Japan Trip - Around Tama

I'm staying in Tama, on Asahi-cho Dori. Let's tour the neighborhood, shall we?

My hotel--Hotel Fuchu, best I can tell.

One of the ubiquitous vending machines. This one is in my hotel lobby.

This one advertises a drink called "Sweat."

Yum!

Tommy Lee Jones gives it his all for this vending machine advertisement. Shades of Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation" there.

I like who he advertises for though.

There are plenty of these recycling bins around (left) for all those cans bought in vending machines. Although, oddly, for all the vending machines, I've never seen anyone buying anything from one of them. The red box (right) is a post box.

Some of the small plots around the homes in this neighborhood are immaculately maintained.

This one had a couple of their trees wrapped in straw. Weird! I wonder if this was to help protect them from freezing over the winter.

Odd tiling on this building.

Here's a GREAT little bakery I found--and just a block from my hotel!

Look at these cute treats! I immediately thought of Jo.

I passed a LOT of kids on the way to baseball practice early in the morning!

I found a few alleys with a lot of character on the way to the train station.

I haven't taken the train yet. I'm exploring the immediate neighborhood this morning, then meeting Dan to hit a grocery store with him. I may try to take the train to Kochijoji tonight.

There are lots and LOTS of bikes here. They have bike parks like other countries have car parks. (Although they have car parks here too.)

You can't forget to look down here, or you'll miss things like this beautiful manhole cover.

Or this park marker.

There are plenty of signs and posters everywhere too. Here's one for the Seibu Lions fan club.

A couple of folks I figure are running for office.

I think this one kid of speaks for itself.

As does this one.

Although I don't know what this one is advertising. I love the logo though!

This guy was for sale at a monument shop.

As were these great brooms.

A car lot.

More later!