Another pictorial life of MC in Japan! Went to a straw sandal making workshop with Siyun. Got into some back breaking working weaving straws into a sandal under the guidances of a number of obaasans, who were very nice in instructing us in Japanese... and when we could not understand them, they directly demonstrated how to weave it.



Siyun and proud of her sandal!


We both only had enough time to make ONE sandal though. So in the end, there was no practical purpose to the sandals except experience.


Met Audrey, a Singaporean studying in Canada, here in Japan for a year exchange. She was in the Yukata dressing work shop.


Me and my obaasan sensei!


Walking with one sandal.


One of the obaasan gave Siyun a cloth covered sandal!


One of the participants was so kawaiiii.... She asked politely for the bundle of straws and heaved it over her back and asked me to take photos of her with her one straw sandal!


Participated in the Study Abroad Fair in Waseda. Its a fair where the many partner schools come and set up booths to promote their school. NUS also had one. I offered to do the presentation bit for NUS. Choon Meng and Aik Heng did most of the slides. It went pretty smoothly I should say.

A scene of the booths set up.

Ms. Nakamura, the NUS Double Degree Program Coordinator, counseling of the students interested in studying in NUS.


The NUS group with Ms Nakamura.


We went to Harajuku to catch a flea market next to Tojo Shrine. The flea market sold all sorts of things. Here are some samples!


Earthern wares, books, porcelain wares.


These metal pencil sharpeners brought back a lot of memories cos I used to play with them when I was alot younger.


A lot of old cameras too. Photography afficiandoes Lydia and Winnie were mesmorized.


I on the other hand, was attracted to this one stall that sold old Imperial Japanese soldiers' uniforms. It even had the Imperial Japanese flag! The clothes were pretty expensive though. And the thought of wearing what might have been taken off a dead soldier in the WWII was not very appealing...


Then we went to Akihabara, or Electric City.


Where otakus over the world gather. Wierd people too. Like this lady with a paper mache giraffe mask.


Like in everywhere in Japan, shrine and temples snuggle into small caches of space to provide some solitude away from the craziness of modern day consumerism.


Modern day consumerism in all its pretty looks and cute out fittings, like this pretty AU promoter and a super cute dog.


Japan is definitely porn heaven. Porn shops like this, featuring all sorts of women in all sorts of situations and positions, litter Akihabara. GM will be very happy. Haha!


Sex shops such as this 7 story wonder are also prevalent in Japan.


A closer look and you can find all sorts of costumes for the ladies in this shop. Pornographic material is easily found even in convenience stores... So bra-burning feminists should try to steer clear of this issue in patriarchal Japan.


Yodabashi is one of Tokyo's largest electronic shop. 8 levels of pure electric electronic experience


This is only two out of probably ten rows of toy capsule mahines in Yodabashi.


Met up with Yong Qin, another Singaporean studying Architecture in Japan, and we headed to the National Diet Library.


The outside of the library.


A statue of a woman with her shirt unbutton and legs wide open. Its called 'Ponder.' and its outside the library. Whats with Japan and naked women?!


Nearby is the National Diet.


The dominating facade of the national Parliament.


Side view of parliament.

The headquarters of the major political parties are found surrounding the National Diet.

All right folks! these are some of the highlights in my life.

School has just started, so I am probably going to get down and be serious with some studying!