Overworked Japanese employees mourn unused paid holidays at new Buddhist memorial service

22:16 cherishe 0 Comments

Workaholics asked to address this senseless loss in a country where taking paid leave is frowned upon.

While the Western world espouses the benefits of productivity and working smarter not harder, here in Japan, harmony is largely valued over productivity. This work ethic is the central reason why employees won’t finish go home their boss, why meetings take forever and seem to come to no conclusion, and why everybody is afraid to use their paid holidays.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the rate of workers taking paid holidays in Japan in 2017 was 51.1%, ranking far behind Brazil, France, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Mexico, America, Italy, India and Korea.

Over the three years from 2016 to 2018, Japan had the lowest paid-leave acquisition rate amongst developed countries. According to a Work-Life Balance report from 2018, the overwhelming reason given by 73.3 percent of respondents as to why they didn’t want to take paid leave was because they felt it would inconvenience everyone. 47.5 percent said they would be busy afterwards if they took paid leave, while 28.3 percent said it wouldn’t be good for the work environment, 15.2 percent said their supervisors wouldn’t like it, and 9.3 percent said it would affect their chances of promotion.

This habit of working overtime for free and saying no to entitled leave may look admirable from the outside, but it’s detrimental to people’s mental and physical health. Death by overwork is such an issue that Japan has even coined a word for it — karoshi — and the Japanese government is now attempting to help solve the problem by passing Work Style Reform Legislation. This new legislation aims to reduce working hours and change working habits, and from April this year, employees are now obliged to take at least five days of paid leave annually once more than 10 days of annual paid holidays have been accrued.

While the new legislation aims to improve the lives of the nation’s workers, what really has to change is the attitude of people in the workplace. And that’s where Yuukyuu Jouka steps in. This Buddhist ceremony is the brainchild of Japanese event organising company Ningen, who has enlisted the help of Takurou Sayama, a Buddhist priest from Sainenji temple in Tokyo’s Taito Ward, to perform a special ceremony to help people understand the importance of taking paid holidays.

Yuukyuu Jouka, which literally translates to “Paid Leave Purification“, aims to eliminate the stigma associated with taking paid leave by encouraging people to think of their paid leave as if it had a soul. In this way, workers may be able to sense the loss that comes when paid leave disappears without having been acquired, and this mourning will help people to understand and appreciate its value.

▼ The event will be held at an appropriate time of year, on the Labor Thanksgiving Day public holiday and the day preceding it.

The Buddhist priest will perform the solemn ceremony whilst chanting by the light of 300 lanterns, which represent the souls of unused paid leave days. Each lantern will be printed with a tale of a remorseful incident, with messages chosen from submissions which can be suggested online until 15 November.

If you’re looking for ideas to submit, a short survey conducted by the organisers revealed the following examples of remorseful incidents:

“My daughter cried because I postponed her preschool birthday party from May until December (Woman in her 30s)

“While I was shovelling a hamburger into my mouth on a golf course in Houston [on business], my first child was born (Man in his 30s)

“‘What’s more important to you, your friends or your company!!!’ I yelled at my friend. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t choose,’ they said. Then, after a long silence, like something from a TV quiz show, they said, ‘My company,’ and that’s when I lost my friend.” (Man in his 20s)

Visitors will be able to peruse the lanterns and vote for their favourite message by placing a sticker on the one that resonates with them the most. The contributor whose lantern receives the most stickers will be presented with a “Golden Paid Leave Registration” certificate. 

There will also be a number of plain lanterns at the event for visitors to use to express their own personal message of grief. These can then be photographed and shared on social media, to further spread awareness about the sorrow that can result from not honouring your paid leave.

Adding to the religious element is these novel “yasumikuji”, a play on the word “yasumi“, which means vacation, and “omikuji“, fortunes sold at temples and shrines. These yasumikuji come with five ideas for things to do on a five-day paid-leave holiday, including visiting grandparents and enjoying crowd-free theme parks on a weekday.

When you think about it, losing your paid holidays really is a devastating loss that nobody should have to go through. Here’s hoping the ceremony turns out to be such a success that it returns next year with even more attendees and media attention.

And maybe next time they’ll spare a thought for the non-existence of paid sick leave as well.

Event Information

Yuukyuu Jouka / 有給浄化
Address: Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Otemachi 1-7-2
東京都千代田区大手町1-7-2
Times: 22-23 November 6:00 p.m. Yuukyuu lantern lightup; 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Ceremony; 9:10 p.m. Close
Website

Source, images: PR Times 
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ANA to offer Japan domestic air pass with multiple flights and unlimited accommodations provided

20:16 cherishe 0 Comments

Skipping the Shinkansen lets you spend as many nights as you want in off-the-beaten-path Japan.

Japan has a comprehensive domestic air travel network, but a lot of people never use it. Instead, many travelers, especially those from overseas, opt to get around by train, due in no small part to the extremely attractive rail passes available in Japan.

But Japanese airline ANA is getting set to offer a special travel pass of its own, and one that comes with an extremely nice bonus: it can take care of all your hotel fees for an entire month!

The pass, which has yet to be given an official name, is a partnership between ANA and Tokyo-based travel provider Address. Address offers accommodations in refurbished, unoccupied homes and vacation properties across Japan, with clients able to spend as many nights as they want in Address accommodations for a flat monthly fee. The ANA/Address pass will give purchasers access to any and all Address properties, and also four air tickets on ANA domestic routes.

Exact pricing details are yet to be announced, but are expected to be in the 60,000-70,000 yen (approximately US$555-US$650) range, a modest premium over the current 40,000-yen per-month cost for Address accommodation-only service. As an added bonus for independent travelers seeking unique experiences, many of Address’ properties are located outside of major city centers, in communities that are experiencing population declines and could definitely use more visitors.

▼ Some of Address’ accommodation options in Nagano, Hyogo, Tokyo, Fukui, and Tokushima

The ANA/Address pass is scheduled to officially launch this coming January.

Sources: Sankei News via Livedoor News via Hachima Kiko, Nihon Keizai Shimbun
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert image: Address
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Pokémon Cafe releases limited-time Pokémon Starter menu ahead of Sword and Shield release

18:06 cherishe 0 Comments

Which Starter will you have for your starter?

Pokémon fans worldwide are already amped up for the game series’ latest instalment, “Pokémon Sword and Shield,” which will be released in Japan on November 15. And just in case you’re worrying about not having anywhere to wear your new Pikashu makeup, we’ve got the perfect place for you to go.

To celebrate and give fans a taste (pun fully intended) of what they can expect in the game, the Official Pokémon Cafe (located in Tokyo and Osaka) are releasing special Sword and Shield Pokémon Starter Plates. Each plate is designed after one of the game’s three new Starters, and they all look absolutely scrumptious.

▼ The new Grass type starter is: Grookey!

This is the Grookey Melty Pie Stew. You’re supposed to use Grookey’s signature stick to poke a hole into a flaky pie crust to reveal the delicious stew beneath.

▼ And here’s the Fire type: Scorbunny.

Scorbunny’s Flame Energy Tomato and Meatball Plate includes protein-packed meatballs and edible flame figures that are said to give you all of this cute bunny’s energy. It also comes with a salad and rice decorated to look like the Fire starter.

▼ Last up is Sobble, the Water type starter.

Sobble‘s signature plate is a Berry Berry Fruit Sandwich. Your Sobble-like sandwich comes with whipped cream sandwiched between two pieces of blue bread along with an aesthetic serving of blueberries.

Each limited-edition plate costs 1,848 yen (US$16.97). Also, if you order a drink with your Starter plate, you’ll get one of six random clear coasters that you can also take home as a souvenir! Only five designs have been revealed, so the sixth one is a mystery.

▼ What do you think the secret design is?

This campaign will run from November 15, 2019 to January 17, 2020. If you want to get in on this special deal, make a reservation (it’s required!!) at either the Tokyo or Osaka location and get your stomach ready!

Restaurant information

Pokémon Cafe Nihonbashi, Tokyo | ポケモンカフェ(東京・日本橋)
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi Nichome 11-2, Nihonbashi Takashimaya S.C. East Annex 5F
東京都中央区日本橋二丁目11-2 日本橋高島屋S.C.東館5F
Open: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Reservations

Pokémon Cafe Shinsaibashi, Osaka | ポケモンカフェ(大阪・心斎橋)
Address: Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku, Shinsaibashi-suji 1-7-1, Daimaru Shinsaibashi Main Building 9F
大阪府大阪市中央区心斎橋筋1-7-1 大丸心斎橋店 本館9階
Open: 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Reservations

Sources and images: PR Times
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Shinkansen announcer shares moment her mother hears her voice on bullet train for the first time

10:36 cherishe 0 Comments

We will soon make a brief stop at…my mother’s heartstrings.

If you’ve ever travelled on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, you will have heard English announcements onboard voiced by Australian singer and voice actress Donna Burke.

Her dulcet tones have been alerting passengers to upcoming stations since 2005, but one person who was yet to have the pleasure of hearing the voice announcements on the bullet train after all these years was Burke’s own mother.

That all changed a couple of days ago, however, when Burke shared a sweet reaction video showing her on the bullet train in Japan with her mother. Travelling from Tokyo Station to the next stop, Shinagawa Station, the short trip was just enough time for Burke’s mother to hear her daughter’s voice come over the on-board speakers, and Burke shared the moment on Twitter with the comment: “My Mum heard me on the #Shinkansen today for the first time ever!!”

Take a look at the sweet video below:

The clip quickly went viral, receiving close to 3 million views in just one day and over 140,000 likes and 44,000 retweets. It’s not the first time Burke has had fun with her voice on the bullet train, however, as this video from her Twitter account shows her imitating herself on the Shinkansen back in June.

After the overwhelmingly positive response to her reaction video with her mother, Burke shared another video of her and her mum, this time showing the moment before the two hopped on the train together.

The viral video of the mother-daughter moment on the train touched the Twitterverse, with people leaving comments in English and Japanese.

“Every time I ride the Shinkansen I fall in love with the English announcements, and now I’ve finally found the person behind the voice!”
“I love your voice! It’s so beautiful!”
“What a happy moment to share with your mother!”
“Your mother has a beautiful voice too!”
“Thank you for your announcements! The next time I hear your voice on the Shinkansen I’ll remember this moment with your mother.”

The next time we ride the Tokaido bullet train between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations, we’ll be recalling this precious moment too! Now we’re keen to see Burke’s mum reacting to all of her daughter’s vast and varied voice acting roles, including her work as Metal Gear’s iDroid.

Source, featured image: Twitter/@db_singer_actor
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Super-polite bowing shoebill in Japan wins hearts with its incidental grasp of Japanese etiquette

08:16 cherishe 0 Comments

Video shows Futaba-chan’s polished manners.

The shoebill can be a very unnerving animal. Native to East Africa, the birds can grow to heights of over 150 centimeters (59 inches), with wide wingspans and what look like impossibly long, thin legs. But what really has the potential to be unsettling is how still and silent shoebills can be, standing like statues with expressions that seem to be intensely evaluating you and, because of the bulging contours of their foreheads, not particularly pleased with what they see.

But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a friendly side, and proving that is Futaba-chan, the resident shoebill at Kakegawa Kachouen (Kakegawa Flower and Bird Garden) in Shizuoka Prefecture.

In a video recently shared on Kakegawa Kachouen’s Facebook page, we see Futaba-chan emerging from the back of her habitat and clattering her bill. As she gets closer to the fence, she spreads her wings and bows her head multiple times. At first it looks like she might be trying to nibble on the leaves of the plants directly in front of her, but she never takes a bite, because this whole display is actually for someone on the other side of the fence.

Futaba-chan’s behavior, the clattering and bowing, is how shoebills attempt to attract mates or communicate with other shoebills they have a friendly relationship with. Basically, it’s their version of a warmhearted hello, and just out of frame is a member of Kakegawa Kachouen’s cleaning staff, who’s getting a courteous morning greeting from Futaba-chan at the start of the workday.

The fact that Futaba-chan’s way of resembles the respectful bowing that takes place in the morning at Japanese offices and schools has made the whole thing all the more endearing to Japanese online commenters. “Making sure to say good-morning to the cleaning staff…how courteous of her!” wrote one of the many people impressed by the bird’s etiquette. “I have to follow her example.”

Now if only someone could arrange a meeting between Futaba-chan and the bowing deer of Nara, to help make the world an even more polite/adorable place.

Related: Kakegawa Kachouen official website
Source, images: Facebook/掛川花鳥園
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Huge torii gate found in the middle of a busy Kumamoto intersection

07:16 cherishe 0 Comments

Ensures drivers are praying for their lives as they narrowly avoid the concrete pillars.

When visiting a Shinto shrine in Japan we are often confronted with one or many gate-like structures known as torii. They are meant to be a sort of supernatural barrier which allows those who pass through it to enter a realm of spiritual purity. One might even say that passing through a torii gets you a little closer to heaven.

And in the case of a torii used by Fujisaki Hachimangu, a large shrine in Kumamoto City, you just might end up getting an express ticket to heaven if you aren’t keeping your eyes on the road. It was recently spotted by Twitter user Kagetora (@kagetora_103) and made waves over the Internet.

“That left turn lane takes some technical driving.”

“The location is Fujisakigumae Intersection in Kumamoto City.”

The photos posted were a little too hazardous for many to believe.

“There’s a glitch in the Matrix.”
“Is this a real thing?”
“I’ve driven around there. Once you get used to it, it’s not so bad.”
“What do you do if you enter the left-turn lane by mistake?”
“There’s zero room for error here.

Sure, it’s probably possible to get used to a giant stone pillar in the middle of a couple lanes at an intersection, but that doesn’t really make it a good idea either. Even Kagetora’s pictures show a scuff mark on the pillar, suggesting a vehicle had recently had a brush with it. So, why is it there in the first place?

Because it was there in the first place, of course.

Most shrines have a sando, which is a road or path leading up the edge of a shrine’s property to the main structure. Depending on the size of the shrine a sando can reach as far as two kilometers, but for a modestly large shrine like Fujisaki Machimangu, it runs about 280 meters (919 feet).

▼ The orange line indicates the sando leading from the large torii to the main precincts of Fujisakimachimangu

Fujisaki Machimangu in its current location was built in 1877, not too long before the industrial revolution and automobiles that came with it. At that time its sando was little more than a dirt road lined with stone lanterns and pine trees.

However, as cars came into fashion, the commuters of Kumamoto found it to be a great shortcut and began driving all along the sando, either unaware or unconcerned that it was actually the private property of the shrine.

Figuring that if you can’t beat’em, you might as well join’em, Fujisaki Machimangu graciously lent their sando to the city, free of charge, to be paved and used like a regular city road. At this time there was still nothing odd, because the road was a narrow two lanes, easily straddled by the large torii.

▼ The sando itself makes for a rather pleasant drive, aside from the traffic.

However, as time went on, the road running across the front of the gate was converted to a six-lane stretch of National Highway 3. Because of the increased traffic, the city wanted to expand the intersection and reduce congestion.

Because the road was actually the property of the shrine, they couldn’t touch it though. So instead, city planners added some lanes to the slivers of property that they owned on either side of the sando, leaving the huge torii to sit right in the middle of it all.

▼ Seen from the opposite angle of Kagetora’s pictures, those outside lanes only go for a few meters

Although this particular orientation is quite unique, instances of cities growing around torii are not, and other Twitter users shared their own local abnormalities.

“There’s a place like that on the east side of Shizuoka Sengen Shrine.”

“Kasuga Shrine in Oita City is the same idea. And there’s two!”

▼ “This torii is going through the Nishi-Tenmangu building in the Kyoto Teramchi shopping area.”

The story of how the Fujisaki Machimangu torii came to be was uncovered by J-Town Net who spoke with a senior priest of the shrine. In the same interview he expressed his pleasure that the recent attention will hopefully bring more visitors to Kumamoto and his shrine.

We too would like to encourage you to visit all the wonders the city has to offer including this weird torii. Just remember to drive safely when you do.

Source: Twitter/@kagetora_103, J-Town Net
Featured image: Twitter/@kagetora_103
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“Otaku” YouTuber confronts Tokyo tough-guy litterers, who’ve got no idea who they’re dealing with

06:16 cherishe 0 Comments

Litterbug smokers aren’t so eager to brawl once they find out they’re picking a fight with a guy who beats people up for a living.

Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood is packed with shops, restaurants, movie theaters, and bars, but on a recent afternoon, Japanese YouTuber Kai Asakura (whose channel can be found here) bypassed all of those entertainment options. Instead, he started picking up litter in the section of Shinjuku called Kabukicho, which includes the street that leads to the life-size Godzilla head statue as well as Tokyo’s highest concentration of host and hostess bars.

Dressed in the unofficial uniform of a geeky otaku anime fan (flannel shirt, unfashionably cut jeans, large-frame glasses, bandana, and backpack), Asakura was specifically targeting cigarette butts, which are disappointingly common on the streets of Kabukicho. While he was using a pair of tongs to transfer the litter into a trash bag, he kept spotting smokers casually tossing their butts onto the ground, though, so he decided to ask them directly to pick up their trash, and recorded what happened next. The first person he talked to sheepishly apologized and picked up the butt he’d dropped, but Asakura’s second encounter didn’t go nearly so smoothly.

▼ Because of the video’s long length, it’s embedded several times below, each queued up to a different highlight.

“Excuse me,” Asakura says as he approached two men whom he just witnessed dropping their butts on the ground. “Did you just litter?”, he asks, and right away the pair becomes combative.

Man A: “Nope. And speak up. I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
Asakura: “Well, just now, you dropped your cigarette butt…”
Man A: “Speak up! Say it in a big voice.”
Man B: “Hahahaha!”

Asakura explains that he just saw them drop their cigarettes on the ground, but all it gets him is mockingly sarcastic false agreement.

Man B: “Are you one of those clean-up-the-town volunteers?”
Man A: “Littering is wrong. Wrong! You’re doing a great thing. What’s your name?”
Asakura: “Asakura.”
Man A: “Well, little Mr. Asakura, you’re doing a good thing, so I’ll cheer for you. Hooray! Hooray! Asakura!”

▼ The part where Man A cheers for “little Mr. Asakura.”

Keeping his cool even as he’s being openly mocked, Asakura once more repeats his request.

Asakura: “So, can you pick that up?”
Man B: “You’re being a pain.”
Man A: “You pick it up. If you want it picked up that much, you do it. If you take care of it, there’s no problem.”

Asakura explains that he has been picking up other people’s trash, but since the litterers themselves are standing right there, he feels it’s not to much to ask them to clean up after themselves. This earns him an obvious lie from one of the men.

Man A: “The butt fell out of my hand accidentally, and it’s too painful for me to reach down and pick it up.”
Man B: “So what do you want, huh?”
Asakura: “I’m not trying to pick a fight. But what you’re doing is wrong, so I wanted to ask you not do to it. That’s all.”

Eventually, Man B decides he’s had enough of the conversation.

Man B: “You’re being a pain in the ass. Leave. Go somewhere else.”
Asakura: “Somewhere else?”
Man A: “Shut up already.”

Man A punctuates his command by kicking Asakura’s trash bag, and Man B follows suit, standing up and grabbing Asakura by the shirt while saying “You’re being a serious pain in the ass. Let’s go.”

▼ The kick

Now, let’s pause for a second and talk numbers. The litterers have Asakura outnumbered two to one, and odds are they’re not all that intimidated by his 172-centimeter, 61-kilogram (68-inch, 134-pound) frame, which is why they’re so ready to throw their weight around. But here’s some other numerical data they’d be wise to consider: Asakura’s record as a professional mixed martial arts fighter is 14-1, with nine straight victories by knock out, technical knock out, or chokehold submission, with all but one happening in the first round. He hasn’t lost a fight in more than two years, and just two weeks before he posted his anti-littering video, he spent the night wasting no time breaking the jaw of opponent Ulka Sasaki, something that took him only 54 seconds from the fight’s opening bell to do.

▼ In case you don’t recognize Asakura without his otaku getup, that’s him in the red trunks.

Rather than just drop the two litterers right then and there, though, Asakura decides to give them a little preview of what they can expect if they really want to turn the altercation physical. “Wait just a second. You mind if I warm up?” he says to the man who’s been grabbing his shirt. Asakura sets down his backpack (which Man B almost immediately tries to steal), does a few quick stretches, and unleashes a flurry of sharp, lightning-fast shadow-boxing punches.

▼ Asakura’s warm-up

Nice and limber, he walks back over to Man A.

Asakura “Well? Still want to ‘go?’
Man B: “Wait, Asakura…are you the mixed martial arts fighter?”

Putting two and two together, Man B now realizes he’s been picking a fight with a guy who fights for a living, and he instantly undergoes a gigantic attitude adjustment. Both suddenly former tough guys grab the backs of their necks (the standard Japanese involuntary gesture for awkwardness, embarrassment, or fear), and when Asakura asks them one more time, nicely and with a smile, “So, can I have you two pick up your trash?” Man A is quick to assure him “Yes, yes, we’ll pick it up right away,” and both bend down, pluck their butts off the ground, and place them in Asakura’s trash bag (Man A being miraculously cured of the flexibility-hampering pain that he said was preventing him from doing so just a few moments ago).

▼ Finally picking up their trash

The conversation unfolds along similar lines when Asakura approaches a group of three other men who just tossed their butts on the ground, this time without even stamping them out first. “So it needs to be put out? Then do it for me,” commands one of the men while defiantly kicking the still burning cigarette across the plaza. “Shut your damn mouth” growls another as he shoves Asakura in the chest. Eventually, one of them suggests they drag Asakura with them to wherever they’re going, and Asakura asks them to take their hands off him, since he wants to take off his flannel shirt so it won’t get dirty.

“You’re pissing me off,” says one of the three as he shoves Asakura.

This time, Asakura doesn’t have to go into his shadow boxing routine, as the sight of his muscled upper body in his sleeveless undershirt is enough to give the men second thoughts. “Do you work out or something?” one asks, and when Asakura says, “Well, I do mixed martial arts,” one of the trio realizes who the fighter is, and again the litterers’ bravado quickly evaporates. “Still wanna go? Are we not doing this anymore?” Asakura innocently asks, and the previously most aggressive member of the group backpedals with remarkable speed, saying “No, it’s not like I wanted to fight or anything…right?” trying to save some small scrap of face. After a bit of awkward silence, Asakura gets the ball rolling again, gesturing towards the men’s discarded cigarette butts and saying, “So, could you please pick those up?” and they promptly do.

▼ The pick-up

And so, on that day Asakura helped make one of the dirtiest parts of Tokyo a little cleaner. Granted, it’d be nice if everyone refrained from littering simply because it’s inconsiderate and disgusting, but barring that, the possibility that it might get litterbugs a scolding from a professional artist they have no chance of intimidating or beating up will do just fine.

Source: YouTube/KAI Channel / 朝倉海 via Jin
Images: YouTube/KAI Channel / 朝倉海
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Shibuya Halloween cosplay cleanup crew wants your help this year!

03:46 cherishe 0 Comments

Become a real-life hero in Tokyo.

Every Halloween, Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward gets a bad wrap for its unofficial street party, as local partygoers and foreign tourists mark the occasion by crowding the streets looking for love, cosplay, and sometimes, trouble.

There is, however, one saving grace that receives some much-needed media attention the day after the Halloween celebrations, and that’s the cleanup crews who appear with garbage bags and superhero costumes to clear the streets of trash and restore everyone’s faith in humanity.

The good work these groups do isn’t just a happy coincidence — the cleanup crews organise their activities in advance of the event, and in Shibuya it’s the real-life hero team “Nexus Forever” that steals the show every year.

▼ The group was out and about in Shibuya last weekend.

Nexus Forever brings the fun of cosplay to cleaning up, and this year they’re looking for “real-life heroes” to help them with their superhero duties. Their next mission begins on 1 November, with two early-bird shifts: 4-5 a.m. and 6-8 a.m.

While the earlier start time might sound like a difficult commitment, it’s actually convenient for those already out partying in their costumes at clubs in the area. And whether you’re in costume or just out in regular clothes, Nexus Forever is happy to welcome you to their cleanup party, either by turning up on the day or by filling in an application form beforehand on their website.

▼ Just some of the superheroes who cleaned the streets after last week’s party.

The meeting place is Hachiko Square outside Shibuya station (where the Hachiko statue is located), and volunteers are asked to being two things:

・ Cleaning tools such as gloves and tongs (No garbage bag required)
・ Health Insurance card (Only for your own safety in case of emergency; there’s no requirement to present it to anybody)

The one requirement is that participants must be over 18 years of age.

We spoke to a rep from the group to find out more about their mission, and apparently the cleanup crew only began their work in 2017. The following year, they added the cosplay element, and now they’re hoping their group can grow to pick up even more trash from the streets this year.

They say they understand that when people come to Shibuya, the area has an exciting feel that gets people pumped, which is why some people might get too rowdy for their own good at this time of year. And that’s exactly why cleanup crews are needed, to remind people to be mindful of their trash and show that there are people who care about Shibuya.

If that sounds like a job for you, then grab your tongs, gloves, and hero costume and head out to Shibuya early on 1 November. And if you’re looking for a quick breakfast spot in the area, Shibuya’s Ghost Burger King outlet will be serving up Ghost Whoppers until 5 a.m.

Images: NEXUS FOREVER 
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