...my favourite things...

So I'm having Japan withdrawal symptoms. Craving for green tea, chicken karaage, sushi and bath houses. 

Oh well at least I have some shopping I did there. 

Tops on my list of most worth buys in Japan - this portable mobile phone battery charger. What's so unique? It runs on 3 AA batteries. What? Rechargeable batteries lah. So you can pop into a store and buy batteries if you're really in need for some juice and it's not charged up.

Or alternatively you can flip up the handle, and start cranking! Manual recharge! Useful for outdoorsy activities that may not come with a plug to stuff your charger into...

Second thing is more of a novelty item. How'd you like my earphones.

If the picture looks weird... it's probably because these gigantic earphones, are actually speakers. Cute ain't it. Now excuse me while I look for tamago and inari to munch on.

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One more

So after two days of going around Den Den Town, you'd think I'd be bored. Nope.... time was precious and past two days at Den Den have only been a couple of hours spent there a day at best.

How else are you going to really take in a six storey porn emporium. I kid you. Not.

So started early in the morning to walk around Den Den Town. Again. Today started with music stores. A second hand music store to be exact. Awesome! It was in the back alley (where I also found this fantastic lunch spot in a quaint small restaurant that has the best chicken karate I've ever had). 

See that black and goldfish guitar? That's a Rickenbacker 1957! Fuck! The Gibson's pretty sweet too, but the Rickenbacker memang sakit hati. RM9,000... kalau aku cukup duit aku dah beli dah!

The Gretsch is nice too.. but this Japanese Fender steel guitar gets me. Damn. RM3,000 gitu.

And I love this nyunga nyunga - just that it's too damn pricey. Beautiful sounds though...

Check out that red with cream 'piping' Rickenbacker bass!

Ok enough guitars and musical instruments. Fancy a hemp air freshener?

How'd I end up in the sex emporium? The sex dolls are awesome. Siap sections for wigs, clothes, shoes... etc. The Japanese really live in their fantasies.

More safer for work photos. Toy stores!

Oh look... it's Tony Tony Chopper from One Piece. I have to admit... after the first day at Den Den Town.... I still had no idea what One Piece (the number one manga and anime in the world was).

Sehinggalah sayang aku mesej kalau boleh kirim belikan Tony Tony Chopper. I had no freaking clu what that was. So download one or two episodes and watched. Immediately hooked.

Didn't buy so much One Piece stuff (bound to regret for sure once back in KL). The thing about Japan is... I love how their mainstream anime and manga crosses over into hentai.

Check out Boa Hancock and Luffy from One Piece.

Like what?

And then there are more fun stuff - like this. What would Japan be without Godzilla eh? Or a gigantic remote control one at that...

Pellet guns were also in abundance. Damn... so much stuff to buy. I really wished I had more cash for shopping...

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Den Den Town again

Started the day at Dotonbori. The downtown area honestly doesn't interest me because it's like any other metropolitan city in the world. Except more crowded. Which is why I guess there was no appeal for me. 

I prefer places of retail - that have a little bit more to hold my interest. Not really keen on shops that only offer what we already have back home. Cam buang masa ke negara orang kan kalau gitu...

This creative display caught my attention. Love the idea behind the attempt to use whatever space they had (since floor space is limited).

This Snow White inspired outfit caught my eye too. Wondering who the heck would wear this and for what apart from being fetish wear of sorts.

Quick lunch and it was on to more shops... music stores to be exact.

Still nothing caught my interest... so it was back to Den Den Town. Used panties anyone? (I'm not kidding!)

Ok... so that's not my interest. These are. TOYS!

I REALLY wanted to get this. I think his name was Blade from the Puppet Master movies. Damn! This is a rare find!

There were many other rare finds. Like this 'green farm'. Grow your own organics - in the comfort of your own home. This is apparently big in Japan now. I was imagining more like could someone use this to grow marijuana in their apartment. Matilah!

And here's a hot meal vending machine. I can't even begin to tell you how these things still amaze me...

It was getting dark, so sped through some other stores after picking up some finds. Spotted this cosplay store.

If you're ever in Den Den Town - you won't miss this!

And you should check this out. Passed this restaurant. Damn. Note what's on EVERY table.

Tiring day. Squeezing in one more day tomorrow at Den Den Town before the end of our trip to Japan.

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Showtime

Woke up really tired. I have to say I don't know how the Japanese live in such cramped places. Their hotels are not cheap and yet space is so limited. I didn't even take pictures of the room in the hotel we were staying in because I couldn't even get a good angle. Seriously!

Even First World Hotel has more more floor space in its rooms. And being claustrophobic... I didn't sleep well. Well... ok... I'm lying. I slept like a baby. Just got woken up by the sound of the others waking up. Yes, I could easily hear whatever activities in four to five rooms next to us.

Early morning today as it's Amir's turn to perform. His venue for the Kansai Music Conference was at the Osaka Museum of History, next to NHK Japan. Gorgeous building as the lobby is encased in this giant disco ball glass dome sandwiched like a structure out of a Harry Potter movie between both buildings.

I'm so happy Amir impressed with his performance. So much so, the organisers  came up and spoke to me - impressed by his performance...

After we were done - it was back to the hotel just a few hundred meters away... freshened up and grabbed a train to head downtown for some food.

And thus the real Osaka adventure begins. With all the shows done - semarang masa jalan-jalan betul. I suggested Den Den Town (I Google every location I go to for places of my interest).

Den Den Town is otaku heaven. Next to Tokyo's Akihabara of course. But since I haven't been to Tokyo and I'm in Osaka, Den Den Town here we come.

Now, Den Den Town js known for a HUGE area filled with shops offering mostly things related to manga, anime, tech toys and porn. And a lot more stuff in between. This store became a landmark for us in days to come... nama yang sesuai if you ask me. SLUM.

But it wasn't all about adult themed entertainment. I had my eyes on some tech stuff - like this awesome 3D printer. Babiks... nak sangat!!!! Tapi sebab kawal diri jangan boros, maka ku gigih than nafsu dari beli.

Don't let me get started on the toys... I think I'm in heaven!

And music stores...

Since we got to Den Den Town quite late in the evening... sebab sesat, plus we had some distance to travel to dinner (cabs cost a fucking bomb - but sometimes a necessity from the long train rides).

What I'm amazed with - is again, how the Japanese discipline themselves. This is a common sight.

Tengok tu. Dahlah beratur. Semua ke tepi kanan jadi orang yang nak cepat leh je lalu. Takde duk sebelah menyebelah borak pasal Tupperware ke MLM bagai ok....

I'm impressed. Balik nanti nak ubah diri aku. I feel like a savage in situations like this - and the Japanese are a good model of how disciplined they are... definitely.

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Jalan-jalan Osaka

Mulakan hari anda dengan lakukan sesuatu yang random. Like walking through Osaka macam ni. 

Aku cabar bebudak... tapi Ruvi saja berani.

Hari ni kita semua nak jalan-jalan pusing bandar Osaka. Just to see what the city has to offer... so pekena kain. Cuma main aku Balinese origin lah... bukan Malaysia... tapi bukan orang Jepun tahu pun beza. Matilah kau!

Dah kalau jalan dengan budak band... antara tempat paling di masuk... kedai muzik lah apa lagi. Jatuh cinta aku dengan gitar ni. Damn... aku nak! Motif....sedangkan main gitar tak reti. But damn... lawa siot.

Masa lewat pagi tu perasan lah kat kawasan shopping, belakang sebuah mall... ada orang beratur panjang kat lorong belakang. Aku bajet mesti ada warehouse sale ke apa...

Jalan ke depan.. pun nampak ada orang beratur panjang... rupanya yang belakang tu sambungan.

Ya ampun. Bila aku tengok seberang jalan baru aku perasan ada kedai Apple. Memang hari ni hari pertama iPhone baru keluar. Patutlah...

Tapi sumpah orang Jepun ni beratur tak merungut... teratur. Malu gak bila pikir kita ni kat Malaysia kekadang cam perangai dilepaskan kandang the way we rush about without consideration.

Lewat petang sikit... kita ke Fan J. Aizat akan adakan solo performance dia sini malam ni... sambil bebudak soundcheck, aku tiba-tiba nampak this couple - a bride and groom. Macam baru kahwin... motif tarik beg ala keluar Akademi Fantasia gitu?

Matilah lari rumah elope katanya. Well.. I don't think so... but it looks funny... Bosan punya boson.. aiyo kita gi shopping lagi.

Spotted this in one of the CD shops. Who the fuck thought this would make a good album cover???

The fashions were well... unique.

I spotted this boat going down the river between the malls... awesome siot. Siap ada live band ala ja swing bagai. Aku suka!!!

And this was when I got to see how crazy Japanese pedestrian traffic gets. Ramai gila orang sial! Takut aku. Memang horror... ramai sangat senang sesat... dan haram oak meka nak cakap omputeh. Mati aku. Sib baik ada portable WiFi leh pakai Waze lat phone nak jalan ke mana (walaupun kebanyakan tempat sini kat Waze pun tulisan Jepun nama tempat).

Ah... these are some of the cigarette vending machines...

That themed restaurant. I just don't get this though...

After dinner... we walked (we did a lot of that - think I lost few kgs within days in Japan with all the walking and green tea and healthy food)...

Came past this place. COOL! Right in the middle of the city, there was this building with a rock climbing wall! And.. hello Prada!

This amused me. I love how the street lamps were even made to look like tall stick figures holding up signs.

And saw this insane display of wealth - Mercedes bathed in Swarovski! Like what the hell.. I've heard of bling but this is ridiculous!

Got to Aizat's show...

And then spent the rest of the night at 7 Eleven and jamming outside the hotel by the five foot way with the boys. Bajet busker gitu... all in all... an eye opening experience of Osaka.

Oh... and while I love the train service... I seriously think I've done more walking today than in years!

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