JAPAN: A few misc highlights

[nfpgasmask]

Just a few more pics I thought I would share:

Kyoto, huge cemetery near Gion.




Temple grounds.


Volks Kyoto Gardens.


Lots of Neon, Osaka.


Preserved parasite infestation at the Meguro Parasite Museum.


My favorite kitty at the Cat Cafe.


Me and the Mrs.


Me and my broski, Jim, on Halloween...drinking Zima. Yes, its big over there. It was between Zima and Heineken. Heineken is terrible beyond words so we went with cans of Zima instead.


Tall boy Mtn Dewzies? Awesome.


It gets better, hot corn chowder in a can. Japanese vending machines are awesome.


What's this? I had to try it. Tasted like super sweet milk tea...also hot.


Night shot, Shinjuku.


Train food.


Okonomiyaki, my favorite.


Basashi, look it up. I did not eat it. My friend did.


The fish market.


I want to go back.

Bart

[vt_maverick]

Horse Meat

[circmand]

of the hot asian women?

[nfpgasmask]

of the hot asian women?

LOL, you can ask my wife for those. See what she says.

Bart

[Knigh7s]

Lucky you, I've been trying to go back for awhile now.
Love the pics you shared.

The boss came up to me several weeks ago and wanted to send me to Tokyo to help out our sister company over there for a month... couldn't go... Long story. Would have been great!!!

[Triathlete]

Yep, the vending machines are awesome. You can get nearly anything in them. Batteries die in the middle of the night...hit the vending machine, need a beer...hit the vending machine,.........

[ZEUS]

So the Japanese are buried standing up? They are as packed in death as in life! Japanese gardens are so freakin cool! I had no idea about the vending machines tho... we need those here fo shizzle.

[nfpgasmask]

Yeah, not all, but many vending machines dispense beer and sake. Its a revolution I tell ya! What is wrong with us over here?

We were discussing that very thing about the cemetery. I'm thinking they are cremated and their ashes are stored inside the marker?

I need to read up on that.

Bart

[vt_maverick]

T/J - Bart how long ago did you add the ticket-counter to your sig? It's either new or I'm pretty blind...

[Triathlete]

In Japan land is VERY expensive....you buy it by the square foot not the acre! Therefore families buy small burial plots, all are cremated and then everyone is buried in the small plot...they add upwards.

[Knigh7s]

In Japan land is VERY expensive....you buy it by the square foot not the acre! Therefore families buy small burial plots, all are cremated and then everyone is buried in the small plot...they add upwards.

I agree with Triathlete.

As for the vending machines: NSFW Better than explaining it myself...

[Cobrajet]

I first deployed to Japan (Atsugi) in 1974, and flew in and out for 2 1/2 years. Did a bit of travelling, and took a LOT of pictures with my 35mm Canon EF. All slides...they're in boxes somewhere in a closet. I loved Japan.

My wife and I took a vacation to Tokyo while we were stationed in Okinawa in 1989. We climbed Mt Fuji! I actually reached the summit, and then proceeded to leave my prized climbing stick up there. But, I had video of the entire climb (until my wife copied over it to make a Red Cross training video!) The video camera died right after that trip due to all the volcanic ash it sucked up. Bottom line...I've got nothing but memories of that climb. I would love to do it again, but I'm just too old and out of shape.

Back in the mid-70's the exchange rate was as high as 300 yen to the dollar, so it was an awesome time to buy stereo and camera equipment. (Still couldn't afford that Nakamichi deck.) I still have my Sansui QRX-9001, Akai GX-630D-SS, and Technics SL1300. But, that was nothing compared to some of the really high-end gear available at the Akihabara. Drool city!

Good times! Thanks for the memories!

[Triathlete]

Early 80's when I was there my first time the yen rate was still at 300...mid 80's 2nd trip it had dropped to 120.

[Riff Raff]

Bart--- Cool pix, thanx for sharing. BTW; I concur, Heinekin Beer is the absolute worst tasting rot-gut beer made (followed closely by Beck's Beer in 2nd place).

CobraJet--- I too was in Tokyo & Yokohama in the Summer of 1974 during a High School Student Exchange Program, and I also climbed Mt. Fuji (I was 15 years old). I really tried to lose my virginity to a good lookin' young daughter of one of my host Japan family, but her Parents had a too watchful and protective eye (almost made it happen though). BTW; later when I was in the Army and stationed in Korea in the late 80's, I bought the coveted Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck (still have it and it's in prestine condition in my A/V rack). My current AVR is the new Pioneer Elite SC-09TX (aka "Susano").

[RallyDude]

The Cobert Report last night showed a vending machine in a Japanese subway that dispensed live crabs.

We used to have a few video stores in town that went out of business after a few Red Box type DVD vending machines took most of their business.