Solar Energy

There are quite a few old houses in our neighborhood that have solar panels on them. Here are two.

Other Energy Units

These are gas tanks under the stairs of an apartment house. They are next to the resident bicycle parking lot.

The unit on the ground is natural gas. However, it is plugged into an electrical outlet on the outside of the house. Note the pipe next to it. Its insulation is shredded.

Street Mirrors

Some streets here are very narrow. Only one car at a time can go down some of them. There are mirrors that drivers and bike riders can check to see if someone is coming from another direction.

Bicycle Parking Lots

This is a parking lot for bicycles near a small train station.

This parking lot is several blocks from a bigger station and a big shopping area. You just lock your bicycle and remember where you parked it.

Handwarmers for Bicycles

Click on the "bicycles" label to see an example of lightweight handlebar covers for summer. Note, too, the cover for the basket.

This bike was parked outside a dress shop. The owner left her packages in the baskets. I have to admit that I took this picture early last summer. See the plant there? I was surprised to see these hand warmers out of season. She must've kept them on the bike for protection from the sun. It must've been miserable, though. It is so hot and humid in Tokyo during the summer.

Hot Buns and Drinks

There are cases of hot drinks on the counter of this convenience store. Customers can choose what they want and then take it to the register. On the left are hot buns. Most of them have meat in them. This is not self-service. The clerk serves them to customers who pay first.

Down the street at a vegetable stand, there were more hot snacks for sale.

Daphne

Our daphne shrub hasn't bloomed yet. It has been in a shady part of the garden for decades. Great-grandfather planted it long ago. As I walk down the street, I know other daphne shrubs are blooming somewhere. The fragrance is strong. It is very distinctive from the ume that is also blooming now. It seems both are blooming late this year.

On the way to the shops, I found a daphne shrub that is starting to bloom. This one was in a pot!

Winter Fast Food

During the winter, some convenience stores have a pot of hot oden on or near the counter. Customers can spoon out what they want (konnayaku, fish cakes, daikon, tofu, kelp etc.) along with the broth. They pay for it at the register. Oden is made at home, too.

Recycled Toilet Paper

Or, rather, toilet paper made out of recycled milk cartons (30%). The red lettering is written in katakana, the script used for foreign words. It literally sounds out the words "Recycle Eco Roll". The word below it in blue says "single" in katakana.

Toilet paper is sold in packages of 12 rolls like this. It has a plastic handle at the top to make it easy to carry home.

Kids Web Japan-- katakana

The Mural at the American School in Japan

The original tile mosaic (they call it a mural) was made in 1963 by Pearl Mok. It was on an outside wall of the school's old theater. The theater was rebuilt and reopened in August 2006. The students, faculty, parents and alumni reconstructed the mural and had it placed on a front wall of the new Ricketson Theater. The mural now faces the street. Some tiles were replaced. The old tiles were made into keychains. They were given as gifts when people made donations to the school.

Bird on the Neighbor's Roof

Our neighbor's house is our view from our dining room. Sometimes birds line up there. This bird seemed like she was looking for or waiting for something. Not sure what kind of bird she is. I will add that later.

P.S. I think it is a brown-eared bulbul.

A Grove of Ume

In our area, there are fields where vegetables grow through the seasons. There are also groves of trees or bamboo. This grove of ume is among houses and apartment buildings. The trees are very fragrant.

Valentine Treats

It looks like a heart-shaped dorayaki, but instead of azuki bean paste it had chocolate inside.

Heart-shaped osembe, rice crackers, were sold at a department store.

More Valentine Treats

Valentine's Day is celebrated in Japan. However, men and boys receive chocolate on February 14th. Women and girls receive chocolate on White Day on March 14th.

Some women and girls buy chocolate to give on Valentine's Day. Others make it. Grocery stores have displays of chocolate making supplies, decorations and wrappings. Department stores have many displays of chocolate wrapped in fancy ways. There are many beautiful and delicious possibilities.

I bought these chocolates at Mini Stop, a convenience store like 7-Eleven. I have never seen anything like these. Little Brother was surprised when I put this fish on the table for him. It was filled with an M&M type candy. Papa will get this "sushi" when he comes home tonight. It's just chocolate in printed plastic packages.

P.S. It was very good chocolate!

Kids Web Japan--Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

Some coffee shops and restaurants served special things for Valentine's Day.

This coffee shop had some special "drinks which make you happy."

Remember the big Halloween pumpkin that was painted white and made into a snowman for Christmas? Well, it was still outside the cake shop. It was wearing a hat with hearts on it! The shop's window was decorated for Valentine's Day, too.

This shop was having a sale on chocolate. The yellow lettering says "balentain se-lu" (Valentine sale) in katakana, the script used for foreign words.

Baskin Robbins, known as "31", was decorated too.

Kids Web Japan--Valentine's Day

Kids Web Japan-- katakana

Tissues

You can rarely buy one box of tissues at a time here. Boxes of tissue are available like this. They are wrapped in plastic with a handle at the top. It is easy to carry home. This is a common brand name.

Hot and Cold Drink Machine

In the fall, there are hot and cold drinks in vending machines. Hot and cold drinks are sold until spring. See the red line on the bottom row? Those are the hot drinks. In the summer, there are only cold drinks in vending machines.

Kids Web Japan--Canned Hot Drinks

Foundation Day

Another awful picture! We saw this flag on our way home from shopping. It was dusk and there wasn't much light so the picture is fuzzy. Can you even see the flag up on the balcony? Today was Foundation Day. Tomorrow is a school and work holiday. Japan started giving three-day weekends in recent years. So, though Foundation Day is really on the 11th, the day-off is tomorrow. Maybe they'll have their flag out again tomorrow. If so, I'll replace the picture.

Next day: Nope. I'll have to wait another year for another picture. By the way, that's an ume tree in the garden. Dark fushia blossoms.

Kids Web Japan--Foundation Day

Another Toilet Sign

This sign was in a restaurant. Look at all the options.


Click on the label below to see more about toilets.

Modesty Flush

These devices are sometimes found in toilet stalls in public restrooms. Push the button and it creates a flushing sound to mask noises. When I first came to Japan, people flushed the toilet before or as they were using it. That wasted water. These give privacy without wasting water.

There are different ways to flush toilets in Japan. Some toilets have sensors and they flush by themselves as you move away from them. I have seen some of them in public restrooms in the States.

This toilet has a sensor on it. You hold your hand over the top. After you move your hand , the toilet flushes. You don't have to touch it.