Here are a few more pics of various food places in Tokyo.  The city, in my opinion, ranks as one of the top foodie havens in the world.

There’s your standard sushi, of course.  You get a broad selection of fishes in japan, not to mention shell fish. 

There are some very unique dishes as well - like this one - chicken wasabi sushi, which has high quality chicken serve raw with a touch of fresh wasabi.  The quality of the chicken supposedly prevents things like salmonela.  I would say on average a japanese sushi menu has 3 to 4 times the number of items on the typical U.S. sushi place.

You also have a choice between kaiten sushi, i.e. conveyor belt style sushi, and traditional restaurants.  There are even fast food style sushi shops where you just stand and eat - perfect for commuters.

There are also many, many fast food udon, katsu and steak places.  At many of these places, you order from a vending machine and go inside to eat.  It’s a little impersonal, sure…but again it’s perfect for Japan’s fast paced commuter environment.  At Hanamasa Steak, for example, you order by pushing the button for your selection from the vending machine, paying at the machine, then going inside for your food.

Kamameshi, mixed rice dishes, are also popular…and generally done very nicely in Tokyo.  Cooked in a special rice pot, kamameshi combines the flavors of meat and veggies with rice.

  You can also do some cooking of your own, with table-based grills and dishes like shabu shabu - great for the winter.

And beer is served everywhere - from basic drafts to super premium beers like Yebisu, which is made by Sapporo.  Of course sake is abundant as well - you can try a different type of sake every day for years.  Smoking is also allowed at a large portion of restaurants, great for late night dining.

I love it.

One of my favorite spots in Tokyo is Akihabara.  Just a few minutes away from the center of the city, Akihabara is Tokyo’s electronics district with a square mile or so full of electronics shops.

The biggest store in the district is a huge Yodobashi Camera store (top).  It’s around 10 stories tall - probably the equivalent of 5 Best Buy stores - and has every type of electronics imaginable.

 The main drag of Akihabara is literally lined with back to back electronics stores, including everything from gaming stores, DVD/CD stores, computer shops…even casinos.  Oh yeah, and porn.  Lots and lots of porn.  And since real estate is so pricey in Tokyo, these shops are usually 7 to 10 stores tall with a very small footprint, so you find yourself climbing up these huge buildings stocked from the floor to the ceiling with electronics.  It’s incredible.

The geeky Japanese culture prevails in Akihabara.  Maid characters are insanely popular, and you see girls dressed like maids everywhere (you would love it, Jak).  There are even cafes and bars staffed by maids.  Frankly, I don’t really get it - when I think of maids I think of fat filipinos.  But believe me, they’re a big thing in Japan.  You’ll also see sailor moon-style characters everywhere - in video games, movies, manga and in person.  It’s like you’re in a whole new country run by geeky japs.

The electronics are really pretty cool as well.  The stuff is very cutting edge.  Japan was actually rather slow to jump onto the whole digital/computing age…it fell behind the Apples, Dells, HPs and others.  But the country has caught up very quickly.

There are a ton of tiny tablet computers (left).  These things literally fit in the palm of your hand, and usually have wireless data Internet access.  The higher end mini-PCs can run Windows Vista, while others run XP.

 Japan has also really gotten on the whole smartphone bandwagon.  There were a ton of really cool Windows Mobile phones that have mobile high speed Internet, media players, full keypads, cameras and more.  We have had smartphones in the U.S. for some time, but the devices now available in Japan are faster - with higher resolution screens and lots of memory.

The great thing about these phones is they give you full telephony, Internet browsing and multimedia features in your pocket.  Kind of like an iPhone, but with a more flexible operating system, a wide range of form factors, and high speed wireless Internet.

Akihabara also has it’s share of eating places as well.  The musubi place pictured to the left has a great selection - with lots of unique ingredients like natto.  There are also a bunch of sushi places and quick katsu and udon shops.

So, that’s Akihabara.  If you’re ever in Japan you have to go there.  This trip I spent a good two days there just checking out all the cool stuff.  The only bummer is that lots of stuff is Japanese only - so you can look, but it probably won’t do you much good to buy.  But I love it…it’s a gadget lover’s paradise.

I love Japan.  Love it.  I’m up to five meals a day and I still can’t get enough.

The city is crowded and dense, but it has that bright city lights feel that you gotta love.

Yakitori, sushi…everywhere.

I’ve been trying to organize a group Tokyo trip, and you guys just have to do it.  Something for everyone…it’s absolutely wonderful.

It’s not surprising that there are lots of fakes here in China.  Some are better than others.

Take for example, the extra large polo logo, and polo jeans with mis-spelled, poorly translated logos.

They’re actually getting pretty good at producing fakes.  Some of the logos and labels are pretty accurate.  Like, the label located near the neck is becoming an art.  Some look practically legit.

And the paper labels that are attached to the clothes are also getting better.  Some of the cheaper knockoffs just have a paper logo attached with one of those think pieces of plastic.  But the better knockoffs have legit looking paper pamphlets attached with a little piece of string and a safety pin - just like a real polo.

And then there are shoes…everywhere.

Today I also saw this tiny Fujitsu PC (last couple of pics).  It literally fits in the palm of your hand, and has a turn around screen that converts into a tablet.

The keyboard though is very very small, making touch typing difficult if not impossible.

Been doing a lot of sightseeing.  Went to Tiananmen Square today.  Lots and lots of walking.

China’s an interesting place.  Things are pretty cheap here - a cab ride across town only costs a couple bucks, and you can stuff yourself for less than $10.

And since labor is so cheap, there are workers everywhere.   Like at the hotel, there are people waiting all around you to clean up your dishes and stuff.  And since things don’t cost that much in general, it’s a pretty good deal.

But Beijing is also really dirty.  There is dust everywhere, and it kind of just blows around all around you.  Chinese don’t have the greatest hygiene either - they spit all over the place and the bathrooms are usually pretty disgusting.

And you can’t drink tap water, which is pretty third-worldly.  You even have to boil the water to brush your teeth.

All of this makes eating out a pretty risky proposition.  I haven’t gone to any of these street-side huts, or even local-looking restaurants, although I’ve been to some nicer restaurants that look legit.

Oddly, there are KFCs everywhere over here.  Like, KFC here is like Starbucks in the US.  They are on every corner - sometimes several on a single block.  I went there today, and it’s pretty cheap and the chicken tastes fine.  It’s also a bit more like McDonalds, with a bunch of sandwiches and fries.

Also, everywhere you go there are people trying to sell you things.  I guess I look chinese, so I get a lot of locals crowding around me trying to push various books or trinkets.  These people are everywhere, and they’re pretty pushy.

Actually, chinese are pretty rude and pushy in general.  Like, they will literally just push you out of the way in a line…and try to sneak around you to get a better position.  It’s pretty annoying, but I guess when they’re so many people in a small radius it’s what you get.

Anyway, having a good time so far.  Will post a bit more later on.

Did some sightseeing yesterday.  Below are a few pics of the Great Wall and Beijing’s summer Palace…and some food shots, a pig and chocolate fountain.

We went shopping today and there were lots of chinese knockoffs.  Every iPod released to date was available to date was available in chinese-knocked off forms…including several versions of the iPhone.  They look very similar, but have a different interface and cheap-feeling parts.  Who knows about iTunes integration as well.

They even had the complete collection of The Wire (seasons 1-4) for about $50 - not to mention huge complete box sets of The Simpsons and Seinfeld.

Most street-style vendors are very aggressive.  There aren’t very many posted prices - you bargain for everything.  Even cheap things like this $10 beanie I got required lots of back and forth haggling.

It’s fun, but it can get confrontational too, at times.  When I was buying gloves I had a sales girl literally grabbing my arm preventing me from leaving.

But you really have to bargain - or you get screwed.  I got a pair of $30 gloves, and the girl started pricing at around $80.

Here are various pics of Beijing.  First is from the hotel…we don’t have a great view…and the rest are of street food vendors.  The second pic is of a oyster BBQ vendor.  The next pic of skewered stuff is from a street vendor selling skewered sea horses and scorpions.  The second skewered pic is of some sort of beetle.

 Part of getting adjusted to a new job involves getting adjusted to the new scenary out of the office window.  Just earlier this week I noticed some movement at the top of a neighborhing skyscraper.  I strained my eyes and saw little guys in red outfits moving around.  Then I realized what the neighboring building was, A Prison!  check out these pictures, how weird is that.

The midwest should be interesting…

10:15pm So, I got a new job, and today was my last day at the old one. With two weeks of vacation, I’m off to Vegas. I booked the flight yesterday, and now I’m off.

One thing about california is you’re only an hour away from so much stuff. You can just hop on a plane on a whim, while in Hawaii it’s a big ordeal.

I love vegas. I love everything about it, from the enormous buffets, free drinks and of course, blackjack. I love how you can smoke everywhere, i love how there is no concept of time either night or day, and I love crawling to my room, passing out at 6am, and doing my best to quell my vomitting at noon with copious amounts of coffee.

I’m on the Southwest flight now, probably about 45 minutes away. I’ll keep you updated.

11:25 In my luxurious room at the Imperial Palace. Say what you want about the IP, but where else in Vegas can you be across the street from the Forum shops and Caesars for $50 a nite? One thing though, since my room overlooks the strip, I can hear some pretty loud music coming from the bar near Harrahs. Plus, my balcony door doesn’t close completely, so this music is pretty loud.

Anyway, off to the Cal for some oxtail soup!

3:02 This is how the Cal killed me. I went to get a simple oxtail soup, but the line was long. I’m talking 3 times winding back and forth long. So what is a japa to do? Play blackjack of course. $800 and 10 coronas later, I am broke, and finally partaking in the most expensive Oxtail Hawaii has ever seen. It’s a racket over here. I’m playing coronas - it’s that simple. splitting face cards - I even doubled down on a black jack and won. but at the end of the day, the Cal got the best of me. I’m taking a break, finally getting some protein in me.

3:10 ahh, the oxtail came quick. obviously sitting in a pot waiting for the HI imports to order up. But I’m not satisfied. The Cal took too much of my money. In the past, the Cal was a sure $400 at least. Tonite, the dealers were feeling sorry for me. I’m going to finish my dinner…finally, then re-up and take these guys to school.

At this point, I should really be most concerned about avoiding the mokes around me from taking my laptop to the nearest pawn shop. No matter, we have lots of ground to make up.

6am Finally back in my room. Thoroughly beaten by every dealer I’ve faced, it’s time for some sleep. The sun is out, and for the first time i’ve seen the strip quiet. It’s been a long nite. Coronas have turned into vodka tonics. But in any case, it’s too early…er…to late for any more drinks. Did i mention I love vegas? She takes my money, but like a battered woman I keep coming back. Japadamus out.