Category: Misc. Japan Stuff

There’s a new train line in Tokyo!
The Tsukuba Express begins in Akihabara and ends in the college town of Tsukuba, some 35 miles northeast of Tokyo. Here’s some english info.
Why is this important? Well, one of the stops it makes is Minami-Senju, the JR/Subway stop where the Juyoh, the New Koyo and other low-cost lodgings are clustered around. That means convenience!
But what’s really cool is that the train cars and five of the stations have Wi-Fi! It’s on a trial basis for now and I’m not sure how much this will cost, but it demonstrates that it is possible.
Of course, in San Francisco, this technology will probably be implemented after we get cell phone coverage in the trains and stations.
Maybe in the year 2100. How “progressive”!

Japan Tobacco is trying to get smokers to be more considerate to non smokers.
Commendable.
So they’ve engaged in a very creative ad campaign that surprisingly is minimal in its use of engrish. This one is my favourite!

It’s been hinted that some of these adverts are aimed at gaijin since the english used actually makes sense. Even if it’s haiku-like.
It definitely ain’t Engrish!
(Hat tip to Tokyo Times)

Billboards watch Shibuya from up high. Nice looking billboards! Makes me wanna get BB (broadband). Especially since it’s 4.0 down out there!

This is Sakura-jima, an active volcano off the southern tip of Kyushu near the town of Kagoshima.
Part of the cone was blown off during one of its frequent eruptions a few years back. That’s why it doesn’t look as conical as Fuji-san.

Unfortunately, this is as close as we were able to get to it since we only had a few hours in town.
Since it’s still an active volcano (note the smoke above), there are concrete shelters all over. If you hear the sirens, you duck into here.

Does concrete stand up to lava?

Somewhere between Ginza and the JR Shinagawa station. This was around 2200 hours on a weeknight from my last night in Tokyo, after dinner with Yumi-chan.

or Yamanote stops and what’s for lunch?
“Bacon egg double-burger”?
“takanobaba”? “shin-BASH!”
In either case, someone PLEASE translate this…
I like how the instructor thinks in kanji and hiragana while the class responds in katakana…
heh heh heh
A chu-hi toast to Yamanote 29 for today’s nihongo lesson.

Continuing this week’s theme of “random rail silliness”, here’s an NPR ditty on the Tunes of the JR in Tokyo.
If you’ve been to Tokyo and miss the place, this is for you!

To compensate for the lack of new pix since I’ve not been traveling lately, I bring you….
100 Secrets of the Yamanote!
Wah!
Everything you’ve wanted to know about the long green train to amaze your friends…
I’m waiting for a list of secrets about the Chuo Line. That’s the big orange train.