This particular traditional tofu shop may not possess ghostly apparitions in its window panes like some do, but despite only dealing with bean curd and not silently screaming demons, a break now and again is still definitely called for.
Archives for February 2011
A photogenic old fella in a photogenic Shinjuku alley
Due to its complicated mass of overhead cables, cluttered confusion and seemingly carefree approach to building controls, Tokyo certainly isn’t one of the world’s prettiest cities.
But sometimes, somehow, all of these factors come together to create fabulously photogenic thoroughfares. Features that, when frequented by equally photogenic old fellas, are even more fantastic.
Uniform-clad nationalists at Yasukuni Shrine on National Foundation Day
Similar to places in other parts of the world, Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine is a place dedicated to the memory of those who died fighting for their country, with its current Symbolic Registry of Divinities listing the names of some 2,466,000 enshrined men and women.
The problem with Yasukuni, however, is that included in that number are 1,068 Class-B and Class-C war criminals, plus, even more controversially, 14 suspected Class-A criminals. A situation that not surprisingly makes the shrine a political issue in Japan itself, and a far bigger problem when it comes to the country’s already fractious relations with its Asian neighbours — especially so when top ranked politicians, whether in an official or unofficial capacity, make high profile visits to pay their respects to those enshrined there.
And yet that said, on most occasions, Yasukuni is a peaceful place, with the only activity being a relatively steady stream of generally older visitors. People who are quite possibly there to offer prayers to family members or fallen comrades.
But on politically sensitive days, or those with national significance, it can be a very different place indeed, as it’s the destination of choice for Japan’s black truck-borne, uniform-clad, nationalists. Like on Friday for example, as it was National Foundation Day. Photographs of which, without any further comment from me, are posted below.
Maid(s) in Japan
Far from the brief fad it seemed destined to be, the maid cafe business surprisingly keeps battling on, with spin-offs from the original theme, such as vampire varieties, amazingly keeping the customers coming back.
But with so many cafes in operation, competition is understandably intense, and as such, it’s fair to say that flyer distributing maids are now as common on Akihabara’s corners as gadgetry. Or even camera carrying geeks.
A Banksy-like bit of art in Tokyo
A bit of Banksy-like graffiti down a Tokyo side street. And one that, quite appropriately considering its location, boasts a Louis Vuitton swag bag.
Praying for Prada?
There’s often doubt cast on the authenticity of monks sometimes seen praying on Tokyo’s streets, with suspicions that more than a few of them are elaborately dressed fraudsters merely after some money; the validity of either the doubters, or indeed those possibly doing the praying, I personally have no way of proving.
So, with this in mind, and considering that he was photographed in Tokyo’s glitzy and brand-driven Ginza district, this particular man may well have been preoccupied with nothing more spiritual than a Prada emblazoned bag, but, for reasons I can’t really explain, I think he could be for real.