Toky-No

I don't think either of us has ever known anywhere with quite as many rules and regulations as Japan. I am sure we are breaking most of them! 

It is true that on the surface, Japanese life seems to function very efficiently, and to begin with, we wondered if it was impossible to ever think for yourself! 

Sure, we are all used to seeing "no smoking" or "keep left" signs and other rules and regulations, but here it seems there are rules controlling every aspect of your life, telling you not to do certain things or controlling how or when you must do others. And the locals seem to follow them fastidiously!

Here are a collection of some of our "favourites". Well, the ones we could photograph - in some places there are even signs prohibiting photographing the signs! 

Maybe some of them are not that onerous and others certainly seem to have lost a bit in translation.

After being here a little while, however, we have come to realise that actually the Japanese are pretty canny with their rules...because if there isn't a rule you can do what you want! Take bike parking for example. There are lots of bikes here and plenty of signs telling you where you "can" park. But there are no signs elsewhere telling you not to park there. So, whilst we have been obediently parking up in the designated places, the locals would cycle past us right to the front door and park up there instead!

Note (below) that you must be extra careful on the escalator if you wear vinyl or rubber shoes!

Below - how to use the toilet. Glad I was not thinking of taking photos or having a beer in there!

Above - a "women only" car sign from the metro system, which designates certain carriages as for women only during rush hour. Hopefully TFL will pick up on this soon as it is undoubtedly the future and such a good way of keeping the twittering housewives out of the way of businessmen on their commute.

Below - the provisions here for adult smokers are good, but the poor child smokers are completely neglected!

"Mandatory to strive"...I think this is what those of us in the lawyering business call a watered down obligation!

Some signs have clearly had a positive effect - see below - we have not seen a single person wandering around a park with a megaphone. Glad they got that little trend under control.

Let's walk in line...

Below - this was a difficult photo to take, but you will be relieved to know I took it whilst walking slowly and did not stop once.

Only in Asia do you need a "selfie stick warning"!

"Baggage may be removed...at stations along the way"! This sounds like they are throwing unattended suitcases off the train in a delightfully random fashion!

Seeing as the below sign was outside the kiosk that sold ice-cream, Clare had to break this to get the ice creams back to her seat.  Rule breaker. 

Rich didn't get to use a drone...

Last day!

Today was a day of Japanese wildness.  Embracing everything Japanese before we came home (except maid cafes... We aren't embracing those apparently).

First the tube at rush hour.

It was pretty sardine like.

We were off for the fish market round two.  We were going to try a different place (mainly as our "place" had a 20 deep queue) but after going in somewhere else we felt we were cheating on our first love.  So we returned at 8am for a sushi breakfast - and bought commemorative mugs. 

Below: Next time you complain about your working conditions, think about being a fish in a tank in a sushi restaurant!

Then after sushi, we went through "old Tokyo" although it wasn't that old.  It started with the Ueno park.  Very hot. Lots of museums, which we would hav gone in if we had had time.  Not.

We did see some Tokyo 2020 work starting though.

We even did the standard Japanese photo pose to endear ourselves to the natives.

Below - the tour guide.

We saw a temple and a cemetery and some other shizzle. Below is a temple to the God of strong legs!

Then we walked to a station popular with trainspotters.  We spotted none but took some more culturally representative photos.

Then off to Shibuya crossing - the busiest crossing in the world.  We went during the day and - as it is close to our hotel - in the evening too.

Between these two photos we managed to try some more Japanese cuisine.  Some of which was not to Clare's likings

 

Before...

After...

Then after some looking around the shops off we went for some cocktails and more Tokyo madness. 

Kinkuja Golden Shrine

We got a bus today - got a one day travel pass and off we went.  The wrong way. After realising that we were going the wrong way, Clare then realised if we stayed on it would circle back around to where we got on and then we would be going the right way.  Genius.

We sat at the back like the lads that we are.

We got off at the right place and managed to buy this ticket to see the shrine. Well we assume it is a ticket. 

The shrine was beautiful, we can see why it is the most photographed temple in Japan. Gorgeous day and it was only 9am.

Rich took some photos of scenic things.

I took a photo of Rich.

Then a selfie. No scenic stuff was involved. Ice creams were involved.

Then back on the bus to the hotel, pack and bus to the station (we had a one day pass remember and unless you use it three times it isn't worth the money...).

Clare bought a packed lunch for the train - a sushi burger, sandwiches and other jazz.  Rich was impressed. 

Off we went on the bullet train back to Tokyo.  You have to queue for the door.  Rich did this well while simultaneously trolling Brexiters on Facebook. 

Here's our train.

Now picnic time.  Clare may have over bought...

Back in Tokyo the big smokyo!