Nagoya Kasadera Washington Hotel Plaza

... a hard-boiled egg, slice of watermelon, and a heaping mound of shredded cabbage. Nippon desu yo. Toast came with blueberry jam; it was bangin’. Egg and cabbage: eh. No refills on coffee, but at Y360 for whole set, it was the cheapest cup of coffee we got in Japan.

Traveled uptown to go to Nagoya Robot Museum. Couldn’t quite find the address and we never saw any signs for it. LP map and a tourist map posted on the street ...

... per rifocillarmi con spiedini e verdure fritte con salsa di soia... Ne avrei mangiati 8000 piu' che 5, ma va bene cosi'. La notte poi e' andata discretamente, se si escludono le capocciate alla testiera e le pedate al fondo del letto, e stamattina alle 7 ero bella arzilla e pronta per i templi. Quelli di stamattina erano tutti nascosti fra gli alberi enormi su una collina, se aggiungete che alle 8 (appena aperto) piovigginava, c'era la solita nebbiolina ed ero l'unico ...

... to say it's wonderful music - most of it is ultra-melancholic sap of the sort rarely experienced outside of France or Korea - but it's a fascinating insight into the Japanese soul. It's also a great opportunity to see some lovely kimono (which Mayu's grandmother kept gawking over, incidentally). Even still, I had to keep my kanji book handy for something to do other than get stir-crazy from all the soulless J-pop. More importantly, it kept me from ...

... fellow westerners and hit the karaoke for the night! The Vagina festival. Held once a year in Spring at a Shrine of small town somewhere in Aichi (cant remember where sorry) followed a week later by the Penis festival! In this festival men and women of all ages celebrate fertility and womens health. Very interesting - the festival started with a parade, people carraying huge Mocha cakes (which closely resemble a breast)and other offerings for ...

... of running downstairs to buy a drink. I was gone two minutes in total. When I returned an office worker chased me down to tell me that I have to ask her for permission if I would like to leave! They are soooo strict here! Oh well. In another school I work in I am not allowed to be seen in public with a drink. If I need to transport one from a vending machine to the staff room I have to carry it in my pocket like it`s a weapon. This I feel is a ...