Costco Bound

A Costco trip was needed to replenish our dried mango and syrup supplies this weekend. I decided it would be a good opportunity to snap a few shots of what we see driving locally. I didn't take our camera into the store, but frankly, it looks pretty much like any Costco you would walk into back home. They of course have products here and there specific to Japan, but for the most part, it's all Kirkland and all very much like a store in the states.

As you drive up you can clearly see that Costco is hard to miss, just like back home. 

They even have the muffins.

To park, you have to use their 4 leveled parking garage. The other funny thing is that Costco is situated next to a large outlet mall (very "Western/American" as well). There is ground parking and 2 large parking garages but you cannot park there if you are going for Costco, and that's just how it is. Nobody parks in the wrong place. Period. And all parking is paid by the customer unless you get your ticket validated at the appropriate store.

 A typical fast food restaurant. This is a ramen house. There's always pictures of the food served.

 It ain't Daryl's storage but it gets the job done. I wonder the cost to store your stuff though. This one is situated on a little corner. 

So, when driving in Japan, one MUST be ALWAYS vigilant because bicycles are everywhere. On side walks, off side walks, with traffic, against traffic . . . they are everywhere and hitting a cyclist with your car is not only dangerous but considered a very big deal legally. The car will ALWAYS be at fault, it's extremely black and white. Same goes for motorcycles, although they tend to stay on the road with the direction of traffic, but otherwise move similar to a bicycle along side and in the middle of rows cars.

 Another big difference is of course the road system. Buildings came first, streets came after. These are pretty wide streets. Most side streets are barely wide enough for one car.

The good, the bad and the ugly . . . graffiti is everywhere.

 A large road. Notice the Denny's restaurant to the right.

The menu  of course if nothing like the states for those who are curious.

 A more traditional style home that has land is growing crops.

More modern houses. I plan to get a better picture but this one will do for quick comparison. In Misawa there was a larger presence of single story homes featuring western floor plans. Here, where it is blatantly  apparent that space is much more limited, there seems to be no such thing. All housing is multi-level, and most have no yard space. Maybe a small parking space and room for flower pots. Balcony's are used to dry clothes and hang futons out in the sunshine. As you move to the cities edge the houses still are multi-level but do seem to have larger yards.