The assortment of beverages available in Japan is astounding. New drinks are constantly being invented. If you find one you like there is a good chance you’ll never see it again. I purchased this Cola Float (コーラ　フロート or Cola Froat) from a vending machine. The sign in the background can be found on the main shopping street in Yanaka on the side of a candy store.

And the answer to the most important question? Does a can of pop taste like a float even with no ice cream? The answer is yes. It tasted like a cola float despite the lack of ice cream involved.

Posted on September 8th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: signs, yanaka. Comments: 1

I love the finger puppets you can find in Yanaka at a place called Shokichi. The faces have such great expressions. The half hour show is fun too, especially if you can understand Japanese.

For the remainder of the day, on both occasions that I have visited this place, Japanese people that I see look more like puppets than real people.

Posted on September 7th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: Shokichi 笑吉, yanaka. Comments: 2

Fireworks festivals in Japan aren’t just about watching fireworks, just as hanami (花見) parties in the spring aren’t really about watching flowers. There is usually a party involved and the participants dress in summer kimono (yukata). Today’s pic shows a few examples from the train ride home after the 第32回足立の花火.

Posted on September 6th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: fireworks, people, trains. Comments Off on Hanabi (花火) dress

I have mentioned Ganko Ramen before. They are a chain of ramen stores. Like most chain stores they are similar. However, they aren’t dressed up the same as, say, McDonald’s or Denny’s. I have seen about five of them (photos of the others to come some day), and they are all different. What they all share in common is a love for black and a bone or two hanging out in front of the store when they are open. In fact, we don’t call them Ganko; we call them “The Bone.”

Today’s pic is from the store (町屋店) between the Sumida River and the Machiyaekimae Station on the Toden Arakawa Line.

Posted on September 5th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: ramen, signs. Comments Off on がんこラーメン

Another photo (and video in HD) from the Adachi Fireworks Festival.

Posted on September 4th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: fireworks, sumida, video. Comments Off on Adachi Hanabi Taikai