Somehow, I suspect this wouldn't fly in the states.

A new yakitori stand on the street in front of JR Nara station. The guy running it is a real character, and the chow is tasty. Usually open until 5AM on the weekends.

Two-story driving range in Nara. Reminded me of Black Rain.

True art. In the guy's john at Osaka University.

Blue skies, open road.

Front view of Sumoto shrine.

Quite possibly the grossest drink I have ever seen. Macha-flavored Calpis (green tea-flavored cultured yogurt drink). Didn't even warrant a taste test.

"Cleanup on aisle 1 - there's nappy all over the place!"

Beware of mamushi (a type of poisonous snake). In the mountains near my house.

Lanterns at bon odori.

This is an excellent example of why not to install a toilet under a staircase. Taken at an unremarkable Korean yakiniku shop in Sannomiya last night.

Bill warming up for the doubles finals match after an improvised tequila-and-ramune infusion. At this point in the day, his blood alcohol can usually be used as fuel for small methanol engines or as an organic alternative to Drano (insofar as it will melt frogs).

My Vaio U3 is the handiest computer I have ever used. Even though it's long out of production, people still approach me with offers and questions all the time. I guess this is my Newton moment. My girlfriend just takes it away from me periodically, as evidenced here.

Kobe's Port Terminal is a berth for cruise ships from around the world, but it sure didn't seem like it on Sunday. The buildings were deserted except for the darts tournament we came to root for a friend at.

The last photo taken in my twenties, preserved for posterity (sniffle).

This huge double rainbow against a gray sky made me feel really strange. I felt a weird obligation to be happy, but it was actually quite gloomy. Maybe this is what it feels like to be Bjork.

This is one of the best commonly available brands of mugi cha (barley tea). When served cold, it has the perfect afterbite that makes this type of tea so addictive. Oh, I photoshopped it a bit with my phone cause the actual label is kinda boring.

There are two books you will find in any hotel room in Japan (love hotels excluded): A Gideon's Bible and The Teachings of Buddha. The latter must be the most oft-stolen book in Japan, because every newcomer I see seems to own a copy.

Took a nice early morning stroll and saw this reflection of my hotel on the HAL building, which houses Mode Gakuen, a trendy art school that many people with green hair and body piercings attend.