Friday, October 01, 2010

Ex-newsman spills the beans

I have always like Fridays. I usually only have to work at things I enjoy. I can look forward to a either an Yebisu black or an Asahi "The Master" Pilsner* for lunch. Even Precce, the world's most overpriced, never-stock-a-new-item supermarket, has some early weekend food out. And the little old lady who seems to stand out in the street in front of her house every day, all day, very pleasantly bowing to and greeting everyone who walks by makes the run-em-down-and-let-god-sort-em-out, sidewalk-hogging young princesses of the Denenchofu private Junior High for girls tolerable for an hour or so.

I also have a little more time to leisurely check out other blogs. Today, I discovered the answer to the question that I have had for years---no, nearly 2 decades: Why do journalists, authors, even bloggers, write so many stories about an inscrutable, uniquely-unique, fantasyland Japan that few people who know the country (at least the Japan I live in) recognize?

The answer is that there are guidelines for Japan-related writing, a sort of a style-guide for the Japan as Disneyland crowd.

Our Man in Abiko has the until now well kept secret here. That explains it all.

Japan writer's required image of busy
crossing in front of Shibuya station


*As yet unexplained, why does Japan's version of Miller Lite, Asahi Super Dry, sell at the same price as the vastly superior Asahi "The Master" Pilsner?

Another mystery: Why does Adobe Lightroom 3 occasionally refuse to watermark photos. Answer: Who cares, just don't buy version 4 until it has been out for 27 years and the bugs are semi-worked out. Ruined my #*#$% Friday fixing Adobe's buggy crap.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:14 PM

    Asahi "The Master" rocks. First is the name "The Master" which means ME! hahaha.

    Next is the taste - delicious. Like beer. The first slug goes down and I get that great eye watering effect soon followed by that hallowed buzz. Come to Daddy!

    Next is the can black and gold. A scepter.

    Asahi The Master restored my faith in this country!

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  2. Gotta admit, I never thought of it that way, but I certainly agree, even though I still have a severe weakness for Yebisu Creamy Top and Torikai Shochu...but that's a different story.

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  3. Well, Our Man just had a Belgian Trapist monk beer and can confirm, catholic tastes in alcohol are always rewarded. And thanks for the write-up, prof. D. You the Man.

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  4. Ohhh...the Belgian Trapist beer...if only they sold it in 500ml...

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