Posted in Food, Japan, Ramblings on Feb 13th, 2008
When i first came to Japan in 2002 i experienced being ‘waved away’ from several restaurants due to language issues no doubt. It hasn’t happened in a long time and i think those times are well behind us, not everywhere from what it seems.
This restaurant in Tsukiji Fish Market had gone one step further until after a flood of complaints last week they now welcome foreigners to their restaurant. Now it’s just time to get accepted into the rest of these here.
Image courtesy of Arudou Debito
Popularity: 10% [?]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Travel on Feb 11th, 2008
National Foundation Day - Kenkoku Kinen-no-hi 建国記念日or 建国記念の日
Early Saturday morning a group of us, 17 Friends in all, left on the yearly National Foundation Day long weekend Onsen trip. This years destination was Kusatsu Onsen in Gunma Prefecture. Kusatsu Onsen is one of Japans most famous hot spring resorts, blessed with large volumes of high quality hot spring water, said to cure every illness but lovesickness …. a big claim and i’m sure some believe it.
Regardless of the Onsen, weekends away like this consist of pretty much lots of the same … drinking, eating and relaxing in the Hot Springs. This trip, after a good 4+ hour bus ride and my fair share of beer, i managed to get out and about for a few photo opportunities.
Literally ever few metres as we got closer to the town square the locals were offering tasty treats, this particular one is Manju.
Find out where Kusatsu Onsen is on a Map Of Japan
Manjū (饅頭, Manjū) is a popular traditional Japanese confection. There are many varieties of manjū, but most have an outside made from flour, rice powder and buckwheat and a filling of an (red bean paste), made from boiled azuki beans and sugar. They are boiled together again and kneaded. There are several varieties of bean paste used including koshian, tsubuan, and tsubushian
A short walk from our accomodation we found lots of the natural streams and lakes that feed the baths everyone loves so much. The water is exceptionally clear and every bit as hot as the steam suggests.
Read Full Post »
Posted in Photo Hunt on Feb 8th, 2008
This weeks theme in The Photo Hunt is Heavy or Omoi (おもい) in Japanese.
The pedestrian traffic in Shibuya is Heavy to say the least. Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing which is reportedly the world’s busiest. It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachiko exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Three large TV screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing. The Starbucks store overlooking the crossing is also one of the busiest in the world. The 2003 American movie Lost in Translation featured a scene at the crossing.
The difference between above and below happens in seconds.
The name “Shibuya” is also used to refer to the central business district of Shibuya Ward, which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo’s busiest railway stations. Shibuya is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.
Shibuya (渋谷区, Shibuya-ku) is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of 195,877 and a density of 12,960 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km² …. and it’s also the ward i live in.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Japan, Ramblings on Feb 7th, 2008
Check out this cool cat Hector saw on the train on the way home the other night.
Thanks to Hector Garcia for the picture.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Japan on Feb 5th, 2008
I’ve just launched Japan Singles and to kick things off i will be running a Valentine’s Day 2008 promotion. The campaign runs until Feb 14, 2008.
UPDATE: Everyone who joins up for any account below will receive a FREE 1 hr International Calling Card from Pingo. Send me your registration confirmation and i’ll send you the Calling Card, simple as that!
Any new subscription purchased is upgraded to the one above, for example;
Buy 1 month VIP -> Get 3 months VIP
Buy 3 months VIP -> Get 6 months VIP
Buy 6 months VIP -> Get 12 months VIP
Buy 3 months Open Club -> Get 6 months Open Club
Buy 3 months VIP+OC -> Get 6 months VIP+OC
Buy 6 months VIP+OC -> Get 12 months VIP+OC
Buy 12 months VIP -> **Get VIP FOR LIFE!!
Buy 12 months VIP+OC -> **Get VIP+OC FOR LIFE!!
If you were ever thinking about dabbling in a little online dating then joining up now with Japan Singles is the time to do it!
**CONDITIONS FOR LIFE SUBSCRIPTION:
1. Need to visit the site at least once every sixty days to
maintain the life VIP. Sixty days without login expires life VIP.
2. Personal accounts cannot be transferred to any other person at
any time. Change of user in one account expires the “life VIP”.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Read Full Post »
