Still wet hours later
31 October 2026
Niigata Bandai area
Despite my best efforts with the hair dryer, my shoes, wallet and phone are all still wet. Oh well, perhaps I will go out and get wetter in the ra....
Drilling for oil in a thunderstorm
31 October 2026
Bodaijiyama from Yashiroda to Tagami stations
It is Halloween, allegedly, I am not in Shibuya this time. Instead I woke up and was surprised by blue sky, then I checked my 8 different weather ....
Now even more abandoned
30 October 2026
Niigata Furumachi area
I was last here in 2019, when I marvelled at how quiet the bit of Niigata between the river and the sea is, the area is known as Furumachi. Last t....
The cold side
30 October 2026
Tokyo to Niigata on the bullet train
Now I am Niigata, on the other side of Japan, facing North Korea and Siberia. Generally it is expected to be colder here, and less likely to be de....
I forgot about the earthquake
29 October 2026
Lidabashi, Suidobashi and the Tokyo Dome
Last night I almost died in bed. At 11 minutes past midnight, I woke up to the sound of the coat hangers rattling against the wall and then an emp....
It finally paid for itself
29 October 2026
Koishiyama from Iwafune to Ohirashita stations
After 3 days of riding trains, my Tokyo wide 3 day pass has finally paid off. I need never speak of it again unless I buy one at the back end of t....
No trains please
28 October 2026
To Ueno then Okachimachi and beyond
With so much time being spent on trains each day for my 3 day pass to pay for itself, I was keen for no trains tonight. This meant that it was a l....
Unabandoned resort town
28 October 2026
Atami day trip
Day 2 out of 3 of using my Tokyo 3 day all areas train pass and as threatened, today I headed south east down the Izu Peninsula to Atami. Atami i....
Dry roads are back
27 October 2026
Kanda for ramen
For the first time in a few days, no rain to speak of, no puddles, and after changing them earlier, dry socks. I talk about my socks a lot. I boug....