BootsnAll Travel Network



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A Japanese Beer Trilogy

August 21st, 2008

Here’s a trilogy of videos on Japanese beer – one on beer vending machines in Kyoto, another one on a draft beer vending machine in Tokyo, and a final one on historical beers – beers with labels of famous people in Japanese history with short bios.

This first video is from BusanKevin in Kyoto talking about the wonders of outdoor beer vending machines in Kyoto on a hot day:

In response, I did a video on a draft beer vending machine I discovered in a pool hall in Tokyo a few nights ago.

Taste was not too bad but it gave me a huge head of foam which is quite common anyway even with live servers:

Later that same night I came across some “Historalicious” Japanese beer which were beer bottles with labels depicting famous people from Japanese history. Get your drink on while learning some Japanese history with Historalicious Japanese Beer – if you can read the bloody small cursive writing on the label:

Crack open a cold one and enjoy the Japanese Beer Trilogy!

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Artistic Chaos!!! The Tokyo Design Festa

July 27th, 2008

http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/artistic-chaos-the-tokyo-design-festa/
The Tokyo Design Festa is a semi-annual event where artists, craftsmen, performers, musicians, film-makers, and what-not gather from all over the world to exhibit their creations.

It’s a weekend of artistic chaos!

It’s up for votes on Current TV:
http://current.com/items/89051722_artistic_chaos_the_tokyo_design_festa

Help a blogger out, why doncha?

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Rockin’ It In Japan – The Sushi Cabaret Club Mini-Documentary

July 24th, 2008

http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2008/07/24/rockin-it-in-japan-the-sushi-cabaret-club/
The following is a look at a mostly foriegn rock band, the Sushi Cabaret Club, based in Nagoya, Japan.

The members hail from Scotland, England, Australia, and Japan. They talk about their music, what brought them to Japan, what it’s like for bands in Japan, and what it’s like playing for Japanese audiences.

They also dispell a few myths like how easy it is for Western musicians to make it big in Japan.

A few of their fans talk about their interest in the band’s music as well.

http://www.myspace.com/thesushicabaretclub

You can catch another one of their songs here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3cF7ah4plE

I used another one of their songs in my Seijin-no-Hi (Japan’s Coming of Age Day) video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFQuzN5__aQ

It’s also up for votes on Current TV:
http://current.com/items/89086680_rockin_it_in_japan_the_sushi_cabaret_club#response

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Roving Ronin Report Montage

July 24th, 2008

This is a montage trailer for the Roving Ronin Report. In a number of videos I use part of the music as an introduction piece with rotating scenes.

This video is “currently” on Current TV:
http://www.current.tv/

And is up for voting so if you feel generous please register and vote:
http://www.current.tv/watch/47178271
Thanks!

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The Secret Desire of the Ninja

July 8th, 2008

The Secret Desire of the Ninja

These stealthy assassins of yore…what lurks deep in their hearts?

Their whole lives are dedicated to their craft…to stealth, to sabotage, to espionage, to theft, and to assassination.

But what do they dream of when they allow themselves to succumb to sleep’s gentle embrace?

What is it that they secretly yearn to do?

Watch this short documentary or “ninjumentary” and learn “The Secret Desire of the Ninja.”

It’s also up for votes on Current TV so please register and vote:

Secret Desire of the Ninja

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Zen Priest Playing Shakuhachi Flute

May 11th, 2008

Zen Priest Playing Shakuhachi

Chance Encounter with Zen Priest


Komuso were Zen Buddhist Priests who used to travel about playing the Shakuhachi (Japanese Flute) for meditation and alms. Komuso means “Priest of Nothingness.”

I encountered this Komuso while I was in Nagoya. Komuso ceased to exist from the late 19th Century onwards.

The titles are bits of Zen sayings from samurai and Zen Masters. The subtitles tell the tale of the Komuso and their ultimate fate.

It’s up for votes on Current TV. Register and hit the green “I like it” button:
Zen Priest Playing Shakuhachi Current TV Submission
Register here:
Current TV

I also made it into a promo for Current TV:


It’s up for possible airing here:
Stop and Listen – Current TV Submission

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The Tokyo Light Saber Techno Ballet

April 19th, 2008

I went to a wacked-out monthly dance event in Tokyo called Tokyo Decadance where people dress in wild outfits and such.

This guy was a mix of Resident Evil, Predator, Transformers, and Star Wars.

Music by:
Koko T

Check it out:

It’s also up for votes for possible broadcast on Current TV so please:
Register and Vote

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Tokyo Youtube Gathering at a Tokyo Bar

April 12th, 2008

Tokyo Youtube Gathering at a Hub Pub in Shibuya courtesy of Tokyo Cooney. We talk about Tokyo, Youtube, and our lives which are often intertwined.This is the second half of the Tokyo Youtube Hanami Gathering on March 30, 2008. I missed the first part with the hanami at Yoyogi Park and the last part at Karaoke. I’m bummed about missing the first part but thankful for missing the last part.

I decided to resurrect my old intro – The Roving Ronin Report – which I haven’t used in half-a-year. I always change up the scenes in the middle which different clips of a variety of things.

The following Japan Youtubers gave commentary in the video:
http://www.youtube.com/tokyocooney
http://www.youtube.com/TkyoSam
http://www.youtube.com/shotamerican
http://www.youtube.com/Noellafun
http://www.youtube.com/Gimmeabreakman
http://www.youtube.com/Omikron420
http://www.youtube.com/kkajapan
http://www.youtube.com/33sammi32
http://www.youtube.com/misternes
http://www.youtube.com/tokyokindel

Cameos in the background:
http://www.youtube.com/dallasintokyo
http://www.youtube.com/rodgerswan
http://www.youtube.com/racylaicie

There might be a few more Youtubers in the background that I don’t know about so scan closely.

Intro Music by the Exotic Ones
http://www.myspace.com/exoticones

The music that fades in and out during the video is by Supergirl Juice:
http://www.sgchannel.com

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A Tokyo Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) Party Youtuber Gathering

April 2nd, 2008

Violence, Robots, Cherry Blossoms, and more Violence!It’s a Youtuber Hanami Gathering in Tokyo!

See Youtuber ShotAmerican mercilessly pummel fellow Youtuber TkyoSam repeatedly!!!!

This all came about because Tokyocooney put together Tokyo Youtube Hanami Gathering:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJm18Y…

This footage is from the pre-hanami gathering the night before in Ueno Park.

In attendance were:
Gimmeabreakman who lives in Nagoya:
http://www.youtube.com/gimmeabreakman

ShotAmerican whose handle I misspelled with an extra “a” in the video – Sorry!
http://www.youtube.com/shotamerican

TKyoSam:
http://www.youtube.com/TkyoSam

Tokyocooney made a brief appearance as well but I didn’t catch on camera at the time:
http://www.youtube.com/tokyocooney

Music by Mozart and the Exotic Ones:
http://www.myspace.com/exoticones

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Sakura – Japanese Cherry Blossom Montage Video

March 30th, 2008

Sakura – Japanese Cherry Blossoms have been a part of Japanese culture for over a thousand years. They’re the subject of countless poems from waka to haiku.

The Short Happy Life of the Cherry Blossom

This is a photo montage I actually put up a year ago but never made public. It contains shots that I have taken over the years in different locations of sakura. You’ll see scenes from Tokyo, Kyoto, Kamakura, Himeji and few places you may not be aware of such as Ofuna and it’s giant Kannon statue. I put in a few Japanese poems to go along with the photos.

The geisha are from the Miyako Odori which is an annual geisha pulbic dance performance in Gion.

Music by the Secret Commonwealth:

The Secret Commonwealth

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