EVERYDAY LIFE IN JAPAN - 5 (10)

Still hot here in Japan, well it's August then... Last article of this series has been really popular : seen something between 35000 and 50000 times depending of the tracking tools... Thanks to stumbleupon.com for that! And thanks to people who left comments!

So, what do we have this month? (apart from earthquakes...)

Finally tested this ramen restaurant in Yokohama, I always wondered why so many people were queuing outside for it.



Now I know! Awesome taste, big bowls, great ramen and meat that tastes meat!



An other kind of cuisine : this castle under the rainbow is a restaurant that belongs to famous French cook "Joël Robuchon", an other world... (in Ebisu)



From time to time I stumble on this kind of apartment : not even 2m width... Thing is, this one is not even surrounded by other buildings o_O



We were on our way with wifey to this shop selling old furnitures and antiques.



I particularly liked the tea pots, been a heavy tea drinker.







Also looking for some green to put in the house, found this cool place just next the antique shop.





People often imagine Tokyo as a Blade Runner type of city (I did) but really if you just go away from Shinjuku and walk in the residential area it's more like this :



Peaceful neighborhoods where people try to grow some plants on every inches of ground they can find or simply in pot they let in their street.



Of course there are some big malls but still the local shops are numerous. Tokyo is a kind of collection/agglomeration of villages...



The wheel of Fortune!



PSP, Nitendo DS and Ipod are the kind of items we can win, not bad (if we can actually win...)



Once in a while I eat from the conbini, yes, not the best food in the world, but here I could eat "not that bad" for about 800 yen.



Weird shop window, not sure about the concept, Mad Max, Rock n Roll and Darth Vader (is it the old suit that Danny Choo used from time to time?)



Talking about Danny, I was recently invited to his Tokyo Figure Show that took place at the beginning of August.



It was at the top of the H&M store in Harajuku.



I could not stay long and took few shots.



The concept was to display the figures as art in an unusual environment (I think) Harajuku being a fashion aera and not an "Otaku"'s one.



But the main event for Danny was the release of his mascot character Mirai Chan : quite amazing the job Danny's doing, he is really passionated by what he does and that makes him successful. Inspiring...



Let's go to Yokohama, in front of the station, some brand promoting their drinks.



Young staff distributing the cans and bottles whereas the managers check if all is ok in the back!



What about the drink itself? Nothing new really : a simple lemonade, same recipe as the 50's one I guess ^_^



I forgot where it was, someone with a lot of money and few ideas... Why two?



Or is it a club?



This is the cheapest JidôHanbaiKi (自動販売機 = automatic vending machine), I've encounter, usually it's 120/130 and sometimes 100 yens.



Summer, season of the matsuri : an endless source of photos for the gaijin blogging about Japan (me included *_*)



I tried to shoot a short movie, but for now I am not satisfied with the sound (weak point on the Nikon D5000 so I would have to use my MD recorder for good result).



Traditional dance and sometimes... Hula : Hawaiian dance is huge in Japan as everything coming from Hawaii.



Every generation can dance.



Some in Kimono some in Jeans! That doesn't matter.



Men also wear the Yukata (there is an other word but I can't remember it now...), less than the women though.



I happened to wear it one time in Tottori, I first felt ashamed but nobody cared actually!



Apart from local Matsuri there is also the Hanabi (firework), they can be as long as one hour.



And you must be early to secure a good seat. Back from the Minato Mirai Hanabi,



(Just realized I took almost the same shot at day time)



The big wheel near the Landmark tower.



At the foot of the tower is an old dry dock (place to fix the boat).



They did a good job to re invent it. Lights near the steps are coming from restaurants.



Coming back home near the station, some Asian women mixing the Japanese Yukata with their traditional veil (I don't know the name), It was quite surprising for everyone to see. Japan's melting pot?!



And to finish with, the KitKat of the month! Cookie taste and 2 times less calories, yes Madam! (they were tiny and the box much too big...).



Posted on : 2009-08-22 17:22:21