Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa

Part of the reason why I love Japan so much is their unflinching veneration towards their history and culture. That's what makes Japan such a fascinating culture to observe, I think. Express trains and automated machines aside, I find it absolutely moving that they are still very much attached to their roots. This is a society obsessed with Louis Vuitton and Western everything yet they travel domestically, eat locally grown and produced food, purchase Made in Japan products and (to the dismay of incoming foreigners) speak only Japanese. 


Anyways, my friends and I went to Asakusa a couple of weeks ago to check out one of the biggest annual festivals in Japan called Sanja Matsuri. Asakusa is famous for its gargantuan Hozomon gate and the Buddhist Senso-ji temple. For all my photographer friends, a lil trivia: the Senso-ji is dedicated to Kannon (or Guan Yin in Mandarin). The Kanji for Kannon (観音) means sight and sound, hence...Canon camera. Geddit? 


Well, as soon as we arrived we were greeted with a loud bellowing sound coming from the mikoshi (portable shrine) carrying mob. When we got closer, I was surprised to find that a lot of the ojisans weren't wearing pants. Okay, that sounds like an ignorant foreigner comment...i know it's a traditional thing but still...I was scarred for life ( I exaggerate but you know that :P ). Underwear sightings aside, I had a lot of fun watching the procession...all I saw were smiles...and the energy was infectious. 

you see what i mean?

You see that fountain above? That's where you wash your hands and rinse your mouth before you offer up your prayers. First your left hand, then your right then with the water in your left hand you rinse your mouth. This is similar to the Muslim wudhu. I'm sure you've seen this in Japanese dramas or movies, you know how they clap twice before prayer. Apparently that symbolizes your humility as you face the deities, it means you come with empty hands, bearing no weapons, with an open heart. Isn't that beautiful? 

Okay...now on to the fun part. The great thing about matsuris is of course the FOOOD!!! I almost died of excitement. I ate like a hippo, I couldn't help myself. 

Candied Fruits

Chocolate-covered Banana with Sprinkles

Caramel

Yokohama Lull

To be honest, life in Japan isn't what I thought it would be. It's crazy, exhausting and high-tension...ALL the time! The formal procedures are endless and super time-consuming...and of course it doesn't help when my Japanese is crappy. I have lost count on the number of times I'd nodded listlessly over whatever it is the person in front of me is trying to convey. I'm irritated by their inability to just GET TO THE POINT and they're obviously irritated at me for being this idiot gaijin who can't seem to comprehend the things that come so naturally to them. 

Little things have also started to annoy the hell outta me...like people stopping in the middle of the stairs when I'm trying to catch my train or the the non-stop loud blaring noise in busy areas like Shinjuku or Shibuya coming from salespeople specifically hired to scream their lungs out in an effort to draw in customers. Dude, people will buy your shit if they wanna buy your shit, you know! Seriously now I know why they're so many suicidal, agoraphobic Japanese. 

In any case, I got a chance to escape crazy Tokyo for a while when I took a visiting friend to Yokohama. The main agenda was of course to visit the Ramen Museum but we discovered that this port town has a lot more to offer. 

Our first stop was at Chinatown. Well, Chinatown here is like Chinatown everywhere else in the world except it's cleaner. There were still throngs of people walking about and we didn't spend more than 15 minutes browsing through the busy alleys but like I said, Chinatown's the same everywhere. One of my favorite findings, though, has got to be the yummy Chai-flavored soft ice-cream...oh and this souvenir store that sells tons of beautiful Japanese crafts. 

Then we continued all the way to Osanbashi Pier. Osanbashi is this super cool International Passenger Terminal designed to resemble a ship. A lot of people go there with their date/boyfriend/girlfriend to chill and just enjoy the view (Rainbow Bridge and City Center with the signature Ferris Wheel look amazing from Osanbashi). I wish there were places like this in Jakarta....uhuh...yeah...Well, wishful thinking aside, here are some pics I took. 

Last but not least, the Ramen Museum! Entrance only costs 300Yen, excluding the Ramen of course.  The museum itself is a 1:1 replica of a section in Tokyo in 1958 (that's the year when Instant Noodles were invented). So you stroll around the alleys in the upper level, pick a ramen place you like, purchase a ticket from the vending machine, eat really fast, then on to the next vendor (you can buy mini portions if you feel like trying every single flavor). There are about 10 Ramen stalls originating from various parts of Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido, etc and each of them specializes in different kinds of Ramen: Tonkotsu, Miso and Shoyu. Our poor friend who happens to be a Muslim was severely disappointed because there was only 1 halal Ramen vendor. Well I could only fit 2 mini portions: the miso from Ryshanhai (Yamagata prefecture) and a shoyu-based Yokohama one. Oh boy, I must go back there at least one other time before I leave. Drool*

The Best Things Are Definitely Not Free

One of my favorite areas in Tokyo is the very posh Roppongi. I don't really care that I can't afford anything there. I just think that the landscape is beautifully-manicured...and I like that there are parks right smack in the middle of the very modern and very urban enclave. 

That structure in the background is a sleek contemporary art space called 21_21 Design Sight. There was an exhibition held there the day I went but I'd rather spend my 1000 yen elsewhere so I didn't go in but I stole this shot from the entrance:

However I did go to a design exhibition in the Midtown Tower (it's free). I was too lazy to decode all those characters so I was kinda clueless but basically, it's about Design in Japan 2010. 

The exhibition was rounded around 5 themes: Food and Study Design, Japanese Aircraft and Design (Honda and Mitsubishi are in the process of manufacturing their own aircrafts), Region and Design, Humid Design (don't ask me what this means)...BUT my favorite is the very simple Romance and Design by Masaaki Hiromura. 

To quote from the pamphlet,  "Romantic encounters can often give birth to a multitude of obstacles and contradictions, and our need to overcome such trials makes for intense communication. The graphic design of the future, meanwhile, will need to stir up strong emotions in the hearts of its recipients, to connect with its users."

The concept and medium are simple, a short movie documenting a pair of long distance lovers, and after a phone call they both started running toward each other. What's endearing is the decreasing distance (expressed in millimeters) as they run closer to each other until it reaches 0 (that's when they hug). 

After that, we had a lil stroll through the mall (forgot what it's called) but it's got great interior stores and even better traditional Japanese crafts stores. I'm a sucker for these traditional, handmade Japanese things...you know...lacquered dishes, metal teapots, wooden furniture, aromatic soaps even handmade paper! Of all the restraint I've had to exercise during the course of my stay here, this is the moment when I'm most proud of myself for managing to NOT buy anything. Anyways, my favorite has got to be this one:

After this mentally draining excursion--it physically hurts having to see all these beautiful things and not being able to OWN them :(((--I comforted myself by having a mini picnic in the park right behind the mall. There was a Wurstmart event goin' on. I figured, I could at least afford this:

My Sartorialist Encounter

After 1.5 months of being cut off from the world, I'm finally back online! Been itching to share some exciting experiences with you but the most exciting one has to be my meeting Scott Schuman a.k.a The Sartorialist. He was here for an event with United Arrows but made time to do a book signing the next day. I don't have his book with me so I made him sign my Moleskin instead. In any case, he was very friendly and unpretentious 'coz you know I hate fashion people who feel like they always have to include fashion terminologies in their everyday interaction with people. He made it a point to compliment everyone who had come to meet him (he liked my Jeffry Tan shoes :D) 

I told him about how much my colleagues at Femina adore his work, especially my editor-at-large who visits his blog at least 3 times a day :P I also told him about Jakarta Fashion Week. To my surprise, he actually said he would love to come if transport and accommodation were to be provided. Ehem ehem nudge nudge!!!

To be completely honest, I haven't felt too excited about the fashion situation here. Of course if you hang out only in Shibuya/Harajuku, you'll find a thoroughly different specimen of stylish beings but the common Japanese in general are pretty so-so. They're super trend-oriented even if the trend is questionable. I haven't taken pictures because I just can't be bothered but everyone seems to be brainwashed into believing that floral-print jersey jumpsuit paired with straw hats ala Anne of The Green Gables is a foolproof combo. 

On a more positive note, I'm absolutely obsessed with the Opening Ceremony flagship in Shibuya. 7 mouthwatering storeys stocked with the most kick-ass labels including my personal favorite Boy by Band of Outsiders!!! The visual merchandising is mind blowing. Each floor has its own theme!!! Too bad I'm not allowed to take pics :( 

Oh and they sell San Francisco's Blue Bottle Coffee at their Potluck Cafe :D