Japan Style - A Drink Taste Test

First off someone asked for some tips for Japan.  This varies based on where you are staying and what your plans are.  I've yet to stay in Tokyo, so I won't be much help there.  A friend recommended staying at the Shinagawa-shuku while I am in Tokyo and I already made a reservation.  It is on the cheaper end of things.  I different friend stayed at a different shuku in Tokyo.  It is better to have a small bag with you because you will be navigating by train and lugging around a big bag is a pain in the butt.  Most of the escalators are not being used to conserve energy, so use elevators when you have your travel bag.  Before you go print out directions from places like Google Maps; you can set the option for the least expensive.  If you can't read kanji use things like Jisho.org to find out how to say it.  Don't go for the English translation, but how to say it.  Then to purchase tickets you can go to a ticket desk and say which ones you want.  Express trains are good for long distance and if you are concerned about getting lost.  Local trains are less expensive, but be careful.  There are computer ticket kiosks which might offer English, they also take cash so you don't need a card or anything.  Ask around if you get lost at a station.  Since you are a foreigner just show them your tickets, but there are tons of signs around.  The most important thing is which line you are riding on and your stop.  It is better to use cash, so change as much as you can.  Debit and Credit take a percentage fee for overseas transactions.  I heard when friends were traveling in Europe credit is fine, but I think that isn't true for Japan.  I believe Capital One is the only credit that doesn't have fees.  Japan is mostly cash based society.  My travel book says most places will take credit in Tokyo, but my friend says she could only use at connivence stores.  I'm planning on only using my credit/ debit if I see a sign for it, besides that I will use it if I run out of yen.  You shouldn't travel with too much cash on your person.  Scandals are great, but a lot of places require you to take off your shoes so bring some in your bag/ purse just in case.  Now Japan has a good bus system, but it is different from ours.  If you can't understand Japanese I would recommend walking and using the trains.  The procedure for their bus is that you enter from the middle door and grab a ticket.  The ticket has your stop number.  There is a sign at the front of the bus with different numbers related to different stops.  There might be a sign below saying the fee is 10 yen or something.  You multiply the number related to your stop by 10.

Forgotten Segments from Mina's Update-
The Shuffle
I'm getting sick of people complaining about the shuffle. I love it even though I was a big fan of the original Team K. Each team developed a character and Akimoto only regrouped them to better suit that personality. It makes perfect sense because each team was mostly based around an audition which trainees added onto it. Doesn't anyone else think that wasn't a good set up to last forever. Give them time, things might change. It is what's best for AKB48, maybe not for original Team K, but I adore new Team K.

New Subgroups Boost Popularity for 'Unknown' characters
Those who got a new subgroup ranked higher in this election, with the exception of those who are typical senbatsu like Oshima Yuko. This is probably because newer fans got to know them, or casual fans saw them more.

Team 4 and 6 degrees of AKB48 related thoughts
Bloggers, including myself, tend to criticize more than praise. Now if Team 4 get their own original stage or even do revivals then I think this is perfect. For some reason Akimoto is sniffing out talent from every which direction. As expected many will go to Tokyo because they want to belong to the flagship instead of waiting to see if a nearby city will get their own group, although it would be easier to enter. Anyway, AKB48 has so much excess talent they don't know what to do with it. Unlike most idol groups they have a number in their name, so they must have 48 members. In a way the research students didn't count because they were just preparing for a spot to open up. This is a wonderful compromise. While this doesn't keep up with the 48 value, it doesn't give us the impression that they will have to wait until someone graduates.

The bigger issue is that no one wants original members to graduate, but everyone wants to appreciate the new talent available. Personally I would like to see them in teams (and they will probably still fill in for absent members). Another issue about the entire system is help solve the waiting issue. When I watch old concerts from years ago I spot newly added members from the shuffle dancing back up. It can take quite a long time for them to move up which contributes to the higher average age for AKB48 members. I don't care about that, but there is a graduate age, which means less time with them. I mean, it is basically impossible to be a full-fledged member at age 12.

Everyone has noticed (I hope no one is getting upset by me using such phrases - I don't mean it literally it is just a nice way to phrase a general thingy) the push Team 4 members. This isn't the worst thing in the world; they work just as hard as everyone else. I'm not going to say it is because of the long-looked over members like Nacchi; I've given up on that point. It is because the new members that have spent quite a long time, years even, as research students to be looked over not by one exceptional ace but a group of fresh, young faces just after they got promoted. I mean Sato Sumire is like 18!

What about Ucchi (Uchida Mayumi)? What was the point of deciding the single participation by rock-paper-scissors if nothing really came of it. Will Akimoto even do it again? Nothing really changed. Sure, more people know who she is and she did get her time in the spotlight. Well what about the general elections? Oshima was only center for that single. The difference is that while the election only decides the positions for said single, it confirms the popularity and dedication each member gets (at least within the fandom because casual fans tend not to vote); the other is based on luck and maybe strategy.

I think something more realistic is the idea that Kashiwagi could keep her number three spot onwards. The senbatsu has been changing. Before the top two were Takahashi and Maeda, Itano has moved in pushing some away from Akimoto's favorite. The centers for the last two singles were Itano and Maeda. And look, Itano dropped significantly in rank. Will Itano lose her newly gained number two/ three spot in regular senbatsu?

Jeez, everything reminds me of something else. Recall how Ono Erena's popularity or at least position in senbatsu decreased before she graduated. Shinoda has seen a drop and is getting close to the max age. I doubt she will go for joining SDN48. Should I have even gone there, she is one of the members that many are concerned about graduating. Two things people think predict graduation: popularity and age. We can tell from this past year that is a horrible assumption [Ono and Oku]. Now Itano is a possibility because she is at the right stage in her career to do so [think Goto Maki and Morning Musume]. However, I don't think Akimoto would be keen on the idea of letting either Itano or Maeda graduate. Although, he sure has done enough pushing to make it seem as if it is a possibility.

Japan Style - A Drink Taste Test
Pepsi Dry:
Tastes like Pepsi if it were dry, like if it was dry ice but in pepsi liquid form. I don't care for regular Pepsi (and it has been some time since I've had it), but Diet Pepsi is my favorite soda. Okay, second taste impression: similar to regular Pepsi, but doesn't have that crisp taste that Diet Pepsi has like I thought it would. Kind of like when I put dramamine in my mouth and while I get dome water it starts to dissolve a bit. I wouldn't say it is refreshing, more like flat. Although it does bubble. I won't be finishing this drink. I didn't see any Diet Pepsi. . . but they are so health conscience I doubt they wouldn't go for it. Then again there is this Pepsi Nuex (or something like that).

Crystal Lemon:
Since it is a hot, sunny day why not try what looks like lemonade.

Side Note: I find it peculiar that both drinks I've tried so far have the word dry on them (DryDo). (I've also seen a lot of sweat, which isn't attractive either for water.) Just saying.

First sip: I took it and started coughing so much I couldn't taste it. It is like my experience with sake. Wow, I'm still coughing. Okay maybe Japanese people like the flavor of grainy medicine as an aftertaste. I can taste the lemon, but the after taste is overpowering. If I take a long slurp I kind of like it, but I wouldn't buy this again either. I'm going to try to finish this one so I'm not wasteful. Oh, I should try mixing a little of the first with the second (that didn't happen). Sometimes the best elements of a drink is brought out by food, or the other way around. Pretzels: boy I love Snyder's sourdough nibblers. I guess it helps with the drink, at least trying to finish it.

Verdict So Far: I'm sticking to water unless I find some POG; I idolize POG as if it were a god. Only found in a place of worship, in this case, Hawaii.

Mountain Dew:
Wow, it is really similar to the original! There isn't any bad (in my opinion) after taste. I might get this again. I hope there is caffeine in here because I don't like regular tea (only ones from Bubble Tea/ Milk Tea) or coffee (only mochas).