16.05.05
Posted in Japan, in English at 22:00 by foppel
The Expo 2005 is near Nagoya this year, so I took the chance and went there…
I have to tell the truth: I actually didn’t plan on WHAT to do in the cities I chose to visit.. I just go there and try to get to see something..
The Expo was similar.. I chose Nagoya first, and then heard that the Expo is there, so I went for the Expo.
In one sentence: it was packed with people… It was impossible to get to an exhibition with less than 30 minutes waiting in the queue, and those were the fast ones..
I feared that the 4600yen ticket wasn’t worth it.. so I just strolled around and waited.. later that day it got better and I started to see some exhibitions.. Went to the USA exhibition, some South Asian exhib’s and to some of the corporate exhibitions…
I wanted to see how Germany presented itself, but Germany had the longest waiting line of all Country-exhibitions.. 2 hours!.. only the Toyota exhib was longer, there it was 2,5 hours.. and even near closing-time the German exhibiton had a waiting time of 70 minutes..
So all in all, the Expo was ok.. saw some funny stuff, but nothing really impressive.. I think that IT Job toughed me up in respect of new technology.. I am not easily impressed anymore..
The overall tone of the Expo was about preserving nature anyway, Germany did the exhibition on Bio-technologie…
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Posted in Japan, in English at 22:00 by foppel
So, I went to that Yakitori-shop again which I found yesterday.
This Yakitori-shop is run by a family who’s really nice.. Dad grills the meat, mother, aunt and daughters wait the guests, and the young apprentice is messing up the orders…
When I went there a second time today, the welcome was even louder and warmer.. it seems that foreigners are seldom but appreciated guests here 
I read my orders from the japanese menu, which seemed to impress the guy sitting next to me..
After my second beer he ordered a beer for me and told me how cool he thinks it is that I do this tour and odering in japanese and everything..
Now you can imagine, discussing stuff in Japanese with a slightly drunk guy, while being slightly drunk myself can be considered a baptism of fire, don’t you think? His son, who arrived a bit later, helped by forming simpler sentences for me… but it was in japanese nontheless..
After another beer, he then left as he didn’t seem to have the stamina of a german when it comes to beer 
I really liked that place… But I have to leave for Kyoto tomorrow, realising that nearly half of my vacation is already over…
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15.05.05
Posted in Japan, in English at 22:00 by foppel
the first thing about nagoya I recognized was that there are less english sings and less non-asian people..
But Nagoya is a nice place.. I would say about the size of Stuttgart, big enough to find something new, small enough to get to know the people..
Only downer is, it looks like the typical post-war concrete city, as it was pretty much leveled in WWII.
But they even rebuilt the Castle, and although it is concrete as well, it actually is quite nice and has some cool exhibitions (if you like exhibitions about middle-age Japan)
After that I visited the local Shinto-shrine, which is something like a national treasure, as it is supposed to hold one of the three artifacts the emperor needs to rule the country.. (its the sword, of those who know what i am talking about)
The Ryokan I am staying in is quite nice, fully equipped with tea and television.. which was good after I had some trouble finding it
I have to say, I like the city.. the girls are cuter as well, as they are not as much ‘made up’ as the girls in Tokyo used to be.. and the people seem to be nicer as well..
After having a bath in the ryokans luxuriosly big o-furo, I am heading out to get something to eat, I try to get some yakitori and some beer
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14.05.05
Posted in Japan, in English at 22:00 by foppel
Today I had a nice tour guide, Udono san, who is a friend of my Japanese Teacher in Germany.
He showed me the Emperors Palace Garden, and brought me then Asakusa, the most original part of Tokyo, which was mostly left untouched from War, Fires and Earthquakes.
But that basically means that the Buildings in Asakusa are only 3 stories high. It is as loud, colorful and buzzing with activity like the rest of Tokyo..
Then we took aboat on the Sumida(?) river, which brought us into the harbour area, going by the Tokyo fishmarket and other interesting places.
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Posted in Japan, in English at 22:00 by foppel
If you want to see crazy kids, millions of peoples, well hundreds at least, and calm and silent Gardens and Temples next to each other, then go to Harajuku on a Sunday afternoon…
You get all that together there. Cosplaying kids (playing favourite Manga or Anime Characters) and the last fashion-hit, Gothic Lolita, are swarming the Streets there. Well swarming might sound fast, but they can’t walk very fast with the 10cm plateau shoes…
This is actually the only place I visited twice from my last trip to Tokyo, but it is the best way to have a fun Sunday afternoon, if there is too much to see..
But near all that crazyness, there is the Meiji Shrine, which is actually in the middle of a big tree-park. And there is even a Japanese garden within the Park.
You can easily forget that you are in the middle of one of the 5 biggest metropoles in the wandering around in there.
Here I expirienced the first real rain during my Vacation, and even that was crazy, as bright Sunshine switched with World-ending rain-showers…
After that I went to Shibuya, to visit a famous statueof a dog, which was erected there in honor of a dog who waited in the early 20th century 11 years for its deceased Owner every evening at the Shibya Train Station. So much loyalty earns you a statue in Japan!
Next to the Statue is one of the most filmed and aired Street crossings of Tokyo. If you have seen Tokyo on TV, chances are high you saw that Crossing.
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Posted in Japan, in English at 22:00 by foppel
… and not yet lost in translation…
Being this my last night in Tokyo, I have to prepare to travel again tomorrow to Nagoya.
I have to say, Tokyo is not easy on your wallet, but not because prices are so high, they’re pretty ok for European standards I think, but because there is so much you can buy.. I think one of the more Important things for me to buy is another bag to get all that stuff back home…
I wonder how the next Stations will be… I like Tokyo, but it can go on your nerves as well… There is no silent or private area here.. On the other hand, I will miss it as well.. Tokyo is very addictive, as there is so much to do and see…
Well, what I have to do in Nagoya is to find myself again a working International Phone, an Internet connection and my way around. So it might be possible that I wont update as often… but I certanly will try…
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13.05.05
Posted in Japan, in English at 22:00 by foppel
In the Harbour area we switched to a boat bringing us to Odaiba, an artficial Island, on which lots of Companies, including Fuji-TV, have now their home, as well as a whole amusment Park (Palette-town) and the famous Big Sight Convention Center.
There we visited the Fuji TV Building, which resembles a big TV-Screen, and had a small Tour there. Well if you’re keen on Japanese Dramas’ that might be your cup of tea
Then we took a train which goes over the rainbow bridge back into the town, where Udono san and I parted.. Thanks for the nice tour!!!
In the evening I visited Shinjuku, and went to Kabuki-cho, where most Yakuza-movies play.. Well its a bit like in Hamburg, on the Reeper-bahn, only bigger and in Japanese
And no, I didn’t do what you might think I was doing…
(The Images are linked to more impressions of that day)
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