tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-354430632024-02-20T10:32:58.068+09:00Just another monkey ...No-one special ... just another monkey in front of a keyboard recording things I've been getting up to ...tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.comBlogger579125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-27869040037594162662009-10-04T16:54:00.002+09:002009-10-04T16:59:18.848+09:00Nobody Can Stop This Feeling<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://mysound.jp/music/detail/tZVCB/" target="blank">Arriving Soon - <i>Soul4 Introducing Mattia Cigalini </i></a><br />
Blackhair Blackeyes - <i>Gen Hosokawa</i> <br />
<a href="http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/soilpimp/discography/index.html" target="blank">Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - <i>Soil & "Pimp" Sessions</i></a><br />
<a href="http://www.juno.co.uk/artists/Indigo+Jam+Unit/" target="blank">Time - <i>indigo jam unit</i></a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OprMTRpWwl8" target="blank">The More I Look At You - <i>Timo Lassy Featuring Jose James</i> </a> <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5SAeoF7PJY" target="blank">Nobody Can Stop - <i>Alma Plus</i> </a><br />
<a href="http://www.newmastersounds.com/jukebox/popup.html" target="blank">Chocolate Chip<i> - The New Mastersounds </i></a><i> </i> <br />
The Atlanta Boogaloo - <i>The Inclines </i> <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7-mjtgasNA" target="blank">Maybe So, Maybe No - <i>Mayer Hawthorne</i> </a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Czars/dp/B002CNTCA2" target="blank">Love Czars - <i>Sa-Ra Creative Partners</i> </a> <br />
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<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><i>Click on the songs to listen to online clips.</i><br />
</span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-48281904508360913512009-09-30T23:25:00.000+09:002009-09-30T23:25:48.011+09:00Meguro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLUPgfBJkFvfPU8rBX3vxAEF8Cd0jeQ22yVS6nXzMUJ0ocraZaS2ekMlJxGart1FN_k6yDJV0hWV0mco5k6nEDUqx5sDW5vGSFj9ZH3WVwz062UpID0Ghs1NXbUEXC9NF2VWRQQ/s1600-h/IMG_3934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLUPgfBJkFvfPU8rBX3vxAEF8Cd0jeQ22yVS6nXzMUJ0ocraZaS2ekMlJxGart1FN_k6yDJV0hWV0mco5k6nEDUqx5sDW5vGSFj9ZH3WVwz062UpID0Ghs1NXbUEXC9NF2VWRQQ/s320/IMG_3934.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSmU6nUrsrIhaqynRD5OpCtViQ6IM51yWMMSeQstL6lYyuzCJn_uXQQBOmRbSy3x3NPFMs7fDQ88phxIZ80iJmhTozxqJUlAh-1iPmddifC_oub_GSqMxB38VeAnW1z6w_sz9Ng/s1600-h/IMG_3935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSmU6nUrsrIhaqynRD5OpCtViQ6IM51yWMMSeQstL6lYyuzCJn_uXQQBOmRbSy3x3NPFMs7fDQ88phxIZ80iJmhTozxqJUlAh-1iPmddifC_oub_GSqMxB38VeAnW1z6w_sz9Ng/s320/IMG_3935.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Meguro was next up on this Yamanote Line project and despite its name, the station itself is actually in Shinagawa-ku rather than Meguro-ku. Heading out from the east exit the main artery is Meguro Dori, which takes you past the huge National Park For Nature Study towards the upmarket Shirokanadai area.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">On the approach to the national park there are a number of Thai restaurants, like this one, Tuk Tuk, largely due, I guess, to the fact that the Thai embassy is nearby. <br />
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</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Shirokanedai has a lot of pricey-looking apartment blocks, or 'mansions' as they're called here.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The local shops reflect the neighbourhood and on a different day I would have been tempted to while away some time looking around this wine shop.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The local branch of Book Off is a great place to go for secondhand foreign books, as most branches of this chain carry few if any foreign books. Granted it doesn't have the same character as small independent shops like the Blue Parrot in Takadanobaba, but there are some bargains to be found. <br />
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</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Outside the classy Miyako Hotel there is a spot for dogs to quench their thirst.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">One attraction in the Meguro area is the pilgrimage route known as the Yamate course that links six temples housing the Seven Gods of Fortune (<i>shichi fuku-jin</i>). People often make the pilgrimage in January to bring good fortune for the coming year. </span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The first temple on the route is Kakurinji, or Seishoku, which dates from the seventeenth century, though has doubtlessly been rebuilt over the years, as have most temples in Japan. It's home to Bishamonten, the god of warriors. <br />
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</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Glass and steel in Shirokanedai.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The second temple on the route, Zuishoji, is less than ten minutes' walk away and like the previous temple, it was originally founded in the seventeenth century. It is tucked away in a very quiet area and is home to Hotei, the god of happiness and contentment.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Another one of those incredibly narrow buildings.It's a wonder that the interiors can be put to any practical use.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The next temple on the route is home to two gods, Jurojin (god of wisdom) and Fukurokuju (god of happiness and longevity). Again, peacefully set off the main road, it makes for a nice stroll.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_RBqrRKGUmidEeQpli3u2QwG-LECOx8Rhw7war9rX7MBU4i-eeP4Dw9gci7inT6v5GRUr6KFC0orL5J0jar4I0PRo0JbcakAnjPJTWudUZdsvdeZLeIHIJw-18TCfsIGvSbErA/s1600-h/IMG_3956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_RBqrRKGUmidEeQpli3u2QwG-LECOx8Rhw7war9rX7MBU4i-eeP4Dw9gci7inT6v5GRUr6KFC0orL5J0jar4I0PRo0JbcakAnjPJTWudUZdsvdeZLeIHIJw-18TCfsIGvSbErA/s320/IMG_3956.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A ridiculously small and not too safe looking car with just about enough room for one average size person.<br />
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</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">View along the Meguro-gawa.<br />
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</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Tacky turrets stuck onto the outside of an otherwise plain-looking concrete building ~ it can only be a love hotel.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The fourth temple on the route, Daineji, is just over on to the west side of the station and whilst the temple itself is quite small, there is quite a lot to see. Among all the other many gods on display here, you can see Daikoku, god of wealth and farmers.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEimCLzZH5M2LJYhRSl3memYKLma-k0OtPuQNViT9U0WnexU0lTqDQmuZtj-qRErdeNdpruqmHC-EG_s1zscseYZk7AgyjvCwee6TwY8S-i0PXllZLZts9oCyn7dXGTyU7qNzkQ/s1600-h/IMG_3969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjEimCLzZH5M2LJYhRSl3memYKLma-k0OtPuQNViT9U0WnexU0lTqDQmuZtj-qRErdeNdpruqmHC-EG_s1zscseYZk7AgyjvCwee6TwY8S-i0PXllZLZts9oCyn7dXGTyU7qNzkQ/s320/IMG_3969.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you have any aches and pains, then the story goes that this Buddha can help you out. To relieve your suffering, simply rub some gold leaf onto the corresponding part of his body. Of course, I always carry y very own personal supply for just such an occasion, though on this particular day felt in no particular need of a cure.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QWpUnLltlHr85grbAAUWu-4fpdz5H4GazoEZHo6BIkbV2BIq_hQM4HYxv6OsCTVvvTTPbl1MSsV4JSKUt07ttnBYJFE9ZlaUZCmS-4eE8xp7Ui1M6dKCKt-kLXFRDUfS1VuqZQ/s1600-h/IMG_3970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QWpUnLltlHr85grbAAUWu-4fpdz5H4GazoEZHo6BIkbV2BIq_hQM4HYxv6OsCTVvvTTPbl1MSsV4JSKUt07ttnBYJFE9ZlaUZCmS-4eE8xp7Ui1M6dKCKt-kLXFRDUfS1VuqZQ/s320/IMG_3970.jpg" /></a><br />
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</div>Here we have all the seven gods side by side, but don't ask me to name them from left to right.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As with most temples or shrines there is a source of running water to cleanse your hands before you pray. In a move to conserve water, the dragon here is fitted with an electronic eye so that water only flows when someone is standing in front of it.<br />
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</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Close to Daienji is a dentist with a rather quirky sign. I guess even card carrying aliens are welcome here.<br />
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</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The view down Gonnosuke-zaka, the main road on the west side of the station.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Selling tofu outside Otori-jinja.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrG34rISvg4gnNXWDxNHtUuV8WVOMECpyd0WX-r-ZC1aseKgjDmer4RAWw7PIJCDIL1KvsDE66b0e-12r99quEUK4IhOb6LwvhyFxZ1uDEOQ0hmLy_cQKZeeAayQomSCL29zw_w/s1600-h/IMG_3987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrG34rISvg4gnNXWDxNHtUuV8WVOMECpyd0WX-r-ZC1aseKgjDmer4RAWw7PIJCDIL1KvsDE66b0e-12r99quEUK4IhOb6LwvhyFxZ1uDEOQ0hmLy_cQKZeeAayQomSCL29zw_w/s320/IMG_3987.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Otori-jinja is a fairly large shrine that occupies a large corner on Gonnosuke-zaka and even has an electronic vending machine dispensing <i>omikuji </i>~ a kind of holy lottery where you draw a random strip of paper with your fortune told on it. <br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Banryuji is the next temple on the route and is tucked away in a very peaceful location that almost makes you forget you're in central Tokyo. Home to Benten, the only female deity among the seven lucky gods, she looks over music and art. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The final temple is the largest complex of buildings on the route goes by the name of Meguro Fudosan. There are many fine temples, buildings and statues in this area including Ebisu, the god of commerce, and fisherman, and, incidentally the name of the next stop on the line.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After about four hours of walking around in the sticky heat, I was done for the day. The Yamate course was an interesting way to frame a pleasant walk through an interesting area of Tokyo. No doubt there are many parts of Meguro I missed due to a lack of time and energy on the day, but it's an area that you can definitely can back to again and again.<br />
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</span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-60632718803355402852009-09-26T00:11:00.000+09:002009-09-26T00:11:03.262+09:00Late summer festival in Nakano<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdWvlNGehc_CBPH4d1G9moIba2MNAPKFcODbsVxqmfI8-Jbr0yVUSD121K97jUY3k7F3zEZ3cPCwxTQ5fQAoABPa38bT-wovXwYGQ295id9FZ93jaRPUPPyNRWnVmAwsS7fs5Ng/s1600-h/IMG_4009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdWvlNGehc_CBPH4d1G9moIba2MNAPKFcODbsVxqmfI8-Jbr0yVUSD121K97jUY3k7F3zEZ3cPCwxTQ5fQAoABPa38bT-wovXwYGQ295id9FZ93jaRPUPPyNRWnVmAwsS7fs5Ng/s320/IMG_4009.jpg" /><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00BZtSveiwclI174u_7xtbZL-RdXyIYqvVGszN8F8Ws3e36u3MJ5ollJl96FULy0EIdN6SxlZKmuK_PYyU-nyLi3wu06sAJ9bXx80nF0pX0yN_TDBcsU5eDDAu5AuU9vr_xIqhg/s1600-h/IMG_4007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00BZtSveiwclI174u_7xtbZL-RdXyIYqvVGszN8F8Ws3e36u3MJ5ollJl96FULy0EIdN6SxlZKmuK_PYyU-nyLi3wu06sAJ9bXx80nF0pX0yN_TDBcsU5eDDAu5AuU9vr_xIqhg/s320/IMG_4007.jpg" /><br />
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</span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-36992389162717591142009-09-25T22:40:00.000+09:002009-09-25T22:40:36.847+09:00Gauguin @ The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits7bXIib4roDkANYWYdv2yJAT9J8cWfJY9E8yUb2PHGQLEr1bwkceh9ZMd6B2Pl4RPnekK45mspd012G0TMRWsaEZy6wPLncqzivitRoj3NL4KL4sk3kF1jeRvNeX14De4urOOw/s1600-h/IMG_4010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEits7bXIib4roDkANYWYdv2yJAT9J8cWfJY9E8yUb2PHGQLEr1bwkceh9ZMd6B2Pl4RPnekK45mspd012G0TMRWsaEZy6wPLncqzivitRoj3NL4KL4sk3kF1jeRvNeX14De4urOOw/s320/IMG_4010.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">First, there was the huge queue for tickets, something you'd expect to see here when a new Krispy Kreme shop opens. Next, there was the slow moving bump and jostle of people, often five deep in front of the pictures, something akin to trying to get through the ticket barrier at a station during rush hour. On top of this you had the inane comments, such as "Hmm, they all look the same. What's so special?", "God, I wish they'd hurry up in front. Why are they stopping?" and "I'm not sure what that's about." The icing on the cake, however, when arriving in the area where the real crowd-pulling work of the exhibition was displayed was the announcement by the museum ushers to "Keep walking and not stop." Hardly ideal conditions for admiring art, but then again I guess I was stupid enough to try to go to a major exhibition in Tokyo on a National Holiday.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Those frustrations aside, it was great to be able to see more then fifty Gauguin works gathered together as a kind of representation of the progression of his career. The exhibition was divided into three sections, the first featuring pictures painted in France wen he was discovering his wild side, the second featuring pictures and woodcuts from Tahiti and the final section was titled 'Destined to wander' and featured his masterpiece <i>Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?</i>, which was being exhibited in Japan for the first time.</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Despite the crowds it was an exhibition well worth seeing. I just wish I hadn't left it so late that I only had the choice of going on a National Holiday.<br />
</span><br />
</div>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-88559912130394977662009-09-21T12:38:00.094+09:002009-09-21T14:10:02.631+09:00Gotanda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPQ8j9-iAoHCqoC56sMOnyLB2gIQIvBygVfbCtYrN3tyJRb09i3YjyzuOo3_d9OnJuh2UkTjaaPVgQIffX3jHBl2SxK3w8_hSrvB0DK23Ph1-tslbf-dLIFKsen8GnzUuqroedw/s1600-h/IMG_3900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPQ8j9-iAoHCqoC56sMOnyLB2gIQIvBygVfbCtYrN3tyJRb09i3YjyzuOo3_d9OnJuh2UkTjaaPVgQIffX3jHBl2SxK3w8_hSrvB0DK23Ph1-tslbf-dLIFKsen8GnzUuqroedw/s320/IMG_3900.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XilkPpuZnne7-YXphDZPszkE7Jqde7QMKhCjivhX6ivm_iZKFZPejSPvwYdHIVDPlW9bQNDdSJweln4ZKFa2Jjtm12dTj32wUDkqS74j_hQA2MDK94cmLiZVI-kArklspZ-bdw/s1600-h/IMG_3901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_XilkPpuZnne7-YXphDZPszkE7Jqde7QMKhCjivhX6ivm_iZKFZPejSPvwYdHIVDPlW9bQNDdSJweln4ZKFa2Jjtm12dTj32wUDkqS74j_hQA2MDK94cmLiZVI-kArklspZ-bdw/s320/IMG_3901.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a couple of fairly uninteresting stops, I was hoping that Gotanda would have more to offer for the casual visitor. And on exiting the station, the fact that surroundings weren't just a mass of glass and concrete was a promising sign.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-x1fhVhl_tmxsS7tNEAQ5XcR6_2RvdDopebKfGS-94SGp6I8zVO3YOBrwINoEfIp0jaXaTbJNSWZAEd8oKJymlc2zrAObnOUiMIeppET3yt67Mu_bAoVXuyP_eW0G7wYq3NgAA/s1600-h/IMG_3902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-x1fhVhl_tmxsS7tNEAQ5XcR6_2RvdDopebKfGS-94SGp6I8zVO3YOBrwINoEfIp0jaXaTbJNSWZAEd8oKJymlc2zrAObnOUiMIeppET3yt67Mu_bAoVXuyP_eW0G7wYq3NgAA/s320/IMG_3902.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The east exit takes you to the area that lies inside the loop of the Yamanote Line, and the main road takes you uphill towards the Seisen University campus.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB53D4JbshZl8vogU30vE9IgsxSWw5Vra7EGztqDO_lrahRuHd88o17U8vk8SKn0TqEsnW83sYQXQCA7xrW6cM9lvsbC_M3S_apUu6BqjTHrXbIElhKVeXmkOv75-5pKPPXawgmg/s1600-h/IMG_3903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB53D4JbshZl8vogU30vE9IgsxSWw5Vra7EGztqDO_lrahRuHd88o17U8vk8SKn0TqEsnW83sYQXQCA7xrW6cM9lvsbC_M3S_apUu6BqjTHrXbIElhKVeXmkOv75-5pKPPXawgmg/s320/IMG_3903.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkSEQian9nhA6Gb38ty0CpjX3dHPaVnv1wAZZWBm475I2XD47ve-vSsI5BRvcKO2B6LZcxq-tsz36FeSfHzhvCesa4-PgPlw8gvd18ZHymUrfoVbRSAoxmoPBDj9Pv_N4r4sCVg/s1600-h/IMG_3905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkSEQian9nhA6Gb38ty0CpjX3dHPaVnv1wAZZWBm475I2XD47ve-vSsI5BRvcKO2B6LZcxq-tsz36FeSfHzhvCesa4-PgPlw8gvd18ZHymUrfoVbRSAoxmoPBDj9Pv_N4r4sCVg/s320/IMG_3905.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Att5X_GTc2wTOfgohX5AK3djvoGbZSO5Kboi3n042cR2uWS47XkIIPiSFziNwVw1UUqXUBSYa2Or9SL06mf_3zBFxuSF6-DOjdtSrxLPi3rjRMO6Ov5sJq_n0A1YggIzI6x3LA/s1600-h/IMG_3904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Att5X_GTc2wTOfgohX5AK3djvoGbZSO5Kboi3n042cR2uWS47XkIIPiSFziNwVw1UUqXUBSYa2Or9SL06mf_3zBFxuSF6-DOjdtSrxLPi3rjRMO6Ov5sJq_n0A1YggIzI6x3LA/s320/IMG_3904.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tucked away behind the facade of an office block there is this shrine. As with many shrines in Japan, however, big or small, demolition is out of the question, as it would be inviting bad luck to that site in the future. Consequently, with the massive programme of urbanisation that has been in place since the war, if a shrine has been located on a prime piece of land, and the developers had the go ahead to build on that land, the shrine has remained in tact and the building has been built around it. Apparently hemming the gods in from all sides is permissible.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLNplqBw9WT_advgkt5rvflMZH0aYEOtckcL4IYUhajxb_RG_YBS1RSSvoYkTOMllO_aDf5CA-hAkXv8M7B5JT_He7Bpw9mdG3q2awcg9nC8etCecbzAwzHw5AAvSIap7y1tBCg/s1600-h/IMG_3907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLNplqBw9WT_advgkt5rvflMZH0aYEOtckcL4IYUhajxb_RG_YBS1RSSvoYkTOMllO_aDf5CA-hAkXv8M7B5JT_He7Bpw9mdG3q2awcg9nC8etCecbzAwzHw5AAvSIap7y1tBCg/s320/IMG_3907.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>Further up the hill is the huge, but rather strangely shaped Honryu-ji, clearly a major temple in the area give the size of the grounds and the cemetery attached, but hardly the most eye-catching.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg622kA7YINfb-Z05kpDspyhS8KXd7g3vpLwhkSIc867KhoZihVG8MfBkECO4LfD7MM7ZC6Q-sTio7igJ8xLC5m4bAst9HkKXq4ObgZSpqU0CbOuEkQoVbmeeOF1rYx7-cX7ldEOA/s1600-h/IMG_3908.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg622kA7YINfb-Z05kpDspyhS8KXd7g3vpLwhkSIc867KhoZihVG8MfBkECO4LfD7MM7ZC6Q-sTio7igJ8xLC5m4bAst9HkKXq4ObgZSpqU0CbOuEkQoVbmeeOF1rYx7-cX7ldEOA/s320/IMG_3908.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>A cowboy with a swag bag outside a motorbike repair shop. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazcs7aqjhnaCLMQPlBEx3ID9ETNpfsQhjIqXJ0xpTYAUqSHvebQSdAukOnDgUF7FuiTe8GUL2zB3uog2XiXoiodJ9TsZneNAgSYvRfsE74Q3-CCNNv0_1AYyRVkfkKoWCC-jKGA/s1600-h/IMG_3909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazcs7aqjhnaCLMQPlBEx3ID9ETNpfsQhjIqXJ0xpTYAUqSHvebQSdAukOnDgUF7FuiTe8GUL2zB3uog2XiXoiodJ9TsZneNAgSYvRfsE74Q3-CCNNv0_1AYyRVkfkKoWCC-jKGA/s320/IMG_3909.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>Gotanda seems to have a number of small but popular eateries in its back streets, such as this van selling take out <i>bentos</i> or the rickety old <i>ramen</i> shop below.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPECWOyQpp4_1s-jiPuCujkFflAh89c9izQZWEUY6q7PoUetZx5IDR9MsqVdj7rHhyVtbgk8nTu_7S2z2boiX6cTzTHbUl0gCpUPkaEnJx7gXph2UYd41DkDESSSq__If_YfGz/s1600-h/IMG_3910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPECWOyQpp4_1s-jiPuCujkFflAh89c9izQZWEUY6q7PoUetZx5IDR9MsqVdj7rHhyVtbgk8nTu_7S2z2boiX6cTzTHbUl0gCpUPkaEnJx7gXph2UYd41DkDESSSq__If_YfGz/s320/IMG_3910.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0-fx1a3rv9AofwVED4bMk3YnL0YylTVT2sTj8wzQr5Z_hqe9Aca0WpyLovWKF29GZ6FKXLhp6sevratt-fKeCvjPwwhJ-HFz7_qY7RFjtjJ46El2aHMuqG-pv7ol23yh-nxp/s1600-h/IMG_3911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA0-fx1a3rv9AofwVED4bMk3YnL0YylTVT2sTj8wzQr5Z_hqe9Aca0WpyLovWKF29GZ6FKXLhp6sevratt-fKeCvjPwwhJ-HFz7_qY7RFjtjJ46El2aHMuqG-pv7ol23yh-nxp/s320/IMG_3911.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Heading back towards the station to explore the west side, I saw this picture in the window of a karaoke pub, perhaps depicting the ultimate salaryman fantasy ~ a kimono-clad hostess who is also handy with a set of golf clubs.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh7IqnnJY7uqtVonM-4-hRk5UvxTeTzpXaolAa55YgpQeFHysyDidV4p8o2E3PxOGTcoblF-z7lKq4sHbjC1FBSd-Y7zRbBfJKs2r-Ao79jGlBK7FcLaJ_Dfk0I4NBRgmzuIZ/s1600-h/IMG_3913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTh7IqnnJY7uqtVonM-4-hRk5UvxTeTzpXaolAa55YgpQeFHysyDidV4p8o2E3PxOGTcoblF-z7lKq4sHbjC1FBSd-Y7zRbBfJKs2r-Ao79jGlBK7FcLaJ_Dfk0I4NBRgmzuIZ/s320/IMG_3913.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fdu4HicQZkE3u-7LMHbD-6lwDhizPmuc6iWbQd0SDw_Su4FG85WZTubmlVAP8GD1UTFTzeV3HkS5pd4wPkQqHRHnf6Fcm_aSchBIEMczmC26Py8UBrovlBhx7pFiwpOJjsuX/s1600-h/IMG_3912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5fdu4HicQZkE3u-7LMHbD-6lwDhizPmuc6iWbQd0SDw_Su4FG85WZTubmlVAP8GD1UTFTzeV3HkS5pd4wPkQqHRHnf6Fcm_aSchBIEMczmC26Py8UBrovlBhx7pFiwpOJjsuX/s320/IMG_3912.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>Murals beneath the arches at Gotanda station.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38SH9Jvz1pwf4CGZR7RC5IGo4Am-zX-feaQo3j1Ce4S3f1eIO-RjPUQc0brUii3lPFF7AQHY3eZ8Ftv_vCMqAHAbzNMVHxztrXPOOXm3QdF_Cbr7kNuof_diwxRJrc6LZuSGO/s1600-h/IMG_3914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38SH9Jvz1pwf4CGZR7RC5IGo4Am-zX-feaQo3j1Ce4S3f1eIO-RjPUQc0brUii3lPFF7AQHY3eZ8Ftv_vCMqAHAbzNMVHxztrXPOOXm3QdF_Cbr7kNuof_diwxRJrc6LZuSGO/s320/IMG_3914.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Trains over the Meguro-gawa.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCe_yJs0h2y5XlUsJRbh3Axuos2lteGr2MCn9k2RYuAqUVMuJKy3keLuE5RXAvNPt-IqPq3UPWT5efrGmCa0Qf7BE6DQPhepO5x6uT4wuY7NMixZsmsA7FuPfr34pFcIe8flI/s1600-h/IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCe_yJs0h2y5XlUsJRbh3Axuos2lteGr2MCn9k2RYuAqUVMuJKy3keLuE5RXAvNPt-IqPq3UPWT5efrGmCa0Qf7BE6DQPhepO5x6uT4wuY7NMixZsmsA7FuPfr34pFcIe8flI/s320/IMG_3915.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The western side of Gotanda is more of a residential area with lots of apartment blocks and shops, though near the station there are side streets with cramped restaurants (as above) and buildings packed with karaoke pubs, hostess bars and other less salubrious establishments (below).<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDODNus_rPURTXCT_yZkzac94cmDEczHKridc2m1PMa7lxD_xyShZNhRsOMb6g54LN1TpntQ9jc12euZT1PxbfyUBI14kNDswSzLW0693W0qhsyXDsvHC9hRLKw4l6y7G51Pdg/s1600-h/IMG_3916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDODNus_rPURTXCT_yZkzac94cmDEczHKridc2m1PMa7lxD_xyShZNhRsOMb6g54LN1TpntQ9jc12euZT1PxbfyUBI14kNDswSzLW0693W0qhsyXDsvHC9hRLKw4l6y7G51Pdg/s320/IMG_3916.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLtC4eFuHiQyIagLylu3GwKvbk5abr5krWE5U-N-S5GavOdO3HkeSyFwJoVyrrLRaT0bHmVxYqwXgkbLGuPb_616a6ETiZZ-XmzuEX4phhtCixITc2rTSjB-kBv_-dU7rG-_l/s1600-h/IMG_3919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsLtC4eFuHiQyIagLylu3GwKvbk5abr5krWE5U-N-S5GavOdO3HkeSyFwJoVyrrLRaT0bHmVxYqwXgkbLGuPb_616a6ETiZZ-XmzuEX4phhtCixITc2rTSjB-kBv_-dU7rG-_l/s320/IMG_3919.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>A cafe called Angel Fake ~ I'd much rather have the real thing. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrEb0o7GM_eLzjOHGjlCg19rdcXej5r9mCMntS0P_7A_bivfnY-PkaXCcicTKUhu-1k6kBSVAkC5z5VterlmBTCGVUBfjBgNIJDdNL7qjJenr7g9KGLV3d2BC4hnpsey7hyphenhyphen8S/s1600-h/IMG_3920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrEb0o7GM_eLzjOHGjlCg19rdcXej5r9mCMntS0P_7A_bivfnY-PkaXCcicTKUhu-1k6kBSVAkC5z5VterlmBTCGVUBfjBgNIJDdNL7qjJenr7g9KGLV3d2BC4hnpsey7hyphenhyphen8S/s320/IMG_3920.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Another example of a building going up around a holy spot, though in this case a very tiny one. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnE7hD-Y8Dkhb8KDOdqeikqeVQSqaQn_IGkEW-4mtyuvBYZ0D25GDeL4UkOPBx7quRw0ZevGQoSQ1PHluoAACS1Oi0w-RZ52WWiAo7UmDfMj35EcebEZuD4ht4Lfl3fWOlb7g9/s1600-h/IMG_3922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnE7hD-Y8Dkhb8KDOdqeikqeVQSqaQn_IGkEW-4mtyuvBYZ0D25GDeL4UkOPBx7quRw0ZevGQoSQ1PHluoAACS1Oi0w-RZ52WWiAo7UmDfMj35EcebEZuD4ht4Lfl3fWOlb7g9/s320/IMG_3922.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Another view of the Meguro-gawa, this time flanked by blocks of apartments.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPU-_izsDJ7P-hvVHgI6k9BL6U5PsdRqiKS9XoFPx-feMAFBeSLuhFUAIG1HD-afPN7_TGFEKAR-zjGsi6qhbCrQezuwA9fm-1lXCkL5g4_jMmjYrbBgivXTXuX8P3Qjh4w99/s1600-h/IMG_3923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPU-_izsDJ7P-hvVHgI6k9BL6U5PsdRqiKS9XoFPx-feMAFBeSLuhFUAIG1HD-afPN7_TGFEKAR-zjGsi6qhbCrQezuwA9fm-1lXCkL5g4_jMmjYrbBgivXTXuX8P3Qjh4w99/s320/IMG_3923.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQPC1XE_5QCGsaFj9Gg4kGFt01uP1WTJ50t_eH-sjEWXWROFqJQFbBaRKsJnMVvQzQSGslIjEslyWEYDOC554hUGwAiUS0xLHcdLU1ZR1kjOR81Zfm-iEzdcB9hT72X9YXfHO/s1600-h/IMG_3924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHQPC1XE_5QCGsaFj9Gg4kGFt01uP1WTJ50t_eH-sjEWXWROFqJQFbBaRKsJnMVvQzQSGslIjEslyWEYDOC554hUGwAiUS0xLHcdLU1ZR1kjOR81Zfm-iEzdcB9hT72X9YXfHO/s320/IMG_3924.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Back near the station, an incredibly small <i>yaki-tori</i> shack.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmZkKbWM6Wn0Cax6l2LiWNu-jNPX0uyt6u5YNI0UIR9FXW7bp6FIjPJ6ewmKnviNvx2DyWkRu2mWOT_vxF_9m2ukBnFnyhdevL2Xvs50f-UlDgI7fXLrS5HscZ-BAnTMRvrn1/s1600-h/IMG_3925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKmZkKbWM6Wn0Cax6l2LiWNu-jNPX0uyt6u5YNI0UIR9FXW7bp6FIjPJ6ewmKnviNvx2DyWkRu2mWOT_vxF_9m2ukBnFnyhdevL2Xvs50f-UlDgI7fXLrS5HscZ-BAnTMRvrn1/s320/IMG_3925.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>A rather apt name for a love hotel perhaps.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaJMjyETt2leOf30B8tt9N8-nftjO-CdLYU5djKCeKbs6BIVaZ3pfdAylbKbHgL3Ka_9ot0oVSyj3H5w_WV_9116d3sXb0vBOaAGkn4rRXVMTonV118wsg4GszUZHAwmB9Qer/s1600-h/IMG_3927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaJMjyETt2leOf30B8tt9N8-nftjO-CdLYU5djKCeKbs6BIVaZ3pfdAylbKbHgL3Ka_9ot0oVSyj3H5w_WV_9116d3sXb0vBOaAGkn4rRXVMTonV118wsg4GszUZHAwmB9Qer/s320/IMG_3927.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm not quite sure what this company sells or what service it provides, but this phrase could be used to describe Tokyo in general, as in most areas there is usually something interesting or exciting going on.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-jo1nOOxwo14WHm1vX-Tway5xNTiduc1CDSrhaO4pr6-K8TdxKeVmMMRadwChfP1CKdm5hyw1SNf1fS42FheUBkkZ5z0KsQMUi5yCy1ge58cA9sg3Wrse3V1v8VuHI-71qPg/s1600-h/IMG_3928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-jo1nOOxwo14WHm1vX-Tway5xNTiduc1CDSrhaO4pr6-K8TdxKeVmMMRadwChfP1CKdm5hyw1SNf1fS42FheUBkkZ5z0KsQMUi5yCy1ge58cA9sg3Wrse3V1v8VuHI-71qPg/s320/IMG_3928.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Gotanda made for a pleasant stroll and was a relief after the last couple of stops. <br />
</span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-21938966352519644872009-09-16T23:45:00.003+09:002009-09-16T23:48:12.285+09:00Stickers Near Shinjuku Station<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMxBAJrkeaInR6XWJrD-rqP6HBgnkHmRR6Y5rOmvjMTeXcaDnwz8Hrx4lpXXidcu7wjgZArFMbHnroCTRr_td_fEVUs5NJK5RUa3uQKZhUdxbtZeSx09CvQvuHNMrviBGzU8H/s1600-h/IMG_3933.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 354px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpMxBAJrkeaInR6XWJrD-rqP6HBgnkHmRR6Y5rOmvjMTeXcaDnwz8Hrx4lpXXidcu7wjgZArFMbHnroCTRr_td_fEVUs5NJK5RUa3uQKZhUdxbtZeSx09CvQvuHNMrviBGzU8H/s400/IMG_3933.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382076659080710226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A panda comments on the recent election results perhaps?</span><br /></div>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-42295322377418001112009-09-09T21:48:00.003+09:002009-09-10T08:11:38.648+09:00Liquid Landscapes<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One Two Punch - BlackQP'67 <a href="http://www.myspace.com/blackqp67" target="blank">clip</a><br />Night In Tunisia - The Latin Jazz Quintet <a href="http://www.juno.co.uk/artists/The+Latin+Jazz+Quintet/" target="blank">clip</a><br />Bogota - Roberto Tarenzi Trio <a href="http://www.dmr.co.jp/shop/g/g2041809080013/" target="blank">clip</a><br />One Of Another Kind - McCoy Tyner <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Of-Another-Kind/dp/B001KEZFW8" target="blank">clip</a><a><br />Freedom Monday - Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers </a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Monday/dp/B00265UJKI" target="blank">clip</a><br />All Matter - Robert Glasper Experiment <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Matter/dp/B002KCAEIE" target="blank">clip</a><br />3/4-5/4-7/2 (Liquid Landscapes) - Afro-Blues Quintet Plus 1 <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Directions-In-Sound/dp/B001RU0M3C" target="blank">clip</a><br />The Sacrifice - The Art Blakey Percussion Ensemble <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Sacrifice/dp/B0013ANBX4" target="blank">clip</a><br />Broasted Or Fried - St Vincent's Latinaires <a href="http://www.7digital.com/artists/various-artists/tropical-funk-experience/" target="blank">clip</a><br />Saturday Night Special - The Lyman Woodard Organization <a href="http://digital.waxpoetics.com/search/?artist=The+Lyman+Woodard+Organization" target="blnak">clip</a><span style="font-family:webdings;"></span><br /></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-37004866776771038342009-09-08T22:43:00.003+09:002009-09-08T22:46:29.459+09:00Sticker In Jingumae<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieglTJWwWltKl0G6SpVvbRmBCJkVG23oUBrfqi1oLrYDxTLH6bnRHQC3IPPtNtPGWQXBTnS2K0Jt2CgAl96C352wuIAkVjI9ubKo-ZE_QtgX7PrlAQe3BD-okwspWEmt1HuKIC/s1600-h/IMG_3932.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieglTJWwWltKl0G6SpVvbRmBCJkVG23oUBrfqi1oLrYDxTLH6bnRHQC3IPPtNtPGWQXBTnS2K0Jt2CgAl96C352wuIAkVjI9ubKo-ZE_QtgX7PrlAQe3BD-okwspWEmt1HuKIC/s400/IMG_3932.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379092358412623602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-52036797060571747812009-09-08T22:33:00.003+09:002009-09-08T22:41:48.665+09:00Living Street Art?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1VXzWaG9fgm04HKmKiQ8-sBWQN344oIWCo9_hrQ1VDoJ7OLNG5RYXmF4NT10RPmi7OZG4KL4F4XsZ6ff2UcWr94qLmlrpAEDdnWpRB2bnd2TXsktpXz6xX9cfcW1GOkvjig3/s1600-h/IMG_3931.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1VXzWaG9fgm04HKmKiQ8-sBWQN344oIWCo9_hrQ1VDoJ7OLNG5RYXmF4NT10RPmi7OZG4KL4F4XsZ6ff2UcWr94qLmlrpAEDdnWpRB2bnd2TXsktpXz6xX9cfcW1GOkvjig3/s400/IMG_3931.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379089471143353842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This guy was performing under the title The Living Museum near Iidabashi Station last week. He would move into a particular pose mimicking a statue and hold the position for some time, before morphing into the next pose. This was apparently <span style="font-style: italic;">Buddha of the Future </span><span>(see below)</span>. Like many street performers, he had a box for donations, but I'm not sure if this spot was a good earner for him. </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIM38z8qk-TAzdjaF-VEYw-5fUnoo3hPP2z6So_QR2qF690ZRfbJLoXtctZ5B58ji2GkEtsQc7fW49fu2rxRiewX87nIxQVVeiD_eIP_NA1FwV-hzXQQVpKHQ5AVHojXm14j8f/s1600-h/miroku-kaya-front-view-1-H800-TN.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 162px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIM38z8qk-TAzdjaF-VEYw-5fUnoo3hPP2z6So_QR2qF690ZRfbJLoXtctZ5B58ji2GkEtsQc7fW49fu2rxRiewX87nIxQVVeiD_eIP_NA1FwV-hzXQQVpKHQ5AVHojXm14j8f/s400/miroku-kaya-front-view-1-H800-TN.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379091097985556178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-89286295606329980372009-09-01T15:03:00.002+09:002009-09-01T15:05:13.033+09:00Dark clouds over Shinjuku last week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHQ95SPRUq2ACChPcGo0TsF3gs61UiCL-oT3wDTaj_nsbJUev1VgmlzAcLNG6gTk4mD7u4PdCi5Twvmv-WAc_Yt1mP2YRuj8KaiWtiYq3l_TTqC9ScK3LoaJS-w6sCpKWDwvc/s1600-h/IMG_3930.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifHQ95SPRUq2ACChPcGo0TsF3gs61UiCL-oT3wDTaj_nsbJUev1VgmlzAcLNG6gTk4mD7u4PdCi5Twvmv-WAc_Yt1mP2YRuj8KaiWtiYq3l_TTqC9ScK3LoaJS-w6sCpKWDwvc/s400/IMG_3930.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376376014014079538" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-24532645419541428392009-08-31T20:51:00.004+09:002009-08-31T21:16:15.435+09:00Osaki<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqr_w6Ug4AbVMRTnnlhq-oieetPwiVO8WeL4L-NaN-pwuwvDFbmg1k_2dUEP4add0WshECWbovIyj_N-ezjIQLwKMgLJcA3P6ZBHo16__pH7uFeVqYNyrOVeEPOK8LQVHrJldq/s1600-h/IMG_3893.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqr_w6Ug4AbVMRTnnlhq-oieetPwiVO8WeL4L-NaN-pwuwvDFbmg1k_2dUEP4add0WshECWbovIyj_N-ezjIQLwKMgLJcA3P6ZBHo16__pH7uFeVqYNyrOVeEPOK8LQVHrJldq/s400/IMG_3893.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376095211118618818" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaMYkmxda6clIFjnE_poBeVJQDhHU9Y7Xr2ipiFbixf319hXGZsWi0WUkkLICAD_S2UseZiYlwBLuofOTnDt1DQNoVEKto8xo4JkywVxiIVrMG4TC2UjGWcTqgLCZdhI8pjH2/s1600-h/IMG_3892.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaMYkmxda6clIFjnE_poBeVJQDhHU9Y7Xr2ipiFbixf319hXGZsWi0WUkkLICAD_S2UseZiYlwBLuofOTnDt1DQNoVEKto8xo4JkywVxiIVrMG4TC2UjGWcTqgLCZdhI8pjH2/s400/IMG_3892.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376095203524070594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">After having been distinctly underwhelmed by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Shinagawa</span>, I decided to take a look around <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Osaki</span>, the next stop, on the same day. My Tokyo road atlas suggested that there wasn't going to be a lot to see, so I guessed that visiting a second stop on the same day wasn't going to take up too much time.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLmUUfrl6kpgoWd5mt9kQ0_gNQZfhALXsjhOmgkQqk_5y0inS6vTWZ2ylcfsL1604YIphY0iaCdI77Se868i7ehZ5vMXXMCPX9amDgjArThcQPpJ3GaJqWE8YrlFY7kjBygOd/s1600-h/IMG_3882.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLmUUfrl6kpgoWd5mt9kQ0_gNQZfhALXsjhOmgkQqk_5y0inS6vTWZ2ylcfsL1604YIphY0iaCdI77Se868i7ehZ5vMXXMCPX9amDgjArThcQPpJ3GaJqWE8YrlFY7kjBygOd/s400/IMG_3882.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376095195368327506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">One one side of the station there is an area given over to offices and hotels and an extensive residential area. One of the office <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">complexes is</span> called Art Village <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Osaki</span>, in front of which you can see this gnome with a huge hat titled 'Growing Farmer'.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGl5DpEY9S3HIeGDHUrNDBijvk8qI7zBV9KO9sbhmKOqwVM0OSgSxuYEgHqpq0bC9xZeWOVLsvlVgXQsahL6-iW-QCnVV4J5F8o8E6WGwd4EPix0q1Rze8TMph8eqhm7yZhrB/s1600-h/IMG_3883.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGl5DpEY9S3HIeGDHUrNDBijvk8qI7zBV9KO9sbhmKOqwVM0OSgSxuYEgHqpq0bC9xZeWOVLsvlVgXQsahL6-iW-QCnVV4J5F8o8E6WGwd4EPix0q1Rze8TMph8eqhm7yZhrB/s400/IMG_3883.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376095183258271682" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfjv9HCDiVA0k1f2VPfloD6L2blso7Pc1A1jhLuSGQuprrP2xpxpAcrTQmsPYQ4rs3jBXIN8EPGJO9XYRP13GHa9w0JI4b7BpCc7l-b3LHryOt5M2FEQyKVn2WPJg1ix0Ls-A/s1600-h/IMG_3884.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfjv9HCDiVA0k1f2VPfloD6L2blso7Pc1A1jhLuSGQuprrP2xpxpAcrTQmsPYQ4rs3jBXIN8EPGJO9XYRP13GHa9w0JI4b7BpCc7l-b3LHryOt5M2FEQyKVn2WPJg1ix0Ls-A/s400/IMG_3884.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376094886259782850" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQznRMKQyqlSM8Z21Ogx0OMFdLGbLXlnQPCtk8_Heu8zugZaC915Qx-KgUXpWQd7NqHLif31PpoHySbVVC5LJ6QO1xybm3sOaCsS4ALMqJF3Za_lQFgnh7VgKTTFJugK7g1I_/s1600-h/IMG_3885.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQznRMKQyqlSM8Z21Ogx0OMFdLGbLXlnQPCtk8_Heu8zugZaC915Qx-KgUXpWQd7NqHLif31PpoHySbVVC5LJ6QO1xybm3sOaCsS4ALMqJF3Za_lQFgnh7VgKTTFJugK7g1I_/s400/IMG_3885.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376094875904352786" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnIo5z9OZoFE8EroADbteydPpLp3uv9ji6w255TPfuUd9lV_Ny9-4qCiQ6N_os1e-rFoSvZs-PQJ2_u55q4qncFPAECpkjZ7WxzAo63aAh-2VKJazZ_PtFWGwD3fHv6XMa7ka/s1600-h/IMG_3887.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnIo5z9OZoFE8EroADbteydPpLp3uv9ji6w255TPfuUd9lV_Ny9-4qCiQ6N_os1e-rFoSvZs-PQJ2_u55q4qncFPAECpkjZ7WxzAo63aAh-2VKJazZ_PtFWGwD3fHv6XMa7ka/s400/IMG_3887.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376094868352011730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Immediately behind this is the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Megurogawa</span> flanked by offices and apartment blocks, but it makes for a nice peaceful walk after the busy main road in front of the station.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVjNwBfAGTEioHXzx4yVOSpZ1A6szLvB1XoT5cGatx2lYZYE9FhSLl6ZXmlfEgR52Fn-vnCkf_0TYJTE9-vGR2uL5H5lx6lNjj46ulVKkhjfYnW_jjIUg2xL_2WP4XktNxsr3/s1600-h/IMG_3888.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVjNwBfAGTEioHXzx4yVOSpZ1A6szLvB1XoT5cGatx2lYZYE9FhSLl6ZXmlfEgR52Fn-vnCkf_0TYJTE9-vGR2uL5H5lx6lNjj46ulVKkhjfYnW_jjIUg2xL_2WP4XktNxsr3/s400/IMG_3888.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376094860610224578" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The other side of the station has the Think Park business complex next to which even more construction is taking place, and beyond that there seemed little of interest to tempt me on what was a stiflingly hot day. </span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmQMSE-Cz7JwxlKGL3YHTe4BLaKJVI7BGG0CNd1vXZiUFTxLLSiEt3HPw0ylpNTpoRkpgtwee15YmkEtxXkM-8-SOGlPL2ueRqrcm8o8whgwWWIkdp-pmVbY_DU6S60CJp_dP/s1600-h/IMG_3890.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmQMSE-Cz7JwxlKGL3YHTe4BLaKJVI7BGG0CNd1vXZiUFTxLLSiEt3HPw0ylpNTpoRkpgtwee15YmkEtxXkM-8-SOGlPL2ueRqrcm8o8whgwWWIkdp-pmVbY_DU6S60CJp_dP/s400/IMG_3890.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376094851155806258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Looking at the remaining stops on the line, I just know that it's going to get more interesting from here on.<br /></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-61640962608785690142009-08-27T15:26:00.007+09:002009-08-31T18:21:35.158+09:00Shinagawa<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XjL8q6q_kQAMIN9X6MMSMogi_4mlfNPO2Ocheo9NY-vMYYSM4Vi-aLTwu8BP5G68vLfTx2Lxoj60_to5InlNOLCb56L144nZW5RViKaCe4_HcbLlG2CYyH4Wcj1cGwpsTB9w/s1600-h/IMG_3862.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XjL8q6q_kQAMIN9X6MMSMogi_4mlfNPO2Ocheo9NY-vMYYSM4Vi-aLTwu8BP5G68vLfTx2Lxoj60_to5InlNOLCb56L144nZW5RViKaCe4_HcbLlG2CYyH4Wcj1cGwpsTB9w/s400/IMG_3862.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050630625852290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Shinagawa Station is a major hub on the Yamanote Line, being served by the <span style="font-style: italic;">shinkansen </span>as well as several Tokyo local lines, and the area has a distinct feeling of modernity about it with most of the surrounding buildings, particularly on the Konan side having been constructed in the last two decades. </span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEUJaeK5TG-apm27aoHPTov_pNRheNlYwCv9Dtmybfk1BWZ6CcfD0Ab4cRvvPdmquuJ5bg5l3SsZLbaqEttho8pqdKWQNiw0cBgu4L7hir31WjoX5Xo30d7afSpenPj3dkwUg/s1600-h/IMG_3864.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEUJaeK5TG-apm27aoHPTov_pNRheNlYwCv9Dtmybfk1BWZ6CcfD0Ab4cRvvPdmquuJ5bg5l3SsZLbaqEttho8pqdKWQNiw0cBgu4L7hir31WjoX5Xo30d7afSpenPj3dkwUg/s400/IMG_3864.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050619118063026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODxhlOAvKd1EUfiEeFxnvIJkIrBHyQZSzptYH2sz-Y39_QyXFdTqpIOoJP-I6eLIDuz4q7RtAmTPLqrjzpMnj6z2OeZdc1P0Ib7EpPd1VsRvNux8VkiXLO0rcuSEnJ4Hy4CEs/s1600-h/IMG_3866.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiODxhlOAvKd1EUfiEeFxnvIJkIrBHyQZSzptYH2sz-Y39_QyXFdTqpIOoJP-I6eLIDuz4q7RtAmTPLqrjzpMnj6z2OeZdc1P0Ib7EpPd1VsRvNux8VkiXLO0rcuSEnJ4Hy4CEs/s400/IMG_3866.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050609967619090" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_UYU2OcpQJ6QgeUpnE4JLDJzhkOKOuSRuYxa-zB6t9rbxewSIs1CZwkcp72_NpZAXvXCc6yxI3tsc5E3vCo49fpVxQgtrp3FMVY4P9L-gsw3uHy6397tyyDWlwYeExQ8DLqw/s1600-h/IMG_3865.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_UYU2OcpQJ6QgeUpnE4JLDJzhkOKOuSRuYxa-zB6t9rbxewSIs1CZwkcp72_NpZAXvXCc6yxI3tsc5E3vCo49fpVxQgtrp3FMVY4P9L-gsw3uHy6397tyyDWlwYeExQ8DLqw/s400/IMG_3865.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050403101489602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Shinagawa Intercity is an ultra-modern office complex that dominates the skyline next to the station, with it distinctive glass and steel tower.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfItRABMAALiAh-oByXsF9F2HHeQ-J5NzH8vy3IA3nvZoXt56NfqYA14j__bJgYDdku5rRphQGh1FmIgImdwXAY8XcnlFJ4yZvfoNhojvOa7V3jsSxitTIP1XA8v0K9i_GaSRw/s1600-h/IMG_3868.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfItRABMAALiAh-oByXsF9F2HHeQ-J5NzH8vy3IA3nvZoXt56NfqYA14j__bJgYDdku5rRphQGh1FmIgImdwXAY8XcnlFJ4yZvfoNhojvOa7V3jsSxitTIP1XA8v0K9i_GaSRw/s400/IMG_3868.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050394555405922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbu6IaSsFlXLPyNKyKNohrbuEqs13DeHb-24WBjCkWKQyHf5KKqSqIL8N9zqPwOqMpQLjtiDI9Cja1HzQHpZ3mzpNQPMI8iIi85bYuiRI1f_sO1e7I-oa6UX9ECr2kYn52ouZ/s1600-h/IMG_3870.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimbu6IaSsFlXLPyNKyKNohrbuEqs13DeHb-24WBjCkWKQyHf5KKqSqIL8N9zqPwOqMpQLjtiDI9Cja1HzQHpZ3mzpNQPMI8iIi85bYuiRI1f_sO1e7I-oa6UX9ECr2kYn52ouZ/s400/IMG_3870.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050055249807778" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BP21dbAcmguUbNrinubZaRGreFZiTeql8kVd0PsjJtOTZ9irnbfWyOvp-HrYSeuALOYYipFR55qmI1ZHloTxXlXL1oWTZNI_IaQsmsAJs9CxL6wZumjYnoWP65oANv_lAHwr/s1600-h/IMG_3872.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6BP21dbAcmguUbNrinubZaRGreFZiTeql8kVd0PsjJtOTZ9irnbfWyOvp-HrYSeuALOYYipFR55qmI1ZHloTxXlXL1oWTZNI_IaQsmsAJs9CxL6wZumjYnoWP65oANv_lAHwr/s400/IMG_3872.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050047885267634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">A small area of one or two blocks near the station contains the type of eateries and bars typically found near stations, though this area is quite small compared to other neighbourhoods.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jGs7sqYEVRBLtM1QSlR9lMXBgqhJXRU2OGTGhc-3nNkiKfGbIWlrXpDV0bIKTFbVCuZSZ5LBSHu70ZEwtXeK3XbIv1CMkdJSp7fSz4VAV4EVgnZcBGuWcddLkiltdXGiU1vU/s1600-h/IMG_3873.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jGs7sqYEVRBLtM1QSlR9lMXBgqhJXRU2OGTGhc-3nNkiKfGbIWlrXpDV0bIKTFbVCuZSZ5LBSHu70ZEwtXeK3XbIv1CMkdJSp7fSz4VAV4EVgnZcBGuWcddLkiltdXGiU1vU/s400/IMG_3873.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050031062772402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">One thing in Shinagawa that doesn't figure in every locality is the meat wholesalers' market, occupying a large area near Shinagawa Intercity, complete with the Meat Information Hall, presumably for everything you ever wanted to know about flesh consumption.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK5mfbnru8sPREcU_sE_LTU0pqVWbUv2pLtb_KnL5hQ1AkC_DVzOyubXx26UfCP3FbOJ8pLUk__1fodRnuPX6pVX2Br05TX6sMC9WezYtgej3CYvr7eRdOGDKa870y2Y2xNcW/s1600-h/IMG_3874.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQK5mfbnru8sPREcU_sE_LTU0pqVWbUv2pLtb_KnL5hQ1AkC_DVzOyubXx26UfCP3FbOJ8pLUk__1fodRnuPX6pVX2Br05TX6sMC9WezYtgej3CYvr7eRdOGDKa870y2Y2xNcW/s400/IMG_3874.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050021555254578" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDU0lsSBTJBGfRmPBJySuK04TGUExZioToTkkJiWxstnoipGoeF9p9dNX82qUtq_60qbojeAjvLcVtU9a1bcdcZsV9Kv0-PG2gTsQGwFaPrctZln8tvTDa-mOxvITzVZ_rPJX4/s1600-h/IMG_3875.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDU0lsSBTJBGfRmPBJySuK04TGUExZioToTkkJiWxstnoipGoeF9p9dNX82qUtq_60qbojeAjvLcVtU9a1bcdcZsV9Kv0-PG2gTsQGwFaPrctZln8tvTDa-mOxvITzVZ_rPJX4/s400/IMG_3875.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376050013343734594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Generally speaking, however, the area is pretty devoid of character, with lots of large offices for major companies, and some high end serviced apartments, but little else for the casual visitor.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kLXLtVv_rkZHtpUkd3vvp7n85RP09mWV6Q9yQa6DEiihZTVqYoNXzvIbTKdY9nMkUrVPbz1U1JTf9SyZMKqCeb6SMqRXiN41TCxRObPcRvu3nP4mgVr88ep6h8ZInZoVeeMo/s1600-h/IMG_3877.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2kLXLtVv_rkZHtpUkd3vvp7n85RP09mWV6Q9yQa6DEiihZTVqYoNXzvIbTKdY9nMkUrVPbz1U1JTf9SyZMKqCeb6SMqRXiN41TCxRObPcRvu3nP4mgVr88ep6h8ZInZoVeeMo/s400/IMG_3877.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374527652164683810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGWAoqZChg13vWV-mWycTnOvOY2lMEdTFMpdYWxbx7eOvBXX97lG3Q3VWaojVq7rdJrjw4ODzyNjntpr0tl0jfipSsouuImIGDO8DQXJg5keROCGTKAnCZkxsPydP8tn0RJDo/s1600-h/IMG_3878.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGWAoqZChg13vWV-mWycTnOvOY2lMEdTFMpdYWxbx7eOvBXX97lG3Q3VWaojVq7rdJrjw4ODzyNjntpr0tl0jfipSsouuImIGDO8DQXJg5keROCGTKAnCZkxsPydP8tn0RJDo/s400/IMG_3878.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374527642888760642" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWVp17NG79WKYocna0SMaOjyJAAZ5OOMIBxAFG_ooMKXvhZuSrmNktsH2owjSn5rWZQfA3V2CI-sxiIxtaoKwm1C8n482_UEaWK7Pqage6Ww0HbAoKl4wFKkhdUy_I4zS16iD/s1600-h/IMG_3879.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWVp17NG79WKYocna0SMaOjyJAAZ5OOMIBxAFG_ooMKXvhZuSrmNktsH2owjSn5rWZQfA3V2CI-sxiIxtaoKwm1C8n482_UEaWK7Pqage6Ww0HbAoKl4wFKkhdUy_I4zS16iD/s400/IMG_3879.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374527628612441282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">One reason why most foreign residents in Tokyo will be familiar with the area is that the immigration office is nearby and a visit is required periodically to renew your visa. And to be honest, I can't really see myself having to come back here again until the next visa renewal date comes round.</span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhTY7fXUUlO17081rQPlr3AXgrWqeHDN4vwUtUmDBOsUDQqmqAsZn0URkDphsS1TuxmQXpZLDJImfhiN4owhk54U_2pX8j4RblvwOpYzgUZr5WnPLlvhfGRTiZPBF4brC0ch8/s1600-h/IMG_3880.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhTY7fXUUlO17081rQPlr3AXgrWqeHDN4vwUtUmDBOsUDQqmqAsZn0URkDphsS1TuxmQXpZLDJImfhiN4owhk54U_2pX8j4RblvwOpYzgUZr5WnPLlvhfGRTiZPBF4brC0ch8/s400/IMG_3880.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374527627977303570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKp7Mxokcq5fIo0Y3P0P4sa8gqNr1J93pHyKzirv-IpvKjN_gvRrs3OuYDNFdEfQ9Xt-Tcv3gMJXNnTNCEu_UhiQRX8wbfLvOZYeRzP1lStbIDeLqZSpdjmxjLZQMB92Yd77Z/s1600-h/IMG_3881.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKp7Mxokcq5fIo0Y3P0P4sa8gqNr1J93pHyKzirv-IpvKjN_gvRrs3OuYDNFdEfQ9Xt-Tcv3gMJXNnTNCEu_UhiQRX8wbfLvOZYeRzP1lStbIDeLqZSpdjmxjLZQMB92Yd77Z/s400/IMG_3881.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374527613085691346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-18805812445314046562009-08-20T00:40:00.004+09:002009-08-20T10:50:58.289+09:00Beautiful Sadness<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Four In One</span> - Hara Dairiki Trio </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq6oH5krIEs" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sea Shanty</span> - Max Grunhard Quintet</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sea-Shanty/dp/B00168B1K8" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Tunji</span> - John Coltrane </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tunji/dp/B000V62UFQ" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Windmills of Your Mind </span>- The Oscar Peterson Trio </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Windmills-Of-Your-Mind/dp/B000WIOFSI" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Nao vou chorar</span> - Os Diagonais </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/N%C3%A3o-Vou-Chorar/dp/B002C3FYJ0" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Vampires</span> - Ocote Soul Sounds & Adrian Quesada </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vampires/dp/B0029OZME4" target="blank">clip</a> </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Double Bind</span> - Mouse On The Keys </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://mclub.com.ua/vcat.phtml?action=vs&album=110725" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Cheeba</span> - The Lyman Woodard Organization </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.phonicarecords.com/product/view/35974#" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Beautiful Sadness</span> - Shuya Okino </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://mp3legal.org/Lyrics/3987705/Shuya_Okino/United_Legends/Beautiful_Sadness/mp3/" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I Only Want You</span> - laidbook feat Think Twice, Schubert & Manchilde </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDnVjt5_8zc" target="blank">clip</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-23209199716927550262009-08-18T14:06:00.004+09:002009-08-19T22:55:23.439+09:00Books: Havana Nocturne by T.J. English<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiaGVnMDCjjZBQyOX8PspkkAamgv4_FKLMYgEaQXZFaf6e0Xo73Ja7VjMVFA6QylFlEzUwiqo-ojqDkFuMiin-yVcDPVpol9saeHW6YWg_MerRLXzEGNFibXxRvpmH9kT3QrN/s1600-h/Havana_US_PBa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTiaGVnMDCjjZBQyOX8PspkkAamgv4_FKLMYgEaQXZFaf6e0Xo73Ja7VjMVFA6QylFlEzUwiqo-ojqDkFuMiin-yVcDPVpol9saeHW6YWg_MerRLXzEGNFibXxRvpmH9kT3QrN/s400/Havana_US_PBa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371166299160462418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">With this year marking the fiftieth anniversary of the revolution, interest in all things Cuban has increased, whether it be CD compilations of Cuban music, a variety of different books about the country before and after the events of 1959, or even President Obama suggesting a slightly less hard line approach to US relations with the Caribbean island.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>During the 1950s Cuba was headline news for a number of reasons. It was a tropical playground for the rich, offering a heady cocktail of casinos, mambo and sex. Yet, at the same time, it was also a hotbed of revolutionary activity, with groups of rebels holed up in the mountains led by the charismatic Fidel Castro together with his brother Raul and Che Guevara.<br /><br />In <span style="font-style: italic;">Havana Nocturne</span>, T.J. Smith weaves both stories together, depicting the emergence of Cuba as<span style="font-style: italic;"> the</span> place to go for rich and famous (thanks to the complicity between the island's dictator Fulgencio Batista and the mobsters who set up and ran the casinos); and also the growth of the revolutionary movement, despite some disastrous hiccups along the way ,that ultimately led to victory for Castro at the beginning of 1959.<br /><br />The narrative starts in the late 1940s, with mobster Lucky Luciano arriving in Cuba from exile in Sicily to meet up with Mayer Lansky to discuss Lansky's vision of turning the Caribbean into a huge gambling playground for the rich and reckless with Havana as the hub, the idea being that smaller, less powerful governments wouldn't be pursuing the gangsters as vigorously and would most likely be open to bribery.<br /><br />We also follow the transition of Fidel Castro from hell-raising law student to committed revolutionary and his early failed attempted uprising imprisonment, pardon and the subsequent rebirth of his revolutionary movement.<br /><br />English has obviously researched his topic well, drawing on a variety of sources, and he brings everything together to tell a gripping story. He recreates the atmosphere of a hedonistic world of sleaze and reckless abandon that must have been a huge attraction for many foreign (for that read mainly American) visitors to Cuba in the fifties. He dresses it up enough to excite the reader's curiosity, but also makes it clear that many on the island, all was not well and that many were fed up of the corrupt regime and were desperate for change. Of the revolutionaries, you get the idea that they were a committed but at time hapless bunch who rode the wave of fortune and ultimately succeeded because enough people wanted them to.<br /><br />Batista is portrayed as a power-hungry, money-grabbing despot, whilst Lanksy is shown more as a man with a plan, and you almost feel as though the author sympathises with his plight as the story unfolds.<br /><br />A brilliant depiction of an era full of upheaval and doubt, <span style="font-style: italic;">Havana Nocturne </span>makes you wish you could step into a time machine just for a moment to be able to witness events firsthand. Highly recommended. <br /></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-774017378046594142009-08-12T21:13:00.003+09:002009-08-12T21:50:50.449+09:00Camino A La Modernidad ~ Modern Mexican Masterpieces at Setagaya Art Museum<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PFfmJcamWXQV54lI_jgR1pxNfhZrrugqiAUXY4nTN4xGzrPanTgok64dJ5ixzUV7YiRWoH1t32nYc_EtXO4rPbmyky3ffLZl2FEln7rAnt7qL867tisgBbhDo7Vva09EwXtt/s1600-h/IMG_3855.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PFfmJcamWXQV54lI_jgR1pxNfhZrrugqiAUXY4nTN4xGzrPanTgok64dJ5ixzUV7YiRWoH1t32nYc_EtXO4rPbmyky3ffLZl2FEln7rAnt7qL867tisgBbhDo7Vva09EwXtt/s400/IMG_3855.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369049484529683922" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><div style="text-align: justify;">For most people if you say Mexican Art, they will think of Frida Kahlo or Diego Rivera, or perhaps the Muralist movement of the post-revolution years carrying strong political and social messages. The Modern Mexican Masterpieces exhibition currently showing at the Setagaya Art Museum show features a little Kahlo, and also works from the Muralist "Big Three", namely Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Jose Clemente Orozco, as well as a whole host of other artists depicting different aspects of life in Mexico. In all, there are over 70 works on display in what is said to be one of the biggest exhibitions of modern Mexican painting ever held in Japan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first work you see as you walk into the exhibition in a room reserved for this painting alone is the only work by Frida Kahlo here, <i>Autorretrato con medallon</i>, being shown in Japan for the first time. As with many of her self-portraits it is a depiction of pain and sorrow, all the more striking for its solitary display.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The rest of the exhibition is divided into three themed rooms, <i>La Civilidad</i>, <i>Cultura</i> and <i>El</i><i> Progreso,</i> with some paintings depicting aspects of daily life and social progress in Mexico in the first half of the twentieth century and others having allegorical or overtly political messages. I was particularly struck by Rivera's <i>Paisaje Nocturno</i> and the Soviet propaganda style imagery of Siqueiros' <i>Alegoria del progreso</i>, though there is much to be impressed with in this collection of paintings from a group of artists who worked hard to carve out a clear cultural identity for a nation going through its growing pains after a particularly violent revolution. Well worth seeing.</div></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-28331807893264056482009-08-02T18:50:00.001+09:002009-08-02T18:52:13.002+09:00Trad Jazz at Nakano Station<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCEXerBo5mI1WZKoxywW7323LPnOPz9Lq-_ftZb3HMv3FvR_OgwDoCxCehn8Qe9_VQqQmdhgLF_kP-IOwblqYQVYOU6Cuer7_8VKJPQH18gB7uUe3TC-9fSn9h3NLKLk2h-WB/s1600-h/IMG_3858.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365301966175651762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCEXerBo5mI1WZKoxywW7323LPnOPz9Lq-_ftZb3HMv3FvR_OgwDoCxCehn8Qe9_VQqQmdhgLF_kP-IOwblqYQVYOU6Cuer7_8VKJPQH18gB7uUe3TC-9fSn9h3NLKLk2h-WB/s400/IMG_3858.JPG" border="0" /></a>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-40631275795176539432009-08-02T11:57:00.005+09:002009-08-02T12:35:18.148+09:00Tamachi<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rDA-9K_Y6DsYMJApugSAfSJt_5Jgx8c_F_Qk4rU8u-mTKxV-mQMNTsBML0QMaHMVz8e7meks7klzLctAB0Ys1NNdSri7JVVufKRmtbMZjyD5V6quJI7dxEwpvsH71U9NvCQw/s1600-h/IMG_3804.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196451636486178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rDA-9K_Y6DsYMJApugSAfSJt_5Jgx8c_F_Qk4rU8u-mTKxV-mQMNTsBML0QMaHMVz8e7meks7klzLctAB0Ys1NNdSri7JVVufKRmtbMZjyD5V6quJI7dxEwpvsH71U9NvCQw/s400/IMG_3804.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Just a cursory glance at my city atlas before setting out was a hint that there was perhaps not a great deal to see in the Tamachi area, though I always try to approach each stop with an open mind in the hope that I will stumble across something that will spark my curiosity. Perhaps it was the overpowering summer heat, or perhaps I was not in a particularly inspired mood that day, but I truly struggled to find points of interest here.</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxv20e9LGIN7zysArHbvfqIxtwYBakBaDwEQa1jwLxlEfbDrE2-Y4n3hL6coPT1Sz-zzAlbN0cyq-HsaQ9pjj_IOapgdK8_vOTH1xm7diqvMvaIVqdlbNbklHjE2zeukOoRTe/s1600-h/IMG_3805.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196450380359746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxv20e9LGIN7zysArHbvfqIxtwYBakBaDwEQa1jwLxlEfbDrE2-Y4n3hL6coPT1Sz-zzAlbN0cyq-HsaQ9pjj_IOapgdK8_vOTH1xm7diqvMvaIVqdlbNbklHjE2zeukOoRTe/s400/IMG_3805.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As with Hamamatsucho, Tamachi station is fairly close to the sea and as you head east out of the station you head towards Shibaura an area of canals, reclaimed land with wharves facing out to Tokyo Bay. There are few signs of port activity here, however, and rather like the Docklands development in London, this part of Minato-ku seems to be given over to expensive looking apartment blocks and other high rise buildings.<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgab-4jTBWtedQeqAdv05mEs1BpnpaW7yIjmNpXmxtVc4e4YsNCfkoma0A9X7F6AqiqC8NzID7ObZI02Bvui7TUoWFbPRCGuDzq0rsQ4yVJiIBKpt284tC052nz9Fpam-DqenS_/s1600-h/IMG_3806.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196442690768178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgab-4jTBWtedQeqAdv05mEs1BpnpaW7yIjmNpXmxtVc4e4YsNCfkoma0A9X7F6AqiqC8NzID7ObZI02Bvui7TUoWFbPRCGuDzq0rsQ4yVJiIBKpt284tC052nz9Fpam-DqenS_/s400/IMG_3806.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0GT0rtiCH8j1evt_Dnu-TpYSy5_h-topOjJ_FMbNx2dfB6eODdWNxd14wtwkfyX5hBzU7hsWjZLC0h1SEReCRFlPehOfF1Z7Hh7ulqvLspOXiKwT5KaUCcGPmzajb-i8OHsu/s1600-h/IMG_3807.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196434775030018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0GT0rtiCH8j1evt_Dnu-TpYSy5_h-topOjJ_FMbNx2dfB6eODdWNxd14wtwkfyX5hBzU7hsWjZLC0h1SEReCRFlPehOfF1Z7Hh7ulqvLspOXiKwT5KaUCcGPmzajb-i8OHsu/s400/IMG_3807.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You get the impression that the flats in this area are probably fairly spacious by Tokyo standards and on the higher floors you can either enjoy a view of the bay to the east, mount Fuji to the west or a cityscape to the north. Despite this, however, it's not really an area I would feel tempted to live in because, as with many more recently developed residential areas, it seems to lack character and atmosphere.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The landscape also features the monorail which heads out towards Haneda airport adding to the ultra-urban feel to the area.</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOaRfIdlGR0OX0HxrDSbNU2aaPOqfuF-nLJVlVJ2uN-oMIR6A8pJ3I_QiWkWNo66h3tMxPhsidMGyoLt5CpRa57d9pXb3s597w712ShaT1CTIQak31tQtutpOLh_NfOlIBaYt/s1600-h/IMG_3808.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196430169768994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOaRfIdlGR0OX0HxrDSbNU2aaPOqfuF-nLJVlVJ2uN-oMIR6A8pJ3I_QiWkWNo66h3tMxPhsidMGyoLt5CpRa57d9pXb3s597w712ShaT1CTIQak31tQtutpOLh_NfOlIBaYt/s400/IMG_3808.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUml_Ux0habboJyLOV4f8Fp_ZEn8xYVAXqDC4QP5aTkemCC4VrlX_zwgY_sZUog_H_C9R7_ZrELMuVAN-W9lj_JNtJdnLgmCqN8eaCeCkMKKIXKdT7EohIJgyqk8Ww0naNG_iG/s1600-h/IMG_3809.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196189367673490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUml_Ux0habboJyLOV4f8Fp_ZEn8xYVAXqDC4QP5aTkemCC4VrlX_zwgY_sZUog_H_C9R7_ZrELMuVAN-W9lj_JNtJdnLgmCqN8eaCeCkMKKIXKdT7EohIJgyqk8Ww0naNG_iG/s400/IMG_3809.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaqH0Ma4OjPI1ECugo65MONp9pX_CXKNgV2Ch7Yxxd_HbXeY3fZPnQwSpxi5R2B9z9WISF3-rIykQ3oz8nHbC-dGA9_UfxOSwvhpgk8983cateetGrM26thX6P-V31HqnXziA/s1600-h/IMG_3810.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196183643729362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBaqH0Ma4OjPI1ECugo65MONp9pX_CXKNgV2Ch7Yxxd_HbXeY3fZPnQwSpxi5R2B9z9WISF3-rIykQ3oz8nHbC-dGA9_UfxOSwvhpgk8983cateetGrM26thX6P-V31HqnXziA/s400/IMG_3810.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Here Rainbow Bridge can be seen in the distance, but it was too hot and humid and the area not interesting enough for me to be bothered to get a closer shot.</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb6yTttOytiOm5amYd5yvYBFBwhr0ekV5BC494-tD9-T_q5RVMeK0fbrycw59zwyfg3ovgVPXzrF2Kkyco-jEfS2YGiBIVJWnsgA75gJIfuL_ZEzLR8d8cyKhaJzHfqp54JBA/s1600-h/IMG_3811.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196178714966674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb6yTttOytiOm5amYd5yvYBFBwhr0ekV5BC494-tD9-T_q5RVMeK0fbrycw59zwyfg3ovgVPXzrF2Kkyco-jEfS2YGiBIVJWnsgA75gJIfuL_ZEzLR8d8cyKhaJzHfqp54JBA/s400/IMG_3811.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I then headed back towards the modern station building and went to see what was on the other side of the tracks.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlMsCuEstjOpgGt_8_Hd37q-CXpMC_k9wPC5ILIVoVEAN34RC5jiTGcNGZxsxxTvcCdRZjySs4grLIpwH2waTY98vf-vDMJGrir2JyTaegd9LoQtgMpG47f5o7_aPTBJHhNIC/s1600-h/IMG_3815.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196173915207314" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlMsCuEstjOpgGt_8_Hd37q-CXpMC_k9wPC5ILIVoVEAN34RC5jiTGcNGZxsxxTvcCdRZjySs4grLIpwH2waTY98vf-vDMJGrir2JyTaegd9LoQtgMpG47f5o7_aPTBJHhNIC/s400/IMG_3815.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm6guOWz9eHFEo2AHSKT4MvGBOCQ7iPUvsmhDLa1QWfn42AKxIiQxIAIiFeO1jD6pw9XDM5Vi_FR-2bPUJ39td9wJr-9t2tvXaCGYrj9fkUr3ujcjl7KvrU2kMiyWixCjEHcG/s1600-h/IMG_3816.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365196161087686738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm6guOWz9eHFEo2AHSKT4MvGBOCQ7iPUvsmhDLa1QWfn42AKxIiQxIAIiFeO1jD6pw9XDM5Vi_FR-2bPUJ39td9wJr-9t2tvXaCGYrj9fkUr3ujcjl7KvrU2kMiyWixCjEHcG/s400/IMG_3816.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">From what I could see it was largely an area filled with offices with apartment blocks dominating the areas a little further afield, as well being an area housing several embassies.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The nearby Sakurada Dori is home to the prestigious Keio University and from there it is a fairly short walk to Tokyo Tower.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguukjubJBAEWPBUebI8wi03GvBw-uZ13Dx2iGMvgdDjwUsnQkCHbFMsbZTvkYjp-j5MV5jyR8he9DozDPMDufav9G3ilB1PwRNBOey_tpJysrRFgdiYpoKcFlxmdN66vVTRFbD/s1600-h/IMG_3822.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365195925148881186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguukjubJBAEWPBUebI8wi03GvBw-uZ13Dx2iGMvgdDjwUsnQkCHbFMsbZTvkYjp-j5MV5jyR8he9DozDPMDufav9G3ilB1PwRNBOey_tpJysrRFgdiYpoKcFlxmdN66vVTRFbD/s400/IMG_3822.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's not all sterile and characterless office buildings here though, as there is an ageing entertainment district in the streets off Sakurada Dori, with lots of tiny little alleys housing grotty looking old coffee shops, <em>izakayas</em>, bars,<em> pachinko </em>parlours and other less salubrious establishments.</span><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMeE24506TALujT6SqpDF6SSIw3P_RrsQLWaz-xkfeegEBPQ3fKW9lG1E2KWY4o1SFUMjZtdebhC1oamrnmeeIIZKnB0BsB-O5WY-wGq9KGB-uHTiD9N2TeCFm1kmz1os2E1G/s1600-h/IMG_3823.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365195594837067618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIMeE24506TALujT6SqpDF6SSIw3P_RrsQLWaz-xkfeegEBPQ3fKW9lG1E2KWY4o1SFUMjZtdebhC1oamrnmeeIIZKnB0BsB-O5WY-wGq9KGB-uHTiD9N2TeCFm1kmz1os2E1G/s400/IMG_3823.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Among the many establishments in the area is this <em>motsu</em> restaurant. <em>Motsu </em>is the Japanese word for the guts of an animal, and whilst 'Bowels' might be a fairly accurate translation of what you can actually eat here, if I were to open such a restaurant, it wouldn't be my first choice when it came to naming the place.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuFB8UDM3-lmCmC3XuAXViRHMuHHI-0x4ZeamBNYrLzp5VHHRGjUsU0uPCPsaXRh9JFDnzK6oqyqpUjVwiPGpSksGT-HYNwLHI93mWYyctu7eulysm5jnD9RA2l99qO1qpeUs/s1600-h/IMG_3824.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365195588587881122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOuFB8UDM3-lmCmC3XuAXViRHMuHHI-0x4ZeamBNYrLzp5VHHRGjUsU0uPCPsaXRh9JFDnzK6oqyqpUjVwiPGpSksGT-HYNwLHI93mWYyctu7eulysm5jnD9RA2l99qO1qpeUs/s400/IMG_3824.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The verdict? Even making a concession for the fact that it was unpleasantly hot and sticky on this day, I don't think this is a part of Tokyo I'd choose to visit again unless I had a specific appointment in the area.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-32531506200138327402009-07-31T19:43:00.002+09:002009-07-31T19:49:59.301+09:00Wall in Kichijoji<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmmdm9AvMU03Jf7gJFsNiTVIDoIAvUxRkAnIW2foVnuH__zM58UmLV4LQqhuooowWwUz_myEdpnDWGlH6m6fX8sHb6BHvetqggnpuijB1gt6ZwCBted3YyiP8PClA7JpH7biu/s1600-h/IMG_3827.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364574381419007698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCmmdm9AvMU03Jf7gJFsNiTVIDoIAvUxRkAnIW2foVnuH__zM58UmLV4LQqhuooowWwUz_myEdpnDWGlH6m6fX8sHb6BHvetqggnpuijB1gt6ZwCBted3YyiP8PClA7JpH7biu/s400/IMG_3827.JPG" border="0" /></a>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-87286543072054745272009-07-30T20:20:00.012+09:002009-07-30T23:20:03.786+09:00Karuizawa<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A hospital without a roof, a summer retreat for the wealthy, the perfect spot for a wedding or simply a great place to take the family shopping.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">These are all perfectly accurate ways of describing Karuizawa, a town in Nagano prefecture set in the shadow of the volcano Mount Asama.</span></div><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Just over an hour from the capital thanks to the Nagano Shinkansen, it's an ideal place to get away from the summer heat of the concrete island that is Tokyo, and last week that's exactly what I did for a couple of days, relaxing in the cooler mountain air.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Being a week day when I arrived, and not yet at the peak of the summer holiday season, the town was remarkably quiet in the daytime, though I imagine that at weekends it's an altogether different story.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">There are a fair number of places to visit, some of which can be reached easily by bicycle, as there are numerous places renting them out for the day in the town itself. Some of the other points of interest are a little further afield and to get there you either need access to a car or to the not so frequent buses.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBilnHgwAewyvjRcXb1TIgOu6L8MVUBeVj3IPcWcL-pzw5_xz1iKpb5l2Fuj9Iem6IQ-jUlDC7CzXNA0yIAEu2WiMgcMt5rrTeKmPHXy_uGNLuxDxFuDCFq69I4AoTnlo0SJaE/s1600-h/IMG_3696.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226346459443458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBilnHgwAewyvjRcXb1TIgOu6L8MVUBeVj3IPcWcL-pzw5_xz1iKpb5l2Fuj9Iem6IQ-jUlDC7CzXNA0yIAEu2WiMgcMt5rrTeKmPHXy_uGNLuxDxFuDCFq69I4AoTnlo0SJaE/s400/IMG_3696.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">First port of call was the Shiraito no taki (White Thread Falls), waterfalls that seemingly appear from the middle of a bed of rock, with the white threads of water cascading down into a pond below. The falls are not particularly high, but are 70 metres wide and the water itself is not so cold as rather than coming from a river or snow melt, it comes from inside the rock itself. For those interested, there are a number of hiking routes in the hills above the falls, and there are supposed to be some bears living wild in the area too.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">From there it was a bus back into town and then on another bus out to an area called Hoshino which is a fairly recent development that includes an onsen, some classy but tasteful small shops and a hotel. A walk through the woods will also bring you to the modern architecture of the cocoon-shaped stone chapel which was built back in the boom times of the eighties, and just one of the many chapels in the area that make a lot of money from the popularity of western style chapel weddings.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOe-41MVz-R4Y8ne0l3Vqjfs0OQKkrfmB5HGSuFc0z9Y-rRS_IhVStW96r2_6iPDOHjkqxNO4GkRRbrSEiIPONWjJBexSo62QIAe9RL2KqKMhodAek8wfiIyNSXT6GBAp4ZSD/s1600-h/IMG_3705.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226340984230530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOe-41MVz-R4Y8ne0l3Vqjfs0OQKkrfmB5HGSuFc0z9Y-rRS_IhVStW96r2_6iPDOHjkqxNO4GkRRbrSEiIPONWjJBexSo62QIAe9RL2KqKMhodAek8wfiIyNSXT6GBAp4ZSD/s400/IMG_3705.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDA8_SMXnenVu70lpIpLVfeS6Vlnl3fimCmqJRN4WOWz9ak79PzxQ96t5vq6IKpVF_XdJY82HyYe6ndT2IQxaJOnAPh5HeDH1EsV7kmaVPRgStHgN7tLx1F_jgb8VcK5TPQPE/s1600-h/IMG_3708.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226330116313874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDA8_SMXnenVu70lpIpLVfeS6Vlnl3fimCmqJRN4WOWz9ak79PzxQ96t5vq6IKpVF_XdJY82HyYe6ndT2IQxaJOnAPh5HeDH1EsV7kmaVPRgStHgN7tLx1F_jgb8VcK5TPQPE/s400/IMG_3708.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhnsp5Eji830bFqNNTmATog6VuyJOiYPIer2Rs-OGMDICbGNjz-lkXiVOkuyQmbuJ5eKmK-n9E8DDlbiOAlIu-KGY6b1l0POn52rY6AX7nJ4E34IokJthM1r0bOzlx-jaKSal/s1600-h/IMG_3710.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226326592550434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBhnsp5Eji830bFqNNTmATog6VuyJOiYPIer2Rs-OGMDICbGNjz-lkXiVOkuyQmbuJ5eKmK-n9E8DDlbiOAlIu-KGY6b1l0POn52rY6AX7nJ4E34IokJthM1r0bOzlx-jaKSal/s400/IMG_3710.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjv3TTa5xxsOvO9_DX4lgoBNH0OeM50Mz6cEk31upy4OfWWJWjbPtoVEz56_8xbqG0A7vcnwJdOuCCNqenBRVdlQHw4aYCs4hiIpJ0KlS_vPztu9TTgNhZNPYMnHjCdegHoBN/s1600-h/IMG_3711.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226316616267458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjv3TTa5xxsOvO9_DX4lgoBNH0OeM50Mz6cEk31upy4OfWWJWjbPtoVEz56_8xbqG0A7vcnwJdOuCCNqenBRVdlQHw4aYCs4hiIpJ0KlS_vPztu9TTgNhZNPYMnHjCdegHoBN/s400/IMG_3711.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Some people may disagree with this sentiment when they hear that drill, but each to their own I guess.</em></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNXPa1M1095z3FdAoOjT6SRnAFVsUaPAoKfQKIVFVU9AVMtA6o8m3a3DWw59xDNFEQdmrSaGm4qW9G81O07xbfsLdBftGsLN7Qh-AHBbZzuCS8Fk-sSMW3HCywiDql3QpmqL6/s1600-h/IMG_3713.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226022399923330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNXPa1M1095z3FdAoOjT6SRnAFVsUaPAoKfQKIVFVU9AVMtA6o8m3a3DWw59xDNFEQdmrSaGm4qW9G81O07xbfsLdBftGsLN7Qh-AHBbZzuCS8Fk-sSMW3HCywiDql3QpmqL6/s400/IMG_3713.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw_RGXVwgaLx-hcGa2I4fr65_LKPz_UwX22VoSiLdOAFBF0BpqY7gHgNEizJz39uMX7CjQj8VsWjDm3XWg8NLdbeXG4XJyxp98e0l0iq9xPfClW0QbtOHMz11q8F_VByCam0M/s1600-h/IMG_3715.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226019025248082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsw_RGXVwgaLx-hcGa2I4fr65_LKPz_UwX22VoSiLdOAFBF0BpqY7gHgNEizJz39uMX7CjQj8VsWjDm3XWg8NLdbeXG4XJyxp98e0l0iq9xPfClW0QbtOHMz11q8F_VByCam0M/s400/IMG_3715.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> It's just a short walk from the stone chapel to the wooden chapel, which can be seen on posters in stations around Tokyo enticing people to the delights of Karuizawa.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">After this it was back into town for a quick look around, though by this time the day trippers had gone home, and it was really like a ghost town, something exacerbated by the heavy mist that enveloped the town like a blanket.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_ae2pvM21Df00uGqSBTeLSl3Cp1jm4lQaT_QfLYU_Vi-BX_ALgliN5CwvVPL2glG15stcZvzTtR-M_pLWpBL_HfqlL7gL0IdSWmWYQDz6K22WBfEznla39xqfQ-IC66YiZZo/s1600-h/IMG_3721.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226015851095618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_ae2pvM21Df00uGqSBTeLSl3Cp1jm4lQaT_QfLYU_Vi-BX_ALgliN5CwvVPL2glG15stcZvzTtR-M_pLWpBL_HfqlL7gL0IdSWmWYQDz6K22WBfEznla39xqfQ-IC66YiZZo/s400/IMG_3721.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> The following morning I decided to rent a bike for the day and cycle around the town. There are a number of cycling routes marked out on the map, none of them particularly long or punishing, so I opted to combine a couple of the routes in order to make a day of it. Close to my starting point, there was another wedding chapel. I use the phrase wedding chapel simply because their sole raison d'etre is for hosting weddings, and there is no notion of Christian worship involved whatsoever. In fact, one fairly lucrative line of work available for foreigners who speak Japanese is to work as a wedding priest (absolutely no theological qualifications needed), where you go through the motions of reading out the vows for the couple dressed in a cassock and dog collar.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm7yTDevuofFeyB5itt2fpxRcOx896vBTGJFCCi_Oi8Ffcg7iui18qpsLfrtTu_aii9LO2r7-KPi2zaLt-u2bUTTzvb46Ghuugn4BhcMgBp5kUHIBfI8C14AkaU0LPnxFKs_W/s1600-h/IMG_3722.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226005391839522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm7yTDevuofFeyB5itt2fpxRcOx896vBTGJFCCi_Oi8Ffcg7iui18qpsLfrtTu_aii9LO2r7-KPi2zaLt-u2bUTTzvb46Ghuugn4BhcMgBp5kUHIBfI8C14AkaU0LPnxFKs_W/s400/IMG_3722.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRnhV529WoYdZGgEMP_xHCEMdR3jq_bJ-FElBOBeFTppX70Gt7W_Bq1_qJ7iwg0LFWTWqsKz_7FlA5MNLH_tepmkXMduROc1E7nsc5iyLIfqi6lkTXWQg2ODmrbbaKahFjVfK/s1600-h/IMG_3723.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364226001357591154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRnhV529WoYdZGgEMP_xHCEMdR3jq_bJ-FElBOBeFTppX70Gt7W_Bq1_qJ7iwg0LFWTWqsKz_7FlA5MNLH_tepmkXMduROc1E7nsc5iyLIfqi6lkTXWQg2ODmrbbaKahFjVfK/s400/IMG_3723.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vU4e1xgNFRLcfoHHJ97jMiYK4jKCYvDPNpzPBNipkIfpe8BADxkh73NJLVEcB3PYL0COPzLPyKEc_Vu3E7rOeQwJh1_KxYodeJ3V1abGwwzv0tkXClWKOO5qqnpBkmiyjVtp/s1600-h/IMG_3724.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224844789245890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vU4e1xgNFRLcfoHHJ97jMiYK4jKCYvDPNpzPBNipkIfpe8BADxkh73NJLVEcB3PYL0COPzLPyKEc_Vu3E7rOeQwJh1_KxYodeJ3V1abGwwzv0tkXClWKOO5qqnpBkmiyjVtp/s400/IMG_3724.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> A lot of the roads lead through a tall canopy of green, with little sunlight getting through, thus keeping the local temperature that much lower than in the city.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3M2846bhxZGWGvwSg-8eTigpuZ8wvBUNMblnsvnjcpA6rJV8fxgeOIHLSYAq0Ehaqu65btlzeAjNEYOCqp8ZtyljUy-Tz0uVPzd-sm_TsG-rffQDAJESQWOJ5RxUPWOde1G2/s1600-h/IMG_3725.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224842395336770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3M2846bhxZGWGvwSg-8eTigpuZ8wvBUNMblnsvnjcpA6rJV8fxgeOIHLSYAq0Ehaqu65btlzeAjNEYOCqp8ZtyljUy-Tz0uVPzd-sm_TsG-rffQDAJESQWOJ5RxUPWOde1G2/s400/IMG_3725.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> The Manpei Hotel is one of the older and pricier places to stay in town, and it is set deep in the woods away from the main road leading through the town. Apparently John Lennon used to like staying here when he was in Japan.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQup0nDEIi9svZhqg75h6mGO4diLE2pwjdfcZM6Ba_xEQUkHGYTkTgB_dUOn4Ex9XcEUGttsyxEth3SoJYLHY6BvK6le5lTJYeDtMDo36t9gjHLNeSa9BaqpudBjstzwGOaO4/s1600-h/IMG_3727.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224834299409586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQup0nDEIi9svZhqg75h6mGO4diLE2pwjdfcZM6Ba_xEQUkHGYTkTgB_dUOn4Ex9XcEUGttsyxEth3SoJYLHY6BvK6le5lTJYeDtMDo36t9gjHLNeSa9BaqpudBjstzwGOaO4/s400/IMG_3727.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X1lKQLZsOJrsuZSAzJTPVGMzT6u9FTvDfePkS4r6nsFG8Voacw9LzDQTm7MYbyjenv1_2hDK7A-rN8DUTLU3DccDthX2O-FQ7HT8CsY8ukp1mdt27HKWlbPqwtAK2BUKuV68/s1600-h/IMG_3729.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364225146158309794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X1lKQLZsOJrsuZSAzJTPVGMzT6u9FTvDfePkS4r6nsFG8Voacw9LzDQTm7MYbyjenv1_2hDK7A-rN8DUTLU3DccDthX2O-FQ7HT8CsY8ukp1mdt27HKWlbPqwtAK2BUKuV68/s400/IMG_3729.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> One name that can be seen a lot around town is that of A.C. Shaw, the British-Canadian missionary who "discovered" Karuizawa in the late nineteenth century and described as a hospital without a roof and introduced it to other expatriates as a great place to escape Tokyo's summer heat. It was from this time that the town developed into the resort it is today, with expatriates slowly being replaced by wealthy Japanese, including the Imperial family, who are said to spend time here quite often. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There is a (real) church in memory of Shaw, a street named after him and an annual festival which also carries his name ~ all in recognition of the way that his actions changed the economic fortunes of the area.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx27BznmQoncsiAQnq8IvABGN97dhw9H-fE_dJKgYumkbVhQ_8eUBvUAb6nr4HnJ-AqF92bNxSfEyh6rHMn7huqXdbEFA8XsOuG79bbX_7Q-T9X37-F0YRwKgW29WikgXVsSax/s1600-h/IMG_3732.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224821126393202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx27BznmQoncsiAQnq8IvABGN97dhw9H-fE_dJKgYumkbVhQ_8eUBvUAb6nr4HnJ-AqF92bNxSfEyh6rHMn7huqXdbEFA8XsOuG79bbX_7Q-T9X37-F0YRwKgW29WikgXVsSax/s400/IMG_3732.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There is another real church in the area, the Catholic Saint Paul's, which is close to the famous Ginza shopping street.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlF75OmVyUoz7CWyxb52Hajr8DNUhyrmS36Y6PLDd6CX8G850Z4Ado4PUec7Mi4TCe8nIse1TF_mra87xcpSyf9iSUQcpv3i2QuABBZ6v_PA4yiYX1_YkndOUOlFzgrp7CjAOi/s1600-h/IMG_3733.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224535765901698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlF75OmVyUoz7CWyxb52Hajr8DNUhyrmS36Y6PLDd6CX8G850Z4Ado4PUec7Mi4TCe8nIse1TF_mra87xcpSyf9iSUQcpv3i2QuABBZ6v_PA4yiYX1_YkndOUOlFzgrp7CjAOi/s400/IMG_3733.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDN3QMcaMLnUcSHQYmDcmXkaBvMEYMZHIMkYuZ5AiD4-cLTnPnaKishDElf4zP0a9Gu8v0YgKa7bwOdg9aKACCzPlnXuWojsk_NJvEfM9bpfI0fstR7sUwuf514Vx0FV4c0cUl/s1600-h/IMG_3734.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224526896932466" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDN3QMcaMLnUcSHQYmDcmXkaBvMEYMZHIMkYuZ5AiD4-cLTnPnaKishDElf4zP0a9Gu8v0YgKa7bwOdg9aKACCzPlnXuWojsk_NJvEfM9bpfI0fstR7sUwuf514Vx0FV4c0cUl/s400/IMG_3734.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Heading out of town on a two-lane tree-lined road you reach the old Mikasa Hotel, one of the old western-style hotels (though completely designed and built by the Japanese) that was open for business from 1906 until 1970. It now stands as a museum piece which you can look around for a small fee, and pages from the guestbook in the early 1920s shows that most of the guests were expats resident in either Tokyo, Yokohama or Kobe.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-30-FR_fJ9mbS0SJD4Uz1gg4FX5vGQsPj7GlvkIk9Cy-ogN4BGDHqcI_RiJNMoxM8t_g3zv8sueczItnMHKnlASl4XmEJFASKAkYeG4fE_795c5OVznftHGQ31reHiITFirmy/s1600-h/IMG_3735.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224520698924386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-30-FR_fJ9mbS0SJD4Uz1gg4FX5vGQsPj7GlvkIk9Cy-ogN4BGDHqcI_RiJNMoxM8t_g3zv8sueczItnMHKnlASl4XmEJFASKAkYeG4fE_795c5OVznftHGQ31reHiITFirmy/s400/IMG_3735.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLKV65MXde5K8PWdEd8C1ryZg7-88S9CMr2vdxboomYZJdkyA_83JJ9xKoTQau7KU7Y-1AFrYQqtwGEa4olLlKJxrRj9jrp2tJcm8DR33FIQHdGCBe32E7s9pVjGwvMJjzxl_/s1600-h/IMG_3740.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224515926816834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLKV65MXde5K8PWdEd8C1ryZg7-88S9CMr2vdxboomYZJdkyA_83JJ9xKoTQau7KU7Y-1AFrYQqtwGEa4olLlKJxrRj9jrp2tJcm8DR33FIQHdGCBe32E7s9pVjGwvMJjzxl_/s400/IMG_3740.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChP35KG0kTO9XFKtVkg-W_2mRhkGWH0ZvY7r1iMOgdTGWIo5VGQgsa3JkGnypFLAVuedfm5M8YYZdWFGUJMBHlBrOJ6N3Z-RQEL_HRkwND6-M-QvqsROWKpVf75vl7i5UyKId/s1600-h/IMG_3741.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224225576874626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChP35KG0kTO9XFKtVkg-W_2mRhkGWH0ZvY7r1iMOgdTGWIo5VGQgsa3JkGnypFLAVuedfm5M8YYZdWFGUJMBHlBrOJ6N3Z-RQEL_HRkwND6-M-QvqsROWKpVf75vl7i5UyKId/s400/IMG_3741.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> In the woods around the town, you can see lots of house built on very large plots of wooded land, many of which are second residences of the wealthier section of society, though some are also available for seasonal rental.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5zfF9G7ucaaaytftHSopqvttOPsdY3CHMYXk9T41WGm2CC_2_p2PLnLUutWlhhBX9PZn066sIZ7pML1iSNi0dN3t6QaKcoFg3016ysYnZ8tfZ7Cva2gJpb9dSZd2cux6DXDX/s1600-h/IMG_3742.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224224666532594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5zfF9G7ucaaaytftHSopqvttOPsdY3CHMYXk9T41WGm2CC_2_p2PLnLUutWlhhBX9PZn066sIZ7pML1iSNi0dN3t6QaKcoFg3016ysYnZ8tfZ7Cva2gJpb9dSZd2cux6DXDX/s400/IMG_3742.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfB3YeEueHOb8lMzdZBY0Dc3zWePlaU_67PrlAvaCljqAGDjVGsCxYKEaXf6O7jeCvEDGM9R83h8uTCNPVa5VsX91HwbqTOKK8Dvnj3hlgklD_pOV26mSRZ7ivDZCIyXxUC9Oi/s1600-h/IMG_3745.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224214164719874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfB3YeEueHOb8lMzdZBY0Dc3zWePlaU_67PrlAvaCljqAGDjVGsCxYKEaXf6O7jeCvEDGM9R83h8uTCNPVa5VsX91HwbqTOKK8Dvnj3hlgklD_pOV26mSRZ7ivDZCIyXxUC9Oi/s400/IMG_3745.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLWEO4kgwU9yMYbB5Am_GTZPRh0v-nVu4eENd6xYXhTUHtH2EPoUhM5pl8xSOS23afF_HlkSb9VYTrv5NOGdSkpG8igTfdetne7nFrIrhMUbcXudmusTdhH_E7xF-sCXTdz4p/s1600-h/IMG_3749.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224204997571826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLWEO4kgwU9yMYbB5Am_GTZPRh0v-nVu4eENd6xYXhTUHtH2EPoUhM5pl8xSOS23afF_HlkSb9VYTrv5NOGdSkpG8igTfdetne7nFrIrhMUbcXudmusTdhH_E7xF-sCXTdz4p/s400/IMG_3749.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">With it's heritage as a resort town owed to the expatriate community of years gone by, as well as the disproportionately large number of western style churches and chapels in the are, many of the eateries in town serve French or Italian food, or their is even the 'domestic sausage' shop selling locally produced German-style sausage and cured meats.<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCZtLu6B8IoNNmWOFq_xKtk8E1zRFNRWtPNzVDGErxwEGuDmoIDpLuGPUQt1dh6ij5A_hJ7ibOUv9OULBYeUuOdOhuzLD3g43sdkCBQq4a3JXx41YIIz_u08gWVRZvKnTf-rk/s1600-h/IMG_3752.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364224199983896514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCZtLu6B8IoNNmWOFq_xKtk8E1zRFNRWtPNzVDGErxwEGuDmoIDpLuGPUQt1dh6ij5A_hJ7ibOUv9OULBYeUuOdOhuzLD3g43sdkCBQq4a3JXx41YIIz_u08gWVRZvKnTf-rk/s400/IMG_3752.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> I opted for something Japanese in the evening, however, and, lured by the stylish decor and jazz being played with the volume cranked up high, I went to Kawakami An for my evening meal.<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a5KfnR-gN1qaTGdo9mCGCPWDCjp1-ctWh_nPPMqprtP4f1FWwaWHwWRWEU6tQFzVUjj7Uj12paI6R-P7izsoPG3zk3-6odsEL3Y6aPchrU-1_nyvVPq1wnQoKdAvZyy6fxeF/s1600-h/IMG_3753.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364223917641807890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a5KfnR-gN1qaTGdo9mCGCPWDCjp1-ctWh_nPPMqprtP4f1FWwaWHwWRWEU6tQFzVUjj7Uj12paI6R-P7izsoPG3zk3-6odsEL3Y6aPchrU-1_nyvVPq1wnQoKdAvZyy6fxeF/s400/IMG_3753.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWO53IEFoYoIJVxkWvpOx5B5c2dzjzB1wILSVRHNO0lD72oly6BU_3dI-bs1vPcj5SVOdsKkvbvq5cn_5TjMLA1KKlq8PyLlCqfqXLPU74znZqzjCaDjCEqTJFbXNqwZVC5IX/s1600-h/IMG_3754.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364223907739762738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuWO53IEFoYoIJVxkWvpOx5B5c2dzjzB1wILSVRHNO0lD72oly6BU_3dI-bs1vPcj5SVOdsKkvbvq5cn_5TjMLA1KKlq8PyLlCqfqXLPU74znZqzjCaDjCEqTJFbXNqwZVC5IX/s400/IMG_3754.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgC08P_iIfKkqkkO_m94_YJf6T5reIJz7aqatuK_epBtCl42TyB5AiaU9P3ptXBWn1DBrzVSCIfKJJcbJhmUY7nkbhFJq9AmIhS4KjvucmizSVEk_84LGes82QCuDXUJ6jt-x/s1600-h/IMG_3755.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364223898540229874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgC08P_iIfKkqkkO_m94_YJf6T5reIJz7aqatuK_epBtCl42TyB5AiaU9P3ptXBWn1DBrzVSCIfKJJcbJhmUY7nkbhFJq9AmIhS4KjvucmizSVEk_84LGes82QCuDXUJ6jt-x/s400/IMG_3755.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiErcCH-yagqVemOReSgD0lbVVGyMXclo8SDvb52IaTWWIkSNmKYwRFn3Zz6UHEXjnnqf0TQ9tD7vN5OIm7TpRZbz5sjF1K0Hn19N0PtY78xUZ3ujAANRYLOiKivm7cSKg0n0/s1600-h/IMG_3756.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364223894710564210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqiErcCH-yagqVemOReSgD0lbVVGyMXclo8SDvb52IaTWWIkSNmKYwRFn3Zz6UHEXjnnqf0TQ9tD7vN5OIm7TpRZbz5sjF1K0Hn19N0PtY78xUZ3ujAANRYLOiKivm7cSKg0n0/s400/IMG_3756.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">No doubt there are many other much cheaper places to get a bowl of soba noodles, but if this restaurant were in Tokyo, I think I'd be a regular, as it was rather special.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu00MacMZPHhy7iduKgBnNI8_37-8Esqg0DnCm_9B0JWL6t9x24xls9sO0QY7ExhKacgq2-IsVxYDoTYVnxuxIa0sFq3ZwXk5OPpjfuRhSJzz9v7Ym5FGKrMOKg3cq9bztTO3/s1600-h/IMG_3760.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364223888582185394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDu00MacMZPHhy7iduKgBnNI8_37-8Esqg0DnCm_9B0JWL6t9x24xls9sO0QY7ExhKacgq2-IsVxYDoTYVnxuxIa0sFq3ZwXk5OPpjfuRhSJzz9v7Ym5FGKrMOKg3cq9bztTO3/s400/IMG_3760.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NpkUhyEp0SFNEK5V-i2u4Fe005gFnUxR4wJmfIMKuDTetZFcyYDVwgB6UTtXfoYlt72Y7Q6hMhFYkk7l2x1GSiCKMSCF6CGmBLz2QBCHxePMyb8Elvd-Bi3d7FPPWmdjRyxy/s1600-h/IMG_3761.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364223365610098194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NpkUhyEp0SFNEK5V-i2u4Fe005gFnUxR4wJmfIMKuDTetZFcyYDVwgB6UTtXfoYlt72Y7Q6hMhFYkk7l2x1GSiCKMSCF6CGmBLz2QBCHxePMyb8Elvd-Bi3d7FPPWmdjRyxy/s400/IMG_3761.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Along with all the wedding chapels in the area, there are, of course, wedding outfitters too, and this one has a name that seems to reflect the almost Disneyfied fairytale romantic vision that the Japanese have of western-style white dress weddings. Even the walk down the aisle is described in Japanese as the 'virgin road' ~ I kid you not.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5jpWO73O2JW4k5S1bo_5YTK_GFuuwyzaC3E2ECmO3xjAJflk9rdKXmjSOdlqWeRTkoN6Z_tsnwpIiXZcb7bXSGPLV8nrAsS1XuD5GHpwnEaNGfU73hFLhqkRmHxvXaeOQIFv/s1600-h/IMG_3763.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364223357726828114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO5jpWO73O2JW4k5S1bo_5YTK_GFuuwyzaC3E2ECmO3xjAJflk9rdKXmjSOdlqWeRTkoN6Z_tsnwpIiXZcb7bXSGPLV8nrAsS1XuD5GHpwnEaNGfU73hFLhqkRmHxvXaeOQIFv/s400/IMG_3763.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For the last morning, I headed back to the Hoshino area to have a dip at the Tombo onsen, which is new and pretty stylish. The other choice would have been to visit the huge outlet mall, the far side of the station, but I decided to leave that to the bargain-hunting families with bored kids in tow.</span></p>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-28363038317240574142009-07-28T23:04:00.002+09:002009-07-28T23:40:32.598+09:00Books: McMafia by Misha Glenny<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsHA3hZx_5yIdJQQYAhxZywbT9JfBG72bpCPfbQddXXBFW8lSi2IjF4xW9ywxtAIViz6cghFv0_3eqD4L8abDfTT2PzH8F9A1l_3Om-AT38nNEBkPtQAQrHuFe_BPkkaiHm4h/s1600-h/untitled.bmp"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363511849842168194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 260px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsHA3hZx_5yIdJQQYAhxZywbT9JfBG72bpCPfbQddXXBFW8lSi2IjF4xW9ywxtAIViz6cghFv0_3eqD4L8abDfTT2PzH8F9A1l_3Om-AT38nNEBkPtQAQrHuFe_BPkkaiHm4h/s400/untitled.bmp" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that this book is the movie edition of a pulp fiction crime novel, but once you open it and look inside, you soon discover that it is instead a well-written piece of investigative journalism that reveals just how much of the world's economic dealings are linked to organised crime, which according to the author amounts to about twenty percent of the world's GDP.</span></div><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Misha Glenny is a reporter who made his name at the BBC and the Guardian reporting on the collapse of communism in the late eighties/early nineties and then the Balkan Wars that followed. It is the knowledge and experience he gained in this period that have allowed him to explore the present day world of organised crime. In the course of the book, he visits all corners of the world demonstrating the extensive reach of criminal activity executed in the search of maximum profit.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Glenny traces the rapid rise of organised crime from localised gangs to a truly global concern back to the twin collapse of communism and the deregulation of global financial markets which happened at around the same time. Even before the final collapse of the Iron curtain Eastern European states were involved in the illicit smuggling or arms and drugs as a means of propping up the ailing economies of their countries. Once communism suddenly collapsed, an out of work police force together with steroid-popping weight-lifters as muscle, suddenly found that they had had good grounding in how to get rich quick.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The chapters that focus on Eastern Europe and the collapse of the Soviet Union come across as the strongest as it is in these areas that Glenny is clearly more knowledgeable. He also visits India, Brazil, Dubai, South Africa, China and Japan on his travels, each time showing how enterprising individuals with little respect for the law or lives of others have becoming ridiculously wealthy in a short period of time off the back of illegal business activities. The chapters on the Far East are, by comparison to the rest of the book, a less satisfying in their scope, but given the huge scope of this project it is almost inevitable that some parts will be weaker than others.</span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">At times some of the stories are shocking, and at others they are heartbreaking, yet all show what can happen if the untamed pursuit of profit is allowed to develop and grow without regulation. </span></p><p align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">An eye-opening book that shows the darker side of how today's world really works.</span></p>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-9731242491571188942009-07-25T12:36:00.007+09:002009-07-25T19:58:17.738+09:00Hamamatsucho<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8F0Sy0BYt6DTJUrWfw0mbmU9rxe89_WPrnBqdKYeb4bp0bLD5byG-eOgPjs0EXQXS-BdT3wrdnKuqCsDRCysoF6U6ZpoXTWhKiPIKTXGjPGO-UUjAHv7gNejNujvZSLuRsVU/s1600-h/IMG_3637.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362240187838137378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8F0Sy0BYt6DTJUrWfw0mbmU9rxe89_WPrnBqdKYeb4bp0bLD5byG-eOgPjs0EXQXS-BdT3wrdnKuqCsDRCysoF6U6ZpoXTWhKiPIKTXGjPGO-UUjAHv7gNejNujvZSLuRsVU/s400/IMG_3637.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kHNGk9hfAHPXZJGJ4Ym9D_jyyqy2uAXbdtxnOUgAFnCVayXAbHqDfJVJpCbyU-rXtilB8te1h9GIddeWDYEkbjPWSMY5Jne_EHFaE8sBcAknOCdz1Cp2B4i2QOFp2cbUU2eW/s1600-h/IMG_3638.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362240176788298658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3kHNGk9hfAHPXZJGJ4Ym9D_jyyqy2uAXbdtxnOUgAFnCVayXAbHqDfJVJpCbyU-rXtilB8te1h9GIddeWDYEkbjPWSMY5Jne_EHFaE8sBcAknOCdz1Cp2B4i2QOFp2cbUU2eW/s400/IMG_3638.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Hamamatsucho Station is probably the closest point on the Yamanote Line to Tokyo Bay, with the sea being less than half a mile away, and as a result the area you can look around is somewhat restricted.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq-RsThe4CUm_eTD9SOb4HqlWO8Uy42Rth2mRCqkjr5WqpVMpI0ESubOzYsIfCrfYjZ2aZsk1tsa4UfUgpjcM_H0b55WWom9U75VYef0TSMnAXqcP3tlyr_F-qSEOWEuaoVFJ/s1600-h/IMG_3641.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362240162199640866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmq-RsThe4CUm_eTD9SOb4HqlWO8Uy42Rth2mRCqkjr5WqpVMpI0ESubOzYsIfCrfYjZ2aZsk1tsa4UfUgpjcM_H0b55WWom9U75VYef0TSMnAXqcP3tlyr_F-qSEOWEuaoVFJ/s400/IMG_3641.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> If you head towards the sea on exiting the station though, you soon arrive at Kyu-Shiba-Rikyu Garden, which makes for a pleasant stroll and seems to be a spot that office workers in the area like to come to during their lunch break if the temperature isn't too high. </span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2CHMMlQRzK9aDyMvoZU1wcE9m3JY-mhHCq8yTt_DwVyR1TW9PCbL0ky5DhI0l2hWaPmFlNNks9wL0ObL62xOl2zudhANIg39klJg-seYrk6rVNM7FJlWGJDYIkjhGSxHlvWg/s1600-h/IMG_3644.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362240158935814450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2CHMMlQRzK9aDyMvoZU1wcE9m3JY-mhHCq8yTt_DwVyR1TW9PCbL0ky5DhI0l2hWaPmFlNNks9wL0ObL62xOl2zudhANIg39klJg-seYrk6rVNM7FJlWGJDYIkjhGSxHlvWg/s400/IMG_3644.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFUo82f54IsclfbJ-nRL9PrlFi4a0tmwSE0Hf_mT-eT5dKit4GbsvMgsX8sCd2j0-t-twn2sFCTMDEpcqM2tkVYj-4IByGAX-f8q4CTN1w1s4crZ2mwIpskbt9TNCMvuF_Jis/s1600-h/IMG_3647.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362240147368534930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxFUo82f54IsclfbJ-nRL9PrlFi4a0tmwSE0Hf_mT-eT5dKit4GbsvMgsX8sCd2j0-t-twn2sFCTMDEpcqM2tkVYj-4IByGAX-f8q4CTN1w1s4crZ2mwIpskbt9TNCMvuF_Jis/s400/IMG_3647.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyH2RtgH_mfOjnzFHDGodCUYmOvTA8jW_lSq1AW8oVOC8XIX1e0_MfrGriaDS7g8pIam4AtsHqF1yFuANIr3pr7c-sPqI3L_LTTfNhTx_M9G16NkNCoAf6BigmvvgX3Om44D3i/s1600-h/IMG_3649.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362239955990551746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyH2RtgH_mfOjnzFHDGodCUYmOvTA8jW_lSq1AW8oVOC8XIX1e0_MfrGriaDS7g8pIam4AtsHqF1yFuANIr3pr7c-sPqI3L_LTTfNhTx_M9G16NkNCoAf6BigmvvgX3Om44D3i/s400/IMG_3649.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxlu_MXWz2OPetfVIul28aZy3uIjDuj2-1ycxOz5X-9c22Ia38vG74eMBdBssKAwLxRseGscEU_OGGR4ZJK4otbQLmerXOFtDZ-DY0Pjf7nd2kopK6-WZxZCkPmyuqlYJohZc/s1600-h/IMG_3651.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362239935360398514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxlu_MXWz2OPetfVIul28aZy3uIjDuj2-1ycxOz5X-9c22Ia38vG74eMBdBssKAwLxRseGscEU_OGGR4ZJK4otbQLmerXOFtDZ-DY0Pjf7nd2kopK6-WZxZCkPmyuqlYJohZc/s400/IMG_3651.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGyhyxjGq4iabFG923mp_ZUwszYDdr4b7xQkmyIO1EihQHH6-x8JqU5OxAofUoYrKT6X9jd3EMAiu9NkP7CpRpCjLSlQ6xo4Wdkf0WR49wte_99d47-F1O7SscrY9LsRrfD9f/s1600-h/IMG_3652.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362239928533003890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGyhyxjGq4iabFG923mp_ZUwszYDdr4b7xQkmyIO1EihQHH6-x8JqU5OxAofUoYrKT6X9jd3EMAiu9NkP7CpRpCjLSlQ6xo4Wdkf0WR49wte_99d47-F1O7SscrY9LsRrfD9f/s400/IMG_3652.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The main street leading inland from the station is lined with office buildings including the World Trade Centre Building, and most of these buildings are of a characterless, purely functional design.<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKc1lJwGkURcvAxq9x_OgixslrSP9C4BrDmKcBNBaSnLruKXM-407BzJ2DFKPyzYwQMD3_qDDytv9TKzPPd9gdqsSvQBEHXEperwIcytPnJxJZoO7XJHg0iOWB7eLDf672SWau/s1600-h/IMG_3653.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362239921118624978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKc1lJwGkURcvAxq9x_OgixslrSP9C4BrDmKcBNBaSnLruKXM-407BzJ2DFKPyzYwQMD3_qDDytv9TKzPPd9gdqsSvQBEHXEperwIcytPnJxJZoO7XJHg0iOWB7eLDf672SWau/s400/IMG_3653.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9zNa9IBmp6YMvPkOy9R6SRiihd9Objcw94D1M_VUIRoPn1EjG_mfXwX8lI_8fpaXrRdjFmHDAOUo_wGca3T8MgdcZ1i4fSz7JUunAEtXzRzRItzXWXslytc1lNm8MVgoUiZr/s1600-h/IMG_3655.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362239912304623858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9zNa9IBmp6YMvPkOy9R6SRiihd9Objcw94D1M_VUIRoPn1EjG_mfXwX8lI_8fpaXrRdjFmHDAOUo_wGca3T8MgdcZ1i4fSz7JUunAEtXzRzRItzXWXslytc1lNm8MVgoUiZr/s400/IMG_3655.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> The Shiba Dai-jingu is an all-concrete ultra modern shrine that seemed to attract a steady flow of office workers coming to pray for luck during their break. People work through the rope circle part way up the steps following a prescribed pattern in order to bring good luck/ward off bad luck, or something of that order.</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgXHYNcIuFa5DJysERs8o2CLh2Q2e30KA6ri4INeNHkq3iuE0uQaWh9j_WSBGh__VgIiTKxMThu-RfoV3c9gjGAe3CAc3Y7mgaWcJwlV4YVCrhEWmOWUaFjuQY9o4L2sv2IQB/s1600-h/IMG_3658.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238755923221346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgXHYNcIuFa5DJysERs8o2CLh2Q2e30KA6ri4INeNHkq3iuE0uQaWh9j_WSBGh__VgIiTKxMThu-RfoV3c9gjGAe3CAc3Y7mgaWcJwlV4YVCrhEWmOWUaFjuQY9o4L2sv2IQB/s400/IMG_3658.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This guy with a shoe fetish on a retro looking sign was above a shop in the area, though I forget whether or not it was actually a shoe shop.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiqWspFpRvO1jTLeJc0pFQi5AiQy9m54t6qT4s81R33-7-GAbmWk-EcvPoKbS5dSug850t5-NOMBsTDQKrhorlnz1neAqw7NKiG5u8EF3bLuwjhEtJZCBh6UE0UhYcWIPTQLG/s1600-h/IMG_3660.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238745873079186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiqWspFpRvO1jTLeJc0pFQi5AiQy9m54t6qT4s81R33-7-GAbmWk-EcvPoKbS5dSug850t5-NOMBsTDQKrhorlnz1neAqw7NKiG5u8EF3bLuwjhEtJZCBh6UE0UhYcWIPTQLG/s400/IMG_3660.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Back on the main street and half-way between the station and Shiba Koen is Daimon, an old gate which straddles the busy road.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiZE0F2sgKd-TJbwZJusM3h3b-AaAnzGWofmDfLED5NJdimkbRy6hAjuhX8uJJ1kI9_SkNSxMjbloeyj2g-Au3QKeguT-Zp5b8ZZND2Ro5hR9iKSemOz2uPYwb1I8GfMSc-Md/s1600-h/IMG_3661.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238735633225826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfiZE0F2sgKd-TJbwZJusM3h3b-AaAnzGWofmDfLED5NJdimkbRy6hAjuhX8uJJ1kI9_SkNSxMjbloeyj2g-Au3QKeguT-Zp5b8ZZND2Ro5hR9iKSemOz2uPYwb1I8GfMSc-Md/s400/IMG_3661.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One of the main attractions in Shiba Koen is the big temple Zojo-ji, and here you can see the Sangedatsu-Mon entrance to the temple grounds.</span><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqCcsOwShrgq8-tvmlfweTnp6CovjA3t1ZA6cYy7_8MCb53hfKE2eRQUPboT-AsNRyqQF-ufvostM9jDA_vyS7dMEsWYi8WbkzcZhqx-FsCaD7nUS2JnA4jQFxUC07pHGCjen/s1600-h/IMG_3663.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238718511798386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPqCcsOwShrgq8-tvmlfweTnp6CovjA3t1ZA6cYy7_8MCb53hfKE2eRQUPboT-AsNRyqQF-ufvostM9jDA_vyS7dMEsWYi8WbkzcZhqx-FsCaD7nUS2JnA4jQFxUC07pHGCjen/s400/IMG_3663.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQch5QBJDXH74Pf8VJ7gWSRwyP-LPZqtIqWIgtHre9Q2dSmhHYzgdF1QUPAvlpCRpk3pKcBb2zB2XV_-peS2smqcrAE-nRMg4Od1YEZ5sEH3xb7NsBNNc3DUXJHWkLPXG_kM_/s1600-h/IMG_3665.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238709559697746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjQch5QBJDXH74Pf8VJ7gWSRwyP-LPZqtIqWIgtHre9Q2dSmhHYzgdF1QUPAvlpCRpk3pKcBb2zB2XV_-peS2smqcrAE-nRMg4Od1YEZ5sEH3xb7NsBNNc3DUXJHWkLPXG_kM_/s400/IMG_3665.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uWUf7hm60MjkSTMrzIKmOZkpgg-FX9wn1oScteI-CDU05R7TXqe4jQcdfj2kq6IW-50namppsaohaptwpVoY7OaX0N_D_u0YtyZm8Nk4SnasUoDbbo5DlkeLg8pYHe4hrBqB/s1600-h/IMG_3667.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238470352630514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9uWUf7hm60MjkSTMrzIKmOZkpgg-FX9wn1oScteI-CDU05R7TXqe4jQcdfj2kq6IW-50namppsaohaptwpVoY7OaX0N_D_u0YtyZm8Nk4SnasUoDbbo5DlkeLg8pYHe4hrBqB/s400/IMG_3667.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This tree just inside the main gate was apparently planted by Ulysses Grant on a visit to Tokyo during the Meiji era.<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi0UqB_CR0GrW-LzFzoysCjRMYf3CPICWS4U68qpI9cGTU97pYmWUBOnPFZXwBFFw-RIphWfntdRMfkHSL3t2Hk0psW0xhOINuZQybBNhI7DcVzr2P3hkjUCcqsEkQya7WTnZ/s1600-h/IMG_3668.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238464567539522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi0UqB_CR0GrW-LzFzoysCjRMYf3CPICWS4U68qpI9cGTU97pYmWUBOnPFZXwBFFw-RIphWfntdRMfkHSL3t2Hk0psW0xhOINuZQybBNhI7DcVzr2P3hkjUCcqsEkQya7WTnZ/s400/IMG_3668.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNlK91FcZMq_1L3cfAWp3oVjpZb-39VsNikKI3LdDEi0l_XY2me6pMTQA1axhZNtNm-Pur9aT5GtuMTlrrhJ8SX1NNO8dTU1erEvdA7TdC5IFaB1AIjy7GVrvH-eN4hYWHdhW/s1600-h/IMG_3669.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238451624528450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFNlK91FcZMq_1L3cfAWp3oVjpZb-39VsNikKI3LdDEi0l_XY2me6pMTQA1axhZNtNm-Pur9aT5GtuMTlrrhJ8SX1NNO8dTU1erEvdA7TdC5IFaB1AIjy7GVrvH-eN4hYWHdhW/s400/IMG_3669.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWlYojHqceFH3Pl2QytQ8PCmWYxdk7axr81z1e006olXeERxvIgNKbMP3wf6Ef26hA8JtjaAMF02P3U8O2zZyDMfLKoiTVefpcM4QkE_sc9JqKkp7Z-Fdu5C6iwTdfx5JuZLS/s1600-h/IMG_3670.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238450910322114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWlYojHqceFH3Pl2QytQ8PCmWYxdk7axr81z1e006olXeERxvIgNKbMP3wf6Ef26hA8JtjaAMF02P3U8O2zZyDMfLKoiTVefpcM4QkE_sc9JqKkp7Z-Fdu5C6iwTdfx5JuZLS/s400/IMG_3670.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Tokyo Tower viewed from the temple grounds on an overcast afternoon.<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kBhmJW7N_gsaizriCvfYI5FiCVo2LQ_TLyCaQ8VBnk3ljdJ7fRCqvMpr6liZCkWyXaehrVlibuBKQEu7n98xAhoTFU8lx6go9EsKV6sIHA9ScH5a3dS1ViaWKsfeDPbukk0M/s1600-h/IMG_3671.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362238439107034626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kBhmJW7N_gsaizriCvfYI5FiCVo2LQ_TLyCaQ8VBnk3ljdJ7fRCqvMpr6liZCkWyXaehrVlibuBKQEu7n98xAhoTFU8lx6go9EsKV6sIHA9ScH5a3dS1ViaWKsfeDPbukk0M/s400/IMG_3671.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-R-1Cy9R8mGXsqR2zdQ_6RNRo5odjw5uO461viO4jam2WEq4FKR6RXPXpl5rFNhQcsePK2ukcFrTX0EPfUIMe27rqR-HdqEQ9mHSraYL39t05QOytknMFkB1EBxkqc_ntFHR/s1600-h/IMG_3672.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362237487349457954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-R-1Cy9R8mGXsqR2zdQ_6RNRo5odjw5uO461viO4jam2WEq4FKR6RXPXpl5rFNhQcsePK2ukcFrTX0EPfUIMe27rqR-HdqEQ9mHSraYL39t05QOytknMFkB1EBxkqc_ntFHR/s400/IMG_3672.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfb7Y7TozLAeCeBo0CYwwDPIQPxxktxl3vtr8WZjljlMG8q6ygeLUwtoBfgeWrxwzEmZneP7r7XWvnd7ltwukFUYPUvxOj7VeHHc2cuPy6QzcDqBdd9MPFp6_vBbzs_1L8D-C/s1600-h/IMG_3675.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362237459674434210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfb7Y7TozLAeCeBo0CYwwDPIQPxxktxl3vtr8WZjljlMG8q6ygeLUwtoBfgeWrxwzEmZneP7r7XWvnd7ltwukFUYPUvxOj7VeHHc2cuPy6QzcDqBdd9MPFp6_vBbzs_1L8D-C/s400/IMG_3675.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> After wandering around Shiba Koen for a bit, I headed back towards the station, because there wasn't a great deal else to see to be honest.<br /></span><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntXCo6eClYGAwQXrVduEhB4OAy4Zr0k_XxFScB4choE8C26zuTEYnXBcCGlIbNt4Zp4c0hLqcgQu5foAqPCUYm0oMarhshRpL0r3nKLkOo_PBxAye6m-KSY8o5CCqZrTu13-Q/s1600-h/IMG_3676.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362237435732156978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjntXCo6eClYGAwQXrVduEhB4OAy4Zr0k_XxFScB4choE8C26zuTEYnXBcCGlIbNt4Zp4c0hLqcgQu5foAqPCUYm0oMarhshRpL0r3nKLkOo_PBxAye6m-KSY8o5CCqZrTu13-Q/s400/IMG_3676.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Would love to know the story behind the naming of this wine bar.</span><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3lFbL_ygCNfE6nwJchKw7sL_bEwAeJT7-VpmoTuxDjK0FRnVu-vaeGXx0c820HYlNnzcixLrZKviZrTFDAIC-iaOWaWRVZN67rEHzV1zTrU-tp7ws2i0N_vWvHn7a77UNed2/s1600-h/IMG_3677.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5362237414681218994" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3lFbL_ygCNfE6nwJchKw7sL_bEwAeJT7-VpmoTuxDjK0FRnVu-vaeGXx0c820HYlNnzcixLrZKviZrTFDAIC-iaOWaWRVZN67rEHzV1zTrU-tp7ws2i0N_vWvHn7a77UNed2/s400/IMG_3677.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Just as I was about to head back into the station, I noticed this airship flying past Tokyo Tower.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">How can I sum up Hamamatsucho? Well, it's hardly the most vital stop on the Yamanote Line, and while it does have one or two points of interest, I found it largely devoid of local atmosphere.</span> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-52772799976446359462009-07-21T12:46:00.003+09:002009-07-21T12:50:51.654+09:00Sticker in Nakano<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXZsBXWDqUuaWQToturriH_CaTjjB-WzxBkNwuUgzUVsTwmcttltYEsAi5Ve0YoSqb7RgTxn9MRpUfuDUvxm4K5rzQylQi3UH1b0f7cl0oS8gNu3NUF-ekvUc5gFXiF8-bc3R/s1600-h/IMG_3687.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360755783003495522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdXZsBXWDqUuaWQToturriH_CaTjjB-WzxBkNwuUgzUVsTwmcttltYEsAi5Ve0YoSqb7RgTxn9MRpUfuDUvxm4K5rzQylQi3UH1b0f7cl0oS8gNu3NUF-ekvUc5gFXiF8-bc3R/s400/IMG_3687.jpg" border="0" /></a>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-72121371733995971312009-07-19T22:57:00.005+09:002009-07-19T23:45:34.692+09:00Return Of The Freak<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've been listing tracks I'm into on this blog for some time, but have now added some links where you can listen to extracts online to actually hear what some of this stuff is like. Enjoy ...</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Blow Up The Jazz! - <em>native</em> <a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.juno.co.uk/products/Futurism/356445-01/" target="blank">O</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Please Don't Leave Me - <em>Sahib Shihab</em> <a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.juno.co.uk/products/Summer-Dawn/356979-02/" target="blank">O</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Balarm - <em>Pietr Ciancaligni</em></span> <a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.soulseduction.com/common/item_detail.php?ItemCode=B306453" target="blank">O</a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">May Street - <em>McCoy Tyner </em></span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Rudy-Gelder-24Bit-Mastering/dp/B001JL9TM4" target="blank">O</a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Goodbye At 12:00AM - <em>Manami Morita</em></span> <a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/manamimorita" target="blank">O</a><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Treading Water - <em>Baby Charles </em></span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.babycharles.co.uk/audio/" target="blank">O</a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-family:webdings;"></span>Return of the Freak - <em>Ocote Soul Sounds & Adrian Quesada </em></span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.amazon.com/Return-of-the-Freak/dp/B0029P1D5K" target="blank">O</a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ephra - <em>The Budos Band </em></span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=The%20Budos%20Band%20Ephra&page=1&url=search-alias%3Ddigital-music">O</a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Un Canto A Mi Terra - <em>Quantic & His Combo Barbaro </em></span><a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.amazon.com/Quantic/e/B001LHP8S0/ref=ntt_mus_dp_pel" target="blank">O</a> <em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffcc00;">(video clip on right side of the screen in the link)<br /></span></em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Love Letters - <em>Lord Cobra Y Los Hnos Duncan </em><a style="FONT-FAMILY: webdings" href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Letters/dp/B002B8GIWS" target="blank">O</a> </span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-76099971885668545032009-07-16T00:06:00.003+09:002009-07-16T00:10:17.940+09:00Street Perfomers in Nakano<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPXhWLCP5WjI9bGzU7nJkQqHyXfPm3zTDfnyYsUP_OBFxOK8BTSCL_t8JHHHj23mlcIe2KA94FpGqluxc8zXdcXaKjsv0UVM7KFd3j8jT96n5R1JPn1cEplZK5G_lFZeXuHPp/s1600-h/IMG_3686.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358703944710776754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPXhWLCP5WjI9bGzU7nJkQqHyXfPm3zTDfnyYsUP_OBFxOK8BTSCL_t8JHHHj23mlcIe2KA94FpGqluxc8zXdcXaKjsv0UVM7KFd3j8jT96n5R1JPn1cEplZK5G_lFZeXuHPp/s400/IMG_3686.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> A little bit of jazz with some tap dance at the North exit of Nakano Station.</span></div>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35443063.post-70223979071024032612009-07-06T09:08:00.002+09:002009-07-06T09:17:42.682+09:00Ganguro UK Style<div align="justify"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Well, here's something I never though I'd see ~ young British imitating the <em>ganguro</em> or <em>yamamba</em> style. This fashion of deeply tanned skin, garish make-up that looks like it's been applied by a five-year old and brightly dyed hair was probably at it peak in Japan at the turn of the century, but you can still see some of the young hanging out in Shibuya dressed like this. </span></div><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Now, according to the BBC, the fashion has spawned some imitators in the UK, and you can see a couple of them dancing para para style in the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8132726.stm" target="blank">first video clip</a>, and then talking about the fashion in the second video, the link for which appears in the video window after the dance clip. It has to be seen to be believed.</p></span>tokyosoulsaucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10109924688135678264noreply@blogger.com1