Shocking When Stated This Way...

 In Japan, more people died from suicide last month than from Covid in all of 2020 - CNN

Put on the Headphones, and Enjoy Tokyo!

 

3 Ukuleles, 1 Guitar, 1 Bass Ukulele, 1 Tamborine, 1 Cajon

 

 

Practice before our Sunday Gathering

The thick strings are the indication that this is a bass ukulele. When connected to an amplifier, it sounds like a bass guitar. 

Same, Same but Different

 

This unsual "bridge" allows a road running along a high ridge on a mountain to continue at a lower level. It's in the scenic Izu peninsula. 

We have the same kind of "bridge" right in front of our apartment building! This one is not for cars, but for bicycles. 

This enables cyclist to traverse the train tracks and then cross to the next island. Our apartment is in the building at the top left, right side, third floor. 

The Population of Canada, In One Place

Because of COVID 19, the Tokyo Skytree (taller than the CN Tower, by the way) has been encouraging people to visit by offering a 50% discount. That was enough for us to go and check it out. The greater Tokyo area has a population equal to the population of Canada. We've just included a couple of pictures here to give you an idea of what Canada squished into one place would look like.

First, the immediate neighourhood, with the Sumida river and Asakusa across the bridge, and a sightseeing boat (with social distancing of course) heading down the river.

Next, a shot of the eastern part of Tokyo. Our apartment is somewhere to the south, and in the haze beyond is Tokyo Bay. It's impossible to capture "downtown Tokyo" in one picture, because the areas surrounding each major station on the Yamanote central circle train line are separate "downtowns" each with their own character. 

And here's a shot of the Skytree at nighttime, with the Arakawa river visible in the top left corner.

 

Read the Fine Print!

These are preserved nameko mushrooms, but it's the writing at the bottom of the label that makes it interesting. We don't know the background on this, but we were at a store that had several products with several Bible verses written on them. Yamazaki Bakeries, the biggest baking company in Japan, is another company that is owned by Christians. 

 

The State of Humanity in One Picture

As God's creation made in His image, we have the capacity for good public safety ideas, like a separate lane for bicycles, as you see in very faded paint on this crosswalk. 

But, as fallen creatures we have trouble following wise rules that benefit everyone. I've been frustrated by the pedestrians blocking my bicycle crossing lane, and recently crosswalks have been repainted with no bicycle crossing, because everyone ignored it. 

Now, if the Japanese can't follow a simple rule like this, what hope is there for anyone on the planet? This is a small visual representation of our glorious design and fallen state. 

Life in Japan

No hand sanitizer, very few masks, and no toilet paper. This is life in Japan with Coronavirus, and of course the 2020 Olympics are very much in question, at least in people's minds.

Job Opportunity

Because Heather, pictured on the right, has accepted a new position as a mother of a newborn, there is a position open at her former school. If you know anyone in the NYC area who wants to work for a great school, this is the place!