japanamanafuckyou...

Oh snap! Like I told people tonight, I didn't realize you guys were actually posting here. For some reason my other blog sends me emails when people post shit. Fuck it. So, yeah, check this shit out...it's an email from my friend Yuko. She's got some good Japanese advice about Japan. I love Japan!

Here are some tips from Yuko. More to come:

hey pete,
i am so excite about your trip.
these are my personal recommendations for your trip.
hope these help to make your trip more fun.

food to try:
okonomiyaki (pan cake with veggies, meat and seafood) - try this in osaka.
takoyaki (octopus ball) - try this in osaka as well.
kaiseki (traditional food for monks) - best in kyoto
izakaya (japanese pub) - anywhere
kaiten-zushi (fast food sushi, sushi on conveyor) - anywhere
sushi in tsukiji - sushi for breakfast
ekiben (obento - lunch box) - in bullet train
shouchu (japanese vodka)

and you "must" try "capsule hotel". i have never tried this b/c they only allow men. (it seems like there are a few for women now) and try "love hotel", too, if you can.
you should also touch your friend's penis. they will like that.
if i think of more, i will email you.
if you have any questions, you can ask me, too!
talk to you soon!
-y-

Sorry Ladies!

To all the Japanese ladies I can meet out there or in here . I will be avoiding you for the next month so that I don't end up learning the wrong things from you. Like this. Or maybe I will learn to sing like vocaloid sensation hatsune miku

Choo choo

We need to do something about getting the Japan rail pass.

Keep in mind two things. This:

It takes approximately 5 business days (M-F; excludes National holidays) to process and ship Japan Rail pass orders.

...and strangely, this:

We do accept walk-ins, but with appointment only. Please note there are fees associated with these two special services.

So I guess that means we call them? I dunno. Let's talk about this, and get it done by the end of this coming weekend.

UPDATE: I called that place Kintetsu, and they told me to do it all online. There's a shipping fee of 12 bucks on top of the cost, but you can pick it up, by appointment, Monday-Friday.

Love is a Sexlefield

Armand told me about these places, "love hotels," which are designed for trysts and which feature big, luxurious rooms, yet are far cheaper than regular hotels. I was wondering what the catch was, until I read this:

While an average hotel room in Japan will cost $150 or more, you can stay at a love hotel for $30 to $100 while having a room many times as big. The rooms are always well maintained and clean. The reason for this is that while the love hotel caters primarily toward those for a few hours, they don’t want their rooms sitting empty overnight. They therefore offer them at a much cheaper rate than a typical hotel would.

Not so bad, right? And the "cons" of staying there are not so significant:

There are a few issues to using a love hotel. Overnight stays usually begin at 10:00pm to 11:00 pm and you need to be out the next morning by 10:00am. Once you go into the room, you can’t leave (because once the room is opened, this signals to the staff that you have vacated and the room needs to be cleaned). It also may be difficult to locate these hotels unless you know where they are typically located. The person you pay will not know any English and there are not any type of room service typical with a regular hotel.

We'd never get back to the room until at least 10 or 11, anyway, and who would want to leave a hotel room with a hot tub and karaoke? Not me. Ofer might, though.

High culture meets low culture meets pedophilia

We are so there...

Nada Fighting Festival
14-15 October
Himeji-shi, Hyogo
It is said that the rough and tumble of fighting festivals pleases the gods - and the rougher the better. Mikoshi battles and hand-to-hand scrapping for all to enjoy. Young men in loin cloths carrying portable shrines battle to reach the bell in the courtyard of Matsubara Shrine. The first man to ring the bell is blessed with good fortune by the shrine priests. The Himeji Kenka Matsuri is one of Kansai's most colorful festivals.

My East Asian Chrysalis

I feel like I will have a major change during this trip. Therefore I wanted to post a before picture. I hope its more than just a physical change but a spiritual one as well.

T-minus 32 days and counting...

OK?