Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Extreme Japanese embroidery?

In ferociously fashion conscious Japan, or indeed anywhere else for that matter, having a jacket or one’s jumper emblazoned with a badge or a bit of embroidery is far from fetching, let alone fashionable.

Still, men of a certain age and persuasion do have a decidedly perplexing penchant for such panderings, which presumably accounts for the existence of this establishment, where patrons can happily purchase the likes of polices badges,

Japanese nazi?

and mock security symbols.

Japanese nazi?

Or, for something a bit more sinister, a swastika.

Japanese nazi?

(click image for full-sized fascism-based fashion)

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Open (almost) all hours

Whether the notion of never actually closing is necessary or not is debatable to say the least, but apart from the nation’s copious collection of convenience stores, Japanese shop owners have been relatively slow in adopting around the clock retailing. There again, until fairly recently it wasn’t even possible to withdraw the money necessary to actually notch up a nocturnal purchase, so their disinterest was probably defensible.

Still, as time goes on, outlets of all kinds are slowly catching on.

Kind of.

23 hour Japanese garage

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Japanese drinks #7: Capsule concern

With mentions of Metabolic Syndrome now a media mainstay, drink makers would appear to be pulling out all the stops to make their beverages seem beneficial, with even knocking back the booze offering at least a nod towards nutritiousness.

For drinks giant Suntory, however, sensing that there’s at least some sustenance in what one is supping is obviously nowhere near as good as seeing it, so Capsela is crammed full of capsules, that in turn are packed with a veritable plethora of vitamins — making it both wholesome and hypnotic.

Sort of.

Japanese drink capsela

And, what’s more, it doesn’t taste too bad either, in its weak, lemon-like way. The only problem being, for me at least, is that the capsules remind me of fish eggs, which I’m not overly fond off at the best off times, and especially not when bunged in a beverage. Otherwise it’s fairly good, in a floating fish egg fashion.

Young Keiko Kitagawa on the other hand seemingly has no such concerns.

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Another pitiful playground

Due to the city’s huge population, it’s perhaps not all that surprising to find that Tokyo doesn’t exactly boast a plentiful supply of playgrounds, but unfortunately, it’s far from a case of quality rather than quantity, as these previously posted wretched recreational areas featuring maimed animals, monsters and motorways amply prove. And now, to further add to this partnership of pitifulness, is this sorry looking sight.

Tokyo playground

Yet to be fair, the rather dirty and despondent nature of this ‘plaything’ is arguably countered somewhat by the convenient location of a nearby lavatory, although admittedly its far from private positioning could also be deemed as detrimental.

Tokyo playground

However, one thing is for certain, the choice of an elephant was particularly pertinent considering the giant mammals’ famed feats of memory, as any child using this coarse concrete slide will remember their copious amounts of chafing for many moons to come.

Tokyo playground

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Japanese facial facade

The old wartime warning about being wary that walls have ears may not have much meaning anymore, as we have — at least marginally — moved on from such madness.

As have the walls it would seem, with sight and sound now added to their services.

Tokyo building