kiosk...yamanote line platform...shinjuku station

outer circle platform

kiosk...yamanote line platform...shibuya station

from andy warhol...

"as i said,
i want a show of my own
-called NOTHING SPECIAL"

this takes the biscuit!!!!

soy sauce kit kat!!!
(haneda airport terminal 2 yesterday)

it`s not raining today...it is pouring!!!

and...i am still amazed at cyclists using umbrellas!!!
(around gotanda station...west side)

progress???

i like kiosks...they are shiny little jewels on the platforms and in the stations...serving us with all kinds of daily necessities such as candy, gum, soft drinks, newspapers, magazines, stationery, bread, calorie-mate, hankies, tissues, batteries, masks, plasters, etc....and up until a few years ago some of them were named LET`S KIOSK...this cute ungrammatically-correct use of english caught my eye at the time

regrettably the powers-that-be don`t share my opinion and kiosks are dying out

.............................................................................................

a sad sight...closed-down kiosk in ebisu station

..........................................................................

the jewel in osaki station

.........................................................................

the replacement for the jewels
auto-kiosks
(ebisu yamanote line platform)

there really is no comparison, is there?

girls` day (3/3)...part 2

when i talked about girls` day

i didn`t mention the special candy

there are several kinds...all very pretty

i suppose technically i am too old to be a girl
but anyway someone gave me these vegetables
tomato, carrot, aubergine, pumpkin and a ???

thanks mayumi!!!

people not wearing masks...

today is girls` day

hina matsuri
special dolls...replicas of an emperor and empress...
are displayed at home to celebrate girls in a family
and to wish for their health and happiness

these dolls can be quite expensive
and are traditionally bought by grandparents

i think japan is very good at celebrating something
the year is full of occasions to think positively
and be happy

boys are not left out
their day is in may!!!

train station signage

it tells you where you are
...the next station
...and the last station

it couldn`t be easier!!!

and..the trains run on time
and are very clean!!!

tokyo station

i think it is funny to have a station called tokyo
we don`t have a station called london
or new york...or paris

people wearing masks...

this is something that surprised me when i first came to tokyo
i`m used to it now...
...but i never do it myself!!!

they are worn by hay fever sufferers
by people with colds
by people who don`t wanna catch a cold
and...
...by women who haven`t put on their make-up!!!

i read that japanese women
do not like to be seen without their make-up...
...so if they don`t have time to do it
they just do their eyebrows and wear a mask!!

it`s nice today

(osaki)

on friday i went to kichijoji...

...to join a cooking circle in mihoko`s flat
5 of us girls were there
1 japanese, 1 indonesian, 1 taiwanese, 1 korean
and me!!!
..........................................................................................
fillings for vietnam-style spring rolls
(i didn`t eat the meat or fish of course!!!)

guacamole on crackers

avocado with chocolate dessert
(delish)

spinach swiss roll with carrot cream filling

and we also made a korean dish called tteopokki
but i forgot to take a photo

wonderful, isn`t it?
......................................................................................

basically mihoko is mad about vegetables
her blog is here

tsutaya...

has got a special offer on for 10 days...5 cd`s for 1,050 yen..i got sakamoto, sparks, YMO, an anime music soundtrack and a 60`s j-pops collection..am gonna have a musical sunday!!!

schoolkids on their way home

nice uniforms
they all look very carefree!!!
(meguro river..osaki)

back rub japan ltd

spotted in azabu-juban yesterday
massage is very popular in japan!!!

walking around my area (osaki)

the architectural landscape in tokyo is so diverse
old, new and in the middle
never boring!!!

i like rain

rain

is a korean pop star and actor
i am not mad about his music
but he is a great actor
i am a cyborg was an underrated brilliant film
with the same director as old boy and jsa
2 of my favourite films
.................................................................................

i should mention...even tho i am in japan we are very close to south korea (just 2 hours by plane) and there is a korean boom here...brought about a few years ago by the introduction of korean dramas on NHK tv (like our BBC)...we now have easy access to films, tv series, k-pops music, travel and wonderful korean food...and korea town (in shin-okubo) is vibrant because of this boom...it is one of my favourite places to go in tokyo..i`ll post some photos another time

sometimes you come across...

...a derelict building
tho it is unusual
i am surprised this hasn`t been turned into a new house
.............................................................
of course in the uk
this would have been ransacked by now
(osaki)