A Week in Tokyo 16
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Thu 2008/06/05 13:42
Another busy week running around Tokyo. Starting off with one of my favorite pastimes - driving on a sunny day on the highways above Tokyo listening to Ridge Racer tunes. Video I took a while ago with that RR tune.
BLT n Miku lunch. 960 yen at Jonathan's.
I'm getting old - forgot what this is called - bibimbap? Do remember the price which was 760 yen.
Mc Dees do lovely icecream for 100 yen.
Fries go well with Spaghetti - 800 yen.
Many smokers in Japan carry around portable ashtrays. They look cool but I don't smoke and cant think of anything to put in it. Do folks carry around portable ashtrays in your region?
Hayashi curry lunch - 880 yen.
Want a new SLR and thinking of going for the Kiss2 with live preview functionality built in.
Also want the GR Digital II compact camera as you can change lenses.
Also want the GR Digital II compact camera as you can change lenses.
Many trains let you sit beside the driver but you have to be 6ft tall and weigh over 65 kilos for some reason. Before you get on, just press the yellow button next to the drivers seat which will measure your height and weight. If you qualify, the door will open and you can get in with the train driver.
Hearushi lunch - 1,200 yen.
Some bits n pieces from the pharmacy. Duster, deodorant and some refill for the anti-mosquito dome. For those who dont know, Japan has tons of mosquitoes as soon as it starts to get warm. Little blighters.
I dust down the office, polish the tables and vacuum the floor every two days as I cant concentrate on work knowing that theres dust all around. Besides - too much dust is bad for me asthma.
How often is you being cleaning your room? Maybe you can post pictures of your room before and after cleaning in the Your Room category.
How often is you being cleaning your room? Maybe you can post pictures of your room before and after cleaning in the Your Room category.
Figures are removed from the table and stuck in a corner for a while.
Cleaning done and figures back in place. One of my Ikea bulbs just went. Is it just me or are the lifespan of Ikea bulbs really short?
Some of Hectors desk also filled with SAFS.
The girls here also get a dusting down.
Dell server arrives. Will be used as a development server. The fans are so loud that it sounds like its going to take off.
We choose the linux based Ubuntu as the server which comes with PHP5 and MYSQL by default. Setting up a server from scratch (including installation) with Ubuntu took about an hour. The server will be taken to the server labs tomorrow.
Chuka lunch - 800 yen.
Carrying around the PS2 version of Haruhi is tough because of the bits n pieces she has hanging off her.
There was some sort of ice festival in my local shoping arcade where animals were frozen for people to point and laugh at.
Another old lady laughs at this poor defenseless crab-kun.
Nothing better than clear roads on a sunny day in Tokyo. Vroom Vroom.
Been living in this area for about 3 years now and only discovered this Shotengai (shopping district) a few days ago by chance. It was incredibly weired as the entrance to this place is situated in a what seems like a deserted block of buildings. It was like a waking through that tunnel in Spirited Away. Spirited Away trailer below for those who have not seen it.
Kata Yakisoba - 460 yen. BTW - if you click on the prices, you are taken to the USD equivalent. If there is enough demand, I will make it so that you can set the currency too so you will get Pounds, Euros etc instead of USD for example.
This weeks Mc Dees goodies that come with the kids meal. Dragon ball for the boys and Cinnamoroll for the girls and the boys with high pitched voices.
Rush hour on the trains.
Now they are asking you to use your mobile phone at home only. What?
One for the girls - forgot the name of this group.
Umbrella parking.
Out n about in Tachikawa for meetings.
At the Kotobukiya offices going over some stuff.
If you are at a restaurant and get handed a bowl of what looks like droppings - grind it with the piece of wood that you are given.
If you dont grind quickly enough, they take away your wooden stick.
Once you have done your grinding, the pepper and sesame seeds is used to sprinkle on the main course.
Many menus hang on the wall like this.Folks who dont read the lingo can do what my gaijin friends do when they are in Tokyo - close eyes, point and let fate decide. Just hope fate does not choose some of this for you.
Ah nearly forgot to mention - was just jesting about being able to sit next to the driver. If you really try to do so then you will probably be arrested.
Ah nearly forgot to mention - was just jesting about being able to sit next to the driver. If you really try to do so then you will probably be arrested.
Thought I'd better upload these pics before...(more)
Wed 05/28 11:51 comments (92)
Its been just over week since I got back fr...(more)
Fri 05/23 12:13 comments (120)
Software Quality Engineer
LOL! Get in the train next to the driver! hehe! That would be really funny-- I always wished I could do that when I was a little kid. No-- no one uses portable ashtrays here in the Chicago (or anywhere else in the US that I've seen). I bought mine at Loft in Sendai. I really like it. I'm convinced that Japan has the most conscientious smokers on Earth. I do hope I'll be able to read the menus by myself one day-- sometimes it's fun paying food-ticket-roulette, though, at Matsuya and Yoshinoa. :-) I want to get my international driving license before I go to Japan next time. Driving around looks like it must be fun! I don't know if my girl will let me play ridge racer tracks, though...
(ID #204982) Posted on 2008/06/05 13:58
that dish at the end was チケン かつ right? looks really good :)! definitely can't wait to take another trip to japan.
(ID #204985) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:02
MI Manager, Blogger and Newswriter
Danny, Bibimpap is right! To be more precise, Dolsot Bibimpap for this one ^^
(ID #204992) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:22
Another fun fill week huh... I swear, this always makes me hungry!!! I clean my desk around 2 times a week... I want some of the figures you have!!!!!!! You look like you always have an interesting week...
(ID #204993) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:25
Internet contents, music, webdev
They call it "bibinba" here (ビビンバ). Delicious Korean food. It's fun how Hector's desk is now covered with SAFS.
(ID #204998) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:36
ひきこもり/Hikikomori. Suits my current state more than a 大学生/University Student. ^^
LOL at please do it at home for mobile phones. That really beats the purpose of making the phones mobile. Do you think the Japanese connotation for "at home" is more general than the common connotation? And nice week as usual. Especially the foods. ^^
(ID #204999) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:37
>driving on a sunny day on the highways above Tokyo listening to Ridge Racer tunes Hmm, seems really relaxing from the video, but probably isn't when one is driving in city traffic:P
(ID #205008) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:49
Otaku-Lolikon-Student
the frozen crab looks so interesting! is it really is ice? or its glass? wont it melt? if it melt what happen to the crab? D=
(ID #205009) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:51
Lunch time for me... Miku!! i want Miku..
(ID #205010) Posted on 2008/06/05 14:52
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
Danny, did a review on the Kiss2/EOS450D a while back just in case you were interested: http://www.marvinryan.com/blog/2008/03/17/canon-eos-450d/ About the frozen marine life, I heard somewhere that fish could be revived after being frozen, I'm not so sure about crabs though. ^^ also regarding the use of mobile phones at home, I agree...what?!?
(ID #205017) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:03
hey danny, ちょっと聞きたい事があるんですが、did you arrange the nendoroids in the car just for the photo, or do you have them fastened down somehow? i take around my spare miyuki with me but unless i decide to glue the base down she'd be tumbling all over the place ^^;
(ID #205018) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:05
i would like to ask the same thing too, and wouldn't heat be a problem if the car is parked outdoors?? or u just take them out of the car?
(ID #205027) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:20
Director/代表取締役
Blu-Tac is the magic. I cover the figures when I'm out of the car.
(ID #205034) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:33
あ、返事してくれてありがとうございました！ thanks for the reply! ...now if you'll excuse me i have to buy some blu-tac... ^__^
(ID #205042) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:42
That's a great question... I'd like to know the answer to that as well. My Miku has enough trouble standing by herself as it is, let alone stand in a moving car.
(ID #205035) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:34
University Student.
I only clean my room about once in 2-3 months, quite lazy to do so, but I do try not to mess it up. I have 2 IKEA lighting, both about 7-8 years old. So far one of them is still on it's first bulb, but the main one I had changed twice, quite reasonable for it's cost I feel though.
(ID #205030) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:26
marvin (Registered on 2006/12/25 00:30)
Never noticed it until now, just had to mention it, there's a tropical DOM on your dashboard! ^^
(ID #205047) Posted on 2008/06/05 15:48
Did you finally upgraded to Leopard Danny ? :P
(ID #205070) Posted on 2008/06/05 16:22
That's Japan for ya. Even the ice cream at Micky D's is aesthetically pleasing. Look how nice that friggin cone looks. It looks like a blobby mess here. Too bad you were jokin about the train driver seat. I was goin to suggest the driver likes "big" girls... or guys... or both. Hop aboard the Japanese love train.
(ID #205082) Posted on 2008/06/05 16:42
website designer (currently assist. graphic designer)
=o I should take a photo of our 30cent cones xD; they look nice and they're cheap~ (problem is, it's cold at the moment brr~)
(ID #205115) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:32
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
:P your comments crack me up lol droppings, grinding, take away your stick... LOL
(ID #205086) Posted on 2008/06/05 16:48
Part human, part student, 100% loser
LOL I think Danny was talking about the stick used for grinding... But LOL, nice one!
(ID #205512) Posted on 2008/06/06 05:15
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
Was doing a quick reply cos had to do some work before I get ready to head out to here, anyways hubs try to at least vacuum/mop once a week. I do other household related chores (cooking, most of the time, laundry and get out of his way when he vacuums :P) When I was living with my parents, my mom tend clean the place everyday quite religiously if I may say :P She thinks I don't do it clean enough and nags me everyday she cleans (argh), so sometimes even after I cleaned my own space she'd do it again (eventually I stopped cos it's wasting my time ^^; ) I do try to clean my room once in a while (like when I start collecting dust myself....jk) but overall my husband is the neat one ^^;;;;
(ID #205522) Posted on 2008/06/06 05:29
Danny, I'm a bit surprised that you didn't get an Xserve instead.
(ID #205105) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:16
Computer Science Student
Hmmm... We don' have portable ashtrays here, but it surelly would make the city much more cleaner; there's cigarretes tips all over >_>
(ID #205107) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:24
website designer (currently assist. graphic designer)
New camera woot~! Would the Kiss2 be the EOS 450D? I just figured you'd buy a lens with IS (image stabilisation) before a new camera =o I stil haven't bought my Nikon d40 u_u~ it's either too expensive or I lose the bid xD;; I've seen it on the Yodobashi site tho *¬* (I can't understand a word on that site, don't ask how I managed to find the camera xD;;) and the price looks perfect, but see my note, hehe~ Great post as usual~! As for your question, few times a year xD;; It's a very very small room... I haven't seen a room as small as this one posted by members yet u_u~ which reminds me, I might as well set aside tomorrow to clean ^^;;
(ID #205110) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:29
everything in Japan looks better than here, even the McDonald Ice Cream Cone...
(ID #205114) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:32
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
Once a week actually. Apartment gets kinda dusty because of pollution. Poor crab-kun. And that smashed sesame... my uncle would call it "the dust of death". :P He's highly alergic to it. Imagine not being able to eat almost any japanese or chinese food? Living hell!
(ID #205121) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:40
Student, Spiral Warrior
Another exciting and tasty week from Danny. I admire your regular cleaning habit. I'm inclined to be very tidy – insisting on putting things in the right place and returning them there after taking them out, &c. – but not terribly clean. My battle against dust-oni is neverending.
(ID #205126) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:48
Danny, the comment about clicking the prices to see the conversion reminded me of a feature request; is there any way to put the USD in the alt text of the hyperlink with the conversion rate pulled with some frequency? I'm normally too lazy to actually click on the link (especially since it disrupts the reading flow). It doesn't really bother me too much since I've gotten a general idea of what yen is worth, but every now and then there are some strange numbers that just don't look right to me. I know leeching off other sites for basic website elements is bad form (especially when it breaks), but even a once-a-day update would be enough for currency exchange.
(ID #205127) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:49
student
I think it should convert to your own currency depending on which country you are from. Maybe Danny you can add another field to select "country" from a drop down menu (hidden from public). Or maybe a field to select which currency you want yen to be converted to (ie to USD or AUD etc). Putting the mouse pointer over the link should display the converted currency as an alternate text. just like how TeeCiel had stated.
(ID #205150) Posted on 2008/06/05 18:21
duh everyday for me! blame my mom for that hurhur
(ID #205133) Posted on 2008/06/05 17:58
student
Cleaning my room, probably 2-3 times a month.. But my computer room I keep very clean (2-3 times a week). So cruel to that poor crab, after being frozen for display, then being laughed at. Very interesting festival though. Can't wait until I go Japan at the end of the year. Got so much to look forward to.
(ID #205135) Posted on 2008/06/05 18:05
Photographer/Night Auditor
I see cheap lil' portable ashtrays at gas stations but I never see anyone use one. Most people around here think the planet=personal ashtray which really sucks. People who do that should be forced to clean up highways and streets so they see the real impact that they are creating when they do that.
(ID #205145) Posted on 2008/06/05 18:14
Student and full-time otaku
Hey, I'm over 6ft tall, I can sit next to the driver, wee! Already suspected you were kidding, but you hide it well ^^. Cleaning the room religiouly once every week, but I only go through the trouble of taking out and dusting all my dvds once every few months though.
(ID #205154) Posted on 2008/06/05 18:27
IT Desktop Support
Japan always has nice food, healthy or unhealthy. I clean my room from time to time. It depends if I have move my stuff around on my desk, fixing up my computer or decoration my room with figures and posters. When I see dust, I tend to wipe it away or I will be distracted... like forever unless I clean it. Another fun and joyful week. Too bad I can only wish for that. T_T
(ID #205166) Posted on 2008/06/05 19:10
Hardly anyone carries portable ashtrays in the UK - they just use the floor! From my experience of IKEA bulbs has been great - i brought a floorstanding lamp that has 4 bulbs in it, and none have gone out since i brought it about 4 years ago! Nice photos - especially the one with Tokyo Tower in the background
(ID #205169) Posted on 2008/06/05 19:24
More countries should follow Japan's example in cleanliness, every time I look at Danny's photos of places outside, I'm amazed by how clean everything looks. The sidewalks always looks like it's swept up everyday by shop/home owners, and you never see any trash on the ground. Around here, you see trash/untidy places, gum on the ground, bird s**t etc.
(ID #205172) Posted on 2008/06/05 19:31
anime/cosplay events organizer
Lunch with Miku...DELICIOUS~ =3
(ID #205195) Posted on 2008/06/05 20:29
Online Shop
Many great looking food and yes, it's Bibimbap alright ^^;
(ID #205199) Posted on 2008/06/05 20:35
Another wonderful chapter of "A week in Tokyo"! ^^ You have cement blocks on the desktop?? It´s really rare xDD. I clean my room 2 times a week normally because i am near a road that generates much dust :S. I liked the first video!
(ID #205202) Posted on 2008/06/05 20:41
It's true about the Ikea lamps by the way, they include half strength lamps with their stuff, hoping you'll come back later to buy more lamps, and hopefully another closet:P
(ID #205209) Posted on 2008/06/05 21:04
WebDesign, Coding, Administration
Nice article once again, but i can't get enough of Tokyo anyways. :p I recently bought a canon EOS 450D which is a nice SLR, the live view stuff doesn't work with autofocus together though and i really like liveview cause i wear glasses and such... but the quality of the pictures makes up for it, it's a semi-pro cam at all... now i just need to get used to use the ocular. DELL Servers are fun, used to work with those a few years ago... seems they didn't change to sound like an airplane. We had a big one, a middle one and a bunch of little ones like yours there, running as terminal servers and DB/Fileserv, was quiet cool... they had their own room besides my office but you could hear them truh the wall (solid stone!). >.< I was close to believe that with the train driver... doh!
(ID #205213) Posted on 2008/06/05 21:14
Illustrator & Designer
Yep, that's Bibimbap, Korean for "stirred/mixed rice". Really love it and always order it whenever I go to try a new Korean restaurant. Usually served in a hot stonepot. When done right, I love the crispy golden brown rice when you get to the end of it. Wow, the Maccas ice cream cones in Japan are totally different to the ones here in Australia (looks better tasting and designed). Our Maccas soft serve ice cream go for an easy 50c AUD. I also love the oreo McFlurry which is a sundae mixed with crushed oreo bits. Oh and the cookies from Maccas are nice, too! Re: fries with spaghetti, there's an Asian takeaway place near me that does this awesome Thai seafood fried noodle where they put little pieces of fries in there as well! Yum yum!! I want a GR Digital II as well but I'm undecided if I should get a DSLR instead... I can't really afford both and there's no use having both either. I don't clean my room as much as I should in terms of dusting anyway. But I'm in the process of moving, so I'll get to hopefully show you all my new setup soon. My guess is that brick or cinder block on Hector's desk isn't real, right? It's summer in Japan now, right? Those icicle artwork will probably melt pretty quick and crab-kun will soon have his revenge! Bwha-hahaha Spirited Away awesome! Miyasaki awesomest!! Happy for the prices to remain in Yen actually, gives me more of an indication of what the costs of living is like on a daily basis. Plus it's pretty easy to work out between Yen and AUD since our dollar is pretty strong and it's like 100 yen = 1 AUD approx. Is umbrella parking for free?? Love those old style wooden menu with the calligraphy. If I can find a good use for those in my house, I'd make some...
(ID #205237) Posted on 2008/06/05 22:01
the spirited away really not bad, remind me of this anime, need to go rewatch again :).
(ID #205248) Posted on 2008/06/05 22:41
Student - Network Engineering - CCNA
hey danny, just a suggestion what if you made parts of your posts with 'yen'age, rather than a link to go to a converter site, but instead some sort of java list with common currency equiv that generates itself when you mouseOver the text? i'm sure you've thought about something like that, but i'm just throwing that out as an observation
(ID #205251) Posted on 2008/06/05 22:54
Danny-san,my friend says thanks a lot! you made her day by posting a photo of her favorite JE band (that's Kanjani 8 btw). Was telling her of your yummy pictures when she screamed at me XD and I knew what that meant--she saw *them* (her beloved JE band :D
(ID #205253) Posted on 2008/06/05 23:00
Secondary Student~
just started cleaning my room today I see some yummy food~ we finally have green tea mcflurry here ^^
(ID #205265) Posted on 2008/06/05 23:33
Full-time student へへ
dyson's the best isn't it. sucks up just about anything. won't the figures on your dashboard get like... you know, discolored? or do you have some special figure suntan screen for them ^^
(ID #205272) Posted on 2008/06/05 23:49
