No Maps for These Territories

 I went my own way, to nerd out at Akihabara and Nakano Broadway.  It’s nearing the end of the trip, I need more time in my nerd havens!  Much of this has been photographed already, so there’s not as many shots.

I thought this was interesting because it perfectly illustrates the Japanese workday.  Notice what times have the most trains?  The ones where you work at 12 hour day.  Ouch.

They loooove their translation machines in Japan.  Every one of these is for either dictionaries or Japanese-English translations.

Oh so very many Godzilla toys.  Yodobashi Camera is fun.

And boy do they love their collectable cards!

I so very badly wanted to buy a shitload of these, but I knew they’d just sit around my desk forever.  They’re 8-bit colored pegs that you stick to a surface and make your favorite characters.

Bags and bags of different colored pegs.

Outside Yodobashi camera is a massive no smoking section of sidewalk.  However, since there aren’t any OTHER places nearby to smoke, it works exactly the opposite, so you end up with dozens of dudes in suits, gathered around No Smoking signs, smoking like crazy.

No trip to Yodobashi Camera is complete without a stop to my favorite ramen shop in Akihabara!  SOOOO GOOD.  Don’t look away or I’ll…

Eat the whole thing in one swallow.

Here’s the joint if you want to check it out sometime.  8th floor, Yodobashi Camera, Akihabara.  Chabuton, the ramen heaven.  I miss you so!

Beat ass machine selling tickets, dudes slurping soup.  That’s what it’s all about.

Yeay, Akihabara!  I bid you farewell, and head to Nakano, because I want more useless crap to stick on my man bag.

Ah hah, there it is!  Walls of useless crap that makes video game sounds!  Hurray!

The flavors of popcorn available in this machine are “choco, barbecue, and butter”.  I was very tempted to try barbeque.  Only 100 yen!

Nakano Broadway is freaking awesome.  Look at all those shops full of toys.

Later that night we went out for dinner at High Noon Cafe in Ontakesan.  They don’t have an english menu, so I puzzled over the hiragana and katakana for like 10 minutes before we could figure out how to order.  They specialize in “Americana” type food.  This burger was quite delicious and as big as my head.

On day 14, Yuzo and Range finally convinced me to move out of the hostel, and try somewhere better.  I don’t blame them.  Living ghetto is fun for a bit, but then you start wishing you could sleep without being able to hear every eurotrash fart and overly aggressive cleaning woman smashing cans at 7am.  Yuzo found the Oakwood Apartments in Shinjuku for only $110 a night, and DAMN was it worth it.

My last view of the hostel.  A baggie of found underwear.

A guy passed the hell out at work.  This guy would wake up, answer the phone, and then go back to sleep.

My new private bathroom in the hotel.  Oh yeah, private bathroom with Japanese style tub.

And a private kitchen with…

My own rice maker!

My own washer and drier!

A super comfy bed, with a view of the city!

Kitchen even came fully stocked with dishes and beer mugs.

Coffee maker, toaster, and hot water heater.  This may seem mundane to you, but look back at the hostel we were staying in.  It was like dying and going to heaven.  It’s probably the nicest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in, in terms of comfort and convenience.

Later that day, Yuzo and I hit up Nakano Broadway, which is this insane three floor explosion of nerdy collectables.  There are stores stocked top to bottom with the craziest new and old stuff.  Here’s a John McClane action figure from DIE HARD.  I nearly bought it.

Kick ass diorama of the sand worm attacking the Millenium Falcon.

Lots of super old school Star Wars action figures from the 70′s.

Aww yeah, Labyrinth action figure.  Probably complete with Bowie junk.

Are you a bust man?

Or a hip man?

Or an impossibly proportioned man?

My booty from the grocery store.  I cooked up some fried eggs, washed it down with some beer, and had a nice glass of OJ in the morning.

The insanely cool view out of my hotel window.  Good night.