Friday, August 14, 2009
Comiket!
Yesterday, I spent the morning in Hiroshima. Saw the Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb Victims, and then checked out Hiroshima's downtown.... in the rain... Then took the Shinkansen (bullet-train) back to Tokyo (4hrs). I was pretty exahusted. Got up early to go to Comiket (Comic-market, the biggest comic convention in the world!) down in Odaiba, Tokyo. I stood in a crazy ass line for 2 hours to get in... (still beat Anime Expo in Long Beach). It would take several days to look at everything here. I ended the day by walking between the legs of a 1/1 scale Gundam. This is pretty much and Otaku's dream-land!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima...
So the first couple of nights back in Japan I stayed in Tokyo, at a capsule hotel. (The youth hostels were all booked.) Ran to Ueno, to exchange my cash I brought, and took care of the details for the next week.
I took the night bus to Kyoto, that was an adventure in and of it's self. Went to Inari and climbed though thousands and thousands of tori gates until I reached the top. Next day I checked out some temples and the Imperial Palace, then went to Osaka.
Saw the Osaka Castle, and the Umeda Sky building, then checked out downtown (huge). Took the night bus to Hiroshima. Where I checked out the Hiroshima Castle and the Hiroshima Peace Park/Memorial Museum. That's where I am now.
I took the night bus to Kyoto, that was an adventure in and of it's self. Went to Inari and climbed though thousands and thousands of tori gates until I reached the top. Next day I checked out some temples and the Imperial Palace, then went to Osaka.
Saw the Osaka Castle, and the Umeda Sky building, then checked out downtown (huge). Took the night bus to Hiroshima. Where I checked out the Hiroshima Castle and the Hiroshima Peace Park/Memorial Museum. That's where I am now.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
I'm a horrible blogger...
Yes, I admit it. I suck at blogging. So let's recap the last several months:
May 3rd, returned from Japan to the US, Los Angeles, California. No job, no home, and pretty broke. First day back got a parking ticket, discovered a lots of people were saying I owed them money for stuff that should have been taken care of months ago, and that my "back-up" credit card has been cancelled... Fortunately I had some good friends, who were there to help me out. I discovered new levels of how to stretch a dollar. Did some crazy stuff to make some quick cash, and now I'm back! August 6th, I have returned to Japan.
It was fun being back in LA for a while. I got to see just about everyone again. Went to some cool, cozy little parties. Spent some time with family that I have not done for a long, long while.
I still have several videos in the works from the last trip to post up eventually, but for now, it's time to explore. =)
Maybe I'll be better at blogging this time.... maybe....
May 3rd, returned from Japan to the US, Los Angeles, California. No job, no home, and pretty broke. First day back got a parking ticket, discovered a lots of people were saying I owed them money for stuff that should have been taken care of months ago, and that my "back-up" credit card has been cancelled... Fortunately I had some good friends, who were there to help me out. I discovered new levels of how to stretch a dollar. Did some crazy stuff to make some quick cash, and now I'm back! August 6th, I have returned to Japan.
It was fun being back in LA for a while. I got to see just about everyone again. Went to some cool, cozy little parties. Spent some time with family that I have not done for a long, long while.
I still have several videos in the works from the last trip to post up eventually, but for now, it's time to explore. =)
Maybe I'll be better at blogging this time.... maybe....
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Kanamara Matsuri
(This is out of chronological order for the trip, but it's just too funny not to post up. =)
A Ri-dic-ulously fun festival, The Kanamara Matsuri. "Festival of the Steel Phallus", or just "The Penis Festival". Do I really need to say more?
(Go here and watch it in "HQ", tons better!)
Picture slide-show here.
More info./history here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanamara...
Fun time. Nobody trying to push agendas, nobody being a-holes, everyone just being dorks!
PS- Is it just me or is there something rather attractive about a Asian girl w/ a British-English Accent? I think I'm gonna have to start copping a fake accent when I teach them English...
A Ri-dic-ulously fun festival, The Kanamara Matsuri. "Festival of the Steel Phallus", or just "The Penis Festival". Do I really need to say more?
(Go here and watch it in "HQ", tons better!)
Picture slide-show here.
More info./history here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanamara...
Fun time. Nobody trying to push agendas, nobody being a-holes, everyone just being dorks!
PS- Is it just me or is there something rather attractive about a Asian girl w/ a British-English Accent? I think I'm gonna have to start copping a fake accent when I teach them English...
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sendai & Sakunami
Okay, here are pictures from days five & six of my trip (yes, I've been here 2 and a half months already... I'm a procrastinator, get used to it.)
I've compiled them into a video form:
( Go here and watch it in "HQ". Much better!)
So this these were taken about a week before Valentine's Day. In Japan the girls get chocolates for boys to show their affections, or for friends and bosses to show appreciation. Big money making day in Japan.
In Sakunami we went to an Onsen, outdoor bath. Traditionally they are from hot springs, but this one... yeah, I don 't think was traditional. Still the steam blowing around in the cold and snow, while you are toasty warm is kinda cool.
If you want a better look at the pictures go here:
Photo-slideshow
I've compiled them into a video form:
( Go here and watch it in "HQ". Much better!)
So this these were taken about a week before Valentine's Day. In Japan the girls get chocolates for boys to show their affections, or for friends and bosses to show appreciation. Big money making day in Japan.
In Sakunami we went to an Onsen, outdoor bath. Traditionally they are from hot springs, but this one... yeah, I don 't think was traditional. Still the steam blowing around in the cold and snow, while you are toasty warm is kinda cool.
If you want a better look at the pictures go here:
Photo-slideshow
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sapporo Snow Festival
The 60th Annual Sapporo Snow Festival:
First day of the Snow Festival and it starts snowing. Can't call it better then that.
The Nippon Ham Fighters. Goooooo Ham Fighters!!
Smokers segregation chamber.
That is my thumb at the top left, trying to shield the lense from the snow.
These people are lined up for a maze, that leads to the stage.
This is a sculpture and a slide.
Movie Promo.
Snow is coming down, and it's wet.
Kinniku-man
Domo-Kun.
Lots of food booths.
Tyler in his bright orange jacket made a great homing beacon. Easy to spot. Also acted like a target for the kids who were on a mission to grill foreigners for information. They were all numbered like racers, and carried little paper forms with the questions, in English, on them. But it was nearly impossible to write anything down as the snow was coming down hard and very, very wet. Their papers were soaked.
Keroro Gunso!
Totoro
An Ohmu from Nausicaa
Year of the Cow. Lot's of cows around.
Anpan-man riding... a cow.
And a monkey... riding corn?
I missed the Potato song... almost recorded it. Po-Ta-To!... ah, too bad...
Snow Queens
Astroboy (or Tetsuwan Atom) by the US Navy...
Seriously!? That's the best you can do Navy!?
Gah, making me ashamed to be an American...
Doraemon
Totoro again
Domo-kun again
Shirley had to get an umbrella, her Jacket was getting soaked.
Robot from Laputa
Foreign section was still mostly under construction...
Then we returned at night time:
The snow had lightened up a bit, and it looked like they'd swept some of the snow off the scultures. well, at least the big ones.
The Sapporo Tower, marks the beginning of the Snow Festival trail.
In the smoker's chamber. Black lungs, courtesy of Alaska.
This crowd is gathered for the ski slope on the other side where snow borders are doing tricks.
Finland still working away. I love the hats!
This is "Relax-bear" (Rilakkuma), not Deaddy Bear, as I was calling it.
This makes me happy. =D
Mr. Donut
Stitch.
lots of food booths.
"What 'chu looking at?"
"You dragging your kid in a sled." Heh...
There were also some scultures going down the middle of streets. These were taken the night before an weren't lit up. I'm sure there is probably some other stuff we missed too.
I took a lot more pictures of the various sculptures, if you want to check them out:
http://picasaweb.google.com/TheMutantPenguin/YukiMatsuri#
First day of the Snow Festival and it starts snowing. Can't call it better then that.
The Nippon Ham Fighters. Goooooo Ham Fighters!!
Smokers segregation chamber.
That is my thumb at the top left, trying to shield the lense from the snow.
These people are lined up for a maze, that leads to the stage.
This is a sculpture and a slide.
Movie Promo.
Snow is coming down, and it's wet.
Kinniku-man
Domo-Kun.
Lots of food booths.
Tyler in his bright orange jacket made a great homing beacon. Easy to spot. Also acted like a target for the kids who were on a mission to grill foreigners for information. They were all numbered like racers, and carried little paper forms with the questions, in English, on them. But it was nearly impossible to write anything down as the snow was coming down hard and very, very wet. Their papers were soaked.
Keroro Gunso!
Totoro
An Ohmu from Nausicaa
Year of the Cow. Lot's of cows around.
Anpan-man riding... a cow.
And a monkey... riding corn?
I missed the Potato song... almost recorded it. Po-Ta-To!... ah, too bad...
Snow Queens
Astroboy (or Tetsuwan Atom) by the US Navy...
Seriously!? That's the best you can do Navy!?
Gah, making me ashamed to be an American...
Doraemon
Totoro again
Domo-kun again
Shirley had to get an umbrella, her Jacket was getting soaked.
Robot from Laputa
Foreign section was still mostly under construction...
Then we returned at night time:
The snow had lightened up a bit, and it looked like they'd swept some of the snow off the scultures. well, at least the big ones.
The Sapporo Tower, marks the beginning of the Snow Festival trail.
In the smoker's chamber. Black lungs, courtesy of Alaska.
This crowd is gathered for the ski slope on the other side where snow borders are doing tricks.
Finland still working away. I love the hats!
This is "Relax-bear" (Rilakkuma), not Deaddy Bear, as I was calling it.
This makes me happy. =D
Mr. Donut
Stitch.
lots of food booths.
"What 'chu looking at?"
"You dragging your kid in a sled." Heh...
There were also some scultures going down the middle of streets. These were taken the night before an weren't lit up. I'm sure there is probably some other stuff we missed too.
I took a lot more pictures of the various sculptures, if you want to check them out:
http://picasaweb.google.com/TheMutantPenguin/YukiMatsuri#
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