Tokyo Times

Nov 22 2008 4 Comments

Kentucky Fried festivities?

As Christmas decorations have been common in the capital for quite some time now, it’s not really surprising to see fried festivities now forcibly pushed to the fore,

with premium picks,

as well as more basic barrel-based buffets available.

All cleverly coupled with commercials that are almost as sickly as what’s being sold.*

And of course Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas (even though it’s not even nearly Christmas) without the practically traditional practice of cosplaying colonels.

*This is last year’s commercial as the current one hasn’t been illegally uploaded yet, although rest assured they are very similar, with grinning and grease the main ingredients.

Nov 21 2008 5 Comments

With a considerable number of Japanese cars coming in the somewhat characterless colours of silver and white, it’s nice to come across a car now and again that somebody really cares about. Or at least one that’s been carefully customised.

This one in particular being a decidedly beefy looking beast that boasts, along with other fun features, a flag pole.

A contraption for conceivably hoisting huge images of its car club patron saint, who is either the Madonna, or the other one with the critically acclaimed kid.

Or maybe even a mawkish melding of the two.

Nov 20 2008 Leave a Comment

Tranquil time out #36

Architect Sei Takeyama once said that when it comes to viewing landscapes, the Japanese have the ability to ‘narrow their view’, which, when forced to visit increasingly man-made vistas, can be a very handy skill indeed. A knack that, if nurtured, at least allows one to gaze wonderingly at this winding waterway or its relatively leafy location.

Yet at the same time, it’s not all that difficult to imagine that the old boy above may catch himself a concrete covered carp, or even a tetrapod tinged trout.

Nov 19 2008 8 Comments

High up haikyo: Crumbling Japanese cable cars

The bounty of abandoned buildings at Nitchitsu mining town may well be hard to fathom, at least in regards to the amount of furniture that still fills them, but at the same time, it’s fairly clear that the mine’s eventual lack of minerals brought the once robust community to an inescapable, if admittedly rather quick, close.

In the case of the ill-fated cable car construction in Okutama, however, failure may well have been due to mere folly rather than misfortune.

Opening its doors in October 1961, the idea was to presumably attract some of the teeming number of Tokyoites wanting a trip out of town without the hassle of having to travel too far. Yet regardless of how popular this area may be in autumn — with camera carrying crowds feverishly clamouring for photos of the foliage — the rest of the year it’s mainly the haunt of hikers looking for a long walk rather than a lift over the lake.

Especially as it’s only a quick one stop hop over what seems to be the narrowest wedge of water.

Meaning that while the entrance is presumably far worse for wear than it once was,

the ticket gates,

waiting area,

and washrooms probably haven’t seen much of a variation in visitors.

Leaving the place forever cold,

covered,

and conspicuously quiet.

Nov 18 2008 7 Comments

Japanese J-Cups

There’s certainly no shortage of J-this and J-that giants in Japan, with the likes of J-Com, J-Mart and the country’s football-focused J-League to name but a few. Plus, in a nod to nostalgia and name recognition, there’s the now newly named but not forgotten, J-Phone. The latter for a long time favouring the face, and indeed figure, of Norika Fujiwara for promotional purposes.

However, as ample as Ms Fujiwara’s assets may be, they fall way short of the titanic talents of Hitomi. A young lady who now helps jam a ginormous amount of Japan into J-Cup. And, despite having her knockers, as well as keeping any concrete concepts close to her chest, she is still expected to bust out into the big time and make absolutely massive mammaries mainstream.

Maybe.

(click image for sort of not safe for work super-sized, erm, stardom)

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