Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Tokyo Motor show imagination

A lot of the coverage for this year’s Tokyo Motor Show has concentrated on the fairly considerable contingent of concept cars, with their state-of-the-art but at the same time somewhat silly designs.

Tokyo Motor Show

Yet for exhibitors revealing nothing more than round bits of rubber, it has meant a bit of extra effort has been needed to entice both the public and press alike. A situation that presumably prompted Osaka-based Toyo Tires to attempt something a little different with its ‘Feel The Excite’ show.

Tokyo Motor Show

A plan it appears to have successfully pulled off with these slick, racy looking little numbers,

Japanese models

which are very well balanced,

Japanese models

and all in all, moulded to a very high standard indeed.

Japanese models

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Tokyo sake signboard

Japanese food is now well-known throughout the world, but much less mentioned is the nation’s really rather good range of beers; which, as well as regular lagers, also includes a few premium brews. The current favourite, according to the always well informed What Japan Thinks, being Yebisu.

Yebisu

Yet despite its huge popularity in Japan, the beverage of choice for many is still considered somewhat uncouth, with bawdiness and bad behaviour seen as its usual bedfellows. Along with, erm, bikinis.

Japanese bikini

Sake on the other hand is seen as much more refined, especially with its links to culture and religion, which is possibly what prompted one Tokyo bar owner to go as far as flaunting five (albeit rather vague) reasons for rejoicing in a glass or two.

Japanese baseball

Although whether ‘to refuse the future’ is meant as reflective or as a rash refusal of any resultant headache is very much open to question.

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Japanese lingerie lunch

For fellas who are all fingers and thumbs at the best of times, this lunch-themed bit of lingerie must be the last thing they’d want to see, let alone lay their hands on — the combination of food and a possible fiddle making a fumble all the more likely.

Japanese underwear

Imaginatively made by Triumph International, Japan’s premier novelty underwear producer, the ‘My Chopsticks Bra’ comes cleverly equipped with a pair of collapsible eating utensils, along with two bulging bowls containing replica rice and miso soup.

Which, while not exactly saucy, do supply the option of a quick slurp or something to have a naughty nibble on should a break be deemed necessary.

Update: There’s now a video available to at least feast your eyes on.

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Tokyo Times transformation #2

Fashion in Japan certainly changes quicker than the face of Tokyo Times, but in a desperate attempt to appear up-to-date, I’ve launched a new look. Hardly a drastic change it has to be said, but it is different — sort of. Miniaturising the Hello Kitty header was a major decision though, and if it’s missed I may have to go back. Basic isn’t always best.

Anyway, hopefully everything will work as it should, but if it doesn’t please leave a comment. And in the meantime, here’s a far more fetching redesign by motor car maker Suzuki. The company’s new model currently making more than a few waves at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Japanese model

Apologies to those who may have seen this picture when it was briefly posted yesterday. A few major issues meant that it quickly had to be yanked, so to speak, until the problems were solved.