Why did you become a Local Expert?

I love Tokyo - I've said that before - but it's not just Tokyo, it's everything about Japan that kind of gets under your skin and you find yourself missing it so much when you leave. I came here in 2001 and left in 2006 to go to Singapore. I wouldn't have believed I would miss Japan as much as I did - but I did! I couldn't wait to get back which I did in July 2007.

I would love to see more people traveling here. Many people I speak to often seem reluctant or worried about traveling to Japan. Maybe it's because Japan was closed for so long to the rest of the world - or maybe it's the language. I really have no idea, but it's such a great place. I want to encourage anyone thinking about coming here to just come - check it out. Because I've lived here I can also help answer any questions people may have and hopefully make the whole experience as happy and stress free as possible.

What's are the best and worst things about living in Japan?

Best - This is the most convenient city - from getting around, to buying something at any hour, to being female and not worrying about my safety every step I take. Of course the last one is within reason but it's true. I can go out with my friends, have some drinks and a laugh, and then catch the train and walk home by myself - a thing I would never consider doing in the UK.

Other bests include the freedom that comes from being a gaijin (foreigner) within this society. Some people hate the fact that they will always be 'outside' - but for me it means that I don't have to worry about the day to day stuff as I would if I was Japanese, and yet I gain all the benefits of living in what is largely a polite and respectful society.

There is culture by the bucket load here and you can take in whichever aspects of it you care to be interested in. Food! Not just Japanese food although that is a topic in itself - international cuisine is big here so you can find almost anything you want. Spend a lot or spend a little - it's up to you.

The back streets. You have to spend some time getting away from the madding crowd and see what's going on behind the scenes. Life goes at a different pace and has a different feel to it once you start mixing with the locals.

Worst - The occasional prejudice that you just can't avoid. Renting an apartment is one of the classic examples of this. 'You're gaijin? - Sorry we don't rent to gaijin'. This is a refrain that can soon wear thin when you are desperately house hunting for that perfect place. Add to that my personal key angst - key money. Let's say your monthly rent is 120,000 yen (approx $1,120 US). You usually have to pay a deposit of 2 months - ok that's not so bad but just don't count on getting it back. On top of that though is the usual minimum 2 months 'gift' money that you pay to the landlord to say 'thank you' - yes you heard me right 'thank you' - for letting me rent your apartment. This gift money is gone as soon as you hand it over. Grrrr... that's something that really winds me up.

Other worsts - crowded trains. The infrastructure is fantastic but when you've got Mr. Sato squashing up next to you on the morning train going to work, you can forget all the good bits and get quite anti the whole train idea! Plastic wrapping - almost everything you buy will be wrapped to death. If you tell the cashier you don't want a bag, they go and stick plastic sticky tape on it instead. I don't need the tape, I have the receipt! The idea is I don't want the plastic!!! Ok - rant over.

What are the top five or 10 things for travelers to do in Japan?

Top 10 things in Tokyo:

- Odaiba. Go shopping, play games, take in Rainbow Bridge, drive a Toyota or go to one of the largest onsens in the area - complete with a hot stone bath as well as the regular onsen features.

- Come out of Hachiko exit at Shibuya station for the first time and just take in the life and atmosphere around you. It's youth culture at it's best and worst all at the same time, surrounded by neon boards and mega speakers to further confuse your senses. My first experience is still a vivid memory and one I wouldn't change.

- Get up high and get an idea of just how vast this city is. Go to the government buildings in Shinjuku and head up to the free observatory. There are signboard maps in English that show you where you are looking and what each area is. And did I mention it's free?

- Go to Ebisu and Daikanyama to see Tokyoites in a class of their own. Ebisu Garden Place screams class while at the same time firmly keeping its roots with it's founding company, the Ebisu Brewery. In Daikanyama just up the road you'll find loads of funky smaller shops and hip people - a great place to do some people watching.

- Sumo is a must if you get the chance. Go for the cheaper seats at the top of the arena - you actually don't want the area near the ring as these are boxes where you have to sit on the floor. It's not long before you find yourself shuffling round trying to get comfortable rather than watching the action in front of you.

- The Imperial Palace is like an oasis in the middle of the city. With skyscrapers all around it's quite bizarre to find this beautiful area nestling in the trees. You can stroll round the gardens, take a boat on the moat, and on 2 special days on the year there's a chance to see the emperor and his family in residence.

- Yoyogi Park at the weekend is a mix of all ages and backgrounds. See what Tokyoites get up to in their spare time, take part in one of the many activities going on, or bring a picnic and chill out for the day.

- If you're traveling with kids, Kodomo no Shiro near Shibuya is a must do venue with 5 floors. Dedicated to children, each floor in this building has a different set of activities going on. If you have a budding Beethoven with you, check out the music floor. If your little one is more inclined to run, jump and climb, there's an enormous play area for doing just that.

- Tsukiji Fish Market is the largest fish market in the world and you have the chance to see it in full swing between 5am - 6:15am. There is a special viewing area where you can take in the sounds and smells of this long established trade and enjoy the noisy bartering going on around you. Don't forget to try some super fresh sushi while you're there.

- Ueno has a host of museums, a large park and a zoo so is a great day out for the family. In spring time the park is especially worth a visit as this is a popular cherry blossom viewing venue.

What are some of your best and worst travel experiences?

Best - Top of my list is Krabi in Thailand. This has to be the most beautiful scenery I have clapped eyes on. Turquoise seas, limestone rocks rising out the water and such friendly people that honestly, if you didn't enjoy yourself I would seriously wonder what was wrong with you! This holiday was a vacation on the go. Every day was action packed - the way I like it - from kayaking, to speed boat trips, to walking along long stretches of white sand. Mmmmm - very fond memories.

A very close second has to be Phuket - also in Thailand. A family holiday for Christmas that was a great laugh. It was the first time I went paragliding, I got my suits made for work for next to nothing - sorry I know that's not really a vacation idea, but when the alternative is paying Tokyo prices this is definitely a bonus - and ate the best Thai food ever. With great company to back it up it was a fab time.

Worst - is actually the same holiday as above in Phuket. We were due to fly out on December 26th 2004 in the afternoon. Because it was the last day we wanted to take one more dip in the sea before packing up and setting off on our journey. That was the day the Asian tsunami made her presence felt - and boy did we feel it. I thought my fella was dead, and I've never run so fast in all my life. I remember reaching safety and turning round to realize that Stuart was not behind me. All I could see was the sea. I was standing in it up to my calves and I was standing on the road. Beyond the road was a ditch that was now completely filled water and the beach was completely covered - it wasn't there. So you can imagine how I felt - I was standing on the road shouting Stuart's name and thinking to myself how on earth am I going to go back and tell his mum what happened. Absolute nightmare moment.

Probably two minutes later - although it felt like an eternity - I see Stuart heading down the road towards me. We get within hearing distance and the first thing he says to me is "Have you got my sunglasses?" I've never felt so relieved in all my life. Apparently he was hanging onto a palm tree and after the wave pulled back got down and ran across a bridge to the road further down.

Enough said - it was a loooong day and one that won't be forgotten.

Best - I'm going to add a best to this moment as well if you don't mind. We didn't leave Phuket on the 26th as we couldn't get to the airport which was closed anyway. We didn't want to stay in our hotel as it was right on the beach and we'd had quite enough of water for that day. We headed up and away and found a hotel that still had some space.

Getting up for breakfast the next day, we were wandering down the road deciding what we fancied when we heard this shout. We realized someone was calling us and turned to find the Thai family who we had paid money to the day before, driving round to find us because we had paid for a trip that had been canceled due to the tsunami. My fella's mum was supposed to go to Koh Phi Phi on the 26th, the same day we were due to fly out. She had paid for it that morning as we left her to go for our last swim. The money had never even entered our heads after the event - why would it - we were happy to be alive. Yet these lovely Thai people actually came to find us to give it back. Can you believe that? I still am blown away by it.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Leaving the UK at 29 years of age, with no idea where I was going, little money in my purse, but thinking if I don't do it now, I'll never do it. That decision changed my life completely and I wouldn't be where I am today if that hadn't happened.

Where are you planning on traveling in the future?

South America is next on the list. I really want to see Brazil, Peru, Chile and Argentina so we are currently looking at ways of doing that. Mexico is also high on the list as is South Africa.

What do you do with most of your time?

I work in coaching and seminar training for some of the international companies based in Tokyo. I am also involved in some of the client relations aspects and look for ways that we can improve the experience of the customer.
My own time is largely taken up with my website, which supports what I said in my answer to the first question. I am trying to make Tokyo a more accessible place for people wanting to visit. I spend a lot of time researching and checking details - things change here at a rate of knots that has to be seen to be believed some days. Then there's the writing, taking the photos, preparing the photos for the web and working out any coding glitches.
Other than that, I love reading - all sorts, cycling round my local area - and football!

What's a typical day like for you?

Up at 6 a.m., teach my first class at 8 a.m., then go to the office. Arrive there around 9:45 and start checking email, following up and actioning issues. Then it's speaking with clients, liaising with my colleagues and any admin that is necessary. I leave work around 5:45 - 6:00 p.m. and get home around 6:45. Then I try get one website page finished before bed. Exciting, hey!

What's your favourite TravelPod blog post?

One of my favourite blog posts is the one about Tokyoites and their dogs. It's just so Tokyo!

Here is the deal. Looks like a fabulously talented line up at a swish new location. Looking forward to seeing you there!

BiZ NITE, French Flavor at Daikanyama Tableaux. July 14th, 2008. 6 pm - late.

What is BiZ NITE?

Tokyo's fastest growing networking event for creative business people. It's a monthly event which features presentations, showcases, exhibitions, discussion panels, product launches and more from the creative industries in Tokyo. Each sphere of interest in the A-Z of creative industries has a Biz NITE nickname, for example photo biz, ad biz, art biz, DJ biz, design biz, eco biz, NPO biz, fashion biz, movie biz, music biz, net biz, sport biz, success biz, VJ biz, wellness biz. Every month the crowds get a little bigger, and more and more people are making it a regular feature on their monthly event calendar to meet with old friends, meet new ones and see a little of what's going in around the city.

When & Where is this monthly event held?

Biz Nites are held monthly at Daikanyama Tableaux on 7/14, 8/18, 9/8, and venue TBD on 10/20, 11/17, 12/15.

When is the next Biz NITE?

Monday 14 July at Daikanyama/Ebisu Tableaux, 18:00-23:00, with a ‘French Flavor’ to celebrate Bastille Day together.
The venue has a beautiful patio, great food and reasonably priced drinks. In addition to our regular content,
BiZ NITE will host presentations about contemporary French fashion and culture, and about French creative business people's activities in Japan.
We expect around 300 people to attend community presentations and get-togethers in three spaces throughout the venue.

How much?

Entry: Advance: 1000 yen / Door 1500 yen, (Please buy at least one drink) (To qualify for advance, please sign up as a member at biznites.ning.com)

The first 50 people at Biz Nite receive a Skype headset & calling card.

Who is presenting this month?

7/14 (Mon) ‘French Flavor’ BiZ NITE CONTENTS

18:00-22:30 Presentations & Discussions in Three Spaces:

Ad Biz: info soon

Art Biz:

1) “Dr Sketchy's Anti-Art School: an introduction to the divinely seedy underbelly of live sketching ala Burlesque style” with MC LadyElle [www.drsketchytokyo.com]
(Plus: 5 minute burlesque dance performance by burlesque dancer Cherry Typhoon of the Murasaki Baby Dolls at 10 pm)

2) "ICON 5: The NY Illustration Conference: A review, and an Introduction to the works of Andrea Innocent and Beck Wheeler",
a review presentation and slideshow by well-known Australian artists/illustrators/animators
Andrea Innocent (www.otoshimono.org) and Beck Wheeler (www.beckwheeler.net)

3) “Creative platforms to bring different art forms and audiences under the same umbrella” with 4th Skin Arts Network www.4thskin.com

Design Biz:

“WorkVitamins: Why creativity in the office just works” - Martin van der Linden (workvitamins.com, www.vanderarchitects.com)

Eco Biz: info soon

Fashion Biz:

Fashion Biz: “ID SHAPE: new solution for luxury packaging anti-counterfeiting from France” – Lucas Nanini (www.idshape.com)
Lucas Nanini

Movie Biz:

“Surfing DVD Release- Japan’s legendary surfers of the ‘70s enjoy a 2007 reunion in Micronesia” – Michio Degawa (http://www.kooks.jp)

Music Biz:

1) “Panel Discussion: Anime, Games and Urahara Fashion - How can Japanese Pop Culture Drive
Japanese Music Sales at Home and Overseas?" - Moderator & presenter: Nathan Reaven (www.hearjapan.com)

2) “The New French Music Scene – Preview of French Summer Festival Artists”- Sylvain Delange
(Bureau Export de la Musique Francaise a Tokyo, www.french-music.org/video)

Net Biz:

1) “New Contents Delivery and Gallery System”- Tan Tan (http://ikaros-plan.jugem.jp/ )

2) info soon

New in Japan Biz:

“Revolutionary New Instrument – Tenori-on” – K. Sugii (YAMAHA, www.yamaha.co.jp/tenori-on)

Performance BIz:

Performance Biz: “The making of ‘Tunnelvision’ DVD - Choreographed Performance Art in one of the biggest underground locations in the world,
Gaikaku Housuiro, broadcast on NHK” Monique van kerkhof (www.roboudendijk.com)

Photo Biz:

“Unknown France: A tour of the cheese and wine farms of rural France” by photographer, writer and editor, Miki Toyoda.

Sports Biz:

1) “Update on Hakuba MTB Jamboree 8/16-17” ( www.sweetriders.com)

2) “Reporting about Muay Thai Fight Events” – Chisa Yamane (www.jmc-gym.com)

VJ Biz: info soon

Wellness Biz:

’Awaken to New Dimensions’ - Introduction to insightful transformation techniques to tap into your inner balance
and potential through Art of Living“ with Marianne White & Keerthana Mariappan (www.artofliving.org)

22:00-23:30 LOUNGE DJs: James Carstensen (Tokyo Electro – Special French Music Mix), DJ Tawara (ultralounge)

See more information in Japanese and English at http://www.stereojapan.com/ and forum http://biznites.ning.com/

so maybe that's why I haven't written lately - I haven't done much this week... just gone to class and back home to study. I guess I could explain 他動詞　and 自動詞　pretty well by now, but that is not very interesting, is it? (though probably 明子ちゃん might like to know - mental note to post a briefing about transitive and intransitive verbs in japanese.)

the first days I didn't hang out with the people from class because I wanted to make the most of the little time I had left with jen and korin. so everyday would go like this: william (brazilian guy that looks anything but brazilian) would say 「約束がない人はだれ？」 - "anyone free today?" - and whoever didn't have any plans would join for lunch. I was always like: ［ゴメン！いっしょうに住んだ人はすぐ帰国するんですが、今日もう約束した。来週からかならずひまです！」 - "sorry! since my room mates are leaving soon I already made an appointment with them. but next week I'll be free for sure!". the thing id this week we could only go out for lunch twice! everybody had something to do! it's soooo boring getting to an empty home and waiting for miki to come...

fortunately I met a girl from another class who's only staying for a month and wants to make the most of it, so she always proposes to go somewhere. the first day she took bertile (french girl from my class) to 代官山 (daikanyama), a district next to 渋谷　(shibuya) that's pretty quiet and nice to walk around. also, it's full of small indie shops and little cafes - it was funny how most of them sported foreign names (mostly french, as if that made them more stylish...) since the shops are pretty exclusive, prices were a little out of our budget, but it was nice however to get away from the craziness of shibuya.

this is what I meant by small shops.

today we went out to eat too. it's amazing how well you can eat at tokyo for a pittance. if you go to traditional japanese restaurants you can have a full meal for 500 to 700 yen (3 or 5 euros). most meals include rice and miso soup and a small appetizer; water is served for free and the only thing that changes is the main dish.

afterwards we went to 原宿　(harajuku) - yes, again. I bought a very nice sleeveless sweater with cat ears attached to the hood. jen had the same one - I cut the red ribbon, jen, just like you did, it looked horrible.

it has a cat's tail sewed to the back too. I think I look like [shiro] from [tekkonkinkreet] in it.

lorenzo (italian) was hunting for gothic clothing so we went to a basement shop that looked fairly interesting. I will take a picture of it next time because you must not, under any circumstances go there. the seller was this old weird woman who kept going off the handle whenever we made a face that suggested we found the prices a little high. she would keep bragging about how elaborate the designs were and how much time it had taken the artist and so on; she even slapped us from time to time. so fucking rude! we had to run away, literally...

so tomorrow it's harajuku again and then maybe ikebukuro (still don't know how to write it in kanji). and in the afternoon I'll be meeting miki and brian (her boyfriend) to go to the edo era museum. oh! and also, I'll be probably getting a bike this weekend from 戸越　(togoshi) house because the people there don't use them. then I'll be able to ride around 戸越 and go to [book off] - second hand bookshop - as many times as I like! yeah, go me!

oops! I nearly forgot. this is my room - my own private room, no more sleeping in the living-room, あああ。。。いい気持ち。。。

even if it's difficult to see, those two white points hanging from the lamp cord are

glowing [kodama] I bought at [kiddyland] :9

and these are the last issues of [myojo], [potato], [duet] and [winkup]. all of them feature 嵐's last summer concerts, NEWS, KAT-TUN, kinky kids, [maou] and [code blue].

if I somehow get hold of a scanner I'll post the scans - taking photographs of the pages still doesn't convince me... 

The Okura store in Tokyo.

T Magazine's women's fashion director keeps one step ahead of the trends.

After a few days of walking around Tokyo, all of the stores started to look alike — California faux vintage, embroidered hippie dresses, Birkenstocks. So it was a huge relief to come across Okura in Daikanyama. Here the clothes have a modern aesthetic but with a nod to traditional Japanese culture. (Most of them are even made in Japan!) This means over-dyed work pants in washable linen or jumpsuits in a stiff, heavyweight cotton or an unlined, unstructured jacket — all in Okura's favorite shade of indigo blue, called aizome. There is even a small selection of Japanese obis and kimonos but in these surroundings you can imagine wearing them as contemporary pieces.

The store itself looks like a beautiful old farmhouse or noodle restaurant with a curtain — as opposed to a door flagging the entrance. The inside is decorated with found materials like beach wood clothing racks and scrap metal shelves (Okura opened in 1993 — long before the current recycling trend!).The overall effect is that of having discovered a Zen haven in the middle of a very hectic city — and it makes you want to bring back a souvenir!

Okura
Men's and women's clothing store
20-11 Sarugakucho Shibuya-ku
Tokyo, Japan
081-3-3461-8511

Read previous blog posts by Anne Christensen.

Last year`s Sexy Sushi party turned out to be amazingly delicious!!! (see Sexy Sushi Party post) . Now it`s time for the 2008 version of sushi party entitled "Sushi is Art". Be there and be raw to enjoy great sushi which defies gravity, meet sushi lovers, meet artists who turn raw fish into asymmetrical amorphous sculptures of sanguine sumptuous sushi and enjoy the unique eclectic atmosphere created by the sound of uni sliding down your tongue.

WHERE: A Secret Club (Which is incidentally the name of a continent) DAIKANYAMA. Sorry.. but you will have to figure the rest out by yourself. It is secret. But we are reasonable people... sending us an email might help as well.

WHEN: MARCH 15th (SATURDAY)

From 22:00pm
Reduced club admission fee in the club (incl. 1 drink) >> men and similar 2000yen, girls 500yen.

Sushi: basic set 1500yen, collector edition 2000yen.

To get the discount price at the door of the club... guests have to say they came for the "GIRLUZA sushi party..."

Ncha! Hi, Arare here in Japan.

Here is some of the stuff we have done so far and don't forget to check our flickr page too:

Wednesday 21st : arrived. Meet little brother and Tomo... ah, good to be in Tokyo again.

Thursday 22nd : Wandered the streets of Shimokitazawa getting lost and found and going in circles. Eat Mister Donut and buy knick knacks. Got ready at around 6pm and head into Daikanyama for the opening of Chance 10 Gallery Lele where innocentgirl's portfolio is on display.

Friday 23rd : Public holiday here in Japan so woke up late and wandered down the street for coffee with little brother. So funny when we took him to the station and there was the big brother waiting. Ha, ha, ha... surprises be of much goodness. Then it was all day shopping, eating Mister Donut, playing in game centre's and exploring Shimo again. Gyoza restuarant dinner, drinking at an Okinawan bar and late night karaoke. Got home around 3pm climbed into the futon and went straight to sleep.

Saturday 24th : Woke up early again and the apartment was getting real squashy with four people. It was like playing human tetris! Big brother came with us to Roppongi to visit the Mori Arts Center. The exhibition "Roppongi Crossing 2007: Future Beats in Japanese Contemporary Art" was pure brilliance... lots of fun interactive stuff! We even went in a wind tunnel that replicated what Hurricane Katrina might have been like. Then it was off to Kawasaki to meet a friend of younger brother who has a new baby... I wanted to take the baby home but they wouldn't let me... strange, ne? I was dragging my feet by this time.... so much walking and really cold as I was still wearing my summer yukata but then younger brother took us to an all night crepe place run by a really cute old lady with eyes that go in different directions. How clever!

Sunday 25th : The skylight above my futon is waking me up early every day and the novelty of this has begun to wear off now... but it's and up and getting ready for the 'freaks' (what big brother calls them) at Harajuku. He, he... I even got a photo with them. The best part of all was the trip to Kiddyland where innocentgirl bought me a winter coat... so cozy now and I even have ear muffs! We also checked out Design Festa gallery and saw live painting and drank a really yukky coffee.

Monday 26th : innocentgirl and big brother take me to Akihabara where they visit a maid cafe. 'They are such otaku sometimes!'. When I introduce myself to the maid's they go crazy with love for me... we got a picture taken and we learned how to speak otaku... 'moe, moe!' Then we spend the afternoon eating bento in Inokashira Koen in Kichijoji, so lovely. On the way back we visit Nakano Broadway... more otaku stuff, innocentgirl looks for more Arare goods but can't find any... 'I'm really rare!" We decide to head to Chiba to visit Jun at his bar, Jun can't believe its really me and has to pinch me to make sure... more surprises! We meet a real crazy plumber with a broken finger who keeps hugging big brother and looks drunk but he explains to us origin of otaku and for the first time I really understand it! We stay in a hotel... I am thankful our room doesn't have a skylight.

Tuesday 27th : Big brother shoots lots of video's in and around Chiba port... I don't exactly know what it's for but some kind of art project I suppose. innocentgirl and big brother talk alot about that kind of stuff. The train ride takes us past Tokyo Disneyland and back into Tokyo again. We head on in to see some exhibitions, the one in Daikanyama and another in Hatsudai at the ICC. This one is way cool!
Big brother is leaving tomorrow so he goes home to pack all his items while I head off to meet the Cotton's or Martine's bday party in Shinjuku. They all came as a surprise for Aunty Marty who turns 40 on Wednesday! Happy Birthday!
Meet big brother and little brother on the way back and have a drink at a bar called Ma and Ka's.... big brother is still packing when we get back, he's so funny how he's always crazy rushing. He has to take a train at 5am!

Wednesday 28th : Wake up really late... yay! Sleep is good. innocentgirl catches up on emails and stuff while I go done to get a bento and coffee for lunch. It's fun to just sit and listen to the Tokyo sounds outside, kids running home from school, neighbours talking and shop keepers spruiking. We have a nana nap together and then head on in to Shibuya for Tokyo Dr. Sketchy! Crazy fun but innocentgirl forgets I am in the bag and sits on my head while she draws.... I forgive her though when she tells me she won a prize for her sketch and my head doesn't hurt 'cause its made of plastic anyhow. Tokyomade goodies were being handed out and we meet Deanne who runs the site. Very cool goodies... check it out!

Anyway that's all for now... bye bye cha!

One of the first things I noticed the very first time I arrived in Tokyo was how many well-dressed people there were. They were everywhere. Buzzing about frantically they way people do in every metropolis. I didn't know it at the time, but the Denizens of Tokyo have long been noted for their fashion smarts and style-arena.jp has an online photo mag dedicated to snaps of some of those stylish folks on the neat side streets of Daikanyama, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ginza and, my personal favorite, Omotesando. So... if you want to get an idea of what the kids over there are wearing, check out Style-arena.jp's Tokyo Street Style.

One of the first things I noticed the very first time I arrived in Tokyo was how many well-dressed people there were. They were everywhere. Buzzing about frantically they way people do in every metropolis. I didn't know it at the time, but the Denizens of Tokyo have long been noted for their fashion smarts and style-arena.jp has an online photo mag dedicated to snaps of some of those stylish folks on the neat side streets of Daikanyama, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ginza and, my personal favorite, Omotesando. So... if you want to get an idea of what the kids over there are wearing, check out Style-arena.jp's Tokyo Street Style.

The station is very queer. Daikanyama looks like a mess of train tracks and wires from the station, and doesn't look enticing to the regular traveller. It takes a bit of exploring to appreciate its charm.

This is what the station looks like from a bridge nearby.

On the other side of the bridge, however, you can start to see the real Daikanyama.

On the other side of the bridge, there was a road running parallel to the train tracks, just beside the station, and down the road, there are quaint little shops on both sides. I took the trouble to walk down the streets and snapped photos of interesting looking shops and buildings. Some of the photos did not turn out to well though.

One of the more first shops I encountered was this, which appeared to sell crockery and tea. The tea prices start from 1000 yen for a small cup of plain tea, and everything else seemed like a ridiculous price for tea.

Their shops are not just a rectangle box and a door in front. Some of the shops on the higher levels of the buildings have entrances at the top of a spiral staircase, and you can see their shops signs and goods display running along hte spirals of the stairs.

Some of the buildings were quite interesting in that they were a mix of commercial shops and residential units. Usually the shops do not go beyond the first two levels of a building, which makes sense, because who would want to climb three storeys of stairs just to look at some shirts they probably won't buy? The third level and beyond appear to be residential units.

This appears to be a single home, presumably of a rather wealthy family because Daikanyama is known to be a rather expensive estate.

Some parts of Daikanyama can be quite hilly. I guess there's where the 'yama' in Daikanyama comes in. They have shops and homes built onto the slopes, kinda like NUS in Singapore. Hur.

These appear to be shophouses, though not quite as old as the ones you see in Singapore's Chinatown, and with a touch of class. I was particularly intrigued by the umbrella shop. The unmbrellas were pretty expensive but it's hard to imagine any shop surviving solely on umbrella sales. What will they do in spring or winter? *shrugs*

I walked quite a distance down the road, following a map I had brought with me until I reached an area that was almost entirely residential, and made my way back to the station.

From the same bridge, I decided to explore the area perpendicular to the station instead of parallel.

I was hesitant about exploring it at first because it appeared to be a high class residential area, and I wasn't sure if trespassers wouldn't be shot.

It turned out to be a really expensive looking place. Look at those glass panels.

The area on the second floor appears to be a shop. When a shop uses half its shop space for a elaborate staircase, and leaves the first floor unoccupied possibly as part of its futuristic architectural design, and the items on the shelves are so sparsely spaced out, it has got to be one expensive shop.

There were a few more of such shops around this huge condominium, and it appears to be catered for residents. I bravely ventured into one of the shops and a dress easily costs 20000 yen. That said, I only dared fingered the cheapest looking dress, having a mere 8000 yen with me.

There were some shops on the first floor.

At the other end of the posh residential cluster of buildings, I saw this green pole pretending to be a coconut tree. Since it looked so out of place and stood out like mucus in this town which has a general antiquated brown colour scheme, I figured it must be an icon of Daikanyama or somethings of that status and took a photo of it.

There was a nice hat shop at the corner of the crossroads, and a posh cafe behind it. In Japan, it seems that hairdressing salons are regularly located on the second floor of buildings with glass panels. Even the non-posh ones are also located on the second floors of buildings with glass panels, so I guess this could be just a regular hair salon that happened to be located in this posh place.

I came across this cute bread shop where I bought some pastries for a snack and part of dinner. There weren't many affordable eating places in Daikanyama, it seemed.

I bought myself some bread and this thing that was brightly advertised as what I think is a sweet potato.

And speaking of this bread shop, it was drizzling earlier in the day, so I had my umbrella with me. Not after the bread shop though. :(

After the bread shop, I took a short walk into the small roads behind it. I expected to see some nice houses and some Japanese architecture, and I was pleasantly surprised when the small huts were actually shops.

There were shops, and there were houses. Such big houses in such an expensive estate - these guys aren't your regular rich brats.

I took another path back to the station and saw plenty of pretty buildings and shops along the way.

... more shops.

I liked the fact that there was variety in architecture and design. Almost every building was different, and they made up a very cute combination of roads and shops.

Cute pink shop.

Japan has no lack of cute pink shops.

Shops with protruding staircases.

Shop with a very small door.

Three-storey building. I think the second and third floors are cafes and restaurants, which I think is a pretty cool idea.

Random shop.

Random wall painting. Japanese like to use English words a lot in their road signs, graffiti, speech, etc, but when you actually try to speak English with them, most of them give you a very blank look.

Whatever.

And it's back to the station and back to my room to eat the pastries that I bought.

Daikanyama és un barri bastant europeu, amb botiguetes de discos, de roba, pastisseries, i moltes de juguets, llibres i gadgets friquis. Llocs d'aquests on, en estat vacacional i relaxat de ment, et pots deixar els yens començant col·leccions de tonteries que un cop a casa mai acabaràs. M'he comprat un llibre molt guapo de fotos de solucions enginyoses dels joves japos per encabir les seves coses als minipisos, en plan cachondo; i un vídeojoc d'aquests de l'any de la maria castanya tipo Game A, Game B, amb un packaging que ja t'obligava a comprar-la.

Com a traca final, hem tornat a Shibuya ("Blade Runner" va passar aquí!), per fer l'últim volt, creuar els passos de zebra mítics sota les pantalles gegants una vez más i baixar al Mandarake, un paradís de les consoles Atari, l'anime i l'Astroboy, on també ha caigut alguna chuminada, normal. I com a comiat de Tokyo (quina llàstima de frase) hem sopat al Nobu (de la cadena del reputado chef del mismo nombre), l'àpat més car del viatge ("Modern Japanese cuisine") que sens dubte ens mereixíem després de dies dinant sushi de guerra o sopant coses inverosímils que no saps si és lo que t'has demanat.

S'ha acabat el bròquil
A les 23:15 de la nit, tornant a l'hotel en un dels últims trens, centenars de persones amb al corbata afluixada i el maquillatge descuajeringat amb cares de taja omplien els vagons i reien com nens petits. Quina gran estampa de Japong. Ja només ens haurà faltat el karaoke, un combat de sumo, el peix mortal que si el talles malament blablabla...

I això és el final. Japó és una societat capitalista com la nostra, però que funciona amb uns hàbits personals, socials i de consum molt diferents dels nostres, de vegades de formes totalment inversemblants. Aquest blog ha volgut ser una eina per ordenar les anècdotes i idees al respecte (en modo fast), i compartir una experiència urbana inoblidable. Gràcies per la vostra lectura!

PD: Avui no hi ha fotos, l'últim dia he prescindit de la càmera perquè tot m'entrés directe als ulls :)