Life in Japan - Pictures galore !! Arcades, Temples, Rainy days, etc

[GaijinPunch]

The Japanese life expectancy is the highest in the world though,

1 word: Green tea and diet.

Yakumo, even as much of a grumpy old man as he is at roughly the same age as me, has a point. When you've lived here about... 6 months you'll appreciate it. The usual response to even the slightest hint of illness onsetting is to go to the hospital. It is the downside of cheap health care mixed with innate hypochondria. The fact that "time is money" has no meaning here does not help the situation (read the dental thread). Most of the medicine is placebo as well.

The diet really is the key though. Even now, washoku is about the only thing you can eat out at a restaurant that is truly healthy. Low fat, Low calorie, often high protein, medium carb, and all kinds of other shit like iron. The only problem is the standard breakfast is missing fiber and quite often protein.


so I think they have the last laugh.
They actually have the one of the lowest ranking quality of life though. So... laughing they are not.

[Legion]

earthquake!!!!

again out in Odaiba

Yeah green tea unfortunately is bad for me :/
Contains caffeine ...so frustrating
japanese food ( washoku ) in any case is good for me.
I eat Tofu as my brunch and afternoon snack

[subbie]

Sanwa or Seimitsu?
:confused: What does arcade parts have to do with GDC (Game Dev Conference)?

btw, my cab is Sanwa but I accidentally bought square gates and not oct gates. :banghead: I've been too lazy to fix it ever since.

Speaking of arcade stuff, I need to take the Mr Driller G I got in my last package in to work to play on my cab (jpn candy cab at the office, JVS supergun at home).

[Martin]

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_nD_eh6LCAdw/TXbwEYNN8KI/AAAAAAAACXo/d1JHmfZTuRY/First%20Earthquake%20in%20Japan.jpg

Just after my first earthquake in Japan, I fired up TV on my phone to see that it was a magnitude 7.3 in Sendai (North of Japan). The phone had an alert just before the earthquake struck

[GaijinPunch]

:confused: What does arcade parts have to do with GDC (Game Dev Conference)?

Reread -- was poking fun at your typo.

[subbie]

Reread -- was poking fun at your typo.
:banghead: Hardy Har Har :redface:

[Martin]

1 word: Green tea and diet.

Yakumo, even as much of a grumpy old man as he is at roughly the same age as me, has a point. When you've lived here about... 6 months you'll appreciate it. The usual response to even the slightest hint of illness onsetting is to go to the hospital. It is the downside of cheap health care mixed with innate hypochondria. The fact that "time is money" has no meaning here does not help the situation (read the dental thread). Most of the medicine is placebo as well.

The diet really is the key though. Even now, washoku is about the only thing you can eat out at a restaurant that is truly healthy. Low fat, Low calorie, often high protein, medium carb, and all kinds of other shit like iron. The only problem is the standard breakfast is missing fiber and quite often protein.


Completely understand and even agree. He is a whinger though! Must be the Brit in him ;)

I'm loving living here; I am doing something I have wanted to do for ages. Whilst it's far from perfect (nowhere is), I know that I will get more of a culture shock returning home to the UK than I am having right now. I'm a massive whinger about the UK, so it all evens out!

Yakumo's right though. They can't drive (though the brits can't either IMO), they cycle everywhere like loonies, they don't hug each other but will press up against each other on the train... list is endless!

The food here's really sorted my digestion. Though I think the stress of my Ph.D didn't help much back in the UK. We eat out about 5 nights a week here in Japan, and love it. It's like a massive city-break (but with 9-7 work thrown in).

[ASSEMbler]

Japan is in for some real bad times once their debt bubble bursts and population disaster hits.

[Yakumo]

Completely understand and even agree. He is a whinger though! Must be the Brit in him ;)Remember, I was once like you as was GaijinPunch, DCharlie and probably every other foreigner living in Japan but after a few years you soon begin to realize things are not as rosy as you once though and many things are basically in internet language, WTF :nod: Just stay here about 5 years and come back to this thread. You'll think, "that grumpy old git was right" :thumbsup:

[hashiriya1]

The Chameleon Clubs down here are a joke when it comes to prices. Everything is way over priced :shrug: There's another chain called famicom World who again live in a dream world that can charge 5600 yen for a sunfaded copy of Digital Dance Mix for the saturn :drool



That location was selling things at reasonable prices. I picked up a bunch of decent Super Famicom games for 80 yen a pop. I got Layer Section (Saturn) for 500 yen and a bunch of really cheap PCE stuff. I think the best deals I got there was a Ascii fight pad for Dreamcast for 800 yen and a Skeleton Saturn for 2500 yen.

It probably varies from location to location much like A-Too/Book Market.


Famicom World is a joke. I went to one in Saitama. Never again.

[Yakumo]

Do you still have Top Boy in the Tokyo area? There used to be loads down here with some pretty good prices and games however over the last few years they've all closed :(

[Martin]

Remember, I was once like you as was GaijinPunch, DCharlie and probably every other foreigner living in Japan but after a few years you soon begin to realize things are not as rosy as you once though and many things are basically in internet language, WTF :nod: Just stay here about 5 years and come back to this thread. You'll think, "that grumpy old git was right" :thumbsup:

I'll be lucky if I manage to stay here even 2 years. I have just about 9 months left on my visa now. If I can stay for another year I would love to, but we'll see how it goes. Returning to the UK with all the twats and high fuel prices isn't exactly appealing.

[GaijinPunch]

Japan is in for some real bad times once their debt bubble bursts and population disaster hits.

Whachoo talkin' 'bout "when", Willis?
Yeah, it's gonna get even worse though... it's gloomy as fuck here already though. It's just not gonna get any better.


Remember, I was once like you as was GaijinPunch,

Oh, I'm probably just as cynical as you (maybe just not as verbal). Thing is, I'm more in Martin's camp. I'll bitch about how fucked up the US is too.

[hashiriya1]

Do you still have Top Boy in the Tokyo area? There used to be loads down here with some pretty good prices and games however over the last few years they've all closed :(



Not from what I remember!

[Martin]

I just don't bitch about Japan much because:


I'm 27
I've been here 3 months
Everything still feels new enough to me
Loads of novelty around every corner
My research job involves communicating only in English and the group at Toudai is great (my boss is muuuuch better than my UK one).
Not being able to understand all of the TV-talk is a good thing as I can't complain about it as much
Women here are so much better than back home (slimness goes a long way)

[hashiriya1]

Yeah, you're still a tourist at 3 months. Japan is what you make of it, some people have been in Japan for years and still see it as the Disneyland it was when they arrived, and some people have been in Japan months and they already hate it. Just remember: nobody expresses their true feelings, you'll always be an 'outsider', and don't cross the streams.

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah... I wasn't really bothered by anything until I was married and had a kid. Probably just coincidental that I was "growing up" around the same time and can really analyze some of Japan's long term problems that nobody has the balls to fix.

[Martin]

http://f.cl.ly/items/3i2z1O2m0p1W3J3A3F3y/ShinjukuGyoen.jpg (http://martindesu.tumblr.com/post/3852149541/shinjuku-gyoen)

[ASSEMbler]

hipster photos

[Martin]

What? What does that mean?

[SuperGrafx]

What? What does that mean?

Nice pic, but a bit grainy on my screen.
Was that intentional?

[Martin]

Nice pic, but a bit grainy on my screen.
Was that intentional?

Yes. It's been edited to my tastes... what's this "hipster" thing?

Original:

https://img.skitch.com/20110315-gwqsrjic4ee33gyu9q5wf7qjmb.jpg

[n64coder]

I'm guessing that "hipster" means the photo looks like it's from the 60s/70s.

[Martin]

I'm guessing that "hipster" means the photo looks like it's from the 60s/70s.

Oh right. I also wondered what the plural was for...!

Anyway, that was the intention. :)

[hashiriya1]

Leaving Sendai....


http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/CIMG9213.jpg





Driving to Kensennuma.....a city that has been washed away.

It says "Welcome to Kesennuma" above the tunnel.
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/JDblog/CIMG2127.jpg

[Yakumo]

Not anymore it isn't :( did you see where it was washed away with your own eyes?

[Martin]

http://f.cl.ly/items/0Q1s1Q2x072l0x263e1X/comparison.jpg

http://f.cl.ly/items/0K2o1M3D3c1M2q243w2b/DVC00845.jpg

[Yakumo]

I'm a right fat git these days so every night I go for a 1 hour walk down the back streets of where I live. Japan never seems to amaze me. The back streets are nothing like the main road. I've found a rice farming area! A rich well to do area high up in the hills with lovely big houses and some really creepy shit that wouldn't look out of place in a horror movie!

So tonight I took my aging Panasonic Lumix 5mp camera with me. I wanted to try and capture the real look of the areas so I never used any flashes at all. This meant manual settings and a very, and I mean very steady hand as the eye of the camera stayed open to let in the light. Anyway, here are the results.

The road leading up to my house. Notice how there's no crap on the floor. Wrappers, bags, drink cans and so on. I'm lucky to live in a very clean area. In fact in none of these pictures will you see shit on the floor. Not like the UK where I'm originally from.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9009/night1z.jpg (http://img651.imageshack.us/i/night1z.jpg/)

It's that time of the year when all the useless as fuck politicians are out campaigning or more like pissing everyone off. All around the neighborhoods of Japan are these poster boards showing who you can vote for.

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5073/night2k.jpg (http://img171.imageshack.us/i/night2k.jpg/)

I love little back street electric stores. Anyone fancy a photocopier?

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/586/night3a.jpg (http://img811.imageshack.us/i/night3a.jpg/)

An old style Japanese home

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/1054/night4.jpg (http://img585.imageshack.us/i/night4.jpg/)

These steps were found down a very dark and creepy ally. They lead up to a beautiful house. Yakuza owned I wonder? Very secluded that's for sure.

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4600/night6.jpg (http://img821.imageshack.us/i/night6.jpg/)

And here's that creepy ally.

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/2809/night5.jpg (http://img585.imageshack.us/i/night5.jpg/)

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/5527/night7.jpg (http://img810.imageshack.us/i/night7.jpg/)

This house wouldn't look out of place in a Japanese horror movie.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/1480/night8.jpg (http://img215.imageshack.us/i/night8.jpg/)

And just to prove I do live in a civilized city :p Here is a shot of the main street.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/295/night9.jpg (http://img69.imageshack.us/i/night9.jpg/)

Yakumo

[Cooper]

Lovely, moody pics. Makes me want to go back.

[GaijinPunch]

I'm a right fat git these days

Jog, man. Jog. I started like 6 years ago (and didn't get that hard core until about 3 years ago) and have never looked back.

Woke up early this morning and went to Aoyama Reiin to take some photos of the sakura. Will post within a couple of days.

[Yakumo]

I do plan to start the jogging but at first I'm sticking with the walking and slowly build it up. I really am out of shape so going straight in to a jog will knacker me within 5 minutes! I weigh almost 100kg! Jesus, what a fat f*ck I've become. My goal is to get back down to 75kg. I'm 179cm tall so 75kg should be perfect.

Yakumo

[Tatsujin]

How much are you atm? :)

I'm doing the gym thing since beginning this year. But only once a week, with the wivey together. The rest I'm doing almost daily in my private Gym at home, which consists of two 20kg dumbells and some accessories.
If you're fat, try to eat as less carbs as possible especially in the evening.

[alecjahn]

what's this "hipster" thing?[/img]


The new age of "cool" for the young people. Emphasis on being cool by doing uncool things like drinking cheap beer, hanging out at coffee shops, listening to obscure music, wearing out-of-fashion clothes in a fashionable way, etc.

[GaijinPunch]

5-6 minutes (1k about) is as good of a place to start as any. I couldn't do that when I started by after a long hiatus (when my son was about a year old). I'm going to go jog 10k once I'm done working.

Cutting back the carbs isn't an awful idea, but as you start doing more cardio you need them. They are your energy... more so than protein. Just gotta burn 'em off.

I bought a Body Bugg when I was in the states. Pretty cool device... very helpful if you're trying to drop weight. Also, I know the train/cycling isn't an option down there, but the commuting lifestyle in Tokyo can easily count for a few hundred calories per day.

[Tatsujin]

Yeah, you have to organize your carbs intake for each day individually. For training free days almost nothing (up to 125g max. per day) and very nothing for dinner/at evening/night -> eat fish, chicken (fore those who do) and vegetables.
For days which including a good training you sure should eat more carbs few hours before. Have some good cereals for breakfast, a good lunch and you will be served fine for the training.

Proteins always after the training or just a little before. They do not help much if you burn 'em ;)

Oh, and also eat as less bread as possible. Especially the white one. And if, only for breakfast.

[Yakumo]

I do eat a lot of bread so I should cut down on that. I did stop eating ALL rice for a month but it had no effect on my body. I'll go for a 1km jog tonight then walk for a hour then another 1km jog. Where I live is quite hilly though so maybe 1km up hill will be too much at first? Anyway, I'll find out tonight :). Thanks for the tips, guys.

Yakumo

[GaijinPunch]

1k shouldn't be too bad. Each jog should be hard... and they should get easier (then you raise the distance). It will suck donkey balls for a month... just hang in there. Listen to your body though. My knee hurts... I walk/run flat-footed. Trying to fix it but I feel like I ran 10k with my leg twisted at a weird angle. Probably b/c I did. :)

[GaijinPunch]

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/8841/004fj.jpg

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/9013/006alw.jpg

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/9803/001oul.jpg

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/3892/003bn.jpg

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/3216/002axl.jpg

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2705/007ukl.jpg

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/5240/005oz.jpg

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6966/008gn.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3620/009nac.jpg

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/625/010vhd.jpg

[Yakumo]

Lovely pictures you have there, GaijinPunch. What happened to those stones? Is that the result of a quake?

Well, did the jog and what a bastard it was. Only 5 minutes in to the jog I was knackered. My shins hurt the most. They aren't used to having 100kg pounding down on them. I did 746 meters before I caved in. I just couldn't go any further. Hard to breath, aching shins and spinning head. Yeah, i'm well out of shape but I'm not going to give up. More pain tomorrow!

[Martin]

Keep going at it Yakumo.

Amazing shots there, GP.

[Jamtex]

I did 746 meters before I caved in. I just couldn't go any further. Hard to breath, aching shins and spinning head. Yeah, i'm well out of shape but I'm not going to give up. More pain tomorrow!

You do not have to continously jog, try jogging for a few hundred metres then walk for a little while, then jog again, etc, that way you will find you can do longer distances without killing yourself. Pace yourself.

A better way once you have jogged for a while is to Jog, Dash and walk, Jog for 200 to 500m, dash for 25 to 100m and then walk to catch breath then repeat a few times. You tend to burn up more energy in the dash part.

Also if jogging in the morning, it is also good to eat an apple or pear, if you do not like them then eat some other fruit (although Bananas and soft fruits are not recommended.) and have a cup of black tea (no milk and use sweetner rather then sugar if you must as you do not want to burn the carbs in the sugar, I tend to drink a nice cup of Earl Grey) about 30 minutes before. This way you will tend to burn fat and carbs rather then burning amino acids (if after jogging you have a slight ammonia smell then you are burning up amino acids which is bad).

[GaijinPunch]

Lovely pictures you have there, GaijinPunch. What happened to those stones? Is that the result of a quake?

Good question. It is very likely. I've driven by this place on my bicycle about every single day for the last year, but haven't gone in in ages. There were a couple of other similar momentos with signs on them saying to "be careful as they might fall".

Hopefully tomorrow will be clear, and I'll get some other shots. Also need to find a good night place. I think Nakano has some nice lit up at night Sakura.


Yeah, i'm well out of shape but I'm not going to give up. More pain tomorrow!

I would go every other day. Jogging daily is just brutal. Maybe a good time to invest in a bicycle? I actually prefer swimming to all of it, but might be a bitch for you to find a pool. Anyhoo, eventually you'll figure out that you can go harder. When you get into the 2k plus jogs, you'll realize the first 500m are the most painful. I've had a few jogs where the first 2k were absolute agony and then the next 6 were a breeze.

[spot778]

WOW

Nice shots GP

[GaijinPunch]

WOW

Nice shots GP


Great camera, awful photographer, half-decent Photoshopper would be more accurate. :flamethrower:

[graciano1337]

Man, can't get enough of those blossoms. So pretty.

[Yakumo]

Man, can't get enough of those blossoms. So pretty.
Here's some more for you then :) Today we had the annual yearly piss-up in the park. Sadly this year it was only my family with my wife's parents and her father's sister and mother who is 94 and still quite active!

Anyway, the park in these pictures is only a few minutes up the road from my house. I live in a very lucky and beautifully clean area.

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5094/sakura1f.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/sakura1f.jpg/)

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/8520/sakura2e.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/i/sakura2e.jpg/)

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/8742/sakura3q.jpg (http://img190.imageshack.us/i/sakura3q.jpg/)

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/1065/sakura4.jpg (http://img695.imageshack.us/i/sakura4.jpg/)

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/6534/sakura5h.jpg (http://img339.imageshack.us/i/sakura5h.jpg/)

So much meat can not be healthy but I sure as hell do like a BBQ with lots of beer.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/1722/sakura6v.jpg (http://img27.imageshack.us/i/sakura6v.jpg/)

And finally the obligatory Japanese group shot.

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/263/sakura7p.jpg (http://img217.imageshack.us/i/sakura7p.jpg/)

Yakumo

[Martin]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljfvkw4rAz1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

http://f.cl.ly/items/3m2E290g3N0R0h0o0S1S/Hanami%204.jpg

A few more here (http://martindesu.tumblr.com/post/4493744638/hanami-hanami-or-flower-viewing-is-very) from our day out in Shinjuku Gyoen!

[GaijinPunch]

Shinjuku Gyoen is so serene. I went to Yoyogi Park last night for Oooze's annual tech house piss fest. Good lordy! That place was a mad house. Probably no more than last year but you forget how crowded it really is. Several thousand people -- couldn't even get a signal on my phone!


http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/4994/001gew.jpg

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/5397/002nvb.jpg

The official bird of Tokyo: The Genetically Mutated Crow
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/9738/003gim.jpg


http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/2972/004hp.jpg

"Hope"
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/8902/004bua.jpg

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/7489/005ji.jpg

http://img860.imageshack.us/img860/3617/006rr.jpg

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/4668/007tb.jpg

http://img816.imageshack.us/img816/5108/008rgu.jpg

[Tatsujin]

GP, What cam are you using atm? I like that slightly grey touch over the pics.

[GaijinPunch]

It's a Canon EOS 30D. I use 2 lenses: A zoom and a wide one which I can't for the life of me remember. The wide one was pretty pricey. $1300 USD when it came out... I think I got it when it dropped to $1000. The washed out color is just some Photoshop. I followed a tutorial and stuck it all in an action. It was so cloudy, if I didn't do something w/ the photos they're just totally white-washed. So, went w/ the vintage look.

[Tchoin]

Wow, awesome pics guys!

@GaijinPunch: This one totally rocked!! Amazing picture!

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/4668/007tb.jpg

[Tatsujin]

Yeah, nice one from the Yoyogikoen.

[Yakumo]

Wow, awesome pics guys!

@GaijinPunch: This one totally rocked!! Amazing picture!That it is. When I saw it I instantly thought of Ghostbusters :nod:

[GaijinPunch]

I had to wait about 3 minutes for that damn Marshmellow Man to get out of the way.

[Legion]

you were there too?
i think most of the gaijin in tokyo were there ;)
me too

[GaijinPunch]

you were there too?
i think most of the gaijin in tokyo were there ;)
me too

In the Spring, every gaijin residing in Tokyo goes to Yoyogi on Sunday. I live about 500 meters away, so I'm there a lot.

[Martin]

Where I work

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljo6loGY0x1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

[Tatsujin]

I had to wait about 3 minutes for that damn Marshmellow Man to get out of the way.
Oh, I quite enjoyed it while he was standing there ;)

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8011/007tbmmm.jpg

[Yakumo]

:lol: nice photoshop job.

[zappenduster]

Yes. It's been edited to my tastes... what's this "hipster" thing?

Original:

https://img.skitch.com/20110315-gwqsrjic4ee33gyu9q5wf7qjmb.jpg

i might be wrong but that should be the view from inside out to where u are standing ?

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5258/5470602762_269eebfa85_b.jpg

[GaijinPunch]

Haha -- awesome!

[Martin]

i might be wrong but that should be the view from inside out to where u are standing ?


Correct!

[zappenduster]

Correct!

man thats spooky someone walking in my footsteps :-0

[spot778]

Dude your pic kinda freaked me out.

This is one I took in '09

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_fe95Vl2f9Tg/Sch_eJCryHI/AAAAAAAAB44/lvD3o4aV5Bo/s640/DSC00842.JPG

[zappenduster]

lol i just had a csi feeling lets zoom in lets zoom in more and more...

cant compare that to the cherry blossom ghostbuster marshmallow man but hey it was january ^^

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5053/5467856848_a3cacb6bd0_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5297/5460893696_c92c598c2b_b.jpg
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5259/5460895204_396c0bf0de_b.jpg

[davenixdorf]

Leaving Sendai....


http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/CIMG9213.jpg







The R32 is yours? :pray:

[Yakumo]

The R32 is yours? :pray:They're very common in Japan just like any Japanese sports car. If you have a decent job you can buy a GTR, STi WRX or Evo quite easily. Well, having a nagging wife may stop you but not the cash :nod:.

Yakumo

[davenixdorf]

They're very common in Japan just like any Japanese sports car. If you have a decent job you can buy a GTR, STi WRX or Evo quite easily. Well, having a nagging wife may stop you but not the cash :nod:.

Yakumo

Along with the Hona NSX, the Nissan Skyline R32 GTR was up there as my ultimate japanese car as a young boy in the early 90's ... I remember spending hours pawing over models of them both in my Tamiya catalogues!

Very tempting to buy an R32 even today! :love2: ... the NSX is sadly still a pipe dream though!

You drive an Impreza don't you Yakumo?

[Yakumo]

Yeah, i have a STi tuned Impreza wagon. Great car but not so special in Japan. There are loads of them. I see many every day. In fact in this area where I live there are 6 STi Imprezas. The avarage age of the drivers seem to be in there mid 30s too. There is a plus point about them being common though, at least parts and dealers are easy to find and not too expensive.

The R32 is still a great car but not really my style. Check out Yahoo Auctions to get an idea of how much they sell for. You'll be surprised at how little you can get a very nice one for. Also remember that the Japanese do seem to take good care of their items, especially electronics and cars.

[spot778]

Heh

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_fe95Vl2f9Tg/SchgkhFakwI/AAAAAAAABGM/sj_L_qyIFhA/s512/DSC00448.JPG

[hashiriya1]

The R32 is yours? :pray:


Yeah. Before that I had a Version 7 WRX STi. The Subie was more fun, though. I'm looking for a Celsior now.

[hashiriya1]

One of my favorite Hard Offs:


http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/hashirya1blog/CIMG0409.jpg



AS it looks now:

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/hashirya1blog/Hardoffafter.jpg

http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/hashirya1blog/hardoffafter2.jpg

[Fudgexx]

:(

[Yakumo]

I wonder if there is anything salvable in that store or would you be done for steeling? Hmm.....

[Tatsujin]

:(

it's now a broken off.

[Cyrem]

Yeah. Before that I had a Version 7 WRX STi. The Subie was more fun, though. I'm looking for a Celsior now.

Can I borrow it? ;-)

That poor store :( In the 3rd picture (bottom left) is that a snake or something?

[Yakumo]

It looks like a snake but since it's blue I'd guess not.

[Tatsujin]

also it looks like a rattle snake but which we usually do not have here.

[Anthony817]

Might be a rubber toy snake?

Well, there is still so much cleaning up to do, it will take a long time. I know when Hurricane Katrina hit Texas, people were still rebuilding 5 years after the fact, so it can be a long road to rebuild, but Japan will bounce back like they always do.

Best of luck guys and hope you keep in good spirits.

[Yakumo]

The iPhone is jamming up with images so I thought I'd share some with you. Of course the quality is a bit poor but better than nothing I guess.

First up a crazy place to put a petrol station, in between two tunnels. Apparently the do good business there!
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/9418/65978916.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/39/65978916.jpg/)

At 1:30am this Mr. Neon Nightrider thought it would be a good idea to race me in his turbo charged box. Soft sod. As if he's beat an impreza.
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2797/54364013.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/41/54364013.jpg/)

Today the missus, son and I walked under the sea from Honshu (Shimonoseki) to Kyushu (Moji). Here is the bridge that links the two parts of Japan together from the Honshu side.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/5710/28053546.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/402/28053546.jpg/)

A little bit of information about the pedestrian tunnel.
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/2248/12381425.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/696/12381425.jpg/)

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9497/85710122.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/31/85710122.jpg/)

The missus and son about to walk down the 780 meter tunnel
http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/8316/86401979.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/33/86401979.jpg/)

The bridge from the Kyushu side.
http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/661/54836275.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/848/54836275.jpg/)

The road of death!
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/8716/12847349.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/708/12847349.jpg/)

Hmm, a guilty looking puppy.
http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/5969/96160969.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/837/96160969.jpg/)

Believe it or not, trains actually come out of here.
http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/7912/12874470.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846/12874470.jpg/)

Entrance to a street. Not sure what is so special about it. Probably something to do with the battles that took place here a few hundred years back.
http://img861.imageshack.us/img861/8307/65458554.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/861/65458554.jpg/)

A sign for a Love Hotel, basically a place where you go to have sex. But that's not why I took the picture. Just look at that awful Engrish.
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/1650/63308318.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/849/63308318.jpg/)

I just found this so funny. It's as if you have the angry demon and the camp demon :lol:
http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/5259/29509199.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/803/29509199.jpg/)

Finally a picture from what once was a British port. Many of the original buildings remain here including Mojoko train station which was designed by British architects.
http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2883/55978097.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/695/55978097.jpg/)

Yakumo

[HEX1GON]

Japan is such a nice place... Very expensive. Once in my life time I'll be there!

[Yakumo]

I've uploaded two videos to my YouTube channel so that you can see how clean Japan can be. No crap at all in the road and no dickheads begging you for money on every corner unlike the UK where I'm originally from.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZaT1Q5FwUY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Aru-NmesM

Please give thumbsup ! More thumbs up allows for longer YouTube videos which will really help Retro Core.

Yakumo

[BamBoo]

I live by the coast in England and around by the sea front theres tramps drinking cider and chavs in their tracksuits hanging around.

Japan looks totally different.

[Yakumo]

Chavs, scallies, scum or just plain pricks are what made me leave the UK in the first place.

[Martin]

Chavs, scallies, scum or just plain pricks are what made me leave the UK in the first place.

And that was 10 years ago?

It's even worse, believe it or not.

[Cyrem]

I want to visit Japan sometime... maybe after they've cleaned up a bit though. I'm quit impressed with how clean those areas are.

[HEX1GON]

I'd move to Japan if I could, I'd most likely live there if I become successful :). Liking the videos for you Yakumo (http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/member.php?u=58)

[Martin]

I wonder if there is anything salvable in that store or would you be done for steeling? Hmm.....

It's called looting.

Even scallies know that! :P

[Yakumo]

I'd move to Japan if I could, I'd most likely live there if I become successful :). Liking the videos for you Yakumo (http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/member.php?u=58)You're welcome :thumbsup:


It's called looting.

Even scallies know that! :Pwell, it is in a way but if the store has just been left there in that state until now I think it's pretty safe to assume the Hard Off company isn't interested in the stock inside.

Every day I drive past two TV dumping grounds full of quality CRT screens yet I'm not allowed to take one because it's steeling :rolleyes: They're going to be scrapped so what's wrong with giving a nice home to one? I may go down to one of the grounds early in the morning and rummage around for a true RGB set.

In case anyone is wondering why there are TV dumping grounds, it's because the analogue TV signal will be switched off in a few months so everyone needs a HD TV now.

Yakumo

[hashiriya1]

dinner...

(I was going to resize it, but it's best to see this with great detail!


http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/MyJapan/CIMG9652.jpg

[Yakumo]

yuck, bollocks to that :p

We had a nomikai the other day but being the fussy sod I am when it cones to raw fish I got fugu-karaage and stake while the others had fugu sashimi. I was the envy of many :)

yakumo

[Tatsujin]

Lol, you woulnd't have had my envy, but yeah, fugu karaage still is uberumai :D

[Yakumo]

To me, fugu karaage taste like the fish we have in the UK that comes with Fish and Chips. Yummy!

[hashiriya1]

yuck, bollocks to that :p




Haha, Brits are so cool.

[Fudgexx]

Anybody died yet in japan because of the Radiation?

[Tatsujin]

Yeah, three dogs, two cats and one cow, I've heard.

[GaijinPunch]

Anybody died yet in japan because of the Radiation?

Thousands... but they were generally in Hiroshima or Nagasaki about 70 years ago.

[r34per]

wow this makes me wanna live in japan!

[Martin]

wow this makes me wanna live in japan!

Good good. There's a shortage of Texans.

[GaijinPunch]

Good good. There's a shortage of Texans.

No, there's not. I by myself fill up the tolerable allotment.

[Tatsujin]

No, there's not. I by myself fill up the tolerable allotment.
Just what I was about to write.

[Invisible Sky Magician]

Good good. There\'s a shortage of Texans.

In my opinion, the sufficient number of Texans in any given location is 0. With the exception of, of course, Texas. Makes it easier to identify and ignore them.

[hashiriya1]

A little girl kicking a ninja. Taken at Edo Wonderland.



http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/MyJapan/CIMG9708-1.jpg

[Yakumo]

hahaha, "that will teach you to make me wait for hours on end for some crappy ride or attraction!"
I took my son to a theme park in Fukuoka last month. man, what a shit hole. You have to pay to enter then have to pay for ever attraction. Waited 1.5 hours for most attractions and they were piss poor for the most part. They should take a look at Alton Towers in the UK. Now that is a kick ass theme park! Pay to enter, ride for free on some of the world best rollercoasters.

Yakumo

[Martin]

Try going to a theme park in the UK mate (other than Alton Towers... our only one).

[Yakumo]

Admittedly I haven't been to a UK theme park in 10 years but I do remember the lines moved faster than here plus the rollercoaster's were always far more entertaining.

[GaijinPunch]

Apparently not only are ski lifts about half the cost here, the lines are extremely short compared to the US. Total head scratcher. Only explanation I can think of is all the resorts built during the bubble, and not enough customers.

[Tatsujin]

Apparently not only are ski lifts about half the cost here, the lines are extremely short compared to the US. Total head scratcher. Only explanation I can think of is all the resorts built during the bubble, and not enough customers.
THAT. Going to Naeba every year, a ski resort built during bubble. Lot of restaurants and clubs are closed since many years.

[Yakumo]

I think you are right there. I can't say for the US but I've been skiing in Switzerland a few times and can't say I ever had to really wait in a line longer than a minute to use a ski lift / chair. In the bars at night though, that's a different story.

[Tatsujin]

plus the rollercoaster's were always far more entertaining.
Ever been to Fuji-9 within the last couple years? Quite entertaining.

[Tatsujin]

I can't say for the US but I've been skiing in Switzerland a few times and can't say I ever had to really wait in a line longer than a minute to use a ski lift.
Nice :-). Where did you been?

[Giel]

Apparently not only are ski lifts about half the cost here, the lines are extremely short compared to the US. Total head scratcher. Only explanation I can think of is all the resorts built during the bubble, and not enough customers.

I was always under the impression that skiing in Japan was very expensive. Any recommended places to check out? Really wanna go skiing next year.

[Yakumo]

Nice :-). Where did you been?You know, I can't really remember the place name (the last time was 12 years ago) but I can tell you it was close to the French and Swiss border. We skied on the Swiss alps. I do remember the first time I went at 15 I had a French instructor and he was a right prick. He kept calling me an imbecile because I couldn't ski well. Little did he know that we use the same word in English. Man, what a shit that guy was. I ended up changing for a Swiss woman. Much better and very nice to be with. Just a shame I was 15 at the time :shrug:

Yakumo

[GaijinPunch]

I was always under the impression that skiing in Japan was very expensive. Any recommended places to check out? Really wanna go skiing next year.

Not sure how to compare to someone living in Europe. For me, coming from Texas, ski trips are either extremely long, or costly. Generally a flight + lodging + lifts.

If you want excellent snow, Hokkaido is the way to go but I've found it to be not worth the money. If you go to Niseko (an Australian territory now) you will be paying premiums for non-Japanese speaking services not to mention a ridiculous amount of money for a 30 minute plane ride. In short, I don't recommend it.

Hakuba in Nagano is great value. You can get a Shinkansen ticket round trip for about 21,000 yen I think (don't quote me on that). You can generally stay in a lodge for 6,000 yen per night per person, and they will give you a discount lift ticket, usually somewhere around 4,000 to 5,000 yen per day depending on how much of the mountain you use.

Obviously the strong yen makes this seem pricier, but just think as if you were making a yen salary.

If you want really cheap, just go to Gala Yusawa. You can get a package deal which includes Shinkansen + rentals for about 20,000 yen total for a single day trip. Leave Tokyo at about 6AM, you're on the mountain by 8. Up to 8 hours boarding, and you can still make it back home for dinner. The mountain is a bit of a turd but for 1000 yen more you can go to the neighboring areas.

[Tatsujin]

So far I went to Naeba, Maiko, Kanazawa and some other small places I forgot the name. Mostly good areas (gelände), but there's no comparison to most of the big places in Switzerland in terms of range size, length, courses etc. I was used to skiing and boarding in the past.

Concerning the needed cash, I don't feel it is much more expensive than in Switzerland compared, you just don't get exactly the same service.

@Yakumo: probably you went to Verbier or chamonix? :)

[GaijinPunch]

You will be hard pressed to find a mountain as tall some of the major European resorts on Honshu. Hokkaido would be a bit better, but still not perfect. The snow, however, can be extremely good, even only an hour or two outside of the city. That's generally where the value comes in, is that you don't have travel extreme distances. Also, less crowded compared to popular spots in Colorado and Nevada. Apparently it's a nightmare these days, according to some of my friends that go to both.

[Yakumo]

@Yakumo: probably you went to Verbier or chamonix? :)It defiantly wasn't Chamonix, I would have remembered that name so it must have been Verbier. It was quite a popular place that's for sure.

[hashiriya1]

This car made me do a double-take. I thought I was back home
in the East San Francisco Bay Area.

Old beat-up Nissan Sentra (Left hand drive U.S. model no less), check
Lowered, check
Cheap chrome rims, check.
Raiders license plate frame, check
Cholo-looking driver, check

It felt like I was in Oakland again.


http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm64/tragedy623/JDblog/CIMG1920-1.jpg

[GaijinPunch]

Nice...err... find.
Hard to appreciate if you don't live here, but finding a hoopty in Japan is quite difficult. This one isn't quite that bad per se, but it is indeed ugly.

[Yakumo]

I don't know. Where I live a lot of the Yankee arse holes drive shitty "classic" over sized American cars so low that they scrape the shit out of them driving on normal roads. The noise they make is awful too. Nothing like the sweet sound of the Boxer engine in my car or a sweet v12 of an Italian sport car. I really can't see the appeal in this type of car. Poor handling, crappy power delivery and so bloody loud in a bad way.

By the way, what is a "Cholo-looking driver"? Is this the sad sod wearing shades even in the rain, gelled back hair from the 90's, old man style shirts and a dumb "blonde" Japanese woman next to him? There's quite a lot of them in Kita Kyushu. Hey, actually, maybe I should take a quick video late at night down at the ESSO petrol station. It's massive and always filled with these guys showing off their cars. Quite often the police come to move them on due to the noise and basically them being a pain in the arse.

Yakumo

[Tatsujin]

so low that they scrape the shit out of them driving on normal roads.
Yakumo
LOl, while mentioning that, the other day I went to an outlet when I suddenly heard a hard scratching noise while standing outside the shop waiting for the wifey.

So I quickly went to the back side of the building and saw that pimped Lexus droven by one of those typical awkward hipopsters. The cars bottom was like only 10cm above the ground. So what happened is, while entering the parking lot, there was a slight gap which he hitted with his bottom. I could see deep scratches in the asphalt, lol.

I really don't get it what those guys are thinking when pimpin' their cars??? But to each his own.

[Yakumo]

I really don't get it what those guys are thinking when pimpin' their cars??? But to each his own.They think it's cool but it's NOT. Looks F*ing stupid, ruins the handling, comfort is right out the window and pretty impractical when Japan is full of hills.

A few weeks back I saw this guy in a pimped out BB rip his front bumper off as his left wheel went down a pothole. Oh, that was such a funny sight :lol: There he was, driving with shitty hip-hop crap music blazing out of his car, windows down, sun glasses on (It was a overcast day!) trying to make sure everyone could see him and then, CCCRRRACK! hahahaha, made my day at least.

Yakumo

[Tatsujin]

HAHAHA!!

[Martin]

Valid points, but the amount of speedbumps and uneven roads in England makes driving a complete chore there. Never even mind the abuse you get just sat in general traffic, or chavs keying your pride and joy.

[GaijinPunch]

I lived in Honolulu for 2 years. They're talking about just making potholes the norm so it doesn't look so bad.

[hashiriya1]

I can't judge too much. Half of my friends in Miyagi are the blond-haired yankee and bosozoku types. I only know them because we share the same hobby: cars. They're not so bad if you hang out with them. I totally understand how they look because there was a time when I thought they looked like morons. They are the most "down" Japanese I have met. It's no wonder they are looked-down upon by other Japanese. Not for how they look, but probably because don't adhere to all that bs "Japanese-ness".

When I met them, they didn't even know I was a foreigner. They actually thought I was an undercover cop doing surveillance on the illegal racing. When I first moved to Sendai the first thing I did was hop on 2ch and find out where the hashiriyas hang out in Miyagi. It didn't take long to get the info and so I went there alone, and if you go to those places alone you look suspicious. I didn't care because I was there for the cars and I wanted to gauge the skill level of the locals. I introduced myself when they approached me to ask me if I was a cop. I told them I am an American who had just moved to Sendai and was just checking out the scene. They all had the deer-in-the-headlights look. These guys have never met a foreigner before I guess and we were in the last place they would expect to see one. That whole time they kept asking me questions. Not out of suspicion, but out of curiosity. After that night they just treated me like one of them. I was reluctant the first few weeks, but they proved several times that they got my back.

Of course, there are a few who are complete asshats, but they are usually guys from other crews from other cities who come in to try to "take over", but rocks and other projectiles get thrown and they leave.

[Martin]

I lived in Honolulu for 2 years. They're talking about just making potholes the norm so it doesn't look so bad.

Do the potholes have potholes?

[Yakumo]

Valid points, but the amount of speedbumps and uneven roads in England makes driving a complete chore there. Never even mind the abuse you get just sat in general traffic, or chavs keying your pride and joy.That is true. You can't have anything nice in the UK when it comes to cars. Some shit will always key it, steel it or just smash it for the sake of doing it :dammit:


It's no wonder they are looked-down upon by other Japanese. Not for how they look, but probably because don't adhere to all that bs "Japanese-ness".I don't adhere to all the Japanese BS either. It just annoys me. Be polite, be good. No need to go over the top and kiss ass like a lot expect.


When I met them, they didn't even know I was a foreigner. They actually thought I was an undercover cop doing surveillance on the illegal racing.

Of course, there are a few who are complete asshats, but they are usually guys from other crews from other cities who come in to try to "take over", but rocks and other projectiles get thrown and they leave.

I've been to a few hashiriyas in the Yamaguchi mountains with a Japanese friend. And like you the locals wondered if I was the police :-) Sort of funny in a way. I've even got to race with them on three occasions. The image is different down here though. The real hard core guys are not yankees or bosozoku types at all. They're mostly in their late 20's to mid 30's although there are a few older guys well in to their 40's. Nissan GT-R seems to be the car of choice for many although one guy threw a Forester around as if it was world rally car.

Down here the bosozoku / Yankee types really are arse hole. Not because of their looks or style but because of there actions.

Yakumo

[GaijinPunch]

Do the potholes have potholes?

It's fucking brutal... and in 2 years I got screamed at to "get off the fucking road" on my bicycle at least twice. Once I was dumb and did something that could've gotten me killed if I did it to the wrong person.

[hashiriya1]

That is true. You can't have anything nice in the UK when it comes to cars. Some shit will always key it, steel it or just smash it for the sake of doing it :dammit:

I don't adhere to all the Japanese BS either. It just annoys me. Be polite, be good. No need to go over the top and kiss ass like a lot expect.



I've been to a few hashiriyas in the Yamaguchi mountains with a Japanese friend. And like you the locals wondered if I was the police :-) Sort of funny in a way. I've even got to race with them on three occasions. The image is different down here though. The real hard core guys are not yankees or bosozoku types at all. They're mostly in their late 20's to mid 30's although there are a few older guys well in to their 40's. Nissan GT-R seems to be the car of choice for many although one guy threw a Forester around as if it was world rally car.

Down here the bosozoku / Yankee types really are arse hole. Not because of their looks or style but because of there actions.

Yakumo


The real hardcore guys come in all shapes and sizes. From yakeee/bosozoku types, chinpira-looking guys, and even a couple of otakus driving itashas. The oldest guy, who everybody rightfully calls "sempai" is approaching 50. He has bone stock AE86, but he hangs with the fastest. Him and his son race together up there. There were only two GT-Rs where we race, me and another guy named Toshi. He's cocky as hell, but he's not a dick about it. The car of choice for the grip 'track' is the Silvia S13 and S14. The cars of choice on the drift 'track' are older Chasers and Laurels. I guess things in Miyagi are much different.

[Yakumo]

Yes, I think they will be different. I remember going to see a few street racers up in Yamanashi years ago. The members there seemed to be like how you describe the Miyagi guys. If I go over to Kita Kyushu it's different again. Quite rough to be honest and always some sort of fight will break out. The whole feeling just isn't right. In Yamaguchi there are some cocky sods but the overall feeling is we are there to "race" and have fun with the cars. In Kita Kyushu it was more like a show off pimp my ride effort. Pretty childish in a way.

Before Mazda bought Mine Race Circuit (only 30 minutes drive from my home) there used to be monthly events which were great fun. Some very nice cars, great guys (well, some dicks) and some great crashes! Oh yes, some of the armature guys would quite often go nuts around the circuit. The best crash I saw had one guy drift a corner as the guy in front went in to a spin. The car drifting ended up flipping over the spinning car! Both drivers just walked away thankfully.

[Yakumo]

Nah, those movies are nothing like the real thing. Far too pumped up for a start.

[Martin]

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lly4p6Gm7M1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

Yes, I am a hipster motherfucker.

[GaijinPunch]

Is the fog all due to a filter or the absolute turd weather we've had?

[Martin]

Is the fog all due to a filter or the absolute turd weather we've had?

Both. There was pretty thick fog and then I blurred it right up to give the impression of a model (or some shit like that :p ).

At least the Typhoon's been downgraded. Now the weather is just officially shit.

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah, the sun was out for like what -- 30 minutes today? Great spring we're having. It's expected though after the cakewalk winter we had.

[Yakumo]

The weather is like this EVERY bloody spring. It's the rainny season after all.

[Martin]

Beats living in Manchester by a mile.

[Yakumo]

Just you wait until summer, mate. Ohh, how you'll change your mind then once the humidity hits. The British summer may be shit for the most part but at least you can be dry and a hot day is just that, hot. Here it's hot and sticky. Summer is my most hated season in Japan all due to the humidity.

Yakumo

[Martin]

Nah, the three times I was in Japan previously it was summer and I enjoyed it. Sweaty as a wrestler's ball-bag, yes, but nice to have some actual heat at the same time.

Constant drizzle in Manchester is nothing compared to all the crime ;)

[Yakumo]

Where abouts in manchester did you live? I know a guy who once lived in Moss Side (SP?) He said it was like being in hell.

[ave]

WTF, why does every 'arty' photo have to look like a 1970's polaroid these days.

I mean, yes, it looks nice, but... DAMN HIPSTERS
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H3YNqb7GXDY/Sc1RaAuRCUI/AAAAAAAAAic/c1rOTQcTLn8/s320/eric_cartman_southpark.gif

[GaijinPunch]

The weather is like this EVERY bloody spring. It's the rainny season after all.

Rainy season doesn't start for another 2 weeks. Not sure about your part of town, but if it rains more than 4-5 days in May I'm generally upset about it. Seems to be cyclical though. Last spring was awesome but winter was brutal. Spring before that sucked, but the winter was mild.

[Yakumo]

It's rained every day here now for a whole week. Tomorrow to Saturday is meant to be overcast but after that the rain is meant to come again. We also got bugger all snow down here unlike you luck buggers in Tokyo. I love snow.

[Martin]

I just can't wait until people start blaming weather on Global Warming, because really they are not as related as most think.

Either way, I am glad the rain from the predicted Typhoon abated... I know rainy season is upon us soon, but it's been great to actually see such a difference from the snow to when it was 30C two weekends ago :)


Where abouts in manchester did you live? I know a guy who once lived in Moss Side (SP?) He said it was like being in hell.

Actually, I lived in quite nice areas, relatively speaking. Didn't stop my bike getting nicked or seeing people steal cars out of my window. Hey ho. Satan has a one-up one-down in Moss Side.


WTF, why does every 'arty' photo have to look like a 1970's polaroid these days.

I mean, yes, it looks nice, but... DAMN HIPSTERS


Oh get over it you old fart :p

They probably look like polaroids because of the app. The 1970s vibe is due to sepia and other filters. It's no different to sticking a filter on the end of your lens really, when it comes down to it.

[Oldgamingfart]

Oh get over it you old fart :p


Touché! ;-)

[GaijinPunch]

. I know rainy season is upon us soon, but it's been great to actually see such a difference from the snow to when it was 30C two weekends ago :)


Yeah, but May really has the potential to have perfect weather (and I lived in Hawaii for two years). It makes the brutal summer and sometimes awful winter worth it. If you cycle, even better. I really do wank to May weather. But, it was stolen from me this year. Oh, well. Maybe the rainy season won't be so bad.

As for global warming... well.. you weren't here last summer. Fuck me -- that shit was HOT!

[Martin]

Yeah, last summer was brutal. England had a shit summer (no change there). I am hoping for a nice warm summer.

EDIT: Oh balls: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-06-01/yen-declines-before-prime-minister-kan-faces-no-confidence-vote.html

[GaijinPunch]

Not shocking. I think even his own wife and mother have said he should resign.

[Martin]

He's also said he will... http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/uk-japan-politics-idUKTRE7510CE20110602?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Totally sucks IMO. Good or not, some stability is needed. Politics here is a joke, and that's coming from a Brit. Hey ho.

[Yakumo]

Japanese politics makes UK politics look like a well planned system. Yep, when it comes to politics this place is like a high school boys club event. I bet if there was no priminister for a whole year there would be no difference in the way the country worked. That's how much use they are IMO.

In the lat 10 years the UK has had what, 3 Priministers. Japan has had that many I've lost count. Maybe 8?

Yakumo

[Martin]

3 Prime Ministers in the UK... two were utterly shite... and the new one isn't too popular either.

Potential for a huge derail here, so here's a picture of last night's dinner:

http://f.cl.ly/items/1a1y0k1Y452H3d1R3c3d/IMG_0149.jpg

[Yakumo]

yummy tempura. I had a shitty home made omlet :(

[GaijinPunch]

Japan has had 5 in 5 years. Probably about to get a 6th.
The one prior to "The Circus" was Koizumi who was by and large, a "popular PM". After that is when the wheels came off. Abe I don't think was actually unpopular, despite the whole fist-fuck of the kousei nenkin records, but he quit due to personal reasons. Health, if memory serves. After that was Fukuda, Aso, Hatoyama, Kan, and it looks like a sixth one will come in, and probably last a year.


yummy tempura. I had a shitty home made omlet :(

252 yen frozen pizza here!

[Consumed]

3 Prime Ministers in the UK... two were utterly shite... and the new one isn't too popular either.

Potential for a huge derail here, so here's a picture of last night's dinner:

http://f.cl.ly/items/1a1y0k1Y452H3d1R3c3d/IMG_0149.jpg

Looks absolutely delicious, but where's the Daddies Sauce ;-)

[Tatsujin]

as I always say, you can call me anything but don't call me late for dinner.

[Martin]

Looks absolutely delicious, but where's the Daddies Sauce ;-)

In that pot with the wooden stick sticking out! Little dipping pot with a wooden spoony thing... yum yum yum :)

Will have some more of this in Ginza in a few days and will take photos there.

[Yakumo]

Looks absolutely delicious, but where's the Daddies Sauce ;-)Daddies Sauce, Daddies Sauce?!? HP man, that's what you need, HP. Or to tell the truth, salad cream goes very well with tempura :nod:

Yakumo

[Fudgexx]

Hey do they sell bootlegs in japan?
When my brother's stuff came back from japan(he was station there for air force)
I saw in his Entertainment collection a weird version of FLCL
The cover look like a Microsoft office print out, It wouldn't load up in my pc drive, i decide to load it up on his ps3 and it work, it had all menus and everything, including subtitles for the Japanese audio. Very Very weird, He must have bought it in japan.

[GaijinPunch]

Daddies Sauce, Daddies Sauce?!? Yakumo

Am I the only one that hears an incestuous joke in there?

[Yakumo]

You would :lol: daddies sauce is a very popular (maybe the most popular) brand of tomato sauce in the UK.

[ave]

Am I the only one that hears an incestuous joke in there?

I did instantly once I saw your post.

GaijinPunch quoting "Daddies Sauce" is enough to know where this it going.

[xmog123x]

what are those strips on the coating/breading of the tempura? I've always used a ready tempura mix and it never had any of those!

[Yakumo]

It's just the way it's made. Larger bread crumbs basically.

Ooh, I really fancy a lovely tempura right now to go with this Gold Kirin Beer I'm drinking. No money and the fact that I've just gotten out of the shower and can't be arsed to get dressed in outside clothing puts a stop to me buying any though :(

Yakumo

EDIT - I am dressed by the way just in case anyone thought I was sitting here bollock naked typing away infront of the PC.

[GaijinPunch]

Whomever came up w/ the name of that should be shot. Pure gold!

There's an Udon place down the street from my work. I can get a big ass bowl of noodles + about 3 pieces of tempura for 550 yen. It's awesome, and I'm always full when I leave.

[Martin]

what are those strips on the coating/breading of the tempura? I've always used a ready tempura mix and it never had any of those!

It's actually in a Tonkatsu restaurant. It's all katsu, not tempura. I didn't want to say anything earlier, but since you asked, I thought I should correct Yakumo :pray:

[Yakumo]

same thing IMO :nod: Fried shrimp.

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah, tempura doesn't have the head... and, it is actually fried differently. Tempura shops traditionally don't have meat products either. I'm now sad they don't have Daddy's Sauce. I think a few places have Man Mustard if you ask for it though.

[Yakumo]

Man Mustard :lol: You're a very sick man but I love it :D

[Tatsujin]

But hey, at least you have to ask for it :lol:

[Martin]

same thing IMO :nod: Fried shrimp.

Yes, both are fried, but they are pretty different and taste completely different IMO.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonkatsu and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempura vs

Anyway, I had this awesome crepe last night. I'd had FAR too much to drink by that time though. Feeling it this morning.

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmg2w1JPSY1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

[Martin]

Lunchtime at work:

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmk4bcJlKm1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

[Consumed]

^^

That is an absolutely gorgeous view :-0

[HCK]

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lly4p6Gm7M1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

Yes, I am a hipster motherfucker.

That is a great picture! I'm a Hipster, too!

[GaijinPunch]

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/3622/fatheroftheyear.jpg

[Tatsujin]

don't drop the kiddo :)

[Yakumo]

Is that your son, GaijinPinch?

[GaijinPunch]

Do you really think I'm a big enough tard to let my son sit on the edge of the 2nd floor balcony?


GaijinPinch
And now I'm thinking of changing my name. ;)

[Yakumo]

Oops, but GaijinPinch does sound good for you :lol:

[Yakumo]

Staying with the hipster theme, here's a picture I took the other day on the way home from work.

http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/4194/rainstreet0.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/848/rainstreet0.jpg/)

Looks quite nice I think. Taken on the poor camera of the iPhone 3Gs then improved with the Photoshop Express app.

Here's the original below. Just look at how out of focus it is.

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/7564/rainstreet1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/rainstreet1.jpg/)

Yakumo

[GaijinPunch]

Definitely looks better w/ the filter.
Check out Camera+. It's like $1.99 in the US store but it's worth it. ANother $.99 for the "I Love Analogue" filters. Saves them in full resolution, and you can set how much of the filter you use... basically a dry/wet setting. Even if you want to just take pictures, it's worth it as it's leaps and bounds better than the default camera, and has some other tools for the shot alone.

[Yakumo]

Will do. In fact I'll take a look at them right now. Thanks!

[Yakumo]

gaijinPunch, that really is a good app. I love the point to focus and separate White balance options.

Good test of the point to focus here.

Focus on the Z key
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/8702/phone1r.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/20/phone1r.jpg/)

Focus on the Acer logo
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/3963/phone2e.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/685/phone2e.jpg/)

It even deals with close-ups pretty well.
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2930/phoneclose.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/705/phoneclose.jpg/)

Well worth buying for every iPhone user IMO. The added retro filters are also excelent although they do cost a little.

Yakumo

[Martin]

You dont need that if you have an iPhone 4, with HDR and touch-to-focus, in addition to 720p video.

The iPhone 4 is massively superior in hardware and software.

Recommended for old 3GS though.

[GaijinPunch]

I have the iPhone 4 and I find Camera+ to be worth the $2. Didn't know the default camera had the focus (nice tip). Camera+ is still a million times better in terms of shutter speed though. I've never had it sit there for 18 seconds in a dark setting like the default camera. Even the basic edits like cropping and fucking w/ the clarity/brightness post product are quite useful, too!

[Martin]

You two should check out almostDSLR (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/almost-dslr/id380871298?mt=8) then :)

[JaelS]

Staying with the hipster theme, here's a picture I took the other day on the way home from work.

http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/4194/rainstreet0.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/848/rainstreet0.jpg/)

Looks quite nice I think. Taken on the poor camera of the iPhone 3Gs then improved with the Photoshop Express app.

Here's the original below. Just look at how out of focus it is.

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/7564/rainstreet1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/851/rainstreet1.jpg/)

Yakumo
Wow, these pictures are amazing, such a great job! :clap:

flv to mp3 converter free
video to mp3 (http://videotomp3converter.com)

[Yakumo]

thanks. I take quite a few picture while stuck at traffic lights.

[Martin]

Currently in Okinawa on a work trip; all taken with iPhone 4.

Hon so-ki soba. Very tasty:

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnfnc4HnCo1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

Whale shark in a rather famous aquarium:

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnfu3bP2Cy1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

View from very close to where I am working:

http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnhklgEHgs1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

A nearby beach:

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnhxjlOtrw1qbtu1po1_500.jpg

[Kao]

Stunning outdoor shots. That filter looks quite nice on them! :) I was at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan just a shot time ago, myself. It's really very large!


http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/168786_730036064931_22011266_39806405_2280429_n.jp g
Meiji Shrine, Shibuya


http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/167799_730001758681_22011266_39805378_6765130_n.jp g
Metropolitan Building, Shinjuku


http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/168249_730017182771_22011266_39805965_3324183_n.jp g
View of Hiroshima


http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/164170_730021618881_22011266_39806043_4679217_n.jp g
Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima


http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/165712_730022986141_22011266_39806113_4508700_n.jp g
Cemetary in Hiroshima


http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/168952_730026948201_22011266_39806183_5307222_n.jp g
Mt. Fuji


http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/166185_730027142811_22011266_39806198_7575019_n.jp g
Yokohama Station


http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/168319_730027641811_22011266_39806222_7208383_n.jp g
A shrine of some sort belonging to the Hojo clan, Kamakura


http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/167088_730033155761_22011266_39806354_4173197_n.jp g
Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo

[Yakumo]

Nice pictures, Kao. Done with a DSLR for sure but what one did you use?

Yakumo

[Kao]

Thanks, Yakumo. I shot them with a Panasonic Lumix DMC ZS7. It's a pretty nice camera!

At first I was concerned that it had a smaller maximum aperture than my old Canon PowerShot, as well as a shorter maximum shutter length in Program mode, but the image quality was better, and it turns out that bumping the ISO up a few times in low light isn't terrible when you're shooting at 12 MP. I did a lot of manual exposures with a tripod, as well.

[Tatsujin]

some random stuff :)

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4262/imgp0030h.jpg[/URL]
http://img807.imageshack.us/img807/1593/imgp0038c.jpg (http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/4262/imgp0030h.jpg)
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/1478/imgp0116i.jpg
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6623/imgp0113k.jpg
http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/9648/imgp0076t.jpg

A very fame latern ;)
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/7546/p1020182u.jpg (http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/1478/imgp0116i.jpg)

Some tomatos
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5776/imgp0187i.jpg

Some Engrish lulz:
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7930/sutern.jpg[URL="http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/7930/sutern.jpg"] (http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/5776/imgp0187i.jpg)

[Yakumo]

How the hell can those idiots have miss spelt game consoles names? The Japanese really are a disgrace when it comes to English.

Yakumo

[subbie]

Tatsujin,
How is the space invader coin bank? I've always though about buying one.


How the hell can those idiots have miss spelt game consoles names? The Japanese really are a disgrace when it comes to English.

Yakumo
Hehe, first one to catch my eye was Rejister, the game console names was golden since it's written on the box.

[MattyHusted]

just wow such awesome pictures me and the girlfriend wanna go to japan someday she loves the culture and i just love the technology

[GaijinPunch]

NSFW...Funny as shit though... (http://i.imgur.com/t1YjR.jpg)

[Tatsujin]

ROLF!!

[Martin]

Where, and how much?

[Consumed]

Forget what the overhead pictures look like, on the other side of that wall is some 63 year old crone pissed off her tits on Saki :nod:

[spot778]

Love how the trucks there had all the accessories like a hot wheels toy

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--rY-9FI7naM/Sch55w9SToI/AAAAAAAABqM/G8ye3IwFZ3w/s640/DSC00568.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-B_VKvzfaqwI/Sch509HxhFI/AAAAAAAABpo/_6IbF0iZkJg/s512/DSC00564.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Sr27atPFCbQ/Sch-losu3tI/AAAAAAAABz0/1E2Gt2_77bU/s640/DSC00803.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-M9b8Ymosb-Q/Sch4_uLnarI/AAAAAAAABkw/bcI3XPV-7Yk/s640/DSC00526.JPG

it's all old stuff shot in '09.

[Yakumo]

At the moment a typhoon is passing through Japan although it's not coming here. Saying that it has had a very strange effect on the lighting. At 7pm tonight everything was a strange shade of dark pinky purple!

All of these below shots were taken from different windows of my house. the images have not been photoshoped or altered in anyway at all except for size.

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/5457/housewin1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/717/housewin1.jpg/)

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/2159/housewin2.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/housewin2.jpg/)

This picture below is from the balcony

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1316/housewin3.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/818/housewin3.jpg/)

and again from the balcony of the school over the road.

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3097/housewin4.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/41/housewin4.jpg/)

Yakumo

[Sp!nz]

How the hell can those idiots have miss spelt game consoles names? The Japanese really are a disgrace when it comes to English.

Yakumo

It could never be worst than fake marketing french phrases :nod:

Especially "Bonjour Bon" where they sell french pretended breads and pastries :P

@ Tatsujin : in Yujin we trust :thumbsup:

I really enjoyed the thread , i almost seen every pages , it's incredible to see how much things can be appreciated depending of the context.

If i think about it , i'll try to share some to :)

[GaijinPunch]

Especially "Bonjour Bon" where they sell french pretended breads and pastries

Why bother with those when you have Viron, Aux Bachanalles (sp?) and Paul -- who have better than French, French pastries. :)

[GaijinPunch]

Photos...

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/8477/tokyotower01.jpg

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/1954/shinjuku03.jpg

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/9149/shinjuku02.jpg

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/shinjuku01.jpg/

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/2073/minishinjuku01.jpg

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/4432/minatoku.jpg

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3247/taitostation.jpg

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/8813/shinjukuns1.jpg

[Yakumo]

Getting a bit arty farty with that last shot :-P Love the game center picture. Great angle on that one.

Yakumo

[Sp!nz]

It looks somebody just insert coins in Shinjuku's Taito Station :D

[GaijinPunch]

Well, they all went through heavy post production to be fair, and the last one was a simple click of a button on the phone. Didn't realize I uploaded it at full resolution. It worked better than in color.

And yep -- that's exactly where that photo was taken: Taito Station. Good eye, Sp!nz! Would love to do an "arcades" series. The old magazine Continue had some inspirational "hipster" arcade shots.

[Kao]

Great shots. I love Shinjuku. :) That tilt shift lens photo looks like it was taken near Shinjuku station. Is the Tokyo Tower one just a long exposure? Tokyo is a beautiful place, and you can get some incredible shots just by leaving the lens open a bit longer. Thanks for sharing.

[GaijinPunch]

Is the Tokyo Tower one just a long exposure?

Can't remember -- couple of seconds max, but probably 1. Tripods are forbidden so I had to use the ledge. Total bullshit. :/

[Sp!nz]

And yep -- that's exactly where that photo was taken: Taito Station. Good eye, Sp!nz! Would love to do an "arcades" series. The old magazine Continue had some inspirational "hipster" arcade shots.

I used to play there sometimes after work , the underfloor is a pretty cool place but i definitly prefere Hey! , especially for their gorgeous Egret 2

These kind of magazines are greats , there is some intimity feeling in Game Centers.

I should come back recently to France (precisly while Fukushima events) and i didn't have the opportunity to put my hands on Gyakuten Kenji Arcade Loctest who has been set at Joypolis , did you try it by any chances ? :D

[GaijinPunch]

Continue was probably the best game magazine every, but slowly morphed into an anime-centric magazine w/ a few articles on games. Their "The Man Who Made __________" interview series is probably the best ever in terms of game developer interviews. DECO's Golden Age (https://www.gamengai.com/cmnt_inf.php?id=2394&type=translation) and The Man Who Made Guwange & ESPRade (https://www.gamengai.com/cmnt_inf.php?id=1301&type=translation). I started a third, which is with the developer of Night Striker (etc) but only got a few pages in and got sidetracked. Might finish it one day as it's quite interesting. Two others I wanted to do but never got around to were the one w/ the creative mind behind the Makaimura series, as well as a guy that's now out of games who is credited with designing Tank, Ikari, and Guevara, as well as the LS-30 stick at SNK.

However, I've not been in arcades much at all the last year. Real life has been steering me away from games as a hobby. I try to go every now and again, but I guess you could call me a casual gamer at the moment. A knowledgeable one, but play time is very short. A few hours a week I'd say on average.

[GaijinPunch]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6150/5976352193_7153bf3f22_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976352193/)
Construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976352193/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6148/5976915876_6e7cf44cd1_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976915876/)
Yoyogi Hachiman Laundromat 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976915876/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6024/5976916038_aaeee7c636_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976916038/)
Yoyogi Hachiman Laundromat 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976916038/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6009/5970068370_1b415baae9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5970068370/)
Flowers on Tombstone (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5970068370/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5976916640_130670de75_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976916640/)
Scandanavia's Smell (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/5976916640/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

[Sp!nz]

Continue was probably the best game magazine every, but slowly morphed into an anime-centric magazine w/ a few articles on games. Their "The Man Who Made __________" interview series is probably the best ever in terms of game developer interviews. DECO's Golden Age (https://www.gamengai.com/cmnt_inf.php?id=2394&type=translation) and The Man Who Made Guwange & ESPRade (https://www.gamengai.com/cmnt_inf.php?id=1301&type=translation). I started a third, which is with the developer of Night Striker (etc) but only got a few pages in and got sidetracked. Might finish it one day as it's quite interesting. Two others I wanted to do but never got around to were the one w/ the creative mind behind the Makaimura series, as well as a guy that's now out of games who is credited with designing Tank, Ikari, and Guevara, as well as the LS-30 stick at SNK.

However, I've not been in arcades much at all the last year. Real life has been steering me away from games as a hobby. I try to go every now and again, but I guess you could call me a casual gamer at the moment. A knowledgeable one, but play time is very short. A few hours a week I'd say on average.

Well ,

By reading your post , i'm pretty sure now we have similar taste into gaming :)

Just hope i could talk more about it when my state will be better (just been out from hospital :evil:)

[GaijinPunch]

Ouch! Well, hope you get to feeling better.
I'm pretty much into the old school stuff, but lately if I play games, they need to be something that require basically no thought. I've been playing Mario Galaxy 2 lately. Haha. When I go to Hey! in Akihabara, I usually wind up playing retro games. I think last time I went I played a few credits of Rastan.

[Yakumo]

So, last night I was down at my favourite bar owned by a very nice guy called Bob. Yep, Bob. He's a great host plus his prices are good and best of all it's only 100 yen for unlimited Karaoke! Anyway, it's always a great place to relax and drink. The below picture was taken around 1:30am so it was emptying out a bit by then although we stayed until 4am.

The picture quality isn't so good due to low lighting and me being drunk but still, the panoramic view worked out quite well.

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1206/panoramax.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/508/panoramax.jpg/)

Yakumo

[GaijinPunch]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/6009979927_64b5512d3b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6009979927/)
Midtown, from 1-chome (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6009979927/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6139/6010529364_bc6ef30030_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6010529364/)
Beautiful Pussy guarding Hachimanguu (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6010529364/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6123/6010529234_cf0bcafc72_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6010529234/)
Fallen Soldier (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6010529234/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

[Tatsujin]

Very nice shots GP.

Lol, I hate when the Japanese say Midtown (ミッドタウン). It always sounds like Meattown to me.

[skarpo01]

Nice pics GaijinPunch (http://www.assemblergames.com/forums/member.php?u=44), I love the colors of the last one.

[GaijinPunch]

Fits the dreary mood this poor abandoned guy was in...

[Vosse]

So, last night I was down at my favourite bar owned by a very nice guy called Bob. Yep, Bob. He's a great host plus his prices are good and best of all it's only 100 yen for unlimited Karaoke! Anyway, it's always a great place to relax and drink. The below picture was taken around 1:30am so it was emptying out a bit by then although we stayed until 4am.

The picture quality isn't so good due to low lighting and me being drunk but still, the panoramic view worked out quite well.

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1206/panoramax.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/508/panoramax.jpg/)

Yakumo
Awesome Panorama!

[GaijinPunch]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/6028910939_43af0c0661_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6028910939/)
Shinjuku Graffiti (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6028910939/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6141/6029463318_f475604189_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6029463318/)
From Sunshine60 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6029463318/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

[Cyantist]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/6028910939_43af0c0661_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6028910939/)
Shinjuku Graffiti (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6028910939/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr


Not sure what it is but this has an odd charm to it. I like it alot. Do you happen to have a larger size for use as a wallpaper?




http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1206/panoramax.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/508/panoramax.jpg/)

Yakumo

That Barkeep looks ghostly !

[graciano1337]

That Barkeep looks ghostly !

I feel like I'm drunk looking at it. :lol:

[GaijinPunch]

Not sure what it is but this has an odd charm to it. I like it alot. Do you happen to have a larger size for use as a wallpaper?

I certainly can get you one. You'll likely need to crop it for your wallpaper. Just tell me the format you want and you can have the full size image. It's close to 4000x2666 or some shit.

[Cyantist]

Any format will do. Jpeg most likely.

[GaijinPunch]

I sorted that...
Where should I put it?

Yakumo's picture needs to be linked, not embedded... driving me nuts.

[Yakumo]

I'll fix that when I get home. It is messing up the page format

[GaijinPunch]

I'm just hoping for lots of replies to get us on the next page.

[alecjahn]

I'll help you out.

[Yakumo]

Here's another one then :nod:

[Yakumo]

And another :p

[spot778]

Awesome shot of the laundry mat GP !

I was hunting for one when I was there but never found one :)

[GaijinPunch]

I like the laundry mat photos the best. Don't get a lot of compliments on them though. Thanks. ;)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6049951476_989dd1b796_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6049951476/)
Lightpost (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6049951476/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/6049951010_534413e825_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6049951010/)
Yoyogi Park Rockabilliy (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6049951010/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6190/6049398345_bc20097bf4_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6049398345/)
Yoyogi Park Rockabilly (02) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6049398345/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

[alecjahn]

Is there a firm differentiation between a rockabilly cat and a Yakuza scrub (based on my limited knowledge of JP+Tattoos)?

[GaijinPunch]

Yeah, quit a big one, AFAIK.

[Warakia]

Yup - massive difference between a biker and a yakuza and then a ton of gray area in the middle caused by people who just happen to like the look.

And don't read too much into tattoos. Western rags and sites love to go on about tattoos being this massive taboo in Japan. The reality in Tokyo at least is very different, my rule of thumb is that if someone is allowing their ink to show in public, then they probably just like tattoos.

On the other hand I have a good friend who got massive Manji tattooed on his hands while in prison, so with him, your suspicions would be quite right!

[alecjahn]

And don't read too much into tattoos. Western rags and sites love to go on about tattoos being this massive taboo in Japan. The reality in Tokyo at least is very different, my rule of thumb is that if someone is allowing their ink to show in public, then they probably just like tattoos.

That's what I was getting at. I wasn't sure if tattoos were actually shocking or if everyone just continued the stereotype that they were.


On the other hand I have a good friend who got massive Manji tattooed on his hands while in prison, so with him, your suspicions would be quite right!

That'd be a hard to explain to my mother.
"I swear, it's facing the opposite direction!"

I'd totally get one on, say, the bottom of my foot.

[GaijinPunch]

That's what I was getting at. I wasn't sure if tattoos were actually shocking or if everyone just continued the stereotype that they were.


Most (private ones) will require you to hide them when you're using their facilities. Only city-run gyms allow you to freely swim and pump iron w/ them showing. As such, people w/ sleeves are generally at the public ones.

[Warakia]

Yeah I wouldn't mind manji as a subtle part of a design, but having it visible would be an issue outside a VERY limited tattoo loving context. Oh and good luck on the soles of your foot - that is a somewhat sensitive place...

Totally agree on the Gym issue with you Gaijinpunch, although some will allow it I would always cover up just to be sure.

Overall I would say the issue is changing (and fast). The last office I was working in in central Tokyo, my immediate boss had a heart tattooed on her hand (regret incoming fast!) and she got on just fine. I dunno, I would not risk anything like that until I was nicely retired.

[GaijinPunch]

Are you in Tokyo these days?

[Warakia]

I have been back in the UK for the last couple of months for reasons professional (not radioactive). I will be back in Tokyo in October (visa permitting) in a new job, I am just looking for somewhere to live now as it happens.

[GaijinPunch]

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6116013883_8c054061fe_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116013883/)
Takao-san (Temple) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116013883/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6116557734_a816711560_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116557734/)
Takao-san (Fountain) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116557734/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6199/6116000477_0c11965238_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116000477/)
Takao-san (Statue 2) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116000477/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6116543886_d3e52745f7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116543886/)
Meijijinguu Barrels (http://www.flickr.com/photos/20478368@N03/6116543886/) by gaijin_punch (http://www.flickr.com/people/20478368@N03/), on Flickr

[Tatsujin]

Nice, you went on a takao-san hikking? nice place :)

And oh, very nice shots as well :)

[Yakumo]

I was messing about with camera+ on the phone today. Spooky.

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/3703/spookyp.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/spookyp.jpg/)

Yakumo

[Yakumo]

I was browsing around my local Manga Soko today at lunch time so while I was there I pulled off a few sneaky photos. The quality of the pictures is piss poor but you get the idea.

Loads of 360 stuff as well as normal XBOX (not shown in this picture)
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/4893/manga360.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/62/manga360.jpg/)

Dreamcast has a pretty good selection, too.
http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/1272/mangadci.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/840/mangadci.jpg/)

Good old classic Game Boy. You should see the DS section, it's MASSIVE!!! I couldn't get a picture though since staff were stocking the shelves there.
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/6006/mangagb.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/834/mangagb.jpg/)

In this picture you can see just under half of the loose cartridge section made up of 60% Famicom with PC Engine, Mega Drive, MSX, Neo Geo Pocket, SFC and a few others making up the rest of the space.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/9431/mangaloose.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/820/mangaloose.jpg/)

N64 fans would be in heaven !
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/3308/mangan64.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/21/mangan64.jpg/)

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/918/mangan642.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/508/mangan642.jpg/)

Just one small selection of control pads. I think these are all for the PlayStation.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/6842/mangapads.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/148/mangapads.jpg/)

In this picture the bottom 3 rows nearest the camera are 3DO, Neo CD and Mega CD. The rest is 100% PC Engine! Who says all the PC Engine stuff is in Tokyo :thumbsup: We have shit loads of it down here.
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/6826/mangapce.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/690/mangapce.jpg/)

PSP section.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/142/mangapsp.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/84/mangapsp.jpg/)

Just one of the 4 shelves like this that are full of Super Famicom boxed games.
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/8580/mangasfc.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/823/mangasfc.jpg/)

Like the SFC section, this is just one of 4 shelves full of Sega Saturn games.
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/3769/mangass.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/13/mangass.jpg/)

Manga Soko also carry a lot of cool hardware and some very rare items but they are always on crack when pricing up the hardware. I'd NEVER buy any hardware from these guys unless it was a control pad.
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/7201/mangahard1.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69/mangahard1.jpg/)

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1715/mangahard2.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/268/mangahard2.jpg/)

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/3634/mangahard3.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/mangahard3.jpg/)

There are other sections in the Shop such as PlayStation, Mega Drive and so on but those sections had staff in them so I couldn't get any pictures. There's also the glass case which I managed to get a video of. I'll upload that to YouTube tomorrow.

Yakumo

[graciano1337]

WOW! What an awesome store. Video games and guitars??

[BLUamnEsiac]

That's an amazing selection! I'm a huge Game Boy, N64, Saturn and Neo Geo fan and would have probably spent hours going over everything.

[mattjon]

We visited a friend who lives in Minato Mirai a couple of weeks ago. Love that Cosmo Clock :thumbsup:

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo350/MattJon/DSC00463.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo350/MattJon/DSC00457.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo350/MattJon/DSC00467.jpg

[Yakumo]

WOW! What an awesome store. Video games and guitars??Not only games and guitars but also loads of DVDs, CDs, records, books, magazines and pointless crap :thumbsup: Yes, manga Soko kicks arse.

Yakumo