The Shogun of Japan

What can I say about these pictures? The shotgun, dubbed “shogun” for all intents and purposes was a recurring theme over the course of this visit. The beer in Japan comes in cans, which for Canadians, is an open invitation to grab the closest pen at hand and shotgun it. These pictures were captured on a street corner in Kyoto, just after visiting the beautiful Zen gardens of Eikan-do temple. Notice the small child approaching in the distance--classy.
This was the first of many shoguns. It was a topic much discussed and debated. Can we blow air through a straw and get the beer to come out faster? Can we put this bicycle pump to use? If only we had some compressed air! Is there a hardware store around here?

While most people start their day with a hearty breakfast, these guys did not object to kicking things off with a shogun. They seemed to want to sharpen those drinking skills dulled in the years since living in dorms and sleeping on misshapen futons. With each passing day, the stakes grew higher--the suspense building towards something truly awe-inspiring. At one point, Mike punched the empty can down with his head, taking out clumps of his own hair. What could possibly come next?

And then it found him. I can only assume that it was destiny that brought the two of them together: the 1 Ltre can of beer--Mike’s Mt. Everest.

Mike’s date with destiny was slotted for the last night with us in Kurashiki. We put down towels, brought out the bucket and closed the curtains to keep out prying eyes. Mike donned a bright yellow rain slicker and brandished his pen. Let the cameras roll...

What happened? I'll keep you in suspense for a little while...stay tuned for a link to the live footage.