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Mbear's Closet Vol. 8
Written by Mbear    Sunday, 28 February 2010 08:28   
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Sometimes I think about where my favorite place in Tokyo might be.  The truth is that just about every part of Tokyo has its ups and downs (except maybe the North.  It's a little boring....).  But in the end I remember Odaiba, and realize there's just no competition.  Assuming I had the money, I would move there in a New York minute.

For one thing, it's an artificial island.  The Japanese looked out at all that beautiful, open water and thought, "what we really need is to make more land." And so they did.  How cool is that?  Then much later, they built a bridge and some malls and called it a day.

Sad to say, yes, possibly my favorite place in Tokyo is inhabited primarily with shopping.  But at least they're nice?







The unexciting road by Shimbashi station, where one catches the Yurikamome line to Odaiba, and the slightly more exciting road on the other side, leading to Ginza.  There are other ways to get there, but the Yurikamome is the only train over the Rainbow Bridge.  The views are totally worth the seat-wetting vertigo I suffer if I happen to look down.





Speaking of New York minutes, who could hate a place that decided to build a relatively tiny Statue of Liberty on a fake island in Tokyo Bay?





But the view is spectacular.  Note the spire of Tokyo Tower, seated deep in the heart of Tokyo proper, thrusting proudly into the feminine curves of the Rainbow Bridge... um, where was I...





Oh yes.  Here are the docks for the river cruise.  You can travel down the river and under the Rainbow Bridge.  It's worth the price, as long as cooing, lovey couples canoodling together don't bother you.

In the very background is the beach where Shinya and Die did a photoshoot, as well.





Or you can canoodle with your pooch on the Happy Dog Cruise.  Why yes, it IS a special riverboat cruise you can take your dog on.




And the very famous Fuji Television building.  I often wonder what's in that ball.  I think it's where a crack team of Johnny's idol boys are plotting world domination.




Planes regularly swoop into Haneda airport, the slightly less annoying-to-get-to airport in Tokyo.




Odaiba is a popular tourist location.  I saw an invading hoard of white people following a lady with a little flag.  Also there was a junior high school trip, so everywhere I turned there were small groups of kids roaming off the leash.  I'm not a creepy stalker pervert, really, but taking this picture sure made me feel like one.  I should have taken a picture of the white people instead.





It IS a mall.  The entrance IS called "Gate of Goddess" with no sense of irony whatsoever.*

*Okay, it's probably because the door is nearest the Statue of Liberty, but really guys.  Goddess Gate?




Part of the reason I have difficulty justifying my love for Odaiba is that it has all of the consumer-driven brand-chasing trappings of EVERYWHERE ELSE in Tokyo.  However, the clerk in the Coach shop was so cute, and was trying so earnestly to sell overpriced handbags. (Coach clerk, if you're reading this, CALL ME!)




What is there to say?  The store is freaking called CAPTAIN SANTA.




Apparently Toys R Us, even in Japan.



And there's no escaping McDonalds.  There's another one on the other side of the mall.




Who's going to argue with someone who has been enthusiastically selling shoes since 1903?




Odaiba, where giant plastic bears cry giant blinking tears over the giant problems in our environment.  Nothing says green more than giant, plastic bears.




Joypolis.  Doesn't it sound happy?  Doesn't it make you want to die, so that you can spend your afterlife there? No?  Just me?  All right then.




Decks is being painted, so the bright blue sky and happily fluttering banners are forever linked in my memory to headache-inducing paint smell.




There is an entire floor dedicated to looking like an old-fashioned Japanese shopping street.



See?  Natsukashi.  Ah, nostalgia.




It doesn't take long to find piles of sweets and snacks (of which I did, yes, partake.)  Giant Pocky for all!  In fact as I was standing here surreptitiously taking a possibly illicit photo, a woman did walk past and comment to her devoted boyfriend, "Natsukashiiii!" as she was reminded of local festivals and the small sweets shops that dot preserved, historical sites like Asakusa.




While on the other side of the fake shopping street, a lonely little theatre waits patiently for an audience.




Turkey's!  Let me explain.  Japan does not have a tradition of turkey-eating.  These are people who have made pre-ordering Kentucky Fried Chicken on Christmas necessary, as that is the traditional Christmas dinner here.  So any place that sells turkey is a special place.  This one has just reopened after a renovation.




Um, yes.  It's...cute?  This isn't just any old pet store.  Inside, they have a mock up of a house complete with furniture (kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc).  You pay a fee to go in and pet cats.  Yes, they are cats for hire.  In a house.  Cats in a house.  It's a cathouse! (And yes, I've been in. Because, you know, CATS!)




You can walk from one side of the island to the other (ie, from one mall to another) on this rather fearsomely trembling bridge.  The wind wasn't even strong and the thing was shaking.




One of the things that appeals to me, in a way, is that Odaiba is like a time capsule.  The grandiose developments are emblematic of the worse of Japan's excesses, but vast lots remain undeveloped.  It's hard to explain how rare it is to see stretches of empty land like this, particularly in a high rent area.  When the economy went belly up, so did these developments.  Odaiba is both grand, and wistfully sad.




And here we are, at one of the things that justifies this column.  This is the so famous Zepp Tokyo, where Dir en grey has graced the stage many times.  (But not today.  Today was Abingdon Boys School, so I felt weird and out of place.)




It lies beneath the great Odaiba wheel.  Japanese have an unwholesome love of big wheels.  In fact, from tall buildings in the city it's possible to see two or three of these big boys.  This one takes something like 17 minutes or so to go around.  Enough time for a quickie, I should think, if you're so inclined.  (Not that I would know.  I get vertigo standing on chairs.)

But if you ARE so inclined, don't get the cars that are totally clear, because, embarrassing.




Snow!  The saddest snow in the world.  Tokyo had an actual "snow storm" a few days ago.  This is all that remains.  Poor snow.




Venus Fort is the epitome of romantic date shopping malls.  Pictures really don't do it justice.  At the moment its theme is night sky, but the lighting slowly and beautifully cycles through Italian days and nights.




Another justification for this column.  Shinya's lolita photoshoot took place here.  Not that I'm a creepy stalker...




The fountain is prime photo op territory, but it IS beautiful.




Aomi Station, convenient for giant wheels, fake-Italian malls, and Dir en grey live venues....




and blue oceans.



And now the Glico man will see you off.




Special note: We will be running a trial version of a Personal Shopper service.  If it goes smoothly, we'll make it a permanent feature!  CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!!

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Last Updated ( Sunday, 28 February 2010 08:55 )