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Space Utilisation In Japan
2008-06-06 02:03:00
It never ceases to amaze me what how there's not a lot of wasted space in Japan . On my morning walk to the station i'm forever looking around to see what i can see, take this small Shrine for example … tucked inbetween 2 buildings and  in front of an elevator. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Space Utilisation In Japan", url: "http://neilduckett.com/space-utilisation -in-japan/" });

Japanese Delivery Bike
2008-06-03 08:00:00
Keeping with my latest fixation on Japan ese Transport here's a few pics of 2 bikes that are functionallythe same …. but worlds apart in appearance. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Japanese Delivery Bike ", url: "http://neilduckett.com/japanese-delivery -bike/" });

Japanese Interchanges
2008-06-01 02:00:00
I've always loved this sort of thing and it's a great way to illustrate the size of a city. When you travel into Tokyo from Narita, on the Narita Express, you start to get a taste for it and if it's the first time you've been to Tokyo then your enthusiasm levels should have well and truly ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Japan ese Interchanges", url: "http://neilduckett.com/japanese-intercha nges/" });
More About: Japanese

Goodbye Japan & Hello Ireland
2008-05-29 01:30:00
That's right, just as the weather is on the improve in Japan (with the exception of today) i'm going to leave these fine shores for about 10 days and see what Ireland has to offer … it will be cold i know that much.  Early Friday morning i'll be well on the way to Paris, for a short stop over, ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Goodbye Japan & Hello Ireland", url: "http://neilduckett.com/goodbye-japan-hel lo-ireland/" });
More About: Travel

A Trip Down Memory Lane
2008-05-27 07:35:00
A few years have past since this photo was taken, over 30 i’d say, but today is my older brothers birthday, so Happy Birthday Brother! SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "A Trip Down Memory Lane ", url: "http://neilduckett.com/a-trip-down-memor y-lane/" });

Narita Airport - The Marijuana Is On Us!
2008-05-27 03:29:00
An unsuspecting passenger who flew to Tokyo is carrying one million yen’s worth of cannabis compliments of customs authorities after a bungled exercise involving sniffer dogs. An officer at Narita International Airport yesterday stuffed 142 grams of the drug into the side pocket of a randomly-selected black suitcase coming off an overseas flight so that the ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Narita Airport - The Marijuana Is On Us!", url: "http://neilduckett.com/narita-airport-th e-marijuana-is-on-us/" });

Japan Is Convenient
2008-05-25 10:14:00
When it comes to day to day living, Japan  can be very convenient. Take the transport system, specifically the trains. One thing that makes it easy, for residents and tourists alike, is the ability to perform “Fare Adjustment” at the other end. If you’ve short changed the ticket or had a change of plans and decided to go ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Japan Is Convenient", url: "http://neilduckett.com/japan-is-convenie nt/" });

Cool Japanese Transport
2008-05-22 13:33:00
submit_url = "http://neilduckett.com/cool-japanese-tra nsport/"; On the way to the station tonight i spotted this Japanese guy pulling up to the Jihanki for a drink, probably a late afternoon fix of Green Tea. It makes you wonder whether there are any road rules or restrictions at all in Japan. It reminded me of when i was ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Cool Japanese Transport ", url: "http://neilduckett.com/cool-japanese-tra nsport/" });

Teach English In Japan
2008-05-21 02:11:00
Despite the idyllic dreams of hundreds if not thousands of foreigners planning on living in Japan one day, It seems it’s not all that rosy of late, for those who come to Japan to teach English .  Benesse corp,. the parent company of Berlitz reported “Net sales totaled ¥384 billion in fiscal 2007 (which ended March 31), an 8.4 percent increase over a year ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Teach English In Japan", url: "http://neilduckett.com/teach-english-in- japan/" });

JR Yamanote Line - Harajuku
2008-05-19 07:38:00
It was one of the best days we’d had in a while, on the weekend anyway, so it was off to Harajuku for me for the next station on the JR Yamanote Line which is 1 stop or roughly 2 minutes from home so it doesn’t get much easier than this week. A quiet Saturday night meant i was up and into it early, hoping to have a good look around and get plenty of pictures. Harajuku on a Sunday is busy at the best of times, a Sunday with weather around 25 degs is definitely enough to gaurantee anyone tossing it up, would make it out. Harajuku is a must for any tourist visiting Japan. It’s a great mix of cheap stalls and shops in Takeshita Dori to the expensive brand names and boutique stores along and around Omotesando Dori and into Aoyama. It’s a place i’d been many a time but mostly i’ve stayed on the beaten track so this time i was determined to get a bit further a field and see what else Harajuku had on offer. Over the bridge and you’ll find one of th...

Tokyo Ritz-Carlton Announces Babymoon
2008-05-17 07:08:00
I guess this is as off topic as it gets but it’s actually the reason why this site exists today and how i got into the whole website, blog, internet thing as a hobby so you may choose to read on, or you may just want to close the browser and come back soon for the next installment on the JR Yamanote Line - Harajuku … up to you. What’s a Babymoon ? and What’s my interest in it you’re probably wondering. First i’ll once again rely on wikipedia for the explanation. A Babymoon is a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn baby. Babymoons are usually take place at a resort that offers appropriate services like prenatal massage. The term Babymoon comes from the more traditional term honeymoon, which is a vacation taken by a newlywed couple after their wedding ceremony. The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo  is offering a Babymoon a...

Solar Powered Bra
2008-05-14 13:27:00
In the past Triumph have come up with several bizarre bras from the Warmbiz Heated Bra, The Post Office Bra, The Anti Smoking Bra to my favourite, the My Chopsticks Bra. Well, they’re at it again, this time with the Solar Powered “Photovoltaic-Powered Bra” which features an electricity-generating solar panel that powers a small display. Why? I don’t ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Solar Powered Bra", url: "http://neilduckett.com/solar-powered-bra /" });
More About: Japan

Hydrogen Sulfide Suicides In Japan
2008-05-13 07:15:00
An ever increasing topic in the news and blogs around Japan these days is suicide by inhaling Hydrogen Sulfide made from household detergent. It seems everywhere i turn yet another suicide is reported with Hydrogen Sulfide being the cause or method used is probably more appropriate. While i understand there may be many people out there in dire straits ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Hydrogen Sulfide Suicides In Japan", url: "http://neilduckett.com/hydrogen-sulfide- suicides/" });

Shibuya Crossing
2008-05-11 05:36:00
I was out at Shibuya Crossing the other day and as usual i had my camera with me. Just as well on this occasion, it was hard to miss the group of guys forming on the station side of the crossing, faces painted brown, with gold headwear on ready to do something interesting, so it seemed anyway. They ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Shibuya Crossing", url: "http://neilduckett.com/shibuya-crossing/ " });
More About: Japan

Earthquake In Japan Last Night
2008-05-07 22:59:00
Anyone that slept through last nights earthquake can sleep through anything. I on the other hand suffer insomnia at the best of times so a Magnitude 6.7 earthquake was enough to get me up and keep me up for the rest of the night. Here’s the breakdown of last nights activity from the Japan Meteorological Agency. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Earthquake In Japan Last Night ", url: "http://neilduckett.com/earthquake-in-jap an-last-night/" });

Worlds Largest Television
2008-05-06 12:14:00
The other night i was watching Discovery, or what i’m now referring to as the “repeat channel”, and i saw the epside from How Do They Do IT on the Worlds Largest HDTV ….. and unbeknown to me, i’ve actually watched it … on 4 seperate occasions infact. The Worlds Largest HDTV is located at none ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Worlds Largest Television ", url: "http://neilduckett.com/worlds-largest-te levision/" });
More About: Technology

Harajuku Girls
2008-05-04 07:42:00
SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Harajuku Girls ", url: "http://neilduckett.com/harajuku-girls/" });
More About: Japan

Harajuku Ramen
2008-05-04 06:46:00
Today i got out to Harajuku and although the original purpose was to visit as part of the JR Yamanote Line tour i ended up cutting it short for a few reasons, weather and a hangover being the main 2 though. I was hoping to get out there on a clear blue skies day, instead it ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Harajuku Ramen", url: "http://neilduckett.com/harajuku-ramen/" });
More About: Food

Golden Week In Japan
2008-05-02 05:55:00
In a week where many people get away from Japan i’ve unfortunately stayed put and worked most days … the last 2 from home so not all bad. I’m off to Ireland at the end of the month so i needed to conserve the few holidays i have in preparation for that. It’s been a pretty ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Golden Week In Japan", url: "http://neilduckett.com/golden-week-in-ja pan/" });
More About: Food

Cost Of Living In Japan
2008-04-29 10:26:00
It would probably be more accurate to say “The Cost Of Living In Tokyo” considering that’s where my figures are derived but i’m sure you can make the necessary adjustments for cheaper, less inhabited areas. It’s a question i had to research prior to making the decision to live in Japan and in important question to ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Cost Of Living In Japan", url: "http://neilduckett.com/cost-of-living-in -japan/" });
More About: Cost of living

Yoyogi Ramen
2008-04-27 06:49:00
Prior to moving to Japan i had never eaten Ramen, now i can’t live without it. Most weekends for lunch i visit a local Ramen shop in Yoyogi or if i’m visiting a new station on the JR Yamanote Line then i’ll get my fix there. Ramen comes in all different flavours and naturally i’ve got ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Yoyogi Ramen", url: "http://neilduckett.com/yoyogi-ramen/" });
More About: Food

Tokugawaen (Japanese Garden) Nagoya
2008-04-23 05:25:00
Last weekend i went down to Nagoya with some Friends. The plan for the weekend was pretty basic, down Saturday morning and back Sunday afternoon via the Shinkansen, with plenty of food and drink in the middle. Saturday was just that, we got in at lunchtime so it was straight down to a local restaurant for a few of Nagoya’s ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Tokugawaen (Japanese Garden ) Nagoya", url: "http://neilduckett.com/tokugawaen-japane se-garden-nagoya/" });
More About: Travel

Only In Japan
2008-04-18 02:10:00
Only In Japan - was the subject of the email i was forwarded this week. I guess that’s the preception of Japan from elsewhere in the world that anything wonderful and weird in Asia has come from Japan. Sadly in this instance i think the subject of the email is misleading and these pictures were actually taken from ...

JR Yamanote Line - Hamamatsucho
2008-04-15 01:55:00
So onward I push on my journey to cover all 29 stops on the JR Yamanote Line with today’s trip taking me to Hamamatsucho. After 23 minutes from my home station Yoyogi only to find i’d actually used this station several times to connect with the Monorail to go to Haneda Airport. I’d usually take the Toei ...

Bikini Or Jeans?
2008-04-10 06:23:00
What a predicament to be in, when you can’t work out whether to wear a bikini or jeans?. Now, thanks to Sanna’s Brazil Fashion that’s no longer a problem. Despite wikipedias thoughts on the subject I think these jeans should remain womens only. “Attitudes to thongs are changing in most of the Western world toward more acceptance, ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Bikini Or Jeans ?", url: "http://neilduckett.com/bikini-or-jeans/" });

Toshimaen Hanami Party
2008-04-08 02:07:00
Saturday night saw the repeat of last years Hanami Party at Toshimaen. Toshimaen is one of the biggest theme parks in Japan although we were there for none of that carry-on. The easiest way to get to Toshimaen is on the Oedo Subway line, it’s about 18 minutes from Shinjuku. There must have been a good ...SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Toshimaen Hanami Party", url: "http://neilduckett.com/toshimaen-hanami- party/" });

Miss Universe Japan 2008 - Hiroko Mima
2008-04-03 23:40:00
Last week i previewed the Miss Universe Japan contest, which was held at Tokyo Big Site last night. The winner who will go on to compete in the Miss Universe 2008 competition on the 14th of July in Vietnam is the lovely Hiroko Mima, not my pick but then again i wasn`t asked. Hiroko, a 22-year-old student ...

The Dalai Lama, Whale Meat & Danny Choo
2008-04-02 04:08:00
Last night I attended the same function I met the grandson of the founder of Miss Nippon last year. Again it was held at the Keio Plaza hotel and again it was a great night. I spent the early part of the evening talking to TVK Yokohamas Kyoko Nakayama which was interesting as always and also caught up with ...
More About: Food , Japan , Meat , Danny , Dalai Lama

Old Photos Of Japan
2008-04-02 02:30:00
A Photo Blog of Japan in the Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods. I had an email a few weeks ago from Kjeld letting me know that his site is “A multilingual photoblog with daily uploads of rare photographs and postcards of Japan between 1860 and the 1930’s. ” which sounded interesting enough but due to a ...
More About: Photos

Odaiba
2008-03-31 06:26:00
Sunday i took a trip out to Odaiba, 2 trains and about 40 minutes from home. Odaiba (???) is a large artificial island in Tokyo, Japan , featuring many hypermodern and just plain strange looking buildings. Odaiba was originally constructed in 1853 by the Tokugawa shogunate as a series of 6 fortresses in order to protect Tokyo from ...