Brush Me Sign

This sign on a door says "brush me" or "touch me" - "furete kudasai". Little sensors near the sign on the door frame respond to your light touch, and the door opens. I must have some kind of special gaikokujin aura, because I can never get the things to work - I have to literally touch the sensor itself and not just the sign. The newfangled Japan Rail touchpads on the ticket machines don't work for me consistently either.

Baru Tapas in Hiroo, Tokyo

Baru is a great Tapas place in Tokyo's Hiroo district between Tengenji and Platinum Street. Great Tapas and wine, and it is always packed with good-looking ladies (unless a certain Jason is there :). The master is a personable guy, who speaks a little English and a little Spanish. Go. You won't regret it.

Jack, Anna, Phil and Rick Tour Kamakura

Jack, Anna (pictured), Phil and I tried our hand at "omikuji" at the big Tsurugaoka Hachimangu shrine in Kamakura. Omikuji are fortunes that you draw by shaking a box of numbered sticks, the number corresponding to a white piece of paper with the fortune written on it. You can pray to improve your fortunes by folding and tying the omikuji paper onto a contraption shrines have, with horizontal wires. You can see it in the picture.

Seems when I take customers touring, someone always has to pull a "kyo" (worst luck)! Oh well, it can only get better. My year end omikuji in 2007 was a "kyo" but I drew a "daikichi" or "best luck" on New Years day, my birthday. Good luck to all in 2008!

Japan Post Office

Japan Post Office
Originally uploaded by Rick Cogley

A snap of the Japan Post Office logo, on our local post office's door. The sign you will see for the PO, or "yuubin kyoku" is a red T with two horizontal bars on the top. Lately, the PO has been marketing hard to better compete with private services - they have come round the office a couple of times to try to hawk their services. Much better than the PO of old, which was positively Imperious.

Kodomo Hyakutouban no Ie - "Kids' Emergency House"

Neighborhoods in Japan have people join the "Kids' Emergency House"
network, and affix these signs to their gates. If a child is in
trouble, they are taught in school that they can go to a house
designated this way, for help.

Baru in Hiroo

Baru in Hiroo between Tengenji and Platinum Street. Great Tapas!

Welcome to Snap:Japan

This is the first post on the Snap:Japan weblog. Welcome, and please come back to see snapshots of life in Japan.

Warm regards,
Rick