Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

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Japanese rice field rabble

With rice in the Japanese capital looking pretty much ready for harvest, the precious product understandably needs protecting, and in this part of Tokyo at least, suitably attired sentries are seemingly essential.

Japanese rice field

A mesmerising mix that includes at least one mannequin whose jolly jumper is a far cry from the owner’s decidedly downbeat demeanour.

Japanese rice field

Although that said, some of its more dourly dressed colleagues are definitely more disturbing.

Japanese rice field

Plus with a nod towards multiculturalism, more than a few foreign faces help make up the numbers. A motley array that includes some that are focused,

Japanese rice field

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Japanese food-related fashion

With food-related programmes dominating Japanese television, it’s very easy for the viewer to be left slavering at the sight of the succulent snacks on display or, on occasion, the saucy delights of those sometimes serving up the samples.

sexy japanese tv

The only problem is that all this food-based frivolity can leave the practice of preparing dinner seem all the more mundane, with no fancy dishes or flirty females to fire the imagination. Yet for the cost of only 1,980 yen (17 dollars), any dinnertime disappointments can be easily eradicated — this breast-boasting apron effortlessly putting a morsel of merriment back into meal times.

Japanese fashion

Perhaps.

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Japanese whale for sale

“It appears obvious there is almost no market for whale meat, so if the Japanese government will not listen to the conservation argument to stop whaling, perhaps Iceland’s official recognition that there’s no market for the meat could finally encourage Japan to stop its expanded ‘scientific’ whaling program.”

New Zealand Conservation Minister John Carter disputing the supposed demand for whale meat.

The market for whale meat in Japan is probably nowhere near the size so-called ‘scientists’ may suggest, although Mr Carter’s claims that there’s almost none is equally suspect. It’s true that schoolchildren in certain areas are being lumbered with the stuff whether they like it or not, but on the other hand, some people do seem to buy it simply because they want to.

Plus to try and increase interest and tempt those willing to give it a whirl, whale is now available in cute little cans.

Japanese whale

And for those after something fresher, supermarkets seem to have finally sussed that presentation could be a powerful tool in boosting whale sales. This for example doesn’t look especially appetising.

Japanese whale

But with the addition of a bit of green and a lovely little flower, the minke below is much more appealing.

Japanese whale

Maybe.

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Japanese food fad

The Japanese fondness for fads is fairly well documented, with products, places and even people receiving the sometimes dubious merits of en masse mania due to their ‘newness’ or massive media hype.

A perfect example perhaps was the opening last December of a Krispy Kreme outlet in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. An event that took even the keenest of fad followers by surprise, with huge numbers of people standing in line for hours on end just to get hold of some of the shop’s presumably delectable donuts.

Yet more than eight months later, people are amazingly still at it, with the eatery boldly fending of the usual fickleness of Japanese consumers. Even on a mid-week August afternoon there are large numbers of punters patiently waiting outside in the far from comfortable temperatures just to get their hands on the sweet snacks inside.

Japan krispy kreme

And it’s not a wee wait and then back to the office or wherever to gorge on the goods either, as there’s now a theme park-style sign letting customers know just how long they’ll be in line for. A mere hour it seems being a small price to pay for some sugary satisfaction.

Japan krispy kreme

Now by all means call me an old curmudgeon as far as creamy treats are concerned, but isn’t this willingness to wait at least an hour for something as dull as a donut something to worry about?