hey.

a girl among the bikes, bathed in fluorescent pollution emanating from the convenience store.  about 70% of the bikes are silver; add in to the mix a few can chu-hi and it's astounding that anyone ever gets home on the right ride.

For some reason this bottled Asahi Super Dry, shrunk wrap in plastic and called "STEINY," is about 10% less than the cans.  Cans run about 205 Yen per, and these babies--much better being bottled, though I'm no Asahi SD fan--can be had for about 180.

Size is comparable...334 ml.

checking out the STEINY and liking what she sees.

statistically, Asahi Super Dry is the largest selling Bud, I mean, Beer, in Japan.  and most women seem to like it for its light clean taste.

most foreigners seem to prefer KIRIN or Yebisu, The Premium Malt's and assorted local craft brews...and of course all the Import Ales & Lagers & Stouts on tap at the pubs & gaijin meat markets.

I mean, a rittle fucking lacist...don't you chink?

Be me for Halloween!!!

this "PARTY JOKE" says "Haroooo (= Hello) GaiJin-san"

OK, so this country is a little racist, in that they distinguish constantly between Us and Not-Us.  But it plays out in a very Man Who Would Be King sort of way.

this cat looked all kinds of suspicious, throughout his entire conversation, puttied & smoking into that corner there along busy OikeDori.

('course, he probably thought the same of me, skulking and clicking through about 5 cycles of traffic lights.)

the sole ray of joy in an otherwise dreary & decrepit playground buried in central Kyoto and ringed by barbed wire.

serious gamer; serious 'phones.

on the train into osaka.

SCRABBLE ®

peace!

yes, we have some rule infractions, but overall a good board you must agree, especially if you ever heard the players actually use English.

(p.s. the girl at the end of that arm is pretty fine).

say, when does the fun get here?

(yes, the playground.)

nice buttcyclist

the bullet points out of a recent letter, from japandemic fan and motivational speaker 'J. from Australia'.

Thanks...will do.

the playground.

(north perimeter, looking skyward; view from the benches.)

Hands Off!!!

just a friendly reminder from the local police dept to salarimen, perverts, otaku creeps and the like.

(a poster seen in Kyoto subway stations)

　(rumor is, that if you want that kind of action you have to negotiate it in the karaoke boxes like anyone else.)

orange!!! 

easy to find, even in the dark.  even drunk.

UNSCRAMBLE the below 26 characters into the entire history of Western Literature, Poetry and Philosophy. (Repetitions and additional punctuation permitted.)

 lifted, about verbatim, from the Comics edition (#13) of McSweeney's, Chris Ware's cool cover. the idea is tremendous and it's his; I'm just presenting it because I like it and wish I had thought it up. hopefully this counts as allowed "reproduction...for purposes of favorable review."

I did take the picture, though.

waiting for something better to come along...

Seen from the Outside.™

you know how old i'll be by the time i learn to play the piano!?!

yeah, the same age as if you don't.

(what with all the copyright infringement lawsuits, maybe best get permission from Estate of Eadweard Muybridge here.)

rolling w/ kitty

That can't be good.

...hope it's not North Koreans.

(my supreme knowledge of Japanese kanji tells me that someone meandered, for some reason, onto the train track, bringing confusion & delay.)

pray

So You Don't Starve to Death

Chopstick Use and Etiquette

E-Z Directions:

1. Learn to read Japanese.

2. Follow the simple instructions laid out in the diagram.

Public Service Bulletin # 41            brought to you by

hey! where are you?          I'm crossing the bridge.       me too!  what are you wearing?

  my kimono.                   oh my god!  me too!!!               sugoi !!!

fellow readers: if you like this site please spread the word like human manure over an Edo Period rice field.  thanks.  doumo arigato!

posting a link to this site also much appreciated and good karma for you. 

have a seat.

let me give you a hand with that, little lady...