The Eel Thing

This is one of hundreds of 60-second radio spots created by the Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) for Kansas Public Radio (KPR). The purpose of this outreach program is to introduce the people of Kansas to the culture and current issues of East Asia.Broadcast Transcript: It's hot in Tokyo in the summer. And when the heat closes in, young Japanese men's fancies turn to thoughts of... eels. Hence eel-eating days here in Japan. An honored tradition that was first mentioned in the Manyoshu, a collection of 8th Century poems, eel-eating is believed to restore lost energy--to say nothing of lost manhood--in the mid-summer doldrums. Don't want to eat your eels? No worries. You can drink 'em. The Japan Tobacco Company has released the first mass produced eel energy drink. Unagi Nobori contains extracts of eel bones and head and is fortified with vitamins A, B1, B2, D and E. Never mind Red Bull. Forget Jolt. Unagi Nobori is the "eel" thing. #ceas #hacker #japa