I just had a real “only in Japan” moment. Only in Japan are you disturbed from your thoughts by some guy with a van singing “yaki imo, yaki imo, yaki imo...” through a megaphone.

Think ice cream van, but instead of selling ice cream they sell, well, “yaki imo”. That’s baked sweet potatoes to you and me. The “yaki imo” song is even more annoying than a distorted electronic rendition of “Greensleeves”. Come to think of it, I’ve never encountered an ice cream van in Japan.

I was quick enough to open the window and record a sample with my computer microphone. It’s not audiophile quality, but it wasn’t to start with, to be honest. Here’s an MP3 clip. Don’t miss the last bit where he lets rip with a really heartfelt “yaaaaaaaaaki imoooooooo"!

You know, I think I prefer ice cream.