Monday 8 June 2009

You know what they mean!

The second last line actually says "I love yu", the kanji means "hot spring". The last line says "Kishida Onsen"

Sunday 29 March 2009

Anyone for octopus?

Japan is the land of famous things. There are famous views, famous trees, famous temples, famous mountains, and so on, and each locality has its famous products, which are packaged up for tourists to take home as souvenirs for their friends. In Izu Peninsula, seafood is the famous product, and you can buy a pack of dried octopus to chew in the train on the way home.

Pachinko!

Pachinko parlours are places where people play slot machines and various games. They are loud and smoky. This is an ad outside a parlour in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, for a pachinko game. The funny thing is that the character on his forehead means meat, which makes him a meat-head, I guess. 

Putting a lid on it in Izu peninsula

A fire hydrant lid in Ito City, Shizuoka Province

Monday 16 February 2009

Putting a lid on it

Toyono town sewerage access cover - one for the dandy lions?

Saturday 14 February 2009

Can you believe it?


Don't throw it away! Littering is punishable under the law (Kawanishi City)

Sunday 8 February 2009

Stamp Mania!




Japan is a land of rubber stamps. Many tourist destinations and most JR railway stations have a commemorative stamp. We went to the Open Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses and they did not just have one stamp for the museum ... they had one stamp for each house, and even one for the windmill. 

Friday 6 February 2009

Fire fighting access point

Shoukasen - fire extinguisher stopcock

More Waterworks!

Usui juushadouyou
 (Rainwater cover for heavy vehicle road use)

Great Waterworks Access Points

Minoh-shi osui (Mino City Sewerage) Minoh is famous for its waterfall and its autumn maple leaves

Saturday 31 January 2009

The Wonders of Japanese Packaging Pt 2

Back in the Black...

The Wonders of Japanese Packaging

Wrapping from souvenir cinnamon biscuits from Kyoto; ginger tea from the local supermarket; chocolate that will make you appear crazy...

Wednesday 28 January 2009

One day in the subway...

We were travelling on the Midosuji line and as we got off at Namba, a lady lost her shoe between the train and the platform...

As quick as a flash the station attendant got his hooked stick and rescued it in a blur before the next train arrived
The owner was very happy to be reunited with her shoe...