Shinjuku-Kabuki-cho: Selected Shots

Barrier-free/Handicapped Restrooms Have Become Luxurious Uber-Universal Design... at least at this certain hotel somewhere in Tokyo

And I can tell you this certain hotel is not barrier-free by any means (with all the usual problems)... But one odd thing I had never seen before: In Japan, shampoo bottles have upraised marks on the top while conditioner bottles do not. Why? So that blind (or other various visually impaired) people can tell which is which. At this hotel the conditioner had the bumps while the shampoo did not. Is this on purpose? Or another symptom of backwards thinking?

(A bright spot in Tokyo...): Meiji Jingu Stadium - selected shots...

As a student/researcher of Japanese baseball I took advantage of my recent trip to Tokyo to check out Meiji Jingu Stadium, home of the... well, that's not so important (especially since the team is currently in last place in the Central League). Jingu was built in 1926; it is said it has a special atmosphere and that there is not a bad seat in the place. Haruki Murakami has said that he "became a writer" after watching a game at Jingu. So I felt I needed to check this place out. And just by chance (or maybe not), the visiting team was the Hanshin Tigers. So I could once again combine my research with supporting my favorite team...

For info about Jingu Stadium: http://www.jingu-stadium.com/english/

My seats were on the 3rd base side. The visiting teams at games usually have a small section reserved for them in the left field stands. But Tiger fans were plentiful and seemed to take up half of the stadium from 3rd base to the center field stands. And there were plenty of stalls to buy my last minute Tiger paraphernalia.

Swallows fans cheer with umbrellas...

Jingu Stadium has fireworks during the summer games!

And then my (new) camera broke...

And the Tigers lost...

Source: http://npb.jp/bis/eng/2019/games/s2019080601666.html

And I had to return to my hotel in Shinjuku...