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Are those tubs of sake?
Yep. I was there last in '92 (it’s been far too long), and was a bit weirded out by the ability to buy beer, and even whiskey out of a vending machine…
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They still exist but mostly not in touristy areas. No source on this but I suspect there are two reasons that you dont see as many these days:
- Typical pearl clutching “think of the children” outcries
- The rise of convenience stores.
The second seems oddly related to Taspo as well. Pre-Taspo cigarette vending machines were much more common but convenience stores almost never sold cigarettes. Tobacco retail was generally mom and pop shops usually with a shop window and a vending machine.
As mom and pop got older they stopped the retail window and made their money on the machines. Then Taspo came along. Not popular. Lots of people dont trust Japan Tobacco to manage personal data nor do they want JT to track their buying habits.
As a result mom & pop started re-opening their retail windows but soon the govt/JT started issuing tobacco sales permits to convenience stores. Result was mom & pop lose business since they cant stay open 24hrs or compete with one stop shopping.
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Interesting. So what was the provenance of the 2001 era taspo-like boxes on the booze machines? The markings suggested that it required a national ID, but any piece of paper would turn the light green, and the light didn’t have to be green to vend… Did not see those at all in 2009 in tokyo, so maybe a prefectural law?
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To be honest not entirely sure about those. I recall a few tried but failed efforts in that area but none of em accurately and some might have been regional as you venture. The beer machines in my neighborhood dont require anything but money.
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I was so confused when my wife (Japanese American) got so excited about eating breakfast from 7-11 when we were in Japan…
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Okonomiyaki - oh man, I still try my hand at making that here in SF now and again, but no where close to the real deal.
And the pickled vegetables. Er. mah. gerd. (as an atheist I apologize to any gerds whose feels be hurd)
I was there on a photoshoot in Nasu and Tokyo two weeks before my first son was born in '99. I used the beer vending machines just cuz it was so novel. And hot coffee in a can (surprised Starbucks hasn’t seen the wisdom in that!)
Even the weird street vendors were fascinating. And the temples were exquisite. Especially the little pocket urban temples.
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neat trip @frauenfelder thanks!
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This is making me want to go back for what would be my third time in the past decade, last time about a year and a half ago. Got food poisoning and STILL had a good time, thank goodness for nearly-ubiquitous clean high-tech toilets!
Kyoto is a requirement for anyone visiting, just take the Shinkansen and hang there for at least 3 days if you ever go over to Tokyo and feel you don’t “need” to get out of the city. I would love to explore further-afield, including a region north of Tokyo that I recently got a bit zapped to in a PLR hypnosis session… 
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No way Kyoto is worth 3 days. 2 days max and that’s if you know some really local spots.
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I went in 2008 and places like Kanazawa or Shirakawa were still very much catering to local tourism IMHO. The exception was Fire Festivals.
I’m going back on Friday with the family for a couple of weeks, first time for the kids. Should be fun 
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Outside of Asia, yeah.
My theory is that most religions look cute when they are minorities. Once a religion reaches majority status in any group, that’s when the stupidity starts. Shinto and Buddhism have their fair share of fuck-ups and built-in discrimination, but most people outside of Asia don’t know about it because they only experience them as minority faiths.
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What is your medium and technique?
DRAWING MEDIUM:
Japanese calligraphy brushes specifically made for Buddhism manuscript writing (manufactured by Boku-un-do, not available in the USA)
http://www.boku-undo.co.jp/HP/seihin/shodo/fude/f_right1.html
- If I go to Tokyo I’m going to keep an eye out for these brushes, although I have seen this brand in limited variety here and there in the US – Kinokuniya Los Angeles for one place.
Quite legit, i could not agree more, People are not aware of the ground facts. Hence, have a different perception.
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Well that’s ridiculous, if you have any interest in Japanese culture. There are literally dozens and dozens of amazing spots to visit. The food is great, the surrounding areas are great. Last time I was there we took a train to the nationally preserved bamboo forrest, the sound of which is a preserved resource. Right near there is a small mount you can climb and then hang out with monkeys! With the near by Zen monastery, that’s a day trip right there in its own right.
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The last picture in that article is the best one.
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Excellent point. Especially when considering how Shinto was used to justify the discrimination of the Burakamin and Japan had a history of putting people to death for being Christian.
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That must be Hard Gay’s dog, right?! 
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Scientology?
