In Medias Resolution

Last week, MegaBots hailing from the USA issued a giant robot duel challenge to Suidobashi Heavy Industries of Japan: Kogoro Kurata, CEO/Founder/Creator Suidobashi Heavy Industries' response was AWESOME: "It's interesting. I'll give them that. But my reaction? Come on guys, make it cooler. Just building something huge and sticking guns on it. It's... super-American. We can't let another country win this. Giant robots are Japanese culture. Yeah, I'll fight. Absolutely. But you

"Suidobashi, we have a giant robot, you have a giant robot. You know what needs to happen. We challenge you to a duel." Actually, what needs to happen is that MegaBots​' MkII and Suidobashi heavy industry​'s Kuratas need to have a baby. And here's why: TL;DR version: VERDICT So, if Suidobashi Heavy Industries' Kuratas and MegaBots' MkII had a baby, it would combine the technological advantages, mobility, and innovation of the Japanese Kuratas with the brute force power, tonna

Greetings everyone, here are some extra things that you can do to 1) live more comfortably in Japan, and/or 2) learn a little bit more Japanese faster. Today's tip is about something I call "Yeah Syndrome," which is essentially when we as Japanese language learners get a bit stuck and lost when Japanese people are speaking to us, and we end up just saying はい/うん/そうです(hai/un/sou desu), or any other Japanese variation of the phrase "Yeah" and sort of soft-agreeing to whatever wa

Greetings everyone, I'm here today with some extra things that you can do to 1) live more comfortably in Japan, and/or 2) learn a little bit more Japanese faster. Today's tip is about context. You can use the context of related-words and situations to get yourself out of linguistic trouble. We've all had times where we just can't explain things in the target language. While gestures and drawings definitely go a long way, oftentimes the human mind is always still seek

(Note: this article was originally written and posted to the "Learn Japanese Pod" forum: http://learnjapanesepod.com/forum/index.php) Greetings everyone, this is the first of what will hopefully be an ongoing mini-series of posts regarding some extra things that you can do to 1) live more comfortably in Japan, and/or 2) learn a little bit more Japanese faster. My hope with this post series is that I can add one little helpful activity on a regular basis. Of course, the

One of my hobbies is people-watching. I love to wander around the city and just look at all the different sorts of people that are out and about. I could sit in a cafe all day and just marvel at the variety and I often do so while wondering, "What's your story?" Spring is probably the best time to people-watch, and the people who made this video certainly capitalized on that to great effect. #lifeinjapan

Lately my motivation and morale has been down because sometimes the process of writing a thesis can seem like trying to show certain people how you're not a failure. However, this morning I received some wonderful notifications. In 2007, I had the honor and privilege of teaching a talented 7-year-old Japanese boy how to play the guitar. Despite having a full-adult-sized electric guitar, he managed extremely well. Reflecting back on the experience, to say that I actually "taug

Only about an hour or so into the day and this happens. A "Kuwagata" (or "Stag Beetle" in English) makes a momentary cameo on a window screen and the whole lot of us turned into a frenzied group of primary school kids again. You see how easily our concentration falters? #naist #lifeinjapan #lab

Chronicles of working in a lab in Japan during summer: For lunch today the M1 students organized a semi-impromptu somen party. #lab #lifeinjapan

Thank you to Faii Na, Noey Hole Cheek, and Yuk PamSeven Warit! Found this on my desk at the lab when I came in this morning. This was a great surprise during a busy week of seminar preparations. ホンマにありがとうございました。 When things like this happen, it reminds me that there are actually a lot of reasons for me to smile more often these days. Here's to new international friends, new international foods, and more smiling in general. #lab #lifeinjapan #gradschoollife