世論 What Japan Thinks

The one thing that isn’t a dishwasher in Japan is the average husband (a suspiciously-optimistic figure of one in four wash them) and it’s the third most hated job for wives, so with that in mind, this survey from MyVoice looked at how dishwashers are used in Japan.

Demographics

Over the first five days of March 2009 15,395 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 2% in their teens, 15% in their twenties, 36% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

We once bought a counter-top dishwasher, but it was too slow and not reliable at cleaning, so we only ever used it half a dozen times. We tried to palm it off to the parents-in-law, but they were similarly unimpressed and sent it back! It’s now gathering dust (and rust, no doubt) in the back of our trunk room.

I do the evening washing up all the time, so if we actually had a dishwasher I’d be seen to be not pulling my weight with the housework, therefore no dishwasher actually helps maintain domestic harmony! I do actually enjoy (well, not actively dislike) doing them, which does help.
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Due to the lack of vegetarian options I never actually eaten an instant ramen cup noodle here in Japan, but according to this recent survey from MyVoice into cup noodles (their second time, the first having been in December 2006) I’m very much in the minority as usual.

Demographics

Over the first five days of March 2009 15,584 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 19% aged fifty or older.

I live just two stops up the tracks from the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, but despite that I am still to visit! One fun feature is that you can make your own original cup which they present to you sealed in an over-large air-filled pillow, so every time I see one on the train I am reminded of my failure to travel just 10 minutes to see the place!
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This survey from MyVoice into rice cookers is their second look at the topic, the first having been conducted two years ago and translated by me then.

Demographics

Over the first five days of February 2009 15,419 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

Two years ago I mentioned that the survey omitted to discuss just using a pan or a traditional pot counted as a rice cooker, so I was pleased to see that this time in Q1 they asked not just about electric cookers, but also about other methods of cooking rice. I’m far too modest, and I know I’d be lying anyway, to claim that it was all thanks to this blog that they amended their question!

Oh, and I have a Squidoo page about Japanese rice cookers that occasionally makes me a few cents.
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I’m afraid this is one of these surveys that sounded interesting but turned out to be rather dull, so I’ve tried to liven it up with a nice picture of a lunch-box by Sakuraoko Kitsa on flickr. The survey itself was on lunch and conducted by MyVoice.

Demographics

Over the first five days of February 2009 15,158 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

Unfortunately, comparing now with a year ago didn’t really reveal any new information, thus my disappointment at this survey.

There seems to be a rash of bento lunch box sites popping up these days, so if you fancy trying to make your own, I can recommend Adventures in Bentomaking as a fun place to visit!
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This is a rather interesting set of results from a survey conducted by MyVoice into the matter of music, where music is understood to be the playback of recorded media for personal consumption, as concerts or musicals do not feature in the answers, and background music in shops is also explicitly excluded.

Demographics

Over the first five days of February 2009 15,247 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 2% in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

My active music listening is limited to musicals, on stage and on screen – I enjoyed Mamma Mia the film, but not as much as the stage. I can forgive Pierce Brosnan’s rather flat singing but he needed a shave, The Winner Takes It All was about twice as long as it needed to be, and the reworking of the stage story just didn’t click with me.

From the survey, putting Q2 and Q6 together one can perhaps conclude that a lot of people are ripping rental CDs to their PC, an activity that is, I believe, actually legal in Japan.
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Winter may be almost over, but the surveys on the season are not! This recent one from MyVoice looked at the tastes of winter.

Demographics

Over the first five days of February 2008 15,230 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were male, 2% in their teens, 13% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

I don’t really feel winter – down where I live it never really gets below freezing and the weather is closer to the end of autumn in Scotland – perhaps because the leaves fall off the tree about two months later I’m out of sync, and now with the plum trees coming out in flower I’m into spring already. Talking of when spring starts reminds me of a recent post from Shibuya246 on when Japanese think spring starts.

The top taste for me is also satsuma (mikan in Japanese), which has an interesting tale behind why it is so-called. The wife of an American diplomat in the 19th century who introduced it to America apparently confused it with the old provice Satsuma which was a producer of said fruit. It also appears there are three towns in the USA named Satsuma, in Alabama, Florida and Louisiana.
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I’ve not actually been into a clothes shop to get stuff for myself for a couple of years, although the last time I did go it was to a Uniqlo, the shop that comes out way on top in this recent survey from MyVoice into casual wear shops.

Demographics

Over the first five days of January 2009 13,923 members of the MyVoice internet community successfully completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 2% in their teens, 13% in their twenties, 36% in their thirties, 31% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

I usually buy casual wear at Passport, as they have a nice (read “cheap”) line of hannari tofu clothes. Otherwise I leave the casual shopping up to the wife, who uses mail order on the whole.
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I’ve looked a number of times at YouTube and Nico Nico Douga, but this survey from MyVoice is a little different, looking at movie delivery (and streaming) services that focus more on commercial content.

Demographics

Over the first five days of January 2009 14,034 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

I don’t think I’ve ever actually used a commercial movie streaming or delivery service myself, and I can’t really see myself paying for it. I get Star Channel on cable, so I suppose if they offered a similar service for download direct to my DVD recorder, I perhaps could pay a monthly fee. AcTVila offers that sort of service through one’s television and Blu-ray recorder, but as can be seen here the take-up is quite low, but then again it is a new service.

Note that although I refer to movies in the translation below, the services also cover re-runs of television shows, etc.
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Like I did, you’re probably wondering what on earth a Range Up product is. It is another made-up Japanese-style English (和製英語, wasei eigo) that means microwave-ready food that can be stored at room temperature. Range is from the Japanese for microwave oven, denshi range, and Up is probably from heat up. So, with the definitions out the way, let up proceed to this look by MyVoice at said Range Up products.

Demographics

Over the first five days of January 2009 13,771 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 13% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 31% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

I’ve not eaten these kinds of dishes myself, in fact I can’t remember seeing them ever, although I did have a friend who swore by the individual portions of rice, as they were just right for single people who couldn’t be bothered with the whole bother of a rice cooker. In fact, one will not that rice-based dishes feature very prominantly in Q2.
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With the economic gloom building, here is a timely look with MyVoice at economising in daily life.

Demographics

Over the first five days of January 2009 13,932 members of the MyVoice internet community successfully completed an online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% were in their teens, 14% in their twenties, 37% in their thirties, 30% in their forties, and 18% aged fifty or older.

I was saving money on most things last year, and this year will see further savings given the possibility of all overtime being stopped and having had the more immediate shock of getting a 20,000 yen gas bill for last month.

Of course, rather than economising I want more income (AdSense has died a death!), and to that end I have three new web site ideas in the pipeline and one renewal of an older property, but more of that in other posts!

Finally, before I forget, be sure to check out Nihon Hacks for how to save money in Japan.
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