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Polyceman
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SMAP’s soda
Pop superstars SMAP’s latest album cover art has been turned into a promotional soda with a discount price–just 105 yen instead of 120. What’s the flavor of SMAP? Its a cola/orange baby aspirin/gum fantasia. I haven’t had a cola drink in years and the contents of the can took me by surprise. I’ve become accustomed…
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Resident registration
On Monday, a national “resident registration” system launches. Japan’s citizens will be assigned an 11 digit number associated with their name, date of birth and other vital statistics, similar to the US’s Social Security Number. But not every citizen will be enumerated. Two communities in Tokyo, Suginami and Kokubunji, and several other towns around the…
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Man studying piano score
Man studying piano score on the Namboku line between Nagatacho and Kasuga.
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Urban hiking
This band of elderly urban adventurers has just been to visit the graves of prominent historical figures at Denzuin. After crossing the street with their guide waving his flag to point the way, they are heading to the station to conclude the tour. The guide looks back and waits for stragglers who have moved into…
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Thwarted
When I desperately want to get out of this hot, humid city I seem to choose the time it’s most difficult to do so. August is holiday month. And many (most!) Japanese take a summer holiday this month. Consequently all the trains are booked up and planes cost twice as much as usual. It’s maddening…
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Stamp rally
To brighten up the summer school holidays, Metron’s Stamp Rally 2002 is underway through 8/18. In 44 subway stations around Tokyo, you’ll find a rubber stamp chained to a small table, an ink pad secured to the table and a pile of paper slips for stamping. The game is to collect all the stamps in…
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I found an inchworm
I found an inchworm creeping up the spearmint in my garden yesterday. Last week there was a slug slithering alongnear the thyme. A month ago, a caterpillar grew huge on my basil and parsley. Spiders love the bush basil. I seem to be harboring a nice little ecosystem of plants and bugs. Quite surprising, really…
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Houzuki festival
Who knew buying a plant could be such a festive event? We walked down to the Bunkyo-ku Asagao and Houzuki Festival at Konyaku-Enma shrine to get a Chinese lantern plant (houzuki) and were greeted by a dozen festival staff. They were so friendly and quite surprised when Tod conversed in Japanese. Houzuki are old-fashioned summer…
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Matsuri dressup
8:45 pm. Two girls heading off for an ice cream from the Family Mart after the asagao festival at Denzuin.
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