Life in Japan - Pictures galore !! Arcades, Temples, Rainy days, etc

Do you still have Top Boy in the Tokyo area? There used to be loads down here with some pretty good prices and games however over the last few years they've all closed

 

I'll be lucky if I manage to stay here even 2 years. I have just about 9 months left on my visa now. If I can stay for another year I would love to, but we'll see how it goes. Returning to the UK with all the twats and high fuel prices isn't exactly appealing.

 

Whachoo talkin' 'bout "when", Willis?
Yeah, it's gonna get even worse though... it's gloomy as fuck here already though. It's just not gonna get any better.

Oh, I'm probably just as cynical as you (maybe just not as verbal). Thing is, I'm more in Martin's camp. I'll bitch about how fucked up the US is too.

 

Not from what I remember!

 

I just don't bitch about Japan much because:

1. I'm 27
2. I've been here 3 months
3. Everything still feels new enough to me
4. Loads of novelty around every corner
5. My research job involves communicating only in English and the group at Toudai is great (my boss is muuuuch better than my UK one).
6. Not being able to understand all of the TV-talk is a good thing as I can't complain about it as much
7. Women here are so much better than back home (slimness goes a long way)

 

Yeah, you're still a tourist at 3 months. Japan is what you make of it, some people have been in Japan for years and still see it as the Disneyland it was when they arrived, and some people have been in Japan months and they already hate it. Just remember: nobody expresses their true feelings, you'll always be an 'outsider', and don't cross the streams.

 

Yeah... I wasn't really bothered by anything until I was married and had a kid. Probably just coincidental that I was "growing up" around the same time and can really analyze some of Japan's long term problems that nobody has the balls to fix.

 

A happier photo from Tokyo this weekend

 

What? What does that mean?

 

Nice pic, but a bit grainy on my screen.
Was that intentional?

 

Yes. It's been edited to my tastes... what's this "hipster" thing?

Original:

 

I'm guessing that "hipster" means the photo looks like it's from the 60s/70s.

 

Oh right. I also wondered what the plural was for...!

Anyway, that was the intention.

 

Leaving Sendai....








Driving to Kensennuma.....a city that has been washed away.

It says "Welcome to Kesennuma" above the tunnel.

 

Not anymore it isn't did you see where it was washed away with your own eyes?

 

I'm a right fat git these days so every night I go for a 1 hour walk down the back streets of where I live. Japan never seems to amaze me. The back streets are nothing like the main road. I've found a rice farming area! A rich well to do area high up in the hills with lovely big houses and some really creepy shit that wouldn't look out of place in a horror movie!

So tonight I took my aging Panasonic Lumix 5mp camera with me. I wanted to try and capture the real look of the areas so I never used any flashes at all. This meant manual settings and a very, and I mean very steady hand as the eye of the camera stayed open to let in the light. Anyway, here are the results.

The road leading up to my house. Notice how there's no crap on the floor. Wrappers, bags, drink cans and so on. I'm lucky to live in a very clean area. In fact in none of these pictures will you see shit on the floor. Not like the UK where I'm originally from.



It's that time of the year when all the useless as fuck politicians are out campaigning or more like pissing everyone off. All around the neighborhoods of Japan are these poster boards showing who you can vote for.



I love little back street electric stores. Anyone fancy a photocopier?



An old style Japanese home



These steps were found down a very dark and creepy ally. They lead up to a beautiful house. Yakuza owned I wonder? Very secluded that's for sure.



And here's that creepy ally.





This house wouldn't look out of place in a Japanese horror movie.



And just to prove I do live in a civilized city Here is a shot of the main street.



Yakumo

 

Lovely, moody pics. Makes me want to go back.

 

Jog, man. Jog. I started like 6 years ago (and didn't get that hard core until about 3 years ago) and have never looked back.

Woke up early this morning and went to Aoyama Reiin to take some photos of the sakura. Will post within a couple of days.