The above is an actual promotion the Tokyo Metro is currently running for June. The poster says, “beer drinking season has arrived.” The ad goes on to show where the various beer gardens are in Tokyo.

Usually ads, in any country, for beer gardens show happy people enjoying a cold, tall beer. If you look closely at the above photo (clicking on it will give you are larger view), you’ll notice this ad goes a bit beyond the normal. I’ve blown up one part of the image below to show you what I mean.

People passed out (face up AND face down), a guy who has had so much to drink that he thinks he is an angel, and a beer drinking monkey?!?!

Posted on June 1st, 2010 under Japan. Tags: beer, signs. Comments: 2

On Kenpo Kinenbi (憲法記念日 or Constitution Day) I went on a bike ride to Oji (王子) via Otsuka (大塚), Ikebukuro (池袋), and a few other places. Along the way I stopped at Kishimojin in Ikebukuro. The name of this place is interesting I think.

The characters (read right to left) mean devil/demon, child, mother, god.

There is an inari shrine on the same grounds which can’t be adequately captured in a photo. The highlight between the torii gates is an enormous tree which is loaded with fresh, green leaves in May even though the tree itself is anything but fresh.

According to the sign, this tree has been around for more than 600 years.

Posted on May 12th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: buddhist, ikebukuro, shinto, signs, temples, torii. Comments: 1

Not the greatest picture in the world today, but it has a story to go along with it. I sort of sneaked the shot, as many stores don’t like pictures being taken inside. I don’t know if this store had that policy or not.

Anyway, I was on my way to see Outrage in Kawasaki, and I had a few hours to kill. Having once lived near the Mizonokuchi Station, I decided to visit the place for the first time in nearly 22 years. I checked out the old Itoyokado, which is in a new, much larger building than before. The grocery part of the store (my memory tells me that it used to only be groceries) is now in the basement, and it is huge–probably the largest grocery store I’ve seen in Japan, other than those on U.S. military bases. By American standards it would merely be large but anyway…

The cool thing about this store is they slice up a giant bluefin tuna right in front of the customers while explaining about all of the different pieces. The maguro (鮪 or まぐろ) parts are then auctioned off right on the spot. I say auction but the prices were fixed. The first customer to claim a piece by shouting out was able to purchase it so it felt like an auction. Each part went for 1,000 yen. Freshly cut maguro was being sold left and right. They were saving the head, pictured, for last.

In front of the head you can see Itoyokado was having a special on eel (うなぎ). Until Children’s Day (こどもの日) the price was only 880 yen. Note the koinobori on the sign.

Posted on May 10th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: food, kawasaki, signs. Comments Off on Tuna head

Upon arriving in Japan nearly nine months ago and seeing the countless, cheap restaurants in the neighborhood I vowed to never visit one twice (in order to experience a larger percentage of them). I have not been able to stick to my goal however and have frequented about four or five places more than once.

One place that I’ve been to, three times now, is Kao Tai near Takadanobaba Station. The selection (and quality) have been different each time ranging from good to great. It’s the only place I’ve been to that always has foreigners inside. Sometimes as many as half the customers will be non-Japanese.

The food is better than the above photo may indicate. On any given day there are seven or eight different dishes to choose from.

The price can’t be beat. Only 780 yen for an all-you-can eat lunch. The address is 高田馬場 2-14-6, which is east of the station, just off of Waseda Dori on the north side. Look for a Thai Viking Lunch sign (not the one above which is right in front of the restaurant–not on Waseda Street) pointing you down the correct alley. I don’t remember if the sign is in English or katakana–probably a bit of both.

Posted on May 9th, 2010 under Japan, Thailand. Tags: food, signs. Comments Off on Kao Tai カオタイ

As previously mentioned, I wanted to see Kofu’s shopping district I was so familiar with in the late 1980s. I was hoping it hadn’t changed.

While the streets are still there, most of the buildings have been rebuilt in the past 22 years; several were even being renovated or reconstructed the day I was there. The businesses have nearly all changed.

The top picture is of Kofu’s covered shopping arcade (甲府銀座). I only recognized a couple of the shops. The roof has been replaced. I think it used to be green. Some businesses had signs boasting how long they had been there like “Established 1996” or “Serving you since 1991.” To me they were almost all brand new. I still felt nostalgic. I continue to wear a hanten (袢纏) around the house back in the states in the winter that I purchased on this street.

Exiting the west part of Kofu’s Ginza puts one on Orion Street (オリオン通り). The ancient memory that sticks out the most for me on Orion Street was getting sick one day, running into a business on this street, and using my first Japanese squatter. They were common back then. I haven’t used one yet this go around (which has now passed the 8 month point) in Japan (although I had to use them every day in China last month).

Orion Street hasn’t remained the same either. The above sign notes that Orion Street is lit for the 21st Century so I’m guessing it received a major makeover in 1999.

Finally, there was good old Heiwa Doori (平和通り). I couldn’t get a good feel for it as the sidewalks were so packed with people ready for the Takeda Shingen Festival Parade to begin. I did notice that my favorite Mister Donut shop is now a Starbucks. Ugh.

Posted on April 30th, 2010 under Japan. Tags: kofu, signs. Comments: 1