Rumor has it the Japanese “idol” group, SMAP has been scolded by the Toto band for being awful singers! Toto was invited to do a performance with SMAP and during rehearsals the guitarist became upset and left the stage. The other Toto members calmed him and convinced him to return. However, SMAP had to agree to take a one hour vocal lesson from the band before they could continue with production.

How hilarious is this? I agree, the group is horrible, or at least a couple of their members. Even their mostly female fans agree that they aren’t that good but I guess since their supposedly good looking, funny and whatever, they’ll always remain popular.

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As you would expect I was kind of surprised to see the license plate. I don’t know the person so I’m going to reserve judgment…..basically no comment……HOWEVER, anybody with the word “MONEY,” or in this case “OKANE” for their license plate has to be somewhat, nicely put, unique……or full of it….Dang it! I said it!

I just thought of something. “OKANE” could mean something else in a different language? If so, my apologies to the owner…

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A side note: Keio University is the equivalent of Yale University in the States. This school is well known for producing Japanese politicians…..I’m not sure if that’s something to be proud of……..

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We’ve finally made it home after an 8 hour flight from Tokyo’s Narita Airport to Seattle. Even though it’s slightly more expensive we decided to take the Narita Express from Yokohama instead of Tokyo’s Shinagawa station. Nothing new & exciting however, our train departed at 1130 but when we arrived in Yokohama station the electronic board noted an 1120 Narita Express. I was a little confused because I knew it wasn’t normal for that service to run 10 minutes apart. Just to make sure we asked a station attendant and he confirmed that there was a 1130 Narita Express after the 1120 one. Later we found out on the platform, via the station intercom, that our Narita Express was a “special” service due to probably in anticipation of high rider-ship for that particular time. I think they usually run 45 to a hour apart and sometimes every 1/2 hour.

After we checked in our luggage, after arriving at the airport almost 4 hours early, we proceeded to shop in the Airport mall; which is quite impressive. You can do all your gift shopping there and the prices are quite reasonable. Almost anything you can get in Tokyo you can get in this mall. If you don’t mind the carry-on, you don’t have to buy any gifts during your trip. Just get it at the airport!

Now that I am back, and trying to get over this terrible jet lag, I’ll be spending some time entering past posts and pictures of my trip as I didn’t get a chance to post daily, since I was up early taking care of my kid and being out with friends and family till late in the evening; sometimes being slightly under the influence of alcohol. Therefore, a perfectly good excuse of not updating this blog.

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When I use to visit Akihabara so many years ago, it was a place see and bargain to get the latest gadgets that nobody else in the world had except for Japan. Whatever you bought, you were almost guaranteed that nobody back home abroad had it or even seen it before. They would have to wait 5 years to get the latest and greatest from Japan. Sadly, this is no longer the case, for most gadgets. Bargaining is minimal, the prices are not the cheapest, and whatever you see in Akihabara, you have a pretty good chance it will be in your home country or online sometime soon and most likely cheaper (at least in the States). Totally sad….. I’m getting slightly emotional just thinking about it. What’s even sadder is that you go to these big electronic store chains, such as Big Camera, and you still don’t get good deals, unless you stand in line at 4 in the morning and snatch up a digital camera that’s ridiculously cheap but only have 5 available! I hate those ads….

Now Akihabara has somewhat reinvented itself as still an electric town, however there appears to be more stores for customers who love gadgets, and spend most evenings and the day fantasizing about cute girls in costumes, in a train cafe served by cute girls in a train theme uniform…… I’m exaggerating of course, however there are numerous sex gadget shops and a whole building/mall dedicated to girls uniforms, such as police officer, maid, etc. As for the cafe, it’s true….

Moving from Akihabara we proceeded to make a brief stop at Ueno Station again, where my Fukushima buddy had to buy a return shinkansen ticket back to country. After he put his stuff in a locker we headed to Ginza to check out where rich people buy expensive fruit. Actually, there’s a store in Ginza that sells “gift” fruits, meant to be given as gifts to usually people who are sick. A cantaloupe can be priced as high as $100 - the receiver of the gift fruit will know where you purchased it from, by the packaging and will appreciate knowing how much the giver cares….it’s symbolic gift………for anybody who cares, I would eat the entire canaloupe, seeds, skin, everything if I knew you spent a $100 on it.

We didn’t spend much time in Ginza because of how expensive everything it is (some consider Ginza the most expensive shopping area in the world) so we decided to head over to the man made island of Odaiba located in Tokyo bay and connected by the Rainbow Bridge. However, before we left we made a quick stop in a Nissan Skyline showroom which is Japan’s trademark car, like the Mustang is to the U.S. For the first time ever, they’re going to sell the Skyline, for about $70,000 in the States!

We took the Yamanote line to Shimbashi station where we transferred to the Yurikamome monorail that runs across the Rainbow bridge to Odaiba. Odaiba is a great dating spot and is really fun to hang out at. There’s a small Chinatown, Sega World, a mall with lots of gift shops, a boardwalk, beach, park, Fuji Television, a fancy Toyota dealership, Toys R’ Us and a Haunted House; which my first timers to Japan friends decided to go in while I stayed outside. Now, a haunted house and a scary flick in the States do not scare my whatsoever. I think they’re stupid - a guy in a Hockey Mask chain sawing people….come on? “In Japan,” as my Fukushima friend seems to always begin a sentence with, the Haunted Houses and Horror movies freak the living crap out of me! I’m not going to even go in details because if I do I won’t be able to sleep (wuss - yes I am! - not ashamed of it). Just watch the movie Ring and you’ll know what scares me.

After doing some shopping, buying a a little samurai armor figure, we had Tonkatsu for dinner overlooking Tokyo Bay, the Rainbow bridge and the tall buildings in Shimbashi. Afterwards, we ended the day in a traditional but modern Japanese bar and had some sake & shochu from around different parts of Japan overlooking the same view. The day ended on a very good note……

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Even though they didn’t wake up as early as I thought they would we still were able to take an early morning Tobu train to Nikko. We took advantage of being foreigners by buying a 3600 yen World Heritage Pass which allows us a roundtrip ticket to Nikko and/or Kinugawa Onsen (hotsprings) plus free access to shrines and temples and unlimited bus rides….a Great Deal!

I’ve been to Nikko one time before with my wife and has a very special place in my heart because while eating breakfast at our hotel, a very smart, elderly woman, who worked at the restaurant, came up to my wife and told her that I was a very, very handsome man. So, while on the way up to Nikko I thought in the back of my mind I could make this sweet, very smart, perfect vision, elderly woman’s day by suprising her by maybe taking a picture together so she could blow it up poster size and hang it in her home or even thoughout the hotel (for those who don’t know me, I’m being very sarcastic).

Anyhow, back to reality - if you spend a little more than a thousand yen or so you can ride their Limited Express train called Spacia, which would arrive about 20 minutes sooner and is more comfortable to ride. We opted out…..

We arrived in Nikko and one of my friends commented that it looks like Leavenworth back home in Washington State. It’s a small town nestled on the edge of the Japan Alps and in fact we were high enough in elevation that some snow still hasn’t melted from this past winter.

Nikko is where Tokugawa Ieyasu and his grandson, Iemitsu’s mausoleum is located. Also located in Nikko is Tōshō-gū, Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji which are Unesco World Heritage Sites. It’s a must visit for any foreign and Japanese tourist. If you never been to Nikko and know the importance of Tokugawa Ieyasu, then whatever you imagine how spectacular his mausoleum would be, you will not be disappointed. My pictures below don’t do it any justice.

After we arrived in the area where everything is located via a short bus trip from Tobu station, we worked our way up from the shrines and temples to the mausoleum and because of the many, steep steps by left knee was killing me! So bring some good walking shoes and prepare like you’re hiking up a mountain. The steps are brutal…….imagine me whining about my left knee to Tokugawa Ieyasu…..there goes my head - someone get it !

An interesting observation was made by one of my friends while visiting Iemitsu’s mausoleum. At Iemitsu’s gate there are 4 demons located in the front and back of an entrance; which isn’t unusual however, what’s unusual about this gate is that the demons are in a feminine pose (see first picture below). What a great observation! Was Tokugawa Iemitsu gay or bisexual? He apparantely was based on this Wikipedia article.

Since we still has some light left, we were able to squeeze in Asakusa in East Tokyo. Senso-ji is a buddhist temple dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon. It’s one of the top tourist spots in Tokyo and it’s the best place to buy tradional gifts of any kind from any shop that lines the pathway to the temple. Also, right before you reach the temple, and I think only the weekends and festivals, “Yatai” (small mobile food stalls) are set up temporarily selling foods such as okonomiyaki, yakisoba, kakigori and takoyaki; which are all very good and I highly recommend eating it with a nice cold beer!

Before heading back to the hotel in Shinjuku we had dinner at a Tonkatsu restaurant in Asakusa and we were able to fit a quick Shinkansen (Bullet Train) view at Tokyo Station. We just bought a 130 yen nyujyo-ken (entrance ticket) to enter the Shinkansen platform and were able to watch them depart & arrive and took a couple of pictures. The restaurant was smoky and old, but the food and beer were very good. Compared to other parts of Tokyo, Asakusa keeps to it’s relaxed image and retains it’s old traditional Japanese feel from hundreds of years ago to just decades back. Nothing has changed at all…….which is good….

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However, before everyone arrived late in the afternoon and since it was a beautiful warm day, we (family) decided to take another trip to family friendly Yokohama; specifically Chinatown, Yamashita Koen and the Minato Mirai area, which is home to Queen’s Square shopping mall.  I’ve been to Chinatown before and also spent some time in the Minato Mirai area but it was my first time to Yamashita Koen (park).  It’s a park that runs along the water and is a popular spot to take pictures of Yokohama’s well known Landmark Tower, which is the tallest building in Japan.  Within Yamashita Koen is a “Happy Lawson” convenience store.  Not just a Lawson convenience store, but a “Happy” one.  What seperates this Lawson from the other Lawsons is that this one is A. much bigger and B. is family/kid friendly.  Like our McDonald’s play area’s, Happy Lawson has one and unlike it’s other chains, this one sells more kid/baby goods.  I think it’s the only one in Japan, but I could be wrong……

After having lunch in the largest Chinatown in Asia we decided to walk to Minato Mirai 21 district via Yamashita Koen and unexpectedly came across a eco-friendly vehicle car show at Yokohma Red Brick Warehouse.  I got to sit in Ellica, a Keio University batter powered car, that I saw a piece on the Discovery channel a couple of months ago.  It can go from 0 to 60 miles a hour in 4 seconds!  Crazy!  I want one!

I seperated with my family in Queen’s Square and hooked up with my Fukushima buddy and then we proceeded to meet our other friends in Shinjuku.  However, before that we took the Minatomirai Line & the Tokyu Toyoko Line (one train) to Naka-Meguro station then walked across the platform on the Hibiya Line where a train was waiting for us to take us to Ebisu station on the JR Yamanote line.  Before we departed for Japan we made arrangements to have my friends pick up a rental cell phone from Softbank at the airport so they were able to call me to tell me what Narita Express train they got on so we could meet them on the platform in Shinjuku; with beer in hand :-). 

After dropping their luggage off at Sunroute Hotel in Minami (South) Shinjuku we walked over to Higashi (East) Shinjuku and had dinner at a chinese restaurant called Seiryumon.  Simply put, you don’t go there for the food, you go there for the experience and ambiance - including the bathroom.  I’ll let the video below show you what I’m talking about.

Funny thing - The “first time to Japan” friends told me that seeing people wearing white masks over their mouth kind of freaked them out.  Some Japanese people wear masks if they have a cold so they don’t spread it to others, but during the spring many wear it because of pollen.  For a first time visitor I can see how that can freak them out.  :-)  Bird Flu! Aaaaah!!

Oh, jeez - I almost forgot. From a Japanese perspective, I almost forgot the most important event of this day’s post. Sakura (Cherry Blossoms) are starting to bloom!

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So many years back, after Japan’s economic bubble burst, they made some gradual reforms that I was afraid would encourage the type of retail capitalism we have back home. Japan would start losing it’s Mom & Pop stores and big business would replace them. Througout Japan I’ve seen this transformation take place, however not as extreme as I originally thought. Still have your Mom & Pop stores, and because of the way consumers are here, Japan continues to have small, original retail and restaurant businesses everywhere. In fact in some districts in Tokyo, such as Shibuya, you see malls occupied by these single owned businesses. As the Japanese like to think - it’s very harmonious….

Anyhow, back to me - like most big train stations, there are a lot of shops either surrounding a station or attached to it. Yokohama station is one of the more popular ones. We spent almost the entire day there not stepping once out of the station area. It’s great during the rainy seasons. While my family broused around the mall, I just spent my time in the toy section with my son. Now, I don’t play with toy’s anymore but because I grew up on these toys, such as Ultraman, I naturally get a little excited. I have an urge to buy it all because I want my son to play with the same toys I had when I was a kid. The only toy that I really dislike is Anpan Man. Can’t stand the character…. He’s made of red bean bread….that should sum it up…….Red Bean Bread Man, NO - Blue Futuristic Cat with no Ears because a mouse ate it, YES! For those who don’t know, I’ll explain in a later post who this Cat is….

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Lazona Kawasaki Plaza is attached to JR Kawasaki station.  We go there specifically to shop at a store called Akachan Honpo which is the equivalent to Babies R’ Us in the States, but in my opinion much, much better.  I actually look forward to going to Akachan Honpo because it feels like I’m in an amusent park.  Lots of people, a huge variety of toys, high tech baby gear, etc.  It’s so busy, noisy and exciting it makes me want to buy everything in the store!

We also of course briefly check out the other stores and another one of my favorites, which I spend the other half of my time, is the electronic store, Big Camera.  They have almost every electronic gadget here……and BEER!  It’s the perfect store…

It’s worth mentioning also that Lazona Kawasaki Plaza has a California Pizza Kitchen with FREE refills!  Compared to the States, Japan’s cups are pretty small so getting free refills in the summer, when it’s hot and humid is vital for me.  I usually spend half of my budget on drinks and the other half on the type of drink that makes me happy….

Below is a YouTube video I found of someone walking through the mall to JR Kawasaki station.  I unfortunately didn’t take any pictures today…..

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Actually, the good news is that I have a higher chance of success of maintaining this blog since #1 previous technical issues have been resolved enough to not annoy me and #2 I’m no longer reporting information, which I didn’t enjoy and eventually got tired of, so this time I’ll write about my personal experiences and thoughts about Japan instead. 

Anyhow, we left the States on time on the 18th and arrived in the future on the 19th.  We took the Narita Express to Yokohama station and from there arrived to our destination via the Tokyu Toyoko Line and a Taxi.  Suprisingly it’s cold here and we were told by family not to bring too much clothing because it’s been hot…..oh well…..I guess we’ll have to hit my favorite clothing store, Uniqlo. 

As far as I can make out so far, nothing as really changed in Japan…..but I guess that’s expected since I only been gone for less than a year. However, Tokyo does change rapidly. In fact we plan on going to 2 new departments stores and ride a new subway line, and this is just around my in-law’s area.

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I was totally surprised that Sapporo only had 12.5% of the market share. I knew they would be in third place but I thought it would be a lot higher than 12.5%? I wonder if they were ever number one or had a bigger share previously? Are they going downhill, struggling? I hope not……

• Asahi Beer  37.9% ( 7th year in a row! )
• Kirin Beer 37.8%
• Sapporo Beer 12.5%
• Suntory 11%
• Orion Beer 0.8%

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