"showrooming" -- web-savvy consumers check out products in physical show rooms, only to turn to their favorite shopping and price comparison websites to see if they can buy the same product cheaper elsewhere.

As much as we don't like DPJ politician Ichiro Ozawa and his money-tainted politics, we have to agree with him on one thing, that raising the consumption tax in Japan could be harmful.

We traveled out to Hidaka town in Saitama at the foothills of the Okuchichibu mountain range, to join dozens of others to celebrate Alishan's 2012 Food Festival, at their wonderful riverside warehouse/home/cafe.

Again, it's no news that there are huge waiting lists for urban mothers to get their kids into day care centers. Especially for mothers with kids under 18 months.