Miscellaneous Tokyo

I decided to use this post as an opportunity to put up a few images that were miscellaneous pictures that didn't make it onto any other posts.  The above picture is a very typical subway ride.  I've found that the Japanese have two primary activities while riding trains and subways- sleeping and texting on cellphones.  Everyone seems to be texting the second they step on to the subway.  All of their cellphones look very sleek and sophisticated.  And I even saw a teenager recently on a small, mini laptop-looking machine texting on that and his phone at the same time, while standing and riding the subway.

I have become increasingly interested in signs that I've seen doing day-to-day activities.  This is a sign on the street, announcing something for drivers- like stop or slow down.  I love it because I think it looks visually interesting, even though I have no idea what it says.

This is the sign for my subway stop by my apartment-  Bakuro-yokoyama, on the Toei Shinjuku Line.  I feel like I've gotten to know this subway stop so well, I can even go to where the platform is without paying attention to any signs.    

I just thought that this sign was funny.  It is saying not to run onto the train.  I saw another one like this in english, so I assume that is what it says in japanese.  This is another interesting tidbit I've come to notice, the japanese read top to bottom and right to left.  (Which is how this sign is organized) Also, the way they read their books is different than the west.  The front of their books would be equivalent to the back of ours, with the binding on the right.  They then open the book and read characters top to bottom and right to left.  I realized this after looking over the shoulder of a young man on a subway reading manga and the page numbers were going in that direction.  I then studied his eyes and the movement reflected the direction he was reading.

Just some more vending machines.  I actually haven't seen anything being sold, aside from cold drinks.  I'm not sure if this is changed and they put in hot drinks when the weather gets cold.  But I've read that they do sell hot drinks and hot soup from these.  I'll keep my eye out for them.