My flight arrived in the early morning, but the train to the city didn’t leave for a few hours. Fortunately, there were a number of high-end buses leaving every hour. Unfortunately, they were also high-end prices (about $40USD).
There were a goodly number of places the bus went, but when it stopped, everyone got off, me included. I had no idea where I was. That’s actually OK by me as I spent a couple of hours wandering around, watching folks heading for work. The men wore suits, the girls wore either smart business attire or funky college-student garb.
Despite the fact I was wearing short pants and short-sleeved shirt on a cool and drizzly morning, the Japanese around me didn’t so much as glance in my direction. Furthermore, I was the only Gaijin as far as the eye could see. Either they didn’t care, or were entirely too polite. I suspect it was a combination of both.
In the rain, the sidewalks become rivers of umbrellas.
It was a kick to explore the electronics stores. Most of the gear was television related so was not terribly interesting to me. The computers had unusual cases, but nothing I hadn’t seen before. The mice were interesting; I saw several unusual varieties, but none that appealed to me enough to separate me from my Yen.
Japanese shops are kind of peculiar. They tend to be very thin and very tall. I seem to recall entering shops with an average of seven floors, all served by escalators and/or elevators. The merchandise was not always laid out in a practical manner, more like a trade show than by departments. Made for terrific browsing, but you need a guide if you want to actually find something.
Outside a long, thin, electronics boutique.
In one shop, a young man approached me with much contained excitement. He was very eager to practice his English on me. “Can I hep you wi somshing?” he asked. I was too dazed to engage him in conversation.
It was in one of the electronic shops that engaged my first Japanese toilets. Let me just say that it was weird and let it go at that.
I visited a few Pachinko parlors and watched the Nips shoving balls into the things at the same rate as the old ladies shoving nickels in the Vegas slot machines. The female greeters in these places were as close to Go-Go girls as I was likely to see.
Getting food was a considerable challenge. Anything that looked like it could serve food had prices that were much too expensive. I ended up at a burger joint where I paid about eight bucks for a warm burger and soggy fries. Ouch.
I wandered into a couple of dirty book and video stores, strictly for research, naturally. I was amazed at the amount of smut available. I mean, I fully believe that the United States is the top producer and consumer of porn, but I’m now convinced that Japan has the title per capita. There was a lot of porn … all Asian (presumably Japanese). I was tempted to procure said cultural items but for the fact that it would have cost the equivalent of another five burgers. No wonder the Nips tip big in Bangkok. If they’re paying this kind of money for titillation, the real thing is cheap, cheap, cheap!
My last stop was a sex shop. C’mon, I just had to check it out. It was the tall thin type of shop with lots of videos, toys, outfits, bondage gear and the usual stuff. I thought it was very strange that they sold lube in gallon jugs. I kid you not. One thing that caught my attention was a device with the name “Feel or Die.”
It was tastefully packaged in a simple black box with silver lettering. The purpose of the device itself, after a few moments contemplation, was self-evident. It was a, um, how should I say, auto stimulus device. It was a sleeve of sticky-looking silicon with a number of colorful balls embedded inside. Visually, it was remarkably attractive.
http://www.ms-online.co.jp/eshop/goods/details/fod/fod.html
I’ve never been one to bother with such devices in the past, but I was drawn to this thing. Out of curiosity, I checked the price. Now, I’ve priced, and purchased, a number of, er, marital aids in the past, and they’re quite expensive. So, imagine my surprise when I learn that this fine example of Japanese engineering is going for less than ten bucks. Hell, I figure I’ll buy it just for a laugh. I make my purchase and depart.
The remainder of the day is spent in a jet-lagged haze as I lurched back to the airport and boarded my flight.
Next stop: <sniff> home. K