D is for..

Hello! I'm back after a little hiatus of posting-ness. News: Things have been busy and I've been making my Hallowe'en costume; We're getting a new foreign teacher next week, as Xor is leaving for Seattle soon.  In the last 3 weeks, I've climbed Mt Takao with my Japanese school, been studying Japanese, gone to a Hallowe'en-themed Disneyland twice (see below) and just worked very hard!

Me and my Japanese school and my teacher, Yoshida sensei

 D is for..Dogs

As cats were to the Ancient Egyptians, dogs are truly royalty in Japan.  Babies are expensive,  so dogs are the perfect option for Japanese couples. And not forgetting the Tokyo apartments, pint-sized breeds such as dachsunds, poodles and chihuahuas are very popular pets. While I do appreciate Welsh Corgis for putting my country on the map, seeing middle-aged women carrying around chihuahuas in purses like a certain Paris Hilton is nothing short of disturbing.
Dogs also come in prams, cross-species costumes and  traditional clothing.

 D is for.. Disney!

As a society surrounded by characters literally everywhere (to the point of being downright patronising.. I refer to Census-kun (right), the mascot of filling out the census this year), it surprises me that there is room for foreign characters- yet there is an abundance of Miffy, Moomins, the Smurfs and of course Disney.

There is a simple rule to changing a name to fit the Japanese model, take a character's name, and add "-chan" if it's a girl.

Take Minnie-chan, Marie-chan, Ariel-chan.. I could go on.

The upside to this never-ending "kawaii-ness" if not one, but two Disney theme parks in Tokyo!

Disneyland Tokyo is a replica of Disneyland Paris and Disney World California, except the rides are rather tame, yet it still keeps the lovely magic atmosphere!! Fortunately there is  Disney Sea, where alcohol is sold, and the rides are definitely scarier!