Imagine the worst DMV on the planet. Now put that DMV on steroids. And not good steroids, that make things work better, but steroids that do nothing but multiply all the things that make a trip to the DMV loathable.

The first thing you will notice at the Chinese Embassy is that you wait in line to go through security at the front door even though the security is fake. There are two security guards and a metal detector at the door. However, the metal detector goes off for more than half the people that go through it, and the guards do nothing but wave such people by. One guard asked to look through my backpack. I handed it to him. He cracked one of the three zippers and then handed it back. I could have had a gun in each of the three zippered sections (it was heavy enough as I had a book in one section and a camera in another, as well as other things), and he wouldn’t have caught them.

The place where all visas are handled is three stories high. The first level was crowded with people in various lines. I somehow figured out that I should be on the third level for my visa and was happy to leave the madness of the first level behind…

…until I got to the third level which was far worse. This 3rd floor room should never have more than about 60 people in it. On my first time there there were well over 100 people. There are lines on the 3rd floor to get numbers to get in more lines, lines to use the copy machine, lines to ask questions without a number, and more lines. People were packed in here like it was a train at rush hour. After waiting in a line of 20+ people to get a number I was told to make a copy of all of my documents. I then got in line to use the copy machine. When I got to the front of the copy machine line I found that it only takes 10 yen coins, of which I had zero. Luckily, the lady next to me gave me one. Eventually my number was called, and I was told to come back in three days to pick up my visa.

I did come back three days later as instructed, waited to get in, went through the fake security again (setting off the alarm again but was told to keep going anyway), waited in one line (Line 4) on the first floor for a while until I got close enough to the front to see the above sign, and then switched lines (to Line 6). I waited in that line only to find out that I had to go back to the third floor first. On the third floor I waited in the line to ask questions and was told to wait in the line to get a number. After waiting in the line to get a number, I waited for my number to be called. After handing over a receipt I was then told to go back to the first floor. There I waited in Line 6 where I was told to put 15,000 yen (almost $200) into a vending machine before waiting in Line 4 again. So I waited in line to put my money in a vending machine. Then I waited in Line 4 and finally received my visa to visit China.

Posted on March 10th, 2010 under China, Japan. Tags: signs. Comments: 2

During the past week, by far the most popular post has been this one on the Tokyo Marathon. Maybe the weather was such that the usual number of pictures weren’t taken and people are looking for more? I have a few dozen decent shots that I’ll upload in the near future.

The one above is of the promotional poster for the 2010 Tokyo Marathon that was plastered all over the Tokyo Metro stations in the weeks leading up to the race.

The sign in the above photo asks road users to slow down. Of course it’s intended for the drivers normally on the street and not the runners. It’s kind of funny right next to the GO! GO! GO! sign.

This pack of runners must have had a celebrity in their midst, or maybe the female runner who was in the lead at the time, as there were two camera vehicles in front of them.

Iidabashi 飯田橋

The runners are coming down Sotobori Street (外堀通り) and are turning right onto Mejiro Street (目白通り).

One advantage of being 6′4″ in Japan is you can take photographs like the above.

Posted on March 6th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: people, rain, signs, Tokyo, tokyo marathon. Comments: None

Back on February 11 Japan celebrated National Foundation Day. Japan was supposedly founded on this day and had its first emperor obtain his position as emperor almost 2,700 years ago. This was previously a big holiday in Japan, but since WW2 it has become rather tame. We went for a walk on February 11, 2010 from Ebisu Station to Azabu Juban and then to Roppongi before getting on a train for home. Between Ebisu and Azabu Juban there were hundreds of police in riot gear, dozens of prison buses ready to haul people away, and many vans preparing for some sort of demonstration or protest. I would have taken more pictures, but it was absolutely freezing. With the wind blowing, the temperature felt well below freezing. And later in the day it snowed. Anyway, my hands had no desire to leave their gloves to take photos.

We didn’t see an actual demonstration or protest. It was so cold if such an event did take place few were witness to the proceedings. I saw nothing about it on the TV or internet either.

The truck on the left says “Restore Emperor Military” (皇軍復活). The one on the right says “Japan National Party” (日本国政党). There isn’t a political party called the Japan National Party by the way. Apparently ultra-conservative Japanese still exist, but you have to be at the right place, at the right time, to find them.

Posted on February 27th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: signs, Tokyo. Comments: None

Fall semester ended at Waseda University early in February. The entire campus was immediately transformed into a giant testing center. For most of February there are daily entrance exams for high school students (and some college students looking to upgrade schools) trying to get into Waseda. Most of the normal entrances to campus have been closed. The one or two that are open feature tight security.

For the few of us walking around campus it is rather bizarre. Just a few weeks ago there were tens of thousands of students. Now you can do several laps around the buildings and see few, if any, people. Regular students cannot enter campus.

The other morning, a Sunday no less, I happened to arrive just as some test takers were. We were greeted with shouts of ohayo gozaimasu (good morning) and ganbare (good luck/hang in there/do your best) from a cheering section of people. Not only did I have to show my ID to several people in order to get to my office, I had to show my ID to leave campus as well. I’m guessing they had a problem with someone pretending to be someone else to get that someone else into school at least once in their history. Why else would they have this ridiculous amount of security?

The sign above says test takers are not allowed to leave campus until the last test has been completed.

Personally, I prefer the normal campus to the February “prison” campus.

Posted on February 24th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: buildings, signs, waseda university. Comments: None