pcmodem wrote:

Whoa... My cousin's secretary here in Tokyo is... I wonder if his new wife has seen her. Cheers, PCM

share more of your japan trip adventures and provide us some pix....

NEW YORK TIMES

May 7, 2006
Surfacing
Tokyo Bars With Standing Room Only
By JAMES BROOKE

IN Tokyo, where cafe floor space is at a premium, some bars are abolishing tables and chairs altogether and stacking customers vertically along a bar.

They are known as tachinomiya, or standing bars, and they are sweeping Tokyo. Their popularity is fueled by low prices and the opportunities they offer many young, shy Japanese to mix and mingle with whoever is standing next to them.

"It's easy to go in, easy to go out," said Sachiko Tabata, who was sipping and snacking with another young woman at a new bar in Shinbashi called Gohiikini, or Nice to Meet You (2-8-9 Shinbashi Minato-ku; 81-3-3502-3132; www.3cs.co.jp). Standing at one end of a polished wood bar, they were discussing their reactions to the movie "Sayuri," known in the United States as "Memoirs of a Geisha."

Generally found close to Tokyo's major commuter rail stations and open from 4 . to 11 p.m., tachinomiya are ideal for an end-of-the-day stop. A visitor can sip a glass of imported wine, nibble on tapas and rub shoulders at the bar. Many of the tachinomiya are literally holes in the wall. But some, like Gohiikini, have Web sites with maps that can be printed out for an evening of hashigo or bar hopping.

Whoopee is across from Ebisu station (81-3-3444-5351), but without a map I circled the block until I figured out that the entrance was across a freshly hosed hall of shuttered fish shops. Inside, candles glowed in glasses, mellow jazz streamed though the air, a glass of Côtes du Rhône was going for 500 yen ($4.45, at 118 yen to the dollar), and a large plate of smoked cheese cost 1,500 yen. A chalk board announced: "Cash on Delivery."

The friendly young women behind the counter doubled as bartenders and as the bar equivalent of Tokyo's fabled subway stuffers, who herd rush-hour commuters into packed trains. One would call out: "Welcome! Three more customers!" Then she would politely but firmly push one group 18 inches down the bar to wedge in the new arrivals. To save space, the wall had hooks for coats and bags.

For Takao Rikiishi, it took four moves of his cheese plate to break the ice. "In this kind of place, you can just start talking to people," he said, happy to have an opening to try out his English. Easier to find is 3 Coins Bar, which opened a year ago under the Japan Rail tracks directly behind the Imperial Hotel, on the edge of the Ginza district). Typically, each restaurant below these tracks occupies an area within a red brick arch. This standing bar is so narrow, though, that it shares its vault with a ramen noodle shop.

But inside, there is plenty of life, jazz, nihonshu (Japanese wine) and delicious snacks — marinated mushrooms, tomatoes with onions, slices of deep fried chicken. Every drink and every snack goes for three 100 yen coins, about $2.65.

While fish, Japan's soul food, is the main staple of standing bars, tapas prevail at a growing number of standing bars with names like like Bar Tapachos, Catalan Bar Vinuls and Casa del Guapo.

Bar Tapachos (1-13-5 Ebisunishi, Shibuya-ku; 81-3-6415-7227; www.tapachos.com) is a light, airy place on a side street two blocks from Ebisu Station. The menu, in English and Spanish, offers a wide variety of hot and cold tapas, including squid in its ink (500 yen) and Galician-style octopus (also 500 yen). Drinks include sangria, a wide selection of Spanish whites and reds, and four different kinds of sherry.

"Traditionally, Japanese are not very spontaneous, not very gregarious," Akiko Maeda, an American-trained advertising executive, said between sips of a chilled sherry at Tapachos. Watching the comings and goings at the blonde wood bar, she added, "These bars seem to attract a different kind of species."

Folks,
I'll upload more photos later this week, but here are the first batch of Tokyo photos from my vacation:

Tokyo Tower as viewed from my cousin's residence on 35th floor (that's my blue shoulder)

Tokyo Tower commerative sign

Tokyo Tower sign at the base of the building under the tower

Tokyo Tower as seen from across the street

Restaurant where I had dessert and coffee across the street from Tokyo Tower on Thursday night (5/4)

Restaurant menu close-up

View of Rainbow Bridge from restaurant XEX, which is on the 42nd floor of the building next to my relatives

Thanks pcmodem for your pics! I am glad to hear that you had such a good time in Japan! Hope your hangover and jet lag are all gone!

didn't actually go to japan but had a friend who did - he got to see the Top Caster set in the Fuji TV station - man, so lucky..
_________________

Thanks for the pics. I hope you had a great time.
_________________

Thanks for posting your cool pictures of Japan....
makes me reminsce and miss visiting Japan again..

where are the hot j-girls??

tabana wrote:

Saw that earlier. You can't go wrong with maids. Here's the other one. Same place.

this is what i need....a new digicam, to take photos before my next visit in '07, hopefully.....

Tu_triky wrote:

NEW YORK TIMES May 7, 2006 Surfacing Tokyo Bars With Standing Room Only By JAMES BROOKE IN Tokyo, where cafe floor space is at a premium, some bars are abolishing tables and chairs altogether and stacking customers vertically along a bar. They are known as tachinomiya, or standing bars, and they are sweeping Tokyo. Their popularity is fueled by low prices and the opportunities they offer many young, shy Japanese to mix and mingle with whoever is standing next to them. "It's easy to go in, easy to go out," said Sachiko Tabata, who was sipping and snacking with another young woman at a new bar in Shinbashi called Gohiikini, or Nice to Meet You (2-8-9 Shinbashi Minato-ku; 81-3-3502-3132; www.3cs.co.jp). Standing at one end of a polished wood bar, they were discussing their reactions to the movie "Sayuri," known in the United States as "Memoirs of a Geisha." Generally found close to Tokyo's major commuter rail stations and open from 4 . to 11 p.m., tachinomiya are ideal for an end-of-the-day stop. A visitor can sip a glass of imported wine, nibble on tapas and rub shoulders at the bar. Many of the tachinomiya are literally holes in the wall. But some, like Gohiikini, have Web sites with maps that can be printed out for an evening of hashigo or bar hopping. Whoopee is across from Ebisu station (81-3-3444-5351), but without a map I circled the block until I figured out that the entrance was across a freshly hosed hall of shuttered fish shops. Inside, candles glowed in glasses, mellow jazz streamed though the air, a glass of Côtes du Rhône was going for 500 yen ($4.45, at 118 yen to the dollar), and a large plate of smoked cheese cost 1,500 yen. A chalk board announced: "Cash on Delivery." The friendly young women behind the counter doubled as bartenders and as the bar equivalent of Tokyo's fabled subway stuffers, who herd rush-hour commuters into packed trains. One would call out: "Welcome! Three more customers!" Then she would politely but firmly push one group 18 inches down the bar to wedge in the new arrivals. To save space, the wall had hooks for coats and bags. For Takao Rikiishi, it took four moves of his cheese plate to break the ice. "In this kind of place, you can just start talking to people," he said, happy to have an opening to try out his English. Easier to find is 3 Coins Bar, which opened a year ago under the Japan Rail tracks directly behind the Imperial Hotel, on the edge of the Ginza district). Typically, each restaurant below these tracks occupies an area within a red brick arch. This standing bar is so narrow, though, that it shares its vault with a ramen noodle shop. But inside, there is plenty of life, jazz, nihonshu (Japanese wine) and delicious snacks — marinated mushrooms, tomatoes with onions, slices of deep fried chicken. Every drink and every snack goes for three 100 yen coins, about $2.65. While fish, Japan's soul food, is the main staple of standing bars, tapas prevail at a growing number of standing bars with names like like Bar Tapachos, Catalan Bar Vinuls and Casa del Guapo. Bar Tapachos (1-13-5 Ebisunishi, Shibuya-ku; 81-3-6415-7227; www.tapachos.com) is a light, airy place on a side street two blocks from Ebisu Station. The menu, in English and Spanish, offers a wide variety of hot and cold tapas, including squid in its ink (500 yen) and Galician-style octopus (also 500 yen). Drinks include sangria, a wide selection of Spanish whites and reds, and four different kinds of sherry. "Traditionally, Japanese are not very spontaneous, not very gregarious," Akiko Maeda, an American-trained advertising executive, said between sips of a chilled sherry at Tapachos. Watching the comings and goings at the blonde wood bar, she added, "These bars seem to attract a different kind of species."

interesting article..
just goes to show, their lack of space, while trying to be creative and stir up social circles....among the public people of Japan.
the mack is on...lol

qilver wrote:

the mack is on...lol

nice....that was great.

qilver wrote:

this is what i need....a new digicam, to take photos before my next visit in '07, hopefully.....

i need a new x-ray cam....sees through clothes.

I've just bought the Canon Powershot A620 for next summer vacation, when I finally go to Japan

But there's something that bothers me:
For sure, i want to take lots, LOTS of photos and videos, but I don't have the money to buy loads of SD cards.
So I want to take my USB HD and download the photos from time to time on it.

Does anybody know if it's possible/allowed to plug in your USB stuff in an Internet Cafe (Tokyo)?

Ezalor wrote:

I've just bought the Canon Powershot A620 for next summer vacation, when I finally go to Japan But there's something that bothers me: For sure, i want to take lots, LOTS of photos and videos, but I don't have the money to buy loads of SD cards. So I want to take my USB HD and download the photos from time to time on it. Does anybody know if it's possible/allowed to plug in your USB stuff in an Internet Cafe (Tokyo)?

How long are you going to be there for? Unless you are there for an incredibly long time I think 2 512MB SD cards or conversely 1 1GB card will more than adequate storage space for your photos...that much storage should allow you to take about 1000 photos

I had a canon digital camera with me and 1 512MB compact flash card and I was able to take about 500 photos over 2 weeks time.


edit: I just saw prices on the internet for 512MB Secure Digital Cards for 20 US dollars or less! If you wanted to go crazy you could get 3 cards for your trip and then for sure you probably never run out of storage capacity.

the canon a620, at 7MP.. should go about 650 on a 1gb card at full resolution, 3000x2400 Super-Fine setting. that's about 2 full batteries worth.

krim wrote:

the canon a620, at 7MP.. should go about 650 on a 1gb card at full resolution, 3000x2400 Super-Fine setting.

I see, so based on that data, 3 512MB SD cards would allow you to take approx 975 photos...should be more than adequeate unless you're going to be there for a long time.

i'd need like 5 cards, i shoot like crazy... i filled a 512mb card in 6 hours time... though about 80 were sequence shots of two drunk girls kissing.

though a fresh card in the camera would be nice to have every couple of days.

krim wrote:

i'd need like 5 cards, i shoot like crazy... i filled a 512mb card in 6 hours time... though about 80 were sequence shots of two drunk girls kissing. though a fresh card in the camera would be nice to have every couple of days.

LOL...hilarious. even 5 cards at current prices...would only run you around 70 dollars...i just saw some 512MB cards running for as little as 12 dollars a piece. 2.5GBs

Thing is when you travel I found there is a fine line b/n memorializing your trip through photography and enjoying yourself....if you stop every 2.3 seconds to take a picture...you'll never get anywhere or really enjoy yourself.

card prices may be higher in Germany... oh well, the question remains on whether they'll let you access the USB port.

krim wrote:

card prices may be higher in Germany... oh well, the question remains on whether they'll let you access the USB port.

they probably are...that's when you hook up with your american friend and tell him to buy you stuff like that and then send it over....i did that with relatives in england...

in any event, yes, you're right about the question...well depending on where one stays, many hotels have business centers on the premises so one could most likely use those in order to upload or download data....

Ezalor wrote:

I've just bought the Canon Powershot A620 for next summer vacation, when I finally go to Japan But there's something that bothers me: For sure, i want to take lots, LOTS of photos and videos, but I don't have the money to buy loads of SD cards. So I want to take my USB HD and download the photos from time to time on it. Does anybody know if it's possible/allowed to plug in your USB stuff in an Internet Cafe (Tokyo)?

I just e-mailed this guy who lives in Tokyo...when he writes back with an answer I'll let you know.