No entries this week 'cause I'm spending the New Year in Kyoto, cultural capital of Japan. Though I do have sporadic Internet access, I have very little time to spend Photoshopping the literally hundreds of images I'll be taking during my six days here. So no dice on the real-time daily updates. I'll have to fill you in next year.

Nevertheless, here's one image I took today, to hold you over. It's Kyoto's famous Kinkaku-ji temple, whose gold-leaf coating admittedly looks a lot more impressive in the fall, when the surrounding maples lend it a fiery red-and-orange backdrop. But I hope you like this shot anyway.

Soon to be a major desktop picture.

...would you like fries with that?

Yo Umeda is in the house!

All the way from NYC, Yo was in town to finish the paperwork on his and his wife's U.S. citizenship, and he graciously pencilled me in for some goofing around in Ikebukuro, my new home as of today. We reminisced in a smoke-filled Mister Donuts, window-shopped for hours, discovered a secret rooftop garden in Seibu, and played one of those taiko-drumming video games that are all the rage these days.

His timing couldn't've been better, as he was available to help me in concluding my transactions with my landlord and getting my electricity turned on. He even found out what time the bento shop across the street from my apartment closes. (Eight-thirty.)

Yo's off to Fukuoka for the next few weeks before he returns to the States, so this was my only chance to hang out with him. So nice to see a familiar face! My new life in Tokyo is starting out great.

Yo ruins the Ikebukuro skyline with his crass advertising.

I've only ever seen jr. high school girls playing this game.

Sylvia's going home. She doesn't want to leave, but her visa's run out. Tonight was her last night in Japan.

Karaoke!

No one's been more of a friend to me in this country than you, Sylvia. I will miss you.

So, I was in Ikebukuro shopping for a sofa-bed for my new place. My new digs are located just minutes away from Seibu and Tobu, Japan's largest and second-largest department stores, respectively. Each one is about the size of an IKEA turned on its side, only they sell a lot more than furniture. Case in point: I was leaving Seibu's kitchenware floor when I saw something one usually does not expect to see in the Japanese equivalent of Nordstrom's. A pet store.

Well, you know the Japanese. They're only interested in tiny, cute pets. You see a lot of Chihuahuas and Welsh Corgis over here. Anyway, there was a large glass display case featuring various Kewpie dogs and cats, and on center-stage was this little guy.

The first successful kitten/mogwai hybrid.

Yes, folks, I can think of no better place for a kitten than a big aquarium in a crowded shopping mall at Christmastime. Can you?

Those eyes are gonna haunt me. I just know it.