Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Lying Japanese landlords?

Quite what the landlord of this Tokyo apartment building lied about isn’t completely clear.

Japanese apartment

It’s possible that it could have been connected to the conveniently close vending machine that contains condoms rather than the more conventional cola.

Japanese apartment

Although probably more likelier is that it was in relation to the preposterously close proximity of a busy road and railway.

Japanese apartment

But that said, the building could simply have been named in a nod to the long tradition of German romantic songs, although considering its decidedly drab decor, that could be deemed downright deceptive too.

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Japanese gaming gear

There’s no denying the fondness for fashion in Japan, with appearance a priority. In fact, it could be argued that a large percentage of people are f*ing obsessed with it.

Japanese fashion

That said, it’s not necessarily always successful, as the merits of this gamer’s mask for example are somewhat moot to say the least.

Japanese gamer

(click image for magnified masked man)

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More Japanese whaling whoppers?

With more of a hullabaloo than ever this year over Japan’s annual whale hunt, Prime Minister Fukuda recently felt the need to enter the fray by declaring, “I don’t think it is right for the discussions to turn emotional, especially with the recent violent act against the Japanese research vessel … so we should try to continue with our efforts to try to explain that we are engaged in this research whaling activity from a scientific viewpoint.”

Something of a standard statement from Japan it has to be said, although sentiments within the country itself send out much more in the way of mixed signals, as to some, whaling is regarded as mainly about rights rather than research. The banner below brashly brushing off the party line by boasting that whale is Japanese food culture.

Japanese whaling

Which, whether right or wrong, really begs the question as to how much is about science,

Japanese whaling

compared to that of sustenance,

Japanese whale

and sheer single-mindedness?

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Tantalising Tokyo topography?

On a cold but pleasantly crisp morning, a wander by the water in western Tokyo is especially appealing as, providing one can disregard the detritus, the far from conservative use of concrete is absolutely captivating.

Or at least it is for this couple of old codgers.

Tokyo river

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Aki Hoshino’s heaving hives

In attempt to arouse some interest in the upcoming Japanese release of ‘Bee Movie’, the powers that be opted to parade busty beauty Aki Hoshino about in a bee coloured bodysuit.

aki hoshino

A move that was something of a master stroke as it immediately had antennae all across the country trained on Hoshino-san’s heaving, erm, hives. Their promise of succulent sweet honey guaranteeing the film at least a certain amount of success.

aki hoshino

The 30-year-old pin-up also took the opportunity to wax lyrically about her line of work, as despite being Japan’s oldest active pin-up, she claimed that, “I’d like to keep on working, and since I can’t give orders, I guess I’m a working bee, not a queen bee”.

A comment that presumably produced a blooming enormous buzz of relief.

aki hoshino