Estoy en Japon.

Many cool things have happened. I must put them here. P.S. I am the worst blogger.

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:03:46 -0500

Many cool things have happened. I must put them here.

P.S. I am the worst blogger.

渋谷 (Shibuya) The hippest part of town. Actually. That third...

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:11:00 -0500

渋谷 (Shibuya)

The hippest part of town. Actually.

That third picture is a famous five-way intersection. It is enormous, and when the walk signal turns green, huge floods of people come from every direction. It sounds like it isn’t a big deal, but it’s really a spectacle. It’s a horrible photograph; I took a video but Tumblr’s being dumb about uploading videos, so hopefully I will youtube—>Tumblr embed soon.

I haven’t explored Shibuya much yet, but it seems like everyone’s favorite place. I’m excited to see why.

A very close second for my favorite exhibition at 3331. All of...

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:29:12 -0500

A very close second for my favorite exhibition at 3331. All of these students have some form of Downs Syndrome. And I adored everything without even knowing that. So beautiful. These pictures do them no justice; the intricacy and colors were mind-blowing.

I didn’t write these artists’ names down because...

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:18:00 -0500

I didn’t write these artists’ names down because I’m a fucking IDIOT. I’ll dig through my pamphlets and try to figure it out, but until then, they are the nameless talents featured at 3331 (all students, in case you forgot).

That first one was enormous. It must have been at least 25-feet across and 15-feet tall. The cuddliest giant monster. This artist’s skill in creating characters using fabric, taking them well beyond the applicable boundaries of a “stuffed animal,” was arresting.

The third and fourth photographs are an installation that was essentially about (and created by) a guy locked in his room, alone with his mind. It’s not in the picture, but one of the walls was filled top to bottom with stream-of-consciousness-like entries that I dearly wish I was able to read. I am fairly certain that’s a taxidermy sloth.

The last two are huge drawings done entirely with pen. PEN. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU JAPANESE STUDENT. I normally hate flowers, but they were so gorgeous and so huge (at least 6ft in both directions)… and I loved their placement within a large, dark room.

3331 in Akihabara

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:02:00 -0500

Alright, there’s this SICKNASTY art space in Akihabara called 3331. They provide super professional-looking gallery spaces for some of Tokyo’s most talented art students, leaving work on display free and open to the public. It’s become a swanky hangout for the Tokyo art scene’s youth. My professor told me its exhibitions are hit or miss, but I absolutely adored everything that was on display when we visited—it was right up my alley. I would like to put all the photos from the visit in one post, but I love all of them so much I’m putting them in multiple. What can I do.

I’ll start with something that might establish the mood of the place a little bit. The mood being hip and awesome and wide and clean. (Like all of Tokyo I guess. Hm.)

Yes, those are color coded plastic toys. Hundreds of them. So cool.

This cozy little part of the entrance to 3331 is called the “Kaeru Station.” (Kaeru means frog, but is also a verb meaning to return, to come home, etc.)

Didn’t ask what it’s for, but it’s pretty damn cool. (I love and hate how useless art is in that respect.)

秋葉原 (Akihabara)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:40:00 -0500

I’ve only been there once and briefly, but I know it’s one of my favorite places in Tokyo. Because it’s so stupid and nerdy and ridiculous.

I was greeted to the station with a huge sign reading: “Akihabara: Electric Town.” And, ladies and gentlemen, it’s a perfect appellation. My favorite part of the place is this tightly packed maze of tiny electronics booths. One-person shops sell every kind of electrical device you could ever desire, but I found the variety of decorative lights the most appealing. Here’s a miserably low-quality and poorly-shot photograph of how low the ceilings were and how tiny each booth was:

I’m planning on going back when I know exactly what kind of lights I want for my inflatable coffin installation (art project woo). I am anticipating this visit so much that even now I haven’t been back yet ahhhhhh.

Akihabara also has some of the best lights in town. Granted, Tokyo’s lit up in jaw-droppingly fantastic ways everywhere all the time, but here it’s… I don’t know. Almost self-aware.

(Yet another awful photo:)

I’d like to think it’s because Akihabara is hugely geared towards otaku. The district’s a highlight for anyone who loves anime and games. I am not particularly into either, but I enjoy taking advantage of the spectacles created for people who are. Maid cafes, huge arcades, sex shops, junk stores that sell everything you never knew existed: it’s all here, to confuse you and overstimulate your senses.

Yup. I need to return to this bar when it’s open, someday.

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:18:29 -0500

Yup. I need to return to this bar when it’s open, someday.

Whoops.

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:14:08 -0500

Never doubted this would happen, but I am WAY behind on posts. I’ll start uploading things from a few weeks ago, and try updating other things as they happen. Chronology destroyed.

HEAVEN. AMAZING JAPANESE PEN AND PENCIL HEAVEN. I had never seen...

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:25:40 -0500

HEAVEN. AMAZING JAPANESE PEN AND PENCIL HEAVEN. I had never seen a .4 pencil in my life before this day.

Awesome pomp’ mascot.

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:24:09 -0500

Awesome pomp’ mascot.

"Tokyo looks like shit during the day."

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:09:00 -0500

“Tokyo looks like shit during the day.”

- Shinya Watanabe, Digital Printmaking professor and ex-head of TUJ’s art program

Shinjuku.

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:08:00 -0500

Shinjuku.

Other Harajuku highlights, including a Yayoi Kusama store :O

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:03:33 -0500

Other Harajuku highlights, including a Yayoi Kusama store :O

Alright, this was the highlight of my first trip to Harajuku. We...

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:32:00 -0500

Alright, this was the highlight of my first trip to Harajuku. We found a little one-room gallery with mega colorful paintings of magical women, animals, and Buddhas covered in glitter. The artist, Ere*Maria, was wearing a flower crown and a gorgeously intricate pink dress that looked like it could grant wishes. She was also incredibly sweet and happened to be great at English!

She gave us all flower crowns and asked to take a picture with us. Here is the version of this photograph that she uploaded to her Facebook. The caption (super roughly translated by me) says something like, “Today, many more visitors came. We got along well and had fun. Thank you!” :D

The next couple posts will be about Harajuku. Yoyogi Park :...

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:20:00 -0500

The next couple posts will be about Harajuku. Yoyogi Park : Harajuku :: Central Park : New York City, I think. It’s enormous and really pretty! Inside is the Meiji shrine, which is famous all over Japan. There were way more Japanese tourists there than foreign tourists.

I wish I had pictures of the actual shrine, but I’m going to go back on a day when it’s less crowded (it was a holiday weekend). Needless to say, it was gorgeous.

Cozy little Ontakesan! It’s impossible to feel unsafe...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:59:00 -0500

Cozy little Ontakesan! It’s impossible to feel unsafe here.

These photos don’t actually do it any justice. I’ll take a nicer one later, maybe on a Saturday morning when the outdoor storefronts are crazy.

My first bento lunch, from Japan’s very own...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:22:00 -0500

My first bento lunch, from Japan’s very own 7-11.

Friends, Japanese 7-11s are the best. If you told someone back in the states that you got curry from 7-11, they would probably vom in their mouth. But, in case you can’t tell from this photograph, the pre-made meals are great, and I eat them several times a week because they’re やすくて、べんりで、おいしいです (cheap, convenient, and delicious). Seriously, convenience stores are my rock here.

This is what my commute to school looks like.

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:18:55 -0500

Notice the adorable baby cars

This is what my commute to school looks like.

Highlight of my room: The home wall, complete with llama bottle...

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:12:00 -0500

Highlight of my room: The home wall, complete with llama bottle opener. Hopefully, this will accumulate.

Hi

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:09:00 -0500

there everyone. I arrived in Tokyo two weeks ago. I will update this sporadically.

I am living in a dorm with about 35 other students. When I arrived, I was astonished at how well the facility takes care of us…

We’re staying in a town within Tokyo called Ontakesan, and it’s quiet and lovely. A five-minute walk from the train station, convenience and department stores, restaurants and bars, a couple bakeries, and the local shrine.

Since I am starting late, here are some little snippets of what has happened already:

I thought I could continue my caricature project that I started in Pittsburgh here using my 50-minute daily train commute, and in the first few days I finished about seven. Then I found out it’s rude to make eye contact with strangers, so I haven’t done a single one since. :’(
Hello Kitty man! Stay tuned, I will describe him in detail when I get a hold of a picture of him.
In Harajuku, some friends and I were lucky enough to find a tiny, legit curry place that gives you a huge plate of incredible for just ¥650. Unfortunately the shop owner didn’t speak English and I was the best Japanese speaker in my group (meaning we as a group could barely communicate with him) and he clearly didn’t like us. Regardless, I’m definitely going back.
Also in Harajuku: There is this sicknasty used clothing store called “Thank You” where everything in it is ¥390. (Three and nine in Japanese are pronounced “san” (さん) and “kyuu” (きゅう) —> “sankyuu,” hence the name. SO CLEVER.)
Fun fact: Karaoke here is nothing like karaoke in the States.
Another fun fact: Gay clubs here are nothing like they are in the States. There are actually ONLY GAY MEN inside them.
For some horrible reason, the train stops running at midnight. Not only does this mean that I’ll be stranded if I stay out at a club long enough for it to become fun, but it means I can’t pull all nighters in studio… :’( :’( :’( I’ll have to change my habits fast.
All dogs in Tokyo wear sweaters.

People here are a lot colder than I expected. Passers by don’t seem friendly at all, and it makes me really self-conscious. I feel like I’m bothering everyone all the time just by breathing loudly, subtly bumping someone on the train, or smiling at people, their kids, or their dogs as they walk by. Maybe the guy in the curry place didn’t hate me as much as I felt he did? I can’t tell. Yesterday, however, I heard from another student who lived in Osaka for a year and a half that it’s just Tokyo that’s like that. What can I expect from a big city? New York’s the same way. Apparently, feelings like these are also a natural part of culture shock, so I’m banking on them going away.

I promise this is the last monster post. Goodnight Tokyo, good morning for all y’all back home.