I had the bright idea of creating an outfit using all Japanese clothing to wear in the future which doesn't really sound like a crazy endeavor to be quite honest. In fact, it sounds like every girly girl's dream. But, taking into consideration the fact that I am pretty much considered an obese slob in Japan when compared to the average Japanese woman's shape and size, I knew that I would have my work cut out for me.
Of course I opted to raid some familiar places such as Forever 21 and H&M because who wouldn't? I mean the clothes at these establishments are relatively Americanized but at the same time they are tailored towards the Japanese public so it works either way to me. I also happened upon a few choice finds at some specifically Japanese clothing stores which was fun and rather surprising. All in all, it was the most nerve wracking experience that I had as far as going out of my way to be a girl but it was an interesting one at that. Anything I have captioned with specific store names are from Japan, everything else is from another country (namely South Korea).
Let the show begin!
Sundress from Okinawa
Cool "Gangster" Coat (emphasis on the "", lol)
Cute Little Paint Splatter Dancer Top
Cheetah Stockings . . . . RAWR!
Hip-hugging Bra Top Maxi Dress [Uniqlo]
Patterned Bra Top Dress [Uniqlo]
Sick Asymmetrical Cut Skirts [H&M]
Tube Topped Cheetah Dress [Forever 21]
Flowy Asymmetrical Top with Colorful Short Shorts [Forever 21]
Multi-directional Top [Forever 21]
Referee Top and Studded Tank Top [Ingni]
Radical Leopard Leggings [Uniqlo]
Tribal Scarf [Forever 21]
Sexy Vest Top [Forever 21]
Lovely Purple Scarf from Dongdaemun and Semi-Transparent Tights
SUPER COOL EAR CUFFS!!! [Claires and Forever 21]
Practical Studs
Rose Gold Hoops
Adorable Rose Necklace and Punky Arrowhead Necklace
Super Sexy Rings!!! [Bottom from Forever 21]
Sweet Leopard "Shake" Hat
(More hats will be added soon) Hope you enjoyed! じゃまた！
Alright so I had the bright idea after a solid 24-36 hours of traveling to go out and skate with a few friends at the Tokyo Dome Roller Skate Arena. I discovered this place shortly after a class field trip to that area to watch children (trust me, its not as weird as it sounds I promise, lol). With the help of Alix, Charlotte, Ren, Tina, and Holger I got us to the spot to enjoy a fun night out on the town. It was a bit different from roller skating in America where you can be there pretty much all day and not pay any extra for time. Here, we had a set two hours to skate and would have had to pay about $3 more per ever extra half hour. But the cool thing is they had a freaking skate park nestled in the corner of the building. In the end, we had a ball and I could not have been happier to be with the people I invited along.
#6 - CLUBBING!!!
It took us a while but after some prudent planning and a little patience Kyri, Jasmine and I made our way to a club in Tokyo. I did a whole lot of research on these places to make sure that we would have adequate time to catch trains, enjoy ourselves and not get lost or kidnapped. Which is good to know when you are in a relatively unfamiliar place you know. Our club of choice: Club Diana. Location: Hibiya. This very well liked club is in the heart of Tokyo and was quite literally outside of and attached to the train station (which made for amazing easy access). We started off our night like most people do, preparing our wardrobe and having a few pre-club drinks (hey, we were all legal so this is acceptable!). It's always nice getting ready with good girl friends, listening to music, doing hair, etc.
Following the train route is never a problem, we've ridden the Tozai Line so many times we know it like the backs of our hands. Waiting, however, is another issue and we always have to find ways to divert ourselves during that time.
Our next little obstacle was finding the entrance to the club. I had the directions on my trusty American phone but despite our best efforts we could not find it at first. After a few moments of retracing our steps we turned the corner of the building it was in and found the entrance to be on the side. It was pretty empty in the beginning but still had an awesome atmosphere.
It was a two-storied layout, viewers and VIP seating on the top and dance floor all over the bottom. The music was pretty decent, it varied from 80s to present styles and the DJs were very much on point with their selections. We chose to go on this particular Saturday night because it was Ladies Night which means we all got in for about $10 and would receive two free drinks during the course of the night. They used this clever little coin to take the place of actual money to purchase the free drinks, all of which were about $5 a pop.
My first drink was a China Blue from the liqueur-based drink list. As the night moved on the music definitely improved and we gradually danced more and more. The vast majority of the people there could not really dance, whatever that means, but they were genuinely having fun regardless of that fact. As people say nowadays they were "turnt up" (don't I sound old). While we were dancing the night away I spotted another coin on the floor and quickly snatched it up to save for later. One interesting thing we saw that night was this one man who appeared to be the Asian Pitbull. From the bald head to the way he dressed he was spot on for a Pitbull look-alike.
I think the most fun we had was when we would dance on the many platforms they had sprinkled around the building. Getting up on one of the those things, if you are brave enough or just crave attention, is one of the most freeing things in the whole world. You don't really have to think you just get up there, feel the music and move. There was this one crazy lady who kept screaming like a scary wild banshee being murdered during the course of the night. Freaky but it didn't bother anyone else so I suppose she was either a regular or easy to drown out with the music. Nearly every time we got on the platforms a group of guys and girls would run up to stand in front of us and cheer us on (most of the guys would bother Kyri which was hilarious).
We eventually took a break and had our second drinks. Mine was a screw driver which was also lovely. We did some more platform dancing and faced more female and male groupies and loved every second of it. I honestly believe that we had better acceptance here as foreigners than I did in that club in Korea (why that is, I don't know but it happened). At some point there was one DJ who absolutely could not mix the music well at all which kind of killed the mood but we got back into the swing of things eventually. At one point I got really sweaty and went to deal with that in the restroom when Kyri came in and found me. Funny thing is when she started talking to me it sounded like she was loosing her voice. But it wasn't a bad sound, in fact, it sounded like a raspy phone sex voice. I also found this while I was in the bathroom. Funny how you can't find it anywhere else . . .
Shortly after we got a third drink to share called Reggae Punch and decided it was about time for us to leave. Based on the way the flyer put it I thought that the place would shut down at 11 pm because most people take the trains everywhere and would need to get out at a reasonable time in order to make it home. But I was wrong. Like pretty much every club on the face of this earth, Club Diana would probably stay open until the wee hours of the morning but we still had to go home early so it didn't really matter. We said goodbye to Jasmine as she got off at her stop (one before ours) but even before then I noticed a guy sitting a few feet away from us with his phone tilted in our direction. Any person with half a brain knows that people are real careful about how they orient their phones on trains in Japan for fear of being deemed a pervert [痴漢｜ちかん]. But this guy was not discreet at all and it made me very mad. I wanted to take his phone once we arrived at our stop and dash it against the train floor then run out the door never to be seen again. But Kyri stopped me so no injustice was done. That guy better count himself lucky though. It could have been worse and I was ready to do what I had to do at that moment. That being said, we went home hot, sweaty and tired but happy campers. We each had our own lovely showers and fell graciously into our nice comfy beds. And THAT my friends was a good a** night. :]
I am pleased to say that I had the pleasure of dancing with the senpai and kohai of HOA ALOHA!!! After three months of hard work and dedication we all came together to perform our Lilo dance. We were all very excited to dance and I must say that finally seeing myself in full costume was a heady feeling (especially when paired with my matching green contacts, lol).
少し可愛いでしょ？
Unfortunately for the lot of us, it was a really hot day and therefore the ground was really really excruciatingly hot to the touch for our bare feet. We stood on top of this tarp thing and dipped our feet in buckets of lukewarm water but it was not much of a relief. This of course did not help me because it shot my nerves up quite a bit but in the end we were a pretty decent success.
I'm not sure that you can tell from the video below but I was shaking like a leaf! Everyone did a fantastic job overall and I wish them all the best in the future and thank them for allowing me to dance with them. I will miss them dearly. Also, special shout out to Kyri for her videographer work and Jasmine for her photographer work. Without you, I would have nothing but my mental memory to look back on this special event. Thank you!
NEWBIE PERFORMANCE!
I am so glad to have been a part of this super awesome group of girls. I hope they like my message at the end for them. This experience will forever remain in my memory and I thank them all for it! SPREAD ALOHA AROUND YOU!!!! :D
In mid to late June my friend Kyri told me about her plans to travel around Japan and China with her grandmother once the program ended. She explained all of the exciting things her grandmother wanted to see and do but I could tell that actually scheduling the trip, among other things, troubled her a lot. Kyri's grandma really wanted to see some traditional Japanese theater and the best thing for that would have been to go and watch kabuki. That being said, given how all the other elements of their schedule played out, kabuki was not looking to be a possibility. Having recently discussed my unfulfilled desire to go see Takurazuka (an all female theater troupe) and the research I had already done on partaking in such an endeavor I volunteered to help her choose a date that would fit their road trip plans. Once that was all squared away, we went to the konbini together to purchase her tickets. The interesting thing about entertainment in Japan is the fact that in many cases one must use a special kiosk at the convenience store in order to buy them; no internet, no specific store, nothing but konbinis. We hit a few snags but in the end it was pretty simple of a process and that made me think how easy it would be for me to do the same.
I had been discouraged as of late to go ahead with this decision for the simple fact that the tickets for the Tokyo Theater (which is obviously the closest one to us) were completely sold out, forcing me to get tickets for the Grand Theater in Osaka. I knew that this would require me to miss class so I emailed my teachers to let them know ahead of time that I would not be there. Monday, June 24 was going to be the best day of my life. I would take a night bus on Sunday to get to Osaka the following morning, take the train to Takarazuka, enjoy the show, and then take a [新幹線｜しんかんせん] or bullet train back to Tokyo that night. The night bus ticket was the easiest to get because I could buy it online. I got the student discount for the bullet train and bought that ticket next. That's when I had the second biggest heart attack I have had since planning to come to Japan in the first place - I could not buy the ticket to the actual show!
After several times of checking and double checking the timetable on the official website I knew for a fact that the tickets for the 24th were still available but the kiosk would not allow me to get one. I called on one of the cashiers who reiterated what the kiosk pop-up box kept telling me - SOLD OUT. My heart shattered into a million pieces and my mind flew off in a frenzy of wild thoughts mostly pertaining to my having spent a good amount of money on transportation and now not having anywhere to go. The woman suggested that I go to the 7-11 and use their kiosk, as if to say that Lawson's was broken. I went there and met with the same results, only briefly finding out that the 25th was still available. In a dazed panic I called our student affairs coordinator and asked her if she thought that I would be able to change the date of the bullet train ticket without incurring a fee. Basically telling me that that was a risk I would have to take, I ran back to the ticket office just as they were closing and asked for the young woman to change the date. Begrudgingly taking my tickets, she put them through the machine and gave me new ones. Then I high-tailed it over to the 7-11 and bought the most important ticket among all my tickets - the key to me seeing "Romeo and Juliette". With that fiasco behind me, I had to email a whole new set of teachers to alert them of my absence and then await the fateful day of my date with destiny (clichéd and melodramatic, I know, but who cares?!).
At this point you are probably wondering what in the world is Takarazuka anyways? Well as I mentioned before, it is an all female musical theater troupe. Based off of kabuki and the complete opposite insofar as the sexes involved, Takarazuka was established by Ichizō Kobayashi who endeavored to create a source of higher revenue in an effort to bring more visitors to the relatively popular onsen town of Takarazuka.
With the creation of the Takarazuka Music School in 1913 young women were trained in singing, dancing, and acting. The Grand Theater was built in 1924 and the greatness that is this unique art form was finally shared with the world. The girls who make it through the training and succeed in being brought into the group must go down one of two tracks - that of the [娘役｜むすめやく] or female role and [男役｜おとこやく] or male role.
Those who are chosen to transform themselves along the male vein are tasked with portraying/emulating the ideal man; a sensitive, romantic, handsome, courageous individual seeking the hand of beautiful young woman. There are five troupes within this theater - superior, flower, moon, snow, star, and cosmos - each with their own special characteristics (strong male leads, etc.) and theatrical proclivities (western/Broadway style, traditional Japanese style, etc.).
With the help of amazing sets, glam costumes and fantastical makeup, these women put on a show that, in my opinion, puts most if not all other art forms of the like to shame. Below are some examples of what amazing things that have been done over the years.
Ocean's Eleven
The Rose of Versailles
Romeo and Juliette
Cool right?!? And seeing these women live is even crazier because they are so freaking GORGEOUS!!!
Hereafter are the accounts of my travels to Osaka to see Takarazuka's Star Troupe's Romeo and Juliette so enjoy the ride with me!
[06.24] 21:45 - On my way to catch the night bus to Osaka and man am I freaking excited! I'm partially sick right now (thanks Alix) so I can't outwardly express my exuberance but this is good enough (hopefully this C.C. Lemon helps).
I have been wanting this for so long and now my biggest Japan bucket list goal will finally come to fruition. Everything is planed out, albeit last minute, but I know all my train names and lines to take, when to be where and how to catch my bullet train back to Tokyo. I even have multiple sets of clothing for the trip - one nice set for the musical, and a change for going home. Now all that's left to do is get there and enjoy myself. It's too bad I won't really be able to take pictures but with the opera glasses I'll rent I'm sure this event will leave a lasting mark on my memory.
23:42 - Finally on the bus after a nice meal of a club sandwich at Royal Host and a brief wait in the Willer Bus Terminal. I am yet again in a different form of their buses - the value double-decker bus. Two rows by two multicolored seats and I get my own pair (lucky me, eh?). I am soooo beyond ready to sleep now so I will keep this short. Until tomorrow! じゃまた！
[06.25] 7:45 - Made it to Osaka for the second time here in Japan. My body aches from my odd sleeping positions but other than that I'm no more worse for the wear. Drank another Vitamin C lemon drink (this one only had 50 lemons worth in it) and am about to have breakfast. Funny thing about that is you can't really eat anywhere other than inside a restaurant. I already had breakfast breads that I bought yesterday but finding somewhere outside to perch in Japan is rather hard unless you know of a park/playground. Oh well, down the hatch they go anyways!
9:30 - In the Hankyu-Umeda train station waiting for the appropriate train to take me on to the show. As I was walking around within to find some sort diversion, I stumbled upon a large TV screen promoting the show I plan to see - Romeo and Juliette - and got super excited. Now given the fact that Shakespeare is a main staple in the majority of American literature curriculums I already know the gist of the adaptation. I also kind of had a sneak peek of this particular musical already thanks to YouTube but I am not less happy to see it live. Still fighting this sneezing and sniffling but I do think that the C.C. is helping. Would be nice to have a cup of Earl Grey but I'm making due with what I've got.
12:20 - Getting off the train and finding my way to the Grand Theater was the most victorious feeling ever. Following the signs, I was led to the Flower Road 花の道 which would convey me to the theater. Seeing the crowds of women made me laugh because while they are basically fan girls they also have a lot of respect for the art and their happiness made me smile as well. I bought a program from about $10 and entered to find my seat which wasn't too bad vantage point wise. The first half was amazing! All the costumes and overly exaggerated makeup definitely helped fortify the performances that these ladies are putting on and man are they some powerful singers. The dancing reminds me of when I participated in musicals (background of course) and still want to do such things for fun. Speaking of background, I don't know if I'm going crazy or what but they ALL look the same! It must be the way they blend the makeup because I could have sworn I was looking at the exact same human in different backup roles. As for the main actors and actresses, the glitzier their costumes the more important they are. I absolutely love their Romeo played by Reon Yuzuki who is completely captivating and the Paris remains the detestable sort of character but in a different more girly way (no pun intended). I may be tempted at this point to buy the soundtrack. Let's hope my travels don't make me fall asleep!
14:42 - That second half was spectacular! A veritable feast of Shakespearean delight. I'm glad I opted out of getting the audio aid because duh, I already know Shakespeare and it wasn't hard to follow at all. The glasses certainly helped, especially once I figured out that you can focus them with the little knob in the middle. Tybalt was a deliciously terribly contemptible villain, the actor really lived up to the role and more. I wasn't a big fan of the Mercutio and Juliette, something about them was a bit off and their actions were fairly put on. Juliette's nurse was a lovable riot! Benvolio was a great friend, and both momma Capulet and momma Montague were so good. Every lyric they sang could break your heart. Romeo killed it, but of course you must if you are the lead. The encore - which brought out the entire cast to highlight the stars in several dance numbers that were a mixture of Broadway, Vegas and Takarazuka's own style only a million times better - was a freaking blast! That was what surprised me most but I'm glad that it was included. The costumes were gaudy but amazingly so and I ate up every second of it. I bought so many pictures, a trinket of Romeos, and the live CD soundtrack during the intermission (where the cashiers didn't even know they accepted my Discover card - psh, I can read!) and more pictures after it was over. Let's just say I turned fan girl for a bit and thank goodness for borrowed money. Unfortunately, all that put me off schedule to catch the correct trains so I'll be late catching up with the girls for our skating adventure. But all in all, I'm glad I paid the money to have this experience.
