I want a computerised toilet

I like buying beer from vending machines. And having warm air being blown up my ass as I sit on the toilet. Here is something you never thought you'd need until you experience it - warmed toilet seats. It is almost as good as having a hot water bottle to your tummy.

This is Japan for you. Fulfilling needs you never thought you had, or could do without. You walk down the street in Osaka on a warm, 29C fall day, and you feel like a nice cold beer. Lo and behold, it is sitting there, 20m in front of you, in a vending machine.

We are two days into our 2-week Japanese adventure, and I'm already wishing this adventure would last 2 years. Even though the language barrier has me being creative with my use of hand signals. People are friendly, polite, and on the whole really nice, so it makes me feel bad that I can't converse with them in their language. Especially when they are so trying so enthusiastically to get their message across.

Day 1 - arrived in Tokyo, and headed for Ueno, where our ryokan is. A ryokan is a traditional Japanese inn, btw. Ueno is a charming little town, minus the brazen neon lights we are so familiar with. It almost feels like a country town, with the older style architecture, the abundance of bicycles and the rows of peaceful looking homes lining the narrow streets.

We go for a walk and end up at an izakaya, a Japanese-style pub. I walk in and quickly realise that I am the only female customer in the whole place! The rest of the clientele were Japanese businessmen meeting up after a hard day's work to talk loudly about their day, drink beer (lots of it), smoke cigarettes, and eat good food at reasonable prices. It was hilarious. I felt like I was in a men's changing room, except that these men were all ignoring me. (Maybe in the hope that if they do that for long enough, you would go away).

The people running the place were friendly enough, though. And the food was gorgeous. A lightly fried yaki udon, deliciously crunchy tempura and skewers of grilled chicken yakitori, all washed down with Kirin draught beer. Mmm. For $15 each too.

Our room in the ryokan was really clean. I like the tatami mats and the mattresses laid out on the floor. I also like how everything was the right height when you sat down. The only English channel on tv is CNN (at least at our ryokan anyway). Hooray for keeping up with the US elections, and for booing whenever McCain or Palin appeared (extra loud boos if the both of them appeared together).

Poor Jam was not feeling well so it was a pretty early night for us. Which wasn't a bad idea.

Stay tuned for Day 2. And photos!




View from our room