Beer Baron's Japan Photo Diary

[jon4r]

Yeah Japan looks an awesome place to visit. Still learning my Japanese but once I'm fluent enough I'll head over there. Keep us updated on the pics, really interesting to see how other countries are like and to see all the beautiful women over there in Japan

P.S. Now I see why they call you the beer baron. How many beers did you drink over there ?!

[Beer Baron]

Love it Beer Baron keep posting more it is great your just making me want to go to japan even more.

Have you got a good turist guide seems you've been there so many times?

Hi mate, yes I've been many times now and heading back in 3 weeks time. The first time I went I had a lonely planet Japan guide, and a lonely planet Tokyo guide (and a lonley planet tokyo pocket city guide). all of them had their uses on that first trip. I also have the lonely planet phrase book which is ok too. but after studying japanese now for a few years at sydney uni I haven't used it in a long time. there is another awesome book which I'm trying to track down which is an english book of the rail system maps. this doesn't sound that exciting but there are dozens of rail companies in japan and even in tokyo there is probably half a dozen and lots of different lines, and then the subway too... english rail map is a must, but whilst the JR one is easy to get some others are not always available.

if you are going for the first time, and don't speak much japanese i would take:

lonely planet tokyo

and if you are going outside of tokyo take lonely planet japan too

and a phrase book of some kind.

[Beer Baron]

ok, back in tokyo as of last night. Had a quiet night as I was knackered after no sleep for the last few days. had ramen at my favourite ramen place and crashed. staying in a nice apartment this time. near my friends place that I usually stay at. it's on roppongi dori just 150meters from roppongi crossing.

a couple of pics. it's pretty typical of tokyo apartments i've seen.

view from the balcony. nice.

living room/bedroom

the provide high speed fibre optic net, and fax machine, cordless phone etc which is nice.

Apartment controls. has the intercom, fire alarm switch etc. on the left is a controller for the hot water, including remote bath activation.

typical mini size dishwasher! it's only about a foot wide if that.

This is the view from the front balcony. My appartment is on the 11th floor (out of 12) and you can see how high up the freeways go. The street at the bottom is roppongi dori, then a freeway above that, then the other direction above it. Then they intersect with other freeways about 100 meters away. The roads here never cease to impress.

on the left about 100 meters down is roppongi crossing.

[n154thrlz]

Very cool

Bring on the 6th of Jan!

Gav.

[m3gtr]

edited.

Edited November 30, 2007 by m3gtr

[JAS-25T]

those pics of the city roads, look much like Shanghai city roads

[N/A®]

Welcome back.. Think I know where you are judging from the pics.

If youre still up for that drink, drop me a PM.

Whats the itinerary while in town?

[Beer Baron]

For sure. The plan is:

today going to ginza and check out the nissan showroom

tomorrow nismo festival

monday I fly to Kyushu

monday and tuesday night in kyushu then fly back to tokyo on wednesday (staying in shibuya for the rest of the time)

wednesday going to watch some drifting with a friend

thursday tsukuba time attack

friday and saturday no real plans yet

sunday track day

monday probably just relax

tuesday head home.

I'll send you a message and we can tee something up. are you going out to fuji tomorrow?

[Beer Baron]

good day today. slept in after a big one last night. went to ginza and checked out the new GTR. very, very nice. massively impressed.

did a bit of shopping around shinjuku too. now just need to head out tonight but try not to have a big one as nismo festival tomorrow.

not many pics today but will upload some later.

[Beer Baron]

ok just a couple of pics before I head out:

new GTR, plenty of room for golf clubs apparently.

colour chart

as you can see it's still drawing a crowd!

sexy rear end

and it was a nice place to sit. even big bastards like me can fit in and be comfortable. interior is super high quality.

[funkymonkey]

hmm first skyline in a long time with enough boot space to smuggle a kidnapped adult in comfort.

Richard... you missed out on checkin out the Tamiya fair by a couple of days:

[Beer Baron]

I'm not sure if it makes me a nerd, but I reckon tamiya fair would rock! I guess never growing up means I can still enjoy RC cars

[funkymonkey]

definitely nerd, definitely rocks. growing up is overrated

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2007/11/_...amiya_fair.html

they did a photo blog of their visit to tokyu hands as well... definitely on my list of shops to check out in japan

http://www.tokyu-hands.co.jp/news1115.htm

[Beer Baron]

ginza on a saturday afternoon. they close some of the streets and there is a LOT of people out and about

[West]

keep them coming....

[Ronin 09]

BASTARD.

[Beer Baron]

ok, Had a big few days. Nismo Festival on Sunday. Nearly got mowed down by an R390 LM car as I was standing on the grid! Spent $500 at the Nismo stall. Bought a magnesium 19X13 inch TE37 off a Nismo GT500 car. Saw my new engine. didn't sleep much. So just a couple of pics before I crash.

Since I was lucky enough to have a press accreditation I was able to access pit lane and all areas of the track etc. So I was able to be on the spot when the GT500 officially broke cover. It was pretty cool to be in probably the first 100 or so people to lay eye on it in the flesh outside of nissan/nismo employees. It is super impressive. Looks like a stealth bomber and sounds like it's letting of tactical nuclear strikes in it's engine!

waiting with the rest of the press for it to emerge.

here it comes!

in the open for the first time.

one or two nice pics before I pass out.

Talk about a press frenzy!

I will do a full write up and lots of pics in the next few days or so after I have some time. Tomorrow I am busy here in Kyushu, then fly back to Tokyo for drifting on wednesday and Tsukuba time attack on thursday. a very fully week!

[Kaido_RR]

awsome awsome!

would love to see the pics of the stuff you bought from the nismo stand!

[Beer Baron]

ok. GTG. 3 mins.......till I fall asleep!

[Beer Baron]

ok, last pic. This is what nismo were selling off! of course I couldn't help myself and wasted some cash.