3 November 2019
Takasaki has a lot of shops
Covered streets and modern malls do battle in Takasaki
Tonight I explored Takasaki. It is quite nice.
First I located the old covered shopping street, which is so old they have branded it as such. There were actually a lot of businesses there, mostly 'girl bars'. And at roughly 6pm, its changeover time. Not changeover of the girls, but changeover of the stores. All the shoe stores close, and all the girls arrive. The girls did not look Japanese and they did not look at all happy while I was waving my camera about.
After deciding there was nowhere to eat along the old area other than unwelcoming smokers bars serving grilled bacon on sticks, I wandered back to the shiny new station area.
This has at least 3 department stores, including Takashimaya. However its actually Aeon style that is the nicest, and as you shall see, levels 7 and 8 are nice eateries. Not a food court, more like separate open seated areas for each small plastic shiny restaurant. The kind of place I like because its cheap, informal and has pictures for a menu. I can point and not speak.
After ingesting my dinner way too quickly it was time to go to the ticket office and advance select my ticket to Niigata for Tuesday, this time I got my #1 choice of train. I suspect the lack of train availability yesterday was all to do with the long weekend to celebrate the ascension of the emperors cat to the eucalyptus throne.
Now I must examine my list of possible activities for tomorrow and make a choice, based on weather, energy levels, cost, likelihood of being too busy on a public holiday, desire for bear encounter.
Here is the Aeon style building. You can see Takashimaya poking out behind it.
A lot of Takasaki looks like this. Old, but interesting.
They know the covered streets are dead. So dead that they are branding them retro.
Mainly its a spot to park cars now.
Speaking of parking cars, this is a car parking spot. A car park. What do you call it if its only one level of car parking? Anyway, they strung the lights up and put the festival float thing that is powered and makes noise and has moving characters in the middle of the car park to attract customers.
Level 7 of the Aeon style building. Everything here stays open until 9pm, even on Sunday. Probably because of all the train passengers that transfer here.
This place with the giraffe and the two Australian women ordering something is actually a mini Ikea. I think there might be one in Australia somewhere now. They dont actually sell any furniture in here, but you can look at it and order it from a kiosk. And yes, they sell coffee and snacks.
100 Hours curry, 10 chillis out of 10. I liked the look of the colorful vegetables. It was quite nice.
CHEESE CANDY. Individually wrapped chunks of cheese. White flavorless cheese. I think you mainly buy it so you can have something to unwrap and enjoy the texture of.
Perhaps cheese candy goes well with Okinawan dish of pigs ears. The contrasting textures are a delectable delight.