Bloggers Unite! High Quality, Original Content is King!

Writing a blog can be a very tiresome, worrisome, frustrating and exhausting experience... It can also be hugely rewarding. Recently, the Net has taken down governments with Bloggers, Tweeters and Facebooker's taking the lead role. 


Shouldn't you start to stake your claim by starting a blog?


It might be the most rewarding thing you undertaken in years! It is for me.

XTC - King for a Day 

Currently, I am spending my time coaching two wonderful people on the virtues of blogging and how it will help them and their business grow. Coaching is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I sometimes am asked to blog or teach blogging to people, but, with these two, it is the very first time I've ever said, "Yes!" I said "Yes!" to these folks because I believe they have some great insights and I know they have some experiences and expertise that no one else has.  


My "students" are incredible people. They can add a world of knowledge and information to help us bloggers build, as Google describes it, "a healthy web-ecosystem." I think I understand what Google means by this. They mean that they want various sites that have original content rather than sites that collate information from various blogs.


I mean, news sites are needed and designed to aggregate various news sources, but there seems to be an increase of blog aggregation sites that offer no new, original information but simply list up a bunch of articles from various blogs around the world and copy and paste those on their site.

If those blog's purpose is to spread the word on a particular position concerning politics or social issues, then I understand that. If their purpose is to use other original content to gain hits on their websites so that they can get higher Google Search rankings so that they can sell more affiliate stuff when people click on links on their pages, well, I can't fault someone for trying to make a living, but I can see how Google would want to help support the independent original thinkers.


Now, Google has gone one step further. They've made a major tweak to their algorithm so that these "content farms" get lower search result rankings.


Yahoo! reports:   
Google tweaks search to punish 'low-quality' sites

Google says it has tweaked the formulas steering its Internet search engine to take the rubbish out of its results. The overhaul is designed to lower the rankings of what Google deems "low-quality" sites.

That could be a veiled reference to such sites as Demand Media's eHow.com, which critics call online "content farms" -- that is, sites producing cheap, abundant, mostly useless content that ranks high in search results.

Sites that produce original content or information that Google considers valuable are supposed to rank higher under the new system.

The change announced late Thursday affects about 12 percent, or nearly one in every eight, search requests in the U.S. Google Inc. 

Wow! This affects one in eight!? So, the point is, once again, original content is king on the Internet. 

Sure, Mr. and Ms. Blogger, we are not "journalists" in the traditional sense of the word, but we never claimed to be. Nevertheless, our opinion matters more and more everyday.

People listen to what bloggers have to say! Take, for example, you see a full page color ad in the newspaper for a new steak-house. The steak-house spends $20,000 for that ad. The ad says the restaurant is great! Do you go to that restaurant? If it were me, I wouldn't pay any attention to the ad at all. It wouldn't motivate me to go there.

But! If a blogger I like says that the restaurant is good, I probably would go and try it once. Why? I know the blogger is telling me the truth. I read this blogger's writing often. I know s/he didn't receive a bunch of money to write that recommendation. That means I have a relationship with this blogger and know who s/he is. I trust this person. 

Now, Google has saluted us with giving us more power on the web by rewarding us original content makers with this Search Engine tweak.

Thanks to Google Search Engine for recognizing us as the force to be reckoned with that we have become.


More concrete details on Google's new search engine algorithm here.

PS: I've written recommendations for cheap eats in Tokyo. There's cheap and good tasting sushi in Yoga; Raw Fish & drinks in Futagotamagawa; Delicious soba in Daimon; Wine & Dine in Omotesando; Fantastic Udon in Kamiyacho; Tokyo's best coffee and meeting place in Hanzomon; Tokyo's best hamburgers at Tsubame Grill; Out of this world Croatian food in Kyobashi at Dobro - Now, who you gonna trust? Me or some full page ad in the newspaper?

Think about it. Let's start blogging! The world wants to know you!

The Best Hamburger in Japan is Tsubame Grill

I am often asked by foreigners, "What's the best hamburger in Japan?" This is a difficult question to answer as I know that they mean the American style of hamburger with the patty in between two slices of bread. So, I usually answer, "There are no good hamburgers in Japan."

Of course, there are some pretty good places, but for the longest time - and this is hard to believe but - generally speaking, hamburgers in Japan are so bad that I am often just answering, "McDonald's."


Sure, we have pretty good hamburgers at Johnny Rockets, and others, but, for all practical purposes, when you want a hamburger, you don't really want to ride a train for over 30 or 40 minutes just to get one... A hamburger is supposed to be convenient food. It is not convenient if I have to make a 1 hour round trip just to get a halfway decent burger that would be second-rate (at best) in the States.


Of course, just like the USA, the best burgers are made at the mom and pop shops. It's the same with ramen in Japan; the mom and pop shops blow away the chain restaurants.


But here is a caveat! If you want a proper "hamburger steak" (I mean the way hamburger was originally made - not the American style) then Japan does have a restaurant chain that blows away any other restaurants for taste, food quality and price. And that restaurant is Tsubame Grill.


Tsubame Grill has been around since 1930 and is, in my opinion, by far the best hamburger is Japan. Sorry Johnny Rockets, I've had yours. Good, but not this good.

Tsubame Grill in Shimbashi 1937

Not only that, but Tsubame Grill is a damned good deal... 


Lunch time start from 11:00 am until 5 pm at the location near my house (check the location nearest you as times vary). For a mere ¥1,090 I can get a delicious hamburger steak (all beef is 100% Japanese so you needn't worry about cheap, hormone filled, drug ridden meat from the USA). With this set, I get soup, salad, bread and real butter and a coffee. 

Winter Hamburger Steak and Vegetables lunch set. Includes

soup, salad, bread or rice and coffee or tea. ¥1,090.

You just cannot beat this price.


Also, this is not some dumpy, dirty restaurant. Tsubame Grill is fine enough for your first date and is an excellent sit down restaurant good enough for family, friends, and business acquaintances.


I think Tsubame Grill is one of the top restaurants in Tokyo considering price, quality, taste, cleanliness, ambiance and service. There are many restaurants who charge three times the price that Tsubame Grill does yet they fail to match the menu and service of Tsubame Grill.

Look for this logo

There are many reasons why Tsubame grill is tops. But another good reason is that they only have about 4 items on the menu in total: They have three styles of hamburger steak; Bouillabaisse; rolled cabbage; sausages and baked Salmon. I think that's just about it. Restaurants that specialize on making just one thing the best can often succeed and, because of a limited menu, they can hold prices down.  


Look at the menu, quality and cleanliness of Tsubame Grill here. 

Japan is famous for quality and cleanliness. 

Tsubame Grill will not disappoint.

Ah! But you say, "If this place is so good, then why don't more foreigners know about it?" Good question. There's two reasons for this that I can gather. One is that Tsubame Grill has no English on their menu and doesn't even have any English on their web site. 


Why is that? I gather that this place is so packed all the time with the locals that they have no need to push and advertise. Why spend money on advertising when you already have the Holy Grail of advertising? And that is an excellent reputation by word of mouth of the locals.


It is for this reason that I have never seen any other foreigners at our local restaurant, yet there are always lines of people waiting to get it.


But fear not my loyal readers! I have to tell you a secret! Even though there is no English on the menu, I will tell you all you need to know to order from this fantastic establishment. Just remember the name of the restaurant; Tsubame Grill. Just order the Tsubame Steak. You'll see. It is out of this world. 


Tsubame Grill web page (not in English)


Tsubame Grill Locations (with maps - click on red lettering):

つばめグリル 銀座通り本店（建て替え工事の為休業中）Ginza HQ
〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座1-8-20　TEL:03-3561-3788

つばめグリル 品川駅前店 Shinagawa Sta.
〒108-0074 東京都港区高輪4-10-26　TEL:03-3441-0121

つばめグリル 玉川高島屋S・C店 Takashimaya Futagotamagawa
〒158-8502 東京都世田谷区玉川3-17-1 玉川高島屋S・C内　TEL:03-3709-0117

つばめグリル ルミネ横浜店 Lumine Yokohama
〒220-0011 神奈川県横浜市西区高島2-16-1 ルミネ横浜7F　TEL:045-453-6752

つばめグリル ルミネ新宿店 Lumine Shinjuku
〒160-0022 東京都新宿区西新宿1-1-5 ルミネ新宿1　7F 　TEL:03-3348-4347

つばめグリル 茅ヶ崎ラスカ店 Chigasaki Rasuka
〒253-0043 神奈川県茅ヶ崎市元町1-1 茅ヶ崎ラスカ 6F　TEL:0467-87-3807

つばめグリル キュービックプラザ新横浜店 9 Big Plaza Shin Yokohama
〒222-0026 神奈川県横浜市港北区篠原町2937 キュービックプラザ新横浜 １F（別館）
TEL:045-474-4046

つばめグリル ルミネ池袋店 Lumine Ikebukuro
〒171-0021 東京都豊島区西池袋1-11-4 ルミネ池袋7F　TEL:03-5954-8278

つばめグリル 大船ルミネウイング店 Ofuna Lumine Wing
〒247-0056 神奈川県鎌倉市大船1-4-1 ルミネウイング7F　TEL:0467-48-5090

つばめグリル タカシマヤタイムズスクエア店 Kashimaya Times Square
〒151-8580 東京都渋谷区千駄ヶ谷5-24-2 タカシマヤタイムズスクエア13F
TEL:03-5361-1859

つばめグリル ホテルメッツ川崎店 Hotel Metz Kawasaki
〒212-0013 神奈川県川崎市幸区堀川町72-2 ホテルメッツ川崎1F　TEL:044-555-3171

つばめグリル アトレ恵比寿店 Atore Ebisu
〒150-8508 東京都渋谷区恵比寿南1-5-5 アトレ恵比寿6F　TEL:03-5475-8429

つばめグリル 錦糸町テルミナ2店 Kinshicho Terumina 2
〒130-0013 東京都墨田区錦糸1-2-47 錦糸町テルミナ2内　TEL:03-5619-7023

GRILL 1930 つばめグリル ルミネ町田店 Lumine Machida
〒194-0013 東京都町田市原町田6-1-11 ルミネ町田 9F　TEL:042-739-3388

つばめグリル 渋谷マークシティ店 Shibuya Mark City
〒150-0043 東京都渋谷区道玄坂1-12-3 渋谷マークシティレストランアベニュー 4F
TEL:03-5428-3403

つばめグリル 銀座コア店 Ginza Core
〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座5-8-20 銀座コアB1F　TEL:03-3569-2701

つばめKITCHEN アトレ品川店 Atore Shinagawa
〒108-0075 東京都港区港南2-18-1 アトレ品川4F 3140　TEL:03-6717-0926

つばめKITCHEN 丸の内店 Marunochi
〒105-0005 東京都千代田区丸ノ内1-6-4 丸ノ内オアゾ 5F　TEL:03-5252-7900

GRILL 1930 つばめグリル アトレ上野店 Ueno
〒110-0005 東京都台東区上野7-1-1　アトレ上野 レトロ館 2F 2041　TEL:03-5826-5809

GRILL 1930 つばめグリル ルミネ北千住店 Kita Senju
〒120-0026 東京都足立区千住旭町42-2　ルミネ北千住8F　TEL:03-3879-6091

CASA MONTES Ginza
〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座5-9-15 銀座清月堂ビル　B1F・B2F　TEL:03-3572-3071

炭焼 Kura
〒108-0074 東京都港区高輪4-10-26 つばめグリル品川駅前店 3F　TEL:03-3441-0122

洋惣菜専門店 つばめグリル
〒220-8539 神奈川県横浜市西区南幸1-1-1 横浜シァル B1F　TEL:045-312-6991

MADE IN JAPAN つばめグリル ecute品川店
〒108-0074 東京都港区高輪3-26-27 JR東日本 品川駅構内　TEL:03-3444-5181

つばめグリル DELI アトレ恵比寿店
〒150-8508 東京都渋谷区恵比寿南1-5-5 アトレ恵比寿 3F　TEL:03-5475-8465

つばめグリル DELI エキュート東京店
〒105-0005 東京都千代田区丸の内1-9-1 JR東日本 東京駅構内1階 ｻｳｽｺｰﾄ内　TEL:03-3211-8981

Marketing Japan: Dobro, Best Mediterranean Food in Tokyo?

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

Last night I went to Kyobashi on the Ginza Line to eat dinner with friends at a wonderful Croatian food restaurant called Dobro. It was a delicious dinner and a really wonderful experience.

Dobro means "Good" in Croatian and that's not just what it was; it was fantastic. Upon entering Dobro, one immediately gets the feeling that they are not in Tokyo but have gone to another country. The atmosphere inside of the restaurant is completely different. It is just like you've been miraculously transported to Zagreb or Dubrovnik.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE FULL SIZE

Inside of Dobro. Beautiful aesthetics and atmosphere.

Passing the lively and spotlessly clean kitchen on the right, one is presented with a beautiful mural painting that represents Croatia in her simplicity and beauty.

We started off our dinner with some fine Croatia wine Grasevina. It was quite excellent really.

We enjoyed the set menu called, the Dobro Course that sold for ¥5,500 (about $50 per person). It was heavenly. The course included the delicious house bread and raw ham; a plate of various vegetable based appetizers. Another fabulous item called (in Japanese) "Shutukuri" which was sort of like a cheese filled ravioli.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO SEE FULL SIZE

Many taste treats from Croatia. Sarma in the middle.

The main dish was a rolled cabbage called Sarma which is the most popular dish at Dobro and I could see why. I am not a big fan of rolled cabbage but this was completely different than any rolled cabbage I have ever had before! This Sarma rolled cabbage that soaked and simmered for at least three hours in perfectly seasoned broth was absolutely gorgeous. I have never tasted anything like it before. Now I understand why it is the most popular dish of the many repeat customers of Dobro.

If you are looking for something very different in Tokyo that is fine and very romantic, I strongly suggest taking a trip to Dobro, Tokyo's only Croatian Restaurant.

And, after that, if you are interested in more things Croatian, visit the Croatia Government Tourist Bureau's Japan site here. 


Croatia! It is the Mediterranean the way it used to be.

Dobro Restaurant Site: http://www.dobro.co.jp/restaurant.html

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Keywords: Dobro, Croatia, Croatia.jp, the Mediterranean the way it used to be, Mediterranean

Koji Kamibayashi; Internet & SEO Expert

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

Let me introduce you to Koji Kamibayashi. Koji is quite unique in Japan. And you will be glad you met him today.

There are many people in Japan who claim to be Internet experts or professionals in SEO, but I'd wager that there aren't many who can put proof behind their claims of expertise. One of the few who can is a guy named Koji Kamibayashi. I think it is safe to say that Koji is one of Japan's top five, if not the top, Internet expert in the entire country.

Koji Kamibayashi

Koji Kamibayashi was the founder and president of TV Tokyo Broadband (TXBB); which he started in 2001. Within 4 years, by 2005, TXBB became a company with over $50 million (USD) in revenue and was listed on the Tokyo Stock Market in 2005. This was truly an amazing feat considering the fact that every terrestrial TV station and network in Japan started up a Broadband network only to fail with tens of millions of dollars in losses.  Only Koji's TXBB was successful. See Koji's Wikipedia here.

During his time at TXBB, Koji was also talented enough, and had the foresight, to recognize that, if broadband were to be successful in Japan the ownership of the rights for the content would be critical. This leads to one of Koji's most amusing and fascinating success stories; it was Koji who brought Snoopy to Japan and put him and Woodstock on Junior High and High School girl's bag in the country.

When the people representing Peanuts first approached Koji about a partnership for Peanuts in Japan, they wanted him to take the entire group; Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Lucy, Linus, and the rest; along with the stories. Koji told them, "No!" He told them that he only wanted the dog and the bird. Initially the Peanuts team was insistent on the entire story being taken up, but Koji stuck to his guns. He threw out everything - even the stories - excepting Snoopy and Woodstock and now Snoopy in Japan earns five times the income that Peanuts earn in all of the United States.

Koji remarked, "Sometimes it's not what you keep that's important, it's what you throw away that matters."

Koji also worked the same sort of magic in Japan for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Miffy, and he was the one who resuscitated Sesame Street and brought it back from the dead in this country.

Alas, it couldn't last forever in one of Japan's oldest companies. Anyone who becomes president at a Nikkei related company in Japan can only be president for six years under ancient company rules. This posed a dilemma for Koji when he became president of TXBB in 2001.

"I didn't want to accept the position at that time as I was only 42 years old. Usually people who become president's at a Nikkei related company are in their mid-to-late sixties, so it's OK for them, but I was only 42... What was I to do in 6 years? I tried to ask them to change the rules for me, but they wouldn't... Those rules had been around for decades and this is Japan..." Koji related.

So Koji left the company. But it wasn't all roses then. TV Tokyo is a Nikkei Group company and another rule is that, after you leave, you cannot do any sort of marketing, PR, advertising, entertainment-related business... That doesn't leave a lot for a guy to do who had spent over 25 years of his life in that field.

So, Koji then followed one of his dreams and opened a Chinese restaurant in Sapporo. I've eaten there and it is fantastic!

Now that the restaurant is going well, he visits it once a month to make sure it is doing fine and then spends the rest of his time back in Tokyo with his lovely wife who is a professional Yoga instructor. In Tokyo, Koji is doing what he really loves and that is Internet related work.

"I often get offers from large foreign companies to join in their ranks, but I don't want to work in the confines of a large company anymore. I want to do my own thing and I want to have fun."

If you wish to contact Koji Kamibayashi, his Linkedin profile is here. Of course Koji also Twitters and does Pick and other Social Media.

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Keywords: Koji Kamibayashi, Internet, Japan, Internet expert, Tokyo, Chinese Restaurant, Chinese, SEO, Sapporo, Nikkei Group, TV Tokyo, marketing, TXBB, entertainment, PR, Broadband, Terrestrial TV, Wikipedia, Social Media, Snoopy, Pick, Miffy, Sesame Street, advertising,