Many people use bikes as a means to commute to and from work each day. You actually need to have good Situational Awareness when you’re walking around the city as many of the cyclists fly through the crowds and it’s very easy to accidentally step in front of one of them. I like to play “Chicken” with them when I’m walking around. I don’t recommend doing that unless you’re my size and can sustain a hit. My scoring system: 10 points if I get them to swerve out of my way and crash, 20 points if they take out someone else while swerving and 30 points if I can get them into rush hour traffic. So far this week I’ve scored two 10-pointers.
That being said, the Japanese are very talented when it comes to riding bikes. June and July are the rainy season for Tokyo but that doesn’t prevent people from continuing to ride their bikes to work. This is where the talent comes in as they can ride and hold an umbrella at the same time. Riding a bike with one hand on a flat road is not all that difficult but they’re riding in and out of people, across various surfaces on slick rainy streets. It’s pretty amazing to watch. The real Sensei’s are the older businessmen dressed in their black suits who also smoke a cigarette while holding the umbrella and riding the bike usually with a laptop bag slung across their back. I’ve yet to score points against one of these matadors.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Japanese Honesty
One of the admirable qualities of the Japanese is their honesty especially when it comes to finding lost items. As an example, I have frequently seen a Japanese person walking along and find some small personal token on the sidewalk. They’ll pick the item up and then try and place it somewhere on the edge of the sidewalk, preferably off the ground, where the person who lost it can find it again. I’ve seen umbrellas, scarves, hats and gloves on the edges of sidewalks just waiting for their owners to reclaim them.
Here’s another good example that will really hammer home the point. The smallest Japanese bill is a 1000 Yen note worth approximately US $10. Any denominations smaller than the 1000 Yen note come in the form of coins: 500 Yen ($5), 100 Yen ($1), 50 Yen etc etc. Because it’s pretty easy to accumulate change over here, it’s noisy carrying them in your pants pockets. I’ve found that when I do that and walk, all I hear is “kaching, kaching, kaching”. It sounds like I’m wearing spurs and since many foreign countries consider Americans as “cowboys” anyway, I try to avoid the stereotype and usually carry my change in my shirt pocket. So recently I had a 500 Yen coin in my shirt pocket and while I was retrieving change for the vending machine in our break room, I accidently dropped the 500 Yen coin on the floor. I thought I heard a coin drop and looked on the floor but didn’t see it so I shrugged it off and went on my merry way. A couple hours later when we were at lunch, my part of the bill was 800 Yen. I knew, or at least thought I knew, that I had a 500 Yen coin as well as a couple of 100 Yen coins in my pocket to pay for the bill. Nope. No 500 Yen coin in the pocket. I knew right than that I did drop the 500 Yen coin in the break room.
It may have only been $5 but I was still PO’d all the same mainly because I heard the coin drop and didn’t take the time to really look for it. However, when we got back to the office I happened to walk past the break room and, lo and behold, there on top of a file cabinet right outside the break room was my 500 Yen coin. Think about that for a second. First, one of my Japanese co-workers found the coin and didn’t bother to pocket it. He or she then placed the coin on top of the file cabinet in full view of the entire floor. There are probably about 50 people who work on that floor and someone goes by that cabinet every few minutes to the break room. Yet no one bothered to pocket the coin because it wasn’t theirs. In my home office, I could drop a $5 bill in front of my co-workers and not only would they insist it was theirs but they’d probably shank me for it.
Here’s another good example that will really hammer home the point. The smallest Japanese bill is a 1000 Yen note worth approximately US $10. Any denominations smaller than the 1000 Yen note come in the form of coins: 500 Yen ($5), 100 Yen ($1), 50 Yen etc etc. Because it’s pretty easy to accumulate change over here, it’s noisy carrying them in your pants pockets. I’ve found that when I do that and walk, all I hear is “kaching, kaching, kaching”. It sounds like I’m wearing spurs and since many foreign countries consider Americans as “cowboys” anyway, I try to avoid the stereotype and usually carry my change in my shirt pocket. So recently I had a 500 Yen coin in my shirt pocket and while I was retrieving change for the vending machine in our break room, I accidently dropped the 500 Yen coin on the floor. I thought I heard a coin drop and looked on the floor but didn’t see it so I shrugged it off and went on my merry way. A couple hours later when we were at lunch, my part of the bill was 800 Yen. I knew, or at least thought I knew, that I had a 500 Yen coin as well as a couple of 100 Yen coins in my pocket to pay for the bill. Nope. No 500 Yen coin in the pocket. I knew right than that I did drop the 500 Yen coin in the break room.
It may have only been $5 but I was still PO’d all the same mainly because I heard the coin drop and didn’t take the time to really look for it. However, when we got back to the office I happened to walk past the break room and, lo and behold, there on top of a file cabinet right outside the break room was my 500 Yen coin. Think about that for a second. First, one of my Japanese co-workers found the coin and didn’t bother to pocket it. He or she then placed the coin on top of the file cabinet in full view of the entire floor. There are probably about 50 people who work on that floor and someone goes by that cabinet every few minutes to the break room. Yet no one bothered to pocket the coin because it wasn’t theirs. In my home office, I could drop a $5 bill in front of my co-workers and not only would they insist it was theirs but they’d probably shank me for it.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Bidet Contest
Time for another contest.
This one came to me one day when I was using my Washlet or Super Toilet (ST) in my bathroom.
I don’t believe I mentioned this previously in the blog but a lot of the hotels, office buildings, restaurants and apartments are installed with Super Toilets. They almost always have an integrated bidet and some have other features. My apartment’s Washlet also has a heated seat. Fantastic feature. When I return home in August I’m going to dismantle the Super Toilet and pack it into my three suitcases. I might have to leave behind some items (gifts, clothes, critical medical prescriptions and laptop), but screw it, it’s got a heated seat for God’s sake!
That’ll be priceless come January in Pennsylvania.
This one came to me one day when I was using my Washlet or Super Toilet (ST) in my bathroom.
I don’t believe I mentioned this previously in the blog but a lot of the hotels, office buildings, restaurants and apartments are installed with Super Toilets. They almost always have an integrated bidet and some have other features. My apartment’s Washlet also has a heated seat. Fantastic feature. When I return home in August I’m going to dismantle the Super Toilet and pack it into my three suitcases. I might have to leave behind some items (gifts, clothes, critical medical prescriptions and laptop), but screw it, it’s got a heated seat for God’s sake!
That’ll be priceless come January in Pennsylvania.
Check out the control panel on the ST:
Anyway, one day while pondering life sitting on the ST I decided to play with the controls. I activated the bidet and cranked the Water Pressure knob to maximum which nearly knocked me off the seat. No wonder the cleaning staff turned the Water Pressure knob to low. There’s a Japanese sign in the bathroom which obviously I can’t read but it probably says something like, “Warning. Use of high pressure may result in small children being thrown through walls.”
So this near (rectal) death experience got me to thinking, “I wonder how far that water would shoot out if I wasn’t sitting there?” And thus this contest was born. Your challenge will be to guess in inches, how far the bidet can shoot water when set at three quarters pressure. I’m afraid if I set it at full pressure I might take out the apartment building across the street from mine. Whoever guesses closest to the farthest splash of water wins. The winner will be awarded a similar prize as offered in the Tokyo Price Is Right Contest blog.
Rules
(1.) All guesses must be submitted by midnight (U.S. time) on July 15th.
(2.) In order to make a guess, you can add a comment to this specific blog or you can email me at craig@waverka.com.
(3.) Guesses can be in one of the following measurements: inches, feet, feet and inches, kilometers or parsecs.
(4.) The winner will be the guess that is closest (on either side) to the farthest drop of water thrown
Meaningless Clues
(1.) The Washlet is a Toto Model TCF521R
(2.) The bidet nozzle extends approximately 3 inches into the bowl and this measurement will be subtracted from the end measurement for true distance
Good luck.
So this near (rectal) death experience got me to thinking, “I wonder how far that water would shoot out if I wasn’t sitting there?” And thus this contest was born. Your challenge will be to guess in inches, how far the bidet can shoot water when set at three quarters pressure. I’m afraid if I set it at full pressure I might take out the apartment building across the street from mine. Whoever guesses closest to the farthest splash of water wins. The winner will be awarded a similar prize as offered in the Tokyo Price Is Right Contest blog.
Rules
(1.) All guesses must be submitted by midnight (U.S. time) on July 15th.
(2.) In order to make a guess, you can add a comment to this specific blog or you can email me at craig@waverka.com.
(3.) Guesses can be in one of the following measurements: inches, feet, feet and inches, kilometers or parsecs.
(4.) The winner will be the guess that is closest (on either side) to the farthest drop of water thrown
Meaningless Clues
(1.) The Washlet is a Toto Model TCF521R
(2.) The bidet nozzle extends approximately 3 inches into the bowl and this measurement will be subtracted from the end measurement for true distance
Good luck.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
EUI
I'm trying to coin a new phrase called "EUI" which stands for "Experimenting Under the Influence". I've got a theory that many great experiments and inventions were not successfully achieved until the scientist or inventor was completely hammered. My proof is an experiment I carried out tonight.....while Under the Influence, not quite hammered, but definitely UI.
I had dinner with some co-workers at a restaurant that is located on the West side of the Shinagawa train station, the "good side" of the tracks. My apartment lies a few blocks away on the East side of the station. After stumbling out of the restaurant, the quickest way back to my apartment is to cut through the station which is several city blocks long. As I entered the station at about 9:00 PM, I was amazed at the volume of people heading West through the station. I shouldn't have been that surprised as most of the corporate buildings lie East of the station and since people tend to work very late, in order to catch their homebound trains, they need to cross to the West side of the station where the main tracks are. In the morning it's just the opposite flow and when I need to get to the West-side tracks, I usually need to make my way to the side walls in order to make it past the mass exodus of people flooding out of the station. Not tonight though. It's amazing what a different thought process one has when UI.
Thus it was as I watched the oncoming tsunami of black suits that I decided to conduct a Fluid Dynamics experiment. Fluid being the multiple beers I downed in the restaurant and Dynamics being the decision to see whether I could walk straight up the center of the station against the flow of pedestrians without having someone run into me. Now, I will admit this experiment may be slightly biased based upon my size and the grim determination I had on my face to make it all the way through without contacting someone. I wish I had videotaped the experiment because it probably would have looked like a Humvee Wind Tunnel test. I almost made it all the way through but right before the exit I noticed an old woman with a walker on a collision course with me. She was trying to correct her course but she didn't have the strength to slide that walker fast enough to get out of the way. I felt a little guilty when I made contact. The forearm to her head I applied didn't help either but without it I would have strayed from my straight line. Alright, that's a bit of embellishment. The Japanese don't use walkers; it was more of a bamboo walking cane.
As any scientifically minded person would agree, I'll need to try and repeat this experiment multiple times in order to prove my theory. Next time to avoid the old ladies I'm thinking of acquiring a TAZER. I figure I can hit them at a distance and while they're shaking on the ground they should roll out of my path.
That's all for tonight. Everyone stay safe and out of my way.
I had dinner with some co-workers at a restaurant that is located on the West side of the Shinagawa train station, the "good side" of the tracks. My apartment lies a few blocks away on the East side of the station. After stumbling out of the restaurant, the quickest way back to my apartment is to cut through the station which is several city blocks long. As I entered the station at about 9:00 PM, I was amazed at the volume of people heading West through the station. I shouldn't have been that surprised as most of the corporate buildings lie East of the station and since people tend to work very late, in order to catch their homebound trains, they need to cross to the West side of the station where the main tracks are. In the morning it's just the opposite flow and when I need to get to the West-side tracks, I usually need to make my way to the side walls in order to make it past the mass exodus of people flooding out of the station. Not tonight though. It's amazing what a different thought process one has when UI.
Thus it was as I watched the oncoming tsunami of black suits that I decided to conduct a Fluid Dynamics experiment. Fluid being the multiple beers I downed in the restaurant and Dynamics being the decision to see whether I could walk straight up the center of the station against the flow of pedestrians without having someone run into me. Now, I will admit this experiment may be slightly biased based upon my size and the grim determination I had on my face to make it all the way through without contacting someone. I wish I had videotaped the experiment because it probably would have looked like a Humvee Wind Tunnel test. I almost made it all the way through but right before the exit I noticed an old woman with a walker on a collision course with me. She was trying to correct her course but she didn't have the strength to slide that walker fast enough to get out of the way. I felt a little guilty when I made contact. The forearm to her head I applied didn't help either but without it I would have strayed from my straight line. Alright, that's a bit of embellishment. The Japanese don't use walkers; it was more of a bamboo walking cane.
As any scientifically minded person would agree, I'll need to try and repeat this experiment multiple times in order to prove my theory. Next time to avoid the old ladies I'm thinking of acquiring a TAZER. I figure I can hit them at a distance and while they're shaking on the ground they should roll out of my path.
That's all for tonight. Everyone stay safe and out of my way.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Blog Instructions
After traveling back home last week and talking with various people about the blog, I discovered that some people weren’t fully exploring the hyperlinks (text and photo albums) that were embedded in the blog or were not sure how to subscribe to the blog which provides email notifications when blog updates occur.
So this blog is more of an instructional entry than a comment on Japan.
Hyperlinks
Although I don’t frequently embed hyperlinks, there are a few blogs that contain them but apparently no one may have explored them. As an example, here’s an embedded hyperlink from the “What’s an “Izakaya”?” blog:
The Japanese LOVE bacon (who doesn’t) and I’m amazed at how many dishes you find it in. It’s never overcooked like the crispy bacon in the States.
Click on the “LOVE bacon” hyperlink but have your volume turned up a little bit. Don’t worry it’s not going to get you in trouble if you’re at work.
Photos & Photo Albums
Embedded within the blog are both individual photos and photo album hyperlinks. An example of an embedded photo can be found in the "Did You Ever Notice..." blog. If you click on the picture, it will enlarge the photo but there's only one photo. An example of an embedded photo album can be found in the "Japanese BBQ" blog. Photo albums usually will be a square picture embedded within the blog that when clicked will take you to Picasa Online Albums.
Subscribing
If you would like to be notified when a new blog entry has been made, you can also "subscribe" to the blog.
On the main page to the right, there's a "Followers" panel. Click on the gray Google "Follow" button. This should bring up a new window. If you already have a Google, AIM or Yahoo! account, you can sign in with one of these accounts. You can also create a new Google account by clicking on the hyperlink in the new window. Simply fill in the Account info and once created, you'll be automatically notified via email when a new blog entry occurs.
So this blog is more of an instructional entry than a comment on Japan.
Hyperlinks
Although I don’t frequently embed hyperlinks, there are a few blogs that contain them but apparently no one may have explored them. As an example, here’s an embedded hyperlink from the “What’s an “Izakaya”?” blog:
The Japanese LOVE bacon (who doesn’t) and I’m amazed at how many dishes you find it in. It’s never overcooked like the crispy bacon in the States.
Click on the “LOVE bacon” hyperlink but have your volume turned up a little bit. Don’t worry it’s not going to get you in trouble if you’re at work.
Photos & Photo Albums
Embedded within the blog are both individual photos and photo album hyperlinks. An example of an embedded photo can be found in the "Did You Ever Notice..." blog. If you click on the picture, it will enlarge the photo but there's only one photo. An example of an embedded photo album can be found in the "Japanese BBQ" blog. Photo albums usually will be a square picture embedded within the blog that when clicked will take you to Picasa Online Albums.
Subscribing
If you would like to be notified when a new blog entry has been made, you can also "subscribe" to the blog.
On the main page to the right, there's a "Followers" panel. Click on the gray Google "Follow" button. This should bring up a new window. If you already have a Google, AIM or Yahoo! account, you can sign in with one of these accounts. You can also create a new Google account by clicking on the hyperlink in the new window. Simply fill in the Account info and once created, you'll be automatically notified via email when a new blog entry occurs.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Did You Ever Notice.....
I’ll be taking a short break from the blog as I’ll be traveling back to the States from Jun 11-19 to see the family. Prior to my departure I figured I would throw in one quick blog on various observations or stories that didn’t fit into any specific blog I may have posted so far.
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I’ve pointed out that black suits are fairly standard business attire for Japanese men. But here’s something I don’t get. When it rains, which is starting to occur more frequently as we’re entering Japan’s rainy season, one would assume Japanese men would use a black umbrella. But no, this is where standardization flies out the window. In fact, one of the most popular umbrellas is the clear plastic umbrella. I suppose it helps when walking the crowded Tokyo streets to be able to see better but I can’t help but think I used to have that type of umbrella when I was six. Although mine might also have had a cartoon character on it, probably Snoopy. I’m seriously debating finding an adult clear plastic cartoon umbrella and bringing it back to Japan just to mess with their minds or to start a new fashion trend.
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One of the more popular hair colors for elderly women that I’ve seen over here is light purple. Yes, that’s not a typo. Light purple. I’m being serious. The first elderly woman I saw with this hair color, I thought, “Man, that poor woman must have gone to an inexperienced stylist. I would have loved to seen her face when she saw herself in the mirror.” However, a few days after I saw the first woman, I saw another lavender-locks elderly woman and it was definitely not the same woman. So now I’m thinking there’s this maniacal hair stylist loose in Tokyo playing a purple prank on elderly woman who might not have the eyesight to see what he/she is doing to their hair. Two weekends ago I did a lot of sightseeing and was all over Tokyo and saw about ten elderly women with the same light purple hair color so I decided to do a search on the web and, sure enough, found a comment on the purple hair phenomenon.
It is a fashion. Japanese women don't like white hair. White hair will become yellowish if we are idle in caring for our hair. It looks dirty. Older women like purple on their hair best. An elder woman whom I know said to me that she would liked to get older sooner to have very white hair, then she can dye her hair her favorite color.
I think it’s also more than fashion. Japanese society can be rigid in certain ways and I think these women have reached an age where they don’t feel bound to the traditions and codes that applied to them earlier in their life. I’m all for the difference. It’s nice to see a little splash of color in a sea of gray and black.
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Did anyone notice something unique about the picture of the groceries in the “Tokyo-version of the Price Is Right” blog. Take a look at this image.
The limes are wrapped nicely in plastic with a little twist-tie on it! Why would you wrap a lime? It naturally comes with a wrapper.
------------------
The vending machines in the office are forcing me to exercise and I loathe them on a personal level. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not an exercise nut. The machines are nearly identical to those in the States except for one sinister difference. The pickup tray for the machine is about eight inches off the floor and whereas that may be a perfectly acceptable height for your average Japanese citizen, it’s a pain in the ass when your 6’4”.
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I’m really starting to enjoy the subway commute on the way home especially if I hit peak of rush hour. When you’re packed in like sardines you can always count on getting groped. Once was even by a woman. Okay, I made that one up, she wasn’t a woman, more like a pre-op tranny. Reno, that one’s for you.
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One Japanese Yen is roughly equivalent to a U.S. penny and is just as worthless. Plus they look and feel like they might be a token from a Chuck E. Cheese-type restaurant.
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Japanese taxis rule. You never have a problem finding one. They’re super clean. The doors open automatically. A lot of them have little TVs for your viewing pleasure. The drivers are very professional and you don’t need to tip the driver which is a general rule in Japan, no tipping required. I’ve talked with my Japanese co-workers about tipping and they are equally perplexed as to this American custom as I am about several of theirs.
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Major faux-pas at the office a few weeks back. A female co-worker handed me what I thought was a little bottle of Purell hand lotion. I thought “okay, it’s been two weeks and maybe I’m starting to get that desperate look”. I asked if she was willing to help out. She then pointed to the label which when read more closely said “Purell Hand Sanitizer”. The company was handing them out as a swine flu prevention measure. Whoops.
Okay, before anyone thinks I’m actually soliciting female co-workers that was obviously a joke. The company did pass out hand sanitizer which, it turns out, can be used for more than swine flu prevention. I’m on my third bottle.
------------------
Tokyo is super clean. No litter on the streets. Which is amazing since you won’t see a trash can for miles in this city. If you walk out of a store with a food item, you better be prepared to carry that trash back to your apartment. What litter that does occur in the city does not stay on the streets for long either. Here’s a little tourist travel trash tip, the best time for trash viewing is Sunday morning but be up and about early. A few Sundays ago I was up early and walked over to some stores close to the train station by my apartment. I need to cross a bridge to get to the station and there are several mini-gardens and shrubs right near the bridge entrance. Apparently some late Saturday night revelers decided to dump their fast food bags and napkins in the shrubs and one of them dumped (guess how) their soba noodle dinner on the other side of the bridge. I was in the stores for maybe an hour or two and by the time I walked back, the soba dinner was gone and the sidewalk washed and the trash from the shrubs was picked up. It’s like they’re using cleaning leprechauns. I’m determined to snap a photo of one before I leave here.
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------------------
I’ve pointed out that black suits are fairly standard business attire for Japanese men. But here’s something I don’t get. When it rains, which is starting to occur more frequently as we’re entering Japan’s rainy season, one would assume Japanese men would use a black umbrella. But no, this is where standardization flies out the window. In fact, one of the most popular umbrellas is the clear plastic umbrella. I suppose it helps when walking the crowded Tokyo streets to be able to see better but I can’t help but think I used to have that type of umbrella when I was six. Although mine might also have had a cartoon character on it, probably Snoopy. I’m seriously debating finding an adult clear plastic cartoon umbrella and bringing it back to Japan just to mess with their minds or to start a new fashion trend.
------------------
One of the more popular hair colors for elderly women that I’ve seen over here is light purple. Yes, that’s not a typo. Light purple. I’m being serious. The first elderly woman I saw with this hair color, I thought, “Man, that poor woman must have gone to an inexperienced stylist. I would have loved to seen her face when she saw herself in the mirror.” However, a few days after I saw the first woman, I saw another lavender-locks elderly woman and it was definitely not the same woman. So now I’m thinking there’s this maniacal hair stylist loose in Tokyo playing a purple prank on elderly woman who might not have the eyesight to see what he/she is doing to their hair. Two weekends ago I did a lot of sightseeing and was all over Tokyo and saw about ten elderly women with the same light purple hair color so I decided to do a search on the web and, sure enough, found a comment on the purple hair phenomenon.
It is a fashion. Japanese women don't like white hair. White hair will become yellowish if we are idle in caring for our hair. It looks dirty. Older women like purple on their hair best. An elder woman whom I know said to me that she would liked to get older sooner to have very white hair, then she can dye her hair her favorite color.
I think it’s also more than fashion. Japanese society can be rigid in certain ways and I think these women have reached an age where they don’t feel bound to the traditions and codes that applied to them earlier in their life. I’m all for the difference. It’s nice to see a little splash of color in a sea of gray and black.
------------------
Did anyone notice something unique about the picture of the groceries in the “Tokyo-version of the Price Is Right” blog. Take a look at this image.
The limes are wrapped nicely in plastic with a little twist-tie on it! Why would you wrap a lime? It naturally comes with a wrapper.
------------------
The vending machines in the office are forcing me to exercise and I loathe them on a personal level. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not an exercise nut. The machines are nearly identical to those in the States except for one sinister difference. The pickup tray for the machine is about eight inches off the floor and whereas that may be a perfectly acceptable height for your average Japanese citizen, it’s a pain in the ass when your 6’4”.
------------------
I’m really starting to enjoy the subway commute on the way home especially if I hit peak of rush hour. When you’re packed in like sardines you can always count on getting groped. Once was even by a woman. Okay, I made that one up, she wasn’t a woman, more like a pre-op tranny. Reno, that one’s for you.
------------------
One Japanese Yen is roughly equivalent to a U.S. penny and is just as worthless. Plus they look and feel like they might be a token from a Chuck E. Cheese-type restaurant.
------------------
Japanese taxis rule. You never have a problem finding one. They’re super clean. The doors open automatically. A lot of them have little TVs for your viewing pleasure. The drivers are very professional and you don’t need to tip the driver which is a general rule in Japan, no tipping required. I’ve talked with my Japanese co-workers about tipping and they are equally perplexed as to this American custom as I am about several of theirs.
------------------
Major faux-pas at the office a few weeks back. A female co-worker handed me what I thought was a little bottle of Purell hand lotion. I thought “okay, it’s been two weeks and maybe I’m starting to get that desperate look”. I asked if she was willing to help out. She then pointed to the label which when read more closely said “Purell Hand Sanitizer”. The company was handing them out as a swine flu prevention measure. Whoops.
Okay, before anyone thinks I’m actually soliciting female co-workers that was obviously a joke. The company did pass out hand sanitizer which, it turns out, can be used for more than swine flu prevention. I’m on my third bottle.
------------------
Tokyo is super clean. No litter on the streets. Which is amazing since you won’t see a trash can for miles in this city. If you walk out of a store with a food item, you better be prepared to carry that trash back to your apartment. What litter that does occur in the city does not stay on the streets for long either. Here’s a little tourist travel trash tip, the best time for trash viewing is Sunday morning but be up and about early. A few Sundays ago I was up early and walked over to some stores close to the train station by my apartment. I need to cross a bridge to get to the station and there are several mini-gardens and shrubs right near the bridge entrance. Apparently some late Saturday night revelers decided to dump their fast food bags and napkins in the shrubs and one of them dumped (guess how) their soba noodle dinner on the other side of the bridge. I was in the stores for maybe an hour or two and by the time I walked back, the soba dinner was gone and the sidewalk washed and the trash from the shrubs was picked up. It’s like they’re using cleaning leprechauns. I’m determined to snap a photo of one before I leave here.
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Monday, June 8, 2009
Japanese BBQ
I didn’t get a chance to blog about this earlier but figured it was worth adding a post. On Sunday, May 31st, I was invited to my Department’s BBQ. The BBQ was held at the Wakasu Campground which is about 5 miles East of my apartment but it took me 90 minutes to get there (15 minutes to walk to the Shinagawa train station, 30 minutes on two different trains to the Shinkiba train station and then a 45 minute, 3 mile walk from the train station to the campground). There are apparently buses that head out from the Station to the Campground but I couldn’t figure it out. Plus I didn’t mind the exercise and it was a nice walk as you crossed several bridges along Tokyo Bay to get out to the island.
When I reached the campgrounds, it was about 11:30 am and I was told to be there around 11:00 so I figured I would see some company signs. No such luck. Imagine walking around a large campground area trying to spot a Japanese co-worker at 100 yards when everyone is roughly the same height and body build. I approached several campsites but each time the campers screamed and fled in terror possibly thinking I was some kind of Japanese Sasquatch. Luckily I spotted a tall Caucasian in one group and figured it had to be one of my co-workers who is from New Zealand. Bingo. Thank God because after the 3 mile walk I really needed a beer.
Although I was told this was a department BBQ, it turned out that only about 6-7 families made the trek out for the day. I can’t say I blame them. When you work 12+ hours (in the office) a day, the last thing you want to do with your precious weekend time is spend it with your co-workers and boss. Nonetheless, the families who did show up had a good time and the food was fantastic. I was really looking forward to the BBQ as the woman organizing the event had mentioned she was bringing Kobe beef which I’ve never had before.
Only one family brought a propane gas grill and the main grills were fueled with charcoal briquettes. No lighter fuel used either. Just a match and people, including myself, fanning the briquettes with a Japanese fan to get the fire going.
They didn’t waste any time but brought the Kobe beef steaks out right away. The organizer had about five steaks that were each about ten inches in diameter and an inch-thick. Kobe beef isn’t a dark, rich red like a U.S. steak but is marbled throughout with fat. The meat itself is lighter in color as well. They also treated these steaks right. No marinade. Right on the grill for a slight sear on both sides and only a little seasoning added. They sliced them pretty quickly after taking them off the grill and I was wondering if the juice would all spill out like a U.S steak that isn’t allowed to rest properly but that wasn’t the case. While they were grilling up the Kobe steaks they also grilled up some small sausages which were almost like a breakfast sausage link. Along side the sausages were large chunks of grilled vegetables (onions, thick green onion stalks, peppers and big straw mushrooms). This entire first course was served with soy sauce in dishes around the tables. Grab a pair of ohashi (chopsticks) and dig in.
I gingerly picked up my first slice of Kobe beef and admired all that fat riddled throughout the meat. I would say the meat was done medium rare which is how I like a U.S steak but I’m not sure if that’s an accurate description. I popped that first piece of heaven into my mouth and glanced around me. The sun was shining brightly and glistening off the waves out on Tokyo Bay. I had a cold Suntory in my hands and that piece of Kobe was just melting in my mouth. Not much chewing required. If you’re thinking I’m being overly dramatic here, you may be right but when you’re a true carnivore, this is a pilgrimage one needs to make in your lifetime. My co-workers looked at me and gave me a knowing nod. No words needed to be spoken.
Now came the difficult part, sharing. My base instinct was to start shoveling the meat into my mouth like I was the American Werewolf in Tokyo devouring a citizen but the Japanese above all else are extremely well mannered so patience was the motto of the day. Surprisingly, although everyone was enjoying the beef, there was plenty to go around and I didn’t have to cause an international incident.
If the food ended there, it would have been an excellent meal. But they were only getting started. Next on the grill were short-ribs with a soy sauce marinade, enormous tiger shrimp and several whole squid (minus the tentacles). The shrimp and squid were lightly seasoned as well but with a different spice mixture than the beef. They sliced the squid into huge calamari rings. The rings were probably 2-3 inches in diameter and surprisingly tender. I only had one shrimp but I really enjoyed the squid. As delicious as the squid was, I can’t say I’ll be grilling that up this Fall at my Penn State tailgates. It works in Japan but would really be out of place in Central Pennsylvania. Accompanying the ribs, shrimp and squid were grilled chunks of eggplant and pumpkin. Different but it worked with those dishes somehow. One of my co-workers also served up a soup at this time. I guess it could best be described as a miso soup with chunks of tofu and vegetables. In the U.S., I’ve had miso soup plenty of times but am never that wild about it. For some reason, over here, I love it and it’s going to be one of the simple things I miss when I return to the States. Along with cheap booze.
Their final course of the day for the adults was a stir fry. They placed large aluminum pans on top of the grates and sautéed various vegetables (cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots) and then added a Chinese ramen noodle (not that cheap dried-out ramen crap we sell in the States) but long soft noodles to the mixture. To sprinkle on top of the stir fry was a diced pickled ginger and finely shredded seaweed. Simple but very satisfying.
For the kids after the meal, they had marshmallows and it was good to see that U.S. campfire favorite being used. But they also had sticky rice that was shaped into 3-inch hearts and stars. They grilled the rice until it was slightly carmelized and then shoved popsicle sticks into them and handed them out to the kids who sat there happily licking and chomping away at their grilled rice treats.
Although I was told this was a department BBQ, it turned out that only about 6-7 families made the trek out for the day. I can’t say I blame them. When you work 12+ hours (in the office) a day, the last thing you want to do with your precious weekend time is spend it with your co-workers and boss. Nonetheless, the families who did show up had a good time and the food was fantastic. I was really looking forward to the BBQ as the woman organizing the event had mentioned she was bringing Kobe beef which I’ve never had before.
Only one family brought a propane gas grill and the main grills were fueled with charcoal briquettes. No lighter fuel used either. Just a match and people, including myself, fanning the briquettes with a Japanese fan to get the fire going.
They didn’t waste any time but brought the Kobe beef steaks out right away. The organizer had about five steaks that were each about ten inches in diameter and an inch-thick. Kobe beef isn’t a dark, rich red like a U.S. steak but is marbled throughout with fat. The meat itself is lighter in color as well. They also treated these steaks right. No marinade. Right on the grill for a slight sear on both sides and only a little seasoning added. They sliced them pretty quickly after taking them off the grill and I was wondering if the juice would all spill out like a U.S steak that isn’t allowed to rest properly but that wasn’t the case. While they were grilling up the Kobe steaks they also grilled up some small sausages which were almost like a breakfast sausage link. Along side the sausages were large chunks of grilled vegetables (onions, thick green onion stalks, peppers and big straw mushrooms). This entire first course was served with soy sauce in dishes around the tables. Grab a pair of ohashi (chopsticks) and dig in.
I gingerly picked up my first slice of Kobe beef and admired all that fat riddled throughout the meat. I would say the meat was done medium rare which is how I like a U.S steak but I’m not sure if that’s an accurate description. I popped that first piece of heaven into my mouth and glanced around me. The sun was shining brightly and glistening off the waves out on Tokyo Bay. I had a cold Suntory in my hands and that piece of Kobe was just melting in my mouth. Not much chewing required. If you’re thinking I’m being overly dramatic here, you may be right but when you’re a true carnivore, this is a pilgrimage one needs to make in your lifetime. My co-workers looked at me and gave me a knowing nod. No words needed to be spoken.
Now came the difficult part, sharing. My base instinct was to start shoveling the meat into my mouth like I was the American Werewolf in Tokyo devouring a citizen but the Japanese above all else are extremely well mannered so patience was the motto of the day. Surprisingly, although everyone was enjoying the beef, there was plenty to go around and I didn’t have to cause an international incident.
If the food ended there, it would have been an excellent meal. But they were only getting started. Next on the grill were short-ribs with a soy sauce marinade, enormous tiger shrimp and several whole squid (minus the tentacles). The shrimp and squid were lightly seasoned as well but with a different spice mixture than the beef. They sliced the squid into huge calamari rings. The rings were probably 2-3 inches in diameter and surprisingly tender. I only had one shrimp but I really enjoyed the squid. As delicious as the squid was, I can’t say I’ll be grilling that up this Fall at my Penn State tailgates. It works in Japan but would really be out of place in Central Pennsylvania. Accompanying the ribs, shrimp and squid were grilled chunks of eggplant and pumpkin. Different but it worked with those dishes somehow. One of my co-workers also served up a soup at this time. I guess it could best be described as a miso soup with chunks of tofu and vegetables. In the U.S., I’ve had miso soup plenty of times but am never that wild about it. For some reason, over here, I love it and it’s going to be one of the simple things I miss when I return to the States. Along with cheap booze.
Their final course of the day for the adults was a stir fry. They placed large aluminum pans on top of the grates and sautéed various vegetables (cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots) and then added a Chinese ramen noodle (not that cheap dried-out ramen crap we sell in the States) but long soft noodles to the mixture. To sprinkle on top of the stir fry was a diced pickled ginger and finely shredded seaweed. Simple but very satisfying.
For the kids after the meal, they had marshmallows and it was good to see that U.S. campfire favorite being used. But they also had sticky rice that was shaped into 3-inch hearts and stars. They grilled the rice until it was slightly carmelized and then shoved popsicle sticks into them and handed them out to the kids who sat there happily licking and chomping away at their grilled rice treats.
Overall a great day and another excellent meal.
Motion-less Detector?
I know I haven’t included any photos yet of myself standing next to Japanese people but an incident just happened that might give you an idea of Japanese people’s stature.
Occasionally during the day I'll take a short break to step outside for some fresh air. The entrance to our office building is a large double glass door with a motion sensor at the top. As you approach the doors, they open automatically. So you can imagine my surprise when as I was walking to the exit that at the same time I could see a Japanese man standing right outside the doors but they weren’t opening. The guy was in early twenties and was dressed in the standard issue black suit. He was probably about 5’5” but had the typically Japanese slight build. Before I got to the exit, the man gave up and started walking along the side to find another entrance. I stepped outside. The man heard the door open and rushed back but the doors closed before he got there. I was off to the side and watched as he stood right beneath the motion sensor but those doors wouldn’t open! Which meant one of two things, either he was a vampire and just like a mirror can’t display the vampire’s reflection, the motion sensor couldn’t see him or he was so slight in stature the sensor couldn’t see him. I contemplated staking him but given that it was 3:00 in the afternoon and the sun was shining I figured maybe I should go with the latter. He gave up trying to get into the building and started walking back towards the road. I walked over to the doors and “Open Sesame” they parted like the Red Sea. I yelled a “Sumimasen” (Excuse Me) to get the man’s attention and when he turned I pointed to the open doors. I had to stand there until he got into the building. Bizarre. I’ve seen those doors open when a bee flew by.
Occasionally during the day I'll take a short break to step outside for some fresh air. The entrance to our office building is a large double glass door with a motion sensor at the top. As you approach the doors, they open automatically. So you can imagine my surprise when as I was walking to the exit that at the same time I could see a Japanese man standing right outside the doors but they weren’t opening. The guy was in early twenties and was dressed in the standard issue black suit. He was probably about 5’5” but had the typically Japanese slight build. Before I got to the exit, the man gave up and started walking along the side to find another entrance. I stepped outside. The man heard the door open and rushed back but the doors closed before he got there. I was off to the side and watched as he stood right beneath the motion sensor but those doors wouldn’t open! Which meant one of two things, either he was a vampire and just like a mirror can’t display the vampire’s reflection, the motion sensor couldn’t see him or he was so slight in stature the sensor couldn’t see him. I contemplated staking him but given that it was 3:00 in the afternoon and the sun was shining I figured maybe I should go with the latter. He gave up trying to get into the building and started walking back towards the road. I walked over to the doors and “Open Sesame” they parted like the Red Sea. I yelled a “Sumimasen” (Excuse Me) to get the man’s attention and when he turned I pointed to the open doors. I had to stand there until he got into the building. Bizarre. I’ve seen those doors open when a bee flew by.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Spicy Food in Japan
I had dinner at Devi India last night and I thought I might have a good blog as a result so I'm posting it while it's fresh in my mind. For those who know me, you know I love spicy food. That's been one of the biggest drawbacks with living in Tokyo. The Japanese, in general, do not eat spicy food. Yes, wasabi can be extremely spicy but what I've found so far is that they use it sparingly in the nigirizushi. They don't want the heat of the wasabi to overcome the clean, fresh taste of the fish. That's a good thing.
However, if you're used to spicy food, it's lacking here. After about seven days without a real kick in my food, I finally found the Tabasco sauces in the grocery stores and despite being fairly expensive, it's well worth the price. When I explained to some of my Japanese co-workers what I was putting the Tabasco sauce on (cabbage, cucumbers, rice, ice cream, you name it), I think they were horrified. Earlier in the week, the one team I'm working with must have decided to take pity on me because they took me to the "red" restaurant. They call it the "red" restaurant not because of the color of the store but because of the color of the food. The restaurant is Chinese and they only serve two or three dishes with the primary being a noodle soup and you pick the level of heat. The chili oil gives the soup a rich red color. I ordered the hottest available and my co-workers said, "Are you sure you want to do that? We normally get the medium-level." Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! One of my co-workers ordered the medium and the other ordered the mild. The waitress laid a huge bowl of spicy noodle soup in front of me and you could see the chili oil pooling on the top of the broth. It was heaven. Hot but not overpowering. They also provided a bowl of rice and a spicy tofu stir fry to accompany the soup and the rice helped cut the heat from the soup. One of the better meals I've had over here for my tastes. Plus it was fun watching my co-worker Koga-san sweat like crazy as he tried to eat his bowl of medium heat soup. He couldn't finish it. Although they were amazed I could finish the hottest soup I tried to explain to them that many Americans really love hot, spicy foods.
Last night's meal at the Indian restaurant was also one of the better meals I've had but obviously nothing traditionally Japanese (other than the beer) about it. I started with a large draft of Asahi ($10). I thought this was going to be like an imperial pint (20 oz) but the waiter brought this huge glass mug that must have held 25-30 oz. After walking all around Tokyo for the day, the beer just tasted so good. I started with some Onion Bhaji (rings) which was served with a green sauce.
The main meal was a mutton stew with tomatoes and onions and it was labeled on the menu as the second hottest meal next to their Chicken Vindaloo. It was spicy but not really hot. I ordered it with naan bread which was made fresh and arrived at the table hot with parts of the crust crisp. Fantastic meal. When I tried that first spoonful of lamb in a dark brown sauce infused with various Indian spices and chilis, I knew I found a restaurant that I'll be coming back to. I struck up a conversation with the waiter who was Indian and had been in Tokyo for ten years. He asked if I thought the meal was too hot and I told him no but I was used to spicier foods. He challenged me to come back and order the Vindaloo. Game on.
However, if you're used to spicy food, it's lacking here. After about seven days without a real kick in my food, I finally found the Tabasco sauces in the grocery stores and despite being fairly expensive, it's well worth the price. When I explained to some of my Japanese co-workers what I was putting the Tabasco sauce on (cabbage, cucumbers, rice, ice cream, you name it), I think they were horrified. Earlier in the week, the one team I'm working with must have decided to take pity on me because they took me to the "red" restaurant. They call it the "red" restaurant not because of the color of the store but because of the color of the food. The restaurant is Chinese and they only serve two or three dishes with the primary being a noodle soup and you pick the level of heat. The chili oil gives the soup a rich red color. I ordered the hottest available and my co-workers said, "Are you sure you want to do that? We normally get the medium-level." Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead! One of my co-workers ordered the medium and the other ordered the mild. The waitress laid a huge bowl of spicy noodle soup in front of me and you could see the chili oil pooling on the top of the broth. It was heaven. Hot but not overpowering. They also provided a bowl of rice and a spicy tofu stir fry to accompany the soup and the rice helped cut the heat from the soup. One of the better meals I've had over here for my tastes. Plus it was fun watching my co-worker Koga-san sweat like crazy as he tried to eat his bowl of medium heat soup. He couldn't finish it. Although they were amazed I could finish the hottest soup I tried to explain to them that many Americans really love hot, spicy foods.
Last night's meal at the Indian restaurant was also one of the better meals I've had but obviously nothing traditionally Japanese (other than the beer) about it. I started with a large draft of Asahi ($10). I thought this was going to be like an imperial pint (20 oz) but the waiter brought this huge glass mug that must have held 25-30 oz. After walking all around Tokyo for the day, the beer just tasted so good. I started with some Onion Bhaji (rings) which was served with a green sauce.
The main meal was a mutton stew with tomatoes and onions and it was labeled on the menu as the second hottest meal next to their Chicken Vindaloo. It was spicy but not really hot. I ordered it with naan bread which was made fresh and arrived at the table hot with parts of the crust crisp. Fantastic meal. When I tried that first spoonful of lamb in a dark brown sauce infused with various Indian spices and chilis, I knew I found a restaurant that I'll be coming back to. I struck up a conversation with the waiter who was Indian and had been in Tokyo for ten years. He asked if I thought the meal was too hot and I told him no but I was used to spicier foods. He challenged me to come back and order the Vindaloo. Game on.
Tokyo-version of the Price Is Right Part 2
And the winner of the Tokyo-version of the Price Is Right is:
Jack Gilligan.
Jack’s showcase bid was $ 46.50 which was closest to the actual price of $ 53.32.
Hmmmm, let me see if I can guess what Jack might want, could it be liquor?
Jack, I'll call you on Sat morning and you can let me know.
The Bonus question was a little trickier as I was looking for the most expensive item per unit price.
The most appropriate answer is the lime as that cost me about $ 2.10 for the one lime. In the States, I can get 3-6 limes for that price.
However, other acceptable answers would be:
Tabasco Green Chili is about $1.50 per ounce
Maguro (Blue Fin Tuna) is $1.40 per slice
The Nigirizushi and dumplings typically run about $1.00 per piece which is expensive but not the most expensive items.
The ice cream per container is fairly expensive as well at about $ 3.00 or $0.75 per ounce. If you bought a pint of ice cream that would run you about $ 12.00.
You’ll notice that a lot of the items run 3-4 times the price compared to the U.S. That’s pretty typical.
Liquor, on the other hand, is very reasonably priced. Thank God for that because I’m drinking it like water. I bought a 750 ml bottle of Bombay Sapphire and paid about $ 19.00. I would pay more than that if I bought it in a Pennsylvania Liquor Store due to the taxes.
Jack Gilligan.
Jack’s showcase bid was $ 46.50 which was closest to the actual price of $ 53.32.
Hmmmm, let me see if I can guess what Jack might want, could it be liquor?
Jack, I'll call you on Sat morning and you can let me know.
The Bonus question was a little trickier as I was looking for the most expensive item per unit price.
The most appropriate answer is the lime as that cost me about $ 2.10 for the one lime. In the States, I can get 3-6 limes for that price.
However, other acceptable answers would be:
Tabasco Green Chili is about $1.50 per ounce
Maguro (Blue Fin Tuna) is $1.40 per slice
The Nigirizushi and dumplings typically run about $1.00 per piece which is expensive but not the most expensive items.
The ice cream per container is fairly expensive as well at about $ 3.00 or $0.75 per ounce. If you bought a pint of ice cream that would run you about $ 12.00.
You’ll notice that a lot of the items run 3-4 times the price compared to the U.S. That’s pretty typical.
Liquor, on the other hand, is very reasonably priced. Thank God for that because I’m drinking it like water. I bought a 750 ml bottle of Bombay Sapphire and paid about $ 19.00. I would pay more than that if I bought it in a Pennsylvania Liquor Store due to the taxes.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Tokyo Sights (Part 3)
May 30th was quite a busy sightseeing day and I was able to cover a lot of territory.
Ueno Park
I started the day by visiting Ueno Park which is loaded with sightseeing spots (and homeless Japanese men on bikes (?) and feral cats). The sights include multiple museums (Tokyo National Museum, the Orient Museum, the National Science Museum, the Shitamachi Museum, the National Museum for Western Art and the Tokyo Metropolitan Fine Art Gallery), temples and shrines, an amusement park and a zoo.
I started on the southern point of the park where there’s a statue of Saigō Takamori (1827-1877). Takemori was an important historical figure and played a major role in the Meiji Restoration when power was returned to the Emperor in 1868. Although Takemori helped return power to the Emperor, he subsequently helped lead the Satsuma Rebellion against the Meiji government. The Satsuma Rebellion was eventually crushed by the Imperial forces at the Battle of Shiroyama where Takamori was also killed. How he died is a little vague (gunshot, committed seppuku etc) but holding true to his samurai lifestyle, it does appear he was decapitated. If you’ve read my earlier blogs you’ll realize the samurai love a good disembowelment and decapitation to return one’s honor. Also, if you’ve ever seen the Tom Cruise movie “The Last Samurai”, Ken Watanabe’s character Katsumoto is based off of Takemori’s life and the last battle scene is the Battle of Shiroyama.
Moving Northwest through the park, I then stopped at a Buddhist Temple, Kiyomizo Kannon-Do built in 1694. One interesting item I’ve not previously mentioned about Temples in Japan is that they often have an area outside for hanging ema boards. An ema board is a small wooden plaque that a visitor can purchase form the Temple and then write their prayers or wishes on and hang outside the Temple so that the spirits or gods can receive them. I’ve included some photos of the main display outside Kiyomizo along with several boards that I thought were interesting. You’ll notice that one of the boards has text on the side wishing that swine flu would disappear. I saw many boards with this same wish. I point this out because throughout this blog I’ve often called out what I see as the contradictory nature of Japanese society. So keep the point about swine flu in the back of your mind and read on as I’ll bring up the point later.
As I continued to head North through the park, I then stopped at the Gojo Shrine. This is a Shinto shrine and the first one I’ve visited in Tokyo. Shinto shrines have entrances with red torii gates as seen in the photos. This particular shrine is dedicated to Inari the God of Rice. Inari’s earthly messenger, the Fox, is well represented at the shrine and in the photos I’ve included. Don’t ask about the red bibs, I’m still trying to figure them out myself. The red is associated with the deity but I’m not sure of the bib connection. The foxes all look like they're about to dine on Chicken Little. Sometimes it’s best just to go with it.
My final stop for the day in Ueno Park was the Tokyo National Museum and specifically the Heiseikan Building which includes special exhibitions and an entire floor dedicated to Japanese Archaeology. Although I find the subject fascinating, I know most readers of this blog could care less about the world’s oldest pottery so let’s move on.
I’ll probably visit Ueno Park again as there’s much more to see but I had other sights I was interested in visiting.
Senso-ji Temple
Heading due East from Ueno Park, my next stop was another Buddhist Temple, the Senso-ji Temple. Unlike many of the other Buddhist Temples where peace and tranquility reign, the Senso-ji Temple is a Charlie Foxtrot. For you non-military types, Google “Charlie Foxtrot” and enjoy. The Senso-ji Temple is one of Tokyo’s oldest and largest and attracts an enormous number of visitors and keeping with the Buddhist tenet of forsaking worldly goods, the environs surrounding the Temple are a complete tourist trap where you can buy cheap plastic trinkets and other souvenirs. There are some better quality stores as well but the tourist trap section is right outside the Temple gates. Unfortunate.
You enter the Temple grounds by walking through the Kaminarimon or "Thunder Gate” which is quite impressive. The backside of the gate has two massive straw sandals mounted on the supports of the gate. If you look close you can see a Nike “swoosh” on the side of the sandals.
Further into the Temple grounds is a huge incense burner where a steady stream of visitors fan the incense smoke over themselves. The smoke is thought to have healing properties. I don’t recommend inhaling it like I did. I carried on a flirtatious ten minute conversation with a wooden bench before the haze lifted. I did get the bench’s phone number though.
Right next to the incense burner is a purification fountain. The concept is to pour a ladleful of water over the hands and perform a quick washing and also rinse out the mouth. But you’re not supposed to drink from the ladle. You pour the water into your hands and drink. But here’s something that boggled my mind. If you recall earlier in this blog, I mentioned the ema boards and the wishes to eliminate swine flu. Plus if you walk around Tokyo or ride the subway, you’ll see a good percentage of the population wearing masks. There’s even a sign in the elevator of my apartment complex warning about the rapid spread of H1N1 in Japan and to take all necessary precautions. Yet here I was at the Senso-ji purification fountain and I watched person after person drink from the same ladles. Contradictions abound but that’s also what makes Tokyo an interesting place to see.
Asahi Building
After I left the Temple, I decided to take a boat ride down the Sumida River. I walked out of an alleyway and when I looked East, this is what I saw:
I’m calling it the Temple of the Golden Sperm.
Apparently it’s also known as the Asahi Super Dry Hall. Asahi is a major beer manufacturer in Japan and Super Dry is one of their brands. The Japanese affectionately refer to it as “kin no unchi” or “The Golden Turd”. That might be more apt of a description.
Hama-rikyu Gardens
The boat ride was a nice leisurely cruise down the Sumida and I left the boat when they stopped at the Hama-rikyu (Hama Detached Palace) Gardens.
For those male readers who might not be all that secure in your masculinity, you may want to stop reading at this point. Although the Gardens were originally established as a duck hunting refuge for the Shogun, it now contains a tea garden and flowers and I took multiple photos. Yes, I’m now taking pictures of flowers and even thinking of attending a Kabuki play (Broadway equivalent in Japan). What the hell happened to me? I better get myself to the samurai sword museum quick.
As I mentioned, this was originally established as a duck hunting refuge and I had to laugh when I walked through a small glade and discovered this lone duck in one of the ponds.
He was the only duck I saw in the entire gardens which means he’s either the dumbest waterfowl or has the biggest set of cojones. They even have a duck grave/memorial (no joke) within the Gardens to appease the spirits of all the ducks that were killed throughout the years.
Since I'm coming back to the States for a quick trip in mid-June I plan on doing some tourist shopping this weekend. I need to take some photos in one of the stores I visited previously called "Bic Camera". Imagine if Best Buy and Las Vegas had a love child, that would be "Bic Camera".
Ueno Park
I started the day by visiting Ueno Park which is loaded with sightseeing spots (and homeless Japanese men on bikes (?) and feral cats). The sights include multiple museums (Tokyo National Museum, the Orient Museum, the National Science Museum, the Shitamachi Museum, the National Museum for Western Art and the Tokyo Metropolitan Fine Art Gallery), temples and shrines, an amusement park and a zoo.
I started on the southern point of the park where there’s a statue of Saigō Takamori (1827-1877). Takemori was an important historical figure and played a major role in the Meiji Restoration when power was returned to the Emperor in 1868. Although Takemori helped return power to the Emperor, he subsequently helped lead the Satsuma Rebellion against the Meiji government. The Satsuma Rebellion was eventually crushed by the Imperial forces at the Battle of Shiroyama where Takamori was also killed. How he died is a little vague (gunshot, committed seppuku etc) but holding true to his samurai lifestyle, it does appear he was decapitated. If you’ve read my earlier blogs you’ll realize the samurai love a good disembowelment and decapitation to return one’s honor. Also, if you’ve ever seen the Tom Cruise movie “The Last Samurai”, Ken Watanabe’s character Katsumoto is based off of Takemori’s life and the last battle scene is the Battle of Shiroyama.
 |
| Saigo Takemori Statue |
Moving Northwest through the park, I then stopped at a Buddhist Temple, Kiyomizo Kannon-Do built in 1694. One interesting item I’ve not previously mentioned about Temples in Japan is that they often have an area outside for hanging ema boards. An ema board is a small wooden plaque that a visitor can purchase form the Temple and then write their prayers or wishes on and hang outside the Temple so that the spirits or gods can receive them. I’ve included some photos of the main display outside Kiyomizo along with several boards that I thought were interesting. You’ll notice that one of the boards has text on the side wishing that swine flu would disappear. I saw many boards with this same wish. I point this out because throughout this blog I’ve often called out what I see as the contradictory nature of Japanese society. So keep the point about swine flu in the back of your mind and read on as I’ll bring up the point later.
 |
| Ema Boards |
As I continued to head North through the park, I then stopped at the Gojo Shrine. This is a Shinto shrine and the first one I’ve visited in Tokyo. Shinto shrines have entrances with red torii gates as seen in the photos. This particular shrine is dedicated to Inari the God of Rice. Inari’s earthly messenger, the Fox, is well represented at the shrine and in the photos I’ve included. Don’t ask about the red bibs, I’m still trying to figure them out myself. The red is associated with the deity but I’m not sure of the bib connection. The foxes all look like they're about to dine on Chicken Little. Sometimes it’s best just to go with it.
 |
| Gojo Shrine |
My final stop for the day in Ueno Park was the Tokyo National Museum and specifically the Heiseikan Building which includes special exhibitions and an entire floor dedicated to Japanese Archaeology. Although I find the subject fascinating, I know most readers of this blog could care less about the world’s oldest pottery so let’s move on.
I’ll probably visit Ueno Park again as there’s much more to see but I had other sights I was interested in visiting.
Senso-ji Temple
Heading due East from Ueno Park, my next stop was another Buddhist Temple, the Senso-ji Temple. Unlike many of the other Buddhist Temples where peace and tranquility reign, the Senso-ji Temple is a Charlie Foxtrot. For you non-military types, Google “Charlie Foxtrot” and enjoy. The Senso-ji Temple is one of Tokyo’s oldest and largest and attracts an enormous number of visitors and keeping with the Buddhist tenet of forsaking worldly goods, the environs surrounding the Temple are a complete tourist trap where you can buy cheap plastic trinkets and other souvenirs. There are some better quality stores as well but the tourist trap section is right outside the Temple gates. Unfortunate.
You enter the Temple grounds by walking through the Kaminarimon or "Thunder Gate” which is quite impressive. The backside of the gate has two massive straw sandals mounted on the supports of the gate. If you look close you can see a Nike “swoosh” on the side of the sandals.
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| Senso-ji Temple (Kaminarimon or "Thunder Gate”) |
Further into the Temple grounds is a huge incense burner where a steady stream of visitors fan the incense smoke over themselves. The smoke is thought to have healing properties. I don’t recommend inhaling it like I did. I carried on a flirtatious ten minute conversation with a wooden bench before the haze lifted. I did get the bench’s phone number though.
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| Senso-ji Temple (Incense Burner) |
Right next to the incense burner is a purification fountain. The concept is to pour a ladleful of water over the hands and perform a quick washing and also rinse out the mouth. But you’re not supposed to drink from the ladle. You pour the water into your hands and drink. But here’s something that boggled my mind. If you recall earlier in this blog, I mentioned the ema boards and the wishes to eliminate swine flu. Plus if you walk around Tokyo or ride the subway, you’ll see a good percentage of the population wearing masks. There’s even a sign in the elevator of my apartment complex warning about the rapid spread of H1N1 in Japan and to take all necessary precautions. Yet here I was at the Senso-ji purification fountain and I watched person after person drink from the same ladles. Contradictions abound but that’s also what makes Tokyo an interesting place to see.
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| Senso-ji Temple (Dragon Purification Fountain) |
Asahi Building
After I left the Temple, I decided to take a boat ride down the Sumida River. I walked out of an alleyway and when I looked East, this is what I saw:
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| Asahi Building |
I’m calling it the Temple of the Golden Sperm.
Apparently it’s also known as the Asahi Super Dry Hall. Asahi is a major beer manufacturer in Japan and Super Dry is one of their brands. The Japanese affectionately refer to it as “kin no unchi” or “The Golden Turd”. That might be more apt of a description.
Hama-rikyu Gardens
The boat ride was a nice leisurely cruise down the Sumida and I left the boat when they stopped at the Hama-rikyu (Hama Detached Palace) Gardens.
For those male readers who might not be all that secure in your masculinity, you may want to stop reading at this point. Although the Gardens were originally established as a duck hunting refuge for the Shogun, it now contains a tea garden and flowers and I took multiple photos. Yes, I’m now taking pictures of flowers and even thinking of attending a Kabuki play (Broadway equivalent in Japan). What the hell happened to me? I better get myself to the samurai sword museum quick.
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| Hama-rikyu Gardens 2 |
As I mentioned, this was originally established as a duck hunting refuge and I had to laugh when I walked through a small glade and discovered this lone duck in one of the ponds.
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| Hama-rikyu Gardens 1 |
He was the only duck I saw in the entire gardens which means he’s either the dumbest waterfowl or has the biggest set of cojones. They even have a duck grave/memorial (no joke) within the Gardens to appease the spirits of all the ducks that were killed throughout the years.
Since I'm coming back to the States for a quick trip in mid-June I plan on doing some tourist shopping this weekend. I need to take some photos in one of the stores I visited previously called "Bic Camera". Imagine if Best Buy and Las Vegas had a love child, that would be "Bic Camera".
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Tokyo Sights (Part 2)
Imperial Palace
Just Northwest of Ginza is the Imperial Palace and Gardens.
This is an immense open space area within Tokyo although I’m not sure how much of the Imperial Garden portion is open to the public. There’s a sizable plaza and park outside of the Gardens itself but from where I was taking pictures, it did not appear the public was allowed into the Imperial Garden section itself. Can you really blame the Japanese Royal Family? From the look of the people hanging around outside, including myself, I wouldn’t want them in the Palace either.
There is a fairly photographic spot included in the web album overlooking an entrance bridge with the palace in the background. Many people were having their photos at this spot and a blond girl asked me to take her photo here. I suspected she was Eastern European based upon her dialect, clothes and the fact that her mustache was thicker than Tom Selleck’s “Magnum, P.I.” character. She confirmed she was originally from Poland.
Seisho-ji Temple
After I left the Imperial Palace and Gardens, I took about a 1.5 mile walk south towards the Tokyo Tower. One of the things I love about Tokyo is that throughout the city, you can be walking along a major thoroughfare and glance down a side street and find a Buddhist Temple and garden. What’s truly amazing is how well these Temples can block out the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. I find myself frequently stopping and walking through the gardens just to enjoy the solitude. I’ve included several photos of the Seisho-ji Temple I found on my walk to Tokyo Tower. Seisho-ji Temple also includes a tomb called Yakko-Jizo where apparently many people come to pray for a cure from venereal diseases. Those who have been cured show their gratitude by leaving an offering of a bamboo cylinder filled with sake. I hung around for about 30 minutes doing sake shots but eventually the monks escorted me off the premises explaining that it was inappropriate to call the female visitors “whores”.
Tokyo Tower
Next stop was Tokyo Tower, a 333-meter high communications and observation steel tower located in Shiba Park. It was inspired by the Eiffel Tower and you can access observation decks at 150 and 250 meters. I was limited on time so I just visited the 150 meter observation deck which still gave some great views of Tokyo. I stitched together multiple photos so you can see North, South, East and West panoramic views of Tokyo.
Just Northwest of Ginza is the Imperial Palace and Gardens.
This is an immense open space area within Tokyo although I’m not sure how much of the Imperial Garden portion is open to the public. There’s a sizable plaza and park outside of the Gardens itself but from where I was taking pictures, it did not appear the public was allowed into the Imperial Garden section itself. Can you really blame the Japanese Royal Family? From the look of the people hanging around outside, including myself, I wouldn’t want them in the Palace either.
There is a fairly photographic spot included in the web album overlooking an entrance bridge with the palace in the background. Many people were having their photos at this spot and a blond girl asked me to take her photo here. I suspected she was Eastern European based upon her dialect, clothes and the fact that her mustache was thicker than Tom Selleck’s “Magnum, P.I.” character. She confirmed she was originally from Poland.
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| Imperial Palace & Gardens |
Seisho-ji Temple
After I left the Imperial Palace and Gardens, I took about a 1.5 mile walk south towards the Tokyo Tower. One of the things I love about Tokyo is that throughout the city, you can be walking along a major thoroughfare and glance down a side street and find a Buddhist Temple and garden. What’s truly amazing is how well these Temples can block out the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. I find myself frequently stopping and walking through the gardens just to enjoy the solitude. I’ve included several photos of the Seisho-ji Temple I found on my walk to Tokyo Tower. Seisho-ji Temple also includes a tomb called Yakko-Jizo where apparently many people come to pray for a cure from venereal diseases. Those who have been cured show their gratitude by leaving an offering of a bamboo cylinder filled with sake. I hung around for about 30 minutes doing sake shots but eventually the monks escorted me off the premises explaining that it was inappropriate to call the female visitors “whores”.
 |
| Seisho-ji Temple |
Tokyo Tower
Next stop was Tokyo Tower, a 333-meter high communications and observation steel tower located in Shiba Park. It was inspired by the Eiffel Tower and you can access observation decks at 150 and 250 meters. I was limited on time so I just visited the 150 meter observation deck which still gave some great views of Tokyo. I stitched together multiple photos so you can see North, South, East and West panoramic views of Tokyo.
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| Tokyo Tower |
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