Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Tat for Tokyo tourists?

The Japanese discount empire, Don Quijote, which, among other things, is ideal for foreign foodstuffs and naughty novelties, is apparently intent on attracting tourists; announcing that it will introduce maps in different languages, as well as simple instructions for subtracting sales tax.

Don Quijote

A move that could well see signs suggesting something along the lines of, ‘Schoolgirl uniforms this way’,

Japanese schoolgirl cosplay

‘Similarly suspect swimsuits over there’,

Japanese party wear

along with, ‘Air idols aplenty!’.

Japanese air idol

Plus there’s also the possibility of, ‘Model masks near the macaroni’,

Yuko Ogura mask

‘Adult video star’s digits down by the deodorant’,

Japanese AV star Kato Taka

and even the previously unimaginable, ‘Sales tax off sperm magnifiers‘.

Japanese sperm magnifier

Which, all in all, could be a campaign that will leave the likes of Kyoto and the country’s castles suffering a major loss in visitors.

Maybe.

(news story via the FG Forums)

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Japanese monster marker

Tokyo’s apparent disregard for the presumably trifling matter of town planning can make finding someone’s home a frustrating, and often time consuming, task. Plus, while maps can be a major help, the metropolis’ maze-like streets often make even the most detailed diagram difficult to decipher.

With this in mind then, landmarks are a much more reliable resource, making helpful hints along the lines of, “I live below the giant Gorilla”,

Tokyo Gorilla

or, “My gaff is next to Godzilla”,

Tokyo Godzilla

far more efficient.

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Pitiful Tokyo playground

Presumably due to the high cost of land in the Japanese capital, and the lack of lots left available, Tokyo’s playgrounds can be sorry sights to say the least; a trait that also seems to be socially acceptable in Japan’s second city, Osaka.

Still, a pitiful place is arguably better than no place at all, and here at least the area’s youngsters have something to climb on, as well as somewhere to sit after a fun five minutes or so.

Japanese playground

There’s even a sandpit too, although one’s bucket and spade is probably best left for the beach.

Japanese playground

And, should it rain, the area is also conveniently covered, with the trundle of traffic from above a mere trifling trouble.

Japanese playground

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Japanese car colour conformity?

With Japan being home to the most pre-eminent automobile makers on the planet, it’s perhaps not surprising that the nation’s motorists have a copious collection of cars to pick from, all the way from the comical, to the economical.

However, when it comes to choosing a colour, the sizeable selection is obviously too much for most, with a staggeringly large number of new owners simply settling on silver.

small Japanese car

Or, for those looking to be a bit more fun, but at the same time still fit in, white would appear to be the way to go.

small Japanese car