Odd

Stood by the side of the road, with her arm raised in the standard, I’m-crossing-so-please-be-careful gesture, this statue of an elementary school student is presumably just a reminder to motorists. But, with her sad eyes and damaged features, she acts as a deterrent in more ways than one.

A face that no doubt haunts the dreams of countless generations of children, not to mention parents and people who take her picture.

A pirate he may be, but in Tokyo, Captain Jack Sparrow has to cobble together his pieces of eight just like all the other commuters, and travel to work by train.

There are numerous photographs of Japanese scarecrows on this site. Some of them are really quite disturbing. Whereas others are downright wrong. But this one is arguably something else altogether, as it almost seems sentient.

With its busy trains and traffic-congested roads, Tokyo is a great city to navigate by bike; the side streets, sights and a real sense of freedom making even a commute something to relish rather than recoil from.

And if said bike also doubles as a workshop and therefore one’s workplace, it must be even more wonderful.

Dogs being carried is a common sight in Tokyo. Balancing on the back of scooters, however, isn’t. And even more unusual is one that looks as nonchalant as this unquestionably cool little canine.

It would be very harsh indeed to describe all Japanese police officers as dummies; after all, they are very good at giving directions.

Some of them, however, are.

Quite literally.