Oscar winning animator, Hayao Miyazaki, of “Ponyo On the Cliff by the Sea” fame, spoke at a rare press conference in Tokyo at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Japan on November 20th.  Tony McNicol took some great photos and The Japan Times reports on the event in an article titled “An audience with Miyazaki, Japan’s animation king”

Japanese is home to 4 of the top 10 spots in a survey by London-based ECA International ranking the most expensive places for expatriates to live.  Tokyo comes in at #2 followed by Yokohama, Nagoya and Kobe.

Visit the Universal Citywalk Osaka, the shopping and entertainment complex adjacent to Universal Studios Japan to check out Japanese robot guides in action.

The Japanese are fascinated by blood types – what does your blood type say about you?  I’m apparently a strong-willed samurai.

An American chef, Ivan Orkin from New York, served delicious homemade Ramen out of his restaurant, Ivan Ramen, in Tokyo’s Setagaya ward.  I wonder if he will ever make and serve Ramen burgers?   Enjoy this video from Reuters:

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