Gatchpon Traffic Light Keychain

Decided to get a toy from the Gatchapon capsule ball dispenser machines at Amu Plaza, for 300 yen ($2.75 USD). I was hoping for a train crossing signal light, or maybe a construction site warning light. But, instead, I got a traffic light keychain, where only the green section has an LED.



The back shows three bulb boxes, but only the top one contains an LED. The middle one is reserved for the switch, and the bottom one for the batteries. The bottom one doesn't seem to open up, either, so there's apparently no way to replace the batteries when they die.

Matahibachi

Matahibachi is a traveling nonsense theater troupe based in Kyoto. They're similar to one that I saw in Kagoshima a few years ago, but I don't have their name recorded anywhere for tracking them down now. I've never heard of Matahibachi before, and didn't know that they were in town until Friday.



I saw the trailer in Central park Friday afternoon, but it wasn't being set up until Saturday. I had plans for Saturday evening, and forgot to swing by the park again Sunday afternoon.



So, I wasn't able to get times or ticket prices in advance. Then, after dinner, I remembered them, and immediately ran to the park to try to get a few photos.



I arrived at about 8 PM, and the show had started at 7 PM. I was a little concerned about attracting attention and getting booted for taking pictures without paying for a ticket, but no one bothered me while I was there. Tickets were 2,500 yen ($22 USD) for adults, less for seniors and school kids. It looked like the bench seating only holds 20 people, and that maybe they were sold out. So, maybe I never had a chance to watch them myself, to start with.



What I saw certainly was silly.



Maybe next time.

Wonda-One Piece can coffee

Wonda can coffee tie-in with One Piece.



Campaign page has lots of coffee flavors, and character designs. Collect enough points, and you can enter an online drawing for a One Piece poster.



Can't win if you don't spent lots of money to enter. Spend lots of money, still don't win. Oh well. At least the coffee's not that great, either.

Nisshin and Tomika Tie-in

Nisshin makes cup noodles and little chocolate-scented biscuits. Tomika makes toy cars. Today, we have cardboard cut-out models of Tomika vehicles. I got the one for the truck. 100 yen ($0.90 USD).







Finished model is about 2" long.





The biscuits are small vanilla cookies printed with chocolate scented cars. Not great, but kids like them.

Halloween Papiro

89 yen at Donkey ($0.80 USD).



Papiro and Donuts. (Papiro are cookie rolls with chocolate paste filling.)

Cie'na Chalk art - Sept. 2021

Full moon.



Rabbits. Just all part of the Tsukimi moon-viewing experience.

Tissue Box

Sometimes, a box of tissue is just a box of tissue. But, you'd still think that the marketing guys would pick up on stuff like this before approving the package artwork...

Ramen Dice Contest banners

There's a ramen chain shop on Streetcar Street called Rai Rai Rai. I've never eaten there, because it's usually too crowded, or that I'm never hungry when I'm in the area.



At the beginning of September, they had a dice campaign that seemed to be tied in with some gambling manga. I've read a little by the artist that seems to have illustrated these banners, but I don't know these characters at all.



There was a sandwich board in front of the door explaining the rules. Something like - get 3 of a kind, a pair or a straight 1-2-3 and you eat free. Good deal, if you feel lucky.

Old Parr Coaster

I bought a fifth of Old Parr whiskey from a konbini a few weeks ago. It came with a little pressed paper coaster.



What I found amusing was the tasting notes section on the back of the coaster. It's an interesting idea, but at $6 for a fifth of whiskey, you're not going to get much flavor to take notes about.

Monster Strike Glitter Card

I wrote about this image card I got from Donkey last month for 100 yen ($0.90 USD), along with a little stick of gum. Here's a better scan of it.

Lantern Teardown

This is probably the best symbolic image for the summer. Tearing down the lanterns in Tenmonkan. They were put up back in June as part of the Rakugatsugo festival celebrating the birth anniversary of Shimadzu Nariakira, one of the principal feudal lords of the 1800's in Kagoshima. Usually, this is accompanied by a 2-day event at Terakuni shrine, Shochu Street (a whole bunch of distilled spirits manufacturers promoting their alcohol, and Ogionsa (an old-style dance parade along Streetcar Street).



None of that stuff happened this year, either. Two dead summers in a row. And, as I wrote a couple weeks ago, Kagoshima is in the middle of an 8 PM curfew. All restaurants have to close their dining areas precisely at 8 PM, and stop take-out orders at 11 or 11:30 PM. All of the family restaurants I know of have completely stopped selling beer and wine. Initially, this was supposed to end on Aug. 23, when the Summer Olympics ended, but the curfew has been extended to late Sept. Sigh.

Stupid everything.

Kimetsu no Yaiba Sticker

I was walking down a side street recently, and found this little Demon Sword sticker (1"x1") lying on the ground, still in fairly good condition.



Kind of amazing, the things people will lose here.

Manga School Poster

Human Academy is kind of a technical college. One of the course programs they offer is manga and illustration drawing. I found this poster in a display case along Streetcar Street. Learn how to draw NSFW images.

Small Adventures - Theft

There's a small landing outside my apartment, and in the corner are propped up a few umbrellas. The apartment itself is small, and there's not much room for having the things in a stand just inside the door, so I keep them outside. We get a lot of rain, and I have to do a lot of walking to and from the school I teach at. Occasionally, the rain springs up unexpectedly and I'm caught outside without an umbrella, meaning I have to buy a new cheap one from the 7-11 near the school for 500 yen ($4.50 USD). All this goes to say that I have 3 cheap umbrellas propped in the corner of the landing. I also have a good, big $30 umbrella that I take with me everywhere when it is raining when I leave the apartment, but I keep that on the landing, too.

 A couple days ago, someone stole the good umbrella. While it was outside on the landing, we haven't had any extremely strong winds, so it wouldn't have blown out. And, this is a secured building, so the only suspects are one of the neighbors on this floor, and the floor immediately below. I'm not on good terms with my neighbors, so I can't simply go door to door to ask them which one took it.

It's said that while Japan is a safe country, there are two things the Japanese will steal without compunction - bicycles and umbrellas. Good thing I don't have a bike.

Trombone Coffee Shop Chalk - Tsukimi

Bunnies.

Shiro Chalk - Tsukimi

Moon viewing is coming up. And that means rabbits and mochi with sweet paste.

Belle

Large wall poster advertising "Ryuu to sobakasu no Hime (The Dragon and the Freckled Princess)."

Ramen Dragons

There's a restaurant space on the top floor of the Maruya Gardens department store that seems to be available for rent, or something. I'm not sure exactly what's going on here, but the name, theme and food all seem to change every couple of months. This time, it's ramen. One dragon, two dragon.



Red Dragon.



"Blew" dragon.

Massage Clinic Chalk - Unknown

Generic chalk.

Massage Clinic Chalk - Demon Sword

Kimetsu no Yaiba says - "Sit up right!"

Hot Sand Parfait

Sometimes, you have to wonder about these people...

Cie'na Chalk - Constellations

Stare at the stars.



And the dragonfly.

Alice on Wednesday

Alice on Wednesday is a pop-up shop that appeared in The Loft department store for a few weeks in Maruya Gardens. Lots of Alice in Wonderland-themed goods.



Pops up everywhere.



Posters of original artwork from the Lewis Carroll books.



I love these clocks. Wish I had a place to keep them.



Hand bags.