Today is the last day of my 30s and tomorrow I turn 40! Who would have thought I would get that old but life continues forward regardless of your opinion in the matter.
The year is coming to an end. I love this time of year. Japan shuts down completely for about a week and gives me a lot of much needed downtime at home.
I realized this morning in my recent blog re-design I didn’t leave a way for people to sign up for my newsletter so I have added a signup on the sidebar. I shoot out a newsletter about once a month or so with an update of what I am up to and news on ShootTokyo. You also get a free copy of my eBook when you sign up. You can also have my posts delivered to your inbox.
I am reinvigorated my Japanese study with a more structured approach. I have decided that I will be studying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test with the final objective of passing N1. I am going to post my daily progress for those of you interested in following along, encouraging me and also to serve as a bit of public shame to keep me going. Simply knowing I need to post each day will serve as motivation to study. I don’t want to clutter up ShootTokyo so I have added a section on the side bar called 日本語1000日 where I will post my study progress for the day. For those interested in learning Japanese or following along you can find the posts there.
A Chindonya (チンドン屋) ! They were a street advertising band in the olden days.
Today’s Configuration: Leica M6-J, Elmar 50mm f/ 2.8, Summilux 35mm f/1.4 and Kodak Portra 100.
Political posts in Japan…. these ones from the Communist Party of Japan. The left one says あめりかいいなりもうやめよう！。Stop listening to America! The middle one says stop all nuclear energy . A hotly debated topic in the months following the 3.11.2011 Earthquake. The right one says stop consumption tax.
They seem to just object to things verus proposing anything. Honestly I really don’t understand politics in Japan. I am not sure I ever will.
A cool old VW… 
An Audi TT RS! I used to drive a TT and it was fast… I have previously owned two Audi S4s that were amazingly fast. I test drove and Audi RS4 and it was amazing but so fast that I didn’t think I could even safely control it on the streets of Tokyo. I can’t imagine how unbelievably fast a TT RS must be as the car is so light.
I want to get another S4 again in the future. That was the best car I ever owned.
I saw this on the side of a truck and thought it was pretty cool…
The cone bullying continues… and so does my reporting of the situation. This needs to stop!
The cones are continuing to evolve . Now outfitted with solar powered flashers…
It looks like Doughnut Plant in Jiyugaoka is closing down. I took one of my favoriate pictures of my wife Mayumi in front of here…
I had lunch the other day at my favoriate News Cafe…
She makes more Clam Chowder I have ever eaten…
She had a Christmas Plate for the holidays… I couldn’t believe how good it was. I love the food at there.
The ShootTokyo Mobile is fixed and back in action… Note to self: No more dragging along poles
Maybe one day…
A few more ShootTokyo shirts left for $1.99. Get them before they are all gone. Thanks for stopping by today…
Thanks Adrian. Happy New Year to you and your family as well. I hope to see you in the New Year!
Happy Birthday Dave!
And Happy New Year to you and your family!
Happy birthday Dave!
Thanks Tom. I haven’t seen Patrick’s site before so Thanks for the inspiration. I love how Ministract is looking. Readers: Check it out if you haven’t.
Roxana – Thanks. Tokyo is wonderful by Camera… Nice blog as well by the way. Your images have a nice feeling to then…
Happy Birthday, Dave! Thanks for all the great photos!
Happy Birthday to a fellow December baby! You’ll love the 40′s even more than the 30′s! I’ll wait to comment on the 50′s in another 10 years. Looks like you were “out of uniform” in that mirror self portrait
Happy Birthday, Dave!
Happy B-day!
Ady from Romania.
Happy Birthday, Dave!
With so many cool cameras to shoot, how do you decide what to take when you leave the house in the morning? M9-P, M-Monochrome, M-6… so many choices, so little time…
お誕生日おめでとうございますデーヴさん！！！
Happy Birthday Dave, wishing you all the best.
(Sorry if I messed up your name in Japanese ^_^¦¦¦)
Welcome to Ojisan age ! But in Japan these days around 40 years old is called shiny age rather than 20. Happy birthday for tomorrow.
Always love to spend some time on your blog, love Tokio and hope someday will be able to see it with my own eyes and camera. Have a beautiful birthday tomorrow!
Congratulations for tomorrow, Dave, but – please – none if this ojisan rubbish! Your best years are ahead of you – take it from someone who this year became not an ojisan but an ojiisan! No, not a real grandparent – just someone who became 50
Congrats again on the web site refresh – yours and Patrick La Roque’s are the two I always turn to. The others, I’m happy to get their content via Reeder.
Thanks David. Looking forward to talking about that car with when we go shooting on the 2nd.
Nice pic, and Happy Birthday..
Happy birthday for tomorrow. The TTRS photo makes me remember the one I left in HK 8 months ago. Fabulous car and much faster than the m3 I had before. A Porsche beater for sure.