For all the crazy stuff that I’ve been getting up to while in Japan (and will continue to get up to, what with Disneyland and Tokyo Game Show ahead), I have to admit that the Miku Expo and concert was the thing I was most looking forward to. With the…
Read MoreIn my last Loot from Japan update, I showed off the massive boost I’ve done to my Miku figurine collection. For my second I’d like to show off more Miku loot. This time around, though, it’s all about the music. In Australia, if you were to walk into a CD…
Read MoreAs an Australian, I like to think I’m fairly resilient to the heat. After all, in Australian summers, the temperature lifts to over 40 degree Celsius regularly enough, and sits in the high thirties for most of it. It’s not exactly the Middle East, but it’s warm enough. But Japan…
Read MoreJapan, and especially Tokyo, has such an incredible range of art galleries, zoos, museums and exhibitions that it’s a pity that the city doesn’t have the same reputation for “culture” as those in parts of Europe. Where people plan entire trips to see the galleries and museums of Paris, Moscow,…
Read MoreAfter enjoying all that new Japan offers (Akihabara, baseball, and vocaloids), I wanted to do indulge my love of the other side of Japan I so love – its history and breathtaking landscape. So, we bundled into a car and set off on a road trip to Odawara. And it…
Read MoreJapan is a bit of a consumer’s paradise, selling a whole load of stuff that is difficult to find elsewhere (if not completely impossible in Australia). So naturally each time I’m in Japan I go shopping. The last couple of trips I’ve found myself largely investing in figurines to bring…
Read MoreOkay, okay, it’s time to get Akihabara out of the way. I doubt this will be the only time I visit this year, because I do enjoy my time there too much, but given I was already there for the Final Fantasy XIV restaurant, I figured I would use the…
Read MoreAs you could probably have gathered from my previous day’s trip to the Moomin cafe, the Japanese do like their themed restaurants and cafes. From maid and cat cafes to temporary set-ups (such as a Danganronpa-themed food court that I visited last year but is sadly gone), if you’re a…
Read MoreSpend enough time in Japan and you’ll realise quickly that the Japanese do liked their characters. Sanrio – the makers of Hello Kitty – has built an entire business model around developing cute animal characters. The entire reason that Hatsune Miku is a success is that Crypton had the foresight…
Read MoreI’ve been to Japan quite a few times now, and one thing that I’ve wanted to do each time, but never quite got around to, was go to a baseball match. Everyone knows the Japanese love their baseball, and I was interested to see how such a conservative and polite…
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