6-30-2010


I made deviled eggs to go with dinner.  My mom always said to put sweet pickles in them.  I use a pastry bag so I don't tear the whites.
Bookmark and Share

6-29-2010


Despite the overall lack of rain this year, it is still rainy season in Tokyo.  Lunchtime snap.
Bookmark and Share

6-28-2010


Spotted on the Yamanote line.  Darth Vader endorses this phone.
Bookmark and Share

6-27-2010


Since I worked all day, here's another photo from the local festival in Asahikawa.  Street performers and beer booths.  They did some cool magic tricks.
Bookmark and Share

6-26-2010


Hokkaido is famous for soup curry, so I had to get some while there.  Taken in Asahikawa.  No, I didn't go to the zoo; chose the local festival and curry over caged animals.
Bookmark and Share

6-25-2010


A closet of hot yakiniku grill pots.  My camera picks up grill flames as pink (look right).  This "closet" is in a restaurant.
Bookmark and Share

6-24-2010


It's hydrangea season in Japan.  The colors here are much more varied than I'm used to; bright pinks, purples and blues.  I didn't think hydrangeas were native to Japan, but apparently they are.  It would make sense considering the variety.
Bookmark and Share

6-23-2010


Rainy day, but at least we have clear plastic umbrellas in Japan.
Bookmark and Share

6-22-2010


Never let it be said people don't leave things in weird places in Japan too.  Found this in someone's front yard on my way to teach a class today.
Bookmark and Share

6-21-2010


If you pay attention you'll see lots of saké casks, particularly near izakaya and Shinto shrines.  Commonly mislabeled rice wine, saké is fermented much like beer, but with a simultaneous double process using mold and yeast.

Also, if you ever travel to Japan you won't want to ask for saké because it's the Japanese word for alcohol...to order saké you would need to order nihonshu (日本酒), or Japanese alcohol.
Bookmark and Share

6-20-2010


Pigeons really are city rats with wings, but in Japan they seem to be much less aggressive than your usual "garden variety" in the US.  These just looked at me strangely as I took their photo.  The second one there was getting annoyed with me, I think.
Bookmark and Share

6-19-2010


Moo Cow and I have been trying for weeks to go to this place called Shanghai Chicken but were constantly foiled by various things (including the restaurant being closed at weird times...).  For our final attempt to get there we successfully got seats at the counter (not even a table, boo!) but it was worth it.  Their "gyoza" were excellent, although not the typical crescent shape...so perhaps I should call them jiaozi after the Chinese name.  Anyway, it was worth all the hassle of going, and I think we're going to attempt to go a few more times.   :o)
Bookmark and Share

6-18-2010


A sunken restaurant patio behind Shinjuku's Center Building.  In the rain.  Why does everything look better in the lonely rain?
Bookmark and Share

6-17-2010


Oh yes.  This building looks like a cell phone.  A very old one, but a cell phone nonetheless.
Bookmark and Share

6-16-2010


On my way home I saw a pretty good musician at the station and took his photo.  But then when I asked his permission to post it he said no...so here I'm posting something from the files.  A friend's band called The Blue Donuts that I went to see at Club Que in Shimokitazawa.  Pretty darn good, too.
Bookmark and Share

6-15-2010


Nice rainy season we're having so far.  Hrm.
Bookmark and Share

6-14-2010


We're officially in the rainy season now.  I and my rain boots are ready.  Well, mostly ready.
Bookmark and Share

6-13-2010


Another one "from the files" to make up for my malfunction this weekend.

The same day I went to Kamakura I went to Yokohama's Chinatown.  It's the largest Chinatown in the world aside from China itself.  This is one of the more famous temples there.  Chinatown is pretty after dark.
Bookmark and Share

6-12-2010


This weekend I kept forgetting to take photos and the ones I did take didn't turn out.  Instead I decided to post some photos "from the files" that I took on my travels around Japan.

The Daibutsu in Kamakura is quite famous.  I went in January to use up the last day on a 5-day train ticket.  It was a beautiful, perfect day to spend wandering on my own.  I think this photo best portrays the amazing serenity of the massive Buddha of any of the ones I took.
Bookmark and Share

6-11-2010


The newest shrine I have ever seen (aside from the squirrel shrine at the Tokyo Marathon 2010 Expo, which was there to pray for a good run), nestled right up next to an office building in the business district of Shinjuku.
Bookmark and Share

6-10-2010


Japanese graveyards are beautiful.
Bookmark and Share

6-9-2010


Some omiage I got in Yamanashi.  Mochi with kinako (soy flour) and molasses.  Quite tasty.
Bookmark and Share

6-8-2010


Kofu station in Yamanashi has a bell, which I didn't get a chance to read the history, but I think it's from the original station a long time ago.  It has a brick wall next to it that also looks old-fashioned.  Interesting bit of history.   o_O;
Bookmark and Share

6-7-2010


iPad ads have taken over Shinjuku station.
Bookmark and Share

6-6-2010


Lots of places have these stone spheres as "curbs" or barriers.  I'm amused that they're chained down.
Bookmark and Share

6-5-2010


Went to a birthday party today.  As usual had my homemade cake in tow (white one w/ strawberry in the center) but then found out there were two small ice cream cakes. WHO HAS THREE CAKES?! Apparently *E* does.
Bookmark and Share

6-4-2010


Poppies are such strange-looking papery flowers.  People have them potted on doorsteps everywhere.
Bookmark and Share

6-3-2010


Went to Takao station today for a lesson.  Above the North Exit there's a giant Tengu mask. The mask is about as tall as I am...
Bookmark and Share

6-2-2010


Prime Minister Hatoyama announced his resignation this morning.  Here's the Sosei Nippon Party (創生「日本」) trying to get their campaign on.
Bookmark and Share

6-1-2010


Morning commute.  Gotta love the Yamanote line (and the Shonan-Shinjuku passing by).
Bookmark and Share
Related Posts with Thumbnails