Monthly Archives: May 2009

The otaku view of Tokyo, with added Engrish

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This is the first half of my Tokyo retrospective (which I can do properly now the damned jet lag has worn off); I want to give an intelligent and balanced view of the place from a more personal and tourist-y perspective but a common view of Tokyo is that of a paradise for otaku, gadget freaks and lovers of Weird Stuff. While it’s indeed common to see people reading manga on the train (assuming there’s enough room to do so) the anime industry is still a niche interest next to the usual mainstream media, although it still enjoys a higher profile than in the West. The aesthetic is common and one or two titles are household names but it’s very dependent on where you choose to look. Wall of text punctuated by my favourite pieces of Engrish BTW.

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A security barrier near the entrance to a shop in Akihabara

If it’s anime/manga stuff you’re after, or just anything electrical, Akihabara is the most obvious place to go. Elsewhere there are the chain stores: Tower Records and HMV are good for CDs, while Book-Off stock DVDs and graphic novels. My favourite spot is Yodobashi Camera which, as its name suggests, is an epic camera shop but is also a full-on department store for all things electrical, be it DVDs and CDs, toys, household appliances or computer parts. There are plenty of comic book shops that sell both new and used (the used stuff is actually very good value for money since it’s a lot cheaper but is in my experience in very good condition). Oh yeah, I’ll list the results of my shopping to prove that it’s easy to visit Japan on a budget but it’s also easy to spend a lot of money if there’s stuff you want to buy.

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Reading stats: 1148 words, 5 images; estimated reading time 4:36 mins

Tokyo Tower, the Imperial Gardens and Mount Fuji

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Eh, so my shopping list is pretty much done and at this point (almost going home, sadly) I have bought all the souvenirs I need for my family and have seen plenty of the city sights too. The second week was therefore comprised mostly of sightseeing; the idea of going to Kyoto via shinkansen was sadly shelved for financial reasons but fortunately Plan B turned out to be a good one. Actually this has been a holiday full of very successful Plan Bs that have been nearly as fun as the ideas they replaced: it leaves a few things yet-to-do for the next trip as and when I’ve saved up for it, if nothing else.

tokyo-tower-by-night

One case in point was the Edo palace and the surrounding gardens, which are closed on certain days of the week (some areas are off-limits to visitors anyway). Last week we went to the Shinjuku gardens instead but this time the Imperial Gardens were open…and the weather was scorching! Tokyo Tower is also well worth a visit in my opinion, especially if you get there late afternoon in time for the sunset…speaking of high-up places, it’s possible to see the one and only Mount Fuji in a day trip from Shinjuku. Really. I have pics to prove it. ^_^

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Reading stats: 902 words, 7 images; estimated reading time 3:36 mins

Harajuku and Asakasa

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I must admit I was a bit disappointed that the weirdness and wonderfulness that is Harajuku’s fashion and cosplay scene was dampened by the rain (that infamous bridge was pretty short on photo opportunities) but the surrounding area is still worth wandering around. It made for an enjoyable afternoon, not least because I walked back into Shibuya to sample the Tokyu Food Court again and discover how certain things are cheaper here than back home. It plays into my guitaku tendancies if nothing else.

asakasa-kimonos-in-the-rain

The best thing of the past couple of days is the fact that it’s the Sanja Matsuri festival, one of the annual events that are held in the local area. I mentioned previously that Taito City, and Asakusa in particular, are pretty quiet and laid-back but in the last couple of days it’s become much, much livelier.

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Reading stats: 509 words, 5 images; estimated reading time 2:02 mins

Shibuya and Shinjuku

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After the epic shopping spree in Akihabara (my OST and Jpop/Jrock album collection is mushrooming) I decided to do a bit of conventional sightseeing in the areas of the city that are more (in)famous among ordinary tourists. This involves more walking and photography and less spending of money, and helped give me a clearer impression of the place. Two of the most well-known names are Shibuya, a lively shopping district with the enormous pedestrian crossing and Shinjuku, which has a nice contrast between insane public transport mayhem in the railway station and a stunning public garden that sits in the middle of the urban sprawl.

central-shinjuku

Away from Shinjuku is the even trendier district of Ginza, which is where you’ll find high-rise office blocks and high-price department stores. This time around we decided to walk from Ginza through Ueno to get to Asakusa, just in time to see the Taito city festival processions. As I type this the usual sleepy, small-town feel of Asakusa has turned into a crowded festival atmosphere with (so I’m told) three million locals and tourists descending on the area.

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Reading stats: 603 words, 8 images; estimated reading time 2:25 mins

Guinness in Tokyo and the cost of my first trip to Akihabara

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The humidity has dropped a bit but the whole timezone thing is still messing with me in a number of areas (don’t ask). If nothing else I’ve had my first taste of the notorious Akihabara (advice #1: take money) and took the train out to Machida. A severely pic-heavy post follows but to kick things off here’s the sight that greets me in the morning.

view-from-my-bedroom-window

Asakusa with the temple (hopefully visiting tomorrow) and a peculiar little kids’ theme park.

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Reading stats: 669 words, 10 images; estimated reading time 2:41 mins

An ode to jet lag

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For those who are waiting for me to reply to their comments on recent posts I’ll get around to it as soon as I can, which will be…I’m not sure I’m afraid. I’m currently sitting half-drunk and shockingly jet-lagged in a Tokyo hostel’s internet lounge with a to-do list as long as my arm. Until my sleep patterns recover then, expect much quietness here in the meantime. I’ll hopefully be able to hop online and share some pics or give the occasional on-location update though since keeping in contact via e-mail makes more sense than sending poscards (which, after all, often take longer to get home than the sender does)…plus the fact that Tokyo is a mindblowing and extremely photogenic place. I can’t NOT share the weird and wonderful things I’ve seen so far, and no doubt there will be a lot more to come.

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Sending the Holy Empire of Britannia’s finest: I feel sorry for those poor Elevens already

I don’t have many definite plans but the itinerary so far includes a bullet train trip to Osaka, the gardens of Kyoto, the temples of Asakusa (the area where we’re staying), the inevitable trips to Akihabara for shiny things and in all probability making an idiot of myself with my limited capabilities in being bilingual. Since this is my first proper trip abroad I’ve had to get things like a passport organised which has meant that after the plane tickets, accomodation and travellers’ cheques for food/drink/spending money, my credit card is maxed, the cash I’d saved up for this is all but wiped out and I’m left with a mixture of trepidation and “Hell yeah!” excitement.

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Reading stats: 560 words, 1 image; estimated reading time 2:14 mins

Eve no Jikan (Time of Eve) Act 04: Nameless

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I love the way this series revels in its sci-fi trappings with the Asimov references and futuristic tech, yet still remembers the principal ethos of science fiction: that of its relevance to ‘our’ reality. I believe Yoshiura was keen to address issues that exist also beyond his intriguing worldview of domestic androids and shadowy organisations from the outset; that is to say, it feels like an allegory for ignorance and prejudice in society but fortunately this point isn’t forced onto the viewer. The way in which this well-trodden theme is presented makes it feel relevant in an everyday sense rather than the detached, philosophical light it’s often cast in, knowing when to inject humour and when to let the significance of the subject matter shine through.

the-customer-is-always-right

The setting of that wonderfully odd café contributes a lot to this I think. The clunky star of this episode and his predicament is shown to wonderful effect in its unique environment and the characters who frequent it – the problems with the older-style androids, such as the rigid nature of their thought processes, are highlighted by the policy of equality Nagi insists on; at the same time it feels like a gentle reminder of how we can discriminate without even realising it. Nameless’ quirks are certainly a problem unique to androids but Masaki’s and Rikuo’s reactions are similar to those we see in encounters with other humans who are, for whatever reason, different from the norm.

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Reading stats: 996 words, 4 images; estimated reading time 3:59 mins

Kara no Kyoukai #4: Garan no Dou (the hollow shrine)

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Nope, I’ve not yet seen the notoriously popular episode #5. It’s on my hard drive but at a full two hours I’m saving it for the plane (which is twelve hours in total 0_o). The fourth movie, Garan no Dou, is the shortest of the lot so doesn’t offer as much to get excited about as I expect the fifth one to do but even so, there are some interesting developments going on that pick up where the second film left off, among other things. Until the English-langage translation of the original novels gets past the rumours stage I guess this will have to do.

kara-no-kyoukai-hollow-shrine-1

I’m beginning to see why Shiki Ryougi is one of Takeuchi’s most loved creations. She isn’t a character who exudes the typical bishoujo femininity: she’s sullen and introverted, flattens her bust down with bandages and wears a leather jacket incongruously over her kimono, and is the opposite of clumsy…oh yeah, she also goes on the occasional homicidal rampage. Despite all this making her the anti-moe she has legions of loyal fans. And I’m one of them.

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Reading stats: 1010 words, 4 images; estimated reading time 4:02 mins