AV Geeks Lunch 12 13 2021

hey everybody welcome to the av geeks lunchtime streaming show i'm skip alzheimer and normally we watch old 16 millimeter films from my archive based in raleigh north carolina but i'm not there right now i'm somewhere else and um so i'm still doing the show uh and i've got some films lined up for you today um because we've been traveling i have some films about traveling specifically to japan so i've got three films for you one is uh i think it's called enchanting japan the next one is japanese holiday and the final one is a us army training video about safe driving in japan so enjoy [Music] one hour by train 30 miles southwest of tokyo is kamakura a seaside resort noted for the great buddha within the boundaries of kamakura there are 65 buddhist temples 19 shinto shrines and innumerable tombs all full of historic associations reminiscent of the days in the early 12th century when it was the seat of a feudal government there are many subjects to photograph in japan perhaps new a huge six inches high [Music] there are four golf links in this area all located in ideal surroundings in this national park amid mountainous beauty the ball takes wings as it soars down the fairway through the clear crisp air this challenging course is located at sengokuhara in the northern part of the hakone spa zone playing golf in an atmosphere such as this will surely deepen the impressions made by travel in japan there's nothing like some exercise to wet the appetite and after a stimulating round of golf it's easy to see why an outdoor barbecue would be a real treat to an empty stomach there is nothing more enhancing to food than the taste of charcoal for this barbecue beef onions and mushrooms are dipped in soy sauce and done to a turn over the glowing coals [Music] good food and drink and a chance to talk over the good and bad scores a wonderful ending to a trip to hakone national park [Music] the first raid express on the tokaido line covers the distance of 364 miles between tokyo and kobe in a little over seven hours it runs for the most part along the pacific coast and affords many pretty glimpses of the seashore and countryside at lunchtime many travelers enjoy a boxed lunch sold at stations along the route if the larger meal is in order the dining car with its excellent service and superb food is a must for the hungry traveler [Music] travelers in japan need not worry about tipping a pleasant surprise to many tourists in japan the people who serve you feel that the services they perform are parts of their kyoto the ancient capital of japan only six hours after leaving tokyo kyoto the classical city of japan was the center of japanese culture for a thousand years the city preserves intact the arts and crafts of old japan and within its precincts there were a large number of artistic masterpieces the monuments of a long history filled with the buddhist tradition there is a constant flow of visitors to kyoto those who are in search of tranquility and the beauty of life and those who are attracted by the sites and art objects which are to be found here in abundance in kyoto each street has a history of its own [Music] beckoning cats made of porcelain are believed to help promote business like saleswomen calling in customers these big-headed dwarfs are thought to bring good luck shopkeepers and people in the entertainment world are good customers for these figures badgers too are supposed to bring good luck and when installed like this on the right hand side of the entrance to a restaurant they are supposed to lure the customers in [Music] restaurants are plentiful this one serves charcoal broiled fish with rice this one specializes in chicken dishes and there are plenty of confectioners shops too the age-old charm of japan is epitomized in the old world shopping streets composed exclusively of purely japanese style houses [Music] kyoto is noted for many things of the past it is also noted for the production of pure silk fabrics embroidery work lacquerware and ceramics in a bamboo grove in the suburbs of kyoto a master ceramist unosuki kawaii has made his home in these peaceful surroundings he has continued to produce his ceramic works for more than 20 years it takes many turns of the potter's wheel and a lifetime of study to turn out these masterpieces of japanese craftsmanship [Music] vases are carefully hand painted with the depth strokes of a master before they are placed in a kill to harden japan is rich in kaolin the clay required for pottery and porcelain manufacture and the japanese have a technical skill essentially their own [Music] the finished products are things of beauty there are more than 1700 buddhist temples in shinto shrines in kyoto the famous golden pavilion of the kinkakuji temple is a typical specimen of this city's architecture destroyed by repeated fires for the first five centuries the last remaining one was reduced to ashes through arson in july 1950. the present pavilion is an exact replica completed in october 1955. the old imperial palace ii has been repeatedly destroyed by fire since 795 the present building dates from 1855 the buildings though not brilliantly decorated are very fascinating in their noble simplicity there are many japanese inns in kyoto in which to relax after a strenuous day of sightseeing green tea is served by a charming maiko at night one of the most famous attractions of kyoto is the colosseum a constant flow of visitors who are attracted by the culture of old japan still lingering in the city the oldest buddhist temple of japan the horiuji was founded in 607 [Music] some of the temple buildings are the oldest wooden buildings in the world [Music] visitors find the temple well guarded by the deva kings this imposing building the world's largest wooden building enshrines the great bronze buddha of the todaiji temple [Music] [Music] is one of the most famous and oldest shinto shrines in japan founded in 768. the shrine buildings painted in bright vermilion are celebrated for their fine architecture and enchanting setting over three thousand lanterns half of which stand in the shrine and the rest hang from the eaves of the buildings are offerings from devotees one half hour away from nara is osaka the second largest city in japan and its leading industrial metropolis from tokyo osaka is only seven hours by train and less than two hours by plane since 1584 osaka has continued to develop its activities as the most important center of domestic and foreign commerce in japan [Music] the finished goods produced at tens of thousands of factories located in the city are shipped abroad constantly through the port of osaka and the adjacent port of kobe [Music] osaka has a fine network of canals interlacing its busy streets and these waterways add beauty to this industrial metropolis with the construction of railways the importance of these waterways as a means of communication has declined today sightseeing boats make possible a pleasant cruise through these waters [Music] as a reminder of the ancient past osaka castle in the very heart of the city adds a touch of grandeur reflections in no way disclose the hustle and bustle of this thriving metropolis the busy life of osaka may best be observed on a wholesaler street goods are piled high and the trade is brisk there are over two and a half million people in osaka and business is good [Music] osaka is famous for its puppet theater called bun rakuza the only the choice now it is contrasted with this flashback to over 200 years ago when a courier dressed like this used to go back and forth between tokyo and niko today nico can be reached from tokyo in less than two hours by train niko 90 miles north of tokyo combines the grandeur of nature with the finest of man's handiwork as represented by the toshogu shrine whose gorgeous edifices are redolent of the marvelous plane of craftsmanship during the early tokugawa days the omen gate main entrance to the shrine is truly nico's highlight and it enjoys international repute for its magnificent decorations [Music] this shrine built in 1636 is one of the greatest monuments in the history of japanese architecture in nico national park regarded by many as the most interesting spot in japan lakes waterfalls rivers gorges and hot springs weave out a peculiar beauty amid sylvan grandeur this has been a quick tour of just seven tourist points the countless other sites that are musts to the visitor to japan cannot be covered in so short a time it makes no difference what the time of year the age-old charm of this enchanting land is captivating in any season [Music] so mount fuji the eternal symbol of japan in its ever-changing yet changeless aspects the lure for tourists from five continents [Music] know [Music] [Music] [Music] excuse me can you tell me where the officer rent a car an exciting arrival and the quick and efficient arrangements for hiring a car thank you very much indeed thank you how many days are going to well how many days well i think we should be here for about a week about a week yes [Music] we are off and away for our tour of japan's kanagawa yamanashi and shizuoka prefectures with mount fuji as the centerpiece one of the most scenic parts of japan arriving in hakone at one of the oldest and most famous western hotels in japan set in beautiful mountain surroundings relaxing japanese style on the tatami and now a great experience dinner japanese style raw fish shrimps and sake japanese rice wine [Music] and oh how clever we are with chopsticks [Music] [Music] now a trip on lake ashi not far from our hotel [Music] and at the end of the lake the majestic cryptomerias that line the old historic highway from tokyo to kyoto [Applause] [Music] um [Music] [Music] a look at wood which will ultimately become a beautiful piece of japanese craftsmanship [Music] a huge bubbling natural hot spring from where we had spectacular views of mount fuji [Music] then we called it the fuji visitor center and so displayed the long history of the area and how mount fuji was created [Music] the gorgeous woodland of the area of the five lakes around mount fuji [Music] [Music] lake kawaguchi with the ever-present mountain [Music] now we zoom along the izu peninsula skyline drive and see yet more evidence of the volcanic hot spring nature of the region atami the atlantic city of japan [Music] relaxation in our hotel room we certainly had that holiday mood [Music] with the pacific ocean beyond a tourist attraction all year round a quick visit to historic shimoda followed shimoda at the foot of the izu peninsula is where america's first consul to japan tanzan harris established his headquarters [Music] ryosenji temple harris's temporary residence [Music] [Music] by chance we came upon a fisherman repairing his net [Music] [Music] next quite a surprise for us wild monkeys on the seashore [Music] oh [Music] a quick drive along the fuji subaru line to the fifth station of mount fuji they say that if you climb mount fuji japan's highest mountain you can see the most spectacular sunrise you will ever see we had to do it with the tools of the trade we set off on the long climb [Music] so [Music] climbing climbing to the gods the top still seems a long way off [Music] hey [Music] [Music] we weren't the only ones who wanted to get above it all but there's plenty of room in the open sky [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] at last the topmost top it was certainly worth the climb [Music] oh [Music] oh [Music] did you ever ski down a mountain with no snow [Music] what a vacation for two young people together an experience of a lifetime as we fly away the mountain rests in all its splendor quiet majestic the guardian of the spirit of japan [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] weather forecast calling for partly cloudy skies with a chance of rain this evening look for a low tonight in the mid 50s afternoon high tomorrow up around 75 you're in touch with the all-american eagle f-e-n this is fleetwood mack [Music] you guessed it we're here in the tokyo area about to get on the taume expressway it's busy and it's big there's 18 lanes of traffic waiting here for these toll booths and they'll merge into just eight four lanes going north and four lanes going south and as you can see the traffic is driving on the left side of the road during the next few minutes we'll be taking you out on the streets and highways of japan are you ready to go hopefully we'll give you a chance to experience what driving in japan is all about and you might even come to the conclusion that from what you're used to driving in japan is somewhat unusual and sometimes dangerous [Music] and by the way with traffic like this don't count on getting anywhere fast in order to drive safely here you must have a patient attitude it's this attitude the knowledge of the unusual driving conditions in japan knowing the laws and of course the japanese way of following these laws that will get you safely through the streets of japan there are many many cars the streets well many of them are narrow pedestrians walking on sidewalks on the shoulder of the road crossing at intersections and bicycles bicycles and more bicycles and the road signs are most confusing to the average western driver kind of lost here uh looking for airbase atsugi yeah go so it's here yeah all right okay yeah yeah okay thank you very much i appreciate it [Applause] oh no problem really just needed some help directions you know actually what i needed to know was which direction i was going north or south it's really easy to get confused on these streets because there's very few street signs and the ones there are aren't in english anyway i was going north which is the wrong direction from where i was trying to go the police are really quite helpful here this is a small country it's about 1 25th the size of the united states if this is the united states let's just say this represents japan but in spite of the size difference japan has two and a half more cars and trucks for each mile of their streets or highways than the united states does on its roads japan has twice the number of motorcycles and motor scooters on its roads per mile than the united states does of course when it comes to bicycles well that whole chart becomes impossible nobody's actually counted bicycles in japan and as you can see there's really not much point how many bicycles a lot i think you'll find though that getting around on a bicycle is a lot easier than getting around in a car but how anyone recognizes their own bicycle i'll never know because they all look identical to me pay attention when you park your bicycle unless you want to waste a lot of time looking for your bike later you know i guess number one topic with driving back home is how fast can i go and it probably is the number one topic here too in japan speeds are measured in kilometers and most people refer to kilometers as clicks one click equals about six tenths of a mile so if you're going 40 kilometers per hour you're really doing about 25 miles per hour are going to tell you all about speeds here in some of the dangerous situations but first before you do any driving it's a good idea to do a little bit of walking around town that way you'll become more familiar with your surroundings and you'll know what to expect drive on the right side of the road so the steering wheel and the instrument panel are on the left side of the car in japan we drive on the left side so the steering wheel and the instrument panel are on the right side of the car and most of the instruments are in reverse order so when you go to turn your turn signal on you're actually going to be turning your windshield wipers on it's a little embarrassing but you'll get used to it [Music] [Music] there are three situations that come to mind immediately that are potentially dangerous for drivers who are not used to driving on the left side the first is when you're entering traffic the second is when you're turning at an intersection and the third is when you're yielding to emergency vehicles in all three situations the problems arise from the driver's instinctive reaction of pulling to the right instead of the left when faced with a problem the first is when you're entering traffic from a driveway a parking lot or something like a military gate the second is at intersections when you're turning right you need to remember to stay to the left as you finish your turn the last is when you're yielding to emergency vehicles when you hear the siren your instinct is to pull to the right well don't go to the left a good rule of thumb is always think left when in japan driving in japan demands your total attention if you stop thinking for a moment you could become disoriented and have an accident you always need to be alert and you always need to use good defensive driving techniques you see these streets don't go very far until they turn and the intersections are not wide at all and many of the intersections are blind fortunately though the large convex traffic mirrors on the opposite corners do help you rarely go more than a few blocks until you have to make a turn after driving around on these back streets when you come to those intersections you'll learn to inch out slowly so you can see and most of the time there'll be someone coming the general speed limit for cars and large motorcycles is comparatively slow it's 60 clicks for cars and motorcycles over 250 cc's for trucks over five tons the speed limit is 50 kilometers an hour and the same for motor scooters and small motorcycles the speed limit for motorized bicycles is 30 kilometers an hour and if not posted the overall maximum speed limit in japan is 60 kilometers an hour in japan the legal speed limit on freeways and expressways is 80 kilometers per hour that's about 50 miles per hour we're doing about 100 clicks here approaching 105 kilometers per hour we reach it you're going to hear that sound right there most japanese cars are equipped with a speed warning which sounds at 105 clicks it's just a friendly reminder that you're exceeding the speed limit on streets and expressways in japan you're going to see a bewildering variety of signs both international road signs and signs in japanese study the signs and become familiar with what you may see before you drive the more you see the more easily you'll be able to follow what they say let's talk a little bit about turning and signaling obviously you need to signal you're going to turn right turn left or change lanes you need to signal at least 100 feet before you get into the turn that's about 30 meters use your hand signal or a signal indicator remember pedestrians always have the right-of-way be careful and always look you'll find stuff like this all the time cars everywhere people all over just relax and watch be careful it's always important to signal but tell that to the other drivers a few of them do signal some of them might manage when they're just into the turn or after they've come to a stop [Music] international road signs use a red diagonal line meaning that an action is prohibited you'll find red signs like no parking no stopping or speed limits signs in blue are both regulatory and indicator signs you'll find signs in blue like this or for crosswalks designated directions or parking access signs yellow signs mean caution the yellow signs you see in japan will probably be the only signs you'll recognize because they are so close to their american counterparts wherever you find stop signs or stop lights or pedestrian crossings you're going to find stopped lines now they're called that because you're supposed to stop behind them it's important to note however that most stop lines are located well back from the actual corner this is to give the oncoming traffic room to clear your lane when turning left remember always stop behind the stop line these diamonds painted on the pavement warn you that you're approaching a pedestrian crosswalk and this is a pedestrian crosswalk they're everywhere in japan the intersections in between blocks and around train stations it's important to remember that pedestrians always have the right-of-way you must stop for them in japan you'll find automobiles parked everywhere except in the center of the street and in a tunnel the police normally enforce parking restrictions and they are especially vigilant when the situation is dangerous [Music] this is a japanese parking meter if you park here and exceed the time limit this little red light will go off alerting the police to the fact that you've committed a violation in japan parking tickets do count as traffic violations so if you get one it's a good idea to pay it under japanese law there's a difference between stopping and parking it doesn't make much sense i know but it's true parking is stopping your vehicle for in excess of five minutes with the driver away from the car and unable to move it immediately these cars here well they could be the stop door parked because we don't know where the drivers are there are a lot of accidents caused by this sort of thing illegal parking well it looks like you're going to get a hands-on demonstration about what to do when this happens in japan parking tickets are given in a rather roundabout way these stickers here they're not the actual tickets they're there to tell me that i've done something wrong if they can tell it's an american car there'll be one in japanese and one in english under no circumstances for you to remove these stickers the fine for doing so is very very expensive once you've seen the stickers you're supposed to proceed directly to a police box they're easy to spot there's a red light on top and a golden star on the side once you're there the office will remove the stickers and he'll issue the ticket depending upon the infraction the fine could be up to a hundred thousand yen so do yourself a favor and save yourself some money just don't park or stop illegally same you know once you get all this business taken care of and you get the ticket you can pay at any post office or bank but if you wait for more than a week it turns into a criminal offense so it's a good idea to go ahead and get it taken care of as soon as possible when the hits just keep on coming george i really think you want to slow down you know you've been drinking i got it for the annual blackboard what is this jazz festivals and more hell to commemorate the arrival of adam you are city driving under the influence is a serious offense in japan the blood alcohol levels for those considered to be under the influence are half that allowed in the states you could land in jail receive a heavy fine and have your license revoked by the u.s military authorities if you refuse to take a breath test you will be presumed guilty and charged accordingly and your license will be suspended or revoked drivers may also be tested for the use of drugs a most serious offense pedestrians can be a special problem for the driver frequently older people or children simply put their hand up to cross the street you see they expect cars to stop you need to be alert even during a light rain umbrellas appear like magic now it's very difficult for the people to see the traffic with their umbrellas so watch out for them you also need to be alert for joggers both on and off the post bicycles also demand extra attention they are required to obey the traffic laws but many do not looks like we've had a bit of an accident here well that's not what you want to hear about well none of us do u.s military police statistics show that most accidents involving u.s personnel occur near the end of a tour when the driver's confidence level is at its highest you may be a very careful and safe driver and still be involved in an accident it may be 100 the fault of the other guy if you think of american law but in japan things work a little bit differently in japan if you have a driver's license you're considered to be a professional driver and japanese insurance companies use comparative negligent standards on all accidents which means that they assess the blame percentage-wise between the two drivers so you still could be charged with part of the blame if you're involved in an accident and there's someone injured attend to them first and then take steps to prevent any further accident from happening at the scene you'll need to contact military and japanese police and cooperate with them by the way it is proper form when a japanese is injured to pay a condolence call at the hospital good defensive driving dictates that you allow enough room to safely stop your car the two second row will provide that stopping space in most situations but remember during poor weather conditions those two seconds should be lengthened this is bonsai bridge it's on the way to naval air station atsugi as you can see it's so narrow that only one car can cross at a time and there aren't any signals to regulate traffic [Music] [Music] there are a lot of trains and railroad crossings in japan when the trains are approaching these gates come down to block traffic the arrows here indicate from which direction the train is approaching if both are lit that means there are trains coming from both directions here comes the train [Music] they can be very fast if you get caught out here in your car when these gates come down you're supposed to jump out of your car and run over here and punch this red emergency button and that's supposed to warn the train to stop but i'll tell you what if i was caught out here and i saw a train barreling down on me i think i'd just go ahead and step on that accelerator and go right through these gates because one thing i do know is these gates will do a lot less damage to you than that train will if you're up for a thrill this is your ticket it's called the shwabashi bridge and there's no question this route is dangerous i really recommend an alternate but here we go at least it's controlled by a traffic signal it's not just the bridge but the very tight squeeze coming on and getting off it's sort of their way to let you know that you won't fit i always wonder how many fenders are left here you know about half of all the on post accidents happen when someone is backing up you just can't take things for granted you need to constantly anticipate problems and dangers so when you stop expecting problems that's when the dangers of driving in japan are going to catch up to you two-thirds of all privately owned vehicle accidents happen off post and here at camp zama two-thirds of these accidents occur on this stretch of road well some consider it a shortcut don't use it take the main the road gamble in these pachinko parlors every day and as an american every time you drive on japanese roads you'll be taking a gamble but if you use the information that we've presented to you and if you always stay alert behind the wheel and practice good defensive driving techniques so i think you'll find the odds are more in your favor thanks so much for watching today uh if you like what you saw you can buy us some coffee at www dot ko dot fi dot com slash av geeks you can also go to the avgeeks.com site and visit buy dvds there and you know hit like hit the thumbs up button and subscribe and we'll be back again uh the next business day the next weekday at one o'clock and hope to see you there everybody have a great rest of your day take care you