May 19, 2018: Foot in mouth, child killer caught, creepy house guest, dating game and early trains.

In this week’s episode: Japan’s deputy prime minister puts his foot in his mouth — again; an update on last week’s horrific murder of a 7-year-old girl in Niigata as police arrest a suspect; an elderly woman in Hyogo Prefecture discovers someone has been living in an upstairs room of her house for almost 5 months; women in Japan reveal their worst dating experiences and it seems the men need to up their game plus Japan’s trains are renowned for their punctuality, but JR West has apologized for a train that left slightly early and more news from Japan Today.
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May 11, 2018: Blood on the tracks, Asian mini-summit, if the shoe fits, Japan needs kids and more.

In this week’s episode: The horrific murder of a small child found on the railroad tracks in Niigata City; Japan, China and South Korea meet to discuss ending Kim Jong Un’s nuclear program; PM Abe’s strange dessert in Jerusalem; Japanese finance ministry officials get trained on what sexual harassment is; the number of children in Japan is at an all-time low and more news from Japan Today.
https://japantoday.com/

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May 4, 2018: The not-so-great escape, zero-fare bus strike, Cool Biz, small town sex and more.

In this week’s episode: A prisoner’s “not so great escape” from a remote island in Ehime Prefecture ends after three weeks on the lam, a motorist gets “all revved up” and drives his car into a bike gang in Chiba, bus drivers enact “strike force zero” in Okayama, the Japanese government promotes “cool biz” wear for summer and an exodus of pink salons from Tokyo may help “small town sex.” News and more from Japan Today. https://japantoday.com/
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April 27, 2018: Unjust desserts, sexy yoga, scuba diving murder, Olympics woes and more.

In this week’s episode: Unjust desserts for Japan at the inter-Koreas summit, the Japanese education minister practicing “sexy yoga,” a fatal scuba diving accident in Wakayama Prefecture is now ruled a murder, more Tokyo 2020 Olympics woes and more news from Japan this week.
News and more from Japan Today. https://japantoday.com/
Rate and review us: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan-today/id517133982?mt=2

April 20, 2018: Abe and Trump in Florida, immigration center hunger strike, sex scandals and more.

In this week’s episode: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is still looking for assurances from President Trump, immigration center detainees launch hunger strike in Ibaraki Prefecture, two politicians are brought down by sex scandals and in major league baseball, Shuhei Ohtani’s electrifying start with the California Angels and more news from Japan this week.
News and more from Japan Today. japantoday.com/
Rate and review us: itunes.apple.com/jp/podcast/japan…id517133982?mt=2

Yokohama Time Lapse

Yokohama Bay Time Lapse Still

Yokohama Bay Time Lapse Still

I decided to try out the new Time Lapse feature in iOS 8 today. Rather simple really: set the phone (in this case, my iPhone 5) in a clip that attaches to a tripod, choose your subject, open the Camera app and select Time Lapse and press the big, red button. Then I went inside and did something else for about half an hour. Result after the jump…

Diamond Princess

Diamond Princess in the port of Yokohama, Saturday, September 27.

Our new place in Yokohama has a view of the port and Osanbashi Pier, the international passenger terminal. It receives ferries cruise ships from all over the world like the Queen Elizabeth, Celebrity Millenium and regularly has Princess Cruise liners that traverse from Yokohama to cities up and down the Japanese archipelago and in China, Korea and Russia.

Apple Juice

Suntory Strong Zero Double Apple Chu-hai

Maybe it’s just coincidence, but the latest libation available in Tokyo’s convenience stores is the Suntory Strong Zero “Double Apple” chu-hai. With the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus just released last week, this might be a genius move on the Suntory marketing team’s part—though I highly doubt it.

Café Soul Tree

Coedo draft beer at Cafe Soul Tree

Coedo draft beer at Cafe Soul Tree

A few weekends ago we went to a new restaurant in Futako Tamagawa along the Tama River called Cafe Soul Tree. Styled after an old Route 66 garage, they have a BBQ outside on their deck, a very spacious concrete and vaulted ceiling decor and Coedo craft beer on tap (one of the few places in Tokyo that do).

PlayStation 3 Sound Bar

Sony PS3 SoundbarIf you already have yourself a sweet little surround sound setup for your PS3, then this post isn’t really for you. If, however, you just can’t stand your TV’s flat sound when gaming or watching a flick then it might interest you.