Motosuko Campground

We headed back up to Lake Motosu for a long weekend of camping for a third time and found a nice campsite kind of separated from the main crowd of campsites.

Our Campsite In the Morning-

We had thought it was free but the first morning we were visited by employees collecting money at the rate of ¥2,500 a night. Kind of disappointed us as we thought we found the rarest of rare in Japan, something free!

Evening-

We brought our bikes up this time and rode around the lake once each day. Towards the end of the last ride I was stung by an unidentified insect on the back of my right leg. This little sting became infected the next day and turned into cellulitis covering the entire back side of my hamstring area! Itching and burning ALL the time, the itching is still bothering me as I write this 5 days later. My doctors were worried it would creep into main ducts in the body as it moved onto my ass at one point. Luckily strong antibiotics and laying around with my leg elevated all week has almost completely killed it. The ride was fun though!

Amber During Sunset at Lake Motosu-

Walkabout

Wandering above Ueno Train Station-

I really need to get out and about with my camera more often. Unfortunately summers in the Kanto region of Japan are hot and most of all, extremely humid! Last year saw summer last further into Fall than usual. Hopefully we do not see a repeat this year!

Sign On Top of Mt. Otake-

Today I just received a Bogen/Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod with 486 RC2 ballhead. This should motivate me a bit more to get out especially in the evening. This tripod combo is bomber and makes my old Slik tripod feel like a piece of aluminum foil!

Anomalies

Obviously the Japanese culture is a very unique culture to the world. I can’t think of many other places where it is normal to see giant fake phallus’s being carried by a crowd down the street.

Kawasaki Penis Festival-

I am not sure if this style of scooter has become popular in the states or if they would not even be allowed into our ports in the first place. They look like big, ugly couches on a scooter and they are everywhere!

The Blue Goofus-

You have to love the costumes found all over Tokyo at any given moment. Maybe this is not that strange since this giant Pedobear is most likely being paid to do this, but just wait until I go back to Harajuku with my zoom lens!

Little Boys and Their Trains

Japan is just as famous for the their train system as they are their sushi. They are everywhere I look including a couple of hundred yards from our balcony. But that is a good thing!

Near Kawasaki-

It is fairly common to see moderately sized groups of people on station platforms photographing trains as they approach and depart. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Arriving at Tachikiawa, JR Chuo Line-

One thing I do not like about the trains in Japan are the “Rapid” trains. Rapidly Stops would be a more fitting name. There are so many stations in the Tokyo area that a Rapid train feels like it stops as soon as it leaves the last train station.

Tachikawa at Night-

This will not be the last time I post pictures of Japanese trains in this blog! And if you happen to be looking for information about train schedules, here is the link to the English HYPERDIA Train Tables.