Toden Arakawa Line: Isa sa mga natitirang streetcar sa Tokyo

*Orihinal na inilathala sa May 2016 issue ng Pinoy Gazette

Ang Toden Arakawa Line ay isa sa dalawa na lamang na natitirang street car sa Tokyo. Ang isa ay ang Tokyu Setagaya Line na nagsisimula sa Sangenjaya at nagtatapos sa Shimo-Takaido. Ang Toden Arakawa Line naman ay tumatakbo mula Waseda hanggang Minowabashi, may habang 12 kilometro at tumatagal ng 50 minuto ang byahe. Mainam gamitin ang Toden Arakawa Line tuwing spring dahil marami itong nadadaanang magagandang lugar na puno ng cherry blossoms. Kung summer naman, nalilinyahan ng malalaking mga rosas ang dinadaanan ng tram mula Arakawa-nanachome hanggang Minowabashi.

           

Ilan sa mga madadaanan ng tram ay ang mga sumusunod na pasyalan:

Asukayama Park. Ang Asukayama Park ay puno ng mga cherry trees na sinasabing ipinatanim pa ng shogun na si Tokugawa Yoshimune nang unang magbukas ang park noong 1873. Pero hindi lamang “hanami” ang maaaring gawin sa loob ng park, mayroon din itong tatlong museums – Ang Kita City Asukayama Museum, ang Shibusawa Memorial Museum at ang Paper Museum. Makikita rin sa loob ng park ang dalawang lumang tren, isang tram car at isang steam locomotive train na minsang ginamit sa Japan. Maaaring bumaba sa Asukayama Station ng Toden Arakawa Line upang mapuntahan ito.

Arakawa Yuenchi. Sa halagang ¥200 sa matatanda at ¥100 sa mga bata, maaari nang makapasok sa Arakawa Yuenchi at sumakay sa iba’t ibang rides dito. Siyempre hindi mawawala ang carousel at ferris wheel. Bagama’t maliit lang at walang masyadong iikutan, mainam pumasyal dito kung gustong iwasan ang matao at magulong bahagi ng Tokyo. Tamang-tama ito sa mga pamilyang gustong mag-bonding tuwing araw ng Linggo. Sa gilid ng daan papunta rito ay makikita ang maliliit na mga lumang tindahan na nagbabalik ng mga alaala ng Showa Japan. Nagbebenta ang mga ito ng “kakigori,” choco banana at ilang mga maliliit na laruan at pagkaing pambata. Arakawa-Yuenchimae ang pinakamalapit na istasyon ng tram dito.

Sugamo. Kung ang Harajuku ay kilala bilang fashion street ng mga kabataan, kilala naman ang Sugamo na tambayan ng mga “obaachan.” “Obaachan’s Harajuku” kung tawagin nila. Makikita rito ang isang mahabang kalsada na nalilinyahan ng mga tindahang nagbebenta ng mga goods na tiyak na patok sa mga obaachan tulad ng mga tungkod, mga bag na may gulong, mga maluluwag at makukulay na damit at mga murang rain boots. Makikita rin na ibinibenta rito ang mga pulang panloob na karaniwang isinusuot ng mga obaachan bilang pampaswerte. Sa dulo ng mahabang shopping street ay makikita ang Koshinzuka Station ng Toden Arakawa Line. Sa kabilang dulo naman matatagpuan ang Sugamo Station ng JR Yamanote Line.

           

Zoshigaya Cemetery. Bagamat hindi ordinaryong pasyalan ang sementeryo, maraming dumadalaw sa Zoshigaya Cemetery hindi lang para dalawin ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay kundi para silipin na rin ang libingan ng ilang kilalang tao na nakahimlay dito. Isa na rito si Natsume Soseki, isang kilalang nobelista na nagpasikat ng mga nobelang “Kokoro,” “Botchan” at “I am a Cat.” Dati rin nakalagay sa likod ng ¥1,000 bill ang kanyang mukha bago ito palitan noong 2004. Nasa tapat lamang ng sementeryo ang Toden-Zoshigaya Station.

Minowabashi. Dito matatagpuan ang Joyful Minowa, isang mahabang shopping street kung saan tila makakabili ng kahit ano – mula sa mga murang gulay at prutas, tinapay, tsaa, at mga Japanese snacks, hanggang sa mga damit, sapatos, gamit sa bahay tulad ng mga pang-luto at plato, mga sariwang bulaklak at marami pang iba. Hindi kalayuan sa Minowa matatagpuan ang estatwa ni Yabuki Joe, ang kilalang boksingero na bumida sa manga na “Ashita no Joe” na isinulat ni Ikki Kajiwara at iginuhit ni Tetsuya Chiba. Nagkaroon din ito ng live action noong 2011 kung saan gumanap ang kilalang idol na si Yamashita Tomohisa, mas kilala sa tawag na YamaPi, bilang Joe. Mayaman din sa kasaysayan ang lugar na ito dahil dito matatagpuan ang dating execution grounds noong Edo Period na ngayon ay natabunan na ng sala-salabat na riles ng tren. Minowabashi ang huling istasyon ng Toden Arakawa Line.

Sa halagang ¥400 ay maaaring makabili ng one-day unlimited pass sa Toden Arakawa Line na magbibigay ng pagkakataon sa pasahero na bumaba sa kahit anong istasyon at tuklasin ang sulok ng downtown Tokyo na tila nagbabalik ng mga alaala ng Showa Japan.

What to do in Tokyo: Learn to Bat

After watching a baseball game, there's no better way to end your day other than learning how to bat yourself. At the back of Tokyo Dome, where baseball games are usually held in Tokyo, you can find a 5-story sports center where you can try your hands on a real baseball bat.

Batting area

For only Y400 for 20 balls, you can practice batting and know what it feels like to hit a ball with a speed of 80km/h. This is the slowest among the speed of the machines. If you want to challenge yourself, you can try faster machines. You can try something as fast as 130km/h. It's also exciting that you can see Japanese baseball players pitching for you on the screen right in front of you. 

If you get tired batting, you can also try bouldering, golf and bowling in the same building. 

Where to get your coins to play

You can purchase your tokens from this machine. You will put insert the token in a small machine inside the batting booth and you can choose the height of the balls - whether you want them pitched high or low. You can get a discounted rate for 3 games for only Y1000.

I mist say, this is not only a fun activity for baseball fans but it is also a great way to relieve stress and release after a kong day at work. 

A Geek's Afternoon Walk at Nakano Broadway

Today, I decided to go for a walk at Nakano Broadway, a four-story building outside the South Exit of Nakano Station - a so-called haven for geeks of all ages and interests like me. Here you can find shops selling different kinds of goods that cater to different fan bases and collector groups. There are those selling anime and manga goods, from figurines to very old collectible cards; idol goods such photos, concert goods, CDs/DVDs, and other memorabilia; manga, books and magazines, both new and secondhand; clothing stores selling costumes for cosplay or everyday street wear; vintage shops selling dolls, accessories and collectibles; and other specialty stores catering to specific interests like train model kits, create-your-own-doll-kits, and vintage samurai film posters from the 1960s.

Entrance to an otaku wonderland

Akihabara is the first place that pops into mind when the word anime is mentioned. Indeed, Akihabara is home to a lot of specialty stores catering to different otaku subcultures. However, if you don't want to get lost in that bigger world called Akihabara, you can just wander around Nakano Broadway (I warn you, it is a jungle in itself!). As expected, you can spot an anime and manga shop after every two shops, sometimes, they are right next to each other you don't know where to go first! I must admit I got so overwhelmed I din't get to take a lot of photos! 

A cosplay shop

Of course when we talk about anime, along comes with it is cosplay. There are specialty shops in Nakano Broadway that sells not only costumes but also accessories. So if you are into cosplay and you want to add amazing details to your costume, you might want to drop by in these shops and purchase your much-needed sunglasses, pin, hair accessories and other important pieces to complete your ensemble.

Gacha gacha land

Dragon Ball Z gacha gacha

I am addicted to gacha gacha machines, I can't help myself from trying it once I saw one. When I passed by this shop, I was so excited I didn't know what to try until I found my pick at the bottom of the row. The last time I tried gacha gacha (and yes, it was also a Dragon Ball Z gacha gacha), I spent thousands of yen because I couldn't get Vegeta's 3D sticker! So I dropped two Y100 coins into the machine and waited for my toy to come out but it didn't! I didn't know if the machine was broken or what but I feel too lazy to talk to the guy in Japanese and tell him that his machine ate my precious Y200 and there were a lot of people too asking him questions. So I just let it pass and I lost Y200 and a precious chance to get a DBZ memorabilia! Maybe it's also a good thing because the heavens thought that I might overspend again if I didn't get Vegeta the first try.

Baseball goods

Create-your-own-doll Shop

I also found a store that sells baseball memorabilia and oh boy, these items are so precious it will really make you spend Y60,000 for a signed ball. Another interesting shop sells different toy body parts that you can use to create your own doll. A head or a torso costs around Y1600.

A table full of V6 goods

I also went inside some shops that sell idol goods but I didn't find anything good to purchase but I was so happy to find this table especially dedicated for V6! The shop is even playing one of their old concerts and there was a message on top of the TV greeting Morita Go a happy birthday! When I went to another shop, there was also another girl who was so engrossed in selecting nice photos of Okada Junichi, I wasn't able to look at it! 

sushi shop outside Nakano Broadway

Bar Zingaro in Nakano Broadway

There are also a lot of restaurants inside Nakano Broadway, which I must say I was surprised to find because I thought that this building is all for anime and manga goods. I decided to have an early dinner at one of the sushi places right outside Nakano Broadway. You can find it at the end of the long stretch of shops right before you enter the main building.

One cafe that is definitely worth a visit is Bar Zingaro, a cafe on the second floor of the building. This cafe was produced by the company Fuglen togethr with contemporary Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, who recently had his exhibit at Mori at Museum. See my post here. Takashi Murakami opened Bar Zingaro as the latest addition to the Zingaro Galleries, a chain of contemporary art galleries that he is running in Nakano Broadway such as Kaikai, Hidari, Ox and Pixiv.

If you are into more artsy fartsy stuff, you can have your caricature drawn by a young artist outside Nakano Station. She looked so happy when she was drawing this other girl. 

A small alley outside Nakano Broadway

A young caricature artist outside Nakano Station

However, if you are feeling a little adventurous, you can explore the smaller alleys around Nakano Broadway that can lead you to more interesting and quainter cafes and restaurants that are off the beaten path.

Delicious looking bread at Paul Saint-Germaine

You can also explore the other side of the station by passing under the train tracks and going to the North Exit side. There are other shops and restaurants around that area. Not very far from the station is Paul Saint-Germaine, a bakery that sells fresh and delicious bread. Even though I just had an early dinner, I bought a few pieces of bread when I saw the bakery. I guess, that is how good the bread looks like. It's so inviting! So whether you're planning to buy something or just want to look around and amuse yourself with what weird things people get crazy about, then going to Nakano Broadway for an afternoon walk is a good idea to kill time.

Delicious Looking Melon Pan in Hakuo Bakery Cafe

Last night, I watched the first episode of Takizawa Hideaki's (Takki) old drama Mayonaka no Pan-ya san that featured a selection of delicious looking bread - melon pan being one of their specialties. So when I spotted a nice bakery on the corner of the street, I immediately entered, scouted the racks and put melon pan on my tray. Added by the coincidental detail that I was dragging my large luggage behind me, I felt like little lost Nozomi in the drama, finding her way to Boulangerie Kurebayashi. And yes, instrumental jazz was also playing in the background. Too bad, there was no Takki-looking guy at the counter of the bakery.

Hokuo Bakery is found behind Lumine Department Store in Ikebukuro at the South Exit of Ikebukuro Station. Prices of bread range from Y150-Y200. You can also get a small cup of coffee or tea for Y230. 

In the Footsteps of Haruki Murakami: The Old Blind Cat

Haruki Murakami is famous for being a lover of music - jazz in particular. Even before he graduated from Waseda University in 1973, he opened his own bar called Peter Cat in Sendagaya. However, before that, during his first few years at the university, he frequented a jazz bar in Shinjuku. Some articles about him say that he even worked in this bar. The truth of this matter, I cannot really confirm. 

The name of the bar is, The Old Blind Cat. The moment I found out about this place, I had been itching to go there and see for myself what this old place has to offer. Fortunately, it didn't disappointment me. The place is found right outside the East Exit of Shinjuku Station. It only takes a 3-minute walk from the station to find the place. The jazz bar is found on the basement of an old building beside Big Echo.

Going down the stairs to the basement of the building felt like going to another world, as if you're being drawn to a place where you'd meet a sheep man or a talking cat. I slowly pushed the door open and took a step towards a different world. The place is very, very old and very, very small. Oh no, I am not exaggerating, that is really what it is. There are around 10 seats on the counter and behind them are four narrow tables which equally narrow couches on both sides that are supposed to cater to up to four people. But if the customers are a little on the heavy side, it might only accommodate one. I came in at around 8:45pm and there were very few people around. A group of four in the corner, two men on my left and an old man on my right.


"Are you related?" The bar owner asked me in Japanese as soon as I sat down. "No, I am alone." I said and smiled. He asked me because I came in right after an old man and sat beside him on the bar. "Where are you from?" He asked me again. "Philippines." He nodded and smiled. The old man with graying hair had a very light aura. His face was calm and cheerful. You can see that this man might have looked good in his younger days. He did not look like other old men who appear stressed or scary.

I ordered Margarita. He prepared it right in front of me. Across the bar, there are a lot of bottles of different kinds of drinks, from wine to whiskey, rum to gin, sake to vodka. Name it, he has it. There are also bottles of assorted Japanese snacks that you can freely munch on to your heart's content. The bar charges Y700 yen for unlimited snack. A glass of Margarita costs Y1,100 yen. Prices of drinks range from Y800-Y1,100. You can also order a whole bottle if you want to.

When the bar owner gave me the drink, he asked me if I don't feel cold in Tokyo. I said, "Yes, I do." He said he knows that the Philippines is very warm. The owner and the old man beside me appeared to be very chatty with each other. I later found out that they were old friends and they could both speak English a little.

The old man requested a song from the owner, which the latter gladly played after the present jazz album finished playing. There were no vinyl record players anymore in the bar. Some of the recent posts online that I've read before going there mentioned of a real player playing. But now, there were just old cords and old equipment in place of the old player. The owner is also now digitized. He's using a PC to play the jazz albums. I don't mind it that much, the place is too surreal for me to even mind about that. A few minutes later, he turned off two large LCDs hanging on the walls and played a jazz concert album featuring Bono of U2. Oh yes, the legendary Bono singing jazz just made my heart leap. Okay, this thing is not 1960ish anymore.
It amazed how there was a fusion of a very old school, almost kitschy, kind of jazz atmosphere and a very modern, digitized media playing jazz. No, it didn't turn me off. It just made me appreciate the place more.

The metal walls of the bar are rusty and scratched with several doodles that can no longer be distinguished. One girl who came in asked the owner if they could write on the walls but he laughed and said no. The old vinyl records that used to be the main attraction of the place were not only used to design the shelves of the bar. The yellowing sleeves were stacked neatly above the narrow tables.


The Old Blind Cat was established in 1965, making it 51 this year! It was amazing how a small place like this have been kept alive and thriving for a very long time. I tried to order as much as I can drink because I wanted to help the place live, not that it appears that it's dying. I want to express my appreciation to places like these that are kept alive not solely for business purposes but for love. While preparing the drinks of the customers, the owner happily sang the songs and hummed. I felt the pleasure he experienced while listening to jazz and serving people. It's not every day that you go to this kind of place and you encounter this kind of person.

I asked him why he named the place "The Old Blind Cat." He explained it thoroughly but I did not get the rest of the explanation. Forgive my faulty Japanese. From what I understood, the name is related to or inspired by the 1930s when jazz artists used to come and play live." He even added that nowadays, no more jazz players come, only JPop stars do, he even joked. Please don't quote me on this because, as I said, my Japanese is faulty. 

This place is really a hideout from the rest of the crazy world raging outside it. It is like a world romanticized in the pages of Haruki Murakami's novel. It's also interesting that this place, being strategically placed on the basement of a building, blocks off any signal from your phone. It gives you a moment to be alone, detached from the rest of world just enjoying jazz in the company of strangers.

So if you want to go somewhere where you can stay, get lost and never be found, you know already know a place to go.

Places to Visit in Tokyo: Edo-Tokyo Museum

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A Cafe in Between Passing Trains: Cafe N331

I have a penchant for riding trains, taking pictures of old trains with steam engines and visiting museums about old trains and railways. I even visited a company that makes railways, how geeky can I get? So when I found out that there's a cafe situated exactly between two train tracks (actually, I heard it stands on an old platform), I immediately went there even though there had been forecasts about a coming typhoon! 

Cafe N331, pronounced as "en san san ichi" is situated in between the chuo lines. It can be found on top of the newly-renovated Manseibashi Platform, which is now more popularly known as the mAAch. Inside it is a long stretch of boutiques with interesting products like clothes and bags, paper products and stationery sets and of course train models!

The cafe is really small and all the tables are beside the window so there's no need to worry about not getting a good view of the passing trains. The walls are all glass so you can see not only the passing trains on your side but also the trains passing on the other line in the distance. Just for the experience of being so close to a real, moving train is worth the visit. Please see this video that I took for you to see how awesome it is!

Don't expect so much on the food though because for me it's quite ordinary. I arrived there a little past lunch time and the curry that I wanted to order was already sold out. I ended up ordering an eggplant sandwhich, which is actually not bad but also not amazing.

To get there, you can get off at Kanda Station and walk for around 7-minutes. If the red brick mAAch building comes to view, it means you're on the right track. They are open from 11:00am to 11:00pm from Mondays to Saturday, but they close at 9:00pm on Sundays and holidays.

TIPS:

If you just want to enjoy the ambiance and train watching with friends, it's better to sit inside the cafe, near the counter. There 's a couch with colorful pillows that make the place even homier. But if you want to get a good photo of passing trains, better take a seat on the other end of the cafe where you can catch a good glimpse of the trains while chilling with your coffee or tea.

If you want to try their rice meals, it's better to arrive before 12noon because their food easily gets sold old, they're probably don't stock so much food I guess since it's a very small cafe. And because of it's size, I don't think they allow customers to stay there for a long time.

Niku Shokudou

Niku Shokudou is a small restaurant near the Takadanobaba Station that specializes in sizzling hamburger steaks. A set meal consists of rice, salad and a sizzling hamburger steak costs around Y800.  

What amazes me is how you cook the burger patty. There's a small round black metal on your plate where you can put a piece of the burger and wait until it cooks. Brilliant isn't it? Most of us are having trouble getting the correct texture of the meat we order: some like rare, medium-rare or well done. Having this small tool right on our plates solves the problem right away. We won't have the right to complain if we don't like the texture of the meat because we cooked it ourselves. ;) 

  

To get there, take the JR Yamanote Line and get off at Takadanobaba Station. Go to the Waseda Exit and find Becks Coffee (right beside the JR ticket office). From Becks Coffee, cross the street and walk straight ahead towards a long line of restaurants and cafes. Walk for a minute or two and you'll find the restaurant on your left side. Be careful though because the entrance to the restaurant easy to miss because it's so small and hardly noticeable. I posted the photo of the entrance above as your guide. The restaurant  is on the basement of this restaurant. It's quite small with only a few tables and chairs.

TIP:
For the hungry wolves though, this is not the place to go because preparing the order and cooking it might take a long time. But if you have time to spare for a good talk with a friend or a few laughs with the stranger on the next table, waiting will not be so bad.

Cosmo Clock 21

 

     The Cosmo Clock 21 or more popularly known in Japan as Minato Mirai 21 is found in Yokohama, Japan and is known as the world's biggest clock. It stands about 112.5 meters high (369 feet). When it was first constructed in 1989, it only stood 107.5 meters (363 feet) high but it was set in a higher base in 1999. 

     The Cosmo Clock is part of the small yet strategically situated Cosmo World Amusement Park. If you ride the ferris wheel, you have a 360degree view of Yokohama. You can caught a glimpse of the Yokohama Bay Bridge and the Osanbashi Pier in the distance and the famous Hyatt Hotel right across it. To get there, take a train to Minato Mirai station. It will only take about an hour from the center of Tokyo.

      This is also an ever present background in the scenes of the drama Tatta Hitotsu no Koi starring Kamenashi Kazuya and Haruka Ayase. 

     

Cookies from my Student

        One of my students, a retired old man, in my English class today brought me some really yummy cookies from Tully's. How nice of him to remember me before he came to class. The last time, he gave me a really cute Disney Towel featuring Minnie and Mickey Mouse as a souvenir because we thought it was going to be the last time I'd teach his class. Unexpectedly, he became my student again in another class. 

          

          The Japanese people might seem shy and stoic some time, but I tell you, there are a lot of nice, thoughtful ones out there.

Outside the Palace Courts

guardhouse in edo castle

This beautiful traditional Japanese architecture greets you at the gate of the Imperial Palace. Every year, during Emeperor Akihito's birthday on December 23, the palace gates are opened to the public and the emperor makes a public appearance.

A Potential Horror Scene?

 

     The sight of empty trains comforts me.

     Riding jampacked trains everyday is always a hassle, this is why, getting on an empty train relaxes me. Although, I have to warn you that this is a very rare occasion. It only happens if I am traveling in a very unholy hour (like very early in the morning -when I say "very early," it literally means "very early" like taking the first train at about 5:00 in the morning). It also depends on which train line I am using. There are train lines that are jampacked as early as the first train and I hate taking them. I love taking the local train to and from Kotesashi, Saitama because the trains, no matter what time of the day it is, are usually almost empty. 

     There is a sense of peace in riding an empty train, a sense of solitude, a sense of comfort. But at same time, it instigates a sense of fear too. Because being in an empty train is so rare (at least to me), it appears like a potential setting for a Japanese horror scene, doesn't it? In a moment like this, the protagonist is sitting all alone on an empty train. A bloody girl starts crawling on the ceiling of the train as tiny red drops of blood fall on the untarnished silver floor. When a drop falls right in front of the protagonist's feet, she wonders what it is and then slowly looks up and finds the bloody girl dangling upside down from the ceiling with her disheveled hair swaying right in front of the protagonist's face. 

     Sounds like a good scene? The next time you ride an empty train in Japan, do not let your guards down. It might be a comforting sight, but it could be something else.

    

Mulled Wine on a Snowy Night

 

          It was snowing hard in Tokyo so my friends and I were all stuck in the dorm. While the snowstorm was blazing outside, we were watching Frozen and eating a steaming bowl of instant noodles! After that, we went out and walked on the snow-covered streets and took a random video of ourselves. To top it all, we ended the day with a tasty cup of mulled wine! How good can a snowy day get? These simple pleasures of life are totally priceless. These are the things that I will totally miss when I move out of the dorm. Warm friends warm the heart.

Finally Here: Waseda Vs. Keio Baseball Match

 

     This is the moment when it struck me that yes, I am finally living my dream. 

     It has been my dream for the longest time to study at Waseda University. It took me six long years of tormenting wait, frustration and internal battle to finally fulfill it. I only used to like and reblog Waseda photos on Tumblr before, silently praying in my heart to be a part of it one day. But during this moment, when I was there to watch the Waseda Vs. Keio baseball match for the first time, I was singing and cheering for Waseda, not just as a fan, not just as an aspirant, but finally as a student. 

     At that moment, while belting out the Waseda hymn, I realized that finally, the dream had come true. I was watching the match with my own two eyes and taking photos with my own camera. And now, I'm posting this photo on my own blog and not just reblogging someone else's.

     *** To read my article on the Waseda Vs. Keio Match originally published in Pinoy Gazette, the pioneering Filipino newspaper in Japan, please see this online link.

A Reminder of God's Promises

 

     This beautiful rainbow reminded me that God is a God of fulfilled promises.

     God made the rainbow as a covenant to man that never again will he destroy the earth with flood. For thousands of years, he has fulfilled this promise and he continues to do so. This rainbow is not only a reminder of this promise but a reminder that God never breaks his promises. Ever. 

Places to Visit in Tokyo: The Official Giants Store

          I chanced upon the Official Giants Store when I went to the Tokyo Sky Tree, and oh boy, I totally went crazy upon seeing it! The fangirl in me literally went nuts at the sight of the words, "Official Giants Store." Who would have thought that this fiery orange store is actually a shop selling all kinds of merchandise related to one of Japan's strongest baseball teams, the Yomiuri Giants. At first glance, this shops looks like a toy store to me, or maybe a franchise of some hyaku yen store. Good thing, my senses were good enough to immediately process what it really is.

 

     

          At the entrance of the store is this large board with information and news about some of the members of the team. The board is even designed with these cute hearts as Valentine's Day lurks around the corner. 

          Also on display are some of the trophies won by the Giants in the recent years. A few autographed baseball bats are also on sale but I did not bother to check how much they cost because they might cause me my whole fortune!

          There are a lot of different merchandise in the store ranging from the more popular ones like the Giants uniform and gym bag to the smallest ones like key chains. There are also uchiwas, stuffed toys, pencils, bookmarks, post-its, name it, they have it. I honestly cannot remember all of them. There are so many cute stuff I honestly don't know what to buy! I just decided to bring home a plastic folder for souvenir, which cost me only Y315 yen. Of course, it features my favorite Giant, Sakamoto Hayato # 6!

Tokyo Sky Stree

High and Mighty

      Walking to a friend's house in Kinshicho provided me with an opportunity to say hello to the Tokyo Sky Tree.

An Afternoon at Cafe VG

    The company of my favorite notebooks, colorful pens and a cup of coffee never fails to zap me into another world especially when I am in a cafe as nice as this. I was on my way home from Waseda University when I chanced upon this coffee shop, Cafe VG. I do not usually take this route to the station, but since I went to the Takata Library, I had to take this street.

     I found this random cafe while walking from Waseda University to Takadanobaba Station. It is a hidden gem, in a literal sense, because the cafe is along the road, but cannot be easily spotted. Would you believe it, this beautiful cafe is hidden behind a tall wooden fence! The only evidence of its existence is a small signboard on the side of the road that bears its name and its operating hours. On the side of the road is a large vacant lot (I can't remember if it's a parking space or just an empty spot waiting to be useful). On the side is a very narrow pathway that leads to the cafe behind the fence. As soon as you set foot on the stone path, you can sense how much the owner loves pets because it is designed with these little paw prints(the stones are so cute you wouldn't want to step on them).

     At the door of the cafe, a cute orange dog statue welcomes you with this "open" sign. From the window you can take a peek at the cute counter lined with bottles of wine (i think?). As I open the door, a loud bark greeted me from a very adorable, curly haired black and white dog (I don't know what breed it is though, sorry!). It has a bright yellow collar and a stylish dog shirt on.

     
Outside the cafe are some tables, which would have been a nice place to hangout at during summer, but maybe not in a cold winter day like this.

     The interior of the cafe is very lovely! The cafe looks like an old log cottage. All the furniture are made of wood. I am so much into wooden furniture, so I totally dig this place. The photos in this post fall short in showing how lovely it is (please see this link for a more video of the place). I also like the fact that each table is partnered with mismatched chairs.I found beauty in that variation.

     I also love the displays in the cafe. They put these intricate details that create such a vintage-like feel. I love those old postcards and vintage telephone. I was tempted to play with them the whole time I was there!

 

     The menu is also designed with some cute paw prints and dog photos. I ordered the VG Blend, which costs around Y500. It seems like an ordinary black coffee at first look, but it tastes different. There is a distinct flavor that stings your taste buds, which I honestly didn't like. For me, it tastes sour (or something close to that effect). I was only able to finish half of the cup. I would love to try the other kinds of coffee next time I visit, maybe I would love them better.  

     This is indeed an unexpected find as I walked along a route I don't usually take. I enjoyed hanging around the cafe for several hours especially when English dance hits (from J.Lo and Miley Cyrus) are playing in the background.  The owners of the shop (a couple, I think) are also very hospitable in attending to my needs. I guess, I will keep on coming back to this cafe, especially, when I have tons of books to read or papers to finish.