Guradoru Bunkasai: Gravure Idols in a Cafe

Gravure Idol Café: meet sexy "idols" and chat, and take photos!

Guradoru Bunkasai is one of those places you won't find on a tourist itinerary, even though it's in a popular tourist area in Akihabara... but this place is very fun if you like costumes/cosplay (which may include bikinis), photography, music, and generally semi-adult fun!

First of all, some definition of the café's concept would probably be helpful.  Guradoru Bunkasai is centered around the "Gravure Idol", a term that in Japan popularly describes female models who pose for magazines, videos and other merchandise, emphasizing their physical attributes and often posing in swimwear.  Perhaps the short definition would be more like "sexy model" but I'm sure you've caught on at this point as to the focus of this café is.

So, it's a bit different from the many maid cafes you'll see around the rest of the Akihabara neighborhood.  Those cafes focus on the cuteness of the café maids, while this one focuses on more... grown up appeal.

Not to say that this is an adults-only establishment.  It doesn't appear to have any adult-only entry restrictions; honestly, it promotes the beauty and enthusiasm of the gravure idols... and yes they fit the definition, as all of them have appeared in media of various forms as gravure idols, and in most cases continue to do so.  Some of them are also "race queens"; I first saw the café manager at Tokyo Auto Salon (before I ever visited this café):

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Tokyo Auto Salon @machi_pie #tokyoautosalon #tas2018 #japan #japanese #girl #woman #racequeen #beautiful #asia #igers #webstagram

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And here she is at the café:

The gravure idols will sing, dance, and serve drinks (and conversation if you can keep up with the language) as well.  And, they will have photo sessions where every customer can rotate around to take photos of the idols.  And if you're really drawn in here by the gravure factor... at 2000 some of them will change out of the costumes or casual wear they were wearing at the beginning of the cafe's hours, and get into their bikinis.

Guradoru Bunkasai at its hottest moments, from 2000-2200:

So, Guradoru Bunkasai kind of walks that thin edge between PC and adult entertainment, but if you like taking photos and in general enjoying the vibe of the people of Tokyo, this is definitely a fun and unique place to be!

Recommendations:
- The language barrier can be pretty tough here; recommend going with a local friend.
- Photos are allowed during the designated photo shoot times; if in doubt watch what the other guests do and follow along.
- Bring a camera!


Specifics:
Guradoru Bunkasai
Hours: 1500-2200 weekends, 1700-2200 Wed-Fri
Location:

Furusato Matsuri: Bring Your Appetite (and yen) to Tokyo Dome!

The ultimate Japan food/foodies' event at Tokyo Dome

Furusato Matsuri is one of those more "mainstream" events you'll see in and around Tokyo, which features both traditional festival dances and food from all over Japan.  Perhaps not all are interested in traditional dance, but everyone has some degree of interest in food... right?

However, as I wasn't able to figure out how to get into the seating areas for watching the dancing (it seems extra "admission" is required to get to the stands to be able to watch), my focus here will be on the food.  And, there is a lot of it, and from seemingly every region of Japan as previously mentioned.

Scallops and oysters from the Hokkaido area booths

At the food booth areas, every region of Japan is represented and grouped together (such as Hokkaido, Okinawa, Kyushu, Kanto Plain, etc) so going around it can feel like taking a food tour around Japan, all in one place.  The food is all served/prepared as one would typically find it in its respective region.  For example, tropical fruits and similar dishes can be found in the southern regions of Japan, especially Okinawa:

Wifey enjoying some mango in the Okinawa area (with Orion Beer lanterns in the background)

From the two times I've attend this event, Hokkaido is the most popular and crowded area of all.  From seafood to fruits to desserts, they seem to attract a lot of interest and traffic every time.  I can't really disagree, as Hokkaido's offerings at Furusato Matsuri appealed to me the most of all as well.  As a result, I end up spending the most there especially on their scallops, crab, and melon ice cream dish!

If you have dreamed of travelling all around Japan but haven't been able to for whatever reason(s) (like me), Furusato Matsuri will at least let your taste buds take the tour all in one place.  Enjoy the food of all of Japan!

Recommendations:
- Dress in layers; this event is during the cold of the Tokyo winter but the air can get very warm inside of Tokyo Dome because of the amount of people there (and the heat of lots of cooking).
- If possible, go on a weekday during this ten-day event for lesser/lighter crowds.
- Food is plentiful here but not very cheap; if you're on a budget, recommend planning to have snacks/appetizers here and perhaps go out into Tokyo for your real meal afterwards.
- Seating near the food booths can be tough to find.  The bleachers (up the stairs) provide for a lot more seating (and a nicer view!) if you can bring your food/drink up there with you.

Specifics:
Furusato Matsuri
Admission: 1700 yen (but special "tourist/foreigner" admission is available online for 1000 yen)
Held annually, for ten (10!) days in January, at Tokyo Dome
Location:

Tokaigi: Game Party Japan

Tokaigi, also known as Game Party Japan, is the local amusement/entertainment industries' showcase event.  Here, everything you'll find in arcades, such as arcade games, virtual reality hardware, UFO catcher games, and even those "purikura" (photo booths).  In addition to those, on the arcade game front there are various competitions here, if those are type of your thing to see you won't be disappointed.

Additionally, there are other forms/mediums of gaming/entertainment on display here, such as casino style gaming (card/dice/etc).  Particularly eye catching in the 2018 event was Akiba Guild, which featured maid dealers (women dressed in maid costumes), one of those things you very well might only see in Japan...

The most Tokyo/entertainment savvy visitors will still learn a new thing or two from a visit to Tokagi.  Uh, even about... toilets?

Also, it seems any legitimate fun-based event in Japan must feature cosplay, right?  Though smaller in scale than the bigger name events, Tokaigi has both commercially sponsored costumed faces to match their game's characters, and many fan cosplayers are there in ample supply.

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Tokaigi, Game Party Japan #tokaigi #japan #Japanese #cosplay #cosplayer #girl #chiba #woman #asia #iphoneasia #instagramhub #kancolle #kantaicollection

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Additionally, for the aspiring/experienced cosplayers, there are vendors that specialize in cosplay props and costumes on hand here as well.  If you're looking for the perfect accessory, or perhaps the perfect (fake) weapon for your costume, you might very well find it here if it falls within the gaming realm.

Come prepared to be entertained, and educated to a degree, at Tokagi's game party!

Recommendations:
- Buy tickets in advance; saves about 500 yen from the price of admission on the day(s) of the event.
- This event is (relatively) not as crowded as others; it's a good "warmup" event to attend if you're tentative about attending some of the similar but bigger events (such as Tokyo Game Show).

Specifics:
Tokaigi: Game Party Japan
Held annually (usually January or February) at Makuhari Messe
Location:

Comiket 95: A New Experience (As A Cosplayer!)

I'm no stranger to Comiket (a.k.a Comic Market), as I'd been to the semi annual event nine (9!!!) times previously.  As one who's primary interest in the event was (and still is) photography, Comiket empowers that interest unlike almost any other event in the world.  If you like doing photography of people and are interested in things such as costumes, anime, video games, movies, and comics (whether Japanese or otherwise), Comiket has a seemingly endless supply of photographic subjects in all the cosplayers that go there to be seen, be photographed, or simply to become one with the world's biggest fan event.  Just being there to see everything/everyone, is a great experience in itself.

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Comiket #comiket #cosplay #cosplayer #costume #evangelion #asuka #makinamimari #anime #women #asia #japan #instagood #instagram #igers

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The 95th holding of Comic Market (a.k.a. Comiket 95), held in December 2018, would be a new experience for me, in that it would be my first time to attend as a cosplayer myself.  I'd worn my Star Wars X-Wing fighter pilot costume (customized with various parts to more closely match the movie look than the commercially sold outfit) before to an event, Tokyo Comic Con.  But that was my only previous experience as an event cosplayer, and being in Japan and the Tokyo area, I really wanted to add the Comiket 95 badge to my imaginary X-Wing hull, to go along with the imaginary Tokyo Comic Con badge.  So...

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Comiket #comiket #cosplay #cosplayer #anime #woman #asia #asian #igers #igersjp #instalove #instagram

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I went with a friend, the same one I went to Comic Con with in costume.  She had some previous experience, cosplaying at Comiket in 2015.  And I tend to lean heavily on my local friends when it comes to new experiences and those times when not knowing the Japanese language too well makes things stressful and/or uncomfortable.  Finally, going with someone with that particular interest in cosplaying (hard to find for me at Camp Zama) makes it more fun!



Normally I try to get to Tokyo Big Sight past noon, in order to avoid the initial crowds.  But under the cosplay agenda I wanted to maximize the amount of time at the event in costume as much as reasonably possible.  Getting in at around 1130 wasn't too bad; there were lots of people still arriving and making their way in alongside/ahead of us but it was steady progress.

The more difficult part was the waiting in line to get to the cosplayer changing rooms; it is against the event's rules to arrive/depart the event in costume so we had to wait in the cold until it was our respective turns to get in.  But once that hurdle was cleared, it was pure cosplay fun.



We then made our way to the East Hall area and posed for a few photos in various backgrounds at the venue, finding a Tokyo Bay background to resemble the ocean scenery of Scarif (from Rogue One) and a vegetated wall that brought about visions of Yavin 4 (the Rebel Alliance base in Episode IV).  And of course, we were able to get the "signature" shots of us in our costumes in front of the Tokyo Big Sight main building; that shot tells all that you were an active participant in the biggest fan event in the world. 

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Chewbacca cosplay #chewbacca #starwars #tokyo #japan #comiket #odaiba #cosplay #cosplayer #iphonesia

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It was also a surprise that so many photographers took our photos as well; I was not expecting that since the majority of fans attending were seemingly more interested in the local entertainment genres.  But, some of the photographers who captured us either indicated an interest in Star Wars, or didn't know what our costumes were but liked the look so much that they wanted a photo.

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Made my cosplay debut at Comiket 95 #comiket #comiket95 #cosplay #cosplayersofinstagram #starwars #xwingpilot #tokyo #japan

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Sadly, there was no time to check out any of the vendor booths or entertainment company exhibitions.  Waiting in line to get changed, doing photos, eating lunch at one of the food vendors, and not wanting to wait too long to get back into normal clothes at the end (to avoid the end of event rush) prevented us from any leisure browsing/shopping this time.  I felt far from cheated, though, as I'd earned my imaginary Comiket 95 cosplay badge and had an unforgettable new experience on my 10th visit to the event.  Perhaps at Comiket 96, I'd attend as a "mere commoner" again to shop and take photos.

Recommendations if interested in cosplaying at Comiket:
- Be prepared to wait in lines if arriving at or within two hours of the event opening at 1000.  Take that as a general guideline/warning but specifically, be prepared to stand around in the cold windy December weather or the humid blistering heat of August.  Also:
   --Go to the restroom before getting in line!
   --Don't get in line hungry and/or without food, especially if you're not "you" when you're hungry.
   --Wait times to enter the ladies changing room is around 2+ hours (compared to around 10-15 minutes for the mens room).
- If you arrive later, say 1300, the lines will be shorter, but so will your time at the event.
- Go with a local friend (who can speak/understand Japanese), or someone who's cosplayed here before.  With so many people in attendance, the pressure on event staff is high and can make the language barrier tough to get around.
- When you pay the fee (1000 yen) for registering as a cosplayer, they'll hand you a colored paper handout before you enter the changing room.  Keep it with you; you'll need to show it when you return to the changing room to get out of costume (as proof that you've registered/paid already).
- Don't worry about your costume being "substandard" quality compared to other cosplayers' outfits; yours will probably not be the best or worst.  Just understand that yours will be somewhere in that sea of costumes.  And personality (your actions/expressions/attitude) matching that of the character goes a long way, even at Comiket.
- If you're on the fence about this... just do it!  You'll have a great experience and strong bragging rights to say you were a cosplayer at Comiket!

Interlude: Happy New Year, Advice For a Happier New Year, and Happy New Blog Name

I've always looked back at each year upon its passing and reflected upon the many things that have transpired in that timeframe.  In recent years, specifically since I arrived here at Camp Zama in 2015, the years have been truly great, the best of my life, and unbelievably, getting better with each higher numbered year.  2018 continued that trend in spectacular fashion.  If it isn't apparent by the photos, videos, and descriptions I've shared of some of those experiences so far on this web space, then I'll just tell you that I'm (insanely/unfairly?) lucky to be in a blessed location with wonderful family and friends here who not only understand my unorthodox/weird/geeky ways, but unconditionally support them as well.

Some of my 2018 moments by month:

I'd been criticized by some around me in the past for not sharing what I know/learned from my experiences, and probably rightfully so.  I'm not very social to begin with because my values/interests tend to stand apart from most.  There are a few I can talk to and feel comfortable spending time with, though, but in person I tend to be very reserved.  For some reason though, I get along very nicely with the people of Japan... perhaps it's that mysterious reason that gets me in to some of the experiences/friendships here that elude many others.  A big part of my inspiration for this blog was to try to share what knowledge I have and hope that it makes someone else's stay here more memorable, whether for a tourist or a fellow Camp Zama resident.

However, it isn't just my personality and quirks that get me to the fun; there are definitely some tangible ways to get you to those experiences.  Perhaps one or more of these can get you to an experience/event more in line with your interests (instead of mine) or better yet, outdo mines completely:

How to find cool Tokyo area events/experiences for yourself

1. Make friends: Whether online or offline, they give the best advice for you (because they know you, and they have personal experience to relay to you) and make the best guide/companion should you need it.  I definitely lean heavily on my social network (mostly offline) and wouldn't have had half as much fun had I not done so.

2. The internet is your friend as well: Much more than before, information on almost everything you think you'd want to visit/experience is available online.  If no one in your network has done it before, it's worth bringing up like "I saw this place on the internet... looks really interesting, want to give it a try sometime?"  This is where having friends comes in handy again especially in Japan with Japanese friends; if you have some common interests, he/she is more likely to go with you and help ease the language barrier.

3. Phone? Smart!  Everyone has a smartphone nowadays, nevertheless it is worth mentioning that aside from translation apps that can get the message across the language barrier when needed, they are invaluable in way finding and getting information when you're out and about.

4. History tends to repeat itself:  Attended a very cool event somewhere?  There's a very big chance  that same place has some other events worth looking into... so check out their event schedule and you might find another one even better than the one you just attended.  Some good ones in the Tokyo/Kanagawa area are Tokyo Big Sight, Makuhari Messe, and Pacifico Yokohama.

5.  Fear is the path to... boredom:  Self explanatory.  Personal note; I actually feared/stressed a bit when going to some places/events (such as the Japan Adult Expo and Burlesque Tokyo, among others) but that's where having a friend or two to go with helped me overcome and enjoy.  If no one else wants to go... decide if you really want to take the dive by yourself, but remember that YOLO.

6.  The most overlooked, best quality of Japan: The people here are friendly, understanding, and helpful; as friends they are beautiful and intricately woven into my heart and life now.  If you've noticed, I have not raved one bit exclusively about inanimate objects or landscapes... everything I've encouraged here involves friends, family, and even strangers.  Take this into account when thinking of the next thing to do or visit...

Go out and have a wonderful, memorable 2019!

And finally, very briefly about the blog title change... I felt the Edge of Tokyo was more in line with the heart of the subject matter in more ways than one:

- I'm at Zama/Sagamihara, which is just on the edge of the Tokyo/Kanagawa prefectural border
- The experiences I share are not always politically correct, they're a bit on the edge...
- Personally, I've strived to be the best person I can be, and respect/love all creatures of God.  But there is an other half to me that does what I want and doesn't care about perception of me.  I guess that's being "edgy".
- For everyone out there who stumbles upon this part of the internets, I hope it gives them an edge over others in finding fun and interesting things/places/experiences in and around Tokyo!

So there you have it: again, take 2019 to a wonderful, memorable edge!

The Ryo Ga Gotoku / Yakuza Video Game Japan Tour Itinerary

So as you might have gathered from some previous posts, I am into video gaming.  One of the video games that is popular among those outside of Japan but love/miss and yearn to be in Japan, is the Ryu Ga Gotoku (known as Yakuza) game series, made by Sega and playable on the latest Playstation consoles as well as Wii U (but only for the 1st and 2nd games in the series).

Kazuma Kiryu, the star/center of the game

For me, the draw was that at the time I first picked up the game (Yakuza 3), I was a few months gone from living in Tokyo at the time, and missed the city badly.  When I started playing, it felt so much like a virtual trip back to the beloved beautiful Far East city.  It was a fun game, and its open world nature just brought my soul back to the city I fell in love with.

The main storyline of the game was, of course, compelling, challenging and fun, but what really kept me on the game, though, were all the "mini games".  They weren't essential to the mission at hand, but they were downright fun.  Some of the other things weren't even mini games at all, such as visiting certain restaurants, arcades, etc... but they had my heart hooked on, simply because I missed doing those things in real life in Tokyo... or in some/many cases I never had the chance to do those things there at that point in my life.  Yakuza 3 (and later on, Yakuza 4) were my escape from boring, mundane reality, to a place where Kazuma Kiryu roamed and, for all intents and purposes, lived the most interesting man's life in Tokyo.  Perhaps I was the only one who thought that way... maybe there were others (appreciate a comment if you had similar feelings/desires coming from this game).

So, a couple of years after I'd first played Yakuza, fate would have me back living in Japan... first in Okinawa (where, ironically, the start of Yakuza 3 takes place), then moving on back to the Tokyo area, where of course the game is centered on, especially Kamurocho (based on the Kabukicho district in Shinjuku).  You know, like Kiryu-san's path in the game that I first played.  I'd jokingly say that if I visited a certain place featured in the game, I was completing an item on the Kazuma Kiryu / Yakuza tour.  So the idea dawned on me... why not create the Ryu Ga Gotoku tour itinerary?

Presenting... The Ryu Ga Gotoku (Yakuza Game) Kazuma Kiryu Japan Tour!

Take part in the following activities to walk in the path of Kazuma Kiryu (and experience the joys he experienced along the way)

Play a UFO Catcher game (8 pts): One of the minigames in Yakuza, as a tourist (or even a resident) you're bound to insert a coin or two into a machine to try to win a cool prize.

Bonus points: At Kabukicho (3 pts), Win a prize (4 pts)

Play a Dart Game at a bar/parlor/arcade (10 pts): Darts kind of has a subculture in Japan, and as one of the minigames that is woven into Kazuma's dating life, it holds extra appeal.

Bonus points:  At Kabukicho (2 pts), Play against someone you recently met for the first time (3 pts)

Sing at a Karaoke place (10 pts):  Karaoke is one of the unique cultural elements of Japan, not to be missed by anyone who likes singing, music, and having a good time with friends (or a memorable date?).  Even gang bosses have the skills/guts here; do you?

Bonus points:  At Kabukicho (3 pts),  At Karaoke Kan (the franchise featured in the game) (3 pts), Go with someone you recently met for the first time (4 pts)

Shop at Don Quijote (5 pts): the all-around bargain department store featured in Yakuza

Bonus points: At Kabukicho (2 pts), Buy something you see only at "Donki" and hadn't seen anywhere else (3 pts)

Swing, Swing, at a Batting Center (9 pts):  a fun way to practice the skills of Japan's most popular sport

Bonus points:  At Kabukicho's Shinjuku Batting Center (known as Yoshida Batting Center in the game) (6 pts)

Visit a Cat Café (7 pts): Yes, believe it or not... Kazzy not only visited a cat café but helped round up runaway cats to bring them back to their café home.

Bonus points: At Kabukicho  (3 pts)

Use a Driver at a Golf Driving Range (10 pts):  Another popular sport in Japan, with many places to hone your swing...

Bonus points:  At Kabukicho (5 pts)

Your rating:

50-below: Filthy casual mode: Don't be afraid to venture outside of your comfort zone! 

50-70: Standard mode: You're in an area where most active tourists would be.  Not too far off from becoming a fun person...

70-85: Advanced mode: You know and experience more than most, and could pick up a girl/guy standing in line at Lotteria with reasonable success!

85-95: Professional mode: Tokyo is your oyster, and you blend in well with any setting in Kamurocho.  Guys/girls would call you to go out on a date!

95-100: God mode (or Kazuma Kiryu mode!): Kazuma's story reads like your autobiography.  Or, you just know exactly how to party like a Yakuza star.  You rule the city.

FYI, I scored an 87.  Professional mode in effect!