Obama is huge, naturally, in Obama, Japan

MySpace user Justin Whittinghill, a 25-year-old Kentucky native living in Kanazawa, Japan, has made a pilgrimage to ground zero of Barack Obama worship — the city of Obama in Fukui prefecture — and found an array of souvenirs championing the Illinois senator. In his photo album, he catalogues Obama chopsticks ("We Boost Barack Obama with Japanese Lacquered chopsticks from Obama in Fukui"), "I [heart] Obama" martial arts headbands, and a kind of dessert called "manju" (or "Obamanju"), which curiously has a label featuring a line-art rendering of the back of the candidate’s head.

Justin learned from shopkeepers that souvenirs showing Obama’s face — that is, ones sold as official "Obama for Obama" fan club merchandise — have a premium price ($15 for a t-shirt), whereas cheaper items go for less.

Rumor around town is that Obama will visit if he’s elected president, gossip that likely got a little traction from the Democrat’s personal letter to the mayor of Obama — apparently his response to a schwag package sent from Obama to Obama.