Photographs from a small group of islands
Unfortunately, whether this Japanese mother is as jaunty as her bicycle boldly boasts remains a mystery, as during the time I was there, she maddeningly never materialised.
Still, some things are apparently best left to the imagination, so she may well have been the image of young-ish mum and mega famous musician, Amuro Namie.
A performer whose appearance is admittedly not everyone’s cup of tea, so please feel free to take a bit of time to ponder a suitably perky parent.
With a mixed bag of Shinto ‘christenings’, western-style weddings and Buddhist funerals, the Japanese approach to religion is refreshingly relaxed, offering a veritable pick ‘n’ mix of principles and procedures.
The concept of cleansing, however, would appear to have been completely turned on its head, with apparently a dust down for the actual deity, rather than the devotee, deemed de rigueur.
Fashion for many Japanese may well be something that is to be feverishly followed, but with food and fuel prices rapidly rising, many people might now have to forgo the nation’s excessively opulent outlets and instead frequent more affordable emporiums.
Some of which, while boasting barely any brand names, and typically aren’t very trendy, can at least aver to be very very Takahashi.
Although whether the added adverbs, or indeed the much touted ‘Takahashi‘, are fundamental factors as far as fashion in concerned, is decidedly debatable to say the least.
While petrol prices are presumably a long way from their peak — if indeed a peak is even possible anymore — the situation certainly hasn’t hampered Toyota, with the Japanese giant consistently selling more cars than its competitors; the carmaker’s fuel efficient engines presumably having a lot to do with its soaring success.
A factor that could well be behind a noticeable slump in second-hand car sales in Japan, as consumers spurn cheaper, but at the same time less economical, motors. This decidedly sorry situation resulting in one Tokyo trader having to severely slim down his stock.
(click for image for less pixelated but equally pitiful pun)
Wash.
Giggle.
And go.