ELECTRONICS STORES! EVERYWHERE!!! And towering above it all, like a pagoda at a Buddhist temple complex, is the greatest homage to electricity I have ever laid eyes upon.
I basically spent the whole day here. So much for "I'm just going to go get a charger, then look around Asakusa." Dude, EIGHT FLOORS of pure MADNESS! It was incredible. Yodobashi-Akiba was the name of this particular megastore. If it runs on electricity or batteries, they have it, and if it doesn't, they will MAKE IT SO. Observe:
These, my friends, are not electric guitars, which would be relatively normal, but an electric violin, viola, and cello. A little strange, but anyone who listens to Yellowcard will have heard of the electric violin, so it doesn't stretch the imagination much to hear of an electric viola or cello. Trumpets however, are an entirely different story.
Now an electric I thought was a little pointless, but an electric TRUMPET? How does this even work?! Of course, they had ordinary things too. And by ordinary, I mean top of the line super-new.
This isn't a special TV really, I just took a picture of it because I react to the sound of mallets like Pavlov's dog reacts to a bell, and instantly went to find the source. Turns out they were playing Gary Burton, probably the world's most famous vibist (one who specializes in the vibraphone) since Lionel Hampton. I am such a mallet dork. Anyway, I didn't see a single cathode-ray TV in the store, it was all about the flat panels. Which I guess makes sense in a country where space is such a huge consideration.
However, I don't believe the space problem is so serious that you'd need a computer the size of my hand. (This picture was actually taken at the Sony Showroom in Ginza later that night).
And why waste space with that annoying coffee pot when you can have it brewed directly into your cup?
One aisle of this place. I can't even begin to convey how much stuff was in here, but I was running out of battery, so I didn't take pictures of everything. But there was an entire aisle dedicated to electronic bathroom scales. And entire floor dedicated to specifically CD and DVD related electronics. Audio and Visual systems were another floor. Cameras had their own floor. The home appliances floor had crazy stuff - if you ever need an electric apple corer/peeler, or your own automated self-watering terrarium, this is your stop. Everything you'd ever need, and a lot of things you never will.
Like a humidifier that runs off water bottles. This was actually on a street-side shop, but I thought it was cute. ^^For the traveler that needs a humidifier, but doesn't want to carry around a bulky water container. Although I don't see why they were advertising this when the humidity level was 83% that day...
And even the bathroom was high tech (as well as spotless and fancy). The same toilets as they had in the hotel lobby that I had pictures of before, and motion-sensory-activated faucets, soap dispensers, and hand drying machines. The drying machine was really cool, and I've only seen one like it at the physics lab at Harvard. You put your hands inbetween two plates, and it starts up a wall of air at your wrists, and you pull your hands out slowly and let the wind-wall blast away all the moisture. Pretty neat, and user friendly. The toilet however, was not user friendly. A note of advice - never, EVER press a button on a Japanese toilet if you don't know what it does, and especially if you haven't located the emergency stop button beforehand.
The dressing room in the bathroom was pretty snazzy though.
And if this wasn't already the most amazing place I've ever been, the top floor was a combination manga store/bookstore/Tower Records (which is still in business in Japan). And I'm fairly certain there's a Starbucks in their food court. Basically, I could live here. Anyway, there's a STARBUCKS MAGAZINE. Which was basically just a catalog of advertisements. That you pay for. Consumerism has reached new heights.
Afterwards, I went to a maid cafe to get lunch, but found out that the only things on their menu were $5 coffees and reflexology. And since my shoulders have been killing me since exam period and I've been trying to drink less caffeine, I opted for the latter. I got the shortest one (10 minutes) and from the options of head, neck, shoulders, and hands, I should head and shoulders. It was different from getting a massage at a spa - instead of rubbing your temples or something, the girl put a towel over my hair and applied pressure at particular parts of my head. It was really relaxing, without messing up by hair or anything. ^_^ Then she got to my shoulders and made this really surprised noise, and said that my shoulders were terrible. Then she asked how old I was, I answered, and then she said that my shoulders had far too many knots for someone who was only 20. -_-;; That's what Harvard does to you I guess....
Anyway, I wasn't allowed to take pictures (unless I paid $15), but they had on these ridiculous outfits that were kind of like maid outfits (hence the term 'maid cafe'), but greenish with red bows and lots of ruffles and lace. I think the place was mostly for guys, since they had big warning signs that said things like "don't touch, harrass, or proposition the maids," but I thought the outfits were more funny than sexy. They also talk to you the whole time, pretend to be interested in your life, and write you a cute little personalized noted at the end. I can't read my note, but I think it says something like 'please come again,' and has little sushi stickers all over it. Including ikura (salmon roe), which I really like. ^_^
I was still hungry though, so I went to get food afterwards. I also get a really yummy strawberry soda, and it was so pretty!
I then returned to the megastore to buy my mom a camera (plus, I kind of doubt they even carried a charger for my camera anymore, since the lady selling the camera looked at my battery like she'd never seen such a huge camera battery before. I didn't catch all of the Japanese, but something like "very old." -_-;; It's only a few years old! Well, I guess it was probably older here, considering they seem to be years ahead of us in most technology. For example, you know how in Frys they use those old 1980s computers to do pricing and staff stuff, because they can't sell them anymore? Well at Yodobashi their staff computers are Thinkpad t60s, the same model of laptop I JUST bought, and is all the rage among college students in America right now. If THAT'S their 'old model,' then I am humbled in my knowledge of the latest and fastest. And I couldn't even find a nice old-fashioned rice cooker - all of theirs have a million features and high-tech additions that make scientifically perfect rice or something. In other words - really expensive. Anyway, after a full day of electronic oggling, I headed over to Ginza, to do some department store shopping.
Oh, the lights of Ginza! Famous for its high-end designer labels, and having the most expensive real estate on Earth. Something like $100,000 per square inch. Which is reflected in the prices of anything bought in Ginza, hence why I didn't buy anything. And although I went here to look at things other than electronics, but how could I when the first thing I see upon exiting the station is this?
Obviously the cute little baby on the big screen was pointing at ME, saying "Hey YOU! Come into the Sony building... see my beautiful showroom of the latest electronics... COME TO ME!" And who am I to resist the face of such cuteness? Into the showroom it was.
The entire place was all polished glass and chrome and beautiful layouts.
One of the many computer displays - note the size of the smallest.
I didn't document this in Yodobashi, but the latest trend in laptops here is color. All the laptops in America are pretty bland looking - but I guess laptops have been common for kids to have for so long that they have them in all sorts of colors. This here is pink, but the same model was also available in green, purple, silver, red, etc. And I back at home we still think the nanos are cool cause they have color... well you're NOT cool Apple, you're NOT!
More flat-panel TVs, and again I only took a picture because of what was on the screen. PEARL!!! The ultimate in marching drum hardware.
I finally tore myself away from the shining lights though, and went to looking through the department stores.
If I have ever doubted the popularity of Hello Kitty here, I now stand corrected. Rice cooker, microwave, iron, toaster-oven... it's EVERYWHERE.
I found a punk section of one of the stores though (I'm not gonna pictures of normal clothing... that's boring), and here are some $70 purses.
And a whole outfit... also, the attendants are modeling the clothing. ^^
Another cute outfit, which utilizes European-inspired side laces with Asian frog-buttons, and western zippers with Chinese... whatever the word is for the placement of where a neckline opens.
And purple!
After a little bit of shopping around Ginza, I went to Roppongi (which is the neighborhood where all the foreigners hang out) for dinner. My waiter was even from Columbia, but spoke English very well. ^^
And a Philippine flag!!
My battery ran out here, but I went home shortly after. Here's a picture of the river on the walk home at night though. (I'm on one side of the river, and the subway station is just on the other side).
Pretty! Also an interesting note - there were a lot of women walking back to their homes by themselves with shopping bags. One the one hand, it was physical confirmation what I've heard about Japan being very safe, and women not feeling threatened walking home alone at night. But Japan is also pretty gender-stereotypical - there are tons of guys is suits everywhere, but you rarely see women in suits, and if they are they are almost always wearing a skirt instead of pants. You see of lot of them shopping though. O_oWell, that's all for today!
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