One of my best friends (the fabulous DJ Kaigoon) had just retired from the Navy and after 15 years living in Japan was shipping back to the USA. A couple of friends and I decided to plan a going away party for him and since we couldn’t keep the actual party a surprise, we decided to keep my attendance a surprise. The idea was that due to me being 28 weeks pregnant, there was no way I could go to Tokyo. And since I was going to be missing the Tokyo Halloween Ball for the first time since I started visiting Japan, it made my absence that much more believable. But I couldn’t miss a chance to say bye to my good friend and DJ a last gig in Tokyo before I became a mom. I also figured since I was coming to Tokyo for the party, why not make a little trip of it and do some touristy things too?
My first major decision was accommodation plans. I’m thankful to have good friends in Tokyo and an offer was made to stay with one of them which I really appreciated. I decided that since I was very, very pregnant that I would splurge a little on a hotel instead - mainly so I could have a little more freedom to come and go (and nap!) whenever I needed without bugging my friends too much. I also thought it would be nice to book somewhere I could do some relaxing and ideally with a view. It’s also hopefully nearing the end of Coronavirus times and I figured it may be one of the last chances to be able to book a swanky hotel for a reasonable price. I chose the Royal Park Hotel Iconic Shiodome in stylish Ginza (Minato Ward) which was well outside of my usual Shinjuku and Shibuya stomping grounds. The breathtaking view of Tokyo Tower and Mt. Fuji from my room didn't hurt, either.
Side note: I know Tokyo Skytree is the newer, MUCH taller and more impressive tower but I’m a classic gal at heart and there is nothing to me that screams Tokyo and Japan to me more than Tokyo Tower and Mt. Fuji.
I love making an itinerary and decided to make a modest one knowing I likely wouldn’t have as much energy as I normally do. There were a couple of things I really wanted to do and had to book in advance like the TeamLab Planets museum and a bucket list tour of Nakagin Capsule Tower as well as a few other things I could do or not depending on my energy levels. I wanted to go to see a 3D cat bulletin board in Shinjuku, check out one of my favourite stores (LUSH) in Harajuku for their exclusive products and take a trip up Tokyo Skytree. I managed to do 2/3 of those with Tokyo Skytree getting tabled for another trip. I also wanted to make time to see some friends and be able to do some aimless wandering as well.
I got into Tokyo early Sunday afternoon and checked into my hotel to drop off my things (save for a small bag of records). I was with a really good friend and we headed into Kichijoji to support his wife’s (and one of my favourite) band, The Stompin’ Riff Raffs at a Battle of The Bands type of gig. It was in a fancy theatre which is not how I’m used to seeing these wild rock n’ rollers but they came out in their matching fringe dresses and blew the roof off the place to the judge’s surprise. Unfortunately, they didn’t win but it was clear to all (including the judges) that they were the most professional band on the bill - they were musically tight and already have a huge resume of world tours and albums under their belts. I was just happy to get to see them and hang out after catching up with some aforementioned friends, including the band. A group of us went for food after and a smaller group of us headed to my favourite rock n’ roll meeting spot; Poor Cow.
Ahhhhhhhhh Poor Cow. It was packed and full of friends I already knew who were surprised but happy to see my pregnant self waddling through the doors. The owner Fifi gave me some jasmine tea on the house and I shocked a few people who thought I was drinking something alcoholic. It was also a good thing I happened to have that bag of records on me because I was invited to DJ a set before heading out to catch the last train back to my hotel. I should note that this was the first time I had EVER managed to catch the last train leaving Poor Cow as my nights there usually wind up pretty wild. Then again, this was my first time in Tokyo totally sober and the upside of that was that it would also be my first time in Tokyo without any hangovers!
Oh yeah - I was feeling a little hungry and had to grab my #1 pregnancy craving; Coco Ichibanya curry and rice to bring back to my room. Curry with a view? Don't mind if I do!
I returned to my room before midnight and filled up the bathtub for a relaxing soak. The next day was going to be a fun one, and I was excited to eat fancy ramen and head to the TeamLabs Planet digital art museum.
Needless to say, despite the price tag (because ramen is usually cheap) the ramen did NOT disappoint. It was made by the Tokyo outpost of a restaurant called Vegan Ramen Uzu Kyoto. It was breathtaking, beyond instagrammable and surprisingly as delicious as it was beautiful. It came out adorned in edible flowers, foam and with an extra liquid to pour on top which added to the savoury and citrusy taste. It was also my first time eating cold ramen but that enhanced the flavour and made it extra refreshing. The atmosphere added to the whole experience as well with digital art projected all over the space which was entirely made up of mirrors. The floor, ceiling, walls, table and even the stools were all mirrored.
The museum itself was beyond impressive and required everyone to take off their shoes, socks and roll up their pants, dresses or skirts to make their way through. Much of the museum was water based which was really cool - from walking up a waterfall to entering a room with knee high, milky water where digital fish swam all around my legs. There were also some rooms without water too including an outdoor space with metal orbs that changed the atmosphere when you touched them, adding mist and sound. There was a room with floral projections that spanned the walls and ceiling where you could lie down and feel like you were in an acid trip (minus the actual acid) and a room full of multi coloured giant balls (fun!). There was also a mirrored space full of fresh orchids complete with their intoxicating fragrance. This was an instagrammer’s heaven and many professional cameras were whipped out by men photographing their girlfriends. I settled for a few selfies using the mirrors to my advantage as much as possible.
After the museum I headed on over to Shinjuku to see the 3D cat billboard which did NOT disappoint. I met up with a lovely friend for dinner in Shibuya and after that headed back to my hotel to do some Tokyo Tower spotting and sleep.
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| I had to take the baby bump to the busiest intersection in the world; Shibuya Crossing! |
The next day was relatively uneventful - I knew that night was my finally my friend’s going away party and I wanted to conserve my energy. And what a party it was; There was pizza! Non alcoholic beer (for me)! And friends galore. Plus very excellent music brought forth by all the DJ’s. I’m not afraid to admit I shook what my mama gave me and let little Ebi-chan shake what HIS mama was giving him. As a nice bonus, my good friend and bar staff Mr. Death (yes, that's his name) put signs all over the bar asking people not to smoke inside and I really appreciated that.
And the surprise! When my friend finally arrived he was either very surprised to see me or faked it very well. But either way, having the chance to be there, hug him and DJ again with him meant the world to me. I was very happy to see he had a blast and got nicely drunk in the process. And rightfully so! After his long tenure in Japan it felt great to see how much people love and will miss him. I really think that when someone can make something (like the Tokyo garage rock scene) better than it was before them and be a great friend in the process they need to be celebrated wholly. And celebrate DJ Kaigoon we did! I slept like a rock that night after all the fun and dancing.
I was slated to leave the next day, but I had one last mission; my tour of the Nakagin Capsule Tower. This was a Big Deal. I’m not particularly an architecture nerd, but this building has had me intrigued for years before I’d ever even come to Japan. The design, the aesthetic and its neo-futuristic look has always made me think of Japan and modernism. Made up of 140 individual and removable capsules fixed onto two towers, I learned this style of architecture is called metabolism. The building was completed in 1972 and unfortunately has since fallen into complete disrepair. Only a few capsules are still being used, including the one I was able to visit for the tour. It was lucky timing too - I was informed that this would be the very last English tour of the capsule building as it would soon be demolished. I'm very thankful I was able to scratch this off my list and make it, although I'm sad I won't get a chance to see it again in the future.
Just like the Nagakin Capsule Tower would soon be disappearing from Tokyo, I too was ready to leave and head back to Osaka. I mean, I'll certainly be back in Tokyo again although it likely won't be for another year to make it back to the next Halloween Ball. Although, who knows? I'll be a mom by then and life is going to be completely different from everything I've ever known. It did make this trip that much more special, knowing it would be my last time truly on my own. But it also made me excited to think of what adventures I'll have in store for the future with my husband and our child.
I stocked up on snacks and boarded the bullet train. As much fun as I'd had and as quickly as this trip passed by I was looking forward to going back home and getting some much needed rest there. After all - I was heading into my third trimester of pregnancy and realizing more and more how sacred rest and home is.
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