Believe it or not, it is forbidden to put a dead body in a locker at Tokyo Station according to signs on the walls. I guess this rules out the option of a five-hundred yen funeral.
Japanese people aren't allowed to do it either
Showing posts with label Tokyo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tokyo. Show all posts
The Claska Hotel in Meguro Offers Tokyo's Cheapest Party!
In April this year I wrote about attending a party where I had to make a business card in order to enter. Well, they got my email address from my card and occasionally invite me to other events that they hold.
The Lobby & Lounge
Dog Grooming
Free Heineken, wine, and soft drinks
The vending floor
I think what makes these parties free is the price paid by vendors to sell at the party. A big room on one of the hotel's floors gets filled with products for sale. Most of the items are artistic, unique and eclectic.
Shirts with protruding designs
A trendy, wall mounted tissue case
Let's hear it again for free beer and wine!!
Last night's Halloween at Claska!
Last night Miho, my German roommate Alex, his girlfriend, Asako, his friend, Tim, and I, went to a party at Claska together. It wasn't a costume party at all, but I really felt weird going to a party on October 31st without doing something out of the ordinary so I stole Ryan's western shirt, and wore it with an old had that an elderly man gave him when he was sunburned in a small, coastal town. I then bought the mask for one-hundred yen at the party! Unfortunately, there were probably less than ten people dressed up at the whole party. Oh well, more attention for me!!
At gakugei daigaku station
I was the closest to having a costume on in our group. Alex attempted to dress like a "pimp" by putting on some of Ryan's regular clothes. Asako was dressed in a nice dress, and Miho was business-casual as she went to the party straight from work. Tim ended up in some devil horns, but I'm not sure how he got them.
Alex and Asako at dinner
Miho and I at dinner
Tim on the roof, looking at Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower from the roof
The roof was the last place we hung out before deciding to leave. As we passed by the reception desk I remembered that I forgot my jacket at the first party I ever went to at Claska and asked if they still had it. Luckily for me continued hanging on to it since April!
Miho and I made our way to the train and got a reminder of how crazy Saturday night trains are in Tokyo. The cars were full of drunk people, one of which had vomit all over its floor. Miho unexpectedly ended up with Alex's hat on at the end of the night, but as expected she fell asleep in her seat!
OyasuMiho
Torn Between Two Continents (3)
9:20 AM by , under Chiba, Japan, Mendocino, Narita International Airport, Tokyo
The moon shining on a wing as we fly over the Pacific
Monday morning in Japan I woke up around 8:30 AM on Ryan's floor dreading the long day of travel ahead of me. We had lots of time before I was to take off, so he generously made me a big breakfast. It was so big that I needed to saran-wrap the portion I couldn't eat. In the cupboards was a brand new box of saran-wrap which I attempted to open. However, as I slid my finger in a flap of the cardboard to get it to break loose, I was deeply cut by the blade used to cut the plastic. For the first time in my life I "sprayed" blood, getting it on my arm and sleeve. That, along with my neck which had gone stiff the morning before, put me in very poor traveling condition.
A lounge at Narita airport
My flight ended up being fantastic because I was the only person in my row of two seats. Just like my last flight from Tokyo to San Francisco, where I was upgraded to "economy plus", I ended up with a great seat! I had all of my stuff sprawled out on the seat next to me, and had the comfort of two trays to use to set my complimentary bottles of Chilean wine, as well as other stuff.
Looking down at Ukiah and Lake Mendocino from my seat
All of this room ended up costing me, though, because I left my wallet on the plane when we got to San Francisco. This really frustrated me as there was $735 in my wallet, worth more than anything I own. As I tried to board the train for downtown I realized that I had nothing to pay with. I called the lost & found, and they told me to go to Northwest Airline's baggage office to talk to them about my claim. I had to take SFO's monorail to that distant part of the airport, and just before arriving I got a call on my cell phone from a jolly-voiced, flamboyant male employee of Northwest saying, "Hello Reeeeennnnnn.... I think I've got something you want....come over here sweetheart." For a moment I stopped thinking about my wallet and just thought "I am truly back in San Francisco." I then asked him how he got my number and he said he found it on the business cards I made for the sole purpose of getting into a party a month ago in Tokyo. Anyway, I went and found the man and graciously received my wallet, which was somehow $100 short. As I noticed that I stopped, and wanted to say something, but realized there was no way of proving this and I was already $635 dollars richer than I was ten minutes before that so I had to just accept that the cleaner, who originally found my wallet, probably gave him/her-self a Benjemin for their troubles. I am lucky they didn't take it all and just trash the rest in their big garbage bag.
Now with most of my cash and belongings in my possession I was ready to get on BART to go downtown. When I got there I got out and made my way to the bus depot where I took a Santa Rosa bound Golden Gate Express bus. This was a total of $14 compared to $32 on the Sonoma County Airport Express bus. With Ukiah being my final destination, I did some research and realized that one can get to Ukiah via BART and Greyhound for cheaper than one could go to Santa Rosa on the Sonoma County Airport Express (cheaper by a dollar, but you get much more distance for your money!).
Another problem arouse in San Francisco when one of the two wheels that was holding my 75 or so pounds of luggage started to malfunction. It was totally unusable by the time I got to Santa Rosa, and I still had to walk a mile to get to the place I was getting picked up at. At one point, I have no idea when, but the wheel completely fell off! This left me rolling on just one wheel, and had the opposite side of the bag dragging against the sidewalk. That suitcase is going to have to be demoted to being used a storage box from now on.
The reason I was able to settle for the low-budget bus ride to Santa Rosa was because by brother-in-law goes to law school there and was able to take me with him back to Ukiah. I relaxed for a bit before going to bed and getting some real sleep for the first time in 30 hours.
Enjoying the Mendocino Coast
The next day I was asked to deliver a bicycle to Fort Bragg in a brand-new truck. I said, "sure," and got behind the wheel for the first time since April 2nd.
An American automobile
I took a break at a world-class trail/park along the coast between Albion and where Highway 1 starts going up the Navarro River. It was so nice, and a reminder why I believe California is the most beautiful place on Earth.
I never get sick of looking at this
As you can see in a blog entry from earlier this year, the last time I was on the Mendocino coast I saw a bunch of whales. I was pretty sure that this time I saw some as well, but it ended up being a group of porpoises. They were all swilling in a group which would make the water move in a current in the direction they were going. They were even jumping out of the water, but I couldn't get a picture of any of them airborne.
I know two families with property that look over this
A bench the trail leads to
This reminds me of Shelter Cove
Different angle
Can't wait for some sea-kayaking this summer
Fun Times at Natural and Theme Parks in the Tokyo Area (7)
7:35 PM by , under Chiba, Tokyo, Tokyo Disney Sea
The traditional gardens at Waseda University
During my current stay in Tokyo I have had a lot of time to search out some of the area's best places to relax while enjoying some nature. One of my favorites has always been this one at Waseda University where I would sometimes fall asleep and miss class. Sami and I ate a little food while relaxing on the grass for around an hour.
Good place for picnics
A little pond
Pretty fish
Many photo op's :)
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Next: Joushi Park in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture
I was introduced to this park by Miho one day when I was at her house and I asked her if there was anywhere we could walk to that would take all day. She told me about this park and I really came to like it.
Next: Joushi Park in Sakura City, Chiba Prefecture
I was introduced to this park by Miho one day when I was at her house and I asked her if there was anywhere we could walk to that would take all day. She told me about this park and I really came to like it.
A large, open grassy area I've picnicked on three times
Large, open, grassy areas are not very common in the Tokyo area so this place is really special to me. It has ample room for many people to have picnics, play frisbee, teach kids how to ride a bike, etc.
Large, open, grassy areas are not very common in the Tokyo area so this place is really special to me. It has ample room for many people to have picnics, play frisbee, teach kids how to ride a bike, etc.
The picnic Sami, Miho, and I had
Big hug!
Sami taking Miho's bike for a test ride
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Theme park: Disney Sea
While Sami was here, I was forced to splerge and spend money as if I had a real income. One of the more expensive, yet very fun days was at Disney Sea with her, Miho, and Yumi (Miho's sister).
I had been to Disney Sea once before, but it was at the end of November and was freezing! This time it was a comfortable Spring day, which made it very nice.
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Theme park: Disney Sea
While Sami was here, I was forced to splerge and spend money as if I had a real income. One of the more expensive, yet very fun days was at Disney Sea with her, Miho, and Yumi (Miho's sister).
Yumi and I on the monorail
I had been to Disney Sea once before, but it was at the end of November and was freezing! This time it was a comfortable Spring day, which made it very nice.
A newly finished hotel
Park enterance
We went on all the big rides and saw some fun shows
Park enterance
We went on all the big rides and saw some fun shows
Journey to the center of the Earth
Tower of Terror
With an "Aristocat"
Tower of Terror
With an "Aristocat"
After taking a picture with this character we moved out of the way so others could also strike their pose. The next people, a couple in their twenties, insisted on getting the character's signature on a purple napkin. The pen that the couple gave the character was a professional grade, thick-tipped, felt pen and the man let the character use his back as a solid surface to sign on. As you will see in the following picture, he was wearing a white jacket and lots of ink seeped through the napkin on his jacket. Am I bad for thinking "that's what you deserve for wanting a character to sign a napkin"? Maybe they were getting it for a young friend. I'd like to think that, anyway.
Sami and Miho waiting in line
At Disney Sea, alcohol is readily available at many places
The afterparty
The afterparty
After twelve hours at Disney Sea, we met Yumi's boyfriend at the nearby Rainforest Cafe (same as you see in the US). He was supposed to have come with us to the park, but he had a late night out with his colleagues, and I imagine that Disneyland is the last place you would want to be with a hangover so I don't really blame him. This cheesecake sundae was delicious!
