Japan 2023: Back in Tokyo Days 1+2

Just got back from an 18 day trip to Japan so I managed to to survive my first Japan trip in nearly 4 years! Took the Keisei Skyliner and I think this was from Ueno Station.

I am also single again so first solo trip in a long time. The main reason for this trip was for a manga exhibition and to catch up with 3 friends.

Arrived at night so was hoping to go Magurobito above Yodobashi Akibahara for dinner but unfortunately the whole floor was closed for renovations! :(

Akiba is not the same without the Sega logo.

First meal in Japan turned out to be Coco Ichi's hand made tonkatsu plus scramble egg. Yum. Coco Ichi now have both English and Japanese on their menu so its a lot easier for tourists.

And of course nanachiken from 7/11 for supper! I miss it already. On a side note, for 7/11 they have a machine for you to put your money into so you don't give the money to the combini worker.

Retired back to hotel for the night and there was a variety show about doing impressions of dorama main characters. You have Abe Hiroshi from Dragon Zakura doing his baka to busu go to Todai speech.

and Kimutaku on the left and Hanzawa Naoki bragging about his ratings.

and the famous Watanabe Anne and Ken youtube episode.

What is this jdorama that I am compelled to watch?

Next day back to Akihabara early next day and they have Kusanagi Motoko promoting anti terrorism.

What is this Tokyo Dome city though I don't think it is for me?

and on to Tokyo Station so I could exchange my JR pass and more importantly book my Shinkansen because it was Golden Week and I remember what happened last time I did not book my tickets early on Golden Week.

If you did not know, JR Pass prices will nearly double from October 2023 and I really don't think it will be worth getting it after that and it would be better to use a regional pass like the Touhoku pass I used in 2019.

This is what the JR pass looks like now. No need to be waved through anymore. Just insert into machine and it comes out the other end.

On to Oreshiki in Tokyo station for some early morning tonkotsu breakfast. Yum. Unfortunately they only had the small portion for breakfast but so happy to finally taste some real tonkotsu. There are so many tonkotsu places in Melbourne but they are all so bad. I want to slap every person who says they are authentic because they are not. Japanese food in Melbourne is a scam because they charge a lot of money, present it like high class food and tastes nowhere close to the real thing. This is also a problem for me because when I go ramen with regular people in Melbourne I cannot say anything.

Street Fighter 6 advertising in full swing back in Yodobashi Akiba. I could see the reduction of physical games having an effect on the gaming section and the esports aka PC gaming is takes a huge space on the gaming floor. There is a lot less gaming books as well.

I already have too many sticks an luckily PS4 sticks work on PS5. However I did think to myself that if I ever ran into a Hori RAP 4 VLX, I could be persuaded.

New Zelda going to be released when I was in Japan. Not going to FOMO because BoTW bored me. I'd rather replay Sekiro for the 4th time or finish Elden Ring for the 3rd time.

The PS5 ssd prices are bonkers. Usually with tech Japan is cheaper but I can get much better prices in Australia.

Shingeki no Kyojin shirts at Uniqlo.

Kamen Rider and Eva t-shirts. Every trip to Japan I tell myself no t-shirts because I have enough t-shirts to last a thousand years. I did not buy any t-shirts on my 2nd day.

Isekai Ojisan shirts at Beep in Akihabara. Somehow avoided buying that shirt

Wow. Look at the aftermarket prices of these two Berserk figures which I both have! And I don't even put the one on the left out because it is not that good.

Went to Shinjuku to line up for one hour for Fuunji.

For the first time ever, the Fuunji boss was not there, probably because of Golden Week. If you have not had Fuunji, you have no idea how good tsukemen can be.

Went to Tokyu Hands in Shinjuku looking for rubber for my beads and for some reason they only have transparent rubber only and the size is different from the rubber I previously bought.

Forever 21 in Shinjuku has been replaces by...... Ikea?

Stopping by Surugaya at Marui aka 0101 in Shinjuku on OMG some Mega Drive games have really gone up in price since I was last in Japan!

Went to Shinjuku Wald 9 cinema at Marui but tickets for Slam Dunk were sold out! There were only 2 shows a day for Slam Dunk. Why do only 2 shows when they sell out? Instead I found that Oshibudo movie was coming! Hhhmm.

Along with Psycho-Pass movie.

Oh yeah McKenew or whatever his name is, is in a Saint Seiya movie which looks like it was shot in Englished and dubbed back into Japanese and looks so, so bad.

No idea what this is.

Went to Nakano and came across this pet store with this cute fella looking very comfortable. 

This puppy looks so sad.

Jushin Thunder Liger goods.

The main reason I wanted to come here was for Butayarou my favourite tonkotsu in Tokyo.

Unfortunately the menu has changed. Where is my favourite Hakata Tonkotus champon???!!!

Tried the shinkonkotsu aka spicy tonkotsu and it was meh.

Back to Akiba and Shosen book tower and I want to buy all the freaking artbooks. I go bookstores here and I don't want to buy anything and when I go bookstores in Japan I just want everything.

Starlight kid costume at Shosen. Who would have thought she would make a decent heel?

Muto Keiji section. He held on for way too long.

New SFV book with with old SF artworks and SF6 stuff. I hate SFV so no buy for me. Luckily Shosen had a preview copy so that you Shosen! I love bookstores with preview copies so I can decide whether something is worth my time.

Bought the Triangle Strategy artbook and SF Zero manga from Shosen. The artbook was the one thing I definitely had to get because I love that game.

Shadows of the Damned Japanese cover is so much better than the Western one and this is one game where the publisher interfered with Mikami's vision.

OMG, 6 street passes! Bring your 3DS to Japan folks because you can still get street passes in 2023 and I got quite a few at the end.

On to Shinkoiwa for drinking and karaoke!

For a long time my ikitsuke or usual snack bar was Hotaru in Shin Koiwa but Hotaru closed down during the pandemic so I had no place to go. I messaged Hotaru's mama before I went and found out that she had retired and is now living in Saitama. She said that someone had taken over the bar and the new mama was find. I was surprised because I could not find the bar in Snacknavi. The new snack is Grand Bleu showa pub named after the French movie Le Grand Bleu. Will write about the snack in future posts.

What better way to finish a night than with a Famichiki from Family Mart?