Tokyo Anaba

Iseya (いせや) a Filthy Kichijoji Institution

2012-01-12T21:47:00.000+09:00

Hi there. Remember me? I haven't written/posted since the earthquake. No, it wasn't because I was scarred physically or emotionally; it was because I am colossally lazy. And yeah... this one wasn't even written by me, it was written by David Z. Morris who blogs at \\Minds Like Knives//, over 6 months ago when he still resided in Japan. Anyhow, it's mid-winter and I thought it'd be nice to finally post something with a more summer feel to help keep you warm during your non-insulated, concrete tenement sucking in cold air, Tokyo winter. Do enjoy, please.

If this blog has any message (beside theobvious one that drinking is great and you should introduce your children to itat an early age) it’s that Western images of Japan as a wonderland of shinyhyper-tech and gleaming elevated highways are spectacularly misguided. If youwant to burn those myths from your mind, I doubt there’s a more large-scale,spectacular way to do it than Iseya. This two-story yakitori – well, tent, really – has been around since1928, and apparently hasn’t been cleaned since (and that includes the staff’suniforms, which consist of standardissue sweatpants, white t-shirt, and towel-around-the-head). It’s like your own little piece of Jakartaright in Kichijoji.

Any American health inspector would walktwo feet into this place before trying to shut it down, but he’d have ananeurysm halfway through the paperwork. The runner over the entryway to the main dining hall is black at thebottom from decades of scalp oils soaking into it bit by bit. The roof over the main dining area is thekind of plastic waffle you’d build a shed out of. We were seated on the second floor right nextto a broken section of roof, and leaves, bird droppings, and god knows whatelse were collected on a platform conveniently tilted ever so slightly towards ourfood. This is where a large section ofroof had been jury-rigged with a tarp. It looked like the tarp had been there for a while.

Whether because of its shittiness ordespite it, people love this place. Itseats over 100 people, but still we actually had to queue up for about tenminutes to get in. But it’s more thanjust busy – when Iseya opened up a new, clean, fancy store on the other side ofKichijoji, there was a minor revolt on Mixi and they ended up keeping bothlocations. Part of the secret islocation – Iseya is right next to Inokashira Park, one of Tokyo’s best, so youcan get takeout yakitori and go watch a puppet show or professional mangareading (if you’re lucky). But the placeitself has a great atmosphere, too, public and loud and rowdy. I was kind of reminded of the big open-airdancehalls around Austin, Texas, except of course that there was no band(Iseya, you can have that idea for free!)

I’ve been to Iseya twice now, and theprovisions were mixed. The first nighteverything was way above-average, with crisp gyoza and great yakitori, with atruly hand-made vibe that would definitely justify people’s passion. This week I went back and the gyoza were sooily I only ate one, and the yakitori was okay, but not a jump-out. We got a nice fresh tomato and some greathomemade pickles, though, so maybe the gyoza were just bad luck the second timearound.

And maybe they would have been better withthe bird shit.

- David Z. Morris

So there you are, Iseya is a dump, but our sort of dump. I was surprised to find that they had an official website, and that it's a lot nicer than the restaurant itself... Sign of the times, I suppose.

Smile Fukushima -- Merry Christmas Campaign

2011-12-15T14:43:00.005+09:00

The local Fukushima newspaper Fukushima Minpo (http://www.minpo.jp//) announced on December 15 that it is collecting Christmas messages in Japan and abroad for children in the prefecture affected by the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The "Smile Fukushima -- Merry Christmas" campaign launched on December 15 and will run until December 19.

Selected messages will be carried in the December 25 edition of the Fukushima Minpo newspaper. The page carrying the messages will be formatted so that it can be folded into a Christmas hat. The first 200 children elementary school age or younger and their parents who bring the hat will be admitted free of charge to meet a real Santa Claus from Finland at a Christmas event to be held on December 25, 2011 at the UNITED SPORTS FOUNDATION KIDS PARK supported by Super SportsXebio in Fukushima City.

The "Smile Fukushima" project was launched by the Fukushima Minpo in an effort to encourage Fukushima residents affected by the March earthquake and tsunami. In the project’s inaugural undertaking, sunflowers were planted this summer and arranged into a giant flower shaped work of art.

How to submit your message:
Send message by email to: smile@fukushima-minpo.co.jp

What to include with the message:
1) Nationality
2) full name
3) age
4) message (may be edited due to space restrictions)

Deadline:
Monday, December 19, 2011

CHRISTMAS EVENT
14:00-15:30 on Sunday, December 25 (Numbered tickets will be handed out from 9:00)
Requirement for admission: Bring the message page of the December 25 edition of Fukushima Minpo folded into a Christmas hat
Maximum number of visitors: 200 children of elementary school age or younger and their parents; numbered tickets will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis
Venue: UNITED SPORTS FOUNDATION KIDS PARK supported by Super SportsXebio (39-2 Sakurauchi, Minami-Yanome, Fukushima City; Tel: 024-555-1240)

Tokyo human rights center Part 2: Dealing with burakumin discrimination in Tokyo

2011-12-14T18:07:00.003+09:00

Continuing from our last post, let's consider discrimination that takes place specifically in Tokyo. Although much more toned down, it is an issue that resonates to this very day. Just jump on a 2chan aggregator or twitter and search for 同和問題 (dowa mondai, i.e., problem of discrimination based on real or perceived class difference) or 同和地区 (dowa chiku, i.e., areas where lower castes were once forced to live) to see the recent chatter.

The dowa chiku of Osaka (could not find a similar map for Tokyo)

I will try to make the translation as faithful to the original without embellishing in order to give an idea of what is being taught. I have added the original Japanese so you can check for yourself. Corrections are welcome. Let me know if you have any.

東京でおきている差別①
同和問題は、まだ解決していません。
私たちの住む東京でも、さまざまな差別が今も起きています。

◆差別的な落書き等
●公共施設や大学などで、同和地区出身者に対する差別的な落書きや張り紙が見つかっています。
●また、最近では、匿名性を悪用しインターネットの提示版に同和地区暴露や差別意識を助長するような無責任な書き込み　も見つかっています。

◆連続大量差別はがき事件
●同和地区出身者の自宅などに、平成15年から翌16年にかけて、差別はがきなどが送られるという事件が発生しました。「えた、非人は人間ではないので人権はない」「死ね」「殺す」「住めないようにしてやる」というような誹謗・中傷・脅迫する内容の差別はがきが大量（全国で400通に及んだ）に送りつけられる事件でした。

犯行の手口も、
・被審者の自宅や近所に差別はがきなどを送りつける。
・被審者の名前をかたり物品を被審者宅に着払いで送る。
・被審者の名前をかたり、ハンセン病療養所に差別手紙を送りつける。
－など悪質なものでした。
「エタ、非人」の語は、江戸時代の身分制度が撤廃された後も、部落（同和地区）の人々を差別する言葉として使われ、当時者からは厳しい抗議がされてきました。この手紙でも「人間ではない」などと、きわめて差別的に使われました。
☆この事件の犯人は、平成16（2004）年10月に逮捕され、懲役2年の刑が確定しました。

このような行為は、被審者の名誉を傷つけ、生活を脅かし、精神的苦痛を与えるだけでなく、新たな差別を助長するもので、決して許されるものではありません。

Discrimination in Tokyo (1)
The dowa mondai is still not resolved to this day.
In Tokyo, many types of discrimination take place even today.

◆Discriminatory graffiti
●Graffiti and posters with discriminatory messages aimed at people from dowa chiku have been found in public facilities, universities and more.
●Irresponsible messages claiming to "disclose" dowa chiku and awareness of discrimination can also be found online, where these users abuse the anonymity of Internet forums.

◆Case of discrimination using postcards
●Discriminatory postcards were sent to homes of persons from the dowa chiku between 2003 and 2004. The postcards included slanderous, hurtful and threatening messages including "Eta and hinin are not human beings so you have no human rights," "Die!," "I'm going to kill you," "I will make it so you can't live there anymore."

How the criminal act was carried out:
・Postcards sent to the homes and neighborhoods of victims
・Items ordered under the victims' names and sent COD
・Discriminatory letters sent under the victims' names to Hansen's Disease (leprosy) treatment clinics
－and other vicious acts

The words eta and hinin were used to discriminate against people in the buraku (dowa chiku) areas even after the Edo era class system was abolished and people of the time severely objected to them. The letters included very discriminatory messages, such as "You are not human" and more.
☆The perpetrator of this crime was arrested in October 2004 and received a two year sentence.

This behavior is unforgivable because it not only disgraces victims, threatens their life and causes emotional pain, but also encourages new forms of discrimination.

東京でおきている差別②
◆就職にかかわる差別
企業等が従業員を採用するときには、本人の仕事への適性や能力のみで決められるべきです。同和地区の出身という理由で採用されないなどということは絶対に許されません。
しかし、実際には同和地区出身の人々に対する就職差別は起きています。
これまで、本籍地や家族の職業など、本人の仕事への適性や能力に関係ないことを履歴書に書かせたり、面接の際に聞いたりする事例がありました。

★6月は就職差別解消促進月間です。
就職は、生活の安定確保や労働を通じた社会参加など、幸せに生きていく上で基本となるものであり、採用選考は応募者本人の適性と能力に基づいて公正に行わなければなりません。
東京都では6月を「就職差別解消促進月間」とし、就職差別をなくし、就職の機会均等の確保を進めるため、東京労働局及び公共職業安定所と連携して様々な啓発活動を展開しています。

◆結婚に見られる差別
結婚は、結婚するふたりの意思によるものであり、憲法でもその権利と自由が保証されています。
平成11年に東京都が実施した世論調査では、子供の結婚相手が同和地区出身者と分かった場合、53.9％の人が「子どもの意志を尊重する」としているものの、約23％の人がなんらかのかたちで「反対する」「認めない」と答えています。
同和地区出身の人々に対する結婚にかかる差別意識は根強く残っています。

Discrimination in Tokyo (2)
◆Discrimination in the workplace
In selecting new hires, companies should base their decision solely on the individual's competence and abilities. It is totally unacceptable for a company not to hire someone due to the fact that they are from dowa chiku.　
Nevertheless, there are people from dowa chiku that experience discrimination in terms of employment.
There have been cases of companies asking potential hires to include on their resume location of their family registry (honseki), occupation of other family members and other information unrelated to job competence and abilities. People have also been subjected to this line of questioning at interviews.

★June has been designated "Month to eliminate employment discrimination."
Being able to seek employment is something fundamental to human happiness by allowing them to hold down a stable lifestyle and take part in society through work. When selecting potential hires, organizations must utilize a fair system based on competence and abilities.
June is designated "Month to Eliminate Employment Discrimination" in Tokyo and the Tokyo Labour Bureau partners with the Employment Security Bureau of MHLW (Hello Work) to implement educational activities that promote elimination of job discrimination and equal opportunity in the workplace.

◆Discrimination in marriage
The Japanese constitution ensures couples the right to freely enter into marriage based on their choice.
A 1999 survey conducted by the Tokyo metropolitan government found that 53.9% of parents would respect the wishes of their children if they decided to marry someone of dowa chiku origins. Meanwhile approximately 23% said they would oppose the marriage or not allow it.
Discrimination against people of dowa chiku origins in the case of marriage is deeply-rooted.

For more about buraku discrimination, see the Headquarters of Buraku Liberation League or this great buraku resource in the Harvard Human Rights Journal.

In our next post, we will talk about foreigners in Japan and the Ainu.

Tokyo human rights center Part 1: History of Discrimination in Japan

2011-10-15T09:34:00.019+09:00

So, I was on my way home from a run in the grey hinter-regions between Minami-Senju and Kita-Senju and this uninspiring, drab public building had its doors open.

Yes, you read that correctly. It is the human rights learning center for Tokyo.

"Human rights?" you might be asking. Well, let's venture inside.

The first thing one is confronted with upon entering is a history of human rights in Japan over the years. (this oughtta be good...)

革づくりの歴史 1
History of Leather Making part 1 (hmmm. Interesting. Where might they be going with this?)

1991年、アルプス・チロル地方の氷河のなかから、世界で一番古い革製品を身につけた約５０００年前の凍結ミイラが発見されました。牛革製の帽子、火打ち石の入った皮袋、毛皮の服です。これらの製品は樹皮などの植物でなめされていたと推定されています。
日本でも古くから皮革が用いれられており、日本の革づくりの歴史を紹介いたします。

・古代から中世
皮革は古代から武具や献上品として用いられ、6～7世紀には朝鮮半島から渡ってきた人々によって革づくりの技術が向上しました。平安時代後期からは、皮革業は次第に手工業として広がりました。これを担ったのが「河原者」「キヨメ」と呼ばれた人々です。

・戦国時代
戦国時代の武将は革づくりを重視し、武具製造に必要な皮革技術者を集め支配下に置きました。皮役を命じ、その代償として皮革等の専売権を認めました。
この時代にも、皮革技術者に大して「ケガレ」観などによる見方はありましたが、差別は固定化していませんでした。

In 1991, a 5,000 year old frozen mummy was discovered in the Tyrol area of the Alps. It was clothed in the oldest leather items ever found, including a hat made from cattle hide, a leather pouch for holding flint and clothes made from animal skins. These items are assumed to have been tanned using bark and other plants.
Like Europe, leather has also been used in Japan since long ago. Here is a history of leather making in Japan.

・From early history to medieval times
Leather has been used since ancient times for armor and offerings. Improvements in leather technology were made thanks to the arrival of peoples from the Korean peninsula in the 6th and 7th century. In the latter Heian era (794-1192?), leather-working gradually spread as a handicraft industry. Those that took up this trade were referred to as Kawaramono or Kiyome.

・Warring States period (mid 15th to early 17th century)
In this period, making leather for the commander was first priority and those capable were assembled and subjugated to making armor. They were designated as leather workers and as given exclusive rights to sell leather as compensation.
In this era, the leather workers were looked upon as being unclean but the discrimination had not yet been institutionalized.

Okay. Next, let's move on to the Edo period (1603-1868).

革づくりの歴史 2
History of Leather Making part 2

江戸時代
豊臣秀吉は太閤検地・刀狩などによて、武士と農民を分離していきました。その後の徳川幕府はさらに政策を進め、その過程で歴史的、社会的な経緯で差別されていた人々を次第に身分として固定し、さまざまな人々をそこに組み込みました。
皮の生産を専業とされた人々は農民や町人とは別に扱われ、服装や交際など生活全般の制限、村の行政からの排除など、周囲の民衆からもさまざまな差別を受けるようになりました。
禅左衛門は関東地方を中心とする被差別民の「頭」で、幕府は禅左衛門に革づくりや灯心の製造・販売の権利、多くの芸能の監督権などを与える一方、被差別民を刑吏や町奉行の下役などに従事させていました。
関東では、解体処理した牛馬の皮は禅左衛門のもとに送る決まりになっていました。原皮は塩漬けなどで浅草に運ばれ、禅左衛門とその配下の人々によってなめされたのです。

Edo period
With Hideyoshi Toyotomi's nationwide land survey of 1582 and the "sword hunt" of 1588, the warrior class and the peasantry were separated. The Tokugawa shogunate further extended this policy later, causing discrimination against a variety of people to become entrenched due to historic and social reasons.
Those in the leather-making profession were treated differently from other peasants and townspeople, with wide-ranging limitations placed on what they could wear and who they could associate with. They were excluded from local government and were discriminated against by the population at large.
Danzaemon was the person in charge of the outcasts of the Kanto region. Although Danzaemon was given the rights to produce and sell leather and candle wicks as well as the right to oversee many of the performing arts, he was also tasked with execution of outcasts and served as an underling to the town magistrate.
In the Kanto region, it was necessary to send skins of slaughtered horses and cattle to Danzaemon. The skins were brought to Asakusa for salting (part of the tanning process) then tanned by Danzaemon and his subordinates.

近代皮革業の起こり
The origins of modern leather making

・近代皮革業の系譜
明治維新とともに、欧米のなめし技術の移入により皮革業の近代化が進められ、また、近代的軍隊に必要な軍装品の製造が始められました。
皮革産業の近代化には次の３つの系譜があり、現在につながっています。
１.在来の皮革技術をもとにしたもの（弾直樹など）
２.政府と取引のある商人が始めたもの（西村勝三など）
　ー西村勝三が創業した3月15日は「靴の日」となっているー
３.禄を失った土族などに職を与えるためのもの（大塚岩次郎など）

・弾直樹の皮革・靴工場
弾直樹は、被差別民の生計を確保することも目指しました。このため、欧米の皮革技術を習わせ、靴などの製品を軍隊に納めることを計画し、明治3（1870）年には兵部省の契約を得て、翌年王子滝野川（北区）に「皮革製造伝習所」を開設しました。
　アメリカから技師を招き、それまでの革づくりの伝統をもとに、近代的な皮革の製造や靴づくりを目指しました。

明治4（1871）年、被差別民の皮革専業権が廃止され、原皮の入手が困難になっていきました。
明治5（1872）年には、工場を浅草に移転しました。
弾は、経営的には成功したとはいえませんが、多くの被差別民に新技術を伝え、育った技術者は、その後のわが国の皮革産業等や靴製造業を担っていったといわれています。
　

The origins of the modern leather industry
With the Meiji Restoration, European leather tanning techniques were adopted in Japan, which helped modernize the leather industry. It also facilitated the production of military equipment for a modern military.
The modernization of the leather industry can be traced from three important routes, which extend to the modern day:
1. Traditional leather making techniques (Dan Naoki, etc.)
2. Business between the government and merchants (Nishimura Katsuzo, etc.)
　(March 15, the date Nishimura opened the first shoe factory in Japan is celebrated as Shoes Day in Japan today)
3. To provide employment to the Monguor people and others that lost their salary (Otsuka Iwajiro--the man who founded Otsuka Shoten, which is now Otsuka Shoe Co., Ltd. etc.)

・Dan Naoki's leather and shoe factory
Dan Naoki (the 13th and final Danzaemon) had the goal of securing a livelihood for the outcasts. In order to do so, he was ordered to learn European leather technology, and made plans to supply shoes and more to the military. In 1870 he was rewarded with a contract with the Ministry of War and in 1871 set up a leather production learning center in the Takinogawa area of Oji (present-day Kita-ku).
　American specialists were also brought to Japan to help modernize leather production and shoemaking based on traditional methods.

In 1871, with the abolition of the outcast system (exclusive trade in leather), animal skins became difficult to obtain.
In 1872, the factory was moved to Asakusa.
Dan Naoki was not exactly successful managing the factory, but he helped explain the new technology to many outcasts. These new specialists that he trained shouldered the burden of leather and shoemaking in Japan from this point.

So, there you have it. It's not the most detailed or informative explanation, but this is the effort the government of Tokyo gives to educating citizens about its several-hundred year long untouchable system.

For more about Japan's outcast system I recommend checking out Japan's Invisible Race by George A. De Vos. (1966)

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Stay tuned for Part 2 for some information about Ainu history and fun facts about gaijin in Tokyo.

(Note: All explanations here are translations.)

Serendipity

2011-10-05T20:25:00.002+09:00

A sea of flames

2011-09-24T16:35:00.012+09:00

I came across this small memorial today. Strange that I never noticed it because it's a street go down all the time.

There is a plaque on the corner which reads:

第2次大戦下の1945(昭和20）年3月10日米軍機B２９による東京大空襲で、10万以上の貴重な人命が失われ、三筋町も一面に火の海と成りました。辛うじて焼け残ったこの電柱には同時の惨状が刻み込まれています。私達はこの悲惨な歴史の生き証人としての電柱を保存することにより、あのような悲劇をひき起こした戦争を二度とくり返さないことを神に誓い、恒久の世界平和を宣言するものであります。

Mar.10.1988 焼け残った電柱を保存する会

(my translation)

In the aerial bombing of Tokyo by U.S. B-29 bombers on March 10, 1945, over 100,000 precious lives were lost and Misujicho (present day Taito-ku, Misuji) was transformed into a sea of flames. The woeful state of that day is etched into this partly burnt electric pole which somehow remained. We, the surviving witnesses of this tragic history, pledge with god as our witness to never again repeat war like the one that that brought this tragedy upon us. We declare world peace for all time.

March 10, 1988 The burnt electric pole preservation association

I am living on the site of the deadliest conventional aerial bombing campaign in history. I thought the Tokyo bombing was spread out over time. No, 279 B-29s dropped 1,700 tons of bombs in a matter of a day, whipping up winds of 50 m/s (over 111 mph--same as most tornadoes) and a firestorm that destroyed over 280,000 houses and buildings, killing and wounding over 120,000 civilians. It is haunting to even imagine the hell of that day.

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A fleeting moment

2011-08-25T19:15:00.007+09:00

Ever experience, even just momentarily, a feeling of calm where yin and yang are in alignment and things are just as they should be?

I think I may have just now (for the first time in a blue moon).

Clue 1: No sense of loathing people around me (probably helps that there were hardly any people at the office after 5:30 today)
Clue 2: No general sense of angst about having to rush to finish something
Clue 3: No compulsive urge to check every social network known to man while procrastinating work

Possible reason 1: Very good Earl grey tea I drank
Possible reason 2: Everyone's out of the office today and it is very quiet
Possible reason 3: Doable work with realistic deadlines
Possible reason 4: This song

Good tea

Replacing shoji

2011-04-05T21:43:00.032+09:00

Okay, this is more about a hole in a door than a wall.

Shoji (障子) are a characteristic element of Japanese architecture that encompass important cultural ideals of not insulating the house from heat or cold and being very fragile and easily destroyed. If you are like me, you may have been introduced to them by this episode of the Simpsons.

My apartment came with six shoji doors, which over several years have accumulated stains and holes.

A while back, the wife and I took it upon ourselves to fix these busted, yellow-stained shoji with some nice, clean new ones. I will give a step by step run-through of how you too can do this without the help of a professional.

Shopping list
Shoji-gami (the paper)
hagashi (adhesive remover)
cutting guide or heavy ruler
cutter

Step one:Taking off the existing paper

Roll the hagashi across the edges on each section where the wood touches the paper (where all the glue is).

Once you've rolled the hagashi on all sections of paper touching wood, then you can peel off the paper. This part is pretty easy. If any parts rip, you can go across with a towel and wipe them off.

After the paper is off let the frame dry for 15-20 minutes.

Step two: Put on the new paper

So, there are two types of shoji paper. One requires gluing and one is iron-on. We got the iron-on one, since it looked a lot easier. The downside is if you don't properly iron the paper on, it will come loose in areas and be impossible to make stick again.

It is important that you get a paper size that fits your doors too. The standard width in Japan is 94 cm (I think) but we have another set of doors that are 118 cm which I have not been able to find paper for.

The paper should be wider than the door frame. First roll it over and pull tight, ironing the corners to keep in place. Next, iron everywhere that the paper touches the wood. You have to be very careful on the outside not to iron all the way to the edge. Our frame had a very shallow groove about 1cm from the inside edge all the way around to help with the next step, which is...

Step three: Cutting off the excess paper
This is solely for looks, but the whole purpose of shoji is for looks, so it is semi-important. Get your ruler or cutting guide and cut in a straight line around the outside. They make these cutting guides the right size to place solidly at the edge to help you cut straight. Ours, however, had a convenient little shallow groove that we were able to use as a guide.

Step four: Spray with water
I don't know the purpose of this, but the instructions said to do it so we did.

walla.

A Moment of Humor/Street Art

2011-03-20T17:46:00.000+09:00

Came across this BADASS sticker out in Omotesando.

Helping the Displaced People in Tohoku

2011-03-20T15:32:00.032+09:00

What people in Tokyo can do:
Volunteer or donate at Second Harvest.

Donate unused items such as feminine products, baby products such as diapers and lotion, items for the elderly such as adult diapers and wet sheets, as well as water, paper cups and more to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Donate blood through the Red Cross Society

What you can do in Japan outside Tokyo:
Make a furikomi (振込み) donation to Doraemon Charity Fund.
Donate canned food, instant rice, cup ramen, batteries, diapers, wet tissues etc. to the Shizuoka government.

What you can do both in and outside of Japan:
Donate to Red Feather Community Chest Movement, a member of United Way Worldwide, which goes toward supporting victims and volunteer groups which are responding to the disaster.

There are also many Japanese NPOs that are accepting donations and volunteers:

Peace Winds Japan	JEN
Association for Aid and Relief, Japan	The Association of Medical Doctors of Asia
KNK Japan	JOICFP
Japan Platform	Civic Force

Even more info here courtesy of @1rick

Living in the Twilight Zone pt.II (the horror of the aftermath, new fears)

2011-03-18T15:25:00.038+09:00

Saturday, March 12th 2011

It's just after midnight. Sitting at home hunched over the computer greedily taking in information via twitter, fb, email and Japanese and English web news while watching the horrors unfold on TBS. Bourbon and coke in hand, considering writing a blog (its been months, as you can see), bracing for more aftershocks.

Suddenly there's a knock on the door.

Huh?

Who would be here at this hour? The ladies from the office that I walked with to Ueno? Our landlord? The cops telling us to evacuate?

No, it was some good friends. WHOA (in the voice of Keanu). After ushering them in and sitting down I learned that they were in town (from Chiba) to have a meeting at a wedding hall for their upcoming party and with the trains being stopped, were stuck in Tokyo. They had to walk from Meguro all the way to Kuramae as we were the nearest friends that they could get to. Luckily they remembered the way, since phones were completely useless that entire day.

We cracked some beers and settled in front of the tube to tell our respective stories. They had just seen the images on TV for the first time at this point. As anyone that saw them that day will tell you, it was a sobering experience. The power of all that water and destruction it left in its path... Will be etched into our memory forever.

気仙沼

名取

Clearest view of the incoming wave at Natori here (cannot embed).

We can only imagine what those local people in the stricken cities were feeling as they perched silently on those hills watching the ocean swallow up their homes, pets, family and friends...

(Reuters via 3news.co.nz)

Nine hours and several aftershocks later, adding to the feeling of disorientation, it's a beautiful, sunny Saturday. Slept like a baby. Weird. It's 11:30 a.m. Wife and friends all gone (wife at work, friends back to Chiba). Normally with weather like this, I would go out to run or bike and today was no different, except that today the goal was grim. I wanted to survey the damage in Tokyo. Had spent most of the last 24 hours indoors, other than the walk home, so it was still unclear how much damaged Tokyo had sustained. After 6+ hours of watching the devastation unfold on TV the night before, one hour in front of the TV and PC were beginning to drive me stir-crazy, so I took my wheels to the streets of Tokyo shitamachi.

No damage at Higashi Honganji

No damage at Daigaku Imo

No damage to this temple
(although there was a guy working on the roof)

First sign of damage
This was a stone lantern at another temple a few blocks away.

If THIS place is still standing, Tokyo must be okay, right?

The scene at Ueno at 2:00 p.m.

The day after, people were still trying to get home...

Finally some damage

More damage

Just tiles, though.

Another broken shrine stone lantern

It was at this point that the nature of the twin disasters became known to myself and Kuang Grade Mark Eleven as we started to check in on twitter and get panicky emails from friends. Also, for several hours, due to a chain email about the COSMO refinery explosion in Ichihara, Chiba, there was worry about chemical rain... This was soon disproved, but we then we heard about the fire at Fukushima Daiichi...

(to be continued)

Living in the Twilight Zone pt.I

2011-03-14T23:01:00.032+09:00

The past several days have felt like living in a Rod Serling narrated otherworld. To recap my personal experience since 2:46 p.m. on Friday March 11, 2011 would require writing a short novel. I will spare you that, but want to leave a comprehensive record of what I experienced this week.

Friday, March 11th

It was a normal Friday afternoon. Slightly busier than normal at the office, I took the unusual step of writing a list of all the things to do that day before I left that day. It was six items long. I had only crossed off one translation job that I had finished in the early afternoon by the time two came along. A brainstorming session about how to encourage foreign tourists to come to Tokyo was scheduled from two o'clock. The meeting--about eight or nine strong--included several

Japanese co-workers and the one other American guy. There were some zany ideas being thrown around by the locals, including promotion of "power spots" (?) and chambara classes. There was some eye-rolling taking place among myself and guess who amidst the wild conjecture by the Japanese team about where Europeans would love to spend their lovely imaginary future trips to Tokyo. All in all, a typical, patience-grating waste of time.

At some point I notice the room wobbling slightly. I quietly observed,「揺れてる・・・」(it's shaking), at which point the brainstorming died away and all eight of us sat there in relative silence waiting for the shaking to calm down. (We had just had a relatively long, but mild earthquake about a week before that lasted about a minute. I thought was a little out of the ordinary for the type of swaying--it was very slow and rocked like a boat rocking on 2-D waves. Like being in a raft in TRON. )

The odd thing about this latest quake was it just kept going and going, albeit slowly. Then, at the point when most earthquakes start to die down, it very gradually began to grow stronger and stronger and started really feeling like a boat in a storm. At some point, when the table started moving around, the girl next to me began to lose it, asking around if we should actually protect ourselves (this is VERY uncommon in Japan, where most people don't bat an eyelash at a semi-powerful earthquake, yet constantly moan about the temperature being 1 degree below their comfort zone). I think we were all getting concerned by this point. Normally people here would never consider actually running outside (we were on the sixth floor so the amount of time required to get out would likely mean the quake would be over before you get out).

I remember hearing some crashing sounds in the background. This was our final signal to bolt. I couldn't tell if they were buildings collapsing outside or ...? (I later found out it was the bookshelves and PC monitors falling over in the next room.) People started heading toward the door and we scuttled towards the never used emergency fire escape stairwell.

From what I remember it was still shaking by the time we got all the way downstairs and outside. It really felt like it was not going to stop.

Some videos that show the power of the quake:

The entire company (200+) was safely evacuated to the nearby park to stand around freezing and sharing spotty information that was coming through twitter and TV (one-seg). About two hours later after everyone was accounted for (and a few more large aftershocks), we were instructed to head back to the office in an orderly fashion. People on the 9th floor first, followed by the 8th floor and so on.

The evacuation in the park:

We got back to the office to clean up the fallen bookshelves and computers. One bookshelf that had been crammed with magazines was a huge mess and someone turned to me to say, "見なかったことにしよう" (Let's pretend we didn't see that). I nod and move to my workspace. After a lull of what must have been 30 seconds, another uncomfortably large aftershock kicks in and that's when we realize it's time to haul ass out of there for good. No more work will be getting done even if the aftershocks were to stop.

Once back out on the street, there is some awkward mulling about to figure out who is walking in which direction, as the general consensus is that work is done. One guy starts getting vocal, questioning why we can't stay and work. It is too early to go back, he pontificates--"I haven't even been able to get through to the client yet!" Either dazed or annoyed, (in my case) no one argues, and at this point, several groups that thought they could get a taxi together went off to try and do so. I found some people walking towards Ueno and started back toward my house.

It's about an hour long walk that turns to a trudge, with growing numbers of people marching in one direction or another. As we get closer to Tokyo station and Nihombashi the human herd becomes thick.

The only damaged building I saw on the way home:

The view of my room when I finally got home:

Although it seemed bad at the time, based on all the tweets and facebook posts I was reading on the way home, I imagined that the damage here in Tokyo was nothing compared to what it must be in Miyagi prefecture...

(to be continued)

The Big One Finally Hit

2011-03-12T01:45:00.001+09:00

It finally happened. The big one hit. Somewhere around magnitude 8.8 (Update: final magnitude calculations concluded at magnitude 9) at the epicenter up in Miyagi prefecture several hundred kilometers north of the metropolis. Here in Tokyo the magnitude was a weaker, but nevertheless a serious earthquake. Apparently, it was the strongest earthquake in Japan's recent recorded history, and the fifth largest earthquake globally in recent history. To what extent these figure are exact or accurate, I do not know.

As I write this at around 11:00 pm, Friday March 11th, 2011, we are still experiencing aftershocks in frequent intervals (Update: According to a Nikkei headline we will be experiencing aftershocks well over a month. Additionally, I have heard talk from people in the Chuuestsu region saying that they experienced aftershocks for up to a year after their fatal quake in 2004). I'm also a bit shaken up (no pun intended) from the events that transpired today.

Tokyo has literally grinded to a halt. All JR train lines have suspended operations. Highway are at a standstill. Buses are being crammed with people trying to at least begin to head in the general directions of their homes. Several subway lines have resumed operations, but the situation will be dire at best, as masses of people will attempt to squeeze their way in making the usual rush hour commute seem like a luxury limo ride with champagne service and stripper HJs.

I'm not really able to focus too well while watching the devastation in northern Japan unfold on TV and the Internet, so this entry, which happens to be the first one in a long while (as well as the first of 2011 for Anaba: Happy New Years?), may not be as well written as I desire. However, I want to share my experience today, as insignificant as it may be in the grand scheme of today's disaster.

Around 2:45 pm this afternoon I was fumbling through some code at my day job when the earthquake struck. Now, at first it just seemed to be a regular quake. We had a decent one earlier this week that lasted a minute, but all in all it wasn't really shit to raise any alarm. Anyway, about a minute of gentle swaying suddenly gets exponentially stronger. My 30 to 40 year old 4 story office building starts to bounce amidst the swaying. The blinds start smacking against the window sills, hard. Monitors start toppling, and we hold onto whatever electronics we can grab while halfway begin to duck for cover under the big work table.

It felt like an eternity. It was probably about 3 minutes, realistically, maybe less. Magnitude. Mother. Fucking. 8.8. (M9 now, breh). All of us in the office quickly gathered all of our stuff, put the monitors and desktop PCs flat on the ground, as well as some other items that would be prone to toppling in the aftershocks, and leave after the initial quake.

As soon as we made it out of the building we were greeted by a massive crowd of evacuees in the neighboring offices. After a few minutes of chatting with the neighbors, we decided today's work was pretty much done and dispersed to are respective destinations.

From my office in the Hanzomon/Kojimachi area by the Imperial Palace I started to walk home to Koenji via Shinjuku-dori. Right when I reached Yotsuya station the first aftershock hit. I noticed how intense it was when I started to walk across the bridge crossing the tracks and the bridge started shaking. I decided to back track a few steps to avoid a potential collapse and turned around to witness the surrounding building swaying about gently like grass in a windy field.

Immediately following the aftershock I proceeded across the bridge to a major intersection. As I was constantly looking around, 360 degrees, to make sure debris wouldn't come crashing on my head, I noticed plumes of black smoke off in the distance toward what I think was Shibuya.

I continued on Shinjuku-dori toward Shinjuku and noticed in the sky jumbo jets and other passenger jets flying over the skyscraper district; a rare site as most of the city is a no-fly zone. However, the current circumstances had pretty much rendered the airports inactive. Flights were being looped and diverted.

The rest of the way home was surreal. The streets were packed with people heading somewhere, most likely home or a friend's place. Zombies wandering aimlessly came to mind.

It was a brisk day with strong gusts of wind every so often, and a bit of a piddling rain for about 20 minutes at one point.

The streets were jammed with cars going nowhere. Apparently, it was nearly impossible to hail a cab, and the line up for buses went on for blocks.

The noises of the city were dominated by sirens blaring everywhere; cops, firefighters, gas-works response teams, and ambulances. The hubbub of worried citizens layered by the sound of radios, TVs and 1segs broadcasting emergency reports were filtered by the gusts on wind. Once I got near the tracks of the Chuo-line it became eerily silent. I'll say it again: Surreal.

When I finally made it home I wasn't surprised to find some of my electronics on the ground. I haven't even got around to checking to see if they were broken or not. At least I know now for sure that my desktop is in order, as I spent the following several hours watching and reading reports online, contacting people via Facebook and Twitter, and shitting the proverbial brick about whether my good friend and TokyoAnaba contributor, globalimagination, who lives up in Fukushima (a.k.a. Tsunami country), wasn't engulfed in the brutal Pacific tide. He's okay by the way.

At one point my friend David who lives nearby stopped by and we set off to grab a few supplies. On the way back we saw some debris that had fallen off a Showa-era edifice. Check the photos below.

I'm exhausted, so I apologize if this post is written poorly, if there are errors, blah blah blah. Tired and ready to sleep, as long as the aftershocks don't keep me up all night. Burn the midnight oil, I suppose. Doing what, who knows?

The TV was originally on the floor, but the it was propping the doors against the wall, originally. The force of the earthquake had moved the doors and TV out about 2 feet.

A couple of my laptops, drum machine and midi controller along with some other detritus littered about in my study cum bed (futon) room.

Fallen debris from an old building in Koenji.

Where the debris had been pre-quake.

The Ongoing Humanification of Akihabara: 2k540 AKI-OTA Artisan

2010-12-12T09:51:00.029+09:00

So, I was pedaling through Akiba (as I do pretty regularly) and noticed something odd. A warm glow was emanating from the black hole that had been the empty space below the Yamanote-sen tracks.

The space had been empty for a few years. Lately there has perpetually been a homeless guy taking up residence in front of the deserted space on the sidewalk. The location (an underpass about halfway between Akiba and Okachimachi, hence the Aki-Oka name) at Kuramaebashi-dori was previously home to a huge Hanamasa Carne Station yakiniku buffet restaurant, which still lives on in Ginza and Asakusa. The Akiba one closed sometime in 2005 or so (the comments on the gurume sites seem to stop in 2005; I last went in 2003 or so).

There is still a very large Hanamasa supermarket on the other side of the street, also under the tracks (with what might be the biggest seafood selection of any Hanamasa).

You can appreciate my surprise, when, after five years of disuse, the spot suddenly transformed into the stylish, modern effective use of space you see here:

2k540 AKI-OTA Artisan opened on December 11, 2010

Not exactly Hibiya yet, but better

The shops inside 2k540 (which derives from railway-speak for the distance from Tokyo station, i.e., 2,540 meters) were mostly handmade, arts and crafts type shops.

There were two cafes. I decided to go in for a closer look at this one:

Very un-Akiban atmosphere

iPads for each customer = nice touch

At the Akiba side there was a shop that had unusual locally-produced foods:

Nihon Hyakka-ten

You have to take off your shoes to go up here

There is a good reason 99.9% of us use genetically modified canola oil... This non-GM oil was 2600 yen.

It's good to see that there is an effort being made to beautify what was once a grey, desolate area. The stretch between Akiba station and here has been cleaned up massively in the past three or four years, with the Crossfield building, Intage building, Yodobashi Camera and more. It used to be populated by run-down aluminum and cardboard recycling centers (with the army of homeless guys that comes with that) and empty streets.

Good to see Akiba take another step in the right direction. All it needs now is a good cheapo izakaya and some fashion stores to repel all the nerds and sickos!

2k540

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The Most Superfluous Museum in a Megalopolis Filled with Superfluous Museums

2010-12-04T14:37:00.044+09:00

Tokyo is known for its huge variety of history, art and oddball museums. At the top of the heap comes the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku, the Meguro Parasitological Museum, Miraikan in Odaiba, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo in Koto-ku, Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Shinagawa and the National Art Center in Pongi.

Some others I have yet to visit are Yushukan (war museum inside Yasukuni Shrine), the Tobacco and Salt Museum in Shibuya, the Tokyo Subway Museum in Kasai, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Museum in Kyobashi and the Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum near (where else?) Suidobashi station.

Here is a useful but incomplete list of museums in Tokyo.

One GLARING omission is Nippon Copack's Hanger Museum in Asakusabashi.

Traditionalists may be slightly wary to call this a museum, in fact.

The modus operandi is pretty clear. On top of presenting the insatiably curious public with a comprehensive understanding of the history and many uses of hangers, Nippon Copack Inc. is a company sells hangers and other furnishings for retail stores. This location just happens to be their headquarters. For one, you can only enter the product showroom, whoops, excuse me "hanger museum" from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. That makes it a bit inconvenient to visit unless your job somehow involves purchasing hangers. Secondly, you need a reservation to get in, so it is not meant for the general public. Also, according to this virtual floor layout map, the area for business meetings is located in the midst of the hanger extravaganza. And you thought museums were only for looking... This one lets you not only browse, but also purchase the items on display!

I guess my favorite thing about the hanger museum is its great selection of hangers. There are hangers of practically every shape, size, color and material you could possibly imagine. I never realized what a diverse range of hangers existed. Truly a must see for hanger buffs. Just make sure you have time between 10-4 on a weekday and a budget for your hanger needs. Oh, and you will probably also want to finely hone your Japanese (or Chinese.. they do have a section called "Shanghai market") negotiation skills for when it comes down to placing your next order of hangers. Happy hanger haggling!

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Tokyo Roofscapes (Pt. I)

2010-12-04T14:37:00.042+09:00

Iwamotocho

Hachobori

Higashi Ueno 4-chome

Yanagibashi 1-chome

Asakusabashi 1-chome

Vegetarian Dining in Tokyo - Eat More Greens Azabu

2010-11-07T22:38:00.005+09:00

Situated a street behind Azabu Juban dori and a few blocks from the station, this stylish corner cafe-restaurant has a good selection of vegetarian and vegan sides and main dishes including Vegan Mabo Nabe and Black Rice, Falafel and Black Bean Vegetarian Taco-rice.

The atmosphere was decent, with an open air patio and no smoking inside. A few gwai-lo on hand, but this is to be expected. They weren't the majority at least, and the Engrish on the wall and menu reinforced the fact that this was a uniquely Japanese vegetarian experience. Another pleasant surprise was the hip-hop they had bumping, which was of that rare chill, boom boom bap 90s vintage that added the unexpected dimension of me wanting to stick around even after finishing.

So, if you're a hardcore vegan (with the pitifully few dining-out options you have in this town) or even just a curiously experimental vegetarian wannabe like myself, I would recommend checking this place out for lunch or dinner. Food is reasonably priced but drinks not so. You might want to steer clear if your plan includes drinks. A Brooklyn lager or Corona will run you a cool 900 yen. This is what the locals call saifu ni yasashikunai. (;_;)

Eat More Greens

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A Baffling Revelation

2010-10-04T16:41:00.000+09:00

Ran into this gem on a long, miscalculated walk home from Kichijoji, yesterday.

I don't know what's more absurd; the spelling error or the fact that someone had the novel idea to put this on a bike frame. Only the gods, and the person who designed this bike, will ever now.

Showa Steampunk Okonomiyaki

2010-08-11T12:34:00.003+09:00

Quite a bit after the fact, but a group of us induldged on some savory okonomiyaki (Japan pancake-like dish you usually make on a flat top griddle) in the slums of Asakusa, after the Sanja Matsuri. The food was good for what can be visually described as "platform pizzaesque". However, the vintage backdrop is what really set the scene.

The place is called "Kappa Matsuri" and is located near the Tokyo Metro Tawaramchi station on the Ginza line. Check the link above for details (Japanese only).

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Top 10 Reasons Why Taito-ku is TOO Convenient (con't) 6-10

2010-08-04T18:51:00.003+09:00

6) Car sharing schemes that let you rent in 15 minute increments -- They are ubiquitous and cheap. Just another reason never to own a car, furthering the bad driving situation.

7)Too many festivals -- You dont even need to leave the house to take part. The revellers will come circle your house multiple times to make sure you got your fill of "tradition" (drinking all day and showing off your butt cheeks).

8) Eki-mae bicycle cleanup system -- Its only a few blocks from the place the manner squad steals your bike to the compound you have to visit to pay ￥5000 to get it back...at least at Asakusabashi station.

9) 24 hr delivery prostitutes -- Not that they don't have these in other places around Japan, but I'm guessing that the sleazy Yoshiwara area supplies a lot of east Tokyo.

10) ￥50/￥100/￥150 beer places at Asakusabashi, cheap standing izakayas in Ueno, yatai street in Asakusa -- Theres no room for willpower when beer is this cheap, plentiful and fun.

(Part 1)

In a World of Schmucks

2010-07-25T09:58:00.000+09:00

Saw this aptly titled boutique in the underground labirynth that is Otemachi-Tokyo.

Welt von Schmuck... I don't know what schmuck is in German, but let's just imagine it has the same meaning as it does in Yiddish/English. A world of schmucks... this is Tokyo.

Top 10 Reasons Why Taito-ku is TOO Convenient

2010-07-23T11:56:00.006+09:00

1) Public restrooms on every other street corner (as if all the alleys and crevaces weren't enough places to piss and puke)

2) Delivery alcohol (kakuyasu) -- Just another reason to get faded

3) Throw a stone, hit a train -- I have a theory that the overabundance of public commuting options keeps a lot of the residents from ever learning the rules of the road, so they end up being horrible pedestrians, bikers and drivers

4) More Chinese restaurants than China -- Discourages residents from ever going anywhere, making them insular

5) Akiba -- (Technically the main part is Chiyoda but the Akihabara address is Taito Ward) Where else can you find a universe of computer parts, animated porn, hi-end audio equipment, asian maids, kebabs and nerds in one place? Oh so convenient, yet oh so wrong.

Watch for reasons 6-10 in our next installment...

Crazy Cat "Man"

2010-07-22T19:15:00.002+09:00

What sort of traumatic event drives people to become complete lunatics?

This guy brought these kittens and their mom onboard the Yurakucho line.

franchiseplaya's got more flicks.

Sleazy Cosplay and Grill-it-yourself Meats

2010-07-22T17:27:00.006+09:00

Cosplay yakiniku, OK Bokujo in Kanda.

Peeped in, had some sketchy looking birds serving up some even sketchier looking meat. Hey, the prices looked reasonable, though.

Opted for the all you can imbibe for ￥1500 Izakaya.
Still searching for the elusive No-pan Shabu Shabu.

Family Planning Gone Awry

2010-07-22T17:04:00.002+09:00

So many condom machines in Koenji.
Plan family by avoid its conception in the first place.

This is why there's a negative birth rate in Japan. Well, one of the reasons, perhaps.

Cheap Beer and Good Ole' Fashioned Xenophobia

2010-04-27T14:08:00.007+09:00

UPDATE: Kind of late on the update tip... ಠ_ಠ

I went to this 180 Yenner in Roppongi about 2 months ago, and even at that point it'd most likely been open for a few months. Nevertheless, we have another 180 Yen-a-beer joint! In Roppongi for that matter! REJOICE!

MATSU-CHAN (すし居酒屋松ちゃん), the new addition to the Chinese Gutter-Punk run chain of cheap brew izakayas, is inconspicuously tucked in a back alley close to 7th Heaven (yeah you know you've either been suckered into going in there or had to brush off the aggressive Nigerian touts, at one point). En route to, one can glance upon crude, hand-written signs in broken Engrish advising you noisy Gwailo to shut the fuck up at night.

New 180 Yenner under the guise of a "sushi izakaya".MATSU-CHAN

[Orignial Post: January 2010]

I'm on a roll today! So here's another post. This one actually stays within the range of my original theme for this damned thing. But I digress.

Many my friends are well-acquainted with, or at least heard of, the "racist bar", nestled in the seedy sector of Kabukicho. Formal title: ALPS.

The place is a shithole. The beer is swill, as they don't clean/change the tubes often enough. Also. foreigners are relegated to sit on the 4th floor. This is ポレシー (policy). Although I did get to sit on the 3rd floor, once, when I was accompanied by a friend and a couple of Japanese birds.

In the past 5 or so years many stores of the same keiretsu have been scattered about throughout Tokyo. As far as I know (and have been to), there are 6 total. But none of these would be possible without the advent of the first 50￥ → 100￥ → 180￥ → 290￥(?) beer joints run by a rag-tag team of lovable Chinese Gutter-Punks, YAMATO, located in Shinjuku West.

I have hazy memories of going there with fellow eikaiwa goons (yes, I did a year stint of that B.S.) and students. As well as entertaining friends who came to visit from the US (CBB loved this place's karaage, but he loves all karaage so no big deal).

As with ALPS, I experienced some racism at YAMATO once. I went there with some gaijin friends one night, and upon entering I was told that foreigners were no longer allowed. Their excuse being that some Brits had caused a ruckus the previous evening, or something to that accord. Bummer. However, I went there about a year later to test the waters and they seemed to have reneged on their no-foreigner policy. Problem solved, but not rectified. Conclusion: They're comfortable with racism. To that I shake my head in a slow disappointed manner...

Anyway, I need to wrap this post up.

The following are the other stores:

YUKARI - Harajuku

NAKANISHI - Omotesandō

MIKAMI - Asakusabashi

BOTAN - Gotanda (newer store)

So if you want to piss off some Chinese Hardcore-Punks by ordering too much cheap beer, not ordering enough food (warning! 1 person, 1 dish limit!) and by simply existing, check out one of these 6 locations. I believe BOTAN is still 50￥ a beer or maybe 100￥ by know. Fridays and days before national holiday are 150￥ there. Prices will change. I haven't been to the other ones in a while, but I'm confident none are over 290, although YAMATO may be 380 or something ridiculous by now.

The Sixth Dimension and Other Such Metaphysical Nonsense

2010-04-13T16:43:00.007+09:00

In a recent study by Leidheiser, Bethune & Pulv (2010), it has been shown that Ogikubo and Nishi-Ogikubo stations are right fuckin shitholes with as about as many redeeming qualities to them as East Braintree, Manitoba. Anybody who currently lives or has lived there is a total sod and should be told, as many times as possible on a daily basis, "nique ta mère fils de pute!"

I'm joking. There is one redeeming factor, and that is a small cafe/restaurant called "Rokujigen" (6次元). I would definitely suggest checking it out if you're in the area, or at least clicking on the link which DOES NOT lead to porn involving either a midget or a horse, or both.

Nice lighting, rustic decor, healthy food made from scratch, a large selection of old books to check out, and a small section that sells handmade clothes. The workers/owners are really warm and genuine; a good bunch of hip Japanese, which is nice. Prices are also pretty reasonable, but definitely nothing near franchiseplaya's level of kechi. If you ever find yourself on a date in the area, proceed immediately to the Chuo line train tracks and commit double suicide for your serious lack of judgment. That is, after you check the place out.

And for fuck's sake, respect the culture and remove your god damn shoes before jumping.

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〒167-0043 東京都杉並区上荻１丁目１０−３‎03-3393-3539‎

Dog cafes

2010-04-11T11:43:00.008+09:00

There has been a major upsurge in dining options for canines around Asakusa lately. These places crack me up for some reason. Imagine the brutal scenario of a Korean restaurant that serves dog meat opening up right next door to one of these cute little bastions of pet equality.

Asakusa yatai street

2010-03-04T17:03:00.002+09:00

Asakusa is a popular place for visitors to Tokyo. Many, however do not venture to its colorful, not-so-svelte backside.

Especially recommended on a warm day, the Koen-Dori yatai street is the place to imbibe the shitamachi culture as well as beer and Japanese junk food (note: if you're American, this is referred to as "health food"). This is a great place to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon. Bring your loquacious friends and lose yourself in the chatter and people-watching.

Make sure to bring your camera, as you are likely to see some atypical Tokyofolk (think Yoshiwara spillover, rickshaw pullers, Germans).

Sunday is a big day for horse racing fans in this part of Asakusa and you will notice that each stall has a television or two to satisfy the smokey 50 or 60 something Japanese gambler contingent. If you get lucky, you may happen to be seated next to a generous winner that needs a pal to celebrate with.

Beers are generally 500-600 for a medium mug and 700-800 for a supersize. Some places also have denki bran shots for 300. Pound!

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Keepin' it Kechi

2010-02-08T16:51:00.034+09:00

The zokugo dictionary defines kechi as:

1. Avoiding the use of money and goods　

2. Being poor, trifling, and foolish
3. Fussy, plebeian, narrow-minded
4. A bad omen; unlucky

I've been called a lot of things in my life, but one that I never considered a putdown in Japan is kechi, or "cheapskate." People tend to use the word with vitriol but I look at it like this: hunting for bargains is all about finding value. If you're not a doctor, lawyer, SAP consultant or some other douchebag richer than me and you have a lot of interests (beer, etc.), you have to make the most with a small purse. It takes skill and imagination to make the most of your time in a place like Tokyo. Truth is, I've been consistently bordering on broke all my adult life. Can you be a cheapskate and broke at the same time?

I work in Ginza and live in Asakusa and consider myself the east-side Tokyo connoisseur, so I'll be reporting mostly on this side of town. My philosophy has always been the cheaper the better, so let me kick things off by introducing some of the rare wan-coin (500 yen or less) lunch options in one of the most expensive areas in the most expensive city in the world.

Chuo Ward City Hall (中央区役所) 11th floor employee cafeteria

Although it's an employee cafeteria, anyone can get into this one. Menu varies but regulars include ramen (400-500 yen), curry rice (350 yen), tonkatsu (600 yen) and some other teishoku sets (550-650 yen). Enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo bay and Odaiba and a huge selection of vending machine drinks in this oasis of fashion (be prepared to be surrounded by oyaji bureaucrats). Whatever you do, avoid the fried rice. Unless you like the taste of cat food.

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東京都中央区築地一丁目1番1号

Some Banger Restaurants in Paris

2010-01-25T23:36:00.014+09:00

SHIIIIIIIIT!

Food was pretty intense in

PAREEEEEEEE!

Just a quick recap:

Chez Paul - Ugh, brilliant. Smack in the student district. Not really student prices though... Ambiance was rustic as hell; lots of antiques on the walls. A big group of artsty-types were feasting next to us in the banquet-esque dinning room. Super special guest: Towa Tei (look alike).
Creep to:

3 Rue de Charonne, 75011, Paris.

Métro: La Bastille

Resaturant des Beaux Arts in Quartier Latin - We were baked out of our collective little minds. Note: red interior will exacerbate paranoia. A good mix and match special menu was provided.
Jaunt to:
80 Rue Mazarine, 75006, Paris.

Métro: Odéon (under construction) or Mabillon.

FIN

« p. s. » Towa Tei look alikes will be a recurring theme. Keep ya eyes peeled!

"There Are No Images in Tokyo"

2009-08-19T15:24:00.015+09:00

"There are no images in Tokyo" quipped Werner Herzong in Wim Wenders' documentary Tokyo Ga. I beg to differ. Although, I do agree to a certain extent. If your only impression with this world-class megalopolis is the recycled cookie-cutter images of tourist traps and crowds of overworked automatons being jammed into packed trains, then yes, Tokyo has no images.

However, in this city that comprises of approximately 26% of the total population of Japan, one can venture into infinite nooks teaming with style, flavor, wabi/sabi (侘寂 - Japanese aesthetic), kitsch, tackiness, and a plethora of other descriptive nouns.

ABSTRACT

Now, the objective of this blog: to share with readers the lesser-known aspects of Tokyo and vicinity. Bars, restaurants, alleyways, nightlife spots, subculture, urban decay, kojo moe

(工場萌え - factory fetishism), music, and what have you.

I hope to have some locals and friends contribute, as well. We'll see how this works out.