31 Dec 2016

Japan By Rail

From The Weekend , 11:06 am on 31 December 2016

Apartments in Semuzu.

Close up of a Tokyo train map.

Shaun D Wilson outside a robot restaurant.

In mythology, Japanese raccoon dogs are magical shapeshifters.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

The skyline of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

Two of the many photographers and visual artists at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

Directions at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

The hothouse at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

Jacob from Chattanooga gets gaming.

DanceDanceRevolution!

Shaun D Wilson doing some hardcore gaming.

Even hardercore gaming from Shaun D Wilson.

A gaming lift.

Players experiencing the glory of StarHorse3: Season IV Dream On The Turf.

Shaun attempts to evolve into a new Pokemon at the gaming arcade.

Jacob from Chattanooga, Tennessee on his first trip outside of the U.S.A.

Tokyo, Japan

The Weekend producer Shaun D Wilson travels around Japan, from Tokyo to Sapporo in the north and back again - all via rail.

Outside a railway station somewhere.

Train station artwork.

A bullet train puuls up to the platform.

Fukushima from a distance.

McDonalds delivers?

Japan by Rail Pass

In Tokyo, after struggling to find his hostel, Shaun visits Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, a gaming arcade, shopping and culture district Harajuku, the most confusing place on earth - Tokyo DisneySea, and on his last day celebrates Children's Day at a Shinto shrine in Semuzu.

Dancers as food at Tokyo's DisneySea.

Chip and Dale sing a Mexican song, in Japanese, with a dancing taco. Yip, this happened.

Dancers as food at Tokyo's DisneySea.

Goofy strikes a pose in front of the musical menu for 'A Table Is Waiting'.

Curtain call for the cast of 'A Table Is Waiting'.

Shaun D Wilson baffled by the vibrancy of Tokyo DisneySea.

Tokyo DisneySea

Braving the elements on a bridge in Aomori.

Aomori railway station

Pop posters including for the huge girl group AKB48 .

Utou-jinja Shrine.

Shaun just before he realised his hot dog-shaped donut was in fact a just a weird unrefrigerated hot dog in a wrapper.

The haul from Aomori convenience stores.

A park fountain in spring.

Aomori, Japan

Further north Shaun experiences the cold and sometimes ghostly harbour city of Aomori, sees the remains of Morioka Castle, and wigs out singing karaoke with his former flatmate Taiga Yamazaki whilst visiting Sapporo.

Shaun's former flatmate Taiga Yamazaki in central Sapporo.

Taiga's caption: "Shaun D Wilson came to Sapporo. He was my flatmate while I was in Wellington, NZ. We had dinner together at a Jingisukan BBQ restaurant. He reminded me of my life in Hataitai".

Shaun in Odori Park with the Sapporo TV Tower in the background.

Taiga Yamazaki posing with Leto Xavier artwork which Shaun brought from New Zealand.

Sapporo from the top of Mount Moiwa.

View of Sapporo from a graveyard at the foot of Mount Moiwa.

Sapporo, Japan

Morioka by night.

Election season!

The rare thing in Japan that is... a supermarket.

Finally at the supermarket, and there's... Almond Fish.

Finally at the supermarket, and there's... juice drinking juice drinking juice??

The site of Morioka Castle.

Iwate Park.

Morioka Castle when it was standing. Construction of the castle started in 1597, and it became the home of the lord of the Morioka Clan in 1633.

The site of Morioka Castle. The Castle was demolished in 1874, and it became Iwate Park in 1906.

An empty plinth on the site of Morioka Castle.

What the plinth used to look like.

Morioka railway station.

The Weekend's co-producer Shaun D Wilson made a one night stop in Morioka, Japan on his way back to Tokyo.

Sake cases in Yoyogi Park.

A traditional Shinto wedding ceremony in Yoyogi Park’s Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Yoyogi Park.

Meiji Shrine which is said to house the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. Their bodies are buried south of Kyoto.

Metro train to Harajuku.

Vending machines for drinks and cigarettes are on many streets in Japan - though not many of them provide food. This campaign featuring Tommy Lee Jones was everywhere.

Shopping mayhem on Takeshite Street.

Takeshite Street.

These crepes look amazing! But the taste? Hmmmm.

Harajuku by night.

An interestingly titled store.

An interestingly designed building.

Shaun D Wilson meets a friend outside a Kawaii store.

A massive multi-storey toy shop.

Peanuts seems to be very popular in Japan.

There's even baseball themed Peanuts pasta!

Amazing animators Studio Ghibli are represented.

Samurai Star Wars.

Shaun is keen as for Hello Kitty.

Harajuku, Tokyo

Children's Day at a temple in Samezu, Tokyo.

View of the temple from a backpackers.

Outside the temple.

Drummers entertaining the crowd.

Children's Day at a temple in Samezu, Tokyo.

Children's Day at a temple in Samezu Tokyo.

Children's Day at a temple in Samezu, Tokyo.

The temple at night.

Children's Day at a Samezu, Tokyo shrine.