Today started with a simple game plan: Head to Sakae, check out the Novelty Fairs on the Lolita floor, come home in time for Fireworks at Nisshin's Yume Matsuri. Well one of my friends from my apartment building joined me too, and our plan became more and more intricate. Our day trip turned into an excursion into Nagoya's Ohsu district.
I will say this to start- I should have gone to Ohsu a long time ago. This was one of the best days I've had so far.
We arrived at Sakae around 11, finding an abundance of girls in head-to-toe AP and a lack of arousing deals. You couldn't even get to the accessories table at AP since ladies were crowded around it- not that I could blame them, there were new Wonder Cookie goodies up for grabs.
The deal at AP was, spend just shy of 16,000 yen and you score a free Tokimeki ribbon necklace in either pink or red. I browsed, caroused, and really tried to find something I wanted, but nothing was enough to bait me.
Though I fell hard for the Petit Patisserie Jsk in mint, once I saw it person...
... it was significantly more than I set out to spend today. Slightly disappointed, we left the Nova building- but not without checking out AATP's new Witch, Cat and Apple print. They had the OP on display with those gorgeous gold boots.
Read on after the cut for the rest of my quest!
It was about lunch time by the time we left, so we stopped by a place called "Cafe Mozart" in Sakae station. Redundantly, they played only Mozart.
"!!!Mozart was Japanese!!!"
One of the things I realized as I walked by cafe after cafe, was that I had never tried a parfait. I made it a goal to try one today, and Cafe Mozart was the place. I was torn between Chocolate-Ichigo and Mango, but in the end went with this Adzuki, Mochi and Matcha concoction. It was AMAZING!
All fueled up, our adventure began! It was a beautiful day to be in the city. It was not too hot, the sky was clear, and there was a nice breeze.
We visited the Volks store, where you are not supposed to take photos, but screw da police.
Then we went to the connected hobby shop, where you are not supposed to take photos either, but screw-da-poh-lice. I don't watch many anime, but I love Evangelion, and Asuka is my favorite!
There was something that set this hobby shop apart from others. Not only did they have the usual fare of blind-box figurines, paint-your-own-mechas, and gashapon, but the entire far wall was made up of clear lock-boxes. Inside, there were arrangements of goods resembling displays or collections.
First, my friend and I thought they were like rental lockers, so people could dump their goods and come back for it when they finished their shopping abroad. But au contraire! Everything had price tags.
In a consignment style, customers could rent out a display box to sell bits of their collections: opened blind box figures for half price, multiples, retired styles, rare editions, you name it. My friend and I found a locker stuffed with cheap Evangelion multiples, so we had our just deserved loot of Kaoru and Asuka figurines.
Afterwards, we sought out the shopping arcade. I had but one thing on my mind: finding the elusive second-hand lolita shop, Violet Blue. I was looking for maps everywhere, without a shred of luck.
On our search we stumbled into a shop called "Skunk", where the entire second story was stuffed with Spank and Fairy Kei.
On the way out, a shop tenant with platinum blonde hair, a Spank ensemble and pink framed glasses squeaked, "Kawaii!" She gestured to my Melty Mermaid Princess ensemble. An idea dawned on me. Mustering my mushy Japanese skills, I asked her if she had heard of Violet Blue. Her eyes went wide, and she mumbled, "Chotto matte kudasai!"
Scrambling behind her register, she whipped out a map of the Ohsu district and folded it open. She circled Skunk with her pen, and gestured to the shop literally right behind it on the next street over. She said that was Violet Blue, circled it, and gave us her map.
After thanking her profusely, we shot off down the stairs in search for the Holy Grail of second-hand. We turned the corner, parting the crowds like the Red Sea for Moses. We turned to the left, and low and behold...
Holy mother of brand, it exists!
That is all there is to the shop- very straight forward. Everything is on a rack and up for grabs. In the back there are bins of head bows, hair corsages, you name it, sitting pretty next to legit Vivienne Westwood rocking horse shoes. The GazettE's DIM album was playing on the intercom and I couldn't help but hum along. The case in the front had jewelry from all brands, Ba-tsu ties designed by Kyo of Dir en grey, old brand post cards, Vivienne Westwood wares, novelty dishes, you name it.
Now, I have been splurging like crazy since I got here, so I tried not to go overboard. I managed to get away with only spending 9,000 yen.
So what does that get you at Violet Blue?
Angelic Pretty old school bolero: 1,200 yen
Angelic Pretty Sugary Pansy skirt and headbow set: 7,800 yen
Dayum.
I'm glad I didn't blow twice as much in AP for a plastic necklace.
And by the way, I didn't make it home in time to go to the festival...
... but I could see all the fireworks from my balcony.
What an awesome day!
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