A little over a week ago i was sent a book from a guy that’s been keeping up to date with my travels around the 29 stops of the JR Yamanote Line. He asked whether i’d heard of the book “Footloose In Tokyo” a 1976 publication following the authors travels around the “Best Bargain In Japan” as the Yamanote Line is referred to.
I hadn’t heard of the book before but did think it would be useful and well worth a read. The guy that mentioned it was kind enough to send me a copy and i’ve started reading it. The best thing about the book so far is the authors opening remarks about not needing to read it in any particular order, so not unlike my travels where i move around the line in alphabetical order i can do so with the book too.
So far i’ve read the chapter on Komagome which i found quite interesting. I’ll use the book in the future to read up on each stop prior to my arrival, i’ll be keen to compare and see how much it has or hasn’t changed.
There’s a lot more to do and see on the JR Yamanote Line than just sleep.
When time permits i’ll go back and read the chapters on the stations i’ve visited so far, which have been Akihabara, Ebisu, Gotanda, Harajuku, Hamamatsucho, Ikebukuro and Kanda in that order … next stop is Meguro where i know they have a parasite museum as a point of interest.
Bicycles are a main means of personal transport in Japan, mainly because they’re cheap, they can be ridden easily in and around the streets of Japan and they’re extremely convenient for parking.
Whether it’s near the shops you’re visiting or the the station you want to leave from there’s plenty of parking available for the person that wants to be propelled by pedal power.
Despite having a perfectly good bike park down stairs from my apartment i am still without a push bike, i prefer to walk and having seen the skill of some of the motorists over the last few years it’s probably the safest option … but i digress.
Bikes come in all different shapes and sizes in Japan with the most common being the standard everyday rider, complete with basket on the front, seen here in their dozens.
The old fashioned variety.
The more modern “MG Branded” bike.
The latest and greatest that Glenn gets around on.
But the original no frills grey number is still my favourite, which seems to go against my earlier claim about Japanese Girls Underwear.
I can’t recall where i got the last picture from so image source is unknown, i know i didn’t take it that’s for sure.
Closed on Sundays. That’s what the sign should say when you get to Kanda. Still, regardless of the lack of people and lack of things open i still spent a few hours in the stiffling heat, wandering around Kanda taking a few photos as part of my mission to cover all 29 stops on the JR Yamanote Line.
I didn’t take my still shot camera, instead i opted to take my video camera and unfortunately didn’t find anything to film so i came back with still shots only.
The quality on here is pretty low to keep the page loadable but the full size versions came up a treat, i’m very happy with it as a camera too.
Kanda is pretty much on the opposite side from where i start on the JR Yamanote Line and it took a good 30 minutes to get there. Out to Kanda i arrived, as always, proof i was there, a picture of the station
Cars with multiple aerials was my first impression of Kanda.
The streets were so quiet, i was thinking it would be busier, right about now i was wishing i’d had lunch before arriving.
Seriously, right about now i thought i was in some trouble and the heat wasn’t helping any.
Not much os a fan of Soba noodles so onward i pushed. Atleast it was looking up, there were some palces to eat that were open.
