Here and There Japan

Remember Little Brother had to take a bucket to school a week or so ago? Yesterday, he came home with this package of rice seeds or seed ric...

Here is a fire cistern in front of an apartment building. There is a tank of water that will be used by the fire department in case of a fir...

You may recognize this company. These delivery motorcycles are used by other pizza delivery companies. The box on the back makes sure the pi...

Well, you don't see this everyday. Even around here. I've been here in this neighborhood for a very long time and just happened onto...

Here is another street sign telling you to clean up after your dog. This sign is cute. The little doggie is helping. The sign is at the end ...

In the entry hall of a Japanese home, there is a space to leave your street shoes. Slippers are worn in the house. Guest slippers are set o...

Here is the inside of Baba's shoe box, kutsubakko . See all the dust? That's street dust that is left at the door. I took the pictur...

Slippers are worn on wooden floors, rugs, tile and linoleum, but not on tatami. Slippers are left at the door of a washitsu , a room that ha...

There are phone booths on the streets of Tokyo, but more often there are small telephone boxes like this one outside a convenience store. Gr...

You may cringe at using the word "toilet". I know I did before coming to Asia. Students and speakers of English here and in Asia u...

For years, my two children, Papa and I ate, slept, and lived in one tatami (grass mat) room. Our toilet, however, had its own room. Most if ...

After the Sports Day events last Wednesday, I took this picture of the first graders' morning glories on the east side of the school. Fi...

Speaking of cleaning up, I cut a few branches from the gumi tree (elaeagnus multiflora ) today. It was hanging a little over the deck bl...

These are brooms that are used at a small shrine near my health club. They are especially good for sweeping on dirt. Grass lawns are not com...

These children were going to use this wagon to transport chairs that were used for the elderly guests at the Sports Day. I have seen this ki...

Sports Day was postponed from last Saturday to today. Unfortunately, it is Wednesday so many fathers and older siblings couldn't attend....

Here are pictures of one event using bamboo poles. Students pass a bamboo pole from one group to another. They first run and carry it about ...

This is the last event of the competition at Little Brother's school. The red team is on one end of the field. The white team is on the ...

This is an example of a parking lot at an apartment building. Assistance from an attendant is required. Cars are parked on a platform that i...

This is a sign telling people not to park their bicycles here. It is located in front of the library. What is more interesting is the yellow...