Capsule hotel

Capsule hotels are great. You go in, leave your stuff in a locker, put on your complimentary jim-jams and sleep in what can only be described as a very comfortable morgue. AND because mine was men-only, nobody felt the need to talk to anybody else, meaning pointless small-talk was virtually non-existent. Fantastic!

Look! There's even a TV!

Mochi-pounding

So, the deal with mochi-pounding is, you pound a load of rice like a bastard until it turns into a very sticky mess. Then, you eat said gloop with a variety of different ingredients. All very delicious. However, it's not all fun and games - it can turn nasty at any moment. Like if, in the middle of the pounding frenzy, you accidentally hit the dude who's adding water to the mixture with your large wooden mallet. Mouri-san remains in a stable condition at the time of posting.

Japanese people are the best #31

So there I was, on the train, having a bit of a sit and a look out the window. Across from me sat a mild-mannered-looking gentleman, who appeared to be reading a teach-yourself-English textbook of some sort. As we approached my stop, I noticed out of the corner of my eye a large green object closing in on my head. Looking up, I saw that it was a plastic bag the aforementioned man had extended towards me. I looked inside and saw some onions and potatoes. His eager nods suggested that this was a gift for me. I graciously accepted and made my way off the train.

On an unrelated note, yes, that is a Winnie the Pooh table and, yes, it serves me well.

New shoes?

Sumo tournament in Fukuoka

So, I forgot my camera the day I went to this sumo tournament and had to use my phone. If you look VERY carefully, though, you can just about make out the actual sumo wrestlers in the ring. Sort of. This may be the worst photo ever taken. Anyway, sumo is very exciting altogether. You'll just have to trust me on that one.

Kyoto

Kyoto is a fascinating city rich in culture and history - it has no less than 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites would you believe?

It also has Womb.

(taking pictures of funny signs will never get old... NEVER I SAY!!!)