Bijin Tokei (literally beauty clock) is a web application with cute Japanese girls showing you the time on your PC, iPhone, gadget, website etc., which refreshed automatically with a new image every minute.

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Bijin Tokei = cute Japanese girls + clock = win from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The video will be used for an exhibition later this year at Tate Modern in London.

[more images][via Japanprobe and 3yen]

Kirsten Dunst cosplay at Tokyo Akiba from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Ramen-bot, robots make noodles in Tokyo restaurant from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Currency fluctuation is the major factor for the ups and downs; London, Seoul, and Sydney etc. are dropped significantly because of weakened currency.

10 most expensive cities in 2009 [2008 ranking in brackets]

1. Tokyo, Japan (2)
2. Osaka, Japan (11)
3. Moscow, Russia (1)
4. Geneva, Switzerland (8)
5. Hong Kong, China (6)
6. Zürich, Switzerland (9)
7. Copenhagen, Denmark (7)
8. New York City, USA (22)
9. Beijing, China (20)
10. Singapore (13)

Tokyo is world’s most expensive city (2009) from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The real scale Gundam can do a few simple tricks, no big deal… but the details of the model itself is still pretty impressive.

The Gundam is going to be displayed for only two months unfortunately, it could turn to be Tokyo’s new tourist attraction if it’s kept for a much longer period.

Video via Akibahobby; check out some of their pics [Jp] as well.

Life-size Gundam in Odaiba, Tokyo from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Founded in October 2005 by ex-French drag queen Adrien Le Danois, Tokyo Decadance had the goal to mix all the most creative, flashy, crazy, exaggerated, extreme, bizarre styles of the Tokyo streets.

The event is now the rendezvous of gothic, cyberpunk, fetish, manga heroine, lolitas, yamanbas, ko gyaru, drag queen, punk, Tokyo jet-set, partymonsters, and also salaryman and ‘normal people’.

The wild party is occasionally on tour in some European cities beside the monthly show in Japan [check out Decadance' Myspace]

Tokyo Decadance – wild Japanese club event from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Instead of the traditional setup, the folks created a mikoshi in late April decorated with a PC, anime figurines, manga, video games and misc gadgets.

A mini-festival was then held with female cosplayers (mostly) parading the mikoshi to “drive away the economic downturn and unpleasant incidents.”

Video from Asahi [Jp] below, pics available on Mainichi…

Akiba mikoshi – Japanese otaku shrine from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Oddly enough, international media is following their Japanese counterpart with the news craze. BBC, Sky, CBC etc. have all picked up the news and gave it some detailed coverage… makes me wonder if the western press actually knew anything (most likely not) about Kusanagi besides the incident.

Tsuyoshi Kusanagi – drunk, naked, arrested from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Hiro and Ayaka met each other in June 2008 during a magazine interview. There are speculations that it was a shotgun marriage because of the speedy wedding, but the couple denied the pregnancy rumour.

It was further revealed that Ayaka is suffering from an autoimmune disease and is taking a break from the entertainment industry, which is one of the reasons for their marriage as Hiro would like to take good care of her [via Unleashthegeek]

Congratulations, and hope that Ayaka will get better soon.

Hiro Mizushima and Ayaka announced marriage from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The 7.2 metres robot was on of the biggest attractions of Roppongi Art Night (2009) in Tokyo, Japan. Not really sure what the designer means, but a fire spitting giant robot in real action is always a win in any events…

Giant Torayan, fire-spitting baby robot from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Contrary to most anime conventions, TAF doesn’t allow public cosplay (it’s a trade fair afterall), but the booth babes were probably doing enough to pull in some big crowd. Sharing some photos taken by Exoduz during the TAF 2009…

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Tokyo Anime Fair 2009 – booth babes from YeinJee's Asian Journal

I Love New Tokyo from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Dannychoo’s a year worth of Japanese Food in Tokyo from YeinJee's Asian Journal

A Seijin Shiki (成人式; coming-of-age ceremony) is normally held in the morning at local city offices where politicians and academicians will give speeches reminding the new adults of their social responsibilities. The Shin Seijin (新成人; new adults) would often visit a shrine after the ceremony to make their wishes and go for parties later on.

Young ladies are often seen in traditional Furisode on the day, while guys in business suit or traditional Hakama. Sharing a few 2009 pics by Dannychoo the Stormtrooper in Tokyo; obviously a paradise for photography geeks…

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Seijin no Hi – Japanese Coming of Age Day from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Tsukiji has become a popular tourist spot for the past two decades, but the tourism boom is not entirely welcomed for the wholesale market. The authorities have previously tried to discourage tourist visits, but it obviously didn’t work.

From a travellers’ point of view, Tsukiji fish market is a must visit place for Tokyo visitors; but I can understand the traders’ frustration. Imagine having bunches of tourists disrupting the business everyday but not buying anything; and to make it worse some tourists have not much respect for customs and basic manners.

Tsukiji fish market to ban tourists from YeinJee's Asian Journal

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BoA at YouTube Live Tokyo from YeinJee's Asian Journal