Well, it’s January 6, 2009 and the first week of the new year is almost over. Have you failed in your resolutions yet? I suppose I could I write a post about my New Year’s resolutions, but hey, that’s boring. So, I’ve decided to share with you some resolutions I’ve received by e-mail here at 7:10 to Tokyo from various members of the Tokyo community. Some of these actually brought a tear to my eye.
Here’s one from Kenji “Kakekomi” Tanaka, a mid-level salaryman from Nakano:
“I’ve decided to stop drinking …

If you’re reading this on December 31st, have a great time ringing in the new year tonight! And, if it’s already 2009, Happy New Year!
If you’re doing it up in Tokyo tonight (the 31st), remember that the trains run all night and take advantage. Personally, I’ve caught a mother of a cold (possibly turned to pneumonia) so I’m going to watch the clock turn at home this year.
7:10 will be back with regular postings starting on Jan 5th. Until then, enjoy the holidays (if you’ve got ‘em) and don’t slack …

Two solid months of over-commercialized hype and Christmas is finally here in Tokyo. Yet, most of us have to work. Go figure. Well, when I set off for work today, I wasn’t too disappointed in not having the day off; this is the third Christmas in a row I’ve worked and I’m quite used to it. Besides, it was a slow day at the office without much to do. A few drinks and some light food at an izakaya after work with a couple of co-workers and then I was …

If you watch Japanese TV often enough, you’ll become convinced that people here mostly like ridiculously stupid programming. With a glut of variety and game-show programs clogging up the airways most nights between 7pm and 11pm, it’s hard to conclude otherwise. The overwhelming (but quickly fleeting) popularity in recent years of TV personalities like Hard Gay (HG), Yoshio Kojima, Sekai no Nabeatsu, and Edo Harumi has led many foreign residents of Japan to fork over the money and pay high cable-TV bills, or just quit watching TV altogether.
Personally, I mostly …

Here we go again… another “Where in…?” post. Shouldn’t be too difficult for anyone who has spent a fair bit of time living in the Kanto area. As before, guess all 5 locations where the photos were snapped and your blog will be featured in ‘JapanBlogger’ here at 7:10 to Tokyo.

One aspect of living in Japan (or any other country, for that matter) that most foreigners don’t like in the least is dealing with immigration. A new policy regarding foreigners coming to visit or live in Japan is stated clearly in the U.S. Department of State’s website:
All foreign nationals entering Japan, with the exemption of certain categories listed below, are required to provide fingerprint scans and be photographed at the port of entry.
This recently instituted policy has been met with criticism by many, but after several months of being in …

In Japan, everyone loves a good matsuri. There are several famous ones in Tokyo alone, including the Sanja Matsuri and the Koenji Awadori Matsuri. What is it that people enjoy about a good matsuri so much? Is it the dancing? The food? The traditional things people wear? I guess it’s just a combination of all those things and more.
So, now you’re thinking yeah, I want to get in on the next big matsuri, right? Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret; it’s happening right now. Where, you ask? …

Next spring, the WBC (World Baseball Classic) returns and Japan is hoping its national team will once again be crowned baseball’s world champs. Well, at least according to the WBC contest anyway.
This begs the question, does anyone believe that the WBC is capable of producing the highest level of competitive baseball in the world? Well, it probably doesn’t need to be said here that most American baseball fans don’t think so. Why? Well, most, if not all believe that the best players in the world eventually make their way to …

Ok, here’s the game…
Guess where in Tokyo the photographer was when he snapped the shot. Depending on the photo, a high degree of specificity may be required. Use your best judgment; If more precision is required, you’ll find out in the comments section below. The first person to guess all three locations correctly (subject to the author’s discretion) will get his or her Japan blog written up in JapanBlogger, as long as he or she consents to an interview. Leave your responses in the comments section of this post.
Seen this …

“One morning, Abe meets Aaron and promises him that if he (Aaron) skips work, he (Abe) will show him “the most meaningful thing that any living organism has ever witnessed.” From there, in a series of increasingly dramatic scenes, Abe reveals to Aaron that the machine works as a time-travel device.”