Super Long Tokyo Blog Entry

We're home after more than a week in the land of Tokyo.  Before hitting central Tokyo we spent Christmas on the Fussa Air Force base with my aunt, uncle and cousins for a little bit of family love, amazing homemade Filipino food, and a big culture shock as military bases are oddly like little United States plopped down in other countries.  It was really fun but unfortunately we forgot our peanut butter when we left...  guess we'll have to wait until May when we're back in the States.  Here's what we'll eat instead: 

hehe, just kidding.  We usually eat tofu fish.

Again, kidding.  (but we did get an awesome book about the 7 kinds of tofu in Japan and how to make them from scratch, including our favorite Yuba.  Don't know what it is?  Remind me and I'll make it next time we eat together!!)
Ok, seriously, look at the dog on the right.  Not only is he wearing a fashionable sweater like his companions, but he is scooting about Yoyogi park in a doggy wheel chair.  

Mikey and I were at the park during one of our LONG walks (which usually consisted of us starving and looking for Indian restaurants while trying to see as much other stuff as possible on the way before totally "bonking".  The Bonk is when our blood sugar is so low that we have to fight to be kind to each other and also fight not to cry and give up.  We are getting really good at preventing The Bonk and have considered starting a reality TV show based on this concept.  The Bonk only happened one time REALLY bad on this trip when we first walked East one mile too far and then West one mile too far and then realized that we were supposed to walk south like hours before to go from Shinjuku to Harajuku.  Luckily we found a totally stellar Thai restarant that nursed us back to health and lead to giddiness and apologies to each other for our part of The Bonk).  

Anyway, on this particular cheerful walk through Yoyogi Park we checked out a little clothing flea market sale and ate some seriously 'lish grilled mochi on sticks.  We also met a really nice Japanese fella with whom we discussed various differences between manners in Japan and manners in the US (It's rude to eat in public here except for in certain places, especially while walking.  It's totally rude in the US to talk with a full mouth or noisily slurp noodles into one's mouth where as that's common practice here.)
We took some lovely and deliciously color photos at this kids play park in Ueno.  It was actually closed, but we followed the lead of other people who were walking around in it, allowing their children to play.

We ate some L-Size dirty ice cream and played the piano, 

(By the way, the outfit I'm wearing in this photo was my uniform for the week.  Other than various undergarments and shirts, I sported this skirt/pants combo for about 8 or nine days.  I wasn't nearly as smelly as I should have been.)
We also went to Harajuku area which was my favorite because I LOVE crazy fashion.  For major posh brand names, go to Ginza-- totally not my style (we went to Ginza to look for non-existent galleries...)  I prefer crazy young designers who make and wear things liks glitter covered shoes and colorful, embroidered, artfully-torn shirts.  Anyway, in Harajuku we came upon crazed young women flocking around funky vans like this:

Some of them were open revealing decked out interiors and blasting music videos of a very famous pop star named Ayumi... I forget her family name.  She must have had a concert there before we came because it was a seriously flocking ladies.  They could buy posters of her and other Kawaii items.  It was INTENSE. 
Here is a view of the walk way up to the big temple in Asakusa, the area we stayed in.  The decorations blow my mind as do the bagillions of people shopping for souvenirs like Japanese prints, fans and snacks, waiting for New Years.  This is a serious holiday here.
Mikel took this awesome photo of a glowing food tent and Pagoda next to the big temple on New Years Eve. That night was a total trip! We lucked out because our hotel happened to be in the area of one of the most religiously important sites in Tokyo and thus the most exciting for New Years. Tons of people lined up to visit the Temple and at midnight they were herded in in large groups by police like a weird peace march. When we came back the next day people were still lined up. We're not sure if they were there all night.  Before we hit the sack, we entertained ourselves with taking photos of people and cool fashion.  I even took a good one of a cool Jacket I saw at La Foret in Harajuku.  It was like seeing a celebrity!!!!
I read a joke that you know you've lived in Japan too long if you think it is acceptable and natural to give a peace sign when being photographed.  Enough said about that.  On to the mask...  

This store was CRAZY.  It's in Akihabra, the mecca for gaming and computer nerds.  The area started as a place to sell black market electronics but turned into a place to buy discount electronics, pornography, plastic models and visit a hilarious restaurant called @home cafe. (Yes, the @ sign is correct.)  It was amazing.  We had to pay just to go in.  The servers wear super cute and short maid uniforms, call us Master and Mistress and serve us cute and expensive drinks and other foods.  Cute is a key word.  Did I say cute yet?  Anyone (usually men) pay to have their photo taken with a server or to play a party game.  Servers also ask us to do some sort of cute gesture with them when we are served our food.  It's a great experience for foreigners but mostly a very serious fetish for many Otaku (nerds) who fantasize about being served by sexy maids.  

Cartoon attack!!

This is my feeling about Tokyo.  Well, partly.  It is total eye candy.  We were quite bummed, though, at how weak the art scene is there.  We did see a great show of contemporary Indian artists at the Mori Art Museum.  Other than that it was weak art viewing.  We'll be back there in a couple weeks so Mikel can play a show (music) at a venue in Hachioji.  Hopefully by then more art shows will have opened, redeeming Tokyo as an artistic city.

For now we are trying not to think about going back to work in a couple days.  At least it means I can be back in my studio on the off hours!!  

Images of my work to come soon, including Tokyo inspired clothing!