First Tokyo Apt - 1
First Tokyo Apt - 2
First Tokyo Apt - 3
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Bought for $6 from a truck that shows up every day from 17:00 to 19:00 literally in front of my place. Only, everything except the spinach stinks potently of filth, even after washing. In the trash.
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The river a block from my place.
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The river a block from my place.
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First satisfying meal I cooked at my place in Tokyo, after finally finding a grocery store. My neighborhood is mostly day-working skyscraper people, so only sad imitations of grocery stores are nearby.
Trash Day
Trash is collected something like 4 times a week. Tokyo is clean because they try really hard.
Taolu's - 1
Delightful do-it-yourself barbecue literally 1 minute from my place. The meat is all either unsauced or covered with very complementary sauces. Though I would never touch an american factory-farmed slice of cow, the tongue was quite delicious. Hopefully it wasn't raised on chinese DDT-covered produce.
Taolu's - 2
Delightful do-it-yourself barbecue literally 1 minute from my place. The meat is all either unsauced or covered with very complementary sauces. Though I would never touch an american factory-farmed slice of cow, the tongue was quite delicious. Hopefully it wasn't raised on chinese DDT-covered produce.
Taolu's - 3
Delightful do-it-yourself barbecue literally 1 minute from my place. The meat is all either unsauced or covered with very complementary sauces. Though I would never touch an american factory-farmed slice of cow, the tongue was quite delicious. Hopefully it wasn't raised on chinese DDT-covered produce.
Koizumi on TV
Prime time TV: the prime minister sitting there at a conference table listening to people debate an issue, surrounded by a studio audience with red and blue agree / disagree signs. Awesome.
Driving Range
In the middle of Aoyama in Tokyo, next to the stadium.
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DJ Sonny from Singapore, playing at Shibuya Nuts. Great music. Must visit Singapore!
Solar Building
Near Shibuya Station
Nakano Mall - 1
Nakano Mall - 2
Japanese fast food
To balance out the adoration a little, I ask: why would you buy this pathetic ¥200 pork sandwich when you can get a satisfying bowl of udon or ramen (with much much higher quality pork or chicken in it) for about ¥600, feel twice as full, and taking about just as little time? Or how about the ¥300 gyoza (potstickers) with free unlimited ramen-broth, chef-cooked right in front of you on a massive gas stove?
July4 Teleconference
After July 4 party in Japan, the next day I sat in on the party back in San Diego. We *are* living in the future! Or at least a little part of it.
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Saw this on the flight to Japan back in February. Seems really formula at first, but by the end I was rivetted and the closing scene punctured the jaded mask with which I normally approach dramatic movies. Tears welled. It is about a Detective who mercy-kills his dying wife, then refuses to explain the story of why he had to, why he did what is right, why by the end the movie is great.
Laox Toy Shop - 4
A robot panda, controlled by a little panda sitting in its head. They even had a 1 foot tall version with the open head showing the little panda with his control levers.
Laox Toy Shop - 5
Train simulator!
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Somehow this guy made standing in a book store reading magazines with your bike helmet and gloves still on not seem like a strange fashion statement and not just completely silly.
Shibuya Overpass - 2
Summer rains.
Shimo kitazawa - 2
Just one 5 minute express train ride west of Shibuya, a warren of pedestrian streets filled with a few miles of hip shops and their university aged hipper than hip patrons.
Izakaya 50 50
50 50 is a place I went back in february and had a wonderful time with the people I had just met a few days before. This time I revisited it with Ezra, the first friend to fly in to visit me! Pictured is the slow-real-charcoal-grilled fresh tuna cheek. Delicious (umaii, oishii, maiui).
Prada Store - 1