Shinkansen does not mean "Bullet Train"

Bullet trains are a nickname given to the shinkansen by the English-speaking world. In fact, shinkansen means "new trunk line," since it is the new "backbone" line for getting across Japan. They do look kind of bullet shaped, though, and they go fast. I took a few videos from my camera looking through the train window; things close to the track whiz by in a blur and are impossible to make out, while the background rushes along at a frenetic pace. Unfortunately, the video clips are very large (50 MB for 30 seconds), and I don't have the programs with me for re-encoding them, and I don't want the hotel to get furious at me for uploading 50 megabytes, so you'll have to remind me to show these to you when I get home. Actually, the picture uploading isn't working from here either, so I'll have to show you my pictures from a different connection too.

We did finally manage to do some laundry before leaving. There was a laundromat (called a "coin laundry" in Japan) near Tokyo station, and we went there. It was sweltering hot out, and even sweltering hotter inside the laundry, but our luggage is now loaded with enough clothing to last out the rest of the trip. While we were there, a fellow from upstairs was wondering around looking for four foreigners who had a reservation at his restaurant. They never showed up, but we went up to take a look. It was on the third floor of an apartment building, and it was something like a tempura bar. We got a lot of tempura seafood with rice, miso soup, and a couple of other sides. It was really good. He had a box of tomatoes there and told us they were going to try doing them tempura style to see what would happen. Although, as he said, "pretty much anything you tempura is going to taste good." He then walked us for a few blocks until he was sure we knew where the train station was, and practiced his English on us, which was good fun.

We're out of Tokyo now, and in a much nicer hotel. The old hotel was in a good location, but it was small and the bathroom was a bit unpleasant. This hotel feels positively decadent, and although it cost a bit more I think it's definitely worth it. The bathroom sparkles, the room is reasonably spacious (with room to put the luggage somewhere AND sit down), and the restaurants look very good. We had Chinese food for dinner, of all things, and it was kind of like Chinese food done Japanese style, which is really interesting.

Oh, in all the restaurants in Japan, they hand you a hot, wet face cloth before you eat. It shows up steaming in a wooden dish, and it's for cleaning your hands. If it's a really cheap road-side type place, they'll give you a wet cloth in a little plastic bag and it won't be hot, but it's nearly always there. Since the weather is hot and humid right now, and you tend to get "train hands" from riding on the public transport, this is an awesome tradition. I think we should steal it.