[Journeys in Japan] 2016.08.03 Day 1 - Odaiba, Shibuya + Akihabara
I've started this entry a few times, but we did so much on our first day that it was a lot to remember and write about! I just didn't have the time. Today, I made sure to finish it once and for all! From here on, I will post the days in order up until our final day in Japan.
Without further ado, the entry for the OFFICIAL DAY 1 IN JAPAN!!
We got on a few trains that took us to Odaiba where went to Cafe de Miki with Hello Kitty. This was a place one of my friends has always wanted to go to in place of another Hello Kitty themed place that closed down when she was in Japan the last time.
On the way, we saw this One Piece display we could take pictures with (complete with straw hat!)
The actual cafe. XD
I got a soda thing that isn't pictured here. There were cute stuffed plush toys of My Melody and Hello Kitty all over the cafe to take pictures with.
Cuute ice cream and coffee!
After that, we hit up the United States of Odaiba, now known by another name. It's basically a festival kind of event that takes place all over the Fuji TV Station. Boy, were there a lot of ads for idols!! Never before I had I really got the chance to see familiar faces on ads everypiewhere. We stopped by a Monster Hunter themed room first and who do I find but Kanjani8?
And not just idols, either. Since it's the Fuji TV station, there were plenty of comedians to be seen branded on merchandise as well. Take this lemon ice cream soft serve cone with Okamura of 99's face on it. It was interesting.
As we went deeper into the heart of the festival, we found the One Piece themed area my friends were interested in. We took some pictures with some Straw Hat statues and spent some time looking at both the One Piece store and the One Piece exhibit. Two of my friends tried a One Piece roulette kind of game to try and win a big poster!
We quickly brushed through the rest of the festival before starting on our way towards the Decks Mall. Along the way, we stopped by the Shounen JUMP Shop in one of the malls and I picked up this One Punch Man glass that literally released two weeks prior to my arrival in Japan.
At last, we made it to what I was REALLY looking forward to! Joypolis!! (Or to be more specific, Joypolis 2020 as it is named for the TM Revolution theme it is currently running!) http://tokyo-joypolis.com/event/TMRpark2020/index.html
It's the gateway entrance to a kingdom of fandom!!
He even signed this standee. XD
The first thing Jess and I immediately did was hit the gift shop! I wanted to buy one of the limited re-release of T.M.Revolution's nendoroid only available at this shop. There was only a few hundred produced for resale at this event. After T.M.Revolution held a fan's nendoroid up on stage at Anime Expo back in July, I wanted to buy one as well. I learned it had been out of production for years, but a few weeks right before our trip began it was announced 400 would be available at Joypolis 2020 for T.M.Revolution's special event. So of COURSE I had to get out! I also bought a towel and got a random poster that came as a gift with my big purchase.
We stood in line for this TM Revolution rhythm roller coaster ride, but we held off on it because the stage show was about to start! I went to watch it as my friends explored Joypolis a bit. The stage show was a visual one. T.M.Revolution's hologram danced on stage to a few of his hit songs. There was a girl in front of me who seemed to be a HUGE fan. She waved her hands the whole time and looked overall excited. I felt I could be free in my excitement and fangirling too seeing her, so I did. I'm glad she was there or I wouldn't have kept my excitement internal. That would have been lame!
When it ended my friends and I reunited and began standing in line for rides! We rode the indoor roller coaster together. To progress through doors as the cart moved, we had to play a mini-game that was kind of like DDR. We all had a different colored button in front of our seats that we were supposed to press in time with a beat. Teamwork was required, but of course we were scored individually. I did so-so.
We did some Purikura, one of the things my friends really wanted to do together.
The last thing we did at Joypolis together before we left was line up for this half-pipe ride. It was so fun! Four pairs are strapped back to back on a snowboard-like thing. Jess and I went up against JA and YL. We had to align our feet so as to press a button. Again, timing is key for this activity. When we reach the middle of the half-pipe, a pair has to press the button at the exact same moment. It's successful when we spin 360 at the top of the half-pipe. The more spins we can complete, the higher the score. A different T.M.Revolution song plays for each round. I was eager to find out what song would play when it was our turn, but I was so determined to NOT get a score of 0 that I didn't pay attention to the song! I still remember as we left, Jess asked me if I knew the song that played. "I didn't pay attention at all!" I said regrettably.
Dinner was at the Baratie, back over in the FujiTV station. It was One Piece themed, of course. It looked nice. I can't really describe it and I didn't take many photos. Just know that it was VERY nice visually. Any One Piece fan would love it. The best thing was that all the waiters and cooks were dressed accordingly and Chef Zeff came out to greet everyone for a photo op.
My dish. The chicken was DELICIOUS. The four of us tried many items off the menu.
After dinner I forced-rushed us to Shibuya PARCO for a Mob Psycho 100 event that was limited and ending.. Our other days were packed so I knew I wouldn't be able to make it if not that day.. I missed the book signing with ONE-sensei though..
So upon exiting the escalator you're welcomed with a gallery of pages from the manga and a notice that probably said take all the pictures you want XD
Some gacha for Dimple keychains that I didn't roll. XDD But I did buy his shirt!!
I actually wanted the navy blue one with Psycho Helmet Cult emblem but that was sold out.. so Cult of LOL it is..
Oh, and there's this fantastic mural drawn by ONE-sensei himself!
Lastly, I took a picture with the life-sized Mob model.
I bought volume 5 (where Teru appears with haystack) and got this as a gift
I'm grateful to my friends who love me and followed me at my urgence to this event T_T I was seriously giving up because it so late.. We really got there 10 minutes before it closed..!!
On the way back to our hostel, we got off at Akihabara. We were plumb-tuckered out but JA said we HAD to go her favorite maid cafe, Maid Dreamin'.
The maids are so cute and sweet! There were a lot of guys there who paid for a little mini-concert so we got to get in on that and watch. It was really fun to see the guys gush over the maids, singing along and waving light sticks.
Jess ordered an omelette-rice and the maid asked her what her favorite animal was. She said, "Giraffe!" which surprised the maid who was probably expecting something like a dog, cat or bunny. She had to think a bit as she drew the giraffe with ketchup, but she did so well!! Look!
I ordered a cheesecake 'cause I'm craving sweets. Look at the cute kitty art!!
We had to leave to catch the train to Asakusa. After a certain time the trains wouldn't run anymore. We dropped into our bunks to get ready for day 2 at Tokyo Disney Sea!