Lice at Hotel Testicle – The Comedic Writings of Hiraga Gennai

In the mid-18th century, Edo (modern-day Tokyo) had over 1 million inhabitants, making it the largest city in the world. That didn’t make it the best place to live, though. The city was constantly plagued by fires, famines and plagues, forcing the citizens of Japan’s capital to find joy wherever they could. So, they overwhelmingly went looking for it in books. High literacy among Edo commoners in the 1700s created a market for mass production of literature and, with it, the country’s first bestselling author: Hiraga Gennai, also known as Japan’s Leonardo da Vinci — that is, if da Vinci enjoyed puns and fart jokes.

Portrait of Hiraga Gennai, by Nakamaru Seijuro, Waseda University Library, Japan (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Gennai’s Lousy Educational Jokes

Born the son of a low-ranking samurai in 1729, Gennai eventually becomes a ronin and self-taught expert at just about everything. He’s credited with inventing the

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WestJet pilots picket ahead of possible strike next week

The risk of travel chaos is starting to look like a sure thing as Canadians make plans to take the skies this Victoria Day long weekend.

On top of staff shortages, one of Canada’s major airlines is now on the edge of a labor dispute. More than 300 WestJet pilots stood outside Terminal 3 at Pearson International Airport this afternoon, with similar pickets happening in Calgary and Vancouver ahead of a possible strike next week.

Pilots say they are sick of poor treatment, poor pay and the high turnover rate of staff with WestJet.

“We are ready to take legal strike action – or be locked out at that point – but we are still hoping to reach a deal,” Capt. Chris Tholl, a WestJet pilot, told CTV National News.

Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union representing the striking workers, says pilots are leaving at an incredible rate, stating

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Sour Beers for Japan’s Sweltering Summer

As another ridiculously hot, sweaty Japanese summer sweeps in, there’s nothing like grabbing a cold brew to kick back and cool down with. While an ice-cold pint from one of Japan’s big four – Kirin, Sapporo, Suntory or Asahi — might suffice for some, the growth in popularity of craft beers has opened the doors for taste buds to embrace beers with more refined flavors and sophistication. But let’s be honest, IPAs and the like can be rather predictable after a while. Instead, enter the cheek-sucking world of sour beer that’s full of exciting and drool-inducing flavors that you can’t get with any other type of beer.

The Brewing Process

Sour beer, as you can probably guess, has an intentionally acidic, tart or sour taste that can be pure refreshment. Technically stretching back as far as 4,000 BC, thanks to the naturally occurring bacteria used in the ancient beer brewing

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The world’s most powerful passports for 2023

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The jiggling and jostling atop the global passport rankings for 2023 just got a little more interesting.

For five long years, Japan has been sitting pretty in the No.1 position in the Henley Passport Index, which measures global travel freedom in terms of how much visa-free and visa-on-demand access the world’s different citizens enjoy.

But for summer 2023, Japan’s been knocked down into a third place and the new titleholder is Singapore, whose citizens are able to visit 193 destinations out of 227 around the world visa-free.

And while Asia has long dominated the top of the leaderboard in the index created by London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm

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Tokyo Midtown Events To Get You Through the Hottest Months

Summer in Tokyo is in full swing. Check out these six Tokyo Midtown events to stay breezy in the upcoming months, featuring a cold foot bath and a new 21_21 Design Sight exhibition.

Summertime in the City

Asimizu

Cool down with Tokyo Midtown this summer at the urban development’s Ashimizu event. At the event, you’ll be able to soak your feet in a gently flowing stream set up in Midtown Garden. The partially covered stream area, which will also feature a cooling mist, is the perfect spot to escape the summer heat and bustling city. Enjoy the sight of sunlight filtering through the leaves of the garden’s trees and glistening on the water’s surface or sit back with a book or a drink for a relaxing break. In the evening, the area is illuminated with soft-colored lights, creating a mystical atmosphere where you can savor the cool evening breeze. As

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Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune… and Mixed Messages

No, this isn’t a food-themed anime, although you’d be forgiven for thinking it was. Based on a Japanese novel of the same name by Carlo Zen, Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune is a sci-fi action adventure following the journey of unit K321, a group of human soldiers tasked with supporting the Trade Federation (a collective of hyper-intelligent aliens that resemble animals) in their colonization efforts.

A Space Adventure

Humanity’s future is speaking in the world of Yakitori. Earth is now considered a “third world” planet due to its lack of intellectual and technological progress compared to other more advanced galactic civilizations. As a result, humanity’s main exports are food and foot soldiers. Enter Akira, Tyrone, Zihan, Erland and Amalia, members of unit K321, also known as “Yakitori,” the most expendable rank of soldiers, more often regarded as equipment rather than people. Through two interchanging timelines, viewers get a sense of this

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You’ll soon be able to use your phone on EU flights. But passengers aren’t sure that’s a good thing

A new poll has revealed that passengers are split on new inflight phone rules.

Passengers on flights within the European Union (EU) will soon be allowed to use mobile phones without enabling airplane mode.

The new rules – outlined by the European Commission last year – will mean travelers can make phone calls, text and stream videos. But not everyone’s happy.

According to new research by Kayak, one-in-five passengers oppose the change.

21 per cent of British respondents are against the ruling, while 40 per cent welcome it but think there should be a limit on usage with a “quiet hours” time on flights.

“A flight can often be seen as dead time… but for some, it’s part of the experience of going on holiday, relaxing and switching off from the world, having a snooze or watching an in-flight movie, which could be interrupted by others using 5G,” said Evan

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Yoyogi Broadway Is a Haven of Hospitality That Follows Its Own Rules

Under the watchful eye of NTT Docomo Yoyogi Tower (Tokyo’s Empire State Building-reminiscent landmark), an east-meets-east coast neighborhood sprawls out just a few steps from Yoyogi Station’s east exit. Previously known as the quiet side of the station, this former residential area has blossomed into Yoyogi Broadway: a smattering of buildings fusing nostalgic Japan exteriors with New York energy to create a hub of art, music and gastronomy in one convenient location.

Center Stage

Yoyogi Broadway’s first point of entry is its flagship venue, Broadway Diner and its neighboring snapshot-worthy open space, Broadway Square. The diner was revamped in April, creating a contemporary movie theater-themed hangout. Events are held frequently and range from illustrator exhibitions and film director talks to jazz concerts. If you prefer singing yourself, head up to Nuts Record on the second floor of the building for a velvet-encased karaoke bar experience.

Broadway Square — complete with

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Namale Resort & Spa Named a Top Resort in the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2023

SAVUSAVU, Fiji, June 21, 2023 /CNW/ — Namale Resort & Spa, a leading luxury resort in the South Pacific, is thrilled to announce its outstanding recognition in the prestigious Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards – Asia Pacific 2023. The resort received accolades ranking in the top South Pacific Resorts and received #1 in South Pacific Resort Pools, a testament to its unparalleled commitment to excellence and guest satisfaction.

Namale Resort & Spa Logo (PRNewsfoto/Namale Resort & Spa)

Namale Resort & Spa Logo (PRNewsfoto/Namale Resort & Spa)

With sweeping ocean views and world-class amenities that include award-winning spa hydrotherapy and a 4:1 staff-to-guest ratio, Namale Resort & Spa is a haven for travelers seeking relaxation, adventure and luxury in a tropical paradise.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized as one of the top resorts in the South Pacific,” said Co-General Manager Nowdla Keefe. “These awards showcase the hard work and dedication of our entire team who consistently went

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The travel industry could be recovering faster than initially thought | 2023-06-13 | Invest News

  • New data from a global payment network suggests that business travel could be on its way to a full recovery
  • UATP is a global payment solution owned and operated by airlines such as American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL)
  • The firm provided insights into the state of travel through its proprietary technology, delving into corporate travel demand through its global transaction processing system, ATCAN
  • The statistics defy some predictions that it would take until at least 2024 for a complete comeback
  • American Airlines (AAL) opened trading at US$16.25 per share

New data from a global payment network suggests that business travel could be on its way to a full recovery.

UATP is a global payment solution owned and operated by airlines such as American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL). The firm provides insights into the state of travel through its proprietary technology, delving into corporate travel demands through its global transaction processing system, ATCAN. UATP connects

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