The Japan Rumble: Day 2

Breakfast at McDonald’s

Want a healthy start in the day? Choose McDonald’s Breakfast. 🙂

McDonald’s, Japan

Yep, our group ate some McD’s after we checked out of Dandy Hotel, and before we head down to Fukushima by Bullet Train. Granted, 80% of the food in the menu are similar to what you can find in almost every McDonald’s outlet from around the world but the Japanese outlets have one thing you cannot find in our local outlets back in Malaysia (or perhaps anywhere else)…

… the crew consists of mostly hot chicks! 🙂 No kidding, and this is what I found to be consistent after visiting a few different McD’s outlets later!

Bullet Train Ride to Fukushima (1.5 hours)

Having used to frequent trains on a daily basis when I was working full-time as an office boy back in 2004, I couldn’t help but compare our trains to the Japanese ones. Not a fair comparison I know, almost like comparing apple to oranges, or rather snail to cheetah. That’s exactly HOW advanced the Japanese train systems are. Being inside the Bullet Train, one couldn’t feel the speed or pressure from within. But if you would look from the outside, which I did…

WOW, the Bullet Train zoomed by with frightening speed! The group caught me with my jaw dropped open. LOL!


Central Gate Tokyo Edmund Loh and Mr. Brown The Station Master @ Fukushima Station Fukushima Train Station

Boy Scout in Fukushima Town

Once we settled down in Fukushima, we stayed at the Tatsumiya Hotel. We had a quick lunch nearby and for the rest of the day time, I scouted around town alone. Temperature here is colder than in Tokyo i.e. 17 – 19 degree Celcius, and it gets colder by night. The day is shorter than the night at this time of the year, and it gets dark by around 5:30.


Snacking Out at the Japanese Restaurant Following James Allen & Frank Bauer Getting Comfy at the Tatsumiya Hotel p1040639.jpg

p1040640.jpg p1040642.jpg p1040643.jpg Edmund Loh

There are less people here compared to Tokyo and the outskirts of town had fewer people. In general, the Japanese people are nice and I would consider them exceedingly polite. 🙂 It is customary for people to exchange bows and be very polite – not an understatement by any measure.

It is also easy to strike up a conversation with people here, which made me felt rather regretful not learning at least basic Japanese to get around on my own. Most of the people here speak little to no English at all. A pity, otherwise I’d love to ask them LOTS about Japan! 🙂

Crime rarely happens here, in this part of Japan at least. Another bonus.

Dinner with Brown Family & Friends

Dinner with the Brown Family & Friends

L-R: Frank Bauer, Edmund Loh (me), Mr. Brown, Mari Wakamatsu, Katherine Brown, Rodney, Jamieson, Mrs. Brown (James Brown’s mother), James Brown.

To be continued…