Меня полюбил сетевой журнал, посвященный Японии. Очень интеллигентный и сделан с любовью к предмету. Я и раньше заходил к ним с удовольствием, а теперь вообще читаю каждый день перед сном вместо не знаю чего ... Что там приличные люди на ночь читают?

Особенно свои собственные заметки.

Япония и мое фотографическое alter ego.
День снега. Что происходит в столице в единственный снежный день года.
Последняя чашка Маккиато или сладкие объятия американского кофейного спрута.
Япония без маккияжа. Лица нации.
Russian Godzilla. С камерой по крышам Токио.
Все что вы хотели знать о чайной церемонии, но боялись спросить - вы не узнаете из этой заметки.
Сакура как повод хорошо оттянуться.
Домашнее задание: как сжать резюме до одной страницы.

Они мне посвятили целый номер, а я не возгордился :)

It's time to publish selected photos from my last trip to Tokyo. I was away for more then a year. While staying in Moscow I realized how many things I missed in Japan. I photographed some of them. In this post I commented most of the photos. Since I met in Tokyo majority of my English-speaking friends, most of photos are obvious for you. That's why all the comments are in Russian. At least for the start.

Публикую избранные фотографии по следам недавней поездки в Токио. Прошло больше года с тех пор, как я вернулся. На этих фотографиях, многое из того чего мне не хватает в Москве. Все фотографии пронумерованы и откомментированы.

1. Багажная лента в Токийском аэропорту Нарита.
2,4 Школьный кросс вокруг императорского дворца. На заднем плане район Othemachi, сосредоточие банков и брокерских фирм, центр деловой жизни Токио. В одном из этих зданий, коричневой высотке третьей слева на фото 4., я проработал 5 лет.

YAWP or Yet Another Window Photo just to keep you bored. View from my appartment on 11th floor of an appartment bulding located between Russian embassy and Tokyo American club. Temporary appartment :) For some photos I had to climb to the very top of the building using fire ladders and risking to be shot by a scared guard from the embassy. Especially when pointing my telescopic lens to their yard.

В пору создавать новую категорию - "Из окна". Я сменил в Токио несколько квартир, но еще не забирался так высоко. Это 11й этаж. Однако только часть снимков сделана из моих окон. Лестница, чердак. Не запертая по недосмотру дверь. Знак "Keep Off".

Если Вы не немец и не гей, придется прожить в Токио лет пять, чтобы найти и полюбить этот крошечный немецкий ресторанчик, запрятанный на одной из боковых улочек района Роппонги. Сюда не попадают запыхавшиеся туристы с путеводителями и английские учителя из глубинки. Это место для своих, укоренившихся гайджинов.

If you are not a German and not a gay it will take you a while before you discover this tiny place hidden at back alleys of Roppongi. Then inevitably you get addicted, become permanent and when out of Tokyo will be comparing each German place you visit with the EX bar, each Cordon Bleu you eat with the one cooked by Hiroshi. Then again and again you will shrug you shoulders in desperation, no, not quite... Hidden treasure and absolutely the best German restaurant in Tokyo.

Никто не помнит когда хозяин "EX" господин Хорст и его партнер Хироши открыли это заведение.

Those who lived in Big Mikan know: come to Roppongi after half-year and you won't recognize the place. Your favorite midnight ramen joint turned into massage parlor, the hamburger pit was torn down and replaced by a trendy steel-and-glass boutique, and only the Tokyo Tower and old good Motown stand still as pinnacles of stability in eternally changing district.

I happened to pass through Roppongi in day light (rare event :) this Saturday and bumped into something I haven't seen before:

Suddenly these tricycle cabs resembling ladybugs crawl all over the place! Looks like fun, cost only 300 yen and certainly good for the ecology!

There are different ways to live in Japan as a foreigner. You can go out, eat and drink to Roppongi, cut your hair at Australian hairdresser and ride your BMW to exclusive gym at the top of a skyscraper to jog on a jogging machine. You can shop for food in National Azabu supermarket in Hiroo. (For those who are not here National is the large expensive shopping center catering to gaijin 外人 = foreigner needs). And of course hire Philippino lady who will take care of laundry and clean your apartment while you spending your leisure time in American club.

Or you can live local.

Easter was celebrated by Tokyo Orthodox community this Sunday. Lots of eggs were boiled, painted, blessed and eaten. Boiled and painted eggs along with baked Easter bread called kuliches (куличи) are used to break long fast. The colorful tradition dates back to pre-Christian pagan festives.

There are two major orthodox churches in Tokyo. Newly renovated Nikolai-do or Св. Николай cathedral in Ochanomizu is the more famous one. It's certainly one of the most impressive historic constructions in Tokyo, which survived major catastrophes of 20 century: Great Kanto earthquake of 1923 (although roof collapsed) and 1945 American bombing and fires triggered by the bombing.

It's difficult to surprise those who spent in Japan couple of years. When you wake up to the sound of a loudspeaker chanting the same mantra thousand times while slowly approaching your house, you instantly know: election time has arrived. Damn! Where did I put my earplugs?

I was passing through small station in Tokyo suburbs when I spoted this stall selling umbrellas.

As you can see, single umbrella goes for 300 yen or roughly 2.5 US dollars, while for two umbrellas you pay as little as 500 yen.

I just went to a friend's wedding. Since he is American and the bride is Japanese it wasn't completely standard Japanese wedding ceremony. However it had most of elements of it. Here is the list of things you need to know before going to wedding.

1. You've probably received gorgeous invitation envelope that includes the reply card.

When you reply don't forget to cross out the self-neglecting character 行 from after person name and replace it with respectful 様 -sama. The closest match in English would probably be Esq.

There is an expression in Japanese　 税金泥棒 (Zeikin Dorobou) which literally means Tax Thief. Or there is more polite expression 税金無駄使い (Zeikin Mudatzukai) which means One Who Wastes Taxes. Each time I go hiking to Okutama I remember this expression when passing in proximity of this bridge.

One of all-time favs:

I stumbled into this album while cleaning my old harddisk. It's only of marginal interest for those who didn't work for Merrill's Tokyo at that time.

Bonenkai means Forget-the-year party in Japanese as oppose to Shinnenkai which is New Year party.

Every day I am passing through the Tokyo Imperial Palace on bicycle. From Kasumigaseki I enter outer Palace Area through Sakuradamon 桜田門 gates, which are located at the southernmost part of the palace. The gates built by the old moat and consist of two constructions: external facing Kasumigaseki and internal facing Otemachi. There is small inner yard in between them. Just in the yard leaning against the moat there is my favorite cherry tree. Right now it's in full bloom.

I was passing through the Palace yesterday when I saw this aged man resting by his heavy duty bycicle.

I finally got around and published photo album of our trip to Nozawa Onsen. It was snowing heavy both Saturday and Sunday and visibility on slopes was bad. That's why most of photos are not about skiing rather about soaking in hot springs and other apres-ski stuff.