When the thermometers in Tokyo reach the intolerable temperature of 35 degrees, there’s apparently nothing for it but to kick off the brogues, park up the bike, and strip down to one’s boxers and bake on the nearest concrete-coated river bank.
Well-intentioned wall art?
7/30/2009 by 4 Comments
The person whose property this is may not necessarily agree, but whoever painted it appears to have at least tackled the task with good intentions.
Yoshiwara soapland saunter (part 1)
7/29/2009 by 5 Comments
Since 1617, Tokyo’s Yoshiwara district has been synonymous with one thing — sex. Or more accurately, prostitution. And while the current area may now be officially known as Senzoku 4 Chome, and it’s in a location dating from slightly later due to a move in 1657, its business is still based around sexual services. Only now they are almost solely centred on soapland.
And while the number of establishments may not be quite as numerous as they once were in 1846.
They aren’t exactly lacking either.
Making it a district that really comes to life after dark,
although due to what goes on behind the decorously lit doors, and the dubious types that man them, taking pictures felt far from easy.
Especially as privacy for the punters is paramount, with fellas furtively dashing out of cabs and cars.
Leaving the streets, for Tokyo at least, unusually bereft of people.
The only faces really to the fore being those of the women who work there, with their slightly daring demeanours prominently displayed for those paying to take their pick.
Next week, in part 2, I’ll take a more light-hearted look at some of the novel names given to some of these places as, for reasons unknown, English monikers are particularly popular.
Tour de Tokyo?
7/28/2009 by 1 Comment
This bloke may not have the yellow jersey, but for reasons unknown, he does have a pink bike. Although the painstakingly placed postcards in his spokes may well be deemed as not too aerodynamic.
Recreational wreck revisited
7/27/2009 by 2 Comments
How and why this wrecked RV ended its driving days where it did is a mystery.
However, after a little less than a year since the picture above was first posted,
it not only looks more worse for wear,
but it’s entirely feasible that in another year or so down the line, it may not even be noticeable.
Bus stop benches
7/24/2009 by 1 Comment
Or actually, when there are no benches to rest one’s bottom on when waiting for the bus, some kindly types often donate the odd bit of disused furniture for posterior-based purposes, although exposed to all kinds of weather, they can very quickly get a bit worse for wear.
But even then, a bit of imagination can at least allow for plenty of character, if not exactly comfort.
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