Report from Greater Tokyo

Japanese people are entirely too fond of dressing up. There are clothes stores that are dedicated to fancy dress in most western countries, but usually as whole costumes. Outside Japan, you won't find, for example, this.

So, the local department store is keen to get in on the act. This being Christmas, Santa suits are in. There is a remarkably small selection of mens' Santa suits. But we do have, in the same store (ladies' section, translated from the catalogue), all the following:

• Stylish hood Santa
• Santa Girl
• Charming Santa
• Lady Santa Coat
• Pretty Santa (dress)
• Stylish Collar Santa (dress)
• Feminine Santa (one piece)
• Fleecy Santa Dress
• Lovely frill Santa (mini-dress)
• White Santa Elegant
• Honey Santa Girl
• Girly cami-Santa (mini-dress)
• Sexy Santa (mini-dress)
• Lady Santa holder collar type
• Lady Santa hip hang type
• Ladies' Santa type L
• Santa one piece
• Ladies' Santa type B
• Ladies' Santa type C
• Cami-skirt Santa
• Santa girl (dress)
• Coquettish Santa (dress)
• Coquettish Santa girl A

Just in case all the variations on the Santa theme aren't enough (can't go to the same party in the same dress after all, even if they are all the same red with white highlights colour), the following are also available:

• (Christmas) Tree Dress
• Ladies' Reindeer (dress)
• Pretty Reindeer (dress)

Needless to say, with all the bar staff in Santa suits, and half the patrons similarly attired, it was a bizarre sight. May all our Christmasses be this interesting. Oh, did I forget to mention the Santa baby clothes?

So, today I did a number of firsts. My first bicycle. I went crazy (ok, crazier) and bought a bicycle, and I'm halfway to being able to ride it too. My first cosplay. Went to a nightclub tonight (ok, last night) dressed up as an extra from The Matrix. At least two young ladies, known as M and M, thought it extremely cool. And my first Christmas in Nagoya.

Merry Christmas everyone.

I recently noticed a small and subtle error in my main site, on every page. So I labouriously went over each file and corrected that mistake, then uploaded it all. As soon as I finished uploading it, I noticed another mistake in every page. I am not going to fix that right now, it takes far too long. I am not happy.

I just looked out the window, and realised why it feels so cold this morning. We have about 4 inches of snow, and its still falling. We may be due for a White Christmas this year. Which would be my first in donkeys' ears.

Tonight it's the Christmas party. Actually, it isn't a Christmas party as such, it is called a bounenkai. But the timing is right to call it either way. There will be another one on Monday night for my other school. And it all gets paid for by my company. Tomorrow morning I shall be drunk, for one of the chief features of Japanese parties is a bottomless glass of beer. You pay your 5000 yen, and get all you can drink for 2 hours.