There’s not much left to say, it’s a tragedy and it is very sad to know this has happened in Japan.

The image shows a scared Panda grabbing a police officer’s leg. Great picture to remind us that we humans and animals are sometimes pretty much the same: instincts, needs, even society sometimes, and the need to hug someone!

I had initially thought that it wasn’t so bad until today where reports and videos are even more shocking. Here is one from a closeup view:

Click here to view the embedded video.

All my friends are safe fortunately, a small positive thing. Life is so fragile!

No related posts.

Take a look at how quickly Fuji Television’s news reporter aged. Between 2004 and 2007 he added twenty years to his life.

Update: The poor fellow is actually Tosaka Junichi from NHK — still I dunno what happened to him (thanks Michael!)

In case you didn’t know, employees in Japan are classified in numerous rankings, for example, 部長 (buchou) 課長 (kachou), and the top rank 社長 (shachou) meaning Company President. Usually, normal salaryman’s or OL’s stay on the same company for most of their lifetime, starting from the lowest rank and going up until they hit the wall. Say, if you won’t go beyond 部長 (buchou) for example, you may hear others saying that you’re a 部長止まり (buchou-domari), domari meaning stop/halt.

But in order to ascend, you need to work extra hours, not take your well-deserved vacation (since you might actually lose your job too — or at least people fear that), and keep going on until you turn like the old man above. After that, when you’re 60 years old, you’ll get fired from your current position. This does not mean that you’ll be retired: you still got 5 more years until retirement, and in the meantime, you can either live off your savings (not common) or go back to working like the lowest rank peasant — usually, the same company hires you again for a puny salary. After that, it’s 5 more years and you’re 65, retired, and with no energy in your batteries left.

That’s one scary side of Japan that we all would prefer not to know, and that’s why I prefer being my own boss ^^; of course, not all work force in Japan is like that, but most are. Anyone around here with a background as a salaryman in Japan?

No related posts.

I totally understand this guy. I mean, it’s the 21st Century and the Way of the Samurai never said that one should not eat ice cream. It’s gotta be hot in that Samurai armor and carrying that sword makes you sweat a lot! ^^;

Via Neta.

No related posts.

Was hearing on the news that the Recession will probably worsen the high suicide rate in Japan. Every fifteen minutes, one Japanese commits suicide, which is quite scary.

Anyway, out of coincidence, saw this picture on the net and decided to share it ^^ it’s the usual Internet Explorer 404 Not Found error, though it reads “Job not found”, and goes one saying that the Company that you were aiming for is f*cked up, and to please check if you were having too high hopes and that any job in any office or anything will do for now, and so on.

My Japanese sensei always tells me stories about the 90′s Bubble Economy in Japan, which triggered a series of unfortunate suicides in Japan and its effect can still be felt — last year was Japan’s 11th consecutive year with more than 30,000 suicides. When I saw Mount Fuji through the window, little did I know that one of the forests at the base of Fuji-san — Aokigahara — is the world’s second most popular suicide location, just behind San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Ever since one of my classmates commited suicide more than ten years ago (we were kids), I’ve always wondered what goes through the mind of said lads. Despair, resignation, frustration… I’ve felt beaten and stomped by life before, finding it hard to stand up and keep on going, and I can’t imagine how people keep on living after things ten times worse than my small insignificant problems. I know some people think it’s irresponsible and somewhat coward, but I really feel pity for them. Oh well ^^;

Via Neta.

No related posts.

Thought all Asians were good at Karaoke?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Maybe not ^^;

Via iistix

No related posts.

Been busy with work stuff and improving Instant Ramen’s layout a bit (in the meantime, we apologize for any turbulence the passengers may feel ^^), and this girl helped me relief some stress, though I prefer her before picture with glasses. Maybe it’s just me?

Via Neta.

No related posts.

Here’s my own original share of Japanese sleeping everywhere. It’s probably no novelty to you that Japanese people sleep anywhere (and if it is, you won’t last two trains figuring that out). Well, these are not only Japanese, these are students from a very respectable University in Tokyo in a quite respectable research laboratory.

You can virtually sleep anywhere, anytime — including your partner’s presentation!

My friend Osk (thanks!) who took the pictures actually surprised me with these ones. Well, I knew that Japanese people sleep everywhere but I didn’t expect his all-too-busy research lab to be part of the trend!

To my knowledge, sleeping everywhere is not only reserved to the Japanese society. I used to have a mild case of insomnia until I was 18 — when I started studying Computer Engineering. From that day until I was 22 and finally graduated, it was virtually impossible not to sleep anywhere, on the bus, classes, benches…

Most of you already have an idea of why Japanese sleep off everywhere. Here’s why I think Japanese people sleep anywhere:

• Japan is a very safe place
• Students typically watch animé or play video games until very late at night (see: pictures above)
• 飲み会 (Nomikai): party!
• People tire after chasing trains every time they’re late.
• 仕事、仕事！(Work, work, work!)

Nothing was new to me before going to Japan except points 4. and 5. Actually, it’s pretty funny to see well-dressed 会社員 (Kaisha-in — Employees in suits) or OL’s (Office Ladies) running a hell lot faster than me and hey, I do my share of sports!

As for the latter point 5., recently I was working as a Japanese/Spanish interpreter, and for one whole week, the Japanese lady next to me sat at 8:00 AM in front of her desk and excluding the one-hour break for lunch (which she skipped a few times), she didn’t drink a sip of water, go to the bathroom, or did anything else human until 4:30 PM. Yes, I know, probably one of the latest Japanese robots and I was fooled altogether…

Anyway, here’s a bonus picture of a random guy almost getting his foot caught by the train door. My hand got caught back in Akihabara once I almost missed the train, and yes, it hurts badly:

Special thanks to my friend Osk for all these great pictures!

If you’re new around here and find Instant Ramen insteresting, don’t forget to subscribe to Instant Ramen via RSS or email for more ^^!

No related posts.