So yesterday at lunch during the break between one of the sessions I had to go get some more Yen from the ATM... There is a post office in the office building that Autodesk Japan is based in and they have an ATM so I went there. I walk in and a man hands me a small, soft package with some colorful (think Pokemon crosses Care Bears) characters on it.
I took it, gave a little nod, bow, said arigato (sp?) and promptly headed to the ATM. Later as I was walking back to the office I opened the package to find a bunch of kleenex. I asked our host later what it was (or more why it was) and she said they hand out small items like this with advertisements from time to time ...
Just another of the "strange" things that Tokyo has to offer.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Sushi Zanmai
Last night I had perhaps the best sushi I have ever had, or at least that I can remember having in the recent past.
My coworker and I were on our own for dinner last night and asked the concierge where to go for some affordable (but very good) sushi. She listed some places and we ultimately went with the one she recommended, Sushi Zamai.
Once there we met a Japanese couple? (maybe they were just friends) and quickly learned that the sushi chef was poking some fun at us Americans. Anyhow, after talking a bit more with them we started to let the guy pick some sushi for us to try. Mostly, we had stuff that I've had before, but there were some new items (of which the names I unfortunately all forgot). The amount of sushi we got though was amazing - Toro (fatty tuna) for 4$ ... unheard of over here. We left quite full. Here are some pics of my miso soup which had an unusual addition to it which scared the sh*t out of me when I took the lid off. I literally almost spilled the soup everywhere...
My coworker and I were on our own for dinner last night and asked the concierge where to go for some affordable (but very good) sushi. She listed some places and we ultimately went with the one she recommended, Sushi Zamai.
Once there we met a Japanese couple? (maybe they were just friends) and quickly learned that the sushi chef was poking some fun at us Americans. Anyhow, after talking a bit more with them we started to let the guy pick some sushi for us to try. Mostly, we had stuff that I've had before, but there were some new items (of which the names I unfortunately all forgot). The amount of sushi we got though was amazing - Toro (fatty tuna) for 4$ ... unheard of over here. We left quite full. Here are some pics of my miso soup which had an unusual addition to it which scared the sh*t out of me when I took the lid off. I literally almost spilled the soup everywhere...
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Very cool dinner ...
After our first session - which went very well by the way - our host took us to a very nice restaurant where we were served an amazing 9 course meal. Most of the courses were very small, but it was like the food just kept coming. I took some pictures of everything to share ...
And here is me taken the crab down:
More Tokyo updates as they come ...
And here is me taken the crab down:
More Tokyo updates as they come ...
Monday, October 02, 2006
Run in with the law...
Well not really, but it was definitely not a situation I was happy to find myself in. Our first session today starts at 10am (about an hour and half from now) and I decided I would get to the Autodesk Japan office early to print out some things and go over the presentation. Very noble of me right...
I get here and the whole Triton tower is pretty quite compared to how it will be an hour from now. There were not many people milling around. I went to the elevator, hit the 24th floor for Autodesk and arrived to a floor that was very dark and empty.
No problem I thought, I'll just get my card key out and swipe it out the door, turn on some lights, easy ... So my card key doesn't work on the main reception door. I go over to an adjacent door, swipe my key and push the door open. THis turned out to be a bad move as the LCD screen you place the card key up to went from a nice, pleasant green color to a flashing red color, while making beeping (beep, beep, beep) ... Shit. The last thing I wanted to do was set of the alarm to Autodesk Japan's premier building. At least the door was open, but now more than anything I wanted the door closed. It wouldn't close however.
I decided to see if I could get some help. On the other side of the floor are more offices. I reluctantly put my card key up to the reader and was meant by the pleasant side of the door unlocking. I walked in and asked the first person I saw to help me out a little bit. I told him what happened and when we walked over to the red beeping door there was a very stern looking security guard waiting.
I went over and explained what happened to the Autodesk employee and he relayed it to the security guard who was intermittently talking to someone on his radio. We all went inside together "to look to see if someone was inside" and when the area was deemed clear, I was allowed to stay.
Then I wasn't and the security guard motioned to me. Okay, I said I would go back out. We get back out and the security guard talks again on his radio. He looks at me and motions back in. The Autodesk employee says I may go wherever I like.
For a second there I felt like I was the guy in the movie whose in another country and gets setup by some big conspiracy - hey, I have to think of something to pass the early jetlagged hours of the morning...
I get here and the whole Triton tower is pretty quite compared to how it will be an hour from now. There were not many people milling around. I went to the elevator, hit the 24th floor for Autodesk and arrived to a floor that was very dark and empty.
No problem I thought, I'll just get my card key out and swipe it out the door, turn on some lights, easy ... So my card key doesn't work on the main reception door. I go over to an adjacent door, swipe my key and push the door open. THis turned out to be a bad move as the LCD screen you place the card key up to went from a nice, pleasant green color to a flashing red color, while making beeping (beep, beep, beep) ... Shit. The last thing I wanted to do was set of the alarm to Autodesk Japan's premier building. At least the door was open, but now more than anything I wanted the door closed. It wouldn't close however.
I decided to see if I could get some help. On the other side of the floor are more offices. I reluctantly put my card key up to the reader and was meant by the pleasant side of the door unlocking. I walked in and asked the first person I saw to help me out a little bit. I told him what happened and when we walked over to the red beeping door there was a very stern looking security guard waiting.
I went over and explained what happened to the Autodesk employee and he relayed it to the security guard who was intermittently talking to someone on his radio. We all went inside together "to look to see if someone was inside" and when the area was deemed clear, I was allowed to stay.
Then I wasn't and the security guard motioned to me. Okay, I said I would go back out. We get back out and the security guard talks again on his radio. He looks at me and motions back in. The Autodesk employee says I may go wherever I like.
For a second there I felt like I was the guy in the movie whose in another country and gets setup by some big conspiracy - hey, I have to think of something to pass the early jetlagged hours of the morning...
More pics ...
I have more pics of my trip so far here ... nothing too exciting - just some shots from the hotel room and from within the hotel room... (and some pocari sweat bottles)...
Pics
Pics
One of my favorite things about Tokyo
Okay this is going to sound lame, but one of my favorite things about Tokyo is this little drink you see right here:
Pocari Sweat. Why would I want to drink something with the name 'Sweat' in it. I don't know, but the stuff is really good. It's pretty much just like a gatorade type drink, replensishes your electrolytes, ions, yada yada, you get the point. Anyhow - thought I would just share. The second greatest thing besides this particular drink is the fact that every vending machine has hot and cold drinks (almost every) -- it is very cool. You can be walking down the street and get hot tea on a whim. I think I mentioned this last year when I was here.
The machines are everywhere too.
Anyhow, we are off to dinner soon. More strange findings later...
Pocari Sweat. Why would I want to drink something with the name 'Sweat' in it. I don't know, but the stuff is really good. It's pretty much just like a gatorade type drink, replensishes your electrolytes, ions, yada yada, you get the point. Anyhow - thought I would just share. The second greatest thing besides this particular drink is the fact that every vending machine has hot and cold drinks (almost every) -- it is very cool. You can be walking down the street and get hot tea on a whim. I think I mentioned this last year when I was here.
The machines are everywhere too.
Anyhow, we are off to dinner soon. More strange findings later...
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Back in Tokyo
I am back in Tokyo on business and am remembering how fun and exciting this city is. The road here was not as exciting. After a 10 hour flight, another 45 minute in customs, and then an hour and fifteen minute bus ride, followed by a 20 minute cab ride - we finally arrived at our hotel. Where are single (twin size) beds were awaiting us.
Being the hotel snobs that we are, we requested upgrades to queen size beds and unfortunately only have those for two nights, after which we have to switch to single rooms (but we are planning on just not leaving our rooms). Like last year, the rooms are very nice and the detail attended to everything is pretty amazing. I have my own little toothbrush, and hair brush, a toilet that has more settings than anyone needs (it can really clean you up afterwards - although I haven't tried). The room even comes with a computer, although the Japanese keyboard layout has me typing li$e thi$ (I am on my laptop now).
All said and done we (my coworker and I) got to our room at around 7:45 which was about 3:45 am San Francisco time. We knew we needed to rally to reset our clocks so we headed down to dinner at the sushi bar in our hotel.
After being seated we browsed the menu. I really didn't feel like spending 8,500 Yen (roughly 70$) for 10 pieces of maguro sashimi, so we got up and left. By leaving we probably broke about 50 different rules of etiquette to the Japanese, but I thought we left fairly politely.
From there we headed outside of the hotel - it is possible to find a well priced meal in Japan - I had done it last time around.
We are staying in the Ginza district which is full of tall buildings with flashing signs and lights. Perhaps something like Times Square (but I wouldn't know because I have never been).
After walking by numerous restaurants and seeing pictures of very exotic looking food we came upon a place that was serving blowfish. Blowfish is the fish where the chef has to learn to cut it properly to remove the poisonous parts - that didn't seem to promising and I didn't want to risk anything on my first night here (maybe tonight though :)). The chances of eating the poisonous part is probably very slim, but still ....
Anyhow, as we are walking by after perusing the menu, a hostess runs out and asks us to come in. We walk back over and start to blankly look at the menu. She says, "English menu, English menu" ... we say yes and she runs in side and bustles back out with two English menus. They didn't read any better:
Being the hotel snobs that we are, we requested upgrades to queen size beds and unfortunately only have those for two nights, after which we have to switch to single rooms (but we are planning on just not leaving our rooms). Like last year, the rooms are very nice and the detail attended to everything is pretty amazing. I have my own little toothbrush, and hair brush, a toilet that has more settings than anyone needs (it can really clean you up afterwards - although I haven't tried). The room even comes with a computer, although the Japanese keyboard layout has me typing li$e thi$ (I am on my laptop now).
All said and done we (my coworker and I) got to our room at around 7:45 which was about 3:45 am San Francisco time. We knew we needed to rally to reset our clocks so we headed down to dinner at the sushi bar in our hotel.
After being seated we browsed the menu. I really didn't feel like spending 8,500 Yen (roughly 70$) for 10 pieces of maguro sashimi, so we got up and left. By leaving we probably broke about 50 different rules of etiquette to the Japanese, but I thought we left fairly politely.
From there we headed outside of the hotel - it is possible to find a well priced meal in Japan - I had done it last time around.
We are staying in the Ginza district which is full of tall buildings with flashing signs and lights. Perhaps something like Times Square (but I wouldn't know because I have never been).
After walking by numerous restaurants and seeing pictures of very exotic looking food we came upon a place that was serving blowfish. Blowfish is the fish where the chef has to learn to cut it properly to remove the poisonous parts - that didn't seem to promising and I didn't want to risk anything on my first night here (maybe tonight though :)). The chances of eating the poisonous part is probably very slim, but still ....
Anyhow, as we are walking by after perusing the menu, a hostess runs out and asks us to come in. We walk back over and start to blankly look at the menu. She says, "English menu, English menu" ... we say yes and she runs in side and bustles back out with two English menus. They didn't read any better:
- Blowfish soup with egg
- Raw bits of blowfish on rice
- Fried blowfish skin
- etc.
We just wanted some gloriously fresh sushi!!
We kept walking, took in the bright lights of Ginza found no more restaurants and walked back along the same road we were on. This whole time there was a light drizzle, but the air remained warm. I was just in a t-shirt, knowing that the rest of my trip I would probably be in my suit.
We came back to the blowfish restaurant, but decided to just take a chance and blindly walk into the restaurant across the street. We are seated, handed menus and find out that it is the exact same restaurant, just on the other side of the street.
Suffice to say, we did not eat blowfish, but ordered some maguro and tako sashimi, a great eel roll (Unagi Con Bo???), an interesting green salad (all of the ingredients were left un-cut and not mixed together - it was good), and miso soup (which never tastes like it does at home, but is probably much more authentic and true to the taste here).
The sashimi was amazing - I think later this week I will be more adventurous and try the blowfish...
After that we walked back to the hotel and promptly crashed. Now, we are about to head into the office and setup for the Customer Design Validations that are taking place Tuesday to Thursday.
More updates later ...
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