Words of Wisdom:

I don't tend to see much grafitti in Tokyo. When I do spot some, I invariably photograph it as it's such a contradiction to the generally clean and sterile Japanese streetscape. I spotted this one in the backstreets of Harajuku:

I wonder if the artist was Japanese or foreign?

Spect-akura Sakura:

More gorgeous sakura and some brightly coloured lanterns:

These sakura are in Nakameguro in Tokyo...

...Well worth a visit, if you ever get the chance!

Ancient Vs. Modern:

Tokyo is a wondrous contrast of old and new...

A lovely stone lantern and the flashy windows of the Loewe store in Omotesando.

A shrine dwarfed by surrounding mansions and advertising in Harajuku.

Which do you prefer; old or new?

Contrasts...

Japan is home to ancient traditions like sumo, geisha, kimono, shinto, shrines and temples. Which is all fine and dandy, but, fortunately for me it also has its fair share of weirdness such as the giant beer building in Asakusa:

(Doesn't it look delicious?!

Taken while on the Tobu train crossing over the bridge.)

Look at the frothy head...is your mouth watering yet?!

The top floor of the building has a bar with one of the best views of the Tokyo skyline - the coolest part is that you can say you had a drink in giant beer froth!

One of the weirdest things in Tokyo is the Golden Poo:

I think you can work out which item above is affectionately known as the Golden Poo...and perhaps even why it's called that. I've heard that the designer intended it to represent the frothy head on a glass of beer. Now I don't know what kind of beer he drank; but I've never had one that even remotely resembled this interpretation! Personally, I think that the beer building is a far more accurate representation of a frothy head.

What's your tipple of pleasure?

The Simple Pleasures...

One of the many things I love about living in Japan is making new discoveries. This is just a simple Tokyo neighbourhood with a nondescript ferro-concrete house with barred windows and some overgrown azalea bushes...yet it also has one of my favourite things...a stone lantern ! Granted it's not the most gorgeous example of a stone lantern...but it's a stone lantern nonetheless - and they always make me smile!




And then I walk further down the street and I spy a giant red paper lantern. Yes, it may be looking a little worse for wear...but look at the love bestowed upon it. It's covered with a plastic sheet to help protect it from the elements. These red paper lanterns are used to advertise drinking establishments - especially hole-in-the-wall izakayas like this one...At night time they are usually lit up and look even more spectacular! This lantern has been hung quite high as it's over a footpath, usually they hang quite low to the ground. I found these lanterns on our walk to Mukojima Hyakkaen...but the beauty of Tokyo is that you can see these kinds of objects...everywhere!

"Please refrain..."

Some important rules to follow if you wish to take the newly constructed Water Bus "HIMIKO" from Asakusa:



Because the embarkation number of people is limited, please understand it beforehand.

Please refrain from a carry-on of food and drink to inboard.

Please refrain from the embarkation of a pet to inboard.

For adult one person, infant one person from 1 year old becomes embarkation charges no charge.

The embarkation to the boat becomes a first-come-first-served basis.

When it is crowded, there is the situation that cannot be carried on the boat which you want to board.

Please ask our staff about waiting time of transfer from Hinode Pier.

On the occasion of the "HIMIKO" embarkation, the extra premium ticket is necessary from child of 1 year old.

I hope that's all crystal clear now!

Close, Closer, Closest:

Mukojima Hyakkaen - a garden with a hundred flowers that bloom throughout the four seasons - is a delight to visit at any time of the year. It was given to the City of Tokyo in 1937 and opened as a pay-per-view garden in 1938.

Some useful expressions for your visit:

Kaien wa nanji desu ka? - What time does the garden open?

Heien wa nanji desu ka? - What time does the garden close?

Otona no nyuenryo wa ikura desu ka? - What's the admission cost for one adult?

Shashin o totte moraemasu ka? - Could you take a photo of me?

This area of the garden is Bai-dosui and contains a very picturesque well with a bamboo lid and wooden bucket.

The kanji above is "Bai-dosui".

I loved the delicate moss growing on the well in this shot.

Mukojima Hyakkaen is an 8 minute walk from Higashi Mukojima station on the Tobu Isesaki line, or a 13 minute walk from Keisei Hikifune station on the Keisei Oshiage line. Or you can take the Toei Bus Kameido (Nippori route #22) and get off at the Hyakkaenmae stop. The garden is open from 9am to 5 pm (last entry at 4:30pm) all year except December 29 to January 3 and is 150 yen to enter.

Remember to click on the photos for a closer view!

Guessing time again...

This is a shop in central Tokyo:



What do you think it sells?

Tokyo is full of surprises...

While wandering around the Jingumae area in central Tokyo one rainy Sunday, a few months ago, we stumbled across this:



"Art Scape Action 99" which involved 500 artists collaborating on brightening up a drab concrete streetscape:



How spectacular is the greenery?
I love the way it's invading the artwork's space!



The art is on both sides of the road and continues for about 300 metres. It really brightened up a dreary, rainy day for us!



I particularly liked this vibrant piece.

(All photos taken by moi!)

Where on earth can I park this thing?!

Japan doesn't have a lot of space. With mountains covering 80% of the land and over 125 million people cramming into the remaining 20%, it doesn't leave much room for bicycles.

Every year the amount of legal bicycle parking space decreases, which results in footpaths being overrun with illegally parked bicycles like this:



Workers from City Hall regularly impound these bikes (daily in the city, weekly in the 'burbs) and you must pay a 2000 yen fee to reclaim it before they are auctioned off! A nice little moneyspinner for the bureaucrats and places like this:



Bicycle Parking Lots - where you can pay by the hour or rent an individual space per month. Owning a bike in Japan can be quite an expensive affair as you generally have to pay a monthly fee for the privilege of parking your bike outside your apartment building too!

(Photos taken in the streets around our house.)

Calorie Watchers Beware:

After doing some serious futon beating this morning and to ensure we have sufficient energy levels for tonight's hanabi extravaganza...this is what we had for breakky today:



French Toast

Bread (whatever kind you like, slightly thicker is best so the milk can really absorb and go all gooey!)
Milk (if you are into soy, use it...it will still taste spectacular)
Vanilla (if you are in Japan, use essence...if you are in the real world, use vanilla bean pods!)
1 tspn of sugar (or sugar substitute if you are watching the calories!)
2 eggs (use more eggs if you are cooking for more than 2)
Butter for the frying pan (you can also use spray...but it doesn't taste as good!)

In one dish mix the milk, vanilla and sugar. In a separate dish beat the eggs. Cut the bread into manageable pieces and soak briefly in the milk dish, make sure you turn it over. Hold it up over the dish to remove the excess liquid and put straight into the egg dish, following the same procedure...Turn it over, drain etc.

Fry it up until it's golden brown on both sides. Serve sprinkled with fairy dust and cinnamon and a drizzle of honey (maple syrup would also be yummy!).



I think I just made my better half fall in love with me all over again!

Here comes....Hanabi!

Natsu - summer - is well and truly here...
...and that means just one thing:



Fire Flowers! (Or Hanabi)

Tomorrow night is the annual Sumida-gawa Hanabi Taikai (The Sumida River Fireworks Display). About 20 000 fireworks will explode in a spectacular fashion over the Sumida River...and a couple of hundred thousand spectactors will be celebrating on the riverbank. Most of them will be wearing yukatas and 99.98% will be drinking beer and chowing down on excellent festival food like takoyaki and yakitori...I can hardly wait!

So, if you are in Tokyo...head on down to the Asakusa area by 7:10pm, and be ready to be gobsmacked...

(Photo taken by me at one of last summer's hanabi taikai)

Stars in my eyes...

Our recent weather may be gray, dull and dreary but the skies are anything but...as it's Tanabata time! Between July 7 and August 7 streets throughout Japan are decorated with these streamers:



Not only are they bright and cheerful, but they make a soothing rustling sound in the breeze too!

"Sasa no ha sara sara
Nokiba ni yureru
Ohoshi sama kira kira
Kin gin sunago"



Businesses sponsor them...the yellow one below is sponsored by Ito-Yokado, one of the largest supermarkets in Japan and, incidentally, the owner of 7-11!

"The bamboo leaves, rustle, rustle
shaking away in the eaves.
The stars go twinkle, twinkle;
Gold and silver grains of sand."




The shot below gives you an idea of the extent of the decorations:



The story behind Tanabata is actually rather romantic...
Two lovers, Orihime and Hikoboshi, were separated from each other and can only meet each other once a year...on Tanabata when the Milky Way allows them to cross the skies to each other...but only if the sky is clear on July 7th!

Given that July 7th is in the middle of tsuyu - the rainy season - it seems doubtful that they'll ever be able to meet!

(Photos taken around the streets near our house)

MMV...

2005 - The year that was...

• January - 5 tonnes of mayonnaise spilled across the Tomei Expressway and created a 5 km traffic jam.
• February - The Yamanote line tightened its scheduled from a 60 minute loop to 58 minutes.
• March - The Bank of Japan announced that it had $715 billion in its vaults.
• April - Japanese high school and university students get 4 hours of sleep a night as they spend so much time on their cellphones and computers.
• May - The Yasukuni Shrine website got 15 000 hits a second.
• June - Yokohama City Hall issued a 27 page manual explaining how garbage should be sorted.
• July - Cool Biz entered our vernacular (not wearing ties and jackets to work to help save the environment!)
• August - A 1 ton bomb dropped 60 years ago in Nishi Tokyo was dug up - 7 000 people were evacuated during the process.
• September - The LDP gained a greater majority than before.
• October - A robotic camera snapped a 26 foot long giant squid 3 000 feet below sea level - it lost a tentacle - all 18 feet of it!
• November - The Yamanote line was nonoperational for 5 hours - stranding millions of commuters.
• December - It snowed - briefly - in Tokyo.

Happy New Year!

Yakuoin Temple...

Takao yama...

I snapped this picture on Mt Takao - about an hour west of Tokyo - in early summer this year. Mt Takao is a sacred mountain representing the Tama area. This was one of the buildings attached to the Yakuoin Temple which is located halfway up the mountain. It was built under the orders of Emperor Shomu in 744. Apparently over 3 million people visit this temple every year!

A local rumour is that couples who climb the mountain together will separate shortly after. Luckily we'll avoid that scenario as we used the cable car to get up the mountain instead!