Shiny Shinjuku

I wish I had more time to look around Shinjuku. But the heat and more was wearing me down so I only made a quick trip there after resting from my visit to Nippori and Akihabara.

I was searching for a 0101 store. Marui Honkan 0101 or is it was it

Marui Annex 0101?  Marui also known as 0101 has four stores in Shinjuku. The one I wanted was the Annex. I had been there in 2010 when it was at another location. This store was nicer inside.

I headed up to the Kera Shop which is where they sell fashion items from several Japanese designers. So many cute things to choose from! There are many other boutiques in the Annex with a variety of fashions. I enjoyed looking around more than I did in Harajuku.

And I did find a few things. I was looking for a couple of Moi meme Moitie items since buying online is more expensive due to shipping.

I was happy to find a candelabra necklace since they did not have this one at Laforet in Harajuku.

I also bought a handkerchief and a couple of chokers plus that Yoh's monochrome world book. While it doesn't seem like a lot, I am happy with what I bought. I really hope I get to go back and spend more time at Marui Annex and Shinjuku in the future.

Return to Akihabara

Since I had to change trains at Akihabara Station I decided I might as well take a look outside since I hadn't been there since 2008.

Akihabara was at one time known as Electric Town due to all the sellers of electronics that were there. There are still some.

But as almost everyone knows that the main product that is sold in Akihabara now is anime, manga and games. And it's even more evident than it was in 2008.

It also seems that a lot of people were not out hiking mountains on Yama no Hi day. Instead many were here.

There were a lot more maids on the streets than before too.

There's a lot more advertising on buildings.

Not all of it is focused towards otaku. Yama no Susume or Encouragement of Climb is a nice enjoyable anime about mountain climbing geared more towards young women and girls. Also a good choice for Yama no Hi day.

Plenty of capsule machines still around. I even found a Puella Magi Madoka Magica one full of Soul Gems and Grief Seeds for 300 yen. Although I think it's a plot by Kyubey to gain more magical girls.

Gamers is still around with their Di Gi Charat sign. Rewrite is a current anime along with Love Live! Sunshine!!.

In fact, I saw more items and signs for Love Live! Sunshine!! than anything else. Still lots of crane machines in Akihabara but all had anime related prizes unlike back in 2008 where there were other cute non-anime plush in some of them. Anime is big business now.

Go!Go!Curry is still there. Every food place I saw was packed with people. Glad I ate at MOS Burger before this.

Something I hadn't experienced before, an Akihabara line. They do exist.

I didn't recognize the character on the sign so I'm not sure exactly what this is for. Usually they are for first releases of games or special limited character goods or other things like that. Whatever it was, it was popular because that was a very long line.

Something I did recognize. A sign for Thunderbolt Fantasy. It is a Japanese Taiwan joint anime project using puppets like Thunderbirds did decades ago. Except this is much more advanced visually and the puppets look amazing.

AKB48 Theater is still there.

More anime signs. Not just in Akihabara but in other places in Tokyo too. A lot of money being spent on advertising. Top sign is for the Selector Wixoss anime series. It's a trading card magical girl kind of show. ReLife is an anime about being in an experiment for a drug that makes you 10 years younger. The catch is participants have to go back to high school. Because if it's anime, odds are it's about middle school or high school students.

Totally not anime. I could not resist taking a photo of this cute Abyssinian kitten on this big screen.

I also caught a Pikachu while there. Pretty good considering I don't play Pokemon Go or have a smart phone.

While not as big as the one at Odaiba, there is a Gundam in Akihabara at the Gundam Cafe.

Along with Gundamyaki.

And more AKB48.

I'm guessing this advert has the girls wearing masks because who they are will be revealed at the show. Although it does look a little creepy like a Friday the 13th theme AKB48 show.

Also a little creepy is this transformer Toy Story model. I'm not sure if little kids would be excited or cry because their favorite characters came apart and then morphed together.

While I may have made a little fun of Akihabara I do admit to trying the Puella Magi Madoka Magica capsule machine. I think I got Mami Tomoe Soul Gem and Demon Grief Seeds.

Along with Homura Akemi's soul gem which I am keeping. The others I will probably sell.

So that was it for Akihabara. All those stores and I bought next to nothing and didn't go in any stores. I think it was the combination of heat, being tired and how crowded it was. It was interesting to see how it changed.

Looking for Lace in Nippori

I returned to Nippori Station. Despite the cloudy weather, it was still possible to see Sky Tree.

Zoom photo for my friend since she loves Sky Tree.

 There isn't much to see in Nippori right outside the train station. The pastel colored buildings were nice.

Nippori wasn't very busy that day. It was actually a holiday. Yama no Hi Mountain Day. It was the first time it was ever celebrated in Japan so I didn't know if many shops would close for it in the middle of the week. I was about to find out.

Because I was headed to Nippori Textile Town to look for lace. I wasn't sure I was headed the right way. Nice they have a sign that points which way to go.

Pretty little flowers along the street. I had seen these in other parts of Tokyo. I'm not sure what they are called.

They are nice. If you are wondering why I'm only showing flower photos here...it's because almost all the fabric stores including the big Tomato stores were closed. A few smaller ones were open but that was it.

This nice piece of public art pretty much summed up how I felt. Tired and a little disappointed. No lace for me. But I did find one piece of fabric hanging outside a guy's shop so it wasn't a total waste of time and energy for me.

Along with spying this place. MOS Burger!

I couldn't leave Japan without eating at least once at MOS Burger.

Now you can get both french fries and onion rings in one order. Why don't more places do this? Those are great onion rings. Really nice batter and not as oily as most onion rings are. So good!

Of course I got the shrimp burger. Because I really like it. And it was just as good as I remembered.

As to that fabric, there was no way I was not going to get it once I saw it. It's actually black lace with blue roses printed on it. Reminded me of the musician Mana who I had seen perform at the Deep Sanctuary V concert. Now if I can just decide to use it as part of a skirt or a bolero or a scarf or...I'm sure I will think of something. It amused me to find it since there was nothing else there that was similar. Odd but a nice find for me.

Yanaka Cemetary

Just across from Tennoji is Yanaka Cemetery. Yanaka was part of Tennoji and was the largest cemetery in Japan at one time. It also is the final resting place for the last Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu.

It's also known for it's sakura trees but since it was August the sarusuberi (crepe myrtle) were blooming.

Even though I had a map, the walk ways were not all marked on it. Turned out Yoshinobu's plot was a little further than I walked so I did not see it. I did find the Sakai Clan plot. They were one of the chief retainer families of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Mostly though I just wandered. It was hot and I was tired, but it still felt a little restful to slowly walk and look around.

I found this sad Buddha rather touching.

I have no idea who this is for. It is one of the older sites in the cemetery.

Close up you can see engraving in the stones that looks like rope or plants.

So many different styles of markers there. Even though it was hot the cemetery felt serene. I wouldn't mind returning on a day where the temperatures are more hospitable. And also checking out the Yanaka area beyond this.

But I still wanted to go to Nippori on this day so instead I turned back to the train station. This beautiful morning glory was on the way to the station. I couldn't help but take a photo.