Japan! Can You Dig it?

Can you dig it?

Japan does it again! We have some great contests in this country. I wrote recently about the contest whereby guys thousands of guys, dressed only in a loincloth, gather together at a temple to try to grab their "sacred wood."


Yeah. That's one that you just don't want to miss.


But I just found out about another contest in Narita that I missed! I had to slap myself in the forehead. It is the All-Japan Hole Digging contest. This contest has been going on for 11 years now and people gather from all over the country to join in the, er, "fun"!

Japanese boy digs it big time!

There are awards given for best hole, deepest hole, most creative digging, and best digging costume.


Entrants have 30 minutes to dig whatever they want and to try to grab the coveted, er, "Hole Award."


There's even rules on how big shovels can be and many contestants are kids and ladies groups.

It is contests like these that help make Japan a wonderful and peaceful place to live. It gives people a chance to get out and meet new friends and work together with the community.

I think I'm going to show up next year and earn one of those trophies! Sounds like lots of fun!


Thanks to Ira Hata!

Egypt Riots and Made in USA... Will Japan Explode Someday Too?

I don't really want to write about what's going on in Egypt as this is a blog about Japan and Marketing... But I do feel that I need to comment as I believe that these events will have serious repercussions in Japan too:


1) I think that what is going in in Egypt and the people power demonstrations and revolutions going on all over the world (especially now all over the Middle East) will have a profound effect on the Japanese people and economy. I think these events point to what I have been saying all along: 2011 is the pivotal year for Japan. Either we default on our debts or we get hit with massive inflation - or both. 

2) The other thing I want to say is that Japan definitely needs to get away from the USA and the American Empire. America is just, as Clint Eastwood would say, "A clusterf*ck, sir." Sticking with the USA, through thick and through thin, is a bad idea. Especially since the government of the USA is stark raving mad. Japan needs independence; unfortunately Japan needs to remilitarize and needs to rejoin her Asian brotherhood as an equal partner. Japan can never do that as America's weak little sister.


The riots in Egypt show us just how messed up US policy is and just how foolish it is for Japan to stick with it... 


The government doesn't allow peaceful assembly in public places so that means that the only alternative for the people is violent demonstrations. Here's what happens when the authorities start to kill:





This will on serve to inflame the people.


The demonstrations are now taking over Europe and the Middle East. The government's response to demonstrations that start out peacefully is violence... In Egypt's case, siding with the USA is a sure loser too. Why? Because while the Egyptian authorities shoot and kill civilians... They also shoot them with tear gas and other weapons... Many of these weapons have "Made in USA" written on them.


Think that makes the Egyptian people the friend of the USA? 


Proof that gas canisters in Egypt have "Made in USA" written on them:

The people are rising up and revolting all over the world. The government's are bankrupting the people and taking our money and giving it the big bankers. Somethings got to give. 


(Read: Former Managing Director of Goldman Sachs: Egyptians, Greeks, Tunisians and British Are All Protesting Against Pillaging of Their Economies)

Egypt today

Narita Japan 1971

People think the Japanese are docile and do not revolt. It has happened before... As they say, history repeats:

Puss TV - Watch Video

Once again, I am reminded of an ancient Chinese curse; "May you live in interesting times."


My friends, we are living in very interesting times.

Thanks to Daily Bail and What Really Happened 

Narita San Shinshoji (Narita Shrine)

There is a diamond in the rough undiscovered by most foreigners visiting Japan and those of us foreigners living in Tokyo and that is Narita San Shinshoji. It is the huge shrine and temple in Chiba prefecture. Er, did I say, huge? I meant, HUGE. Like H-U-G-E. Gigantic. Like you could walk around this place for an entire day or two and still not see everything.


Narita San Shinshoji is about 10 minutes walk from Narita Station. That Narita station; not Narita Airport.


The grounds are, like I said, massive. Besides that, there's a matsuri (festival) feel everywhere around the grounds.


Narita San Shinshoji is one of the top 2 or 3 most visited shrines in Japan around New Year's. That means over 4 million people visit it in the first three days of January every year.


Wikipedia says:


Shinshō-ji (新勝寺 'New victory temple') is a Shingon Buddhist temple located in central Narita, Chiba, Japan. It was founded in 940 by Kanchō Daisōjō, a disciple of Kōbō Daishi. It is a lead temple in the Chisan branch (Chisan-ha 智山派) of New Shingon (Shingi Shingon 新義真言宗), includes a large complex of buildings and grounds, and is one of the best-known temples in the Kantō region. It is dedicated to Fudō myōō ('Unmovable Wisdom King', known as Ācala in Sanskrit), who is usually depicted holding a sword and rope and surrounded by flames. Often called a fire god, he is associated with fire rituals.


My, I was mightily impressed with this wonderful place and thought that I definitely need to bring my family here and friends when they visit from the west... I mean, why spend $400 dollars on a train going to Kyoto when we have a place within one and one half hours train ride from Tokyo


I went there yesterday for the first time and was enthralled.


Every wonderful family and traditional thing you could ever possibly want to do in Japan all in one place.


But enough of my yakking. Here's the photos I took, some videos and other information:

The next big event is April 16 ~ 17 though it is like a festival

there every weekend. Web page URL: www.nrtk.jp

Selling roasted Chestnuts

Toys and good luck for little girls

Kimonos and dolls

Konryubutsu

Main entrance to Narita San Shinshoji

Main Exit at Narita Station. Turn left here.

Japanese style pickles

Some big shot Zazen priest with his entourage

"Irrashaimase!"

Street entertainer with her very funny monkey 

Different view of Konryubutsu

Souvenir and snack shop selling sweets

Shrimp-O-rama

One of the older temples... 

But there are many hundreds of years older than this one

Traditional Japanese wares and chopsticks

I think Narita San shinshoji is a wonderful place that is a must see for travelers and people who live in Japan alike. You can easily spend an entire day or two walking around here and not see everything... And, best of all, entrance is free!

More photo's here: http://nrtm.jp/photoalbum.html

More Event News In English: http://nrtm.jp/whats_new.pdf

Narita San Shinshoji

Entrance: Free

Address: 1 Narita, Narita-Shi, Chiba

Tel: 0476-22-2111

Access: From JR Narita Station / Keisei Railway Keisei Narita Station: 10 mins on foot

Tour and hotel booking information here (There are several moderately priced hotels nearby!)

http://www.japanican.com/japaninfo/Detail.aspx?BookID=A1302270&category=S

Map: http://yj.pn/AHwd5P