travel

Tokyo Toy Show 2010 Report

Tokyo Toy Show: Steampunk Project Pullips.

Tokyo Toy Show is an annual event where toy makers from Japan demonstrate their latest products. The first two days are for business only, but the weekend is open to the public. For some reason, llamas always seem popular.

My first booth was Groove Inc which has apparently taken over marketing Pullips, a brand of Korean doll, in Japan from Jun Planning. If what I saw at their booth is any indication, they’re doing a great job. The booth manager approached me in English, talked positively about their products and gave me his business card. I was extremely impressed by the professionalism on display here… not to mention the products themselves. My favourites were the new limited edition Steampunk Project dolls, each one based on different doll types. The designs were more than just ticking boxes (“Okay, goggles… top hat… gears… we’re done!”) and detail was incredible.

Hot Toys, on the other hand, were doing the same things they always do. Alien figures, Michael Jackson figures, Mars Attac– wait, who is buying these things? Who has been searching all over for plastic models of Inglourious Basterds’ characters?

A small stand devoted to Hexbug Nanos was hidden in the Bandai booth labyrinth. The bug-like robots, about the size of a thumb, ran around on a tabletop. “Put your hands down!” exhorted the salesperson. “COLLECT THEM!!” If you put your hands flat on the table, the Hexbugs vibrated violently towards you and got stuck between your fingers and you’d amass ten or twenty of the things thrusting into the creases between your fingers.

However, I’ve never bought anything at the Toy Show until today. At the Gentosha Education booth, I watched a demonstration of Doubutsu Shougi (“Animal Shogi“), which has been put together by the Ladies’ Professional Shogi Players of Japan to introduce children to the strategy behind shogi. It’s played on a 4 x 4 board and players control four thick wooden blocks which each have a simple animal picture – a lion, an elephant, a giraffe and a chick, which can be promoted into a cockerel. Despite being aimed at kids, this is a fun strategy game for adults and comes highly recommended.

Finally, here’s a list of Japanese Toy Awards 2010 grand prize winners. I find myself a bit uneasy at the separate categories for girls and boys. I’d suggest they change it to “Toys To Celebrate Domesticity” and “Toys To Celebrate Sports And Engineering” but everyone would be able to see what they did there.

Category	Name	Company	Sale Date	Price in Yen
Access For All Children “Kyouyuu” Award	Korokoro Talking Tomica A I U E O	Takara Tomy	June 2010	6,090
Educational Award	Talking With Anpanman: Picture Dictionary	Sega Toys	April 2010	7,140
Boys’ Toy Award	Ishikawa Ryou’s Exciting Golf	Epoch	July 2010	8,379
Girls’ Toy Award	Shushurun	Pilot	April 2010	2,604
Character Toy Award	Kamen Rider W Transformation Belt DX Double Driver	Bandai	September 2009	6,825
Innovative Toy Award	JIGAZO PUZZLE @rt	Tenyo	September 2010 (provisional)	2,310 (provisional)
High Target Award	Otamatone	Cube	November 2009	2,940

More photographs from Tokyo Toy Fair 2010 (including a llama!) after the jump

SpamFromJapan: Meat Meat Meat (Yakiniku in Sendai)

Yakiniku at Kuniwake, Sendai.

Kuniwake is a yakiniku restaurant squeezed into the Kokubuncho entertainment district of Sendai. The manager — a gruff old man — waits for you inside, where the decor is black and the lighting low. I’m usually wary of these kinds of places.

However, a group of us had been wandering around for about an hour looking for a restaurant from my friend’s guidebook. It turned out to close at six pm every day. We eventually agreed on Kuniwake instead.

I thought we were going to have problems when the manager refused to serve us gyuutan (cow tongue), a regional speciality of Sendai. The sign outside advertising it had been one of the things to draw us in. We were hungry and decided to go for the all-you-can-eat yakiniku option, where plates of meat are brought to you within a specific timeframe and you cook them yourself on a mini-barbecue embedded in the table.

Gyuutan (cow tongue).

The rules were simple. They would bring us three types of meat, one after the other. Afterwards, we were free to choose more meat from a restricted menu. The second of these plates was the dreaded horumon (offal), but the first and third plates were the best yakiniku I’ve ever had. I don’t know if it was the meat quality or the preparation, but it was amazing.

Afterward, we finally got our gyuutan. We didn’t realise we had to specify we weren’t trying to get it for free under the all-you-can-eat option. Once it was understood that yes, we’d pay extra, the gyuutan was served. It tasted like steak with the texture of over-cooked squid and an odd aftertaste. I didn’t particularly like it, although it took me several pieces to decide whether it was the taste, texture or concept that bothered me.

I highly recommend this restaurant and you can find a map here (in Japanese). Sendai in general is a great place to visit in Japan — check out Matsushima and Gundam Shot Bar Zion while you’re there too.

Spam From Japan: Beer, Castles and Haunted Dolls in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture

Inuyama Castle, located in Inuyama City in Aichi Prefecture, is said to be the oldest original castle in Japan. Many other castles are actually reconstructions.

Since it was Golden Week at the time of our visit, there were a clutch of food stalls just before the path up to the entrance gate. One of the booths belonged to Loreley Brewery. We bought two real German sausages (no wieners here!) and two locally-brewed beers. We also picked up a flyer for their all-you-can-eat Golden Week buffet. More on that later.

We got tickets, joined the line and went round the castle. You need to buy your ticket at the booth before you join the line. The line leads directly to the entrance, not a place to buy tickets. The only information I saw about this was in written Japanese, so take care because the line is a long one. All the original castles I’ve visited have had very steep staircases inside, so dress appropriately. Once you’ve made it to the top, you can walk around the turret area for a good view of the local area and the river Kiso.

Our ticket also allowed us entrance to two much smaller museums just a short walk away from the castle. One was mainly about the Inuyama Festival and the other was dedicated to terrifying haunted dolls known as karakuri. From there, we walked to Inuyama Station and caught a bus at the east exit (on the far side of the station) to Meiji Mura (The more detailed Japanese site can be found here).

Meiji Mura is Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum’s lesser-known big sister. Established in 1965, the grounds contain a wider range of buildings over a square kilometre of land. In fact, there is a tram network within Meiji Mura to get you around. You can either pay for individual tickets or buy an all-day pass when you buy your entrance ticket.

There are some great opportunities for macro photography, particularly at places like Dr. Shimizu’s office. You can see a few of ones I took below. Just like any picture in this blog post, you can get a larger version by clicking on them.

One thing you shouldn’t miss is the night maze, although there may be a wait. For five minutes, you walk around a maze in pitch blackness. There are a few surprises, mind you, although no ghosts.

Nearby is a (free) brick maze. I enjoyed it, although I almost collided with a Japanese man who was racing his kid (and I racing my partner). We screamed ‘gomen!’ at each other and kept going, because mazes are Serious Business. For the record, I won.

We had mango kakigoori (shaved ice) outside Lafcadio Hearn’s summer house. It was made with one of those old-fashioned ice-shavers that cut up blocks of ice into fine snow. They layered the syrup too, resulting in the best kakigoori ever.

Inside Dr. Shimizu's Office (Nagano, 1897)

We stayed right up until the last minute and caught the only bus available, which took us to back to Inuyama Station. From there, we went to Haguro Station, giving us a ten minute walk to the brewery. If you want to go too, I hope you have a proper map instead of the bizarre geometric one Loreley use for advertising.

Inside we got a craft beer sampler set and access to a large buffet including sushi, shumai, cake and roast beef. It was fantastic (particularly the beef), but the highlight was the beer. Our sampler set consisted of three types of beer from Loreley Brewery next door, each a different shade and texture.

It’s difficult to believe all these photographs were taken in a single day. However, you might want to break it up a little and spend longer at Meiji Mura.

Spam From Japan: Sumida River Fireworks Festival sucks!

Itabashi Hanabi Taikai

Sumida River Fireworks Festival sucks! Yes, the most famous summer fireworks festival in Japan, officially known as Sumidagawa Hanabi Taikai, is crap. There are three key reasons why:

(1) You have to camp out for weeks in the hope of seeing anything. All the best places fill up as the event gets closer. You won’t find anywhere comfortable to stand, let alone sit, no matter how early you show up on the day. My memory of the festival was of standing behind a wire fence on a small patch of grass slightly smaller than the area covered by the soles of my feet.

(2) The ‘boom factor’ is a lie. The fireworks go off in two different places, meaning the number is effectively halved. That makes the number you can actually see around the same as less well-attended displays. There are, however, a few choice spots where you can see both locations. For that, you’ll need to camp out for weeks.

(3) Crowds. Once the display is over, everyone heads to Asakusa Station. That’s 948,000 people all heading in the same direction. Eating is also a big part of festivals, so the usually scenic Asakusa streets are lined with trash.

Thankfully, there are better firework displays, like Itabashi Hanabi Taikai (いたばし花火大会). My friends arrived in the early afternoon and spread out their blue sheet. We drank and ate red velvet cake while dragonflies danced around us until it got dark.

Another great festival is The 43rd Katsushika Nouryou Hanabi Taikai (第43回葛飾納涼花火大会). All day and into the evening, giant red dragonflies float above the grass, making it look like a section of one of those digital art posters you had in college where all the dolphins are flying into space on rainbows.

Itabashi Hanabi Taikai

What you need:

A blue plastic sheet. Hell yeah it has to be blue! Don’t look at me, I don’t make the rules. This is used not so much as a place to sit, but more of a way to mark your territory.
Plastic bags. To put your rubbish in. You’ll need more than one.
Beer. Don’t buy it from the convenience store near the display since they’ll be full of people doing the exact same thing. If it has to be ice-cold, you can buy it from a vendor (limited selection), but you’ll still want more than one over the course of the display. Buy those in advance.
Wet wipes. Eating buttered jacket potatoes with chopsticks is tough. Most festival food is fairly greasy too.
No food. Never bring food. There are plenty of food stalls selling food and even standard fare like corn-on-the-cob and jacket potatoes have a Japanese twist to them. You’ll have to queue for these too, but it’s worth it.

There are a number of summer firework festivals and almost all of these are better than Sumidagawa. For a fairly comprehensive free listing, pick up Lawson’s Ticket magazine from Lawson’s convenience store. However, even if you aren’t in Tokyo (or, perhaps, especially if you’re not in Tokyo), there should be plenty of local firework displays around you. Have fun!

This was a response to a call for submissions to the June 2010 Japan Blog Matsuri on “Hot Fun In the Summertime!” Thank you to Locohama for hosting.

Spam From Japan: Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture

Godaidou

A samurai sat in a plastic chair and held up a sign outside Marine Gate Shiogama. The helmet shape and eyepatch identified him as Date Masamune (伊達政宗), a local hero.

We were there to catch a boat to Matsushima, an area of Miyagi prefecture known for being one of the three views of Japan (Nihon Sankei). Inside the marina, there were Tanabata decorations hanging down from the ceiling. Tanabata falls on July 7th and the festival in Sendai is particularly well-known. This was Winter Tanabata.

Also inside was a tuna auction and a stage for a talk show about tuna that would take place later that day.

Once on the boat, I saw a box of limited edition zunda Kit Kats, only sold in the Touhoku area (Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures). I bought some and, after I handed over my money and received my Kit Kats, I asked what ‘zunda’ was. Apparently it’s chopped edamame (baby soybeans), usually served sweetened and with mochi.

As we were setting off, the woman who was behind the till walked around selling ebi senbei (prawn crackers) for the seagulls, which was actually a popular brand from the convenience store. No wonder the birds had been gathering round the boat. We didn’t buy any, but went outside to watch.

Two kids and their parents also came out soon after and offered us some of their seagull food. It started snowing, but the seagulls kept coming. Every so often, the kids would shove more ebi senbei into our hands. As you can see, I got some amazing shots of the birds in flight.

It got colder and the snow grew more intense. The sky became dark and the rocks around us got whiter as the snow fell. The seagulls shrieked and snatched crackers from the air. All the while, we were surrounded by pine-covered islands officially declared to be one of the three most beautiful sights in Japan.

Click to enlarge

Just before we docked in Matsushima Marina, I remembered I had the zunda Kit Kats. I thanked the parents of the two boys and checked if it was okay for them to have chocolate. Great family and I hope their kids like edamame.

Click to enlarge

We were drawn to a traditional house near the marina, named Kanrantei (観瀾亭). Kanrantei was originally built in Kyoto and then moved by Date Masamune’s son in the Momoyama era because they liked Matsushima better. Since Date Masamune was feudal lord of Sendai, the prefectural capital of Miyagi, he got one of the best spots on the island for watching moonlight sparkle on the water.

After taking a look around the museum, you can have green tea and a traditional snack while looking out at the bay. I had green tea and zunda. The lady at the counter asked if I’d had it before and tried to talk me out of it. I had to be a little more insistent than anyone should have to be when trying to give someone money. Eventually she relented and I got my zunda. It was sweeter than I expected, but definitely worthwhile. I drank my tea from a lacquer bowl watching the sunlight and snow hit the waves, just as Date Masamune might have done over 360 years ago.

Click to enlarge

Godaidou (see main picture) stands nearby and had far more visitors. A small red bridge connects it to the mainland.

Click to enlarge

Outside, a woman holding a menu all-but insisted we visit her restaurant. There, we had amazing kaki soba (oysters and noodles). We made the mistake of ordering two ‘jizake’ (local sake). Fooled by Tokyo prices, we could never have expected two medium-sized bottles would arrive at our table.

Click to enlarge

Afterwards we crossed the Fukuura Bridge to the island of the same name. Just off from the main paths you’ll find thick ropes tied to posts that will allow you to climb down to the deserted beaches safely. I presume they’re deserted according to the season; Matsushima isn’t crowded, but the weather varied rapidly between snow and sunshine so that might have been why. Nevertheless, no one else made the trip down onto the sand.

Click to enlarge

If you’re going on a trip to Japan, you must include Matsushima (and Sendai) on your itinerary. Catch a boat from Hon Shiogama Station and don’t forget to check out Gundam Shot Bar Zion in Sendai while you’re there too.

Spam From Japan: Miso Katsu at Yabaton (Nagoya)

Miso Katsu

Every area in Japan has a regional speciality which is usually made from local ingredients. Nagoya (Aichi prefecture) is famous for miso katsu, which is breaded pork cutlet covered in miso paste. You can eat it with shredded cabbage or on rice.

Of the many restaurants that specialise in miso katsu, Nagoya’s Yabaton is the most famous. Every time we passed by, we could see a long line of people outside waiting to be seated.

The miso-katsu-don in the photograph looks amazing, doesn’t it? Well, it’s deceptive. The quality cuts of meat in Japan are considered to be the ones with thick seams of fat running through them, and that’s precisely what we got. Good if you like “juicy” meat, but I hated it.

Yabaton’s official website (They also have a branch in Tokyo)

SpamFrom Japan: Butterfly in Gifu

Butterfly resting on the ruins of Oda Nobunaga's palace.

This photo was taken in Gifu Prefecture at the base of Mt. Kinka (金崋山・きんかざん), where you can also find Gifu Castle. The butterfly is resting on the ruins of Oda Nobunaga’s mansion (織田信長公居館跡・おだのぶながこうきょかんあと).

Spam From Japan: Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

For every entry in the JSOC Blog Matsuri on the topic of secret Japan, there will be someone to claim that they’ve known about whatever is being discussed for years. Of course they they’ve always known about the udon shop inside the crater of Mt Fuji that’s guarded by a six-headed tanuki. Which is simply not true — ask any Japanese person where the six-headed tanuki can be found and they’ll refuse to answer, backing away slowly. That’s how secret it is.

So what qualifies Edo Tokyo Tatemonoen (Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum) to be described as a part of ‘secret Japan’? Well, it’s considered far enough away from the train stations surrounding it, all of which are outside the sacred Yamanote ring of Tokyo, that even the official website suggests you catch a bus. And let’s face it, a guidebook that covers Harajuku, Roppongi and Koganei isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

Inside the park, you’ll find historic buildings that have been deconstructed and rebuilt in order to preserve them. These range from a traditional farm house from the end of the Edo Era (1603 – 1868) to modern residences from the 1940s. Honestly, nothing prepares you for the feeling of being a thousand miles from “home” (or something like it) and realizing your grandmother used that kind of washing machine.

My favourite area is the street from very early in the Showa Era (1926 – 1989), with a florist, a soy sauce merchant, a bar and many other shops. The stationers is lined with calligraphy brushes and the florists is decorated in modern white tiles and filled with plastic flowers. All the shop interiors have been recreated and it’s a great opportunity to take a few photographs. At the end nearest to the entrance there’s a stand selling 2010-style takoyaki and icecream, so you can sit outdoors and take in the view for a while. You can also go into an udon restaurant which sells real udon for 600 yen. No tanuki, six-headed or otherwise, need be harmed.

Detail from a wooden panel in one of the houses.

Fire watchtower which original stood in Ueno.

But wait! There's nature too! These are peach blossoms.

The details:

Entry won’t cost more than 400 yen and there are discounts if you’re over 65 or studying at university.

April to September, open from 9.30am to 5.30pm.
October to March, open from 9.30am to 4.30pm
The park is closed on Mondays and over the New Year holidays.

To get there, go to Musashi Koganei, Higashi Koganei or Hana Koganei and then catch a bus (although I recommend you walk – it’s only about 1.1 km from Hana Koganei).

MAP

Rules: Photography is forbidden in the indoor museum, the Mitsui Hachirouemon storehouse and in the Mitsui family chapel on the second floor. You can’t sketch or use tripods inside buildings or where you might cause a disturbance.

Are Cherry Blossoms Overrated?

A post on What Japan Thinks dared to ask whether cherry blossoms are overrated.

My memory of cherry blossom in England is quite different from those created in Japan. I remember being in St. James Park and my parents asking me if the tree next to us was sakura, as they knew I was “into Japanese culture” (as we anime fans like to put it). It had the distinctive pale pink petals, but it didn’t seem special.

Fast-forward to one of my first trips to Japan, which coincided with spring. I was fascinated by the various photoshoots for advertisements that were going on around Ueno Park, with the photographers holding up big silver foil plates to reflect the light. More importantly, they were gathering up the petals so they could scatter them over the model and in front of the lens. Yes, I was fascinated by the lies being created as I watched. The blossoms didn’t make a big impact though.

Spring in Japan has a place usually occupied by summer in Western countries which follow the September-August school year. For many of us who attended school in these countries, long summer days are linked to nostalgia, saying goodbye to friends and growing up. In Japan, where the school year runs from April to March, the memories of ‘our last time together’ are centred around the beginning of spring. The fleeting nature of the blossoms combines with the bittersweet memories of school entrance and graduation ceremonies.

Sakura are a timebomb. All this time you’ve been walking past a perfectly nondescript tree then — suddenly — they explode into white-pink fluffiness. The sheer volume of petals changes the scenery entirely and makes Japan look like a new world. That brings us to why cherry blossom in Japan is better than in England. It’s all in the planning. Throughout the year, Japanese streets are lined with millions of ordinary-looking trees just waiting to hulk out and become something extraordinary. The effect of these trees en masse, unlike the handful of trees back in England, is amazing.

You might be able to tell what side of the argument I come down by now. There is certainly a dark side to cherry blossoms which comes in the form of hanami (holding a party underneath the trees). This often involves compulsory drinking, dealing with crowds and piles of rubbish, but should be considered separately from the beauty of sakura. Have a look at some more of my photos below (click to enlarge) or check out some blog posts I liked on the subject.

Blog posts:
Flower Power Hanami-Style at JapaneseCultureGoNow! (A more pop culture take on cherry blossoms)
Hanami in Yokohama at Going Loco in Yokohama (Cherry blossom amidst European-style architecture in Yokohama)
Inokashira Creepy at A Canadian’s Adventures in Tokyo (Cherry blossom lit up at night)

Sakura Season: The Camera Never Lies

Click to enlarge

Ah, sakura season. You cross a bridge at twilight and pause halfway to see trees heaving with cherry blossoms trailing their branches in the water from beside the riverbank. Breathing in the night air, you quietly take a picture, marvelling at how lucky you were to chance upon such a night view…

Like hell it’s like that! No, it’s all piles of trash and people spreading their blue tarpaulins all over the park and impatient photographers tying to get the best shot.

When I took two of the photos below, I was surrounded by people with all kinds of camera, from basic to pro. Everyone had their finger on the button, waiting for the staff from the boathouse to row out to the centre of the lake and bring in two kids in a pedal-boat who’d lost track of time. You see, just ten minutes before, the entire area in Inokashira Park (Kichijouji) was filled with people riding paddle-powered plastic ducks around.

The minute they got those kids far enough out of the frame, all the cameras went off and we could take home our picture-perfect photo of a quiet lake in Japan, surrounded by sakura.

Click to enlarge

The cherry blossom forecasts say that the sakura will be in full bloom on April 3rd (Saturday). You might also enjoy my post on plum blossoms (and cultists), which have already bloomed this year.

Spam From Japan

Live from Tokyo

Tokyo Toy Show 2010 Report

SpamFromJapan: Meat Meat Meat (Yakiniku in Sendai)

Spam From Japan: Beer, Castles and Haunted Dolls in Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture

Spam From Japan: Sumida River Fireworks Festival sucks!

Spam From Japan: Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture

Spam From Japan: Miso Katsu at Yabaton (Nagoya)

SpamFrom Japan: Butterfly in Gifu

Spam From Japan: Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

Are Cherry Blossoms Overrated?

Sakura Season: The Camera Never Lies

Subscribe!

Archives

Blogs To Follow

Connected Sites

Search This Blog

Tags