Day 7-10 - Neighbor of the Beast

Day 7-10: Neighbor of the Beast, Part 1

The majority of our time in Kyoto was spent on cultural sightseeing. When I arrived here the first things I noticed were:
1) Kyoto looks like Tokyo might have circa 1960
2) The city has the freshest air I've breathed in recent memory.

Out hotel room in Kyoto, much like Japan itself, was a cute entertainment center in a small package. There was a 440-channel radio tuner above the bed, with channels such as:

Japanese Idol
Heavy Metal
Elvis
Beatles
Birdcall/Auld Land Syne
Hyper Discotique (aka JAPANESE HAPPYCORE)
Discotique velfarre (more of the same)
Pachinko Arcade/Japanese Koto Hits
Marching Music/Koto with Mountain Stream (hard to believe, but this channel tormented me in my sleep)
Music for on the Job (this channel was so lame)/Classic Trio & Ensemble
Abacus Practice
Social Dance
Maternity Music (it was loud static, unless that's what being inside a womb really sounds like)
Music for Pets
Music for Dozing
Counting Sheep (a guy counting the sheep number in Japanese)
Fairyland Music
Auld Lang Syne (again!)
Alibi Sounds

Of course there were more standard fare such as BBC World Service, myriad ethnic music (the Afropop channel was my favorite), and the Highschool Girls Show channel. Thank goodness. Yet another example of a culture inundated by options. Damn, I wish I had 440-channel radio; I would never, EVER leave my room.

Personals

Thai female, 40, virgin, never had boyfriend, memorized the Kama Sutra, seeks first, you are rich, handsome, well-hung, pay for dinner and hotel. Want memorable night, marriage a possibility. Love of silence, is there? Are you tired of crowded jam, over active craze, super competitive society, or weird merry puppies? Come with me, take me to your pure heart, handsome, 173 cm, 58 kg, nonsmoker.

Oooh! It's Osaka's Kiddyland!!! 2500 sq. ft. of Hello Kitty, Tare-Panda..
Miffy...
And yes, even the Pets.com sock puppet!!!

Osaka subway car. Very orderly and quiet, except this one time an old, toothless woman sat down next to Tony and talked at him about the return to emperor rule.
Den Den Town, the Akihabara (consumer electronics central of Tokyo) of Osaka. As lively as Tokyo.
The bubbly new Vaio. Den Den Town, Osaka.

Another shot at bubbly Vaio. Den Den Town, Osaka.
The macabre interior of a multi-story arcade. This floor is almost devoted to those booths where you an take those cute sticky photos in myriad motifs. Osaka.
"I am DJ Shufflemaster, but tonight you can call me Photomaster."

We chose the Doraemon booth. Photomaster goes over our picture options with Tony.
1) Free wallpaper
2) A "Game" from the photo booth while we waited for the pictures to be developed.
Many restaurants in central Osaka tend to have larger-than-life crustaceans at their front.

The banner behind us says "Eat Until You're Dead!!!!!!!" That clown is a famous icon in Osaka. There are keychains bearing the clown's image.
A shot of a street just off the main thoroughfare, Osaka.
Obligatory group photo. Left to right: Masami Fujii, Tony, Shufflemaster. Osaka.

Sometimes love means "Turn off that camera or I'll break your face." Osaka train station.
Our room number. It was quite possible that last year Tony stayed in 667. Leaves me to wonder what's so special about the hotel room of the beast. Kyoto.
The first thing I see on TV was excerpts from kabuki theater, oddly enough filmed from the Kabuki-za, where we saw it live. Kyoto TV.

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Oooh! It's Osaka's Kiddyland!!! 2500 sq. ft. of Hello Kitty, Tare-Panda..	Miffy...	And yes, even the Pets.com sock puppet!!!
Osaka subway car. Very orderly and quiet, except this one time an old, toothless woman sat down next to Tony and talked at him about the return to emperor rule.	Den Den Town, the Akihabara (consumer electronics central of Tokyo) of Osaka. As lively as Tokyo.	The bubbly new Vaio. Den Den Town, Osaka.
Another shot at bubbly Vaio. Den Den Town, Osaka.	The macabre interior of a multi-story arcade. This floor is almost devoted to those booths where you an take those cute sticky photos in myriad motifs. Osaka.	"I am DJ Shufflemaster, but tonight you can call me Photomaster."
We chose the Doraemon booth. Photomaster goes over our picture options with Tony.	1) Free wallpaper 2) A "Game" from the photo booth while we waited for the pictures to be developed.	Many restaurants in central Osaka tend to have larger-than-life crustaceans at their front.
The banner behind us says "Eat Until You're Dead!!!!!!!" That clown is a famous icon in Osaka. There are keychains bearing the clown's image.	A shot of a street just off the main thoroughfare, Osaka.	Obligatory group photo. Left to right: Masami Fujii, Tony, Shufflemaster. Osaka.
Sometimes love means "Turn off that camera or I'll break your face." Osaka train station.	Our room number. It was quite possible that last year Tony stayed in 667. Leaves me to wonder what's so special about the hotel room of the beast. Kyoto.	The first thing I see on TV was excerpts from kabuki theater, oddly enough filmed from the Kabuki-za, where we saw it live. Kyoto TV.