"Angel Potato" and other famous Japanese brands

Asia » Japan » Tokyo
December 27th 2006

Published: January 11th 2007

Dearly beloved, We are gathered here today to bid farewell to Tokyo and ultimately to begin the long journey back to whence we came... China. What you now read is less a blog and more some final, fleeting musings on Japan. I think I shall make use of my newly invented web term: "blogette" - not quite a blog but blog like in its qualities. This blogette is an assortment of bumpf collected over ... Read Full Entry

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Bob & Vik

Occasionally Bob

Years of staring at maps, debating routes, saving money and boring anyone in earshot with constantly changing plans finally culminated in our D-Day. 28th August 2006. The day that Vik and Bob went global. Having made it to New Zealand without taking a single flight, we reached the conclusion that neither our finances nor our sea legs could stomach another container ship journey so we've cheated and taken a flight from New Zealand to Bangkok. From Bangkok we hope to stick with the overland theme and take a route home through Southern Asia: China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey... U... full info

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The modern face of Tokyo

Electric Blue Christmas Trees

The Earthquake Simulator

This place was amazing. During our stay in Tokyo we experienced two minor earthquakes (or "quakes" to us Tokyites). However, not content with the real thing, I discovered that the local fire department had an actual earthquake simulator which the public could try. So we spent 10 minutes of our day in a pretend kitchen, hidden under the table with pillows on our heads as the place shook and the onlooking crowd of Japanese got a bit of a laugh. They also had a maze that they filled with smoke, but Vik didn't fancy it.

Outside the Imperial Gardens

Tokyo Tower from Roppongi Hills

Mori Tower Shopping Centre, Roppongi Hills

We hung around outside Tiffany's and Christian Lacroix but decided not to buy anything. It all looked a bit tacky and anyway, my 13 Polish Zloty Casio (50m Water Resist) watch is much more practical than a Rolex or Omega.

Mori Tower and Mir Space Station

Graffiti in Yoyogi Park

Ginza

I dodged traffic for this shot. That's just the kind of professional I am.

Empty Pachinko Parlour

This is a rare sight. These places are usually heaving at the seams. Everybody plays pachinko. Its the drug of choice in Japan. Young, old, male female - everybody is hooked. Gambling is illegal, so you don't win cash - you win prizes... which some touts will then exchange for cash. I don't understand how you play it - but these places are everywhere, from cities to the countryside. You can usually see them for miles as the whole building is a blaze of neon.

Studio Ghibli, Mitaka

If you haven't heard of Japanese animator Miyazaki Wosisname and you haven't seen the films "Spirited Away" or "Howls Moving Castle" then this place will mean little to you - but will still be great fun. Watch the movies - they are brilliant. Animation done the good old fashioned way - none of your digital computerised nonsense.

Bob and the Robot

Cats in the window, Studio Ghibli

Skyscrapers, Shinjuku

Park Rules

11th January 2007

Po
non-member comment

Transport info....
Is the extraordinary bus stop for a re-ee-aa-lly extraordinary No. 50- or can anyone use it? - and the Audi building's far oot......want to get the window cleaning contract....

12th January 2007

Julie Skillern
non-member comment

Aussie Cousin Ben's daughter
Thank you for showing us Japan. Ben and Jan Munn have now been introduced to your Blog. Hours of laughs. Hilarious watching Jan and Ben (near 70) use a computer mouse for the first time!!

13th January 2007

Eggs on Legs
Al, Shaz & Beth

Ikebana
Ikebana is also the product name of a delightful wooden slatted Japanese style bed which we sold when I worked in Habitat about 7 years ago. BET you didn't know that! 5 weeks to go by the way. I'm wearing a football up me jumper. Love, Shaz. xxxx ps: I would have loved Beer on the Bund at the Bells! I settled for the weakest sherry in the world with warm lemonade, whilst coughing my lungs up to Jools Hootenanny. ;-[

23rd May 2008

David
non-member comment

what do you mean if China makes you sad?
You don't need to come over if you don't like our country. Nobody force you to love us...... Well, I'll say Japan is better if you compare with China however I am deeply loving China!

24th May 2008

Occasionally Bob
Bob & Vik

If China makes me sad...
David, it's great that you are so passinate about your country. Nobody forces us to love you but for some strange reason we do. I think you're wrong saying that Japan is better than China. It's not. They are both very different. Infact, we liked China so much, we're going back there in a few months for our third visit! So we clearly don't mind it that much. You are right though, it was a cheap dig at China and for that I apologise, but it was meant in a light-hearted way. However, I have to defend my comment about the beer - I mean Tsingdao is pretty watery stuff even compared to other Asian brands. And as for the dog being for dinner - well, I fully understand and accept that it is a part of Chinese culture - and I don't object to people eating dog - but having always had dogs as pets, seeing them sold and butchered in markets does make me a little bit sad.

15th August 2008

Flora
Flo

Great blog!
Thanks for this cool blog! I lived in Tokyo for some time myself and loved the bowing and the "Shaiiimasseeeen" when you enter a store/restaurant... And occasionally I go to Engrish.com just to have a chuckle about all the funny brand names for old time's sake :)

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"Angel Potato" and other famous Japanese brands

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