing this in mind, it’s nevertheless rather disturbing to see what horrors the humble loaf is occasionally subjected to.

Like this bizarre ice cream, banana, and bread combination for example.

japanese bread

A creation so preposterous that one can only hope that eating instructions are supplied. Providing of course that you’d want to even try.

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Denim desires

In a crime that is baffling to say the least, a 34-year-old Tokyoite has been arrested for throwing acid at the buttocks of several women. The charge being an almost equally bizarre ‘willful destruction of property’.

Tsukasa Saito it seems acquired the acid from the metalworking company he’s employed by, and riding his mountain bike he would hurl it at the bottoms of denim wearing women. His victims luckily suffering no physical injuries, although their jeans had holes burned in them.

Saito-san has apparently admitted to the allegations, and explained his behaviour by saying, “It really turned me on to see a bottom in a pair of Jeans.” Although why this should prompt the aforementioned posterior to be doused in acid remains a mystery.

News of the acid flinging arse maniac’s arrest was greeted with joy amongst the capital’s denim wearing population. Prompting those who had fled to the countryside in fear of an attack to make plans for a speedy return.

japanese cutie

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Marriage maintenance

After opening his own clinic and bagging a wife 10 years his junior, 39-year-old Katsuhiro Takada’s life seemed to be sailing along quite nicely. That is until relations between the acupuncturist and his bride began to sour. The young woman constantly sniping at her always-at-work husband, berating him with numerous not so niceties as “Never come home!” and “You’ll never succeed!”

Confronted with this problem, Takada did the only thing he knew how to — he began reading his large collection of how-to business books. Yet as preposterous as it sounds, this unusual approach actually worked. Yes, business management models it seems are applicable to unhappy partners, as Takada-san’s wife is now the model loving and supportive spouse.

The practical practitioner was so enamoured with this soar away success that he began dispensing advice to an online magazine, his suggestions becoming so popular that he now has his own web space that has a regular readership of around 3,000 people.

So what exactly did Takada glean from his business books? Well, the secret to a happy marriage can apparently be broken down into seven manageable points:

1. Listen to your wife attentively at least once a day without asking her to hurry up or get to the point.
2. Share the housework.
3. Do not forget to say “Thank you” and “You are kind.”
4. Never look down at your wife.
5. Do your work together with your wife if you are self-employed.
6. Do not fight. Listen to your wife patiently at first, even if you think she is completely wrong.
7. If there is something you really need or want to buy, persuade your wife daily so that she will come around to understanding why you want it.

All sound advice, but remarkably the list makes no mention of the perennial lavatory seat up/down conundrum. Although Takada’s final piece of advice may allude to such toilet trouble. “If you want your wife to change, you need to change, too.”

And that’s basically all there is to it.