Japan, here I come!

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Can't wait to see... make a lot of comments and take a lot of pics of the vinyl figures and capsule toys (Which I collect)

[thegl0r]

Yes take lots of pictures of everything.

I'm sure that you'll have sushi while you're there and you'll have to have matcha at least once. Somehow I doubt that you'll forget to have a few Kirin beers.

But what about visiting a pachinko parlour? Don't forget to pay attention to the ubiquitous vending machines that seem to be everywhere according to google maps - you're bound to find something interesting in them.

Or what about trying out one of the purikura photo booths that the Japanese seem to take great delight in. Here's a how-to article.

purikura.blogspot.co.uk/p/tutorial-basics.html

But, if a car pulls up and offers to take you to a club you might want to think twice. Well you do hear about strange goings on. Here's a cautionary tale from The Toy Dolls showing something that happened to Olga when he was in Tokyo.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCVQVz6LBHM

But most of all, have fun and take lots of pics and try not to catch any bugs

[jaicee]

Looking forward to your videos!! ;D

[Nuclear Seagull]

ALMOST THERE!!
I'm at the airport of Hong Kong now. So the hardest part is already done. I already met some of my fellow travelers, and they are very kind.
Stay tuned!

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

From Paul's FB page: (In Nagasaki)

Konbanwa (good evening). It is now 23: 17.
Today we were to the Atomic Bomb Museum. I already knew in advance that it would make a deep impression, but it hit me harder than I imagined. The images I have over the years seen on tv many times, but to actually walk around ...
Outside there are dozens of statues and other monuments, including a large pillar which indicates the exact spot where the bomb fell.
Inside you'll see many objects, photographs and film images that leave nothing to the imagination. I would like to save you the details.
While I fight against the tears, I realize that I am surrounded by a group of beautiful Japanese school girls. Here I would normally be very very happy, but the timing had just not worse.
I look at the replica of the bomb and realize that this is one of the most bizarre and emotional moments of my life.
Our tour leader says it's still much more dramatic in the museum in Hiroshima. But that I don't need. The message has been heard.
See you tomorow. (Translated by Bing)

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[Nuclear Seagull]

Konbanwa!
I apologise for not posting for so long. Wifi-hotspots are surprisingly hard to find in Japan.
I was about to post a long story here(I feel much better now), but Mikado-san already translated it. Arigato gozaimas!
Tomorrow, we will leave Nagasaki and head for Aso, where we will stay at a traditional Japanese hotel, a ryokan. No beds, but tatami's and futons. Good thing I took a little pillow from the plane!
I don't know when I find the next wifi-hotspot or internetcafé, so the next update will take a while. In the meantime, ask Mikado to check my fb page.
Sayonara, and stay tuned!
Paul.

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Konbanwa! It is now 22: 42 it has the half day rained, so my bag was soaked. Bit of a shame:-(
But the castle was very nice. I stand on the photo in a samurai armor! Very heavy, and a pokkewerk to attract.
In the evening we have delicious eaten and then Mario kart played in the arcade. Remains just plain fun!
Tomorrow we leave for Kurashiki, on the "mainland". Would be time, because my bed in hotel is a drama. If I stand on my socks on, I can just count the feathers! Also a bit of a shame.
But otherwise the holiday so far totally amazing!
Regards, Paul.

Konbanwa! I am now in Beppu. Tomorrow we leave the island of Kyushu and we sail to Shikoku. We have made a boat trip where we were surrounded by dozens of dolphins, great! We slept last night at a typical Japanese Inn, and we had a traditional dinner, where we all had to carry a kymono. Looked very nice! Regards, Paul. (Translated by Bing)

[solingen]

May 19, 2013 12:54:26 GMT -5 mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman said:

Konbanwa! It is now 22: 42 it has the half day rained, so my bag was soaked. Bit of a shame:-(
But the castle was very nice. I stand on the photo in a samurai armor! Very heavy, and a pokkewerk to attract.
In the evening we have delicious eaten and then Mario kart played in the arcade. Remains just plain fun!
Tomorrow we leave for Kurashiki, on the "mainland". Would be time, because my bed in hotel is a drama. If I stand on my socks on, I can just count the feathers! Also a bit of a shame.
But otherwise the holiday so far totally amazing!
Regards, Paul.

Konbanwa! I am now in Beppu. Tomorrow we leave the island of Kyushu and we sail to Shikoku. We have made a boat trip where we were surrounded by dozens of dolphins, great! We slept last night at a typical Japanese Inn, and we had a traditional dinner, where we all had to carry a kymono. Looked very nice! Regards, Paul. (Translated by Bing)

The first part has some slang in that throws Bing off a bit, lol

Konbanwa! It's currently 22:42

It's been raining for half the day, so my bag was soaked. Bummer
But the castle was gorgeous. I got my picture taken in samurai armor !
Very heavy and awkward to put on.
In the evening we had a very nice meal and played Mario cart on arcade. Never gets old !
Tomorrow we're leaving for Kurashiki, on the "mainland". About time too, because my hotel bed is a disaster.
If I stand on it wearing only socks I can count the individual springs ! Again: bummer.
But otherwise this holiday so far is totally amazing!
Regards, Paul.

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Thx Marc, I knew the translation wasn't perfect, but, I had no idea how to correct it! lol

[Nuclear Seagull]

Konbanwa!
I am in Kyoto now! Last week, we went to mount Aso, the biggest volcano of Japan. It was very clear that Naoko got her inspiration for "Muddy Bubbles Hell" there. And today we went to Nara, there is a very large park there, populated by dozens of deer. So I was humming "Deer Biscuits" all day.
I hope I will find more Shonen Knife related little stories like this.
The day after tomorrow, we will go to Tokyo with the Shinkansen, the high-speed train.
I wish i was in Tokyo a couple of days earlier, because Shonen Knife is performing there at this very moment!
Sayonara!

PS: I laughed really hard about that translation!
The word "pokkewerk" is best translated as "a hell of a job".
Really made my day.

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

From Paul's FB page:

Konbanwa! It is now 20: 53 I have now finally got the time and the opportunity to post a little longer.
Today we were from Kyoto to Nara, to name a few temples, including one with one of the largest Buddha images of Japan. In the nearby park walked around a lot of deer, which are seen as the protectors of the city fill their time, but nowadays with the eating of maps and of toddlers.
Yesterday we were also on Temple Tour in Kyoto, but we were not the only ones. There were dozens of classes on school trip, and it saw white everywhere of the school uniforms.
Itself I wore a shirt with the text: "Nihonjin kanojo boshu chu".
You can guess how the female population of Kyoto and the surrounding areas responded to a foreigner who makes no secret of a search for a Japanese girlfriend ...
Seriously, I've never had so many comments on a shirt! That shirt was really worth every euro! The pictures keep you from me credit, because on this pc I can not upload photos.
Tomorrow we go to a manga-museum, and the day after tomorrow we already cracks to Tokyo.
Oyasumi nasai (good night) and sayonara (DEKA)!

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Konbanwa! It is now 0: 08.
Today we went shopping all day in Kyoto. We started with six, but eventually everyone went his own way anyway.
I have bought three figurines of Dragon Ball Z, and I got to that a DBZ-Keychain at gift. Nice, but I've known for years many more key rings than keys.
I also in Hiroshima two Pokemon-hugs from a grab machine, and I have fished in Myjajima a Maneki Neko (Lucky Cat) purchased.
This seems like a big booty, but it's nothing compared to what all has purchased one of my travel companions. I think they should attach an extra wagon tomorrow to the Shinkansen to carry all her stuff!
I'm going to stop because I need to get up early again tomorrow.
Next stop; Tokyo! Stay tuned! (Translated by Bing)

Ohayo gozaimas! It is now 10: 40.
In a few hours we go again towards the airport. Japan and especially Akihabara (electronics district in Tokyo) is totally awesome!
I will definitely come back here because I have still not seen everything and politely.
The last few days I am among other things to a sushi-train and a karaoke club.
That last one is so wrong, that the weather is nice!
I will probably only report again when I get home but then I of course jet lag from here to Alkmaar. ;-)
So expect the first photos Sunday at the earliest.
Anyone who is interested in the pictures and movies (no idea how many there are), will be welcome to come and see them.
If I come at you along with my trusty laptop.
Greetings from a cloudy but warm Tokyo! (Translated by Bing)

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

Temple gates, more than a klm long & giant Bhuddha

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[Nuclear Seagull]

Hi guys, I'm back!
I want to thank you all for being so interested to my stories.
Mikado, thank you for posting some of my facebook messages. I will take it from here, because the bad translations are not funny anymore. So I will translate it in a way that you guys can actually understand what I'm writing.

Japan is a totally awesome and versatile country. I have seen so many things, I cant mention everything.
There was so little time, and so few cd stores that I could find, so I haven't found a single Shonen Knife album. Better luck next time.
Next time? Yes, of course I'm going back!

[mikado-AKA-Shoknifeman]

CD stores are hard to find in Japan?? o.0