Second Post! At last!

Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay in this post... If you want pictures, I can really only do one post a week since it's dark by the time I get out of work, and then last week I was busy playing Magic all weekend...oh, and I was sick. Well I was sick during the week but let's pretend it was over the weekend so that I don't seem quite as irresponsible and "lazy" ^_^;

First things first! Sunday morning there was an earthquake! My first one ever! I didn't even realize what was going on at first, I was just like "Why is the building shake....oooh right." I wanted to run to the window and look out and see if I could see anything outside shaking, but I know that's a bad idea in case the glass breaks... Anyway it was a pretty small earthquake. Then on Monday apparently a volcano erupted near Tokyo. No one mentioned either one at work. I guess it's just business as usual in Japan - earthquakes, volcanoes, giant atomic monsters. Still, I guess that gives the Japanese Defense Force something to do.














Well, with that out of the way, time to get down to business! For today's update...you get a tour of my trip to work! Haha! Sounds exciting, doesn't it! I'll throw in random observations to keep it interesting.

First up, we have a pretty epic-looking Bridal store. Japanese girls take their princess-fantasy weddings seriously apparently.
Not pictured: The other bridal store across the street.















Turning to my left, we find a staple of the Japanese diet:













The vending machine drink.

Vending machines are omnipresent in Japan. I'm not exactly sure why, but they are EVERYWHERE. Which is the meaning of omnipresent, so yes, I just repeated myself.
I'll discuss these more momentarily, but for now I want you to take notice of three important things - firstly, the number of machines; second, the fact that there are two of each drink in each machine, and third, the presence of the garbage cans in this picture.
Notice taken? Then let us continue on our way...

Next we have the "conbini," or convenience store.













These, much like vending machines, are like cockroaches in Japan. You will see at least ten of them on every street. When Japanese people want a "convenience store", they want it as convenient as damn possible. In other words, every house, apartment building, office complex, and hotel has at least one conbini within a five second walk.

Also, please note the garbage cans on the left side of the picture.

"Alex," you might say, "this is the second time you've mentioned garbage cans. What's so special about them?" What's special about garbage cans in Japan is the fact that, although convenience stores and vending machines are everywhere, garbage cans are not. They are rare. And when I say rare, we aren't talking Giant Panda almost-extinct rare, we're talking Loch Ness monster I've-heard-rumours-that-it-existed-but-I-never-really-believed-them rare. "But Alex, they're right there in the picture!" Yes, that's what you think NOW. Now that you're holding your unopened drink that you so foolishly purchased from that Lawson. But once that bottle is empty? Those garbage cans will be GONE. There will be nary a garbage can in sight, for so far as the eye can see. And IF by chance you see one, you will know the joy that Christopher Columbus felt when he finally saw land after so many days at sea.
Because garbage cans in Japan do NOT exist. They're creatures of myth, that exist only while your bottle is full. But once you have something to throw out, they vanish with the winds.
"Now wait a minute Alex, you just said that vending machines and conbini are omnipresent, surely that means the garbage cans that accompany them are omnipresent as well." And you would be correct to assume so! ...if Japan was a place where logic held any sway. Alas, it is not. While your drink is full, you will continue to see conbini and vending machines, tempting you to buy more of their evil products, but once you've spurned them and drank your fill, they will vanish down the dark holes from whence they came, never to be seen again by the eyes of man.

Ahem...for now, let us continue on our journey.

Next up is this oddity:













I don't know where you come from, but where I come from, cars don't park on top of each other. I walk past this parking lot every day, and I've yet to see just HOW those cars get up there...or down from there, for that matter.

If this is something that is, in fact, common knowledge, like duvets apparently are, someone please enlighten me.

Why, hello there!
Once again, please note the fact that there is two of every drink in this machine. Also, these machines are refilled every day. I'm not sure how a vending machine can run out so quickly, especially when there is one every five feet, but apparently they do.

Also, there is a distinct lack of garbage cans here.


Five! Five!
Truly, the mind is boggled.











Something different for a change...
Apparently every day is Christmas in Japan! This is the Tokyo Biz Tower, home to all sorts of expensive restaurants and expensive clothing stores.










Another shot of the area around the Tokyo Biz Tower:













This cafe is extremely popular with foreigners after work; there are always tons of them when I pass in the evening. It's a weekend, so no one is here today. Also yes, I took these pictures in the evening, around the same time I would be getting out of work, so technically yes, I could take pictures after work and update my blog during the work. No, that still doesn't mean that I'm lazy for not updating sooner.

This here is a pachinko parlor.













Pachinko parlors are basically gambling halls, only instead of slot machines there are pachinko machines. They're hard to explain, and I've never actually played pachinko, but I'll find you all a picture eventually.
Also, instead of money or tokens, you collect little metal balls, which you can then trade for various items like designer bags, electronics, and so on.

An extremely large shrine right in the heart of the business district.













Although I keep meaning to go there, I've yet to visit it. I'll get there eventually though, since it looks like it's probably pretty cool...

And to the left of the shrine...

















And to the right...













And we've arrived at work!













I'm on the 9th floor of the middle building. The gigantic building to the right is the Prudential Tower, and the one on the left is a hotel.

Oddly, although my big boss has his own private office, it is entirely windowless. I can't understand that.
I mean if I was the evil mastermind of a demonic company that imposed horrible standardized tests upon the unwashed masses, I'd want to be able to look out across my country and bask in the misery of millions of broken souls crying out in anguish.

...I'm just kidding! If you're reading this, you're a great guy, really! Please don't fire me!

Well, that concludes our tour for the day!

Before ending, I want to add that, in addition to passing the two Bridal stores and multiple conbini, I also passed no less than four flower shops, and two spas - directly across the street from each other. I'm not exactly sure why you need more than one spa, though I can see the convenience in multiple flower stores. Also, medical clinics and dentist's offices are almost as common as conbini, which makes me wonder how they can possibly all stay in business with enough customers to keep everyone satisfied.
Everyone says Japanese people are so hard working, but they must be really lazy if they can't walk an extra thirty seconds to get a drink, buy some flowers, or go to the dentist! Although perhaps its because they're so hard-working, and live in their offices, that they need everything within close reach so that they can run there during their lunch breaks. But that is a question for another day...

I hope you enjoyed today's slightly more epic post! Apologies for still not uploading larger pictures of my apartment...so I guess that still makes me lazy after all?