The museum also had a couple of “Maiko” wearing kimonos and in full make-up. “Maiko” are apprentice Geisha and in Kyoto its not uncommon to see them around touristy areas. They are often very accommodating and if you ask them politely they will usually allow you to take a picture with them. But enough of that boring stuff….

While there I saw this “Mack Daddy” or “Daddy Mack” if you will macking it up with the “Maiko” there. Sure he must have been 100 years old, but guess who’s in the middle of a Maiko sandwich! Not only that, but the dude has it going on with the clothes he’s wearing. I’m sure the ladies were impressed with his t-shirt! He’s more stylish than 99% of teenagers and that my friends is a scientific fact!

Here I am with him hoping that some of his coolness will somehow rub off on me!

Every time I go to Japan I find that I have no trouble going to sleep. Maybe it’s the long journey, jet lag, flying from east to west, the stress of being in a new place, who really knows??? What I do know is that when I go I’m usually exhausted when bedtime comes. However, it’s not just that cause I also find that I sleep a little differently, and not only that I’ve noticed that the Japanese sleep different and it seems to have rubbed off on me… Check out these pics…

Notice how I have my hands joined together on top of my chest. It looks like I’m at my own funeral. I don’t think I do this when I’m in Canada…

This baby has decided to go a different route by extending his arms outwards. Again, it almost looks like we’re dead!

Here’s another baby. It’s almost like they got together before bedtime and planned this!

Back to the “I was killed on the spot” pose…

Of course if you are an adult then there is no better place to rest than at the local electronics store. I mean where else can you sleep under the glare of about a 1000 fluorescent lights and the noise of thousands of different electronic appliances? (Notice how all the shoes have been removed. Now that’s Japan!)

Finally, I’ve saved the best for last and perhaps this is a pose that I can copy when I go to sleep in Canada. You have to admit that she looks pretty relaxed! And yes… she is actually sleeping and not just making a quick adjustment.

OK I’m going to bed!

I’ve been to many bars, pubs, restaurants, and Izakaya’s(traditional Japanese pubs) in Japan but I’ve never been to one quite like this. Aptly named, Girls Ghetto, this place was a real hole in the wall. It seriously was a dirty place, probably because it was in an old, poorly maintained building beside the beach. The bar used plastic picnic chairs and tables and the bathroom… well you don’t even want to go there.. Seriously, you really don’t. Anyway Girl’s Ghetto is only open during the summer for two months in Shimoda, Shizuoka when everyone in Japan flocks to the beach.

The good part of Girls Ghetto was that it was staffed by 5 girls, who I think are all friends just working there for the summer. I’m pretty sure the bar is owned by some guy but he was never there. If he was there the place wouldn’t be living up to its name, and we can’t have that now can we???

The Girls were all really nice and as you can guess from the following photo, a little crazy.

Shimoda is a nice place but its really only busy for about a month a year. I think a lot of young people from Tokyo decide to move to Shimoda for the summer because who doesn’t want to work on the beach during the summer? Having said that, its tough work being in the sun all day renting out beach equipment and serving drinks to tourists. As for these girls, they start work at about 6:30 pm and are there till sunrise. I went back to the bar the next day and all of the girls looked super tired. I wonder if they will come back next year.

The manager and the waitress also sang “Happy Birthday” to me too! Check out the waitress’s tambourine! Yaaaaayyyy!!!

This last photo is of my friend’s kid. I don’t know where he got the idea to stick Kleenex up his nose and in his ears, but that’s the kind of innovative thinking that I like!

]]> http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/08/31/birthday-at-cocos-family-restaurant-in-japan/feed/ 5 http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/08/29/the-2009-japanese-election/ http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/08/29/the-2009-japanese-election/#comments Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:17:10 +0000 Michael http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/?p=905

Today is a special edition post as it’s the Japanese election. I’m not going to go all political on all 2 of my readers but when I was in Japan this past August I often saw many vans driving around with people inside waving with their white gloves at people on the street. These vans have loud speakers attached to the roof and are used by candidates and their supporters to get the message out! Kind of like this…

Here’s a shot of some cute election van girls that spend their time waving at people as they drive by. I don’t know who they are supporting but they’ve got my vote!

This next picture was taken right in front of Nagoya’s train station.

Finally a poster that I just happened to stumble upon while walking around Japan. I’m not an expert on Japan’s current Prime Minister, Taro Aso but from what I’ve seen I’m not impressed. I guess neither was the person who put this poster up.

Ever since I saw this ad for “Coolish” I just knew I had to try it. Then that way if my friends asked me “Oh golly darn gee Mike-san, are you hot?” I could just grab a Coolish and reply…. “mmmm I’m feeling kind of Coolish” and then bring the drink up to my face and smile. This product was made for advertising!

Coolish is a great drink and if you ever find yourself in Japan in the summer, you must try it.  It’s basically an ice cream drink and believe me when its hot, it will make you feel “Coolish.” Very good!

Just take a look at the above picture. It was 35 degrees when this picture was taken, but do I look like I care? No, I don’t. Want to know why? Cause I’m feelin’ kinda Coolish.

Coolish can be had at any Convini (Convenience Store) or even a Supermarket. Note: if you buy it at the Supermarket it will be a little cheaper. The cost to feel Coolish is about USD$1.50.  Now that’s cheap if its 35 degrees and you want to feel Coolish! God, I love that name! It just works on so many levels!

I arrived at Tokyo Narita Japan on July 26 this year. The last time I used Tokyo Narita Airport was nearly 6 years ago on July 25, 2003 when I was returning to Canada from an internship in Japan. In 2001, I arrived in Narita on July 29 to begin my JET teaching career. I also used Narita the first time I ever visited Japan and that was in around the end of July in 1996. Why do I remember these dates? Because they’re in my old passport! Isn’t it weird how I seem I end up going to Narita at the sametime in random years? Anyway just thought I’d mention it.

Here’s a shot of the departures area in Narita. That sure is a big board!

The airport obviously has many restaurants to help kill the time. So if you’re feeling a little bored, why don’t you try a “Blood Orange?” It’s only 480 yen, which works out to about USD$5

One other interesting I found at the airport are what look like to be water cannons mounted on the roofs of stores near the exits. I’m not sure but I suppose they are there to stop any fires and it looks like they have cameras mounted on them and can be controlled remotely.

The above was taken at Calgary International Airport. It’s the line up for Air Canada departures. I was a bit stressed as the line up moved really slowly and was incredibly long. Thankfully though I made it in time for my Vancouver connection.

I might be wrong on this one but I believe that is the town of Banff.

Taking Japan Airlines Flights can be fun as they offer a couple of views from externally mounted cameras.

Another thing that makes Japan Airlines unique, (well at least from any other airline that I’ve ever been on) is that they offer exercise videos to help you stretch from your seat.

It might be difficult to see but if you look closely you’ll see three hands way up in the air!

]]> http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/08/24/japan-2009/feed/ 7 http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/07/16/my-japanese-home-shimoda-shizuoka/ http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/07/16/my-japanese-home-shimoda-shizuoka/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:34:46 +0000 Michael http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/?p=815

Soon I will be heading to Japan for a much needed vacation. This will be the seventh time I’ve been to Japan and I’m looking forward to as if it were the first time! I love Canada but Japan is different in so many ways and I guess that’s the attraction of it all.  It’s always an adventure when I go because I just never know what’s going to happen when I get there!

I’ll be staying in Shimoda, Shizuoka which is about a 3 hour train ride from Tokyo for most of my stay. Shimoda is located right on the coast and has a population of about 25,000 people. The thing is that Shimoda is only 97 kilometers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Area which just happens to have  about 35,000,000 people. During summer vacation, the area tends to get pretty busy as it’s a well known vacation spot in Japan.

The above photo is a little shop just off of the beach. It’s a cool little place that mostly just sells little trinkets and souvenirs. The dude working there was so laid back and stepping in that place felt like I was stepping out of Japan and in to somewhere much more relaxed like Jamaica! Of course maybe that was due to the fact that the place smelled like Ganja!

Ever since that terrible tsunami in Thailand and Indonesia, more signs warning of the dangers of tsunami’s have gone up.

As I said earlier, Shimoda is a pretty small place and the night life is somewhat lacking. Although like most places in Japan, you can always find a “snack bar.” What’s a “snack bar?” Well it’s basically a bar where female hostesses will light your cigarettes, pour your drinks, and make nice conversation with you. Of course this entertainment comes at a price, anywhere from $50 – $500 depending on how long you stay and how much you drink. Which is why you will never catch me in a place like that!

One added bonus to Snack Bars in Shimoda is that if you look closely, you’ll notice that they are called “Snuck bars.” This is obviously a mistake and unfortunately one that is repeated cause if you go further down the road you’ll find another “snuck bar.” Sorry, I don’t have a photo. I guess this is what makes Shimoda special! Well that, and the fact that the local English sign maker can’t spell.

Last but not least, Shimoda is famous for being a summer vacation spot. Shimoda has a number of hotels and “pensions.”  “Pensions” are basically what we might call here in North America, bed and breakfasts. Although they don’t always serve breakfast. Anyway Shimoda is a happy place and this is evidenced by the fact that you might want to do as this pretty crazy lady does and Smile Again! Yes, the pension is called “Smile Again” and every time I read this sign I ummm… well… uhh.. Smile Again!

]]> http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/07/16/my-japanese-home-shimoda-shizuoka/feed/ 4 http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/06/22/surfing-in-shimoda-shizuoka-japan/ http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/2009/06/22/surfing-in-shimoda-shizuoka-japan/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:18:21 +0000 Michael http://www.michaelmckinlay.com/?p=729

I’ve been to Japan 6 times now. 3 times were for work(teaching English in various schools) and 3 times for vacation. The last time I was there was in April of 2008. After I came back from that trip I blogged about it for the next few months  and then I stopped because well, I think my readers (Nick and Keith) were getting tired of hearing about Japan. That’s really saying something, since both of them have lived there for well over a decade!

Well more than a year has passed and I’ve rediscovered some of my pictures from that trip.

My buddy lives right near the beach in one of the best beach side towns in all of Japan! Shimoda, Shizuoka-ken. Shimoda is about a 3.5 hour train ride from the Tokyo metropolitan area and so this means that it’s within reach of only about 35 million people! Oh, the seclusion!

Here I am doing my best impression of David Hasselhoff with my beautiful pale skin… As they say, “don’t hassel the Hoff!” Oh yeah, and just in case you’re wondering why there are no actual photos of me surfing… well, let’s just say it’s a lot harder than it looks.