Mr. Baseball

Hello to all!  It is almost October now, and both in America and Japan, the playoffs for baseball will be starting soon.  To get ready for this exciting time, I recommend watching a great Hollywood baseball movie. 

Mr. Baseball was released in 1992 and is, of course, about baseball and, surprisingly, our beloved city of Nagoya!  Tom Selleck is the star of the movie, and he plays an aging baseball star in America who has to move to Japan to continue his career.  At first, he is not happy about this change, but he soon begins to love the country, culture and people.   

Also, all of our students will find it interesting that Tom Selleck's character plays for the Chunichi Dragons in the movie.  Therefore, he lives in Nagoya, and there are many scenes in the movie that were shot in the city.  For example, he and Japanese actress Aya Takanashi visit Osu Kannon and walk around the Osu area.  You can see a still image from the movie below of the two actors at the famous Nagoya temple.  

Another scene in the movie features a group of baseball players from other countries gathered at an American-style bar.  They watch American baseball games and talk about their careers in that scene.  This was filmed at the bar now named Shooters which is near Fushimi Station.  

If you feel a like a bit of early 90's nostalgia, please watch Mr. Baseball.  It is sometimes strange how they discuss Japanese culture in the film, but in the end, it seems like the directors and producers have a lot of love and respect for the country.  Check it out for yourself and discuss what you think with your BRIDGE teachers. 

If you liked this post, please click below.

にほんブログ村

Nissan Makes Paint to Keep Cars Cool

Hi everyone!  Although fall is close, it still feels like summer!  Stay cool and keep drinking water.  In fact, today's post is about keeping cool!

Recently, the Japanese car company Nissan developed a new type of paint that can actually regulate the temperature inside of a car.  Specifically, it can keep cars 12ºC cooler than regular cars, which will reduce the need for air conditioning.  The paint was created in partnership with a Chinese company called Radi-Cool.  Unfortunately, there is only 1 color available right now: white!  However, Nissan hopes to introduce a variety of colors in the next few years.  

Dr. Susumu Miura is the project learder for the new paint.  His research team at Nissan starting working on this project in 2021 and has spent countless hours researching a variety of ways to keep cars cooler.  He explained that paint is the easiest and most effective solution so far, but they will continue exploring other creative approaches in the future.  Miura went on to give more details about the paint and said it is 6 times thicker than ordinary paint, which will make the cars a bit more expensive.  However, it will save money in the end, especially for vehicles like ambulances that spend most of the day driving around under the hot sun.  

This exciting innovation is just one way that people around the world are trying to find solutions to our environmental problems.  Please discuss these important issues with your teachers at BRIDGE.  Thank you for reading!

If you liked this post, please click below.

にほんブログ村

New Maori Queen in New Zealand

Hello again!  This is Joey from BRIDGE, and hopefully, autumn will come soon.  I'm really looking forward to the beautiful fall leaves that appear all over Japan, but I think we still have a few more weeks, maybe even months, of hot weather.  Stay cool until then!

Today, we would like to share some very interesting news from the wonderful country of New Zealand.  Please remember that the native people of the country are called Maori, and they have a rich culture with lots of amazing history.  Sadly, the former king of the Maori people passed away after heart surgery at the age of 69 on Friday, August 30th.  His name was Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, and he was beloved by all Maori in New Zealand and beyond.  He left behind 1 daughter and 2 sons, and after his death, the tough choice of who should inherit his throne was discussed among Maori leaders.  After much careful thought, Nga Wai Hono i te po Paki, the only daughter of the king, was given the position. 

It is only the second time in current Maori history that they have chosen a queen, and it seems like the Maori people made a great decision because this woman is very qualified!  She has a Master's degree in Maori studies from Waikato University, and although she speaks English fluently, her 1st language is Te Reo Māori, which is the native language of New Zealand and the Maori people.  She has one foot in the modern world and one foot in the beautiful traditions of the past.  She often wears Gucci shirts as she proudly displays her moko kauae, the traditional chin tattoo of the Maori.  She is only 27 years old, but everybody is excited about the energy and enthusiasm that she will bring to the throne.  I recommend keeping an eye on this beautiful queen down in New Zealand!  I have a feeling that she will lead the people wonderfully in the future.  

If you liked this post, please click below.

にほんブログ村