Kotooshuu katsunori!

He was in the security chech line beside me, with his wife. For those of you who don't know sumo, he is the 'prince of sumo' the first European to reach ozeki rank in sumo and he has beaten assashoryu before. He's my hero. If I was younger I would have asked for his autograph.

Roads and transport in Tokyo

Why is it that it's always on business trips does one fond time to reflect and ponder and also have the motivation to write about it? Anyways, while on the limo bus to narita for a routine biz trip to NYC, I got to thinking as our bus wound it's way through the shuto expressway through the heart of Tokyo, just how amazing the road system is here compared to those in other major cities. Sure it's congested at times but what other city of 12million has this efficient a system that not only provides access to the burbs but also winds through the heart of the city (all 5 of them) including the imperial palace with such harmony? I say harmony because instead of just going in a straight line overpass like most other freeways, it winds bends goes through twisty underground tunnels and over ponds and rivers. At one point it bisects the imperial moat at a mere meter above the water level with couple carousing in their paddleboats on one side and the palace on the other side. At others it hovers over 10 stories above the building below or glides above a local waterway river with boats moving below. Highways are normally boring things in Americas. In Tokyo the are like a fantasy race track through the concrete jungle. No wonder they made them a feature locale in many racing games.