It’s raining. It looks like it’ll rain for the rest of the week. It’s definitely rainy season. Who likes rain? I look forward to the end of rainy season.
Monthly Archives: June 2009
Finding English books in Japan
Sometimes it’s difficult to find the book I want in Japan. I basically have two choices, Yurindo in Landmark Plaza in Yokohama or Kinokuniya (2 stores) in Shinjuku. The newer Kinokuniya store next to Takashimaya is the best for selection. But I often go to Yurindo, because it’s not so far from where I live. I seem to buy too many books, but it’s because I don’t know when the books will be available again. Well, I just had that experience today. I bought “The Reality Dysfunction: Part 2″ by Peter F. Hamilton. I’d already bought part 1 months ago, as well as the rest of the series, but I just couldn’t find part 2 of the first book. Today, I finally found it at Yurindo! And best of all, they were having a sale. I bought it for only 150 yen. Unbelievable!
By the way, I’m currently reading “Wyrd Sisters” by Terry Pratchett. I’ll have a short review of it when I finish the book. I should finish it soon.
Filed under Books, Daily Life, Kanagawa, Nishi-ku, Yokohama
Flashback: Shinjuku in May 2005 – Part 2
Here is part 2 of the Nishi-Shinjuku tour. We’ll start off from Shinjuku-chuo Park.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government building hiding behind a tree again.
Shinjuku-chuo Koen (Shinjuku Central Park). It's just across the street from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
Shinjuku-chuo Park again.
A little waterfall in Shinjuku-chuo Park.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
Shinjuku-chuo Park palm tree.
Kumano Shrine, next to Shinjuku-chuo Park.
Homeless in Shinjuku-chuo Park.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government buildings 1 and 2, as well as Shinjuku Park Tower.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
Shinjuku Mitsui Building.
Shinjuku Sumitomo Building in Shinjuku.
Public artwork in Shinjuku.
Shinjuku Sumitomo Building.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government building once again.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building 1 with nice reflection.
Shinjuku Sompo Japan Building in Shinjuku.
And that’s the end of the tour. It’s mostly skyscrapers, isn’t it? Coming soon will be a big Kamakura tour from May 2005.
Filed under 23 Wards, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Flashback: Shinjuku in May 2005 – Part 1
On the same day that I visited Ueno, I went to Shinjuku to take in the skyscrapers of the famous business and government centre of Tokyo. Shinjuku Station is really big. It’s so easy to get lost in the station if you don’t know where you’re going. It’s the world’s busiest train station. There are several areas around Shinjuku Station, including the shopping area east of the station, the skyscraper district west of the station, the large garden/park of Shinjuku Gyoen, and the entertainment and red-light district of Kabukicho. I’m interested in architecture and buildings, so I went west to Nishi-Shinjuku, the skyscraper district. I will do this set of pictures in 2 posts.
Outside Shinjuku Station
This is outside Shinjuku Station, near Mylord.
Yoyogi NTT Docomo building from Shinjuku.
A view to the west from near Shinjuku Station.
Takashimaya Times Square department store in Shinjuku. It's huge.
Takashimaya Times Square and Yoyogi tower from Shinjuku Station.
Some buildings in Shinjuku as I walk west into the skyscraper area.
Flowers and buildings in Shinjuku.
Some buildings in Shinjuku.
More buildings in Shinjuku.
A view down a sidewalk in Shinjuku.
Shinjuku Park Tower.
Very busy street in Shinjuku.
Interesting building in Shinjuku.
Shinjuku Park Tower in Shinjuku.
There's the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building peeking out from behind some trees.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government building 2.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government building 1. There are observation floors in both towers.
Around the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.
At this point, I crossed the street over to Shijuku-chuo Park, home to some homeless people. I will continue the Nishi-Shinjuku tour in part 2.
Filed under 23 Wards, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Pepper Lunch!
I decided to go to Pepper Lunch for dinner. Mmm, steak.
Pepper Lunch is a fast food restaurant that specialises in steak that you cook on a hot plate yourself.
Filed under Food
Hot!
It’s 10am on a Saturday morning and quite hot and sunny. It’s the middle of rainy season, but sunny. It’s 30 degrees today, but this is only the beginning of summer. Is everyone enjoying this weather?
