Observations: Food edition.
Another update, not much new going on - so I thought I would make some more observations of the oddness that is Tokyo. So as I walked home, and was directed by an automated LED man directing traffic:
I saw a vending machine with Flan in it -
Some very realistic plastic food (a whole industry here - some of it is nearly indistinguishable)
and some hot dog / smiley face crusted pizza
and thought perhaps I might stop for some groceries. So in I went - and strolled past the Sparkle Panther Bean and the Chotsan After Die.
Largely they have the same stuff we have - excepting of course the squid related junk food:
But in interesting new flavors - like MEN's Pocky (Wasabi Doritos ROCK).
Not to mention what seems like cherry blossom flavored Kitkats (it certainly wasn't cherry):
But if you want Krunk:
Actually toward that end - you might be better off with BEER JELLO
I've been surviving off Suntory Coffee Boss Rainbow Blend.
It comes hot - thats right - HOT in a CAN - out of vending machines and is actually VERY good. Its made by Suntory, who control about half of the consumer good industry here (Kirin controling the other half) Now - if you've seen Lost in Translation, Bill Murry was doing adds for Suntory wiskey - which apparently is totally acurate. The city is absolutely covered with Coffee Boss ads with Tommy Lee Jones staring at you disapprovingly for buying the Kirin brand canned coffee:
So I strolled by the Fruit isle:
Hmmmm, Do I want to spend my 5,250 yen (52.50)$ on a melon - or a watermelon?
Well I grabbed some instant ramen (which for some reason is much more expensive here - like a dollar a pack) and some toothpaste......I think:
I saw a vending machine with Flan in it -
Some very realistic plastic food (a whole industry here - some of it is nearly indistinguishable)
and some hot dog / smiley face crusted pizza
and thought perhaps I might stop for some groceries. So in I went - and strolled past the Sparkle Panther Bean and the Chotsan After Die.
Largely they have the same stuff we have - excepting of course the squid related junk food:
But in interesting new flavors - like MEN's Pocky (Wasabi Doritos ROCK).
Not to mention what seems like cherry blossom flavored Kitkats (it certainly wasn't cherry):
But if you want Krunk:
Actually toward that end - you might be better off with BEER JELLO
I've been surviving off Suntory Coffee Boss Rainbow Blend.
It comes hot - thats right - HOT in a CAN - out of vending machines and is actually VERY good. Its made by Suntory, who control about half of the consumer good industry here (Kirin controling the other half) Now - if you've seen Lost in Translation, Bill Murry was doing adds for Suntory wiskey - which apparently is totally acurate. The city is absolutely covered with Coffee Boss ads with Tommy Lee Jones staring at you disapprovingly for buying the Kirin brand canned coffee:
So I strolled by the Fruit isle:
Hmmmm, Do I want to spend my 5,250 yen (52.50)$ on a melon - or a watermelon?
Well I grabbed some instant ramen (which for some reason is much more expensive here - like a dollar a pack) and some toothpaste......I think: