shibuyaaaa

I couldn't find much time at Narita airport to do an update, so alas, the final post for my Japan trip is being done back in LA.

One of favorite places to go in Japan is definitely Shibuya; all the lights and gigantic tv screens makes it feel like Times Square, only cleaner.



The pink and blue neon sign in the background is for HMV, probably Tokyo's largest media chain, comparable to Virgin in New York, selling music and movies from around the world.



HMV stands for "His Master's Voice"... sounds kinda totalitarian if you ask me. Good thing they stuck to the acronym... like KFC.





Unlike music stores in America (or those that I've been to anyway), many Japanese music stores have their own sections for indie music.

I didn't snap a picture of it, but right as you walk into the store, you see a rack that has the current top 10. Of what chart, I have no idea, but it does make deciding easier. I picked up a compilation album for a group called Mr.Children (no space), which has actually been around since 1987. Throughout my trip I had their name all over the place, on the subway, on TV, etc, so I was glad to see they has just released a greatest hits album, so to speak, called B-Side.



What I particularly like about them is that their music spans all genres, rap, rock, blues, even electronica, which is rare when for what could be technically classified as a boy band (except they've gotten much older since their start... and man band just sounds weird.) B-Side is a great album to pick up if you ever get the chance to, whether it be in stores or online.

Of course, around Shibuya you'll still find the lesser known artists busking outside of subway stations or on any street corner that can manage the space.



These guys probably had the most elaborate set-up I had seen to date, with a projector and everything. They were reminiscent of a cross between Linkin Park and System of a Down, which I liked, so I picked up their album.



Shibuya, like pretty much any city in Tokyo, has several arcades, and this drum game it by far the greatest game ever made... EVER. They sell it in stores (with a smaller version of the drum, of course), but it can't play on American playstation 2's, which sucks major balls.





Check it out, London Police in Japan, woot.

Here's a wide shot of just a small part of Shibuya.



And the same place at day time. There are a lot less people...so to speak, but it's still cool.



Cuz you can see Asian Bruce Willis, HELL YEAH.





As usual, more picture of Shibuya can be found on my Facebook:

http://nyu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2176930&l=67241&id=839671

And for those of you who know the meaning of televised awesome, here's something for you~

go figure

So, who would of thought, of all the places I'd be able to find a strong pilferable wireless connection, it's an hour away from the city in Shuhoukaku Kogetsu, an old school hotel in rural Yamanashi at the foot of the Fuji Mountain. Check out that view~ GROWL.

10 minutes down the road from the hotel is the Ukai Music Forest, a garden and private collection of European music boxes that's open to the public.







It's a pretty peaceful place, and its cafe has one hell of a view of the Fuji Mountain.



The music halls turned museums house all sorts of music boxes. From old school ones like the one shown below:



To newer ones available for purchase, like this DEVILISHLY CUTE one.



And they have fondue. Kick-ass.



AND SWANS. These are the only two swans the park has. I think they're a couple.



That night, dinner at the Shuhoukaku Kogetsu was pretty intense. It was traditional Japanese fare, with an enormous variety of dishes, all of which in small bite-sized amounts, and all of which awesome.





More photos of the food here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2175412&l=c2432&id=839671

This morning I had to get up at 2am because my dad was intent on seeing the sunrise from an establishment near the top of Fuji Mountain. I spent most of the night watching the season finales of Scrubs and The Office (again), and didn't get to sleep until 12am, so it kind of sucked getting up. But it was worth it in the end, considering I got some pretty sweet pics.











Check that out, Planet Earth status.

More photos on my Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2175401&l=a7e0a&id=839671

// tim

the office

Headed down to Akihabara last night, Tokyo's electric city. It's probably the only place in Tokyo, or the entire world, for that matter, where you can have the opportunity to win what appears to be a catholic schoolgirl uniform from a claw machine.



niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.
I was actually surprised to find a number of bands busking in the streets outside of the subway station here. All the blogs and guides that I've read points these things towards other places like Shibuya and Shinjuku. But right outside of the JR station here, I was fortunate to find three of 'em, each within several yards of eachother.



What you'll often see is artists promoting their own albums, even though they've already been signed. And you can buy their albums right there.



These two were literally 15 feet away from the other girl. They took forever to get ready so I got bored and moved on to the next group, 10 feet away. These guys I liked.



They're a group called Myst, and they remind me a lot of Eric Clapton, but with a traditional Japanese musical influence. Their combination of fast-paced acoustics with old school drum and cymbal beats make for an interesting sound. I bought two of their albums, and I would defintiely recommend checking them out if you get the chance.

So the following afternoon I went back to Harajuku to check out a bridge called Jingo-bashii. Apparently a bunch of cosplay people like to hang out there on the weekends. Here are some pics:









oh, white people...

Anyway, afterward, I headed to Shibuya to watch the season finale of the Office, which was long overdue, but unfortunately inevitable because I don't get NBC in japan...



And I must say, sitting in an otaku cafe in Japan watching the greatest hour of television ever made with a box of vending machine yakisoba... hands down, the greatest experience of my life.

And for those of you who saw the episode, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

// tim

good eats around japan

I'm in Shibuya once again, but this time at Wired Cafe on the 6th floor of Q-Front, which is a lot like Tower or Virgin. Internet here is free when you order stuff, so I got a raspberry tiramisu. I think they ran out of ladyfinger cookies to make it with though, because they used Frosted Flakes... not that that's a bad thing.

Anyway, here are some reviews of the restaurants I visited today~

Omete-Sando/ Harajuku

“Seven Seas”

Lunch Buffet – 1500yen

This is a fantastic lunch buffet very characteristic of the Japanese culture. The cuisine itself is not entirely Japanese, ranging from ham mousse quiches to tonkatsu and curry to bortsch, it’s its preparation and execution that makes his upscale joint a popular place for housewives to unwind while their husbands are away. Flavors are delicate, and don’t overwhelm the palatte, as many American buffets tend to do. When compared to most American buffets, the selection may seem minimal, but as with most of Japan, it’s about quality over sheer quantity. The care taken into each dish is apparent. Dishes aren’t served in large metal tubs, heating over boiling water, but rather in ceramic dishes. For 1500yen a person, the Seven Sea’s lunch buffet is highly recommended even if you're not in the Omote-Sando area.

Ginza Line => stop at Omote-Sando => Exit B5

Restaurant in underground, two escalators up from exiting the station.

Located in a plaza known as Diamond Hills, along the stretch of Omote-Sando hills, ripe with plently of window-shopping locations ranging from Prada to Ralph Lauren. woot woot.

^f-ing AWESOME chicken.

Odaiba

“Gazen”

Izakaya (Japanese-style tapas) => 200yen – 800yen

Izakaya translates to “snack bar,” essentially, but it’s far from the bags of Doritos and the bowl of mixed nuts that one may associate with the term “snacks.” Izakaya can be likened to the Spanish tapas, appetizer-sized dishes that are relatively inexpensive are perfect for sharing. With enough for a generous bite-sized serving for 4 or 5 people, these dishes are popular amongst Japanese businessmen looking to unwind after work. Izakaya restaurants are also a great place to go for wide selection of local beers and mixed drinks.

Tokyo Decks is Odaiba’s landmark mall, home to Joypolis, the amusement park run by Sega. Each floor is decorated to look like an old fashioned street market, with stone pathways adorned by paper lanterns. Each floor is a different culture, for example, the 6^th floor is called Little Hong Kong. Be mindful though, Tokyo Decks is two separate buildings, so manage your time wisely between the two. Little Japan on the 4^th floor of the building opposite Little Hong Kong is definitely worth checking out.

After splurging your holiday budget on all sorts of little knick-knacks, a buffet might not be what you have in mind, especially at 2000yen a person. Unfortunately, when it comes to dinner options, many of the restaurants on the 5^th and 6^th floors of Tokyo Decks are buffets. So instead, give izakaya a try and head up to the 6^th floor to a restaurant called Gozen.

With a view of the Rainbow Bridge that absolutely can’t be beat, and devilishly romantic, Gozen is great place to unwind. Try the ozashiki (Japanese mat) seating for the full Japanese experience. Their tuna and avocado summer rolls and Agedashi-style tofu come highly recommended. Although a seasonal dish, their stewed Daikon radish with pork is an award-winner at competitions. If they have it, it’ll be on a laminated insert. Unfortunately, the inserts are in Japanese, so ask for a translation if possible.

Yurikamome Line => stop at Odaiba Kaihi-Koen

Exit heading towards Tokyo Decks (look for the yellow labels next to the map that’ll lead you in the right direction)

Gozen is on the 6^th floor of the building on the right~

---

So by now I finished my tiramisu and ordered some random tea so it wouldn't look like I was just sitting here pilfering internet, but it turns out this tea tastes like balls. Well, not really, it's one of those odd flavors that only tastes odd because you're not sure what it is you're tasting, but once you know what it is, it's not that odd anymore. You know?

... yeah.

For everyone back in the States, Office season finale tonight!!

// tim

gran cyber cafe

So right now I'm sitting in Gran Cyber Cafe in Shibuya in one of their ever-so-spiffy little booths for 480yen/hour, which comes out to around 4 bucks an hour, which is pretty sweet, considering you get access to the internet, cable television, a playstation 2, and a gigantic collection of manga. Unfortunately for the Japanese illiterate, like myself, the internet and the playstation is pretty much all I can use. Nevertheless, these places are great. You can even stay overnight for a flat rate 1200yen, which comes out to around 10 bux. Sure it's tiny, but hey, it's cheaper than any hotel around here at least.



It should be apparent by now that I didn't find a wireless network that I could pilfer here in Shibuya. Tear.




A great part of my day was spent in a city called Harajuku (like that Belle & Sebastian song), the self-proclaimed fashion capital of Tokyo. The metal sculpture that looks like two eyes is their town symbol. Not sure why that is, but it looks cool. Along the street pictured above, Takeshita, you'll find all sorts of small boutiques, crepe stands, and coffee shops. But you'll probably find the most amusement out of just people-watching. Here is where Tokyo's unique sense of fashion is most imminent.







A lot of up and coming fashion designers like to set up shop here, away from so-called "mainstream" fashion centrals. In many ways, Harajuku is like the fashion underground, where "indie" fashion designers like to gather. Their storefronts are often as vibrant as their designs.








ILL. oh, and yes, it was full of extra dope wear to select.

Even if you're not particularly into fashion, this place is worth checking out. If anything, for the crepes and random engrish.



Alrighty, I gotta go catch a train. Sorry this update was so short. Check out more photos of Harajuku on my Facebook.

http://nyu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2173945&l=30f9c&id=839671

// tim