Okaido "Shopping Street"

Okaido Shopping in Ehime 

Okonomiyaki

The place that has the back end of a Volkswagen as an awning is a restaurant in Matsuyama (past the Okaido) that serves Okonomiyaki. It is a cheap place to eat at.

Okonomiyaki looks like pizza but it is more of a pancake than anything else. It consists of batter and cabbage (mixed together) that is cooked on a tapanyaki and can be topped with most anything.

The Volkswagen looks like it is a 1968-73 model from the look of the rear fender. I used to drive a couple of older version VW's (with the wire frame fenders) back in the 70's. Lovely cars but not safe at all. What I liked about them then was the ease of repair and they were fun to drive. A light car but no front end to them at all. Essentially driving a tin can with no protection from an impact.

Japan Guide to Okonomiyaki

Okaido

I think Japan has more coffee and tea shops than any other place I've been too. Perhaps not but the Japanese do enjoy their coffee quite a lot. It's very civilized.

Tanaka is a quality luggage shop. Not cheap but the quality is top notch.

Biking is a common means of transportation.

Okaido - Star Wars Pachinko

Darth Vader is using the force to draw people in to play Pachinko. Pachinko does have ties to organized crime in Japan. Many of the Pachinko parlors are operated by Korean's who have ties to the Yakuza in Japan.

Marketing 101 - tissue packages handed outside the Pachinko parlor.

"The force is with you" - playing Pachinko that is. Possibly the most mind-numbing game around. It hurts just to watch people play it.

Okaido

Cuteness overload

A traditional Japanese pastry shop.


The roof comes off in nice weather.

Santa Snoopy

Okaido

In Japan you will find the old and new exist side by side with respect for each other.

A lovely mural on a store front.

A 100 Yen store. About as much cheap stuff you can cram into a store and still walk around in.

Public Phone Booth

English style phone booth. In a country obsessed with cell phone technology, public phones are becoming obsolete.

Okaido

Okaido is a shopping district (mall) in downtown Matsuyama.


Star Wars - Darth Vader themed Pachinko



Noodle shop for lunch, quite good.

The shops display of food offerings. The steam from inside made the display hard to see.