Ah, the holiday weekend is upon us (those of us here in Japan, that is)!  But we didn't get Labour Day weekend, so we're just catching up.  I'm going away tonight - catching the night bus up to Akita (where I used to live) - it leaves Shinjuku station (15 minute walk plus 5 minute train ride from my house) at 10:10 tonight, and gets into Akita at 6:20 tomorrow morning.  I'll be visiting some of my old Martial Arts friends.  This usually means we'll get drunk and then throw each other around - could be fun!

I just found out that the big orange contraption I can see a couple of blocks away from my office window is none other than the "world-famous" Tokyo Tower.  Basically, it's a copy of the Eiffel Tower that Japan decided to put up, to compete with France.  But it's ORANGE!!!