I mean, just look at this screenshot. I can confidently take a photo of a friend's hand-written note, search for one Japanese word that I knew was written on it to find it, then select the text and paste it into a translation app, maps, etc.

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Coin lockers

In Japan, it's customary to use a coin locker at a train station to store your bags, so that you can spend time visiting a place without lugging all your stuff everywhere.

Unfortunately, this coin locker only takes five ¥100 coins (I've been spoiled by newer ones in Tokyo and Osaka that take IC cards like Suica) and I only had a single ¥100 coin on me.

So I went to a 7-Eleven to change a ¥1000 bill to coins and the attendant told me that they can no longer break change. So then I bought a bottle of tea in cash, but because these days you pay with cash using an automatic machine mounted in front of the register, it gave me back one ¥500 coin and three ¥100 coins. So I still only had four ¥100 coins when I needed five to use the locker.

So then I turned around and bought a donut with the ¥500 coin in order to break change again and this time I received three more ¥100 coins.

All so that I could pay ¥500 to use a coin locker… always an adventure!

Tabelogged: 草庵・中町井ｓay

See with all my spots…

I visited this restaurant on May 13, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: 草庵・中町井ｓay
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/そば、郷土料理、居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Soan/nakamachii Say
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Soba, local cuisine, izakaya

Friday, May 12, 2023

Tabelogged: 中華そばマルキ商店

See with all my spots…

I visited this restaurant on May 12, 2023, and gave it a 3.2 on Tabelog.

Name: 中華そばマルキ商店
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/ラーメン

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Chinese Soba Maruki Shoten
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Ramen

Thursday, May 11, 2023

A convenient truth

Lots of good convenience store discoveries this week!

A pizza sandwich filled with wieners and taco meat.
Bread-flavored gummies.
Fried and seasoned chicken skin, closely resembling the bottom of a KFC bucket
A canned whiskey that comes pre-mixed with water.
Individually-packaged cups of orange jelly housed in a larger cup
Sparkling water that's been fortified with… a lot of fiber?
Tangerine-flavored gummies designed to look like little popsicles
Frozen chocolate banana chunks made with otherwise-wasted bananas

So much innovation!

Tabelogged: かつ玄本店

See with all my spots…

I visited this restaurant on May 11, 2023, and gave it a 3.5 on Tabelog.

Name: かつ玄本店
Description: 松本、北松本/とんかつ、かつ丼

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Katsugen Main Store
Description: Matsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Pork cutlet, Katsudon

Tabelogged: 風林火山

See with all my spots…

I visited this restaurant on May 11, 2023, and gave it a 3.8 on Tabelog.

Name: 風林火山
Description: 松本、西松本、北松本/居酒屋

Which Google translates into English as:

Name: Furin Volcano
Description: Matsumoto, Nishimatsumoto, Kitamatsumoto/Izakaya

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Kanazawa's all right

Had a great half day in Kanazawa, even though it wound up being a bit of a speed run. Omicho fish market and Kenrokuen garden are both popular tourist spots, but I found the local restaurants and bars to be really exceptional, both in service and food quality. If you like fresh fish, you really must visit someday!