an Oakland A's sweatshirt, at Uni Qlo, which could be considered Japan'sversion of Old Navy. The sweatshirts, with retro styling of the teams' logos, are part of several lines of officially licensed Major League Baseball wear that Uni Qlo is carrying, and retails for just 2,900 yen (or a little over 25 bucks). Good luck finding the same type of item for that price in any U.S. stadium souvenir shop. File this in the "Japan doesn't have to be so expensive" bin.

in a pedestrian tunnel in Shinjuku. They look like a bunch of lipsticks that have escaped a Wayne Thiebaud painting.

of my last post, another "manner" campaign poster. This one is actually part of a "Manner Poster Exhibition" sponsored by Eidan, the main subway company in Tokyo. If it's not clear from the picture, this poster addresses in part one of my biggest pet peeves in the States -- people speaking on their cellphones on public transportation -- which is now getting to be a problem here. It also takes on yawning in public and blaring music through one's headphones too loud. All while showing three able-bodied people sitting in seats reserved for the elderly, those pregnant, or those disabled -- a problem so common you'd be forgiven if you assumed the people usually sitting in these seats were in fact disabled, i.e. blind.

aimed at the manners of the Japanese public, this one sponsored by Japan Tobacco, whose own wolf in sheep's clothing manners should perhaps be questioned.