Hiroko's Hitokoto

One of the discussions at the Diet has been about how to improve regional revenue sources. So, how about this unique event to boost the regional economies? Nakayama Restaurants Association in Nakayama-cho, Yamagata prefecture is organizing a "Town Drink Triathlon" for June 29. Participants have to finish 23 dishes and drinks designated at each restaurant in town, such as Udon, Soba, Beer, etc. You can start anything you want. Additionally, you have to sing Karaoke at one of the 5 Karaoke bars in town! The event is limited to 100 participants, and only costs JPY3,000. If you want to join this digestive organ triathlon, call 023-662-2207 by June 26 to enter...!

How many people were aware that yesterday was Father's day? Compared to Mother's Day, it looks like fathers get short shrift from the marketing and business world. According to some news reports from department stores, popular gifts this year are drinks, snacks, beer servers, and summer clothes such as polo shirts and Jimbe-e (a kind of short, separated kimono two-piece). But I just wonder if these rather tawdry goods will really cheer up a stressed out father. It hardly seems worth the effort. Personally, if I'm going to give a polo shirt to my father, then at least I want to make the actual experience pleasurable for him. My tactic is to take him to a museum or somewhere else where he feels it's worth going, and on the way, suggest stopping by some golf clothing stores. Like most Japanese men, he doesn't buy his own clothes and doesn't have any idea what to do, so I let the store clerks take care of him. Of course, taste-wise he doesn't listen to his famil...

How do you prefer to travel: by airplane or Shinkansen? News is that JR East has started trying to win customers away from the airlines by serving breakfast on the Akita-Tokyo Shinkansen, from June onwards. Their problem is that it takes 4 hours by train versus 1 hour by air, to get to Tokyo. Their strategy is to pamper customers with breakfast, tea, oshibori, and slippers -- all free of charge. Their target is business people, who take the early train to Tokyo. Over 40% of the passengers travel early in the morning. So, although you can eat breakfast in comfort, or even take a nap on the way to work, the problem is that if you have to be in the office by 9:00 a.m., then you have to leave home before 4:30 a.m.! Personally, I would rather sleep than have a free meal. Do you think this marketing ploy will work? We'll find out in a month or two, I guess.