Tofugu.com

Responses to my online translator post were mixed. Some people agreed, while others got defensive*. Past differences of thought aside, I found something today that argues unequivocally in favor of my point. It seems that Kosuke Fukudome, a right fielder for the Chicago Cubs, has some well-meaning but very Japanese-illiterate fans. At a Cubs game earlier this year (April–I’m kind of late), fans brandished signs that they thought bore the Japanese equivalent to the Cub’s slogan: It’s Gonna Happen. Unfortunately (but oh-so-predictably), they didn’t.

(more…)

Remember back in the day when Nara’s new mascot was supposed to be the creepy baby deer man (sounds similar to manbearpig, yeah?) shown crossed out above? Well, it seems as though the public outcry was strong enough, and Nara will be getting a much more attractive mascot called “Manto-Kun.” Definitely an improvement, though, you could put poop on a stick and it would still be better.

Apparently there was a contest that decided this (our contest was first, though!), and although the creepy baby mascot will still be the “official” mascot, the one chosen on this site will be used by everyone anyways. Here’s all the ex-potentials. Obviously the one above was the one that was chosen. (more…)

I’ve been really surprised lately. I’ve gotten a few emails from people that ask me why kanji is necessary. “Kanji is sooo hard” they say. “Why do Japanese bother learning kanji when they could just use a phonetic alphabet? I mean, they have hiragana already, why would you need kanji when hiragana does the same thing? It seems old fashioned!”

If you’ve studied Japanese for a while, you probably know the answer. Sure, hiragana is pretty convenient when you are first starting out. Why write 寿司 (sushi) when you could write it much more simply, すし? Gosh, look at all those strokes, look at all that extra time! Both versions are two characters long, but it’s obvious that the second is easier.

Alright, I’ll admit, writing everything in hiragana would be faster…but would it be easier? Here is why you need to learn kanji, and have to use it. Learn to love kanji, folks. (more…)

Having taken (and nearly failed) more chemistry courses than I would like to remember, I’m usually not particularly enthusiastic about molecular engineering. However, a recent news story caught my eye this morning. Apparently, Masayuki Nakao, a professor at Todai, has just debuted the smallest bowl of ramen known to man.

(more…)

The other day I came across a copy of the video I made (with a few other folks) for my Japanese final at the end of high school. I’m probably wrong, but I feel like video finals in Japanese high school classes are very common. It’s something that links us all together somehow.

Our video was originally going to be a two minute Japanese Mentos commercial…which then turned into a candy commercial…which then turned into a twenty minute ridiculous film that barely references candy or Mentos at all. I’ve abridged the video down so you can see just the interesting parts (including my commentary). You can see the abridged version (as well as the full, twenty minute version), after the break. Keep in mind, this was my first video ever, so it’s ever crappier than more recent work. (more…)

Today (in some time zones) is one of our Tofugu authors’ birthdays. Can you guess who? She’s the only female, she’s one of the top three writers, and she’s somewhere in that photo up there. The other two Tofugu writers would like to wish Erin a happy and safe twenty-first birthday! Thank you for writing so many interesting articles, we look forward to more in the future! (more…)

Now that we’re safely out of winter, it’s time to lighten up! Put away your fuzzy scarves and down-filled jackets and opt instead for floaty fabrics and bright colors. Below are a list of some of the more popular styles being featured in Japanese fashion magazines this season. Unfortunately, I don’t usually read men’s fashion magazines, so this article will be just for the girls. For any guys interested, though, definitely check out Tokyo Street Style, Street Peeper, and Trends in Japan for some real life, street fashion inspiration. With the introduction out of the way, let’s get started!

Colorful Denim

I know that the thought of buying hot pink jeans may be a little daunting at first, but trust me, colorful denim can work. The key is to make your jeans the focal point. This can be achieved by choosing a looser top (a tight top will make it look like you’re trying to hard) in a neutral hue (e.g. beige, white, black, or pastel). When shopping, keep in mind that you may have to try on jeans of many different colors/shades before you find the perfect pair.

Colored denim in a store near you: Wet Seal, Forever21 (1,2), and Levis

(more…)

You know, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but sometimes it’s my job. If you’ve ever used your Japanese with a Japanese person, you know how impressed…they seem. You say something (anything, even if it’s only vaguely Japanese) and they will respond with ecstatic claps, squeals of joy, and “jyouzu jyouzu sugoi jyouzu” over and over like a broken record.

Gosh, I really don’t want to do this, but I thought you should all know the truth. Here’s what Japanese people actually think about your Japanese: (more…)

Last night, Steve Carell participated in one of the funniest SNL Digital Shorts I have seen in a long time. Now, it’s kind of a stretch, as far as Tofugu’s “Japanese Culture and Language” theme goes, but I feel that it’s interesting enough to warrant a post. Here’s the video, after the break: (more…)

Surprisingly, this morning I learned that it was Buddha’s birthday. The cool Frood is turning 2,571 years old today, so make sure you sing him a song (video comments, anyone??) and dip him in some ama-cha to clean him off (he only gets one bath a year). In celebration of today, I thought I’d do a special post about Buddha.

According to The Sutra of the Marks Buddha has 32 “main traits” and 80 “secondary traits.” I discovered this list (which I’ll go into more detail on below) about a year ago, and I was very pleased at how many traits I shared with the enlightened one. This was one of my main strategies for attracting women: “Did you know that I share [blank] number of physical traits with Buddha?”

Anyways, here are the lists. The ones that are highlighted red are ones that I share with Buddha, along with a final percentage at the end. Tell me how close you are, as well, I’m interested in my “becoming Buddha” competition so I can pick up the pace and get plastic surgery accordingly. (more…)