Flea Markets in JapanIf they are anything like car boot sales here, I wouldn't bother, but the photo looks interesting. The only such market I ever saw in Japan was the one opposite Yoyogi Park - appalling rubbish spread out on the ground. You would think they'd have pro...
Japan Train ServiceYes, the London Underground was indeed the first underground railway (Metropolitan Railway, 1863). (A distinction must be made between TUBE and UNDERGROUND - the former runs in a bored tunnel, the latter runs in a covered over cutting just below grou...
Lumix GF1 ReviewI would prefer this to the rather handbag-y Olympus EP-1. However these cameras are unsuitable for shooting moving objects or action because of the VF time lag, and become useless in bright sun. Don't chuck the Canon just yet!
Lumix GF1Very similar to the Olympus EP-1, also uses the same micro 4/3 format. The EP-1 is nicer looking. Trouble with these is you have no optical VF, so you have to do chimp impersonations with the camera, and the screen usually becomes invisible in direct...
Olympus PenLooks pretty, but I wonder if - like any other screen-only compact - you can see the screen at all in bright sunshine? I doubt it... I'd prefer the Lumix G1 if I was buying a higher end 4/3rds digital. It has a VF...
Wonfes CoverageBrings back memories of the one I went to - Winter 2005! As we approached Big Sight on the train we could see the queue stretching back as far as the station we'd just passed! When we finally got to the back of the queue it was probably about a quart...
Tokyo Old PhotosThese are great, although there aren't many points of reference between the old photos and the new - maybe in most cases nothing is left!
D5000The D5000 is okay if you really want to shoot five minute movies and get live view and a tilting screen - which any upmarket compact has had for years - but if you just want to take photos with the great Nikon lenses the D60 gives you the same resolu...
Otaku GraduationReminds me of the bit in the Densha Otoko ("Train Man") TV series where he decides to stop being an otaku and sets all his figures adrift in a box on the river - then comes home to find the box on the table, as someone has found it and posted it back...
Japan Jury DutyJury service is theoretically compulsory in the UK, if you are ever called up - I only know one person who was. You normally get expenses from the court. It's only used in criminal cases.
Hoi Hoi SanThe manga by Kunihiko Tanaka (a brilliant artist, you should check his work out) was a satire on the whole moe/merchandise thing... translated by Infinity Studios, it may still be available online. The short anime was packaged with the Playstation ga...
Dollfie Custom HeadThese are absolutely brilliant. I was wondering when someone was going to make doll heads with an expression! You'd have to buy about six to get the full range of emotion though...
Dolls PartyGreat. The only thing that puts me off BJD is the price - online order is the only option as well. They don't have to be Volks DD though, LUTS and Iplehouse have a range of BJD stuff (web search for those if interested!!)
Tokyo MansionWell, 50,000 JPY a month is about 350 UKP - you wouldn't get a leaky garage for that in this country, let alone a fully fitted flat. It's just very, very small.
Figure Photo SetupOkay if you have access to such equipment. I use a tripod and two desk lamps with blue daylight bulbs, with the models on a table with a grey cloth backdrop - the results are warmer and have better modelling than say studio flash. The camera can be e...
Abunai SistersIs that animation supposed to be some kind of joke? It's the worst thing I've seen for a very long time. The real ones are infinitely preferable.
Stormtrooper ArmorGreat article. Shame I'm not a SW fan... that blaster was based on the old British Sterling submachine gun - on the closeup of the replica you can even see "Sterling" and "SMG" on the magazine holder. The old Kenner version must be much easier to car...
