Chloe the entertainer at Shibuya...Dec 2007

These were taken in Shibuya in Dec 2007 with the trusty old Canon G7 10MP compact camera.



Colours really look good in Winter as the light comes thru the crisp, clear skies to enhance colours. There was a heart "to care" campaign for charity around that time.

Mama also took a pic at heart wall...

This is the famous and busy junction in Shibuya always shown on news about Tokyo. It is always a popular waiting and meeting area. Shibuya is known to be a favourite shopping area for younger ladies, mainly in their early 20s.

Chloe really liked the windmill area outside Suntory performance hall.

滝 (taki or waterfall) 3 Aug

Taki (滝）　or waterfall day on Sunday. We decided to drive to Izu (伊豆）in Shizuoka （静岡）prefecture to catch the sight of some waterfalls and to cool off in the cool streams on a hot summer Sunday. We took the Tomei Expressway and headed towards Numazu Interchange.

First stop was for lunch was at a shrimp restaurant in Numazu called 鬼が島　(onigashima or Devil Island) It specializes in shrimp dishes, so we ordered shrimp set lunch. The portions were huge...

Mine came with some sashimi, which included Aji (Horse Mackerel), Maguro (Tuna), Hotate (Scallops), Sake (Salmon) and Ebi (prawns).

We discovered from the staff that the shrimps were imported from Myanmar. After lunch, it was then off to look for the waterfall, first one is Juren.

The first taki we went to was Jurennodaki (浄蓮の滝) waterfall in Shuzenji．　It is 25m high and 7m wide. It is located in the upper stream of Kano River.　The lower part is trout fishing area and around the stream therei　s plenty of wasabi cultivation　using the cleana nd clear water from the fall.

Here's some visitors fishing for trout in the rock enclosed area. Bamboo rods are rented for about $30 per day. You can actually see the trouts swimming in the water, the tricky bit is to get them to bite.

Below are pics of wasabi (わさび）patches next to the water. There is a shop selling wasabi at the falls and their wasabi are harvested from the few patches here.

Here's a closer look at a wasabi plant. They don't come cheap, good ones costing $14 each. Kinda remind me of pineapples, perhaps post radiation contamination

Wasabi Ice Cream galore in this area! I actually tried some later and they tasted like err...Wasabi: Spicy!

Another view of the waterfall, with long exposure on trusty old Slik tripod.

We could not play in the stream at this waterfall as its been "protected" by the trout shop that allows you in only if you rent a rod.

So we decided to drive to a more "publicly accessible" and non-commercialized waterfall. In the guidebook, we found a seven waterfall area called 川津の七滝（kawazunonanadaro or Kawazu's Seven Waterfalls).

On the way we used this interesting interchange, it cricles twice to get you up/down....

Chloe is now able to smile as she could play in the water!

This is a long exposure shot of fall number 4.

A close up of the fall.

On the way home, we stopped by 熱海　(Atami), a well know spa resort area, and stumbled upon a Sapporo Beer Festival.

There was live music by a trio consisting of 2 guitarists and a bongo drummer, playing jazzie tunes of folk and sentimental songs. The atmosphere was great with the cool sea breeze keeping the heat under control..

Everyone there seemed to have a good time. Everything was going for ￥５００, including the beer.

Just across the street where the festival was held, I spotted this ソープランド shop....

Tokyo Tower 2 Aug

After Midtown, we decided to go to Tokyo Tower since the sky was looking pretty clear. In my over 2 years in Tokyo, and having stayed just right next to the Tower in a hotel for 3 months, I've never gone up the tower. This despite having eaten lunch at the base of the tower.

Another view of the tower.

In Japan, there is a mascot for everything. Even a tower. Here he is. His name is Noppon, and he also has a brother. And they even have personalities. When Chloe first asked me what it was, I thought it was a pencil....Silly me.

Views from the tower. On some sides, the view was not so good, due to clouds and glare.

Here's a clearer side. You can see the Rainbow Bridge in the distant.

And here's a zoom in of the bridge. You can see the Fuji TV office (globe) in the background, that's in 　お台場　（Odaiba）!

Another view from the tower, however, we can't see view from the tower, however，today we can't see far enough to catch Mt.Fuji.

You can stand on a glass platform and look down 150m to the ground below. We didn't go up to the 250m level observatory, there was a queue.

Tokyo Midtown Sat 2 Aug

Sat was at Tokyo Midtown, a shopping and food mall that is still considered new in Tokyo. It is located near Roppongi, just across from Roppongi Dori （六本木　取り） on 東外苑取り。 It has very nice shops and interesting brands, although can't say the same for the restaurants. There are a variety of restaurants here, from cafes to bars to food courts to restaurants.

Chloe looking gleeful here...in her favourite polka dot dress..Dunno why she has this fascination with Polka Dots.

Chloe showing her dress off.

Lunch was ハヤシ　ライス　（Hayashi Rice） at the Tokyo Hayashi Rice Club. Hayashi Rice is a Japanese style curry like stew, usually with beef. You can order it sweet, or spicy, up to your taste.

I ordered the 辛口　(Karakuchi or spicy sauce), with たぷり　牛肉 (tappuri gyuniku or plenty of beef) for $14. It was yummy. Chloe had the Hayashi bun, sweet style, of course.

One of the interesting shops here is Noka Chocolate (http://www.nokachocolate.com/) The entrance looks really cool, so are the prices....

An interesting corridor of shops in Midtown... won't look out of place on a spacecraft.

An interesting Japanese art piece on display. I liked the blue, which is brought out by the Olympus 12-60mm SWD lens, quite impressive....

A trinkets shop displaying its ware..

オジァ

Spanish Lunch: Ollas, pronounced as "Oja"

Its a broth (rice cooked in soup) in various flavours, I ordered the seafood version which was cooked. Lunch companions Ms S and K refused to have their photos taken gor my blog....sorry folks.