Trip.Unload.Cache
So yeah, finally unload on highlights to trip because my jet lag is finally going away. A week later. It's not really LIVEJournal...
So yeah. Visited Hiroshima again this time, and checked out the Atomic Bomb Memorial Park. Which ironically enough, is one of the largest reasons why I'm a super conservative in Japan (What, Japan isn't the root of all problems ever? Blasphemy), but a super liberal in America (Oh no, America is not always 100% right). The place still sends chills through my spine every time I visit. Though interestingly enough, the invitation by Hiroshima's mayor to Kim Jung iL and George Bush to the Atomic Bomb park still stands... neither has taken up on it.
So Japanese politics. One thing you won't see in America are the grass-roots campaign trucks. They outfit small trucks and vans with loudspeakers, and then drive them down main street, with the candidate/group yelling out their political agenda. Works very well with right/left-wing extremists, otherwise, serves to make your population even more apathetic to voting.
Conveyer Belt sushi rocks. Although I still don't understand why they serve french fries as a side dish option along with sushi.
So they now have a Ramen noodle museum in Shin-Yokohama. It's quite interesting/sad, they have all the old instant noodle cups and sets, along with the more modern and more real ramen. Meh.
So we spent most of our time in Yokohama and Tokyo... shopping. Japanese department stores are teh bomb, they stock everything from fresh fish to sunglassses. I feel too much like a Capitalist.Shopping.Whore. Meh.
So Japanese marketing techniques! Panasonic just rolled out a new family of Plasma TVs called Viela. So they were running an ad blitz. Then one day, my dad and I happened to be visiting Roppongi Hills (The new business district), and these Panasonic people were like, go look at the Viela display! So we figured we needed some way to kill time, so we went to check up on it. 40th floor, exhibition hall. Fully stocked with coffee, cake and a harp player. All totally open to the public. For free. Free food -> high schooler = What the heck are they thinking? What blatant bribing? What do you mean I'm now a sucker for Panasonic *looks at new Panasonic SD card*?
Only with Japanese airlines do you get flight attendants running around the terminal every five minutes, yelling out the next flight number that's departing, even though it's simultaneously being announced on the PA system.
And one of the most random Jingrish examples. So there was this convenience store set up near a bus terminal, obviously as a big tourist trap. So I guess the owner decided to try to attract foreigners by writing out the shop type in big letters along the wall. However, they also seemed to have the annoying Japanese tendency of shortening every possible phrase invented. So they had posted in big block letters across the wall: "CON SHOP". There were no foreigners inside.
Ok, so now that the jet-lag is going away, maybe I can stop waking up at 2AM. And going to sleep at 2PM. GAAAAH.
So yeah. Visited Hiroshima again this time, and checked out the Atomic Bomb Memorial Park. Which ironically enough, is one of the largest reasons why I'm a super conservative in Japan (What, Japan isn't the root of all problems ever? Blasphemy), but a super liberal in America (Oh no, America is not always 100% right). The place still sends chills through my spine every time I visit. Though interestingly enough, the invitation by Hiroshima's mayor to Kim Jung iL and George Bush to the Atomic Bomb park still stands... neither has taken up on it.
So Japanese politics. One thing you won't see in America are the grass-roots campaign trucks. They outfit small trucks and vans with loudspeakers, and then drive them down main street, with the candidate/group yelling out their political agenda. Works very well with right/left-wing extremists, otherwise, serves to make your population even more apathetic to voting.
Conveyer Belt sushi rocks. Although I still don't understand why they serve french fries as a side dish option along with sushi.
So they now have a Ramen noodle museum in Shin-Yokohama. It's quite interesting/sad, they have all the old instant noodle cups and sets, along with the more modern and more real ramen. Meh.
So we spent most of our time in Yokohama and Tokyo... shopping. Japanese department stores are teh bomb, they stock everything from fresh fish to sunglassses. I feel too much like a Capitalist.Shopping.Whore. Meh.
So Japanese marketing techniques! Panasonic just rolled out a new family of Plasma TVs called Viela. So they were running an ad blitz. Then one day, my dad and I happened to be visiting Roppongi Hills (The new business district), and these Panasonic people were like, go look at the Viela display! So we figured we needed some way to kill time, so we went to check up on it. 40th floor, exhibition hall. Fully stocked with coffee, cake and a harp player. All totally open to the public. For free. Free food -> high schooler = What the heck are they thinking? What blatant bribing? What do you mean I'm now a sucker for Panasonic *looks at new Panasonic SD card*?
Only with Japanese airlines do you get flight attendants running around the terminal every five minutes, yelling out the next flight number that's departing, even though it's simultaneously being announced on the PA system.
And one of the most random Jingrish examples. So there was this convenience store set up near a bus terminal, obviously as a big tourist trap. So I guess the owner decided to try to attract foreigners by writing out the shop type in big letters along the wall. However, they also seemed to have the annoying Japanese tendency of shortening every possible phrase invented. So they had posted in big block letters across the wall: "CON SHOP". There were no foreigners inside.
Ok, so now that the jet-lag is going away, maybe I can stop waking up at 2AM. And going to sleep at 2PM. GAAAAH.