Japan in Colour: Leisure by Sundown

 

 

Kinobori fish flutter against the Tokyo Tower in the night sky

The following article is part two of a two article series cataloging the IB612 Consulting trip to Japan from April 23 to 29.

 

 

TOKYO – As IB612 students experienced through the course of their sojourn, Japan is a fascinating place bustling with activity, culture, life and a palpable atmosphere so thick one requires a knife and fork to consume it all in one go.

Following the chockful days of business activities, MLC Consulting team hit the streets in pursuit of squeezing every liquid ounce of their abridged journey to the land of the rising sun- carpe diem. The following is a list of top ten spectacles, only to be found in Japan:

 

10 –Oktoberfest in Japan?

In Japan, the German festival of Oktoberfest is anachronistically held at the dawn of spring in Yokohama; In other words- not in October. When traveling to a foreign country, seasoned travelers tend to resist divulging in the traditions owned by other cultures for obvious reasons. However, the free-flowing of brew, succulent bratwurst sausages, boisterous polka music accompanied by spirted Japanese tourists dancing against the backdrop of the blue azure, made this stop difficult to resist.

Ferris wheel in Yokohama at Cosmoworld Amusement Park

Pale horse at the ornately decorated Yokohama Carousel

9 - Harajuku

Harajuku is the birthplace of kawaii, the Japanese fashion statement of “cuteness.” As a judgement-free zone, this area is thrusted upon the traditional suit and tie crowd predominant in the metropolitan district of Ginza. Packed with alternative-minded youth, Harajuku transmutes a lust for the creative, the occult, the profane and the downright bizarre. The makeup-clad kids are adorned with their brightest hair dye, tattoos, piercings and respect is seemingly commanded by the height of one’s boots. En vogue is the fashion statement of “Baby Metal,” which juxtaposes elements of heavy metal and kawaii; Japan never fails to surprise.

 

8 – Anime

In Japan, anime is king. Whether one is a fan of the genre as means of story-telling does not detract from the degree of scrupulous mastery and imagination required in perfecting the art form itself. From April until May, Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills is hosting a Sailor Moon exhibit worthy of praise. While the exhibit fulfills the fantasies of the inner fan-girl, the meticulous craftsmanship of the art and vast expanse of the Tokyo skyline from atop of the tower are sufficient to satisfy even the prudist of men.

 

Sailor Moon reigns supreme at the Mori Tower.

 

The Holy Grail looking down upon the buildings below.

 

 

The front entrance of the Sailor Moon exhibit, decorated with arches against the skyline.

 

Kawaii anime nurse, listening to her favorite jams

 

7 – Parks and greenspace

The claustrophobia endured by Tokyo’s metro can make one feel like a sardine in a tin can. Fortunately, Tokyo offers respite from the daily humdrum with an assortment of parks and gardens including Shinjuku Gyoen Park. Sadly, the sakuras had mostly fallen shortly prior to IB612’s arrival in Tokyo. However, the petals of cherry blossoms could still be found, strewn on the canvas of the forest grass.

Cherry blossoms line the forest grounds in Shinjuku Gyoen Park

 

Mysterious flora in the depths of a Japanese forest.

 

6 – Underground restaurants

Dining plans were impromptu in Japan; however; a general rule of thumb dictates that the busier a restaurant, the better the food they serve. If one doesn’t mind eating within the confines of a few square inches, the culinary delights are rewarding. One such example is an Osaka-style restaurant near the Tokyo tower. The venue itself was filled with businessmen and the air thick with cirrus clouds of tobacco; a generally uninviting scene. However, the restaurant also served whale bacon so delicious it would make even pinkest of Greenpeace activists salivate.

 

Another restaurant in Ginza was found in its back alleys. Its only beacon was a paper chouchin lamp and an eager crowd, waiting as if queueing for entrance into a rock show. The line persisted past the doors of the venue which turned out to be a noodle shop. However, this noodle shop boasted some of the finest udon to be found in Tokyo. Luckily the deliciousness of the food ensured high turnover within the restaurant, as customers engulfed their meals with the expediency of a Hoover vacuum.

 

The act of dining is a spectator sport in Japan, as customers wait in line to be served.

Photo: Paul Squires

 

 

5 – Honour battles!

Street performances are rare in Tokyo when compared with most multinational cities. However, a dash of morbid curiosity, an ounce of cultural zest, and a tonne of passion made the katana battle in Yokhamma impossible to ignore. Luckily, neither men incurred a severed head, but they did land some serious blows.

 

 

    

 

Two warriors battle in Yokohama to the delight of onlookers.

 

4 – Mario Kart street racing in Shibuya

The Shibuya intersection deserves a note of mention for being the most chaotic intersection on the face of the planet. Simply crossing the street resembles the battle scene in the movie Braveheart, as flood of humanity charges in your direction from the opposing crosswalk. Invariably, one is likely to find an interesting cross-section of humanity in a large population sample. One such fascinating event was the use of Mario Kart-themed go-karts replete with costumes, glory and all. The troupe, however, was short of a few banana peels. 

Yoshi in the lead with Mario on his heels, in Shibuya. 

3 -  Gonpachi: Restaurant from epic fight scene in Kill Bill

The Gonpachi restaurant in Roppongi also happens to be the battlegrounds depicted in Quentin Tarantino’s classic cult film, Kill Bill. If coolness is a factor- and it always is- the restaurant itself scores somewhere among the ranks of Angus Young and James Dean. During daytime, the restaurant is practically vacant, leaving only the atmosphere to enjoy, which may include the ghosts of the slain by the katana of Beatrix Kiddo.

 

Paul Squires having a relatively peaceful lunch at Gonpachi.

 

2 – Sushi, sushi, sushi!

There are simple facts in life that don’t need require an explanation; just as the sky is blue, Japan is sushi heaven. However, Tsukiji fish market is where one can find the motherlode of all sushi in Tokyo. With fish auctions occurring in the early hours of the morning on the daily, one can get in a sushi breakfast and a few adult beverages before 10 o’clock; a degree of winning suitable for the likes of Charlie Sheen.

An itamae (sushi chef) prepares a meal by artfully flaying a catch of gargantuan proportions. 

 

 

1 – Friendships

At risk of sounding cliché- it’s true-  the most important aspect of traveling is sharing the experiences, laughs, and spouts of joy with companions whose company you genuinely enjoy. Indeed, both Professor Sung and the classmates of IB612 contributed to this adventure and the success it was. The purpose of the assignment was a shared learning experience and through the course of IB612’s travels to Japan, lessons were dealt in spades; from the formal organization of Japan business to the informal relationships and pressing demands of the tenuous work ethic imbued in Japanese culture. However, no lesson was more important than the friendships built through the shared experiences and expeditions, for which I am humbly grateful.

 

From Tokyo with love,

 

MLC out for lunch with Professor Sung before departure.

(From left to right: Adam Jasko, Ivanka Chang, Joyce Sun, Paul Squires, Dr. Sung Chao-Hsien and Julio León)

 

 

by Paul Squires