Cakes with Delusions of Grandeur

Now for sure, in principle I try to avoid posting petty examples of “amusingly” incorrect English that you find on every billboard on every wall of every town every minute of every day, but having just received what is self proclaimably the spirit of untapped romance and the essence of harmony in this vast cesspool of humanity, in the form of a rather small bun ("okashi"), I simply couldn't resist sharing it.

博多
通りもん
HAKATA TORIMON
The spirit of OKASHI. It is what gives a peaceful and pleasant mind to the human race. All the time, man seeks romance in the OKASHI. We have been working hard and carefully, and work on. To weave the romance and fancy into each OKASHI. This, at last, we have made up "The HAKATA SEIYO-WAGASHI." If you taste the feeling and the spirit of the OKASHI which value tradition and living in the times, there is no pleasure better than it.

It's perfection OK, and that's before you get to the rather small bun inside (which I still haven't eaten - I'm savouring it). Note how the wonderfully climactic expression “there is no pleasure better!” is beautifully capped by two utterly superfluous words “than it,” that serve no purpose other than to draw unnecessary attention to their own lack of necessity. And isn't that what a good bun is really all about?!

That's not to say the gift isn't unappreciated. Come to think of it mind, the accompanying muffin too was far from humble.

In other news, I'm pleased to report that BS Japan, one of the dedicated digital high-def channels, is re-broadcasting Japanese Tradition “Utage” tomorrow evening, together with a brand new short called "Shazai." The slot is 20:55 to 22:55 “Cinema Crush” (or possibly “Crash”), so those that can't wait til March for the DVD release, enoy the high-def preview!