Who IS that masked man?

or...uh...woman?!!


Quality Bar, Mizonokuchi... what else to say...I think the picture says it all...

Ah hah! That masked man...

It was Stephen! Should have known...

Cheeky won't travel Coach anymore...

It's LV or nothing ...
that Cheeky Monkey !!











at a fountain in Kyoto

Beard Wig

You would not believe me if I told you, approximately US$2500 for a beard wig. It looks stunning as well. Wonder what speed I would have to drive at in my convertible car for it to blow off?

-s

Shinkansen 'Bullet Train' Ticket

The Shinkansen Train system in Japan is excellent. Fast, efficient, comfortable and always on time. But, the trouble is I can't figure out what the stations are on the ticket. The train itself has English notices, English Electronic messages and even English announcements, but the ticket leaves you lost. This, buy the way, is a ticket from Tokyo to Utsunomiya.

-s

Shibuya 109

A famous night time view of Shibuya 109 department store. Shops, restaurants, bars and people wearing strange clothes, that's what you get in Shibuya.

-s

JR Rubbish

Poster found in Mikawa-Anjou station, instruction on throwing your rubbish where people can't see it. Good idea really, better than just dropping it in the middle of the road.

-s

Chirston Cafe - Shibuya

The front of the menu says "A restaurant with the look of a church". Well, they are not wrong, just like eating and drinking at your local chapel, minus the good food, drinks, music and flashing lights. But then again it is a long time since I have been to church, so perhaps they are all like this one today. Seemed to be very popular for birthdays, heard 'Happy Birthday' sung by the staff four times.

-s

Taxis waiting for the drunk Salaraymen

Here in Japan, the office worker is called a 'Salaryman'. Typically they work long hours in an office, commute long distances and go out drinking after work with colleagues. Often the last train home is packed full of red faced, drunk and sake smelling men in grey suits. Here is a bank of Taxi's at Utsunomiya station waiting to pick up drunks from the last train.

-s

Watami - Casual Japanese Restaurant

Large chain of restaurants in Japan run by a company called Watami. This is an example of what you might get when you order of the menu, lots of small dishes that you all share. Seems very good value for money as well.

-s

Form Seattle with Love

This is a little emergency package sent over to Tokyo from our dear friend Michelle in Seattle. It contains all those little luxuries that you can's get in Japan, Microwave Popcorn, dried Cherries and a can of real Aspen Powder Snow. Trouble is the snow has melted, but it might come in handy during the next earthquake and the water runs out.

-s

Cats in microwaves

Here in Japan most people live in small houses or very small flats, so it should come as no surprise that there is very little place to keep pets. Thus, the microwave oven doubles as cooking device and cat home, just don't get the two confused, otherwise your US$1500 (yes, US$1500, UKP750) will go up in smoke.

-smele

Hanning in Lights!!

THE Classic Osaka "skyline"....
-r 

Priced to Smell

The Japanese equivalent to
America's "Dollar Shoppe" and the UK's "One Pound~Fifty P Shoppe".

2 Floors of superb crap ...Osaka
-r

Super Size Me

Better than the competition... Small Sadness........
(Osaka)
-r

Golden Week

The Golden Week is a collection of four national holidays within seven days. In combination with well placed weekends, the Golden Week becomes one of Japan's three busiest holiday seasons, besides New Year and the Obon week.

The national holidays making up the Golden Week are:

April 29 Greenery Day (Midori no hi): April 29 used to be the birthday of Emperor Showa, who died in the year 1989. After his death, the day was changed into a national holiday for environment and nature, since the emperor loved plants and nature. From 2007, this national holiday will be renamed Showa Day, while Greenery Day will be moved to May 4.

May 3 Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi): On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect.

May 4 "Between Day" (Kokumin no kyujitsu): According to Japanese law, a day which falls between two national holidays is also declared a national holiday, unless the "between day" is a Sunday, in which case it will be just a regular Sunday. From 2007, Greenery Day, currently celebrated on April 29, will be moved to May 4.

May 5 Children's Day (Kodomo no hi): The Boy's Festival (Tango no Sekku) is celebrated on this day. Families pray for the health and future success of their sons by hanging up carp streamers and displaying samurai dolls, both symbolizing strength, power and success in life. The Girl's Festival, by the way, is celebrated on March 3.

(the picture is from outside a temple in Kyoto...and yes! those are indeed-cigarettes in the statutes mouths...and no! I do not have any idea why!)

Cheeky's Shochu

Cheeky with our bottle of shochu at one of our regular Mizonokuchi haunts: Toma's.

This is a common practice all over Japan:
Restaurants/bars that you are frequently customers of--
Purchase an entire bottle of sake or shochu - Drink what you will, and then leave the bottle behind the bar for next time.

The barman will put a "name tag" around the bottle and it is popular to bring your own bottle cap. So...When in Rome....
(unfortunately, Cheeky is of the opinion that he requires his own bottles...bit high-maintenance that little monkey is...have NO idea where he gets that from?!!) 

More karaoke

A duet- Rebekah and Cheeky. We have a huge fan base...in Ota City....
 

Karaoke

Stephen and Cheeky doing karaoke -Ota City, Gunma Prefecture.

 

Smoked Eels

In Hamatsu, western Japan, smoked ells on rice are the popular dish here. This is a typical dish from a restaurant under the station in Hamatsu. The ells are smoked and then a special soy sauce based sauce is applied. This can be repeated many times to build a smokey soy sauce taste. Not cheap, at about $25US for this meal. I thought that the meal was alright, but I don't really see what all the singing and dancing is about.

Oh! Sock ya!

Have spent a pleasant week in Osaka. Bit of ame (rain) but nonetheless, enjoyable. Well, I`m sure Stephen may have another viewpoint. Standing all day at the Company`s booth at an Exhibition...a MOLD Exhibition of all things. YAWN!!! Yesterday he counted that he had spoken all of 10 words........ Unfortunately, when finished for the day, he meets me in the hotel and goes on-and-on-and-on... about anything. He is afraid he is going to become a mute soon with all this lack of speaking!

Last night went to a restaurant for traditional Osaka dish: Okonomiyaki... have taken pictures for you...but on the hotel`s computer right now...and can`t access them. Will put pictures on later so you can view this gastro delight!

Okonomiyaki restaurants (okonomiyaki-ya) serve large, savory pancakes made with diced seafood, meat and vegetables. "Okonomiyaki" literally means "cook what you like," and customers get to choose their own favorite ingredients and then cook up their pancakes right at the table. Because the customers choose their own ingredients, Japanese sometimes compare okonomiyaki to pizza, although the similarity really ends there.

And if you are feeling VERY adventurous...here is a recipe for it: http://markun.cs.shinshu-u.ac.jp/hobby/okonomi/index-e.html

We forgot the Cheese, Grommit!!!

Oh yeah!!! Subarashi!!! A SUPER Cheese Machine!! Must get me one of those! Watch out for those crabs. They will swim right out of that tomato sauce if you're not careful!
Futaka Tamagawa-Italian Restaurant/rebekah

FRESH Opening!

As opposed to 18 March...when it is the Stale Opening...
Ginza/rebekah

Little Orphan Annie

Classic problem when you go to the hair salon.... and don't speak the language.............
Quality Bar-Mizonokuchi/rebekah

Biru. Mo ipai.

Ah. Our little Cheeky's first beer. At our Chinese place in Musashi Shinju.

How YOU doin' ?