I couldn't watch Itidakimasu! Dining With the Chef today.

My brother has commandeered the TV for the whole day, so he can watch Hurricane Sandy (flipping between CNN, FNC, MSNBC, & TWC all day). He gave me a dirty look when I asked for the TV for that particular half-hour.

Maybe this will change your mind.
Don't worry, it's clean.

^That was entertaining, I'll admit.

Journey's In Japan was on today! they showcased Morioka. The city is well known for the many rivers that run through it, and there are many places along the river to get scenic views. It takes two hours by bullet train (from Tokyo) to get to the city.

First, the host watched some salmon swimming upstream with some city locals. At one point (the 70's), the rivers were completely polluted, but due to the efforts of the government & citizens, they're clear once again.

They then talked about the community wells, filled with spring water (some of the best in Japan). These wells have been known throughout the city's history to bring people together.

The host then visited a local soba (type of noodle) shop, that's been in business for over 100 years.

Next up, was a visit to a local Buddhist temple, which is known for it's 499 statues modeled after the Buddha's deciples.

The host next visited a local restaurant, to get a taste of the local sake (which is some of the best in the country, made fresh with the area's spring water). The specialty for the season was grilled maitake mushrooms. The restaurant was filled with traditional crafts from the area's history.

They showcased a local variety of iron casting, and the master who is the 15th generation in her family to carry on the tradition.

@tsuchinoko So Ohio State University has study abroad at Hokkaido University, Nanzan University, Tenri University, University of Tsukuba, Waseda University and some International Christian University.

Imagine-Nation was on tonight!

Opening Topic: They announced the recent release of the Zone of the Enders HD collection for PS3/360, on Oct. 25.

Main Theme: They covered Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. The popular manga debuted in 1987, and is still going strong, now in it's eighth series (each one following a different cast of characters. The series has been adapted into films, OVAs, & video games, but hasn't had a TV anime... Until now.

Yes, 25 years after the series originally debuted, it's finally getting a TV anime, that just premiered this October. The story follows a centuries old family feud. There was recently an art exhibition featuring the series' art, for it's 25th anniversary.

Creator's Interview: They interviewed Sota Sugahara. He debuted his first manga at age 19! Entitled Tonio Chan, it ran in a weekly magazine for two years. Moving on, he is now trying his hand at various other creative ventures. No matter what his work, everything he does is CG.

International Christian University is otherwise known as Kokusai Kirisuto Daigaku, its really famous, but it really will try to appeal to foreigners more than any University on that list. I went there for one semester while I was slumming between my full-time University and when I got hired by my current company. I really didn't like it.

If you're looking for a quality college with an amazing reputation, Waseda is one of the best in the country. If you tell a Japanese person you studied at Waseda, they'll be really impressed. Tsukuba is also really well respected, as is Hokkaido University. I don't know the others.

I understand what you're saying. And to be honest, there are a few American comedians I still like. Stand-up comedian Maria Bamford is very funny, she's actually somewhat similar to a lot of the comedy we have in Japan. Japanese comedy is actually very different from what a lot of people think it is. It plays a lot on word play, cultural humor, very situational humor. Japanese comedians can be extremely funny without being offensive.

It seems to me that, more and more, American comedians are relying on offensive jokes to get laughs, and very few comedians in the States rely on anything other than crude humor. I actually think your British comedy reference is funny, since I find British comedians these days, like Jimmy Carr and Frankie Boyle. Of course, the lovely Graham Norton (of who I've been a huge fan) does it both ways, being funny while using silly gags and stories to get genuine laughs, and then the occasional stronger joke.

I don't see any big reason why, in and of itself, offensive humor is bad when used occasionally, but I'm not a fan of offensive jokes towards specific races, nationalities, or other such groups. That's something I NEVER see in Japan. the only thing I ever see here, and it's still kind of rare, is the occasional rude joke towards a fellow celebrity.

I don't like those jokes either, not even when they're trying to make fun of the stereotype, but I think the only reason you don't see it neary as often in Japan is because they aren't exposed to different nationalities on a daily basis, so the jokes just wouldn't work over there.

With that said, there are some notable racist jokes in Japanese media that I know of, it's just that they're more subtle about it.

Tokyo Eye was on today!

They covered the Shinkansen (bullet train).

First, they highlighted the steps you need to take to make sure you don't miss your train (especially if you don't speak Japanese). Trains going west are marked with blue logos & gates, while trains going east have green logos & gates. Trains come & go roughly every 3 mins, and the average departure delay is only a little over 30 seconds. They gave prices for non-reserved, reserved, & first class seating.

They then explained the safety of the trains & system, showing all the safety measures the train's components go through (some every other day, some every month, some every 18 months, and some every 3 years). They also showed the nightly renovations that go on along the tracks every night. They showed "Dr. Yellow", a shinkansen that measures even the slightest distortion in the track or pantegraph, in order for it to be fixed. They also highlighted the safety measures in case of earthquakes. Seismometers are attached to the shinkansen's power supplies all across the nation, and at the sign of even the slightest shake, the power shuts off, with the trains coming to a full stop 3 seconds later!

Begin Japanology was on today. They covered the role of Potatoes, Taros, & Yams in Japanese cuisine & history.

All three legumes are inexpensive in Japan, making their presence wide spread through the nation.

During times of famine, the sweet potato saved countless lives (and possibly even the nation), as it grew in harsh conditions. It was tough though, as Japanese farmers (around Edo especially), held the misconception that sweet potatoes were poisonous. Also, the Japanese word for potato is derived from Jakarta, the Indonesian city that introduced the legume to Japan.

Taros have been harvested in Japan before rice. A certain kind of taro is made into a gelatinous substance. While it doesn't have much taste, it's eaten for it's texture, and is widely used as a diet food in Japan. It can also be used to make sponges, or a kind of adhesive.

Yams are also widely eaten in Japan. They followed a "yam hunter", as he went out & searched for wild yams in the mountains. Wild yams are held in high regard, as they're more tasteful than their farmed counterparts.

Can you only do study abroad for one semester or can you like re-apply and do it multiple times? I'd like to do it for longer than one semester at least

Yay history! I'm being serious, history is one of my favorite subjects along with biology.

^Yeah, I love history too. My favorite part of Begin Japanology, is when they explain the history of whatever subject they're discussing

@Tsuchinoko: What do you do in Japan anyway?

Been there done that. www.nintendolife.com/forums/general_discussion/japan_discussion?start=440#reply-451

/me rolls around in thread with catgirls that speak Japanese~ kawaii desudesudesudesu! ♥♥

J-Melo wasn't on last night.

Missed Itadakimatsu! Dining with the Chef today (if it was even on, with J-Melo missing last night, I wonder if they've switched up the schedule).

The only reason I'd want to visit Japan is to me Hayao Miyazaki. I would love to chat with him