Sunday 18 April 2010

a little guide to japan


The maker of okonomiyaki, originally uploaded by julienpaul.

First it was Jack, then Andrew Tam, and now Mitchell and Ravi. When someone says they are going to Japan I jump up and down excitedly, hoping to give my two cents. Here is the email I sent to them with a bit of editing and some eye candy:

Both times that I have been in Japan for extended periods of time I bought a one week Japanrail pass and planned my trip around it. It gives you unlimited rail use and becomes very worthwhile for large distances using the Shinkansen.

My trip's structure went a bit like this:

1. a few days in tokyo
2. start the one week japanrail pass
3. zoom around japan
4. end up in kansai: kyoto, osaka, nara, which are all easy to get
between and cheap as well
5. buy a return ticket back to tokyo
6. a day or so more in tokyo

Of course, this works for a Kansai-centric structure, which my last two trips have been.

My first trip was very architecture orientated (with Ellen and Jose), while my second trip with Josh was designed around four festivals. Both trips were in winter.

Tokyo


the pretty lights!, originally uploaded by julienpaul.

my flickr on tokyo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkcorners/sets/1477563/



You can find my flickr sets on Tokyo here, here and here.

Won't say too much here. Tokyo is tokyo... The insane underground train system (be warned, it closes at 1am), the 24hour stores and bars, the millions of different districts, each with their own flavour.

Shinjuku (photo above): futuristic Tokyo, skyscrapers and run down yakitori stores near the train line, 5 storey toy shops! Nightlife in every direction, small bars tucked away on several floors.

There is also the twin towered government building which I went to when little to see the view. Might be worth a trip, but have never been back.

Ginza: the high design, classy shopping strip, or it once was... now it is:

Harajuku: where all the young shop, and where all of the architects of the world build (hertzog, sejima, ito)


harajuku, originally uploaded by julienpaul.

prada: distance, originally uploaded by julienpaul.

Harajuku is actually a rough region that starts at Harajuku station (near the Meiji shrine) and is sometimes counted as a part of Shibuya. Not only is it one of the main shopping districts, on Sundays the "fruits" (named after the magazine that documented them) come out to play near the Meiji Shrine. Though apparently not what they once used to be, the "fruits" are a bunch of adolescents that have fun dressing up and are happy for you to snap away at them.


japanese starbucks uniform, originally uploaded by julienpaul.

This being said, people having fun in strange costumes is in no way limited to Harajuku, and I think the best dressed people I saw in my trip were actually in Osaka.


buddas, originally uploaded by julienpaul.

Ueno: the fucking amazing national museum (in particular the Horyu-ji treasure hall, above) with the cemetery behind it, a truly haunting place on a misty day as the prayer sticks rattle in the wind and the ravens fly around.

Asakusa: The tourist destination for Tokyo, with its temple, market street and abandoned fair park. Every trip I've done to Japan since a little kid has always involved this temple but it is actually nothing special, just conveniently placed. Great sushi can be found in the side streets, and down the road towards the river is Stark's Poo building.


5 x tuna, originally uploaded by julienpaul.

The fish markets: The most awesome place in Tokyo. Get up super early and see everyone at work. Huge frozen tunas come in by plane and ship and slowly get processed, until you can eat it at one of the numerous excellent little restaurants at the centre.

Shibuya: More shopping and a host of love hotels.. Check them out on google maps, and go walking. We found the oddest sex shops and teenagers running around trying to find a cheap bed.

Roppongi: Bars, shopping... It's been too long since I've been here (didn't go the last trip). I think it is meant to be the hipper place to go to drink.

PS There is the Studio Ghibli Museum at Mataka. I felt that, unlike Miyazaki's films, this theme park was more or children than adults and was a little disappoint.

To be continued....

Monday 5 April 2010

must consume... sushi!


reflecting on life..., originally uploaded by dead zebra, inc.

You can tell procrastination is in full swing when I'm shopping for things online that I absolutely don't need, but want ever so much anyway (and trying to work out how I can fit it into the weekly budget).

This delicious piece of cuteness is the red O-No! Sushi! by Andrew Bell, with some really great photos here. I actually found O-No! a little while back and had all but forgotten about it until Nico started mentioning something about Finding Nemo sushi on Facebook.

Poor old O-No! Is being cut up and served with soy sauce, and he is delicious! This designer toy obviously comes from someone with a great sense of humour, who really stuck to the concept, from the great expression on the toy's face (I am worried, but still staying calm) to its packaging.


toy_onosushi-red1, originally uploaded by dead zebra, inc.