Departing London; little bit moist.

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

Some more Expo 70 photos.

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

Brief interlude to declare that I've found the best bar in Osaka. It was absolutely rammed yesterday; people just kept coming!

Open very late, serves good (local) beer, fried chicken and gyoza. What's not to like?

Everyone coming through the door gets a personal welcome from the chef

GPS: 34.6735112, 135.4983739
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aZki1FDEbTVSFhPT6

[Gast]

@hugh@social.crablab.uk it’s only a UK pavilion if it has a massive Union Jack in it, otherwise it’s just a sparkling collection of firms representing the UK or something like that

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

Now for some hydroelectric infrastructure photos from the rather pretty Kuobe Gorge.

This is definitely extremely touristy, and there's a much more interesting infrastructure tour available once they fix the earthquake damage Still, nice to see some green!

There are multiple dams going up the gorge; each flowing into each other. The railway was built to support construction and is still used today to get material up the gorge.

[Gast]

@hugh this sounds perfect

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

A station is being rebuilt here in Nagoya.

So they are paying a person to stand in direct sun and blow a whistle, each time a train approaches. As you can see, the worksite is completely bounded by fencing.

It looks like a horrible job.

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

Some more telephones, to balance things out. One is on a Shinkansen!

[Gast]

@hugh@social.crablab.uk i'm starting to think you may like phones... /j

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

Luggage lockers are underrated and we should have them in the UK. Plentiful and happily exactly the right size for my suitcase.

I guess if your case is considered oversized by Shinkansen standards then you're out of luck.

Tied to the indefatigable IC too, so no receipt to misplace...

(I know why we don't, Japan seems to manage...)

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

@domi Outed on main as a telephone enjoyer

[Gast]

@hugh@social.crablab.uk we have them in PL, and some places in germany too! so lacking them is an UK thing

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

@domi It's definitely a UK thing; a hangover from the IRA's mainland bombing campaign

[Gast]

@domi@donotsta.re @hugh@social.crablab.uk this sounds like a "had them but the IRA kept putting bombs in them" kind of thing tbh

[Gast]

@hugh @domi still 100% clean on opsec

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

Some random gebakje photos from today:

1. JR reservation system (MARS)
2. DENSO instrument cluster from the 80s
3. DENSO BMS and battery
4. Brother Takeru

The last is the most interesting and I'd never heard of it; Japanese wiki here: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BD%E3%83%95%E3%83%88%E3%83%99%E3%83%B3%E3%83%80%E3%83%BCTAKERU

In classic Japanese style, everything must be a vending machine. And so this is a vending machine for software! You insert a floppy disk, make your selection and boom.

Sadly this didn't catch on

[Gast]

@hugh
#TIL about leuco rewritable coatings, this is really cool! I guess it's outside the price range of DIYers?

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

@magnetic_tape I have no idea! I suspect the biggest issue would be getting hold of one; these seem quite specific to Japan.

I'm sure there are desktop versions but I've only seen IC card readers that do this lasering built into larger ticket machines etc.

[Gast]

@hugh USA: don't copy that floppy
JP: hey guys, floppy vendy

[hugh@social.crablab.uk]

@kline Bit like how the US record industry ruined MiniDisc by insisting on play through copy, as they were paranoid that faster copy speeds would lead to mass pirating.

[Gast]

@hugh what's the name of the bar!!!