Random sakura picture

I keep mentioning the sakura I saw while I was in Japan but haven’t posted any pictures yet.

This is to hold you until I get my trip pictures organized.  :)

I believe I took this in Kyoto, in the Imperial Gardens.

Enjoy.

 

(BTW, the day was rather overcast, which made a lot of the sakura look a bit less colourful than they actually were.  Still, they are very pale flowers.)

Last day first

I had decided to say “Screw the cost!” and brave the train for a fast trip into Tokyo on my last day in Japan.  I arrived at the Narita airport at 10:30am and didn’t need to check in for my flight home until 3:00, so I plunked down 6000 yen and got a round trip train ticket to the Tokyo subway station.  Akihabara is a mere two stops away from there.

Yes, I finally got to go to Akihabara.

First, I’d like to say that the view from the train going there was spectacular.  The sakura trees were in full bloom and would randomly pop out of clusters of apartment buildings and parking lots, or there would be a small grove of them in the parks and schools we passed.  It made me want to step out of the train and sprawl underneath one.  I could really understand why the Japanese people do it, and I was only passing by in a speeding train.

But, my geek moment.  I didn’t have much time in the city (barely two hours) and I was afraid of walking down the wrong street and missing my train back so I stayed on the main drag the whole time.  I found the Animate store pretty easily but Gamers was a little harder.  It was only on my second pass through that area that I finally found it.  I think because I was coming from the other side of the building and it’s too hard to see from there.  Basically, the directions I had said that both stores were to the right if you came out of the Electric Town subway gate.  But… there’s to the right and there’s to the right.  Heh.  The exit I came out of opened onto a small street and I could see a Sega store (I think??) at the end of it.  There was an exit farther off to the right that I only noticed on my way back.  This was the street Gamers was on.  Easily recognizable by the girls in costume handing out flyers and posing for camera crews.  I’m not quite sure how I missed it. 

The main street was busy and I didn’t want to risk getting trampled by playing tourist, so sadly I have no pictures, other than this one of the subway sign.

I ended up not buying very much after all. I picked up a couple of art books and (the first thing I saw when I walked into Animate!!) the Yotsuba&! page a day calendar! That made the trip worthwhile. ;) I have to admit I was a bit leery of wandering into too many of the stores. Quite frankly, most anime posters tend to look rather porn-like and when the stores are filled with only men I can’t tell from the outside if it’s “safe” to go in. I had already gotten off the elevator in Animate on the porn floor and that was enough embarrassment for one day!  It really doesn’t help when you can’t read any of the signs.

My next trip will definitely have more time scheduled for Akihabara! And I’m wandering around more next time!

BTW, the Yotsuba calendar is most excellent.  It runs from April 2008 – March 2009 so I’ll get to enjoy it for a full year.  After puzzling over my completely untranslated Totoro daybook (and the days don’t go from Sunday to Saturday which makes it harder for me to use) I was a bit wary about how useful it was going to be.  But!  No worries! 

Here’s the April 12 page, just because it’s awesome.

 

 

Toy building marathon

These are my newest figures.  I have here a set for Maison Ikkoku, two from Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, two from Naruto and finally School Rumble.

This is what my coffee table looks like right now:

This is one sans camera flash.  I can’t decide if it’s easier to see or not.

The figures on the left:

A couple of the Fullmetal Alchemist figures came with little extras, like tool boxes, etc.  The best though, is Al.  He not only comes with an extra head (the little round thing next to him) but his chest plate comes off to reveal his little yellow kitty inside.  Awesome.

(I probably shouldn’t have sweet innocent Al in front of the drunken crew from Ikkoku.  The three in front are definitely wasted!)

And the right:

If you look at the top right corner of this one you can see a little container on the box.  Those are the dreadful salted cherry blossoms that turned out to be tea.  It’s actually not that bad once you rinse the salt off.

Also, my camera kind of sucks.  None of my close up pictures turned out.  I couldn’t even zoom on these ones for some reason. 

Ah well.

I would like to point out that once the figures are moved to their new home I have a lovely tray from Pottery Barn that will be taking up residence where the toys are now.  I try to be grown up about some things.  Not very hard, but I do try….