Photographs from a small group of islands
As a keen follower of swimwear fiber development, I’m happy to announce that Synthetic fiber-maker Toray Industries has unveiled its 2005 swimsuit line-up.
And as luck would have it, campaign girl Sayaka Ogata kindly tried on one of the new designs for the cameras.
I could try and justify such a gratuitous shot of a young lady in a swimsuit by describing the fabrics used, colours available, cost etc.
But I won’t.
Waiting for a train last night at the notoriously busy Shinjuku Station, my friend and I were surprised to see our train pull in with the carriage nearest to us practically empty. Considering the rest of the train was as horribly packed as usual, we predicted foul play. The most likely offender being the contents of a drunken salary man’s stomach.
But our surprise at seeing a near deserted carriage paled into insignificance to the feelings we had when the doors finally opened. As there for everyone on the platform to gaze in wonder at, was a train car floor festoon with faeces.
Whilst I didn’t go nearer for a closer inspection, there was no doubting the substance was bodily waste. And the expressions of the few hardy commuters actually traveling in the same compartment said it all. One man was even pinching the end of his nose in a desperate attempt to block out the presumably overpowering smell.
What on earth happened remains a mystery. But whatever transpired, the train must have been packed at the time. Which it goes without saying must have been unpleasant (to say the least) for all concerned.
I write this as I desperately wait for a plane to take me to Osaka. And if you can get the time off work, I heartily recommend you head in the same direction. As it has just come to my attention that Nissin’s unbelievably exciting Instant Ramen Museum has just reopened after being closed for renovations.
As you can imagine, my mind is in a complete whir at the thought of what joys await. And if I’m lucky enough, I may even catch the inventor of instant ramen, Momofuku Ando, giving one of his legendary the making of cup noodle speeches. I simply can’t wait.
As a brief taster, and one that will undoubtedly have you packing your bags and booking tickets quicker than you can make a tasty hot snack, here’s one of the rumoured exhibits.
Now call me miserable if you want to (and don’t worry, you won’t be the first) but I find the Japanese obsession with cuteness nauseating at best. The rule that cute equals good is a false one in my book.
But that said, this sign outside a school I came across today did manage to warm the cockles of my cynical heart.
Briefly.
Why, after riding bikes for most of their lives (and on an almost daily basis), are middle-aged Japanese women the wobbliest and worst cyclists in the world?