Anime creates Go boom in Japan

The BBC reports that the anime Hikaru no Go, about a boy who is befriended by the ghost of an ancient Go master, has spawned a resurgence of interest in the game among Japanese kids.

Hikaru no go cartoonist arrested

The Mainichi news reports that Takeshi Obata, author of the "Hikaru no Go" manga series, was arrested for illegal posession of a knife, according to Tokyo police.

An officer questioned Obata, 37, in Tokyo's Nerima-ku after he was driving his car with the headlights off shortly before 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

Mysteries of sushi explained

This brilliant video made the rounds a few months ago, but I somehow missed it. It's a video by the Rahmens, a Japanese comedy duo. In it, they explain the mysteries of sushi. The subtitles were done by a fan.

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(via Videosift)

Dorodango - shiny mud balls

This reminds me of some tech projects.

Web Japan: Shiny Mud Balls

At elementary schools, kindergartens, and preschools all across Japan, kids are losing themselves making hikaru dorodango, or balls of mud that shine. Behind this boom is Professor Fumio Kayo of the Kyoto University of Education. Kayo is a psychologist who researches children's play, and he first came across these glistening dorodango at a nursery school in Kyoto two years ago.

How to Make Shiny Dorodango

1. Pack some mud into your hand, and squeeze out the water while forming a sphere.
   
2. Add some dry dirt to the outside and continue to gently shape the mud into a sphere.
   
3. When the mass dries, pack it solid with your hands, and rub the surface until a smooth film begins to appear.
   
4. Rub your hands against the ground, patting and rubbing the fine, powdery dirt onto the sphere. Continue this for two hours.
   
5. Seal the ball in a plastic bag for three or four hours. Upon removing the sphere, repeat step 4, and then once again seal the sphere in a plastic bag.
   
6. Remove the ball from the bag, and if it is no longer wet, polish it with a cloth until it shines.
   

via Metafilter