Tokyo Times

Photographs from a small group of islands

Odd

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Let’s lovely lager

After a long day at the office, a nice lager or two is just lovely — great even.

Japanese beer

That said, whether such sentiments are suitable for this soapy looking substance,

Japanese blue beer

or, heaven forbid, its scallop-based sister,

Japanese scallop beer

are debatable to say the least.

The blue stuff it turns out is made using melted ice floes, with the pigment from seaweed producing its far from tantalising tint, while the other mixture is made using molluscs which is more than enough information.

Both of which can be bought online along with other novelty beverages, including the guaranteed to make one baulk, Bilk — a bizarre milk and beer combo.

All produced in a suitably putrid 12 pack.

Japanese beer

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Japanese bovine blues

Due to being born and bred in the Japanese capital, on her first visit to my native northern England, Mrs Tokyo Times was captivated by the amount of cows that can be seen when simply out and about in the car. Yet after some admittedly far from fair Tokyo-based teasing, she defiantly proclaimed that she had seen a cow before, it just happened to have been in a zoo that’s all.

But cow-related quaintness aside, she quite plainly walks around with her eyes closed, as there’s no shortage of cows in the capital. They just happen to live at the side of the road,

Tokyo wildlife

in colour co-ordinated accommodation,

Tokyo wildlife

which quite plainly isn’t as much fun as a field.

Tokyo wildlife

Categorized: Odd

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Japanese hand towel hero

With Japan’s love of cute characters, it’s perhaps not surprising to find that the humble hand towel (oshibori) now has its own hero, although Dobby The Oshibori is a little more disturbing than adorable.

Japanese oshibori

That said, the funny-looking little fella does have his own manga, and unlike many characters, he is fairly well travelled,

Japanese oshibori

and laudably likes the odd lager.

Japanese oshibori

His creator, the Fujinami Towel Service, also has a museum, where there are other, more cuddly creations, such as penguins,

Japanese oshibori

and pets,

Japanese oshibori

although unfortunately, the famed phallus is suspiciously absent.

Japanese oshibori

However, as luck would have it, this video is conveniently at hand to sort of redress the balance somewhat.

(via the FG Forums)

Categorized: Odd

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Japanese dressing up depravity?

For Japanese party goers, the playful game of pulling pants off a partner’s head is probably about as puerile a practice as most people are prepared to participate in. However, for those looking to relive their younger days with fashion rather than mere frivolity, there’s always the option of procuring a pair of school pants (スクール パンツ), which are apparently ideal for the purchaser, or indeed their partner, to parade about in.

Japanese party wear

Alternatively, for those looking to make a real splash, there’s the rather more salacious school swim suit, which is either sickeningly sentimental,

Japanese party wear

or simply sinister.

Categorized: Odd

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Tokyo train treat

With women-only carriages now commonplace in the Japanese capital, and ladies finally fighting back against the furtive fiddles of fellow fare payers, those intent on still touching people on the train have had to seek alternative avenues — namely carriage-themed fetish clubs.

Japanese groping

Establishments where paying ‘passengers’ can indiscriminately touch up other travellers until the time comes for them to get off at their desired destination. A journey which presumably varies in distance, especially if the emergency stop lever gets prematurely pulled.

Japanese groping