Nestled on the fringe of the Japanese Alps in the snow country of Niigata is the ski township of Yuzawa. Acclaimed for it’s bubbling hot springs and renowned for it’s bustling skiing resorts the region has also played inspiration to countless writers, poets and artists, most notably Nobel Prize-winning Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata who used the onsen town as the setting for his classic novel Yukiguni.

My memories of this winter wonderland are not as fond but instead a traumatic recollection reminiscent of a virgin skier, deflowered and defiled on the slopes of northern Honshu. The story of the Purple Sumo of Naeba.

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Each year McDonald’s in Japan releases a popular limited time menu item, the Tsukimi Burger (月見バーガー, literally moon-viewing burger), available only during Autumn. The Tsukimi Burger is a hamburger that contains a poached egg with the yolk representing the moon on an egg white sky, a hamburger patty, bacon and a special teriyaki-like sauce. The year 2010 marks the 20th year anniversary of this seasonal specialty burger.

This article is a submission for the Japan Blog Matsuri hosted by Surviving in Japan with the theme “Fall is the season for eating (食欲の秋)”.

Each year in Japan major brewers of beer select a Beer Campaign Girl who are supposed to reflect the image of the beer. Advertising beer in Japan, it seems, must follow the fundamental marketing requirement – the 3 b’s – Beers, Bikinis and Beaches.

In the spirit of the Hot Fun In the Summertime! Japan Blog Matsuri hosted by our main man Locohama following is a top 15 collection of bikini-clad Beer Campaign Girl’s from various breweries over the years. Kanpai!

1. Minami Otomo 「大友みなみ」

Minami Otomo is the 2004 Sapporo Beer Campaign Girl. You can see my reflection just under the beer.

2. Haruka Igawa 「井川遥」

Haruka Igawa is the 2000 Asahi Super Dry Beer Campaign Girl.

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