28 05, 2016

Souvenir Saturday: Baka Neko, Neko Basu: Cat Bus!

By |May 28th, 2016|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

Stupid Cat, Cat Bus! Baka Neko, Neko Basu or The Cat Bus is a bizarre character from Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro). There was a Japanese legend that said as cats get older they can shape-shift, and given the nickname Baka Neko (Stupid/Crazy Cat). In Totoro, this Baka Neko become a Bus! Cat Bus Close Up Cat Bus at the Bus Stop Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

5 09, 2015

Souvenir Saturday: Omamori

By |September 5th, 2015|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

In Sailor Moon, one of the main characters Rei Hino (Sailor Mars), is a Shrine Maiden, and in some of the episodes she sells amulets. I remember watching this episode when I was young and I was very excited to go to Japan and purchase one of these charms! The Hikawa Shrine in Sailor Moon Called Omamori, these talismans are sold at Shinto and Buddhist shrines and temples and provide different protection or luck. They contain a prayer written on paper or wood and are contained within a cloth bag. The shrine or temple sell these in return

30 05, 2015

Souvenir Saturday: Totoro!

By |May 30th, 2015|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

Tonari no Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro) is one of my favorite Hayao Miyazaki film. So when I was out shopping in Chino, Japan and saw this delightfully detailed Totoro keychain I had to get him! Totoro! Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

30 03, 2015

Travel Missteps: I Swear its Not Porn

By |March 30th, 2015|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments

I became a Japanese Anime and Manga fan in 1998 when Sailor Moon (and later Gundam Wing) were aired on Toonami. I loved the artistic style and would brave dial-up internet to research other anime, how to draw the big eye style, and start teaching myself Japanese. It was hard being a fan back then as it was so new to America that most people didn’t know what it was. The Original Anime Sailor Moon I remember that most bookstores didn’t carry manga. I once asked for the “Graphic Novel” section, and a confused shop keeper took me