Tokyo

Japan is not hurting for large cities, but when Godzilla really wants to go to town... we all know where he ends up. Tokyo is the embodiment of modern Japan.  Clean(ish), efficient(ish), polite(ish), it lives every day at a level that most modern metropoli can only dream of.  And just about everything you could think of is available here, from Chanel's latest clothing line to fresh fish by the ton. Speaking of food -- while we had great meals in cities throughout Japan, Tokyo definitely outdid them all.  If you go to London for your curries, may I suggest Tokyo for your Italian?  I had a Parmesan Risotto, presented on a half round of Parmesan, that was easily the best Italian meal I've had anywhere. Tokyo is the only city so far that I have plans to return to.  I could easily stay another week or two there, and find something new to do every day.

Architecture ranges from the whimsical to the bizarre in Tokyo.  I'm still not sure what this building could actually be used for -- a hotel for very small people, perhaps?

From the "because we can" school of architecture, we have this space-age arrow, pointing to the sky.

This badly lit photograph is of a four story tall pendulum clock in the atrium of a sky-scraper.  The motive force for the clock is provided by a water-wheel running on the first floor.

The Japanese are used to thinking vertically in their shopping districts.  Each column of signs is a different building in a row, and the three or four signs next to each floor of each building are for the shops on that floor. Here we have 54 different small shops, all in about a half of a city block.  You see shop densities like this all over the place in Japan -- It's amazing they can all stay in business.

The Ginza district is considered to be the most upscale shopping district in Japan.  Think "The Toilet Of Rodeo Drive" and you'll get the idea. (for the record, the restrooms were a touch shabby)

Speaking of restrooms, in Japan this is called a "Japanese-style" toilet.  Throughout the rest of the world they're known as "Asian squat toilets".  Most public toilets in Asia are like this, with the exception that many don't include toilet paper. "Using An Asian Squat Toilet On A Moving Train" is one of the more difficult events in the Traveler Olympics.

One more thing on restrooms.  Urinals don't get the privacy in Japan that they do in the U.S.  This picture was taken from a major thoroughfare.  In addition, on trains the urinal bathroom compartment will usually just have a full-size window so you can look in and see if someone is using it.

Of all the American brands that showed up in Japan, Denny's surprised me the most.  The Japanese really do an excellent job on food everywhere you go, and Denny's is the epitome of "just barely good enough."

It took some doing to get them to create an American-style Denny's breakfast, and frankly the toast was way, way too good. Fortunately, the inexplicable inclusion of a tossed salad with French dressing with my breakfast balanced out the high quality of the food, and a true Denny's experience was had.

Another American import.  I don't think I've ever seen one of these stores in the United States.  I would have thought it was a seasonal store, except for the huge storefront.

This was around the corner from the big Snoopy store shown above.  But why was the sign in English?

On our way to Tsujiki Fish Market, we cut through the vegetable market (I highly recommend this, as your alternative is to be run down by the delivery carts on the main road). In any case, I was surprised to see produce shipped in all the way from California.

The Japanese have an entire seperate economy that covers the giving of gifts.  It is estimated that the average Japanese person will give $100,000 worth of gifts in their lifetime, recouping a similar amount in graduation, wedding, and childbirth gifts.  (Most of it is recouped in cash at your wedding -- staying single is a costly decision in Japan). Unlike the American "thought that counts" approach, the actual price of a gift is important in Japan -- with the interesting consequence that as long as everyone knows it's expensive, it doesn't matter that much what it is. The 13 piece fruit gift-basket on the right costs $315.00 .

A vending machine for high quality teddy bears.  Not that I've ever remembed I needed a children's gift at the last second....

There is something just disturbing about the way this display is constructed.  I think it's the mismatched scale.

They put *what* in the crepes?

The smaller text on the sign above the garage door reads "plasti surgery".  It used to say "plastic surgery", but the "c" has fallen off. It's probably not in anyone's best interest to have plastic surgery done at a place that doesn't care about appearances.

Walking through a market early in the morning, I thought these were cinnamon rolls.  Oops.

There was a nice monolith that went with this.  I like to believe that the kanji reads "For those who gave their all" across the top.

Donk!

His hand waved back and forth.  It was very cute.

Those interested in the natural sciences see just a whale;  The Douglas Adam's fan sees a 5 minute old, spontaneously created sperm whale, thrashing its newly discovered tail just before it tries to make friends with the ground.