TMR in Ibaraki 2015

Hey everyone!

I hope you're all doing well! I'm playing a bit of catch up as of lately, so today I'd like to share with you my experience in Ibaraki seeing T.M. Revolution live!

Let me preface this entry with a bit of information about T.M. Revolution and my past knowledge/experiences with T.M. Revolution. T.M. Revolution, or TMR for short, is a stage name for Takanori Nishikawa (西川貴教) that stands for "Takanori Makes Revolution". TMR has been active since 1989 and is well known overseas for singing opening and closing songs for a variety of Anime, including, but not limited to, Gundam (ガンダム), D. Gray Man (ディー.グレイマン), and Soul Eater (ソウルイーター). He has also performed with the group abingdon school boys and has teamed up with famous singer, Nana Mizuki (水樹奈々), for two singles. While he has done a variety of things over the years, it is also notable that he is a Cultural Ambassador for his home prefecture, Shiga (滋賀), where he now annually puts together the Inazuma Rock Fes (イナズマロックフェス).

I have seen T.M. Revolution live before in the States, but this was my first time seeing him live in Japan. Furthermore, I was actually lucky enough to attend a panel Q and A with him in Baltimore, Maryland at Otakon 2013, which was very interesting as he talked about his inspirations, interests, and things that he wanted to do for his fans. I had heard many of his songs in passing and had a couple favorites by him that would remain on my current playlists.

(Tickets to see TMR!)

Thus when I got the chance to see him up in Ibaraki 茨城県(which is just north of Tokyo), I was very happy to be able to see him live again. The location was out  at the Yuki Civic Cultural Center (結城市民文化センター), close to the Yuki Station (結城駅) on the Mito line (水戸線) on the 7th of June. It took me about an hour and several train switches to get up there, but when I got there, I was honestly a little surprised as the area didn't seem very crowded in comparison to most places that I had been. I had a friend that lived up in Ibaraki who told me that Ibaraki was much more rural than Saitama or Tokyo, but it didn't really hit me until I got there. It was a nice change though in comparison to the busy and crowded area in the cities that I was used to.

(A poster for this concert tour at the train station in the staircase going out)

I wondered if I was in the right place until I saw two girls dressed in TMR attire heading away from the platform and down the route I was following off of my GPS. After only about 10 minutes of walking, I came to the concert hall. Like most concert halls I had been to, this one did seem to have a goods line open early as most attendees had already gotten their goods and were now currently waiting for the upcoming concert's doors to open. I got there about 30 minutes prior to the show starting, so I missed the big rush.

(The entrance to the concert hall)

Seats were assigned at this location and there was no number system like 'pit' styled concerts that I had been to previously. While part of that was a bit of a bummer (I would have liked to be a bit closer), it was kind of nice too since everything was assigned and you didn't have to worry about your seat being taken or not being able to see. Everyone had a great view of the stage, which was much closer than I would have thought (and I was in one of the back rows). One of the nice things about my seat was that it was on an aisle though, which helped me with the view and made up for the seat being farther back.

Another nice thing about the seats being assigned was that I could easily go up to the goods desks and not worry about losing my seat or place in the theatre. New CD, Towel, and Pamphlet FTW y'all (along with a free poster too!). I choose to get 天 (read "ten"), which translates to "Heaven". I've listened to it many times since and it doesn't disappoint.

(My goods score!)

Speaking of living up to expectations, TMR did not let any of us down. I suppose this was my first 'full-fledged' experience at a TMR concert so to speak. The level of involvement from the audience was what made this experience different. People really let loose, head banging, jumping up and down, fist pumping, the once cool theatre quickly became hot with body heat and TMR just kept ramping it up as the concert went on.

(Inside of the concert hall before the concert began)

Even a full two hours in, lights were still pulsing and TMR had ripped his shirt off twice during the performance (not that I blamed him, it really was hot and it made for a dramatic effect). During those 2 hours some of the songs that he played were: "Flags", "Heaven Only Knows ~Get the Power~", "Summer Blizzard", "Salvage", "Resonance", and "Preserved Roses". All were awesome and the performance was pretty well paced. The only thing was at the end, there were kind of two encores, but I didn't know the second one was coming (I don't think any of us did). Otherwise though it was a smooth performance and very enjoyable.

TMR himself was great at pleasing the crowd, enduring through the physically draining two hours, and putting a lot of emotion and soul into each song. Whether it was fast or slow, softer or heavy rock, TMR, at the risk of sounding cliche, gave it his all and left us all feeling satisfied and pumped. He may be known for his shorter stature, but he lives up to tall expectations and makes others' pale in comparison.

Upon leaving the theatre, I was sweating thoroughly, despite maybe not being as involved as some of the others in attendance. I walked back in the crowds of people to the station and waited, probably 30 minutes for a train (I missed it by like 30 seconds the first time!), all the while texting friends. The cool air was a bit muggy and it didn't really help relieve my sweating, but it was enough and cooler outside than in (go figure, right?). I finally managed to catch a train though (also good because my phone battery was on its last bars) and made my way home.

(I saw this while standing in line to get inside; so cool!!)

Overall, I had a lot of fun at this concert. I wish I could have gone with friends as I think it would have been more fun, but I liked the music and since buying the CD, I often find myself coming across one of the songs from it on my playlists. TM Revolution is quite good. ;)

So bottom line, if you get the chance to see TMR live in Japan, do it. You will not be disappointed.

For more information on TM Revolution, you can check out his following sites:

English Official Homepage

Japanese Official Homepage

You can also find out more about the Inazuma Rock Fes here:

Inazuma Rock Fes

Till my next post,

Nippori

Hello everyone!

Tokyo is chalk full of exciting places to visit and see. However, one of the less famous, but equally worth mentioning places that is worth going to is the Fabric Haven of Nippori (日暮里). Nippori has 繊維街 (Sen-i-gai), Tokyo’s Fabric Town. I had been told about it by my mom, who went to Tokyo a second time and visited it, bringing me back some beautiful fabrics and souvenirs. Since I’d been sewing as a hobby for about 5 years now, it was a must see spot on my list when I first got to Tokyo again. Since going, I’ve been back many times and enjoy every one of my visits.

(South Entrance to Nippori Station)

To give one a basic idea, Senigai is a lot like the Garment District of New York City, but on a smaller scale. However that does not mean that it doesn’t compare in products. Senigai is located right out on the East Side of Nippori Station (日暮里駅)  (located conveniently on the Yamanote/山手線 and Keihin Tohoku/京浜東北線 Lines) and very quickly, you can find yourself emersed in a beautiful and colorful area. (Check out the sign below!) Filled with a variety of different products from different suppliers, you can go through out all of the stores always finding something new.  

(Momoji Bridge, ももじばし, the south entrance of Nippori Station, east side)

(Sign to Nippori)

The most popular of these stores is Tomato, with four different locations, each catering to different needs. I personally always hit up Tomato first as it’s perhaps the easiest place to find what I need and then I branch out to the other stores.

(Another sign to Fabric Town)

A wonderful thing about Nippori that I’ve found is all of the shops catering to trims, buttons, and necessary tools needed for sewing. My latest project, a Shingeki no Kyojin (進撃野巨人) or Attack on Titan uniform, required belts and lots of them. Normally, that would mean digging around for super long already made belts in large numbers or making said belts yourself. Imagine my elation when I found 11 meters plus some of continuous belt/strap material within Tomato. This kind of product, I am also pretty sure is what Reika Arakawa, one of the world’s top cosplayers, used when making her Levi Ackerman cosplay from the same series (as I noticed it when I saw her Levi in person). And who could blame her? It’s absolutely perfect for that kind of project!

(Leather Straps)

I also could not believe the number of shops that supplied real leather at a decent price too. Perhaps due to the demand in the states, real leather is extremely expensive and often people shy away from buying it due to that (and the fact that if you mess up with actual leather, then you have just wasted your purchase). The one piece I've bought so far was amazing and I personally love digging through the various kinds of leather that are outside of the stores for customers to browse through.

(Real Leather Pieces Outside Stores)

There are also shops with bazillions of buttons and trims too. Some of these were classic in designs but others seemed very fresh and trendy. They also had rows upon rows of different lace products too, something not as easy to find back in the States. Many of these, I also thought, were sure to include material for the costume designer or (probably more likely) the cosplayer! With tassles, sparkling embroidery designs, and flowing materials, Nippori is a cosplayer’s dream. I will note that yes, like any place, you will find some of these more costume-y elements to be on the lower end of the quality spectrum, but most of these reflected in price too. Just like everywhere else, if you want quality, you have to be willing to pay for it. But hey, at least they have it!

(Trim)

A final note on Nippori. It is located in Japan. So naturally at your disposal, you have hundreds of beautiful fabric choices used to make Kimono (着物) and Yukata (浴衣). How freakin’ cool is that? They also have a good number of kits for different projects ranging from full scale Yukata to bags and little key chains you can make. There are also a good number of character products available for purchase too. You can find many iron on patches, fabrics, and kits for Anpanman, Doraemon, Disney Characters, Hello Kitty, Pokemon, and even the occasional American Superhero such as Batman or Spiderman. 

(Outside Various Shops)

Speaking of American products, many of the fabric stores had American Cotton sections, which I found very amusing (I say that in the best way), as I had tended to take that for granted in the states. In addition to American Cotton though, fabrics from all over the world are available in Nippori. From Italy, England, Russia, Germany, Africa nations, practically any country you could think of has a product currently being sold in Nippori.

(Sign for last year's Fashion Design Contest)

So how does it compare to New York City’s Garment District? I found that I liked both as they both have their strong points. New York has a vast amount of stores, but many of the fabric stores have a basic set of fabrics that many of them all sell and then they branch out to find their own unique suppliers. In Senigai, they all have unique suppliers, so even though it is smaller it’s more contained. However this does mean you have to go to several different stores to get what you might need/want. In regards to Trimmings, I loved both. Both have unique products and for me, since I was so used to NYC’s offerings, Nippori offered me a new set of supplies that brought me new inspiration (and I’m sure it would be the same way if it were the other way around).

(Fabric Town)

In conclusion though, whether you sew or not, whether you cosplay or not, whether you have a project you’re working on or not, if you’re in Tokyo, Nippori is a place to visit just to see all of the vast amount of supplies that you never knew could exist all in the same place. I enjoy it and continue to make the train ride out there whenever I am in need of fabrics, trims, buttons, and any other supplies I need for whatever I’m working on at the time. So if you go, be sure to share your pictures and experiences below!

Till next time,

The Vampire Cafe

Hello friends!

(The Vampire Cafe)

I'm back with another fun adventure that I had. This time in Ginza (of all places!). Due to the upcoming "Vampire Knight Musical" at the time, I found out about this cool little place as they were doing a collaboration menu. Perhaps some already know or have seen a pattern, but I tend to drift towards stories filled with the "Halloween" type monsters, particularly demons and vampires. So of course when I heard about this place and the collaboration menu and a friend offered to go with me, I quickly made a reservation and hopped over there as soon as I could! I soon went again with two more friends as it was so much fun! In this post, special thanks goes to all of my friends who donated their photos to me for this post and for joining me in these adventures too!

(These duos enjoyed scaring us all upon entering)

The Vampire Cafe in Ginza has been running since 2001. As a fan of Vampire lore and design, I personally loved the decorations in the place. The whole place was decked in black and red. It was dark, but not too dark and candles helped to light the area. The was a chandelier with a old bat theme design and literally right across the table from mine (the first time I went) was a table with a coffin underneath it. The second time I went, I sat at the coffin table and kept accidentally kicking the coffin, oh all the bad omens! ;)

(The coffin I kept accidentally kicking >>; )

All of the waitresses and waiters were dressed to match the Vampire theme as well, dark, muted colors that swept about as they moved. One thing I noticed the second time I went too, was that as the night went on, the waitresses progressively got more fake blood on their outfits, face, etc, which really added to the effect of the cafe.

(Dinner is served)

The food was very good too. While for most foreigners, it might seem like not much food for the price you're paying, it's important to note that what you're getting will fill you up. (You're not going to the Cheesecake Factory in other words). Most of the dishes had some sort of decoration that tied into the Vampire theme. For instance, our pizza came with a bat. Our chicken had a hand coming out of it, etc. I honestly giggled every time our waitress left, just happy at the presentation.

(Table Decoration)

A word about the collaboration menu too. The Vampire Cafe is listed as an Italian restaurant, so most of the food revolves around that general feel. The Collaboration Menu though included: An Appetizer, a Salad, Pizza/Quesadillas , Pasta, Chicken, and an Ice Cream Dessert.

(Left: Collaobration Menu; first called the Vampire Knight Collobartion Menu, now called the Dracula Menu

Right: Regular Menu) 

(Table display with the menus! And yes, the little black box with the cross on it is a menu!)

(Drinks I ordered, non alcoholic

Left: Blood Orange Juice; Right: Elizabeth's Drink, which had a glowing ice cube inside!)

(Bread and Olive Oil Dip)

(Salad with a rose)

(Left: Quesadillas with a rose; Right: Olive Pizza with a bat!)

(Pasta with a skull and hand)

(Chicken, top with a hand, bottom with a dark castle)

(Ice Cream Parfait Dessert)

(Ice Cream Parfait Dessert with a cross)

I also ordered an additional dessert, the "Shot of the Bloody Rose Gun", aka Zero Kiryu's dessert. (As a Zero cosplayer, I felt a need to do this). The Bloody Rose was in fact, Cheesecake, Sweet Potato Ice Cream, and Sugar. I will admit, I fangirled the entire time I ate this thing. The cheesecake had Zero's tattoo on it, the "bullet" from the gun was edible, and you could literally eat the outline of the bloody rose gun as it was red sugar. Best. Decision. Ever. Yum!

(The Bloody Rose Set)

(Bullet, Ice Cream, and Tattooed Cheesecake)

For the occasion too (to celebrate the musical), the restaurant played the music from the "Vampire Knight" anime in the background too. My poor friend Lindsey who went with me could only watch as I freaked over each song that was playing ("And this was during the dance!" "And this was when we first see the Night Class in class!") XD. In the hall they also had signed poster of the main three cast members in costume. So yes, they properly pumped me up for the Musical Production, which I will review at a later time. ;) The second time I went however after the collaboration, they played classic organ music which did set the mood.

(Even the bathroom was decked out!)

My only complaint about the restaurant was that it allowed for smoking and non-smoking guests to be seated next to each other. In Japan, most restaurants do allow for a smoking section within the restaurant, but it is generally somehow closed off from the non-smokers. This was not the case with the Vampire Cafe. Now if you happen to go and no one decides to smoke, then you're good! If not, well you might get a headache if you're not used to smokers (I sure did the second time I went).

(The lit up blood floor)

I've read a variety of reviews about this place since going, ranging anywhere from good to bad. I'd like to address what I think is why this place has gotten bad reviews. I think the primary thing is that people hear the term "Vampire Cafe" and they are expecting something BIG or super flashy. The cafe itself is on the 6th floor of the building and the building is not very large. In short, it's a small little restaurant/cafe (thus the word, cafe). To best describe the location/place, it reminded me of a small gem of a place that I would go to if I wanted to get dinner one night, just to chill. That's the kind of vibe I got from this place.

(The Cross you could see on the floor upon entering the dining area)

I also get the feeling that many tourists go thinking they will get a show, which you do, but on a small scale. When your food comes, sometimes they present it to you in a special way. But the servers are servers (granted Vampire-like servers, but still). What you're really paying for is the elegance and atmosphere of the cafe. I personally preferred this. I liked that I could eat my meal and not have to worry about a Vampire popping out from behind me trying to drink my blood and I liked that I could just enjoy being in this small, quaint place with a Gothic vibe to it. To summarize, this is a cool place to go IF you are into this kind of scenery/atmosphere and have time. I would not go expecting it to be a huge, extravagant experience filled with blood sucking and scares (it is fun, but it's not a very loud place or a horror house). It is also English-friendly in that they do have English menus (your server's knowledge on English will probably vary, but the English menus are really all you need).

(The Bill display with your change)

In conclusion, I had a great time and recommend this to those interested in elegant and/or gothic styled decorations as well as those who enjoy interesting places to eat. For those interested, you can find out more on their two websites: Gourmet Navigator and Vampire Cafe.

Taiyaki!

Small joys! I found this in my local supermarket one day. It’s pre-made Taiyaki (たい焼き) that you could buy and heat up at home. I used to eat Taiyaki in the Asian Culture Club in my College and I loved it. I knew you could buy it in Taiyaki shops over here, but pre-wrapped in the supermarket?!? Heck yes, I’m excited about that!

They’re a lot like pancakes or waffles, but with red bean paste inside them. They’re really delicious treats and I like them for breakfast or desserts especially.

Anyway, find a reason to smile today!

Shinkansen Travels

A bit of a shorter little post this time. Japan is known for its high-tech advancements in technologies. One of their greatest inventions and advancements is their train system. It is fast, efficient, and ON TIME. ALWAYS. (So much so that if it’s late by a minute, you complain even if you’re used to trains being thirty minutes late back in your homeland). At the pinnacle though of this achievement is the invention of the Shinkansen (新幹線), also known around the world as the Bullet Train. Reaching speeds of up to 320 km/hour (about 200 MPH) in transit and up to 581 km/hour at it's highest test speed, the Shinkansen is perhaps the best way to travel throughout Japan. 

The Shinkansen is pricey, yes (sadly), but it is worth every yen you pay. I’ve ridden on the Shinkansen now four times: once from Hakone Park to Tokyo, once from Okayama to Tokyo, once from Tokyo to Kyoto, and finally on a return from Kyoto to Tokyo. It is truly a luxury. Fast, on time, and efficient, they are well taken care of machines, both inside and out. You get to location so quickly you can hardly believe it!

You can get reserved or non-reserved seats for the Shinkansen. And while there is a smoking room, smoking is prohibited elsewhere in the train (thankfully for those of us who get sick around smoke).  The trains are also cleaned out at the end of their route every time. Their operation is so smooth that once the train begins to move, you don’t even notice that you’re moving, much like riding an airplane, but with a lot less turbulence in a storm. Oh and sometimes small bits of food service for those who forgot to buy a bento at a stand in the station before getting on the train! (Not generally food, but perhaps a snack or drink at least).

You can purchase tickets in advance or buy them the day of. Reserved seats are more expensive of course, but that’s the price of guaranteeing sitting with family or friends. Often there are rows of three or two. You really don’t need to speak Japanese to buy your ticket. I often use google maps to figure out where to pick up the train (Shinkansen included), then at the station the Shinkansen starts at, I go to the Shinkansen ticket counter and say ‘京都に行きたいです’ (‘Kyoto ni ikitai desu’), and they’ll proceed to help me get to Kyoto via the Shinkansen. Getting to the right platform is also a piece of cake as all of the signs have English subtext. Also, on the train, announcements are in both Japanese and English.

In short, the service on the Shinkansen and for the Shinkansen is fantastic. Riding the Shinkansen always makes me feel like royalty: important, valued, and at ease, knowing that I’m completely well taken care of on the train. If you can, use the Shinkansen while in Japan! It’s an experience you won’t regret!