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mrmin123
Korea (South)2971 Posts
Day 7
I've always wanted to go to an anime/doujin convention of sorts in Japan, and today was the day it was going to happen. The event was Reitaisai SP2, a one-day event for Touhou-related stuff. I spent almost an hour on multiple trains when I saw a very familiar-looking building off at the distance. I knew the event was being held at something called the 'Tokyo Big Sight,' but I had no idea what it was or what it looked like. When I saw the building, however, I recognized it as the same place where Comiket is usually held. Thanks for that useless bit of knowledge, Genshiken.
The convention floor was packed. It was like Shinjuku station when hordes of people we're getting off the trains, except here people weren't necessarily going anywhere, and the number of people didn't rise and fall every minute or two. There was a huge section dedicated to doujinshi/mangas, another huge section dedicated to CDs, and another for miscellaneous goods like figures, keychains and cups. It was interesting to note that despite all the R-18 material being sold openly, there was no age requirement for entry. Lots of little kids cosplaying and running around.
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6149775033_546b3a5f4a.jpg) Picture I took with a little kid dressed up as Cirno. The person who took the photo was the kid's mom, I think.
Walking through the doujin section, I actually managed to recognize the art-style/work of some of the webcomics I read. I bought some of their stuff, telling them I'm a fan from America. One of them told me that he could draw me a picture on my notepad, an offer I gladly took. I later found out that you could ask most of the sellers for a sketch; you just had to wait 2-3 hours for them because of the number of requests they got. After I learned of this, I noticed that many people were actually drawing, sketching, and one of them even painting, between the times they were interacting with customers.
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6079/6150310936_b01e799af9.jpg) Mizuki Hitoshi, the guy who drew me a picture (the person hiding behind the counter is his wife)
After wandering through the aisles for a bit, I ventured outside for a break of fresh air. In doing so I stumbled into what looked like a car show or whatever. Lots of fancy looking cars with anime art on the hood and sides.
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6149770809_27129f56ce.jpg) Japan.
Nearby was some area where cosplayers were having their pictures taken. I took some photos of them, but then realized that it was a lot more fun to take pictures with them. The cosplayers go into some panic mode and start running around like chickens with their heads cut off, while the photographers go 'ooh, Nikon desu ne' while trying to figure out my camera.
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6150323788_1f51391609.jpg) Ooh, cosplay desu ne.
I never knew this, but apparently the cosplayers come in these cosplay groups that include photographers. Apparently they just chill together and take photos within their own groups. I told the guy that explained this to me that I liked his costume and then he started hugging me and made me take a photo with him in some weird-ass pose. Never again.
I wandered around a bit more, harassing different cosplay groups, until some long Japanese speech over the announcement system marked the end of the event and everybody cheered and clapped. The regular visitors all crowded back to the train station, while the cosplayers all lined up for the changing rooms. On the train back home I had a spectacular view of the Tokyo Bay. I felt that the beautiful cloud formations in Japan was the source of inspiration for all the cloudporn in anime.
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6150327762_0e5cb73912.jpg) Tokyo Bay.
I stopped by at Shibuya on the way home for some dinner. Lonely Planet misled me when it told me that Shibuya 109 was full of restaurants on the top floor. The stores had all changed and there were only two restaurants left. I had a subpar omurice and left to rest at the Shibuya Crossing Starbucks before heading home.
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6149777949_2a3f476f94.jpg) Shibuya Crossing at night.
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Nice pictures, will there be a part 8 and on?
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Omg so jealous. This is so awesome
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Been checking out these pics and your journey from the first part. Some really cool cars in there with great paint jobs. Pretty funny to see a Minivan in there (looked almost like a toyota sienna or something)
"Fuuuuu-sion HAH"
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6070/6149774395_35f2ccf156.jpg)
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I plan on going to Korea next year and looking at you're blog makes me want to go on vacation even sooner. Thanks for sharing your journey!
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Aaaah. The beauty of Shibuya's urban environment, no hachiko though 
Anyway im jealous man, I wish i learnt more japanese to make visits like you.
Creepers in Japan = Terrorists in Japan
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AWwwESOME! just awesome. Every pic.
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mrmin123
Korea (South)2971 Posts
On September 18 2011 15:16 Freeheals wrote:
Nice pictures, will there be a part 8 and on?
Yes, up to part 10.
On September 18 2011 15:45 RogerX wrote:Aaaah. The beauty of Shibuya's urban environment, no hachiko though Anyway im jealous man, I wish i learnt more japanese to make visits like you. Creepers in Japan = Terrorists in Japan
Not knowing Japanese shouldn't deter you, because I don't know any Japanese myself! I got by using only English and rarely the phrase guide at the back of Lonely Planet. The standard Japanese person's English level of expertise is incredibly low, but their willingness to help helps overcome such barriers.
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Awesome blogs! Thanks for the posts!
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That cirno is so cute, I wonder if the person's a girl. Has to be, right?
As mrmin said, you don't need to know a single bit of Japanese to get by in Tokyo or other major cities. So go and enjoy that beautiful country!
![[image loading]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6075/6149761537_94b06d2bea.jpg)
Those are nice, I have the small version of Marisa!
Btw Shibuya 109 is a girl's store, did you see other males at all? 
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mrmin123
Korea (South)2971 Posts
I'd like to think that the Cirno was a girl, but given that it's Japan I wouldn't be surprised even if it wasn't.
And yea, I remember picking up a color-coded map in Shibuya 109 and it was all pink. There were maybe 5 guys on the first floor, all probably dragged there by their respective girlfriends.
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Noo, only 3 more parts?
Excellent pictures, especially those car ones and the Tokyo Bay one!
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man I wanna go to a reitaisai / comiket so bad
I think I would end up broke in a few minutes though lol
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going to 109 for food is possibly the worst suggestion you could ever get.
However, 109 is a crazy place. I don't know how long you spent there outside of the restaurant, but I hope you got a sense of shibuya fashion trends while getting to the top floor. 109 is quite possibly the source or inspiration of over half of the skimpy clothing in Tokyo.
There's actually another building really close to 109, called 109-2, but it's for guys (just like how 109 sells exclusively girl clothing), that's why there were no guys 
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Man I remember when you told us that this year's trend is dresses all the way down to the ankle. We were so disappointed lol.
Luckily not all girl's went for that trend.
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mrmin123
Korea (South)2971 Posts
On September 19 2011 02:16 ZoW wrote:man I wanna go to a reitaisai / comiket so bad I think I would end up broke in a few minutes though lol
I think I saw one of those body pillow things go for $150 USD lol
and fucking lonely planet: "Shibuya - Take the briefest look around Shibuya and it may occur to you that there must be a lot of restaurants lurking in all those department stores - you are correct. Winners: to collect your prize, proceed to the 7th floor of Parco Part 1 or the 8th floor of the Shibuya 109 building."
Of course there's not a single restaurant on the 8th floor, and only two on the 7th...
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On September 18 2011 17:12 mrmin123 wrote:
Not knowing Japanese shouldn't deter you, because I don't know any Japanese myself! I got by using only English and rarely the phrase guide at the back of Lonely Planet. The standard Japanese person's English level of expertise is incredibly low, but their willingness to help helps overcome such barriers.
So true. People are so amazingly helpful there. I had once asked a man for help in Osaka trying to find the right block for a western union by Namba. He ended up completely stopping what he was doing and just happily walked me to it, 3 blocks away.
I got by with stupidly minimal amount of vocab/grammar and a mini LP phrasebook as well. Doesn't mean I am going to stop trying to learn, but fluency certainly is not required to survive or enjoy traveling a bit.
EDIT: Loving your blog btw, I can't wait until I get to go back.
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Ah, I feel like I was waiting forever for this part 7.
Can't wait for the last 3 parts in the series. :D
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Holy shit, those cosplays are on a whole new level. So well-done!
Love the shirt man, so jealous!
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That Yuyuko is actually really well done.
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