This month, Big in Japan is on vacation in Africa, and will be bringing you travel news and happenings from around this often misunderstood continent.

The thrill of the safari is one of the greatest pleasures of traveling in Africa. Boasting more than a hundred different species of mammals (350+ if you include bats!), the continent is a veritable Lost World of charismatic creatures. Of course, the whole safari experience can easily be lost on you if you're not exactly sure what you're looking for.

Most people on safari are obsessed with spotting the so-called Big Five, which include such lofty entries as lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and black rhinoceroses. A common misconception is that the Big Five refers to the five largest animals in the African bush. However, the phrase was originally coined by big game hunters to denote the five most dangerous animals to hunt, especially since each animal in the group has a reputation for pursuing its attacker when wounded.

Fortunately for you, you're here in Africa to observe them, not to shoot them...

This month, Big in Japan is on vacation in Africa, and will be bringing you travel news and happenings from around this often misunderstood continent.

Japan is certainly a weird, wacky and wonderful place. But, every once in awhile you need to take a break from the madness in the hopes of getting perspective on the rest of the world. So, it is with great pleasure that I kick off the first installment of Big in Africa, a special edition and limited-time only column dedicated to traveling through the African continent...

Few destinations in the world strike fear in the hearts and minds of concerned parents quite like Africa. (Don't worry Mom - I'm staying safe, wearing clean underwear and not talking to strangers!)

But, the continent is arguably one of the best places on the planet for adventure travelers, especially if you're easily jaded by the commercialization of the global tourist trail. After all, Africa certainly isn't for wet behind the ears beginners, but it needn't be the sole reserve of leather-skinned veterans.

So, without further adieu, here is a quick and dirty list of 5 things to do before traveling to Africa.

Love is hard - in any language - but you shouldn't let your search for Mr. / Mrs. Right get you down. After all, if you're having problems finding someone of the same species who understands you completely and intimately, perhaps it's time to start looking elsewhere...

Last week, Sega announced that they will soon start selling EMA, a 15 inch tall robotic girlfriend that kisses on command. Aimed at a target market of lonely adult men, the robotic lover will hit stores this September, and will retail for around US$175.

Now, I know what you're thinking - EMA isn't exactly a cheap date, and with that kind of dough, you could easily hit the bar and club scene in search of a potential mate. But, as Sega is quick to point out to potential buyers, EMA is very sweet, petite, stacked where it counts and runs on batteries.

Oh, and just in case you were wondering what exactly EMA stands for, it's actually an acronym for 'Eternal Maiden Actualization.' Right.

Today's edition of Big in Japan is brought to you by Shane Sakata, who writes The Tokyo Traveler, a great blog about things to do and see in the city of Tokyo.

Japanese cuisine is known the world over for its exquisite preparation and beautiful presentation of seasonal ingredients. Most visitors to Japan cannot wait to get a taste of 'real' Japanese food, such as fresh sashimi and sushi or delicate shrimp and vegetable tempura. And, truth be told, these dishes just seem to taste better in Japan!

However, it's worth pointing out that the Japanese are adventurous eaters, and their love of food extends far beyond sushi and tempura. In fact, some dishes that are considered delicacies in Japan aren't exactly popular menu items in the West. Internal organs like the heart and intestines are commonly served, and eating the flesh from a fish head with an eye staring straight at you is somewhat disconcerting, but not at all uncommon.

So just how 'real' do you want to get in your exploration of Japanese food? Here are 5 of the more bizarre foods that you might want to avoid while traveling in Japan.

While first timers on the Tokyo night scene can't seem to get enough of Roppongi and Shibuya, at some point the binge drinking and skirt-chasing has to stop. So, if you're looking for a slightly more sophisticated night out on the town, here's a quick introduction to Tokyo's blossoming jazz scene...

Jazz is an American musical art form that originated in the early 20th century in the southern United States. A confluence of African and European music traditions, jazz erupted on the scene, launching successive generations of iconic performers from Louis Armstrong to Wynton Marsalis.

Although you may be surprised to hear this, jazz in Japan actually has a long history dating back to the 1920s. While American soldiers where occupying the nearby Philippines, jazz performers started touring the dance halls of Japan, particularly in Osaka, Yokohama, and Kobe. However, jazz was subsequently banned in Japan during World War II due to its overwhelming "Americanness," though it had strong resurgence during the post-war years.

Given this lengthy history, it's no wonder that jazz continues to thrive in Tokyo's night spots. While there is no shortage of underground clubs and small bars where you can hear live music, today's column is about the big hitters on the Tokyo jazz scene, namely the Cotton Club and the Blue Note.

At the risk of sounding like the anchorman on your local news channel, I'll go head and pose a somewhat sensationalist question:

Are children suffering from cell phone addiction?

If you're a member of the Japanese government, then the answer is a resounding 'yes.'

According to Mr. Masahuru Kuba, a high-ranking government official who is proposing a limited ban on cell phones in schools, young students are suffering from the negative effects of cell phone overuse. In particular, Mr. Kuba believes that cell phone addiction can cause kids to inadvertently participate in cyber crimes, and sacrifice free time in favor of exchanging text messages with their friends.

"Japanese parents are giving cell phones to their children without giving it enough thought," says Mr. Kuba. "In Japan, cell phones have become expensive toys that have moved beyond mere communication devices. Parents are finding it more and more difficult to monitor what they're children are doing with their cell phones."

Men and women come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, which is why we can all take comfort in the simple fact that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Indeed, the human form is incredibly diverse, which is a testament to the wonderful variation that exists within our highly adaptable species...

With that said, preferences for certain sexual characteristics do sometimes exist, one of which is the male preference for women with larger breasts. Whether you believe it's the result of human evolution or sexual perversion, you don't have to be an anthropologist to note that most societies place a premium on large breasts. After all, what other species on the planet would slip a saline-filled plastic baggy underneath their skin for the purpose of mate selection?

Sadly, women the world over face an incredible amount of pressure to conform to so-called ideals of beauty. For instance, Japan is home to some of the world's most beautiful women, the vast majority of whom are relatively slender given their incredibly healthy diet and active lifestyles. In recent years however, Japanese women are increasingly being compared to more full-bodied Western women, which has spawned an entire industry of products aimed at increasing bust size.

While I am by no means a doctor, allow me to take a moment to debunk the idea that you can get larger breasts by applying a 'miracle' cream...

Karaoke (カラオケ), which literally translates to empty orchestra, is something of a national past time here in the Land of the Rising Sun. From carousing teenagers and courting couples to boozing salarymen and fun-loving retirees, karaoke is one of the great social equalizers in Japanese society.

With that said, karaoke doesn't enjoy much popularity in the West, which is probably why a good portion of first-timers in Japan dread the idea of belting out karaoke tunes. Of course, if you spend any more than a few wild nights out over here, you'll quickly realize that a trip to the karaoke parlor, much like drunk-induced munchies, is something of a given.

For those of you out there with naturally rich voices, perfect pitch and years of vocal training, a karaoke marathon is a chance to impress your Japanese hosts and garner some self-confidence. For the rest of us however, a karaoke marathon is ripe with unforeseen perils and dangers.

But, fear not as today's posting is all about the 5 mistakes made by rookie karaoke singers!

Living in one of the world's biggest metropolises can certainly take its toll on your health and sanity!

On a good day, Tokyo is an adrenaline-fueled hedonists' playground where you can overwhelm your senses with fine cuisine, cutting edge fashion and some of the planet's most beautiful people. On a bad day, Tokyo is a neon-ringed urban jungle where you can dull your senses on grey concrete, jumbled streetscapes and some of the planet's most crowded spaces.

Indeed, the secret to living in Tokyo is to embrace the idea of being a dedicated weekend warrior. After punching out from work on Friday afternoon, race home, grab your bags and make haste to the surrounding countryside. After all, the area surrounding Tokyo is not only surprisingly green and lush, but it's also dotted with ancient temples, sacred mountains and therapeutic hot springs.

So, without further adieu, I present to you today some of Tokyo's best weekend escapes...

Earlier this week, Big in Japan brought you a how-to-guide for getting down and dirty in a love hotel (ラブホテル, rabu hoteru).

In case you missed the post, click here to get up to speed on the syrupy sweet yet delightfully sinful world of Japanese love hotels. Of course, if you're reading this blog now, and thinking to yourself that Japan is awfully far away, than fear not as there may be a love hotel closer than you think!

Located at 51 Tenth Ave in Manhattan, the Liberty Inn NYC was recently voted in the Best of New York - 2008 issue of New York Magazine as the City's BEST "by-the-hour" hotel.

Inspired by Japanese-style love hotels, the Liberty Inn NYC is home to twenty-eight uniquely designed rooms that are perfect for an old lover, a new partner or an adulterous tryst.

Can you feel the love tonight ﾎﾟｯ(*ﾟ.ﾟ)(ﾟ.ﾟ*)ﾎﾟｯ