Japan

[shuize]

Sad story. I don't really follow pro wrestling or reality TV, but this seems really fucked up:

Hana Kimura: Netflix star and Japanese wrestler dies at 22

Concerns were raised on Friday after Kimura reportedly posted images of self-harm on Twitter along with messages that read: "I don't want to be a human anymore. It was a life I wanted to be loved. Thank you everyone, I love you. Bye."

That's too bad.

I would have been happy to have given her love.

Well, a kind of "love" anyway.

[shuize]

Yeah, it's going to be a long time I think before I can visit my family in California. I'll probably have to wait until there's a vaccine.

With the delay in the start of classes, our summer vacation is screwed. But, assuming there are flights and I can get back into Japan, I'm aiming for San Diego during the next long break in March, with or without a vaccine.

[Anaxagoras]

Yeah, it's going to be a long time I think before I can visit my family in California. I'll probably have to wait until there's a vaccine.

With the delay in the start of classes, our summer vacation is screwed. But, assuming there are flights and I can get back into Japan, I'm aiming for San Diego during the next long break in March, with or without a vaccine.

Hopefully there will be one before then. There seem to be several promising ones already. They just have to test them to see if they work.

[Abdul Alhazred]

[Witness]

Volcanoes of Japan: https://i.redd.it/kwp0m4mpd5251.jpg (big graphic, you'll have to click)

[shuize]

A Japanese university student started shooting people with a crossbow around Takarazaku (between Kobe and Osaka) yesterday, killing three. Naturally, my first thought when things like this happen is "Fuck. What university?" and, more importantly, "Whose small seminar?"*

The good news, for me anyway, is that it wasn't my university. Which, more importantly, means not my small seminar. Given my university's thinking about these things, they still might ask me to give a warning to my seminar students to please not kill anyone. At least not with a crossbow. We'll see.

Upon further investigation, it appears the student in question limited his William Tell fan club to immediate family members. That's probably good news for his small seminar teacher as it means less "trouble" to society in general.

Interestingly, considering how strict Japan is about guns and swords,** this article says crossbows are not regulated.

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020 ... women.html


* Which is another way of saying, "Who is going to have to take responsibility for this?"

** That's not to say there aren't any privately owned guns in Japan. If any of you saw my recent paragliding video, there is an active shooting range east (left) of the takeoff at the bottom of that mountain which we were warned not to fly over. But nobody ever said anything about fucking crossbows! (Ha! Ha!)

[Witness]

↑ Don't forget your chain mail.

---

Surprise fireworks displays held across Japan to lift people's spirits

Fireworks illuminated the skies over various parts of Japan on Monday night, in simultaneous displays organized to wish for a swift end to the coronavirus crisis.

The cancellation of annual fireworks displays in many parts of the country due to the pandemic prompted members of the Japan Pyrotechnics Association to organize the Cheer up! Hanabi Project to lift people's spirits.

More than 160 fireworks manufacturers participated in the event, following strict guidelines that limited the duration of the displays to five minutes and not inviting spectators to the site to lower the risk of crowds gathering as part of virus safety measures.

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0006585287

[Witness]

Japanese idol shows just how well the optical illusion boob shirt works

https://soranews24.com/2020/06/08/japan ... irt-works/

[shuize]

Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) explains black people rioting in America.

[Abdul Alhazred]

Racist caricatures aside, I have heard all those same arguments from various black intellectuals.

[Witness]

"Dragon's eye" appears in northern Japan



A natural phenomenon called the "Dragon's eye", which heralds the arrival of spring, can now be seen at a pond near the peak of 1,613-meter Mt. Hachimantai on the border between Iwate and Akita prefectures.

The phenomenon is named after the landscape, which is believed to resemble the eye of a dragon. The snow that accumulated around the edges of Kagaminuma pond, which has a diameter of about 50 meters, thawed while the center remains frozen.

In recent years, photos posted on social media have spurred more amateur photographers and climbers to visit the place.

The local tourism association said the phenomenon can be seen until around this weekend.

https://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0006597994

[Abdul Alhazred]

[Witness]

Nagoya, 1952.

[shuize]

Japanese idol shows just how well the optical illusion boob shirt works

https://soranews24.com/2020/06/08/japan ... irt-works/

I feel remiss in not mentioning earlier, "Still would."

[Abdul Alhazred]

Will some nice person who can read Japanese please translate the Google search term.

Warning: Not safe for sanity and maybe also not safe for work.

Spoiler:

[Anaxagoras]

Will some nice person who can read Japanese please translate the Google search term.

Warning: Not safe for sanity and maybe also not safe for work.

Spoiler:

Trump swimwear

[Abdul Alhazred]

[Witness]

Historical Japanese Sword ‘Kotetsu Katana of Kondo Isami’ Discovered

Long article with the historical details: https://japan-forward.com/historical-ja ... iscovered/

[Fid]

You really just wanted us to click on the "Whaling Today" link didn't ya.

[Abdul Alhazred]

You really just wanted us to click on the "Whaling Today" link didn't ya.

I did now.

Whaling apologetics.

OPINION: Whaling Criticism is Often Melodramatic Japan-bashing
https://featured.japan-forward.com/whal ... d-culture/

Anyone here ever tasted it?