Kichijoji

Rinky Dink Studio

Let it be understood, please, that I do not want to make fun of anyone's English here. If I had to write a sign in Japanese, say, advertising "Please come in and read my blog," it would no doubt come out as "Please admit I have a giant horse up my ass."

I know this. Nevertheless, there are many amusing signs here.


Koenji pigeons

Today, I had the pleasure of visiting one last Tokyo neighborhood -- Kichijoji. Like all the others it is built in concentric circles around its train station. Unlike Minatoku, where many gaijin live and Ginza or Shinjuku, where they shop, this seemed to be almost entirely a Japanese neighborhood.


Not a Japanese company, but European

I finally had an American-type meal, more or less, my first since arriving here, at Japan's original burger joint, called Mos Burger. If you have seen the recent Pink Panther movie, you'll recall the scene where a supposedly French Steven Martin tries to learn how to pronounce "hamburger" before he visits New York.

His is almost a perfect imitation of how the Japanese pronounce "am-abou-aguh." So, for example, you may wish to order Spicy Hamburger, in which case you want to say "aspiceeamabougah."

I find it interesting that at the time when hamburgers were introduced here (by Mos Burger) the Japanese experimented and eventually determined that a 70-30 ground pork-ground beef mixture maximized the flavor of their burgers.

Today, most stores and shops still use the 70-30 formula, or some other mixture, like 50-50, because they say it is more flavorful than pure beef. They also somehow manage to cook the burger so it is soft and juicy, never hard and dry.


Swan boats after dark in pond at Kichijoji

Today, I also visited a "100 Yen" shop, which is the equivalent of a "dollar shop" back in the States. Actually, it is the equivalent of an 85-cent shop at the current rate of exchange. In any event, I was shocked at the quality of the workmanship in the goods being sold at these bargain-basement prices.

I purchased several items made of wood -- the kinds of things my father would have loved. I wish I could have brought him these items, because I know he would have marveled at both the grains in the woods and the workmanship. I will give them to his grandchildren instead.

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