As shown above, the “new” Miss Japan 2010, Maiko Itai, who appears to be yet another Riyo Mori (Miss Japan / Miss Universe 2007) lookalike, only skinnier.

This year there has been more grumbling among Japanese folks about same/alien look of all the Miss Japan candidates. Their French trainer, Ine Ligron, prefers a very unJapanese look: Japanese prefer a hyper-cute look over the typical Miss Universe fashion model look. However, no one can argue that Ms. Ligron was the main reason that Japan reached three top five finishes and one Miss Universe title since 1998.

Check out the videos below showing the “making” Miss Japans as well as the previous 3Yen report about Miss Japan 2010.

Here are the final three contestants for Miss Japan 2010.

The 2010 Miss Japan finalists with their French coach, Ms. Ligron, in the middle.

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According to Google Image Search, I am the world expert on “Japanese nose-picking.”

As I have said before on the 3Yen back in 2006, Even the Buddha has to pick his nose.

GETTohTY IMAGES March 13, 2010—

Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito visits the Kenyan National Museum in Nairobi…arrived in Kenya late Wednesday for a three-day visit to the East African nation…more...

Sometimes you just gotta feel sorry about the Japanese royal family and the bizzare crap they have to deal with….especially this Alien Blob!

On Sunday afternoon photo shoots at Harajuku’s cosplay Bridge, I often meet my crazy photographer buddy, Masa-sensei “ninja shooting” the freakaziods (as shown below).

Another Japanese subculture that Masa-sensei likes to shoot are the bosozoku, the “violent running tribes,” who he captured last weekend. I first I thought this photo was a weaponized bosozoku sling shot car.

However, the yellow slingshot turns out to be two huge collapsable flag poles that the bosozoku use to fly their gang flags and banners during their terror runs through the neighborhoods.

The Violent Running Tribe’s main entertainment is to modify their exhaust systems to be extra loud and drive through town late at night, waving imperial Japanese flags and shouting obscenities, occasionally throwing Molotov cocktails and carrying swords spears, and generally having noisy fun.

Refer to my previous 3Yen report: Japan’s noise tribe — the Bbosozoku

For some reason, it seems the Japan has forgotten International Women’s Day—InternationalWomensday.com.
Never fear! Watch the video of naked male sushi being served Polish women….

via MainichiPhotospecial

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As you can see in the above swimsuit photo, Miss Japan 2010, Maiko Itai, is not as robust as the previous years’ contestants, such as Miss Japan 2009, Emiri Miyasaka.

2009 3Yen—No ‘Dog Days’ for Miss Japan

My favorite was Kurara Chibana, Miss Japan 2006, who was the, Ninja in high heels.

However, if you want to see a better “sack-of-antlers,” check out the sort-ofNSFW photos in the Comments.

As I have reported before, ‘Hug Pillows’ are Japan’s ultimate otaku hookup. Now, however, Korea has ‘bested’ Japan at its own pervy pillow game….

Man Marries Pillow
metro.co.uk 9th March, 2010–
Lee Jin-gyu fell for his ‘dakimakura’ – a kind of large, huggable pillow from Japan… his beloved pillow has an image of Fate Testarossa, from the ‘magical girl’ anime series Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha.
Now the 28-year-old otaku…has wed the pillow in a special ceremony, after fitting it out with a wedding dress for the service in front of a local priest…more…

Previous 3Yen reports on Japan’s pervy pillow scene include:
—Japanese pillow lover
–For otaku in Japan

Just try to guess who it is arriving at Narita Airport outside Tokyo?

Answer..
…in the Comments.

UPDATE!
There is a new report from the lindsayfincher.com blog dated March 9th, 2010, which seems to show the hotel’s “reconstruction” may have been completed only from one viewing angle.

“This is the closest we came to the Ryugyong, when we visited the Victorious Fatherland Liberation Museum.”
–March 9th, 2010 lindsayfincher.com

A constant source of amusement to the Japanese (and the rest of the world) is North Korea’s Ryugyong Hotel–aka the ‘Ruin Ryugyong’– that has been left uncompleted for more than 20 years. In the past year it has reported several times in the press that a foreign cellphone company has resumed construction on the hotel. Here’s a CLEAR photo of the Hotel Doom, before and after.

View the full-size photo, 571×869 px.

The recent contruction was done soley to enclose the Ruin Ryugyong in glass and make the hotel less of a laughing stock of Architecture. You have to say it now looks impressive (even though the inside is an unlivable concrete shell because the lack fixtures, mechanicals, crooked elevators and insufficient strength to handle any occupancy).

However, it is good to remember that North Korea’s Hotel Ryugyong is still taller than any building in Europe or JAPAN. For example, Japan’s tallest building, Yokohama Landmark Tower is only 295.8 m (970 ft) but the Hotel Ryugyong is 330.02 m (1,100 ft). So remember…

Back in 2007 I wrote about Pyongyang North Korea as a better Tokyo with a great YouTube video (below) of a fictional/humorous take on Pyongyang North Korea with a Disneyeque Hotel Ryugyong.

You have lived in Japan too long when you eat a can tuna for lunch and wonder why your cat is so upset…

rest-of-the-story…