Author Archives: Eryk Salvaggio

Taking Golden Week off to entertain a friend from home and celebrate my birthday. But, I post my toy-camera and iPhone photos from Japan at least once a day over at The Birdwatcher’s Report. You can also check out some … Continue reading →

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Eryk Salvaggio | 2 Comments

J-Cin Sundays: Battle Royale and Japanese Nationalism

Posted on May 1, 2011 by Eryk Salvaggio

Title: Battle Royale Director: Kinji Fukasaku Year: 2000 Notes: A 3D version of this film is being re-edited for American release in 2011. This article refers to a subtitled Japanese edition of the original, 2000 theatrical release. TLDR: High school kids are inexplicably drafted … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Tradition | 8 Comments

On Japanese Convenience Stores | コンビニ

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Eryk Salvaggio

There’s some irony that the English “convenience store” is such a misnomer. There aren’t real conveniences, just bathrooms and cigarettes, packaged food and buckets of shaved ice smothered in anti-freeze colored syrup. Japan has adopted the concept – and word … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, Food | 30 Comments

On Getting Drunk with your Boss in Japan

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Eryk Salvaggio

If you live in Japan, you don’t drink at work. You work at your drinking.

Posted in Food, Fun, Tradition | 13 Comments

On Ozu, Architecture and Japanese Lunch Boxes

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Eryk Salvaggio

Japan is really good at dividing wholes into smaller parts. Just look at the Bento box a mother makes for a 4-year-old or the masterpieces of the Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu. It’s in the architecture, where panels are carefully measured … Continue reading →