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Thursday, August 23, 2012

A Brief Hello, from Japan

Tokyo, drink machines Photo by myself, in Tokyo, in Shibuya.

There are machines for canned and bottled drinks, and cigarettes everywhere in Japan.

Even on residential streets, you will come across a machine once in a while. Bottled water, sodas and iced coffee are available for around 100-150 yen, which is about $1.50-$2.00 US.

Tokyo is a very large city, broken up into various neighborhoods. The above photo was taken in Shibuya, where we stayed our first night. Shibuya is sort of like Times Square in that there are tons of people and giant billboards.

I've taken far fewer photos during our first days in Tokyo and Fukuoka for a couple reasons. One is that it is insanely hot. The other is that I was wearing the wrong footwear and was in a grumpy mood.

I don't recommend visiting Japan in August. The weather here is extremely humid. There are monsoon-like thunderstorms every afternoon.
    Tokyo, Shibuya A young waitress sat outside a restaurant in the early morning. The wall is covered in graffiti-inspired stickers.

Tokyo, graffiti
My fiance took this photo of some graffiti art.

For whatever reason, I've noticed a lot more graffiti on this trip. Stickers are everywhere, and some stickers are the product of graffiti artists in the US.

I'll be in Japan until the end of August. Photos will continue on this blog, in the meantime.

Related posts: Highlights from Japan, Part One, Highlights from Japan, Part Two, and Greetings, from Tokyo.

9 comments:

biebkriebels said...

I was surprised too to see all the grafitti in the first photo. I thought Japan was such a neat country.Sorry to hear about the weather, that must by exhausting.
But I like the pictures, keep going.

Olivier said...

en aout, tokyo est plus humide que NYC ?
le voyage commence bien avec de belles photos de rue

Marc said...

I'm a huge fan of their hot chocolate and corn soup. I miss the vending machines. I stayed in Shinjuku, but Nagasaki is really my favourite area

roentare said...

These vending machines are the best of the kind. They have so much variety. Yet, even warming up the drink in cold winters.

Kitty said...

Thanks Bieb!!

Hi Olivier
I have to say yes, it's more humid in Tokyo than NYC in August. It feels tropical here.

I don't know how people do it, but you see women dressed with stockings and sweaters. Mark thinks its because the offices are air conditioned

Hi Marc
That's cool! I will have to check out Nagasaki.

And here I thought I was the only one fascinated by the vending machines. They are so commonplace but there is something about them.

Hi James!
Neat-o. We've yet to come here during a colder month and will have to come back!

RedPat said...

Great pics, Kitty! Too bad about the heat though.

canvas prints said...

cool photo. your very good at this.

Banjo52 said...

Yes, keep 'em coming, please.

The young waitress with her head down--what would you think of "zooming" in on her a bit, cropping some of the surrounding detail? To me, she's the focus of that shot, and a very sympathetic focus at that.

chickenunderwear said...

BNE is in Japan too.