This red dragonfly was in Shinjuku Gyoen, a very large park. The park is about 144 acres in size, and a very pleasant place to walk around on a hot and humid day. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
I think this picture speaks for itself mostly. I can add that there were lots of McDonald’s in Tokyo and we did eat at one for dinner one night. We tried their spicy juicy chicken sandwich, which was okay I guess. It wasn’t exactly “fast” food. This particular restaurant was located between our hotel in Shinjuku and where Jeremy was working in the Yoyogi area. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
I wandered into Sofmap in Akihibara Electric Town without realizing what I was getting myself into. I’d already been to a Yodabashi Camera and it had a pretty good selection… but Sofmap? Best selection of camera equipment and accessories ever. I bought a portable 2-sided light reflector (gold and silver) and a Polarizer filter — I killed another one this trip. The stack of Nikon D700 bodies behind the counter made me drool, and then there was a whole ‘nother floor with a HUGE selection of video games. By far my favorite electronics store. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
Painting on ceiling of Asakusa Kannon Temple (also called Senso-ji). Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
I didn’t make it out to the fish market until close to 6am, which is too late to see the real action. In the really early morning hours, auctions take place for the freshest fish possible. On my way through the outer market, I passed this beautiful specimen partially exposed in its Styrofoam container, waiting to be shipped somewhere. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
A convenient feature at many restaurants are the plastic food models on display outside. We did not encounter many English speakers, so it was nice to be able to point at what we wanted and have a pretty good idea of what we were going to get. If there weren’t plastic models, sometimes we got lucky and the menu had pictures or had an English version. Every meal I ate there was delicious; I never quite got over feeling awkward about not knowing more Japanese, but it was worth it to eat so well. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
This creepy dude was very large and very attached to the front of a building in Shinjuku. I don’t remember what the store was selling, but I’m sure it was extra awesome. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
One of the best treats we ate in Japan was this ice cream sandwich from the convenience store. It’s a rectangle of ice cream, with a chocolate center, a light chocolate coating, covered by a wafer cone thing. Easy to eat and very tasty. In this picture you can see my hand holding the ice cream in front of our hotel room window. I highly recommend them. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
Jeremy and I were walking back from Harajuku to our hotel in Shinjuku when we passed this Mexican restaurant. The menu text might be hard to see through the glass, but one of the drinks is called “Muppet” and consists of Tequila and Ginger Ale. I was extremely tempted to try Mexican food in Japan, but it would have been a tough choice between “Muppet” and “Iguana.” Iguana apparently is made of Tequila, Kahlua, and Vodka, in case you’re feeling experimental. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
When I decided to have sushi for breakfast at the Tsukiji Fish Market, I ordered omakase. This basically means that the chef prepares what he wants to prepare at the price he sets. This is a picture of the menu outside the restaurant I decided on, which I chose because I liked the way it looked. Lucky for me it was very good, even though most of the items were new to me and it was a gamble. 3600 yen is about $34 USD, if you’re wondering. Tokyo, Japan. August 2008.
