And so commences the recollection of our weekend in Toyota and some random things I've learned about Japan this trip. I apologise for the time-shifting that will occur in this post. I am writing on Sunday afternoon and will possibly add to it this evening as well.
Jayne maintained that people keep looking at us, and it's true, there are not a lot of westerners in this part of Japan so we are a bit of a curiosity. Certainly there is nothing as disarming as a the stare of a curious child - and I felt that this morning as we walked over the bridge towards Toyota Stadium.
To return now to chronology, yesterday we slept late (well, for us) and went to breakfast at 8:45. Brett arrived shortly after. He was going into the school for some tennis and then an afternoon of sight-seeing with some of the younger teachers. We (OK, I, but Jayne came with me) went in search of the EDION store because I knew it had electronics and I was determined to get a Gopro while I'm over here. After a couple of minor detours we found the store, it is bright and colourful and incredibly noisy. Two floors of electronics, phones, cameras, toys, fridges and other household appliances, including toilet seats - the bidet kind, and a "personal toilet" for the train or plane. The picture looked interesting.
Random fact: they love to use over-sized animals as advertising, but sometimes the association is not so clear.
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| Outside a store that sells 'western' gear |
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| A car service centre |
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| I'm guessing a dental practice |
Much like my shopping expeditions in Tokyo, this one ended in the same fashion - no purchase. The price was ¥43050 and even after the 10% tax discount it is still the same undiscounted price in Australia. It's cheaper duty free in Sydney. After amusing ourselves with the vast of array of goods, we commenced the walk back to the hotel - this time all downhill.
Random fact: you are never far from a vending machine in Japan. They are as common as ATMs in Australia.
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| Thirsty? |
Back in the hotel, I read the SMH online to see what was happening in Australia and cleared some emails caught up with a few other things. It was a pleasant way to while away the afternoon before the night's exploratory walk to locate dinner. Being without our resident translator, Kayo, made this a little challenging. We walked up the main street toward the station and checked out the possibilities. Finally, we settled upon an Italian place in T-Face, one of the big shopping centres. The food was good and the wine list in Japanese, so I pointed to one and lucked a passable French Chablis. Wine is still in its infancy over here, although you can purchase it from just about about any country. We did see a bottle of Yellowtail for ¥980, that's about $11 Australian. No, we didn't buy it. Respect please. I wouldn't drink it at home, so I certainly wouldn't drink it in a foreign country.
Random fact: bikes are left anywhere and everywhere, many of them unlocked.
Whilst wandering around yesterday I saw my new car 8 times. Despite the fact that is was Saturday there kids everywhere in school uniform. Cram school is very popular over here and the students are required to wear their regular school uniform. They were even sighted on Sunday.
Random fact: there are phone booths everywhere, but I've never seen one being used.
Sunday morning was another cruisey start to the day, although as a dedicated waterbed man I'm finding the beds a tad on the hard side and my ribs are a little sore. Jayne described the bed in Tokyo as having all the give of an ironing board. We saw both Kayo and Brett at breakfast. They were heading to Nagano, the site of the previous Tokyo Olympic games. We were doing ... not much of anything J
After breakfast we went for a little walk - for 2 and a half hours. I checked out google maps and found a reservoir that was basically a straight walk from the hotel. Water bottles in the backpack and we set off. We walked over the bridge towards the stadium.
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| The scaffolding is where it is being repainted |
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| Men fishing in the river |
All roads seemed to lead in this direction today, the bridge was crowded with young families, many pushing prams. Past the stadium we went and through the next suburb, on to the reservoir. The walk took not quite an hour. The reservoir itself was low on water so I assume that it is fed by the snow and dries towards the end of summer.
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| A shrine at the reservoir |
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| Not a fish caught - although one did get away |
There were a number of men fishing, but no-one had any luck while we were there, although one of them will be going home a great story. The rod was bending magnificently before the fish took the hook and disappeared into the deep.
Random fact: In Tokyo the pavements are marked with keep left signs and pretty much everyone does. It Toyota there are no signs and everyone stays to the right.
After watching hopefully, but unsuccessfully, for a catch we began the walk back to the hotel. About half-way we could hear crackers being set off, whistles and drums and people chanting. Not quite sure what it was all about, but the pictures are below.
The crowd at the stadium had grown larger, although the traffic into it had dissipated somewhat. We thought we would check out what was happening. Even after having walked though the exhibits and the crowds, I'm still not sure. There were posters for 'truck safety' but that didn't seem to match the exhibits. There were jumping castles and a host of interactive things for the kids to do - hence all the children heading there in the morning. There were queues for everything except the toilets (take note Australia). There was the usual person in a costume, Jayne said "do you want to cuddle the stuffed animal?" and I put my arms around her. Well, she was tired and a bit red faced, we had been walking for a while.
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| The queue to sit in a fork-lift. No, really. |
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| The re-turfing is finished |
Back onto the bridge and towards the hotel, when Jayne noticed plenty of action on the floodplain beside the levee bank. I don't know what this activity/sport is called, but it is akin to a tight-rope except the talented young man were actually bouncing on it and using it like a trampoline.
And so I spent the afternoon writing this blog and emailing Australia, hi Joy, before we go out for a late lunch/early dinner, back to the Italian restaurant to eat pizza. I have long held the belief that pizza is THE international food. I have eaten it in Australia (naturally), England, Italy, France, the United States, Spain and today I will add Japan to the list.
Random fact: the urban areas of Japan are all about function, not form. While the older buildings maintain that beautiful balance between timber and other materials, the modern blocks are relatively colourless.
The night is here and with it a victory by a rugby league team in Australia that few people really care about. If New Zealanders were asked to leave the country the eastern suburbs would be decimated and so would their football team. That said, congratulations to the victors. A well deserved win.
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