Tokyo

Hello Darlings! In the past few months I lost my motivation to keep this thing updated. But now I'm visiting my parents for Spring break, and thought it was the perfect time to play catch-up. 

My last promised update was my New Year's Adventure to Tokyo, right?

I booked bus tickets to Tokyo with some friends from my university. It was very convenient, the JR Express Highway bus picked us up right in front of a Lawson conbini near the train station. 

The trip up to Tokyo from Nagoya took six or seven hours, and cost roughly 3,000 yen. The bus dropped us off in front of Tokyo Station.

We saved a bunch of money by booking Sakura Hostel in Asakusa, a culturally rich and historic district. It ended up being less than 3,000 yen a night per person when we split a six-bed room. Not bad at all, especially during the New Year's rush!

Staying in Asakusa definitely had it's perks. For one thing, the hostel was right behind Sensoji Temple. It definitely felt like good luck staying there for New Year.

Sakura Hostel was clean, friendly and homey. The staff mans the desk practically twenty-four hours, and is multiculturally friendly. The staff comes from all over the world; rest assured, someone will always speak English or Japanese at least. 

The main lobby is the hub of activity in the mornings, with a cafe, couches, a flat screen TV, a smoking patio, a laundry area, and free wifi. 

Every room is locked with a swipe-key, and you can request extras if your group plans to split up (It's a 1,000 yen deposit for each additional key, to be returned upon checkout). Each floor has sex-separated communal bathrooms, which are kept impeccably clean.

There's lockers in each room to stow valuables. Clean sheets, blankets and pillows are provided when you check in. The rooms are wider than I was expecting, with windows, personal lights above each bed, and heating/air conditioning. It was the bare essentials, but we hardly spent time in the room anyway.

The only downside of Sakura Hostel is it can be tricky to find. Luckily when we arrived in Asakusa station, we met a local who offered to walk us there. She was studying English and seemed to enjoy the conversation. ^^

It's not that Sakura Hostel is inconvenient or far, but Asakusa is mainly composed of winding alley-like streets, which start to look the same after a while. If you're ever visiting or sight seeing, try to pick out landmarks or tall buildings on the sky line to get a sense of direction. 

Speaking of landmarks, we spotted the new Sky Tree while we were wandering around!

Asakusa station is the last stop on the Ginza Line. It goes directly to Shibuya, and from there you can go to Akihabara, Ikebukuro, Harajuku, you name it! 

On our first day in Tokyo, we met up with my friend in Shibuya. We met at Hachiko, the iconic statue of the  loyal dog, where I've dreamed of standing since I was little.

I fulfilled another lifelong wish making the trek across Shibuya Crossing to the Starbucks...

Later that day, we headed to Harajuku, and went shopping on the famous Takeshita dori.

This street is packed with clothing and accessory stores. You could find everything from a store selling just socks to a shop selling second-hand Vivienne Westwood. 

Though the Mori Girl trend seems to have moved on from the mainstream, many stores were still carrying Wonder Rocket and vintagey fashions. No matter what your budget or interest is, you can probably find something worth buying here. 

Bodyline is located on Takeshita dori, and in close proximity, Harajuku Closet Child.

At this point I was kicking myself for not packing any lolita. I was starting to feel like a bum in my torn up jeans, boots and Peace Now raglan. I couldn't help myself in Closet Child, and went for AP's Little Bear's Cafe Jsk in mint. I also spotted the matching black bow for my treasured "Radioactive Cupcake" Jsk. 

In general, I didn't see lolitas in Harajuku. A pair of OTT sweet lolitas came into Closet Child when I was shopping, but even on the streets there were none in sight. 

There's been speculation that the lolita trend is starting to slow down, and I truly felt that way during my stay in Tokyo. Even Closet Child had relatively slim pickings, compared to the shop blog entries I used to fawn over years ago. That's a subject I may save for another entry, since I felt the same decline in lolita in Nagoya.

Other photos from Harajuku...

One of the only cosplayers I saw, as Reita from the GazettE. There was also a Ruki in the shop behind her, dressed in the costume from "Silly God Disco", but they didn't want their photo taken. 

Harajuku Bridge was empty each time I went.

An h.Naoto display in La Foret.

Till Next Time!

Cherie

Oh my Onsen!

It was one of my biggest fears... being naked in public.

Who'd have thunk, it was beautiful.

Hanashobu is a man-made onsen, just a short walk away from my apartment and university. When I walk at night, the bright lights and billowing steam beckon me. I didn't have the courage to go, until my lolita friend offered to take me.

As soon as I walked in, I knew this wouldn't be your average spa experience. To the right there were lockers for your shoes, which I had also seen at Japanese Izakaya/pubs. When I stepped onto the wooden floor to stowe my shoes, I realised that the floor was heated! It was so nice, after a walk in the cold wind.

We went to the front desk to check in, where we were given [atrocious] fluorescent orange uniforms, a bag for our towels and belongings, and a wrist band. The wrist band worked as our personal credit card of sorts, which kept track of your expenses for the day. All you had to do was hold the bracelet up to a sensor on a vending machine, and the charge would go to your account, to be paid when you left. (After all, you can't carry your wallet around when you're nude can you?) 

Okay well, you aren't exactly nude the entire time. Before entering the baths, you get to experience all the saunas. The guests are issued proper sweating uniforms, which I'm certain are designed to dissuade any ideas of possible attraction. The two-piece shirt and shorts combo are highlighter orange for girls [I joked we were in Bath Jail], and pine tree green for the boys [they didn't smell like evergreen]. 

The first was what I expected from a sauna... a mild room, where you lay down your towel on rocks and roast like a satsumaimo. Nothing exciting to report, except from the fact that I love satsumaimo and was honoured to live like one. 

The next room was light therapeutic. The entirely white room was hotter than the first, with marble floors. Between each lying space/stall (?) there was a 'wall' of string lights, which changed colours every fifteen minutes. The colour from the lights was cast throughout the whole room. I loved watching the colours change, especially to cerulean blue and hot pink. 

To take a break from sweating our butts off, we stopped in a snow room- no literally, a snow room. The cylindrical room had glass windows all around, and scented snow fell from the ceiling. Someone had built a tiny snowman and left him to chill. 

The last room was my personal favourite... we laid on our backs and looked up at a changing night sky. Stars twinkled on a deep navy background, until morning broke, and the 'sky' became robin's egg blue. 

Finally, it was time for the main event... the strip down. This was the moment I was dreading, not just because of my own insecurities, but also...

I have a giant tattoo on my back. 

Read more after the cut!

Butler Cafe: Imperial Rose

Photo courtesy of Meieki Keizai Shimbun, 2010.

The Imperial Rose sits on the fourth floor of a building, just a moment's walk from the hustle and bustle of Nagoya Station. Imagine, entering an elevator like any other, pressing the singular violet button that carries you to the top floor.

The elevator opens, and you find yourself faced with a set of heavy black doors. Roses and ivy curl around the black iron clock, ticking away despite the timeless scene.

It's hard to believe that you're still in Japan, and not a scene from a fairytale. 

Like a magic spell at midnight, the cafe comes to life at noon. The lights on the clock ignite like fireflies.

 Rap the heavy iron knocker, and the bolt behind the doors is undone. A dashing butler greets you with a bow and a cordial smile... welcome to The Imperial Rose. 

This butler-kei cafe prides itself on handcrafted sweets, a profound and creative atmosphere, and signature teas arranged by the owner. The workers are all female, dressed in gothic boy style and visual kei fashion. The cafe caters to Gothic Lolita and cosplaying customers, with several special events throughout the year.

The inside of the cafe was all violet, from the chairs to the chandeliers and velvet tablecloths. Ball-jointed dolls  sat perched on the counters. There was a bookshelf packed with gothic lolita art books to admire during your stay, and if you'd prefer to watch something, each table had a television with a selection of dvds about tea. 

Photo courtesy of Meieki Keizai Shimbun, 2010.

When I went this weekend, we ordered the Deluxe Tea set, which serves two for 2,500 yen. We got our choice of tea, which the butler let us sniff for aroma and flavor before brewing. We went with the house specialty, IR tea, which had a gorgeous rose scent.

We were served with a four-tier dessert tray, with crystals dangling from the sides, butterflies arranged in clotted cream, the cakes adorned with bat-shaped cookies. The top tier was scones with our choice of jam and clotted cream (we opted for blueberry); the second tier was cheesecake and strawberry short cake; the third was a berry tart; and last but not least was a delicate chiffon cake served with cream. 

Each guest was served with a different teacup and saucer. The teapot cozies were hand stitched with the cafe name and a lavender rose bud. 

On the way out, you can purchase post cards, stickers, second-hand lolita, cosplay and j-rock goods, as well as handmade accessories from LoveReplica. 

This was my very first time at a cafe like this! It was like a dream. All of the handmade elements, like the menus and decorations were so impressive and unique. I was so sad that photos were forbidden, because everything was beautiful and ethereal. 

It has always been a dream of mine to open my own Lolita cafe someday, and after visiting the Imperial Rose I am even more determined.

It sounds silly, but it's things like this that remind me why I got into lolita, why I still wear it and love it. 

Tokyo, I'm on my way!

HURRAH! 

I have finally made plans for a winter vacation. I won't be doing much for Christmas, but on New Year's...

I'm heading to Tokyo baby! 

Some friends from our home university in Hawaii will be visiting Japan, so we decided to meet them in Tokyo. We are staying at a hostel near Asakusa shrine, which will surely bring us good luck for the new year.

To save a bit of money, we booked our bus tickets in advance, and opted for a night bus. A word to the wise for those traveling by bus in Japan, book your trip about a month in advance. Almost all the cheap tickets were gone! 

Navigating the site for JR Kantou bus tickets is like working through a labyrinth of pain. The good news is, once you've managed to reserve your tickets, you can pick them up at a conbini (vice paying online with your credit card). 

I am all ready trying to decide what to pack! Shopping in Harajuku is a must, and I also want to see the Ghibli Museum, Akihabara, and certain cafe in Ikebukuro called The Milky Way cafe. I should make an official to-do list...

Since it has been so cold (all of a sudden!), I finally broke down and invested in a lolita coat. This red pea coat by Metamorphose was only 5,000 yen used. The bear-eared hood is detachable. 

The emerald green socks are from Metamorphose! The shop had snowflake printed things out, and they were also having a sock sale. ^^ The shop tenant at Nagoya Metamorphose is the sweetest thing too. I showed her a dress I just bought, and she helped me find socks to match!

These socks also go with my Romantica Train Jsk, for a more Christmas Eve look...

And for New Year's, what better print that the alcohol-covered Merry Making Party?

I hope this will all fit in a little weekender bag... uh oh... 

Student Survival Guide: Cellphones

I didn't mean to drop off the face of the Earth, honestly! The NUFS Fall semester is already coming to a close. 

Today I got myself an early Christmas present: a pink 電子辞書, or electronic dictionary. I borrowed one from a friend in class recently, and wondered how I ever got through my assignments without one. I wish I bought one first thing this semester.

Honestly, they are amazing. Not only can you look up words in English and Japanese, but you can add any language from Korean to French with a simple upgrade. There is an SD card slot for additional content, such as memos and recipes. The screen is in full color, which makes browsing easy on the eyes. There is a stylus which allows you to draw a kanji and look up the reading. 

They normally run 25,000-35,000 yen, depending on how big and fancy you want it. But mine was on sale today for 17,000 yen. On top of that, the salesman said "Regrettably, all we have left is pink." Oh, boo hoo! ;D

Speaking of handy electronics, I thought I'd take the time to try and explain one of the cloudiest matters about studying abroad in Japan... prepaid cellphones. 

When I first arrived in Japan, I had no intention of buying a keitai. I thought, "That's useless, just another money eater". 

However as the first month passed, I realized I was the only one without one. Even with the advent of Facebook, I couldn't get a hold of my friends. Then when we started taking school excursions, keeping in touch was even more of a pain. 

The features of Japanese cellphones were tempting too. For example, even with the most basic prepaid phone, you can beam your information via infrared to your friends, eliminating the need to manually enter contact details.

So, you're a student in Japan and you want a cellphone. How do you make it happen?

The major companies are Softbank, Docomo, and au. I decided on Softbank because there are so many stores in my area, it seems to be the cheapest, and all of my friends got Softbank plans.

First of all, get your Gaijin card. It is an ID card that proves/validates your temporary residence in Japan. You normally get it the same time you get your insurance card. Without a Gaijin card, you will need someone else with a Gaijin card, or a Japanese resident to help you get a cellphone in their name. 

Second of all, you must be at least 20 years old to get your own cellphone plan (at least with Softbank). I took my friend to the store to get his cellphone, but since he was only 19, he was ineligible.

When you go to get your phone, it is recommended that you have an intermediate level of Japanese, or take a friend who does. Sometimes there are English speaking staff on deck, but it's never guaranteed.

When you're all set to get your phone, all you have to do is walk into the store. It tends to get swamped in the afternoons when people get off work, but during the day on weekdays it is practically empty. You may still have to take a number and sit in the waiting room. 

When the staff is ready, a salesperson will come and get you. When you're seated, just ask for a prepaid phone. 

I asked for the cheapest, a Softbank 740SC. 

It was only 3,000 yen, but has a color screen, 2.0 megapixel camera, infrared, web capabilities, and texting/email. You can choose either the white model or the black model; the black is more of a deep graphite color and slightly metallic. 

After choosing your phone, the sales person will explain the prepaid plan to you. The easiest, cheapest option is choosing the 3,000 yen package; that is to say, you get 3,000 yen worth of minutes on your plan, good for up to 60 days. Then out of that 3,000, you can pay 300 yen for unlimited texting/email. 

The only thing is, this phone doesn't come with a charger. I bought their cheapest compatible charger for 900 yen, so my total came out to just under 7,000 yen. Considering the phone was topped off, set up and ready to go, that's not bad at all. However, I wish I invested in a sturdier charger for that price, since mine is all ready broken. 

Topping up your phone is very simple (I just did it yesterday for the first time). Softbank sends you free texts when your prepaid plan is about to expire. With that warning, I went to my nearest conbini and asked for a prepaid Softbank card at the desk. The clerk directed me to the Loppi automated kiosk, where I selected the 3,000 yen package, again, good for 60 days. 

The kiosk printed a receipt, which I took to the till. The cashier printed out a piece of paper with a number on it. All I had to do was call the automated Softbank line and input that number, and bam, my phone was set to go again. It was as simple as using an iTunes card. 

I did have to set up my unlimited texting again, but 300 yen for 60 days on text messaging was an amazing deal. Between study sessions, field trips and hanging out with friends, I used well over 300 texts. 

Even if you do not top off your phone, you can still keep your number for up to one year. 

That being said, the Softbank prepaid plan is an excellent resource for students. It is the bare essentials as far as cellphones go... for example, these phones can't browse the internet, or scan those nifty barcode things. However, you can email content like ringtones and photos to your Softbank email, and the camera is pretty nice. I've found it super handy for those times I forget my digital camera. 

If any of this seems vague, feel free to ask questions and I will clarify as much as I can. But really, getting a cellphone in Japan was much easier, less expensive, and more convenient than I expected. Like Manaca cards and Denshi Jishos, they will only make life easier during your studies and travels.