I'm watching Matthew's Best Hit TV (now called Matthew's Best Hit UV for some reason) and feeling VERY indignant. For the last five years, this guy has had his own TV show, which, like most other Japanese programming, is just him hanging out with guests, making exaggerated Japanese faces, and playing with stuff. So why can't I screw around in front of a camera for half an hour and call it a TV show?

I DESERVE MY OWN TELEVISION SHOW. I AM WAY MORE FUNNY AND INTERESTING TO WATCH THAN THESE JERKS.

If someone reading this could hook that up, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.


ANNNNNNYway.

The highlight of my week wasn't any of the festivals, any time I befriended a random Japanese girl/old man/masked festival monster/crazy dog lady, any time I witnessed a Japanese person passed out in or near vomit (twice), or even that time I ate my weight in shrimp-flavored snack foods and spent the next three hours with an apocalyptic stomachache.

It was this guy:

Just a guy, with a watermelon for a head, hanging out by the side of the road. Seeing as he wasn't selling anything or handing anything out, I figure he was either on break, or he was a pervert. The crotch sombrero would seem to point to the latter. Either way, I ran over to him and had Adam take a picture.


Honorable Mentions for Japan Double-Take Of The Week

Japan's newest and most heavily-advertised brand of canned coffee.

Check out the name of the restaurant on the third floor.

Neckface Strikes Again

This costume kit is called "Hello Gaijin-san!" ('gaijin' being the derogatory term for a foreigner). It comes with a big white nose and blue eyes. I've nothing more to say about this.


I also need to add that I've been to Tokyu Hands' toy department four or five times since I got here, and each time I've been transfixed by this:


But forget Melon Man, the hypnotic Disney army, and racist party accessories.

Because on Wednesday, Adam and I did what we needed to do.

We went back to Jiyugaoka, where we had lived as study-abroad students last year (see: Japan Part I). We checked out our familiar train station, our favorite izakaya, the 100-yen store, and finally walked the old route back to the place we've been pining for since last April:



One personal demon down. 27 to go.