Japan
Child labour
Ever wondered how it was possible to get clothes so cheap?
Well, imagine a world where we employed ‘things’ to do all the work for us and we didn’t have to pay them.. So any money we made from selling what they made would be profit. Sounds like money in the bank accounts of some lucky people with a business plan like that!
Well, harsh reality check. This really does happen.. Apart from the ‘things’ are children and they get paid peanuts. Probably literally peanuts too!
This sick practice goes on all over the world and as we seek lower prices, the market for it gets bigger and bigger. Whenever we look at our clothing labels and see that they are made in other countries, how can we be sure that a child wasn’t tasked with making it in a few hours? How do we know that a child hasn’t been kidnapped and sold to a factory to make that football, or to pick those apples, or to mould your iPod 
The fact is, we don’t.
Popularity: 17% [?]
Chavs
I hope if you are reading this that you are indeed not a chav. Every time I get on public transport I see them, which is part of my reason for preferring to drive everywhere that it is possible to.
Is it offensive to label someone as a chav? I imagine so. I’d definitely be offended if someone were to label me a chav, but what about the people who fit the definition and behave according to the definition? Do they like being called chavs? Well, there is no interview with a chav to follow - just me having a rant..
What is a chav? Well, firstly lets consult Wikipedia as you do.. Wiki says..
Chav (pronounced /ʧæv/) also Charv/Charver (pronounced /ʧɑːv/) are mainly derogatory slang terms in the United Kingdom for a stereotype fixated on low quality or counterfeit goods. It commonly refers to those belonging to a youth sub-culture, often stereotypically associated with a low socio-economic class, a striking dress sense and criminal activity.
And..
Popularity: 21% [?]
Pretty intense Japanese lessons
Just for laughs before I get back into some proper Japanese stuff, I came across this set of videos on YouTube! Yes, as I already told you guys, I am addicted to the darn site!
This young lady named Emily teaches some Japanese lessons in a cheesy set of ‘lessons’. To be honest I thought it was pretty cool and original!
I have posted the first 3 of them on here, check ‘em out n see how much you can learn! 
#1
Popularity: 29% [?]
Skins
I have had 4oD on my computer for some time now but have rarely used it. I think the last time I properly used it was to watch Big Brother clips in the summer. For those of you that don’t know, 4oD is the service from Channel 4 that lets you watch TV shows and even download entire series free of charge - legally! The variety of shows available is astounding and I am surprised it hadn’t crossed my mind every time I turn on my computer and see the little logo load up in the corner of my screen!
Well, as soon as I clicked the logo the first thing I saw was the hit TV show Skins. I have heard endless stories about how action packed each episode is and how it’s addictive! So.. I decided to watch the first episode, the first entire episode I have ever watched of this show.
Popularity: 32% [?]
Tales From Earthsea
This is the third Studio Ghibli film I have watched so far and once again I like it!
From Wikipedia
The movie begins with a war galley caught in a storm at sea. The ship’s weatherworker is distressed to realize that he has lost the power to control the wind and waves, but is even more disturbed when he observes two dragons fighting above the clouds, one of which is even killed.
Shortly thereafter the King, receives news both of the strange omen at sea and of the disappearance of his son, Prince Arren. The King has little time to ponder on this before he is set upon and killed in a dark corridor by a young lad, who turns out to be his son Arren. The prince steals his father’s sword and flees the palace.
[....]
Popularity: 36% [?]
New trainers
What do you look for in trainers?
Previously, I looked for ones I could run in. I am always late everywhere I go so being able to run in the trainers I wear is very important to me. However, recently I have been looking at the various styles of Nike Air Force Ones to go with the ones I already have.
Popularity: 38% [?]
Alcoholic vending machines
Did you know that you can get alcohol from vending machines in Japan?
No? Well, neither did I until I came across this info.. yes, Asahi is alcoholic - it’s Japanese beer!
I do wonder how they monitor who is buying the alcohol? Looks to me like a kid could walk down the street and get some if there isn’t anything to verify age.
Here in the UK we have extra strict guidelines on how old someone can be to buy alcohol, for obvious reasons given the rate of binge drinking going on!
Check out some more of the vending machines below selling alcohol in Japan! Here we are lucky to find one selling anything but Coke, but variety seems to be priority in Japan!
Popularity: 33% [?]
Pitagora Switch
When it comes to fun educational TV shows, Japanese kids have it good. Check out this video of Pita and Gora (talking and singing penguins) teaching kids the difference between different things such as cauliflower and brocolli. Makes me laugh.
Popularity: 22% [?]
Tokyo metro
The Tokyo metro system is a hectic place to be! Just look at the map of the metro below and the busy crowds.
This is just an average day in Tokyo and as the first photo suggests, it can take some effort to manage the crowds!
When I finally get to go to Tokyo, I think I’ll check out the buses because I don’t know if I could manage waiting and being squashed. What if I miss my stop because I can’t get off
Popularity: 18% [?]
Whaling in Japan
Make sure you are fully aware what whaling is before looking any further because the images and video is quite horrific! In case you have no idea, whaling is the hunting of whales for food, oil and research among other things.
So what?
Well, you may or may not be aware that 5 of the 13 species of great whales are now endangered purely as a result of whaling. It’s the purpose of the killing and they way they are killed that makes people angry, as I am sure you will agree after seeing the video below.
Commercial whaling has been banned, however it seems (if the stories are true) that Japan is killing them for ‘research’ yet their meat still finds its way into food products making still commercial. The excuse? Selling ’scientific waste’.
Remember it is a very gruesome video, so no for the faint hearted.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Howl’s Moving Castle
This is another of the anime from the same producers as Spirited Away. There is something I prefer about this one though.
Maybe the fact it was actually based on a book written by a British author Diana Wynne Jones. Sometimes when there is already a story written, I think it makes it easier for the movie makers to branch out a little from it adding new ideas and making some interesting storylines.
Popularity: 42% [?]
Spirited Away
I wasn’t joking when I said I was going to be watching anime to help with learning Japanese!
Spirited Away, is the worlds highest grossing non-American film and Japan’s best ever box office earner. Strangely enough, for a movie with these credentials, I had not heard of it before until about a week or two ago. Well, I bought the DVD and watched it (in Japanese with English subs of course) and it was cool. I think I am getting the hang of this anime stuff haha. After watching the Japanese version, I played it again with the dubbed English - awful. The voices in Japanese seemed to flow the English accents didn’t sound right. Possibly due to the mixture of English and American voices which clashed terribly.
The film follows a young girl Chihiro (千尋) in the picture above in the process of moving house with her parents when they lose their way and stumble upon an entrance to a ’spirited world’. Her parents walk into a village street crammed full of shops and restaurants with tempting hot cooked food. This is set out to lure them into the trap. Her parents eat the food ‘like pigs’ to the point they eventually turn into pigs! No, really they do!
Popularity: 43% [?]
Katekyo Hitman Reborn
As part of my learning Japanese, I have decided to start watching anime in Japanese with English subtitles. I came across this anime a few weeks ago and it’s actually pretty good! Obviously, this will purely be for educational purposes 
.
I am not usually an anime cartoon lover, but maybe it’s just the fact that it is in another language that makes it so appealing? No idea, but whatever it is, I will be watching at least one series of this and then maybe move on to something else. Its actually harder than you might think listening to the language in even a cartoon. They speak so fast that missing a word or even a sentence can be expected. Glad they invented the rewind button!
That aside, the story follows a young boy named Tsuna, who has no idea that his family is linked to an Italian mafia. Until ‘hitman tutor’ Reborn comes out of nowhere and sets out on his mission to train ‘innocent’ Tsuna into a tough Hitman, so he can take over control of the mafia.
Quite interesting stuff really!
Popularity: 44% [?]
Learning Japanese - At My Pace
I have finally figured out how to display Japanese characters on this site! After lots of hours of tweaking and adjusting whilst trying not to completely destroy the site, I think I have made it possible!
This can only mean one thing 
I will be ‘learning Japanese’ and using this site as my exercise book to make all my notes and track what I am getting up to. The reason I say ‘learning Japanese’ is because I am not going to dive in and be all intense (just yet), so I will be learning at my own pace. So quite possibly slower than you if you were learning a language.
Popularity: 29% [?]
Translate
