The Fun Theory

According to TheFunTheory.com, they “believe that the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better is by making it fun to do.”, they call it The Fun Theory.  Makes sense, see the videos below (the first video, Piano Stairs, has over 8.5 million views on YouTube and the other two with over 1 million views).

Piano Stairs: ”Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator and feel better” is something we often hear or read in the Sunday papers. Few people actually follow that advice. Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do?

The World’s Deepest Bin: To throw rubbish in the bin instead of onto the floor shouldn’t really be so hard. Many people still fail to do so. Can we get more people to throw rubbish into the bin, rather than onto the ground, by making it fun to do?

Bottle Bank Arcade: Many of us return our plastic bottles and cans. Noticeably fewer recycle their glass. Maybe that’s because we don’t get any money in return, as we do for cans and plastic. Can we change this attitude by making recycling glass fun to do? So you are not just rewarded with a good conscience, you also get a smile.

Let’s have some fun!

Yebisu Red

One of my favorite beers in Canada is Rickard’s Red (made by Molson Canada) so I picked up a can of Yebisu Premium (Limited Brew) Red from our local supermarket to give it a try.

 

It is not bad, but I found it a little too bitter for my taste.  I still prefer Yebusi Premium (Regular) in Japan or Rickard’s Red in Canada.  The picture below is courtesy of Flcker (no Rickards’s Red in Tokyo).

Digital Photo Frame

Our thoughtful nephew who recently stayed with us in Tokyo gave us a digital photo frame as a gift – a Sony 10 inch S-Frame (Model DPF-V1000) Digital Photo Frame.  Thanks C!

The Sony 10-inch Digital Photo Frame highlights include:

• 10.2-inch Super Clear Photo WVGA resolution LCD (widescreen)
• HDMI output to HDTV
• Auto Image Correction/Auto Dimmer/Auto Image Rotation
• 1 GB memory (2000 photos) with search function
• Alarm function
• Search function
• Direct USB input from most digital cameras and support for most memory cards
• Remote control

I take a lot of pictures (that’s an under-statement – I go for quantity instead of quality) so I loaded our family pictures into a spare 2 GB SD card, inserted it the digital frame and now we can see all our pictures from Japan and our Asia trips any time, all the time.  There are also lots of display options – go wild!

We really love this digital frame, what a wonderful gift!  Do you have a digital photo frame?

Chiyoda Edo Matsuri

A display of Edo-style festival floats called the Chiyoda Edo Matsuri (not sure why it is called a matsuri or festival) was held in the Marunouchi Building across from the Tokyo station.

 

Inside, there were a few parade or festival floats from all over Japan.

It wasn’t a big exhibition, but the floats looked very impressive.

Michelin Restaurant Guide and Display

Michelin is famous of its tires.  We were shopping recently at Tokyu Hands (Japanese department store) at Shinjuku where we found this colorful Michelin display with lots of non-tire related stuff.

Michelin also publishes an annual restaurant guide (read my blog post from last year) and the 2010 edition just available – Tokyo just passed Paris with the most 3 star rated restaurants, see this article from BBC news titled “Tokyo world’s best place to eat” or AP’s story titled “Tokyo crowned new gourmet capital by Michelin”.

Finally, a closer look at the golf bag and the suitcase – cool!

Have a Nice Day

This picture was taken inside the elevator of our office building in Tokyo.  Have a nice day!

For more merry making, do read Silvia Mihailescu’s Happymaking blog.  Be happy!

Tokyo Horse Racing

Originally built in 1933, Tokyo Racecourse is located in Fuchu city and is Japan’s largest racecourse.

Entrance fee to a racecourse is 200 yen ($2 US).

Modern horseracing in Japan had its beginnings in racing events that were organized by foreign residents of Yokohama in 1862.

Japan led all countries in the total amount of money bet on horse racing in 2008, with just under 2 trillion yen wagered on ponies.  Globally, Japan also breeds the fourth highest number of thoroughbreds.

All authorized racing in Japan, by law, must be conducted by the Japan Racing Association or JRA (a public enterprise established by the national government) and local governments entities.

JRA racing is mainly conducted on Saturdays and Sundays (with the exception of several days on national holidays) during October and November.  There are 12 races on a racing day, beginning at around 10:00 and ending at around 16:30.

There are 10 JRA racecourses and off-track betting facilities around the country.  Betting is fully automated, minimum bet is 100 yen ($1).

A grand re-opening of the Tokyo Racecourse was held in 2007 after the completion of seven years renovation work.  This modern facility can now seat more than 120,000.

The main entrance has a European theme.

Inside (and outside), you will find a lot of restaurants, cafes, fast food chains and even a konbini.

This is a family oriented facility, complete with amusement rides, pony rides, playgrounds and park areas.

Outside, the world’s largest video monitor called "Turf Vision", at 11 × 66 meters, was installed in September of 2006, displays sharp, powerful images and a wealth of information on its three High Definition screens.

The paddock area is a popular area to check out all the horses before the race.

Thrilling races take place down a 530-meter-long homestretch.

Of course, if you come in first place, you go to the Winners Circle and collect your prize and trophy.

Also, you can read the Metropolis article titled “Weekends are for Racing”.  The JRA official site can be found here (available in English and French – click on the language link at the top right of the web page).

Japan in the News: Obama Criticized for Bowing to Japanese Emperor

Japan was the first destination in US President Barack Obama’s Asian visit.  At the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, he met with the Japanese Emperor (and Empress) who he greeted with a handshake and a low bow.  Picture below courtesy of Reuters.

Also see this very short SkyNews video from YouTube (which has over 150,000 views already).

Read the story today for more details from the UK Telegraph about criticisms by right-wing websites.  There must be more important issues to discuss than this – I personally think he was just showing respect and courtesy, he also did grow up in Asia (Indonesia).

Frog Barriers

There is a lot of construction going on at Shinjuku just outside the south exit of the JR train station, where you will encounter these strange, but cheerful, looking barriers.

A closer look at one of them.

Kinako Ohagi KitKat

A few weeks ago, I tried the new Pepsi Azuki and the Ginger Ale KitKat.  You won’t find Pepsi Azuki in store shelves any longer, but Ginger Ale KitKat is still available.  I also found a Kinaho Ohagi KitKat (I think the last one?) at a local konbini (convenience store) which I believe was first available in early October, the start of autumn.

Pictured on the box above is a traditional Japanese sweet, which is a rice-based cake (mochi) in a ball covered with kinako powder and filled with red beans.  Kinako is also known as soybean flour, with a taste like peanut butter.  Ohagi are autumn treats made with sweet rice and azuki (red bean) paste.

There was only a slight hint of peanut butter and red bean, but I tasted mostly chocolate, like regular KitKat.  I guess my taste buds aren’t very fined tuned.  Anyway, it was sweet and I liked it, since I like both peanut butter and red bean.

If you are really interested in the many different KitKats available in Japan, read Jen Ken’s Kit Kat Blog.