Tag: From Japan

From Japan: Visiting Shibuya

Editorial Team

So if all the otaku hang out in Akihabara, where do the (less nerdy) hip youngsters do their shopping?  The answer: Shibuya!

A district in Tokyo, Shibuya is not only famous for possessing one of the busiest train stations in the country, but is home to numerous fashion shops, all huddled together under jumbo-trons and bright lights.  Shibuya 109 and the recently erected mall, Omotesandou Hills, are places where you can purchase the latest fashion at steep prices, or simply admire some of the gyaru and even a few yamamba spending their parent’s money.  Fans of the film Lost in Translation starring Bill Murray, may recognize some of the distinguishing spots near the infamously crowded intersection.

visiting ShibuyaNearby is also the statue of the dog “Hachikou,” who sat waiting for his master at the station for over ten years, unknown that he died since no one told the poor mutt. The story was made into the American film Hachi: A Dog’s Tale starring Richard Gere.  Haven’t seen it, so can’t comment.

visiting ShibuyaSo what’s a guy like me to find entertaining in a fashionable place like this?  Well, there’s Mandarake, a gigantic underground comic shop, cluttered with nostalgic toys – both Japanese and Western – as well as old games and consoles.

visiting ShibuyaAlso, at the top floor of Tower Records is the biggest English bookstore I’ve ever seen in Japan (about the size of a regular bookstore back home).  And if you’re a fan of people-watching like myself, it’s fun to order a coffee at Starbucks, head up to the third floor, and admire the sea of people flood by when the light turns green.

Can’t get more Tokyo-ish than this.

From Japan: Kabukiza Is Open For Business!

Editorial Team

It took over two years of renovating, but the Kabukiza theatre, located in the Ginza district of Tokyo, reopened just the other day on April 2nd.  A parade of actors, as well as a drum ceremony, took part in the grand opening.

What is kabuki, you might ask?

In a nutshell, it’s a Japanese-style play in which actors – all male – dress up in colorful clothing and act out their performance along with a set of dance moves while drums and flutes set the mood in the background.  The word itself is comprised of the Chinese characters “ka” (sing), “bu” (dance), and “ki” (skill).  The kabuki-style drama originated in the early 17th Century by (gasp!) a woman named Izumo no Okuni.  Kabuki quickly grew in popularity, the main attraction being that all the performers were female.  The shogun weren’t too keen on this, and so twenty years later, female performances were banned – and switched to an all-male cast, a custom which remains even to this day.

The Kabukiza is, by far, not the oldest theater in Japan – constructed in 1889 – but certainly one of the most popular, simply because of its convenient location in downtown Tokyo.

KabukiI had the pleasure of seeing a performance several years ago before the renovations began.  And I can tell you, the tickets are not cheap!  I paid about 12,000 yen (US$130) and I was way up in the nosebleeds.  That price included one long performance (a little over an hour), then a bento (boxed meal) for lunch, followed by two shorter performances.

Did I understand any of it?  Absolutely!  And not because of my Japanese language skills.  Translators are offered, in which you stick a headphone in one ear, and listen to an English narrator explain what’s happening and what the characters are saying.  These translators were also offered in Chinese, Korean, and (believe it or not) Japanese.  Yes, a Japanese-to-Japanese translator.  Why?  Because the dialogue in a kabuki performance is ancient, and stretched out vocally which makes it difficult for an amateur kabuki-goer to understand.  Much like trying to watch a Shakespearean performance as it’s sung like an opera.

While kabuki is about as common to the everyday Japanese as a Shakespeare play is to the common Westerner, it is a major part of the culture.  It’s interesting to watch, certainly very different than anything shown in Stratford, and would recommend it to anyone visiting Japan and has a free day to kill.

 

written by Damon Finos

Would You Date This Man?

Editorial Team

It’s natural for many of us to wear a “mask” during certain events in our lives.

On a first date, being nervous and wishing to make a good first-impression, we may behave a certain way that’s not completely natural to our character.  But to the otaku, this metaphor of “wearing a mask” has become quite literal.

The small town of Washinomiya, in Saitama Prefecture, has become a pilgrimage site for otaku fans of the manga Rakkii Staa (Lucky Star) where the story is set.  The local chamber of commerce took notice of the otaku‘s spending power, and decided – why not hook these people up?  Two incomes are better than one.  The problem, however, is that otaku are generally shy by nature.

So, what if they wore masks?

And so, the local government organized a large goukon – rougly translated as a “single’s party.”  Fifteen male otaku and fifteen females with similar manga and anime interests were invited, each adorning a halloween mask of Mickey Mouse, Pikachu, Doraemon, and various other characters, hoping to meet that lucky someone.

“I feel this is an easier way to talk to people,” said one 27-year-old woman in a bunny mask.  When asked one young male – wearing a samurai master mask – if he planned to go on a real date, he answered, “I hope so…maybe.”

And the result?

Seven couples left the event together.  That’s a 47% success rate!  Way to go, otaku!

From Japan: Pay to Sleep with Women in Akihabara!

Editorial Team

Let’s face it, otaku are people, too.  And sometimes after a long day of heading up to Akihabara, buying video games and filling their backpacks with anime memorabilia, then sitting alone at a maid cafe for an overpriced cup of coffee and some cake, an otaku might not be ready to head home, just yet.  Maybe they want to rest for a bit, even pretend they have a girlfriend lying next to them, for a few minutes.

Well, now they can!

Introducing ソイネ屋 (Soineya) which literaly translates as “together-sleep-shop,” that just opened this year on September 25th.  The concept isn’t entirely new in Japan, but it’s the first time such a place opened in Akihabara, the videogame/anime district of Tokyo.

So, what is a soineya?  I’m sure by the photo, you’re at least mildly curious.
Well, it’s not a brothel, strip club, or even hostess bar.  Instead, it’s a place where the otaku can pay to sleep next to a young woman.  And it’s not cheap!
After paying a 3,000 yen ($35) entrance fee, the basic rate is another 3,000 yen for 20 minutes.  Prices increase every twenty minutes or few hours.  Or, if you’re really tuckered out, fork over 50,000 yen ($580) for a full 10 hours.

There are optional courses, as well.  For 1,000 yen, you can spoon for 3 minutes.  Or, for 2,000 yen, the girl will sleep with her head in your lap for 3 minutes.

Sound crazy?  Maybe even a little sad?  Well, welcome to the lonely life of being an otaku in Japan.

From Japan: The Mysteries of Japanese Cosplay!

Editorial Team

Having been to the Tokyo Game Show on “business days,” I can say that the experience is satisfying. No crowds, no pushing and shoving, no long lines to play a game. Unfortunately, that also meant no Japanese Cosplay.

So who are these Cosplayers?  What are they?  Why are they?  So many questions…

Japanese CosplayIn Japanese, kosupure is a hybrid of the English words “costume” and “play.”  In a nutshell, these are fans who enjoy dressing up as manga, anime and video game characters.  I like to think of it as a kind of Halloween-like sub-culture, as you don’t usually see Cosplayers on the train or buying Big Macs at McDonald’s.  Rather, they usually get together at specific events – such as the Tokyo Game Show.

While it’s possible to buy these outfits at shops in Akihabara and other places, most Cosplayers I spoke to during past TGSs said they made their costumes themselves.  There’s “mecha” Cosplayers who dress as robots made of cardboard, a billion Final Fantasy characters, I even saw a Sega Saturn running around.  Hair is either dyed and stylized, or they use wigs.  The outfits themselves are either hand-crafted, or put together using an assortment of clothing.

Makuhare Messe, where the Tokyo Game Show takes place, is made up of three ginormous rooms.  In between are these narrow, outdoor alleys – where the Cosplayers mainly hang-out.  They each find themselves an area near a wall, and a line is formed by the otaku anxiously waiting to take their pictures.  The Cosplayers make several poses, while the otaku click away on their cameras (sometimes requesting specific poses) until they’re satisfied, and the next person in line moves up for their turn.

Japanese CosplayI personally wouldn’t call this sub-culture a form of role-play, as the Cosplayers don’t usually “play their role.”  I’ve never seen a Solid Snake act out a battle with a Liquid Ocelot (maybe because there’s no room) and if you speak to a Cosplayer, they talk like a normal human being (usually) and not in character.

So why do they do it?  Maybe for the same reason Westerners have fun dressing up on Halloween.  Because it’s fun to dress up.  And having people line up to take their picture gives them a day of fame.

Though I did enjoy the lack of crowds visiting the TGS on a business day, I felt that without the Cosplayers, there was something missing.

 

written by Damon Finos