Long Time, No Post!

Forgive me readers, for I have sinned.

It's been about three months since my last post. Not due to a lack of material, mind you. I've just been extremely busy and pretty tired when I do have free time!

I'm not really sure what I've been doing after work and on the weekends, though I did complete a few personal projects that could be classified as extreme spring cleaning. And there are plenty of other tasks I want to get done... there's always something more, right?

I've done a bit of sightseeing - Golden Week came and went, and I had a great trip to western Japan. I still need to post about last summer's trip, though. Yep, I'm a year behind again! And I just got back from a pleasant, but short, trip back home. The pantry's stocked with junk food though!

I was planning to write a few posts yesterday, but I ended up taking a "nap" around three in the afternoon which ended up lasting six hours. And around midnight I went back to bed for another six hours of sleep. The photo uploading is mostly complete now, though, and so I am finally back at the typewriter, as it were.

 Back in April, there was a small baseball card show in Asakusa that ended up being very fun. After attending the show, I decided to get some exercise by walking to Akihabara before getting lunch at one of my favorite restaurants. The building above is in Asakusa, and it just looked interesting.

My route was pretty straightforward; I chose the shortest path between two points, and I had no expectations of what I'd find along the way.

 I stumbled upon Bandai's offices. Bandai is the Japanese company that brings toys for pretty much every major anime/cartoon franchise I can think of. Plus, they do video games.

 Anpanman is a very popular kids show about a superhero made from a piece of bread.

 Pacman! Ultraman!

 I don't know who this is. But Tony Gwynn is hiding on his belt.

 As toy makers, they had displays in the window of hundreds of franchised goods they've made. It seems like they're all fairly recent toys; I don't recall any "vintage" toys in the windows.

 Sailor Moon has launched a new series, and a whole ton of toys, accessories, and collectibles have been released for the franchise. There were a lot of them on display.

And just down the street was Nintendo's Tokyo office. Nintendo is actually based in Kyoto, but a short walk from Akihabara brings one to this nondescript building housing who-knows-what!

The Return of Akihabara's Otaku Mecca: The Radio Kaikan Building

 The old Radio Kaikan building was an Akihabara landmark. It was the first stop for many anime fans and was even featured in a video game. In late 2011, it closed down after nearly 60 years of service - a structure that was certainly dated in design and earthquake strength. Photos of the building before its closure show cracks in the walls from previous earthquakes. After almost three years, the new building reopened to much fanfare. The line was literally around the block on opening day just to see what was inside.

 While most of the original tenants moved to one of three buildings on a temporary basis, a few probably relocated for good. And with more space now, there are additional stores inside than before. The marquee stop is probably the Ginza Lion restaurant on the first basement floor. I've been to a Ginza Lion restaurant before and the food is decent and not too expensive.

 There's a convenience store on the first floor, now the most convenient to those coming out of Akihabara Station. The window/walls have an advertisement for the highly popular Girls und Panzer series, and the chain has a couple anime cardboard cutouts out front.

 There's also a well-stocked Akihabara gift shop, though there isn't anything truly unique here. Many of the items here can be found in Don Quixote; I haven't done enough checking to see if this is a new gift shop or if it relocated. There's also a card gaming store just inside the building entrance.

 Moving to the second floor, you get into real geek territory. These display cases are rented out by individual collectors to sell extra or unwanted figurines, so each box can have something unique, and the stock changes out pretty fast. Prices are hit-and-miss in stores like this, and you should definitely shop around.

 One wall has a bank of vending machine toys. Gachapon toys can be quite limited, and many of the ones found in Akihabara might not be easy to find elsewhere.

 There's another large CCG shop.

 And an actual electronics store. Stores in Akihabara generally focus on one specific aspect, and I believe this store's specialty is video surveillance.

 Moving on up, the third and fourth floors belong to K-Books. I haven't spent much time in K-Books, though they have books, CDs, DVDs, and some anime figurines.

 The fifth floor has several small shops selling various anime and manga goods, plus another electronic components shop. I also saw a K-Pop/J-Pop shop with posters and other flat goods.

 Yellow Submarine is up on the sixth floor, and is my favorite store in the building. It has a very large CCG card collection, but I come here for the baseball cards. The store covers the entire floor, and also includes models as well as large and small figurines.

 There's a doll shop on the seventh floor with very expensive dolls.

 You'll also find pop culture goods here mixed in with more anime and manga merchandise.

 Another CCG shop is on the eighth floor.

 You can also find more models and dolls on the eighth floor.

Phantom, a military goods store, is on the ninth floor. It shares the space with a limited-time merchandising event store (that's hard to explain) as well as a Radio Kaikan store that had an interesting collection of goods and Radio Kaikan souvenirs (t-shirts, etc). The top floor is event space.

Akihabara should be explored, of course. The sights found on the back streets and along Chuo Dori are worth seeing, and there are several other stores to browse. But this is arguably the best place to shop in town for anime and manga goods.

View Larger Map

Access is pretty easy from Akihabara Station. Just take the Electric Town exit and turn left out of the ticket gates; follow the road to the right and it's the second building on the left. You can see it as soon as you exit the station (see my first photo). The stores are open 10:00-20:00 (sometimes less); the Ginza Lion restaurant is open 11:30-20:00

I found Mario Kart! Sort of...

Enough said.

Actually, I guess I could mention that they do this pretty often...

I have to get ready for work! See you tomorrow.

Is this the coolest karaoke room ever?

I mentioned earlier this week that my friend and I went to karaoke on Monday, after getting that little fake Buddhist token. We stepped into our room, switched on the light, and saw:

I don't know if this is supposed to be a specific character, but the house lights came on and it disappeared. So we played with the light switch for a few minutes to try to get a picture, and then sat down to sing.

Once the karaoke music started flowing, the lights turned themselves off and the display came back! It twinkles and sparkles during the song, pulsing to the rhythm. It isn't animated, though. I wouldn't mind seeing more rooms like this!

I'm not sure what the name of this karaoke place is, but it is located around the corner from M's Pop Life Department Store (the lime green adult novelty shop near the station). Unfortunately, they were quite lacking in music from bands and artists we wanted to sing with, though we certainly found enough songs to entertain ourselves for the full hour.

Cosplay ... Something in Akihabara

Cos Pria is a little difficult to explain. I got this flyer walking down the street in Akihabara on Monday. There are lots of girls up and down the streets handing out flyers, looking for customers to bring into their establishments. But not all maids, school girls, and anime characters are created equal.

I'm not sure really what Cos Pria provides, because I don't know enough kanji. The flyer advertises an "otameshi" (trial) for 40 minutes, at 6500 yen. The four options below are for 60, 90, 120, and 150 minutes. I can't quite translate the text above that, mentioning maids, 2 people, or something similar to that. In the pinkish box are "packs" though I don't know exactly what they provide. Beneath that are options: something involving a camera, and a 2000 yen "cosplay" option which probably allows you to choose a costume... though I don't know if it's for you or one of the waitresses.

Cos Pria could be a dating club, which would include one-on-one time with a girl of your choosing for the prescribed time. There are also massage parlors, lap bars (where you pay to rest your head on a girl's lap), wannabe-idol performance clubs, and tons of other options. Some are legal, some are borderline, and there are a couple that aren't.

Edit/Update: I'm told this is a cosplay cafe. But the person who helped translate the card wasn't able to provide much more information than that. Most likely you get a girl to hang out with you for a period of time, and you have the ability to choose your own maid for an additional fee. The other information above basically seems to be about true as well.

Of course, there are plenty of cosplay cafes and restaurants. As far as cosplay goes, you can have maids in any different color of maid costume, in frilly short-skirted French maid style or long Victorian. There are school girls, vampires, girls in yukata, anime girls, and more. I've talked about cafes before, and one of my friends really wants to visit one so I might end up posting about another in the near future.

The best way to find a maid or cosplay cafe is to walk down the main street or one of the busy back streets in the afternoon and find a girl in a costume you like. Usually they'll give you a flyer and/or try to take you to their restaurant. Before entering, look at the flyer. If it shows prices like above, you aren't going to a cafe. You should ask for a menu before sitting down, too, if you're not too sure.

Keep in mind that you can't ask for a particular maid, and the one who dragged you in off the street will probably go back out to continue handing out papers. But then again, you may have saved them from having to be out in the heat and they'll get to wait on you, while some other poor girl will be outside with the stack of handouts.

I'm kind of curious as to what this place actually is offering. If you have any information, let me know. I couldn't locate a website online, though I found a blog.

From Kawaii to Kowai: A Scary Statue in Akihabara

Yesterday I brought you one of the cutest, least expensive costume/statue type of things I've ever seen: Danboard the cardboard robot. This time, it's one of the most realistic, scariest demon statues I've seen in person.

I don't know what this is. It's for some video game, I'm sure. But when I first saw it, they were in the process of setting up whatever marketing stand they were going to use the next day (or taking it down, I'm not sure) and there wasn't any signage up. This thing is pretty freaky, though I'm sure it'd make one heck of a Halloween costume.

I saw it in a different location in Akihabara a couple weeks later, but again without any signage to indicate its origin.

Anything geeky probably gets big in Akihabara. There are other otaku hubs in Tokyo and Japan, but nothing compares to Akiba. So I've seen a few promotional statues, cosplayers, and other promotional activities while exploring the shops. I won't guarantee you'll see something, but Sundays are a good bet (and the most crowded leisure/shopping time anywhere in Japan).

Have a Nice Day

I'm suffering from allergies big time. My body just isn't used to the pollen Japan throws at its residents every year. In the past, I haven't really had too big of a problem, but I think things are different this year. It hasn't rained lately and it's been quite windy: perfect conditions to rip the pollen from the trees and carry it all over town... and then leave it in the air.

This image is from the 2013 pollen season in Georgia.

Georgia turns yellow in the spring from the pollen. Tokyo does not. But the Cedar trees that were planted about 50-60 years ago for lumber and reforestation are now mature and producing pollen each year at their peak ability, one of the reasons Japanese people suffer so much more from allergies now compared to, well, 30-40 years ago.

Japanese cedar pollen

How bad is it? In a moment of nasal clarity, I could actually smell cedar in the air this evening. I may actually wear a mask outside tomorrow. It is supposed to rain Thursday and Sunday, and I'm really looking forward to some air-washing showers from above.

Meanwhile, I was just introduced to this awesome video. It was mostly shot in Akihabara, my favorite haunt in Tokyo. In fact, I can identify almost every single location, shot by shot. And it's a really cool video. ... No, I'm not in it. But if World Order wants to use me in a video, I'm down for that.

The song is called Have A Nice Day (hence the post title), by a group called World Order. I'm writing this post quite late at night, so I haven't looked at their other videos, but you can expect to see more of them on this blog in the near future!

The Most Awesomest Store in Japan! Don Quixote Akihabara

 Follow the arrow and the penguin. You're about to have a shopping experience with no comparison!

 Right off the escalator (the real store starts on the second floor), you'll see seasonal merchandise. Here are some yukata and jinbei. Jinbei are like pajamas with a loose robe top and shorts on bottom, though they are unisex. Yukata are very similar to kimono, but much lighter for the summer. Most festival goers wear jinbei, though ladies like yukata and guys can wear them too. The summer festivals are called matsuri.

 Interesting footwear. I don't think I saw anyone actually wearing these in public.

 Ted merchandise has been on sale in Japan for quite some time. It's a great movie! Don Quixote has all kinds of goods including what must be a life size Ted.

 Are you a geek? Get your fix here.

 And for the guys who like cute figurines...

 Accessories are big in Japan - much more than in America. And they go on cell phones, bags, jackets, backpacks - everywhere. So you can find all kinds of cell phone covers and other accessories at Donki.

 Hm. How about a bra that you wear to bed! And pants too. You ever wonder how Japanese women keep their young appearances? They work hard at it. Stores are packed with gadgets and devices and such that squeeze and lift and massage and tone.

 There's a decent selection of foreign treats. No Skittles, and no Reese's. No Twinkies. But you can get Funyuns and salsa! And Tim Tams. Lots of Tim Tams.

 And imported liquor! I still haven't bought any Jack Daniels since arriving in Japan. I keep threatening to make myself some Jack and Cokes.

 Being that this is Akihabara, there are lots of anime/manga/comic-related goods on sale. Other Donki stores have anime stuff, but this has to have more. Here's some booze with cute girl characters.

 A real treat are the Russian Roulette Cookies. The yellow box has 12 cookies; two of them are very spicy. Is that not dangerous enough for you? The pink box has 10 spicy cookies! I've never tried these, so I don't know exactly how hot they are. I'm sure it's noticeable.

 Donki stocks lots of other imported food stuffs too. There's squeeze cheese on the top shelf!

 How cute! Natto is fermented soybeans, and my students mentioned it's a must-try food for foreigners visiting Japan. Notice I say must-try. Not must-eat. You may or may not like it, similar to eating Veggie-Mite in Australia.

 Save the World. Carry your condoms in this case. (And now you know what those are when you see them on the street.)

 Soda! Japan doesn't have that many odd drinks. Melon soda is really tasty, though, and I saw peanut-cream  (like a sweetened peanut butter) flavored coffee. Occasionally there are some limited flavors.

 One of the most important reasons to visit Don Quixote is to get a costume. They stock tons of masks...

 And lots of off-the rack costumes too. These ones are for guys to dress like girls.

 Or you can dress like a Power Ranger!

 Cute costumes for women, too, of course. But this just scratches the surface.

 The costumes are on the same level as the rest of the clothes. Women's bras in Japan are crazy- they are extremely padded and almost like wearing football armor. My American friend said her bathing suit was so padded she jumped a couple cup sizes.

 While actual gun ownership in Japan is pretty rare, you can get air rifles and BB guns. And lots of models.

 If you're throwing a party, Donki is a good place to get supplies.

 Do you need a hand? Or a parrot?

 Moving up to the next level, the store gets somewhat serious. Donki (and the large suburban "Mega Donki" stores) is a good start for those looking for cheap household goods. Sometimes you can find sales and closeouts that bring a lot of value. Sometimes not. Muji, Nitori, and Ikea are other low-cost furniture stores in Japan. My small bookshelf ($10) and my rug ($15) came from Donki.

 The selection of electronics is pretty good too. Again, shopping around is important - Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera are the two biggest. But Donki ended up being the answer for my friend when she needed a cheap toaster oven and coffee maker.

 Donki even has bikes, including a Hummer. Yep.

 I don't know why a foreigner would shop in this department, but all Donki stores have an upscale import section. The liquor may be worth browsing for expats...

 But Americans shouldn't get their name brands here. Actually, I don't know how the prices compare, so they could be good. And style is quite important in Japan, so if you just have to have a Coach bag but yours is old, here's a good place to visit.

 I love these! Akihabara has so many tourists, and you can get some Mt. Fuji bowls and cups here fairly inexpensively. These are elsewhere too, though.

 Japanese women wear heels. High heels. You can buy them here.

 Moving up to the last shopping floor of Donki you'll find the cosplay department. Not the costume department. Cosplay. This is a year-round collection of costumes, some of them quite costly.

 There are two styles that absolutely dominate this store - one of those is school costumes. Pick a color, pick a size. They're here, I'm sure. This sailor style is used at middle schools.

 Pirate? You got it.

 But the most popular costume (or, at least, the one that takes up the most space) is the maid costume. There are multiple styles, in several colors each. I don't know how to explain how many maid costumes there are. My friend was Alice for Halloween, so she needed a maid costume. And we looked at almost every single style to try to find the right one. After all that hunting, we left with no costumes.

 As I mentioned, school costumes are popular. This is the high school style of uniform, with the plaid designs and ties. This style of costume is also worn by several popular idol girl groups. The most popular idol girl group in Japan, AKB48, performs in a theater one floor up in this same building.

 Moving on, there's a maid cafe in Donki on the same floor as the costumes. There is another selection of souvenirs, including maid-themed gifts, on this floor. And an AKB48 mini-shop.

 Sometimes you wonder who buys these things. But they must sell to somebody!

Mega Donki stores contain many of the same goods you see at regular Donki stores, but they are toned down as far as the really goofy goods go (a very minimal costume/party section for example). On the other hand, they have a bigger food/candy/liquor selection, serving as a grocery store. And they have a larger selection of other goods you might find at K-Mart, Target, or WalMart in America (home, office, clothes, toys, etc).

There are Donki (Don Quixote) locations all over Tokyo and Japan, and Mega Donki stores in larger suburbs outside major cities. Their English website lists their stores and provides a map, too! Every Donki will have a good selection of everything you see here, but I think the Akihabara store is the largest (non-Mega) location and certainly has the best range of goods for browsing!

 The Akihabara store is located on the main street in the Electric Town area. At street level, there's a hot dog stand called Vegas Hot Dogs. They carry a range of dog styles, as you can see with the models out front, ranging from about 350 yen, for a basic dog, to 750 yen for the tera cheese dog. Plus a giant tub of french fries for 500 yen.

They are most well-known for their black hot dog, though. This thing has an all-black bun, all-black dog, and comes with the usual toppings. Yes, I put ketchup on this hot dog. The bun and meat doesn't really have much of a flavor and didn't stand out from any other dog. But it was kind of interesting eating a black hot dog! I prefer my dogs with chili and cheese, or Chicago-style, so I probably won't have it again. But if you're interested, don't be afraid to give it a go!