Random photos and situations in Japan

Something a little different today.
I have collected a variety of images to show some similarities and some differences between life in Japan and elsewhere.
I hope you enjoy them. Some are classic

 

Call before you dig. Could work anywhere.

Bicycles at the train station. Hundreds of them. Most are not locked or chained.

 

You might have to lock this one up. Gas mileage is appalling.

Plug in electric assist bicycle with kid carrier.

Check out the boys school uniforms especially the hats!.

Looks like kids routinely ride the train and tram unsupervised at very young ages.

More kids with strange hats on their way home. This time in Kyoto.

The backpack is nearly as big as the kid. I understand they cost around $500!!

Japanese toilet (Western style) with soft heated seat, vent fan and bidet feature with adjustable pressure and heat!

Operator controls for said seat.

Seat on sale in a store for approx $350. Reduced from $750. Crappy market I suppose.

Note the store name. "Love Girls Market"

 

Probably what you buy at the Love Girls Market.

Lots of trashy dressing particularly girls. Presumably a chance to rebel in a very structured society.

Cheap hotel between 10pm and 11 am. Just about $50.

Understandable even for married couples where you live with the kids even when they are adults, and the walls or dividerrs are made of paper. Bet the kids will pay the $50 sometimes just so they do not have to listen. LOL

This guy is in a world of hurt. Parked illegally outside the Bullet Train station. It was there for at least 30 min with three cops taking pictures and measurements.

Security risk I am sure.

This house can only be 3 meters wide at this end judging by the relative width of the SUV. Good news is that it gets wider at the other end.

Rhino looks from the bridge at the A Bomb Memorial in Hiroshima. Seperate post about that trip but it was time Rhino made an appearance.

Nissan GTR for my son Al.

Saturday and Sunday. The amazing Akashi bridge.

If you know me, you also know that I love weird airports, ferries (any and all) and beautiful and dramatic bridges. Satyaki mentioned a visit to another castle or pagoda, which would have been nice, but then mentioned the Akashi Bridge. We decided to make that Sunday’s visit as well as a trial run at the train change and getting the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) for my Hiroshima trip on Monday. I will do a separate post for this.

He and I took the kids out Saturday morning for a run around and to hopefully give Snigdha a break, and we went to their preschool on Roko Island maybe 5km away. 

It is a nice school focused on expat kids and they enjoy it and are learning well. We climbed up the mountain (in the car) from there and got a good view of the whole of Osaka bay including both Kobe and Kansai airports which are built on man-made islands.

 

We came home and Satyaki grilled an excellent tenderloin, and mushrooms, after which we all promptly took an afternoon nap. 

We walked around downtown Kobe and tried some street food. Rather like a donut, and then we saw a celebration of Chinese New Year as we entered Chinatown.

Street food Kobe style

We ate at a Chinese (very authentic) place on Saturday night. The in-laws of a Cat guy Tay who was a BCP employee until the reorg and now works for HEDC own it. I think he is Japanese, and his wife Chinese but grew up in Japan. Get all of that!!.

Anyway good food, selected by the owner/chef and we meekly ate what was put in front of us. There was only one item that we adults agreed did not taste as we would have liked. The rest was really good and not too expensive by Japanese standards.

Satyaki went for a 12 mile run on Sunday morning in preparation for the Tokyo Marathon next weekend, and I blogged a little and took a walk. There is a river that runs in front of the house and it has some nice walking trails alongside. There are lots of signs and alarms and escape routes because it is subject to flash flooding after rain in the mountains.

 

 

 Satyaki's home

We then took off for the Akashi Bridge by train. I will, as I have said do a separate post for this.

We went out to a very good Indian restaurant for dinner. Excellent Tandoori chicken (Sneha’s favorite) and Dal Makini (spg?) with black lentils and butter chicken. Superb!!

Kyoto. Friday

So today I have the somewhat daunting prospect of navigating to Kyoto on the train without any help other than the excellent briefing given to me by Satyaki last evening. I have my tickets (around 20 bucks for a one hour each way train ride) and I know that the train to Kyoto is a “Rapid” which has limited stops but still zips along. There is also a “Super Rapid” with even more limited stops and then local trains. All VERY efficient. This does not include the Bullet Train, which I will experience on Monday going to Hiroshima.
All went well and this is really helped by the incredible punctuality of the trains, almost to the second. The train arrives in Kyoto station at 7.39 as promised and I have an hour to navigate my way to the hotel and get something to eat. That all proves easier than anticipated so I have time to relax and look around.
Japan is VERY clean, and VERY organized and everything has a feel of quality.
I am booked on the all day tour of Kyoto and we have about 8 destinations and of course a tight schedule. We are on a bus with a total of about 50 people and I am sitting next to a guy who works for …..Volvo!!. He is actually in the On highway truck group and we spend most of the day on and off chatting about global business and how large corporations function or not depending on your view.

 

2 cute girls on the tour

Two cute girls with Andy

Two cute girls with the guys they were REALLY interested in!!

Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan and is full of both Buddhist and Shinto temples and many beautiful gardens. All are meticulously maintained and there are restrictions in some of the palaces and temples on wearing shoes and taking photos.

 

 

 

Kiyomizu Temple

 

 These guys have to be really fit

I was really impressed with the Golden Pavilion, and the Kiyomizu Temple and the associated gardens.
There are really three aspects to a visit like this in my mind
Ø The religious history and impact
Ø The building construction and techniques
Ø The social implications
I do not pretend to understand the religious aspects and underlying history, but remain aware of the impact that it had and continues to have on people’s lives. This was essentially the same in India.
Some of the buildings are many centuries old and kept in superb condition. The overall construction must have been as a result of many previous years of experience so the culture and expertise is actually much older than the buildings actually suggest. The Kiyomuzi Temple for example was built without the use of nails, screws or any other fasteners. All the construction was made with dovetail and other fashioned joints. It stands on 130 + massive pillars that must have withstood many an earthquake. The Imperial Palace was built on a foundation of alternating sand and clay so the two materials would “slip” against each other in a quake and the building would remain safe. How about that for smart engineering about a thousand years ago! The rafters in the roofs are spaced much closer than we would be accustomed to but the roofs are heavy and the principal seems to be to be safe and use more materials if deemed necessary.
I do not feel well enough qualified or experienced in Japan to comment on the social aspects, but the Shogun system and it’s implications, and the Geisha system are certainly different and impacted how Japan developed. It was a completely closed society until about 150 years ago, and in many respects still is today. The status quo seems to work well for them and there are few signs of any poverty, and many signs, sometimes ostentatious of great wealth . The system would not suit me well I believe, but now I think about it I have not been invited to join!

Travel Mumbai to Osaka, and initial Japan impressions

Wednesday was spent on the plane from Mumbai to Hong Kong with a tight connection to Osaka via Taiwan.
Looks like Tiawan is serious about the drug issue.

I arrived more or less on time with a good flight on Cathay Pacific. My bags made it to Hong Kong but were on the next flight to Osaka and showed up at Satyaki’s home on Thursday about lunchtime.

Satyaki met me at the airport and we took the 30 minute ferry ride across the bay and then home by car from there. Just a pity it was at night because I love ferries!

Thursday was a day to get caught up and post some updates on the blog. It is amazing how a fast connection can help uploading photos. I also did some much needed planning on the NZ portion of the trip as that is now very close. At least the first few days are settled.

Satyaki and his family (Snigtha, and the twins Rohit and Sneha who are 4) have a beautiful home in the hills above Osaka and Kobe, very spacious particularly for a Japanese home. The kids warmed up to me very quickly and I got a little one on one with Rohit when Snigdah took Sneha for her piano lesson in the afternoon.

When Satyaki got home from work we went out for a beer and something to eat at a tiny joint near the station about a mile from the house. I hear that there are lots of good hole in the wall type restaurants and nearly all are close to railroad stations. Satyaki,s grasp of Japanese is very impressive for someone who has only been here a short time, and ordering food and my train tickets was made much easier because of that. Thanks!!

Satyaki works in the Akashi factory and walks to the station (about 15 minutes) and then about 30 minutes on the train and another 15 min walk if the company busses are not scheduled, He takes the 6.23 train and returns around 6.30 or 7 in the evening, often with a late night teleconference from his home. A tough schedule by any measure but not abnormal for an expat in Asia who has to coordinate with people back in the US.

I have done little planning for this portion of the trip and with advice from the family I am going to Kyoto tomorrow, and then probably to Hiroshima on Monday or Tuesday before heading to Tokyo.

Satyaki is running in the Tokyo marathon on the 28^th, and I leave for New Zealand that night.

Tuesday. My last day in India

Before we ate on Monday evening Adrian and Alex went out on their routine to feed some of the local street dogs who are friendly enough and just kind of lay around. They look better fed than many I have seen.
Bob has only three legs having had one crushed by a truck and then having the remainder professionally amputated by an animal charity in Mumbai. He has mange and Alex has some cream she applies and he seems to like that.

Adrian and I spent some time at the Kanheri Caves in North Mumbai. They were inhabited and built by the Buddhists in the 5th century and consist of 109 caves of various size and levels of sophistication. The caves are in a large National Park and after the intensity and bustle/chaos of the city it was a pleasant and welcome change.

From the top of the rock from which the caves are carved you can see some of the towers and skyscrapers of the city.
There was a lot of activity filming an episode for what I think is a local soap opera.

 

 

Also lots of young couples out spending the day together maybe away from the watchful eye of Mom and Dad!.
Adrian had a conference at 1pm so we headed back and I went to the Post Office to mail accumulated material and post cards. Alex is also frantically trying to help organize a conference in Mumbai this weekend with little help from the sponsors so far. In conversation I discovered that Alex's Dad is a pilot and sounds like he and I have many things in common, so I am hoping that another worldwide friendship will be born out of this amazing adventure I am on.

My bag weight has crept up as I have stored cold weather clothes and swapped for shorts and tee-shirts. I shipped out a couple of kilos and when I packed this evening and took my trusty jacket out, my bag felt more normal.
Alex had told me that mailing packages is fairly cheap and that there is a guy who works in front of the Post Office “preparing your package for shipment” I used his services, and once again saw a side of India that many do not. Basically the guy has a little stand and he will take a piece of canvas type material and make and sew your shipment inside a custom made package. He was of course very interesting to watch as he measured and ripped the cloth and then stitched the edges, and then sealed the corners with wax.

 I had to write the address and then the whole affair was carried to the rather surly postal clerk who processed the shipments. Cost of the packaging and workmanship was 100 rupees, or about 2 bucks. Adrian’s driver said that the rate was too high but was so because I was a foreigner! I am getting used to this. An Indian would probably have paid half that.
There was another guy who was selling stationery and also seemed to be writing letters or envelopes that needed that help.

I took some random photos shown below on an afternoon walk.

 

Egg delivery Mumbai style

 Propane delivery Mumbai style

 This job interview was going on as I had a cup of coffee

 I also took a nap in the late afternoon, as today is my last day in India this time. I leave for Hong Kong and Osaka Japan at 4.20 on Wednesday morning.
Adrian, Alex and I went to a good Chinese restaurant for dinner, and I bade them farewell and took a taxi to the airport. The taxi ride was about 25 minutes in what passes for light traffic in Mumbai. The fare was 250 rupees or about $5. The contrast is huge. Some things are outrageously expensive, and many things unbelievably cheap. Such is India.
I have had a wonderful two weeks, full of surprises and easily my best trip to India so far (out of three). Wonderful hosts, many surprises, and lots of smiling people willing to help even if they were uncertain of what you needed. The kids in Dharavi impressed me beyond all.
Farewell India, hello Japan. There is no doubt that I will be back in India, hopefully soon.

Monday. Dharavi and a $700m opportunity.

No photos today but, I hope some compelling reading.

Adrian and I left their apartment around 11 as he had to attempt to tackle the great machine that is the Indian Government to get his Work Permit renewed. Anyone who has some appreciation for how things work in India will appreciate the enormity of this task. He actually came out relatively unscathed after an hour or so, but of course will have to return for another match! We had lunch in a small place that basically serves street food but in more of a snack bar setting with tables etc. It was excellent and I was able to get my South Indian coffee to which I have become addicted. It is hot strong and sweet and made with milk.
We then went off to spend one of the most unusual afternoons of my life. We went on a tour of Dharavi

Dharavi
Dharavi is the biggest slum in India, and was the background for Slumdog Millionaire.
One would initially think that touring a slum (defined as a place where you can own the home but not the ground it sits on) would be voyeuristic and dangerous. Not so. The Tour Company that specializes in this is a registered charity that operates a community center in Dharavi and clearly has a good working relationship with the residents. They have a no camera policy, which they believe, and I agree really helps with their community relations.
Dharavi is two square kilometers and officially houses 1million people, but unofficial estimates are about 1.3 million. It is the most densely populated part of Mumbai and Mumbai is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
Our guide took a party of 7 of us, and another guide followed with a party of 8. I understand that they will do a total of 4 tours a day with this size of group. One guy in the other group was wearing a Carolina hat and is from Raleigh!
As well as residences there is a huge amount of business in Dharavi with a total of 15,000 individual businesses that range from manufacturing machinery to recycling plastic to making clay pots. The guide claimed that it generates approx US$700 million a year. My skepticism suggests that if the population is understated by 30% then the income is probably understated when you consider unreported income and then try to better define how the number is calculated. Regardless there is a huge amount going on and a huge number of people are employed. Certainly not OSHA of HSE compliant working conditions but work none the less.
We visited a company that made machines that shred plastic with lathes and drilling machines and grinders. These are sold all over the world and also to people like our next visit which was a company that brings plastic in, sorts, shreds and cleans it to recycle into plastic pellets to make car body parts, refrigerator panels etc. Their material supply comes from India, the USA and China, with some from Europe as well.
We also visited a small (maybe 10x20ft) operation that makes wooden shrines, both Muslim and Hindu and a bakery next door that supply pastries to local business in Mumbai, all neatly packaged. We saw leather tanning operations, clothing manufacture and clay pot making.
Certainly not all of the businesses are owned by Dharavi residents, some are owned by Mumbai businessmen, but I did not see anybody who looked downtrodden or depressed, particularly the kids.
We then went on through the residential areas. This is a maze of small passages that are less than 3 feet wide with rooms and homes every few feet. All homes have electricity available and meters, and city water is available to every fourth house for 3 hours a day. There is no schedule as to which 3 hours so retired people are the water watchers, and the residents have to get their supply and store it when it is available.
We visited a small Muslim run private school. It is open to all denominations. Dharavi is 50% Hindu, 30% Muslim and 10% Christian as best I remember and is, and has been extraordinarily peaceful and there appears to be a high level of harmony and tolerance. There is a place for prayer that is non denominational at one of the many entrances to Dharavi. There are tiles with images of the various gods on them and you pray to the one you believe in.
It is an incredible place and defies description. There is a maze of these passages that lead all over the residential section and it is, as you can imagine streaming with people young and old. Many of the little kids want to know your name, shake you hand or hold your hand for a couple of moments and the vast majority of the kids had a big smile and an incredibly positive outlook for living where they do.
The tour is not for the faint of heart but everything is discussed in a positive light with facts to back up the material presented.
There are efforts being made to change at least some of the area to residential housing and apartments but the cost of real estate makes this impractical and the level of employment and integration of the businesses would make it nearly impossible to relocate the whole thing successfully.
There are apartment blocks close by where the rent is 7500 to 10,000 rupees a month, and this will not work if you earn 200 rupees a day. More normal rents in Dharavi are 2500 rupees, which is still a lot, when the school is 200 rupees per child (incidentally the kids have uniforms!). There is certainly no clear solution and though it is hard to believe the residents seem happy based on what I saw in a short 2-hour tour.
I think that the tour company does a very credible job and is sincere in their desire to tell the story, and help the Dharavi residents with computer programs and training and some support services through the Community Center.