>Lightsaber Chopsticks, 1 Year Later.
12 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
in Japanese Food, Japanese Studies
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Last year the release of Kotobukiya’s Star Wars chopsticks was plastered over the internets, and I was one of those waiting for months. I ended up purchasing 6 pairs, two of each type. Those that read this blog may have noticed them appearing in a couple posts in the past, as I actually use them. The Luke Skywalker is my everyday pair and the Yoda is my bento pair, while Darth Vader and the extras went back to the US as gifts.
When they first came out I was a little bit worried about the quality. If you just use them as decor, they look great and will last forever, but what about for everyday use? Let’s take a look:
Here are the tips. They’re still fine, no chipping or anything. The plastic is very smooth so it’s been hard to hold on to food, and at times pieces of slippery things have fallen in my lap. If you’re they type that manhandles your food, breaking up big chunks into little pieces you may end up snapping them in two. Of course they’re not as clear as before, with constant washing they outside becomes a little opaque.
The handle part is painted, so of course it’ll wear off eventually. However, as you can see even with daily hand-washing, the metallic paint is still mostly all there.
In the end, the verdict is that even with daily use, these chopsticks will last as long as most others. I recommend you reclaim them your lovely Dollfie and take them down to your local sushi joint to get some oohs and aahs. Tell them you got them from beNippon.
>Bye-bye Tiger, Hello Rabbit!
06 Jan 2011 Leave a Comment
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After a nice long New Year’s vacation, we’re back in the offices of beNippon. Happy New Year to all!
All of us at beNippon look forward to another year of giving you of top-class service, great prices, and our ever increasing selection of anime, manga, books, plushies, electronics, and beyond.
As I get started on my day, just wanted to leave you all with a quick warning. When you’re getting your Year of the Rabbit tattoos done, make sure your favorite tattoo artist uses 卯 and not 卵.
>Japan Post: Move along there’s nothing to see here.
30 Nov 2010 2 Comments
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Starting December 1st, shipping packages over 16 ounces from Japan to the USA will be permitted once more. Just expect longer arrival times, even longer for places like Hawaii so the packages can be screened.
Just another reason to get your Christmas shopping done early.
>6 Days until Space Battleship Yamato
25 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
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I don’t get excited about movies too often, especially those that have special childhood memories (ie. Star Wars), but the new Space Battleship Yamato coming out in a few days will hopefully be a good flick. While I don’t really care for Takuya Kimura’s acting (too one-dimensional in his J-drama roles), I do think he’ll play the role of Susumu Kodai (Derek Wildstar) well. At the very least, his hair will move the same way. Playing Yuki Mori (Nova) is Meisa Kuroki, and if you’ve read my previous posts I’m definitely a fan of hers.
Having grown up weekday mornings watching Star Blazers, I’m just sad that Star Blazers was completely Americanized, so I’m not familiar with the Japanese character names. This site will give you a heads up on the character names, if you’re like me.
>Testing, testing, 1-2-3.
16 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
>In our push to get things working properly between this blog, Facebook, and Twitter. I’m testing some changes to the RSS feed, and I apologize to those who usually read inside an RSS aggregator, because I’ve had to resort to shortened posts. Another problem is that images are not sent 
Sorry for the inconvenience. If I can find a work around, I’ll return to full posts. Did I mention we’re on Facebook now? Click the Like button, please.
>Pepsi Mont Blanc
16 Nov 2010 Leave a Comment
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I haven’t blogged about unique Japanese food items for a while, probably because I haven’t been to the grocery store recently. Last night I found one of the few remaining bottles of Pepsi Mont Blanc at my usual store, so I had to try it.
Named after the French dessert, Mont Blanc, this version of Pepsi is flavored with chestnuts. On the net, Pepsi Mont Blanc seemed to be getting some fairly positive comments, so I wasn’t nervous taking my first sip as with the others. And yes, it wasn’t bad, in fact I kinda liked it as did my wife and mother-in-law. If you want to create your own, you can probably buy some Pepsi and add a few drops of chestnut extract… that’s all there is to the flavor. You might think of it as the French equivalent to a Dr. Pepper 
You won’t be finding Pepsi Mont Blanc at Angelina, but if you’re there you’ll probably be drinking the hot chocolat with your Mont Blanc. However, if you do happen to come across a spare bottle, make sure you make it into an ice-cream float.
>beNippon unaffected by Japan Post (JP) shipping rules to US.
16 Nov 2010 5 Comments
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| Image Source: beautifuldecay.com |
On November 12, 2010 Japan Post made an announcement of new shipping restrictions to the USA. Recently, Twitter et al. has been ablaze with news of this announcement, and there seems to be some mis-information being passed around.
The Truth:
The restrictions basically state that in order to thwart terrorist activities, packages 453 grams (16 ounces) or heavier being shipped via aircraft to the US and its territories will not be accepted starting November 17, 2010 (tomorrow) continuing for an unforeseen period.
Shipping methods affected:
- Standard Airmail
- Small Parcel Airmail
- Standard SAL
- Small Parcel SAL
- EMS
So What?
What does this restriction mean for you personally? As an individual shipping from Japan to the USA, you will have to chose another shipping method (ie. seamail) if your package weighs 453 grams or more.
So Can I Get My Moe?
The good news is that business entities that have contracts with Japan Post are not affected by this new restriction. Please be aware that beNippon has a long standing history with Japan Post, and we are not affected by the new shipping regulation. beNippon will continue to offer our current selection of shipping methods to all customers in the US and its territories. Yes, you can get your moe~!
