Japan Blogs of the Year 2007 - Voting open!
VOTING IS NOW COMPLETE! Update: 25th December. Thank you everyone, and I’ll be contacting the winners individually and posting reviews all the candidates. Thanks again for all the votes, and I hope you all enjoyed the friendly competition, and you’ve all found a new blog or three to read.
I’ve totted up the nominations from both the comments sections and email, and after a complex process involving lots of beer and a dartboard, I’ve come up with the following nominations for each category. Winners in each category will be awarded some yet to be decided goods with the upcoming new What Japan Thinks logo on them, once I get round to setting up a Cafe Press shop. If anyone wishes to donate any more stash in return for some publicity, please get in touch!
To encourage you all to vote, I’ll also be giving away similar logoed gifts to randomly-selected posters, so post your thoughts on the candidates, or on who you think should be there, and I’ll select one (or perhaps more) commenter at random and contact them via their email address. Voting will be open until midnight on Christmas Eve (or so) and the winners announced on Christmas Day, assuming I don’t stuff myself too silly on turkey-effect tofu steaks…
Best serious blog on Japan
Best humourous blog on Japan
Best culture blog on Japan
Best technology blog on Japan
Best personal blog on Japan
Thanks to everyone who nominated, and there’s a few blogs new to me here and in the nominations that I’ll write short reviews of this week.
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Tori said,
December 18, 2007 @ 02:04
Thanks Ken for considering DailyJ for the list
JapanBlogMatsuri ! The people want it, Ken. The people want it
Tori said,
December 18, 2007 @ 05:16
Back again. I know that there was a serious selection process (what with the beer and all. you could be gaijintonic’s research buddy
) but I really think NihonHacks.com should be on there. Especially when you’ve allowed junky sites like Daily J on there (that must have been the dart board because even beer wouldn’t lead you that far astray).
So NihonHacks.
Despite that questionable one, there are great sites on this list (I’ve interviewed a couple of these guys). I think you are bringing the Japan-related web together, Ken. And I commend you for it.
Here is hoping that 2008 will be an even better year for the Japan-blogosphere. Let’s work together; Let’s Ganbaru!
Koichi said,
December 18, 2007 @ 07:03
wow, i’m really honored that tofugu’s on the list! THank you!
Also, this is a great list of blogs to look at! Thanks for that too~
Garrett said,
December 18, 2007 @ 09:26
Even though it means he’s beating the pants off of TPR, I’m glad to see Observing Japan doing so well. The increase in output and quality of the serious sector over the past year and a half has been a great thing to behold. As far as I’m concerned, there should be a category into which only Observing Japan, Shisaku, Global Talk 21, and Janne in Osaka are allowed.
Although I guess the loot involved wouldn’t be that exciting to you, Ken (seeing as how you can have all the WJT stuff you want in theory), we should work out some way for WJT to get its due.
Nice work.
Trans-Pacific Radio » Japan Blogs of the Year 2007 - Voting Open! :: Independent Podcasts from Tokyo, Japan - Japanese News, Politics, Business and Economy said,
December 18, 2007 @ 11:20
[…] at one of our favorite blogs, What Japan Thinks, Ken Y-N has organized a contest to determine the best (or at least most voted-for) Japan Blogs of […]
Claytonian said,
December 18, 2007 @ 11:56
oh crap I’m against An English Man in Osaka, which even I love!
Well it’s an honor just to be nominated… by myself.
Mike said,
December 18, 2007 @ 13:03
Where is Gaijinsmash.net?? That is a great blog and deserves to be on one of these lists.
Erin said,
December 18, 2007 @ 15:15
Whaaaaat? How did Tofugu get on the list? I’m so happy!
Thanks to whoever nominated us. It was sweet.
Harvey said,
December 18, 2007 @ 15:17
JapanNewbie is on the list! But no one is voting for me! Hey, I think JapanNewbie should be under the “personal blogs on Japan” section. But anyway, I’m happy to be nominated!
Vote for me.
Daily J » Topic » Japan blogs of the year 2007 said,
December 18, 2007 @ 15:17
[…] Ken YN from WhatJapanThinks is having a little “Japan Blogs of the Year 2007″ Contest… […]
Tori said,
December 18, 2007 @ 15:25
RisingSunOfNihon.com, KeepingPaceInJapan.com, Wakiki2Yanai
I have to cheer for my past interviewees
Tori said,
December 18, 2007 @ 15:29
Oops that KeepingPace URL was wrong. Here is the right one KeepingPaceInJapan.com
Allison said,
December 18, 2007 @ 16:16
Wow… I’m surprised (in a happy way) that Sushi Day is on there! Thanks!
Sakae Sushi - Sushi Day - Sushiday.com said,
December 18, 2007 @ 16:32
[…] got nominated for Best Culture Blog on Japan! It’s pretty awesome, and definitely surprising! So… go vote for us! If you want to of […]
Tofugu.com » Is Tofugu the Best Humorous Blog on Japanese Culture? said,
December 18, 2007 @ 17:45
[…] someone kindly nominated us and we made it into the fray over at WhatJapanThinks. They are doing a “Best Japanese (culture) Blogs of the Year” poll, and we think […]
Roaf said,
December 18, 2007 @ 22:51
Wow! thanks for nominating my blog, Gaijin Tonic. I don’t fancy my chances though. This is like Pauly Shore getting an Oscar nomination.
Tori said,
December 19, 2007 @ 00:32
Go Rocking in Hakata!!
Fantastic Japanese Booze Statistics « Gaijin Tonic said,
December 19, 2007 @ 01:58
[…] blog has somehow been nominated for the best humorous blog about Japan, by the esteemed website “What Japan Thinks.” It’s nice to be noticed but I suspect that Michael J Fox would have more chance of winning a […]
Chris B said,
December 19, 2007 @ 10:02
Daily J, Gaijin Tonic , RiH, and Englishman in Osaka are the only ones that should be on here.
I just visited “Observing Japan” (which is winning by a large marjin????) and I apparently am not
an “enlightened one”??
Anyway, congrats to the eventual winners **cough**
Tofugu.com » The Secret to Learning Japanese! Amazing! said,
December 19, 2007 @ 10:07
[…] Make sure you go over to whatjapanthinks.com and vote for your favorite Japan […]
Garrett said,
December 19, 2007 @ 10:31
Chris B, you are not an enlightened one. Although TPR is competing against him, there’s no question about the merits of Observing Japan. Tobias is one of three people writing knowedlgeably and insightfully about Japanese politics. His is the only blog on this list that actually does all those great things blogs are supposed to do: bring independent analysis, new viewpoints, and depth to an issue in a way that the mainstream media can’t or won’t. Interviewing other bloggers is all well and good, as is writing about one’s own life, but it’s neither as important as nor as laudable as doing what Observing Japan does just about every day.
As I said above, the only real contest in the Japan blogosphere is whether Observing Japan, Shisaku, Global Talk 21, or Janne in Osaka has the best post of the day. In terms of quality, everyone else is trying to catch up to them.
Now if only Mutant Frog’s Adam Richards would find the time to blog on a regular basis. . .
Koichi said,
December 19, 2007 @ 11:00
Pink Tentacle is a great site! I love the quality of their posts.
Tobias said,
December 19, 2007 @ 12:34
Garrett,
Thanks for the compliments. I appreciate the nomination here, but you’re right to point to the efforts of MTC, Jun, and Janne — not to mention the work you and Ken do at TPR. In a short time we have created a substantive discussion on developments in Japanese politics that as you rightly point out does exactly what blogs should do. Judging by the response I’ve gotten from readers, it seems that I (with the help of the others) have been able to provide analysis that has some value for those with a need to know more about events in Japan.
Chris,
I’m sorry that I’ve disappointed. Can’t please everyone, I guess.
Chris B said,
December 19, 2007 @ 13:31
Nah,
Disappointed in the fact that it seems like a buncha well known ( to each other and others?) bloggers, patting each other on the back. 4 selections per category? No “Most interesting Blog you don’t know, but should” category? As far as I can see Daily J is “trying” to do more than anyone.
Garret, You say: “that as you rightly point out does exactly what blogs should do”<<<<Um…O.K.?
A Blog’s purpose seems to be whatever it’s creator intended.
Harvey said,
December 19, 2007 @ 13:58
I for one, am not taking this seriously.
It’s fun though. I want more feedback on why people voted the way they did! So we can all get useful information and possibly improve our sites.
Things like this really make the JapanBlogosphere a smaller place though. I can feel the love.