Tokyo snarkCast

75 Episodes

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I'm all wet -- the sound of soaking at a Japanese hot spring

2010-11-1807:24

Three days later and I am FINALLY recovering from my trip an onsen/hot spring resort in Nikko Japan, which is two and half hours north of Tokyo by car. The virtues of Japanese "naked communion" (hadaka no tsukiai) in the baths of "Ryokan Funamisou" onsen hotel was great but... ...Listening to this koto (Japanese harp) music on my iPod put me dead asleep and happy before 9PM. More... Read..

Quality: Toyota vs GM ... everybody's a loser now

2010-03-3101:01:12

Check out this podcast of "This American Life" on National Public Radio of how Toyota showed GM how to make a quality car in the US, created a car plant named NUMMI and how GM's management (through interviews with former GM workers) systematically failed to learn the lesson Toyota was trying to teach them until it was too late.... ...and ironically, how Toyota learned from GM how to make defective cars...more...

Electric Crow Funk of Tokyo

2010-01-1401:44

The yakimo man with his roasted sweet potatoes came by this morning and I recorded his mournful song. I realized that the crows were harmonizing and calling back to him. Great call-and-response but it needed a funky beat that I added. Enjoy.

THE SAMURAI

2009-12-2548:22

Oddly for Christmas Eve, BBC radio offered a well-researched programme, "THE SAMURAI" (Thursday 9.00-9.45am, 24 December 2009). This show was on BBC Radio 4 in their series called "In Our Time", which discusses major topics in history, science, religion, philosophy etc. Sadly BBC used DRM in the program to prevent listening to it as downloaded podcast. So, I "found" a analog recording of the programme in plain old MP3 format (43 minutes, 3MB). Enjoy!

OH Noooooos! It's Yoko Ono Christmas singing!

2009-12-0923:28

Listen to John Lennon and a giggly Yoko Ono made this “audio Christmas card” in 1969 exclusively for the members of Beatles’ Fan Club in the UK and the U.S. Learn more about this Ono's Christmas yowling at today's news.3Yen.com.

'Umibozu' (Japanese sea monster) Song

2009-10-1201:06

Here's a funny MP3 rip (2.5MB) of a YouTube video from the " Lovely Complex" Japanese TV series. It's the Umibozu Song performed by Susumu TERAJIMA (he is really a actor who specializing in playing yakuza and is not a singer per se). In the video he poses as a wannabe gangsta rapper, "Umibozu," (bald sea monster ---for more information see my post: Umi-Bozu - Japanese sea monster. Anyway...With scantily clad girls gyrating against him as he sings inane lyrics, this TV segment is a funny parody of lame-o rappers. Japanese sea monster

Tony's cock's coos ...bi-pun fun

2009-09-1800:36

A common conversation ploy to change the topic in Japanese is to say tonikaku "anyway", "whatever", "in any case" , which amuses my hinky mind into thinking of the bilingual punTony's cock's coos. I'm easily amused.

Carrier of 'nursery rhyme reggae' from Japan

2009-08-0903:11

This J-pop group "Coba-U" calls themselves, "tastey nursery rhyme neology." Hey, what do you expect? They're Japanese.I am from dark space. A reggae size wienie enthusiast. A mystery living entity (bacteria). I transfer to a thing of Shimokita and a certain daughter and am observing the earth. But. Here's Coba-U lead singer "MUFFIN" featured in her "Red Shoes" video and with her infection girls. More info on the news.3yen.com

For real fun time try 'Song of the Military and Political University of Resistance Against Japan'!

2009-08-0101:50

North Korean party boy, Kim Jon Il had this great music suggestion on his iTunes playlist: Song of the Military and Political University of Resistance Against Japan. That cheerful tune is also available here for free. Resistance Against Japan stamp from China 1995 March 17

'Yeah, I think I'll write a haiku...'

2009-07-1003:02

Back in the mists of time (1973), the avant-popster group "Slapp Happy" sing their "HAIKU" song... More info on this HAIKU here...

Katamari Forever remixed remix

2009-06-2301:08

Over on boing-boing they posted the video below of the remix classic Katamari tracks for upcoming PS3 'tribute' release Katamari Forever. I remixed that remix and put it into MP3 format for you to listen/download.

'What Is a Fisterris? '

2009-04-2702:59

"Mad Daddy" Myers sayth: "Fisterises like pretty girls named Ingaborg with silver snoopers in their hair, sometimes moping about the snurds and limrocks they've loved and lost, sobbing big teedle-dools. Like everyone, they dislike artichokes for breakfast when the bumblebugger's gone." Read the "Mad Daddy" Pete Myers Biography at freewebs.com/maddaddy .

'Salt peanuts, salt peanuts!'

2009-04-2502:18

I'm making up a batch of my favorite "Salt peanuts, salt peanuts" ---originally the nonsensical wisdom of Dizzy's Gillespie bebop jazz standard. But in this case, I'm actually fry-roasting a pan of raw peanuts with Old Bay Spice® and listing to the extravagant 50s jazz band, The Nutty Squirrels, version of "Salt Peanuts on this lazy, rainy Tokyo afternoon. Enjoy.

Weirder music (from Japan, of course)

2009-04-2303:39

Shugo Tokumaru is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Tokyo. Using more than 100 instruments, he creates his fun pop freakouts as though it was was a soundtrack for a demented cartoon just for your pleasure. Enjoy two samples of his music--"Future Umbrella" and "Green Rain"-- from his sleeper hit album, EXIT, that is just short of going Gold this week according to the NPR, World Cafe Podcast. Read more info on the 3Yen.com blog.

Wisdom from Japan

2009-04-2200:20

Listen to the wisdom of Japan... Papa Mama Lucky morning! My friend is unlucky! Sun is shining for me! Handsome guys want me!! Big money hit me!!! For more info go to 3Yen.com BIG LUCKY.

UNIQLO's Tokyo Street Fashion Jam

2009-03-1903:40

Check out the street fashion map of Tokyo by UNIQLO. Don't miss their oddball TV commercial.

The real 'Zoom Zoom Zoom' (Zum, Zum, Zum by Serapis Bey)

2009-01-2203:10

Once again by popular demand, here's the real 'Zoom Zoom Zoom' called "Zum, Zum, Zum" by Serapis Bey.

You Only Live Twice -- James Bond in Japan (radio drama version)

2008-11-0201:27:12

Here's a BBC 7 radio drama broadcast on November 1st of Ian Fleming's "You Only Live Twice". Although you may be familiar with the film version staring Sean Connery of "You Only Live Twice" it was the first Bond movie to greatly deviate from Ian Fleming's novel (besides the Japanese setting and few characters, the two stories are totally different). This BBC radio drama is much closer to Ian Fleming's idea. Enjoy! Alternatively you can download here (1.2MB 90mins) if the Podmatic player/download does not work.

STARGATE theme

2008-08-1601:55

After a decade-long run on TV, Stargate's SG1 is going to movies (in this case direct to DVD). Here's the opening theme composed by Joel Goldsmith for the new movie, Stargate: The Ark of Truth (IMDB.com). If the podomatic link does not stream the music (and only downloads) try this link. Boomp3.com

Japan's Heavy Metal earthquake early warning system

2008-04-1600:47

Weather bureau makes heavy metal song to plug earthquake early warning system Mainichi News - April 16, 2008, SENDAI -- The Sendai District Meteorological Observatory has produced a heavy metal song to promote a recently developed earthquake early warning system...more... Listen to my extended-play remix (43sec) or the original WMV video below. For more information see my full report at: Japanese ‘Heavy Metal’ earthquake early warning

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