Cool 3-D Letter Storefront Signage in Tokyo

If this sign was in Canada, someone would definitely try and steal a letter, or knock it off just to be stupid........ but if one were to fall off by accident, then no problem. The letter from behind will take it's place.

Emergency Button in Toilet Stall

I'm not sure if I've ever posted a emergency button picture from within a toilet stall before? If so, here's another one. I've always wondered what happens when you press the button? Does the entire staff run into the stall to make sure you haven't fallen in? Do they send in a robot with a try of toilet related items? Does the entire bathroom lights go red and a buzzer goes off as the toilet starts to drop into the floor and converts into an emergency bomb shelter? And if you press it accidentily or on purpose, would you be fined or arrested for putting the scare on the staff? I'm so curious...... yes, another iPhone picture.......

Waiting for the Train along the Yamanote Line

My wife and I waiting for the train at the Otsuka Station along the Yamanote Line in Tokyo. I loved the 70's feel to the colours of the seats and the billboards behind us.... Yes, taken with the iPhone but adjusted in Photoscape on my laptop........

Artistry in Store Signage

Since I work in signs, I can appreciate hand lettered signs. The old days when even billboard and storefront signs were all hand lettered, there definitely was a sense of artistry in the sign industry.

At Whole Foods, a store that sells itself as a specialty grocer, what I was sold on today was their hand lettered signs! Many cafés have these fancy hand lettered blackboard signs, but I don't see many grocery stores take the time to draw out such cool looking hand drawn signs. They must change these signs out at least once a month, as the seasons change and they feature different items.

I asked an employe about them, and he told me they have a full time department that focuses just on in-store signage!! How cool is that? It's good to see that in such a digital age that even simple things like hand lettering and drawing (isn't this a skill we all learn in kindergarten?) is still an appreciated and employable craft!!

As I say this, I've taken these pics on my Hipstamatic iPhone camera app using the John S lens and Blanko film and uploaded to my blog directly from my phone, no edits!!

My Guitars Gently Weep

Haven't posted in a bit, so I thought I'd take a picture of some of my guitars that are hanging in a hallway that leads to the garage. Not the most glamorous place to be hanging, but it makes it easy for me to grab a guitar and practice every day. My favorite is the dark brown Ovation in the middle, as it was a wedding gift from my wife.... I was playing with it in a store and I just couldn't put it down, so my wife (then fiancee) bought it for me. When? Feb 22, 1998. Thanks babe.

I still can't put it down sometimes when I pick it up. You can tell I play it often by zooming in and looking at the space below the sound hole. Can you see my finger nail dust accumulating below the strings? Gross right? Sorry, but I do clean it once a week......

Shot with my DSLR and 35mm F1.4 lens.....

My Ride Home

Took this picture on my iPhone on my way back home on my bike. I used my Hipstamatic camera program, John S lens, Blanko film. Its rare to catch the train not moving on the train bridge (why was it stopped I wonder....) so I had to interrupt my killer ride to take this shot. No adjustments. Straight from my phone to blog.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention....Phone Booths in Japan

So far we can see how far advanced the pop machines are in Japan. I still think there should be a pop machine museum don't you? Wouldn't you pay to go and see that? Anyway, since people like convenience here, and because Japanese love variety, you can see how pop machines have advanced here over the years. Light years ahead of N.America for sure.

But how have phone booths fared in this land of cell phones? Well, take a look. Not so good..... I almost laugh when I see a public phone in Japan...... you know, many of them aren't even bolted down. Anyone could steal a public phone as easily as stealing a garbage can. Pretty sad isn't it? Look at the colour of the machines, look at the colour of the walls. Nobody wants to advertise near these things. I took this shot in the 3rd busiest station in Tokyo during rush hour, and still, this is how it looks over here in this corner......

Kamen Rider Drink!!

What's that between the Kilimanjaro ice coffee drink and Dydo's Energy Gym drink with Royal Jelly? For serious? A Kamen Rider drink?!?! Why didn't I buy it and drink it? What was I thinking?

What is Kamen Rider? It was a TV show that was still airing in Japan before I even left for Canada. The night before we left for Canada (I was only 3 but this memory is still very vivid in my mind) we all went out to eat and my grandma bought me and my other two brothers Kamen Rider action figures....... good times..... and now it's a drink! Want to know more about Kamen Rider? Check out this link

Godzilla Statue and Pop Machine

Since we're in Japan, there has to be Godzilla on a vending machine right? Right!



As a side note, there's even a Godzilla monument in Tokyo, although it's only like 3-4ft tall!! But with the right camera angle, he's 10 stories tall again!! Where is this Godzilla statue? Go to the South East intersection between Hibiya Park and the emperor's palace grounds. Go to the open public square at the South East corner of that intersection, and there you are. Godzilla..... only tourists stop to take pictures. The locals don't care!! Don't they value their monster heritage?

Vending Machines in Girl's Anime District

As mentioned on earlier entries, vending machines in Japan can be very specialized, appealing to a specific market in a specific area. You go from Ginza to Otsuka, the same company will sell different drinks (and at different prices) based on the neighbourhood. Makes sense. Well, in Sunshine City district, there is this one block stretch of shops that specialize in girl anime and manga, and guess what the pop machines look like, only on this block? You got it, girl anime themed pop machines!! Amazing!! And it's not just the outside of the machine that's decorated anime style, but the drinks themselves are different!!