BAR-HOPPING IN KOENJI, TOKYO: JAPAN OTAKU CAFES, NAKANO ANIME MANGA COSPLAY STORES.
A makeup-free Happy Phantom took La Carmina on an alcohol-fueled romp through Koenji, the Tokyo district where he resides (although he’s now moving in with Dravarious). Nakano is a station away — home to the Broadway mall, or mini-Akihabara, where you’ll find cosplay, anime, toys, manga and (to my delight) kawaii jigsaw puzzles. Koenji is as much of a geek-fest.
First, we stopped for cheap fast food — which, in Japan, means vegetarian tempura and miso soup. I doused my bowl with my beloved shichimi togarashi (7-spice powder).
Koenji has one of the oddest restaurant mish-mashes you’ll encounter: a rockabilly curry house. My 80s-inspired outfit fit in with the hot pink walls and vinyl discs hanging from the ceiling.
If David Lynch and David Cronenberg opened a bar, it would be The Matching Mole (3-45-1, Eiwa building 3F, Koenji-minami). The owner is a glum otaku who surrounds himself with bloody fake fingernail sculptures and disemboweled cat keychains. Not even my friend’s Banana Brothers art could lift the gloom of the disturbing hentai.
Off to Vamp Bar, a retro-cluttered hole manned by a rock chick. She showed us camera-phone photos of her thrash band; we forced her to watch our YouTube videos. (You, too, should subscribe to his and my channel.)
On the way out, we stumbled across a 100 yen ($1) grab box. What do you think Happy Phantom took? The golf club, of course!
The next time you’re in Tokyo, come to Koenji for an unusual and inexpensive bar-hopping experience. If you run into Manabu (the emo kid with the hot Prince Valiant haircut), tell him we say hello!
Song of the Day #189: My cat Basil Farrow loves to listen to classical music… he’s currently dangling from a chair and twitching his ears to this Mozart playlist.
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LA CARMINA
34 Comments
I'm not 21 yet.
And even when I turn 21 I don't plan on drinking alot.
But these places still look fun.
….
And disturbing, *cough* The Matching Mole *cough*
I’m not 21 yet.
And even when I turn 21 I don’t plan on drinking alot.
But these places still look fun.
….
And disturbing, *cough* The Matching Mole *cough*
Super freaky, not going to lie :)
I'm borderline offended by you calling my hood an “otaku district”. :P
:D
Super freaky, not going to lie :)
Hahah have you stepped foot in The Matching Mole??? :P Any other Koenji haunts we missed? I know there's a Beatles bar.
Sure, there r shops where I can buy a Slurpee cup from 1977 or an M&M's doll circa 1983, but to call it an “otaku DISTRICT”…
Seems like fun, I really wish I were 21 now!… If only I had a bunch o birthdays comin up!! haha
I still have 2 wait 2 yrs…
you could count me in for some bar-hopping If I were though ^-^
although not 2 sure about The Matching Mole… 0.o
lol
Hentai themed cafes?!!! ONLY IN JAPAN! LOL
I’m borderline offended by you calling my hood an “otaku district”. :P
Hahah have you stepped foot in The Matching Mole??? :P Any other Koenji haunts we missed? I know there’s a Beatles bar.
Sure, there r shops where I can buy a Slurpee cup from 1977 or an M&M’s doll circa 1983, but to call it an “otaku DISTRICT”…
:D
Seems like fun, I really wish I were 21 now!… If only I had a bunch o birthdays comin up!! haha
I still have 2 wait 2 yrs…
you could count me in for some bar-hopping If I were though ^-^
although not 2 sure about The Matching Mole… 0.o
lol
Hentai themed cafes?!!! ONLY IN JAPAN! LOL
ready to send for me?
oooh…you need to stop by Gojira-ya 2 in Koenji. It's a cute little toy themed bar. Gojira-ya (1) is a classic toy store just a bit up the street
ready to send for me?
oooh…you need to stop by Gojira-ya 2 in Koenji. It’s a cute little toy themed bar. Gojira-ya (1) is a classic toy store just a bit up the street
Wow, that hentai picture. Yep, that's something David Lynch would definitely put in his cafe(wouldn't be surprised if it's part of the decor in his home).
There were other disturbing pictures but I felt this one was enough!
Wow, that hentai picture. Yep, that’s something David Lynch would definitely put in his cafe(wouldn’t be surprised if it’s part of the decor in his home).
There were other disturbing pictures but I felt this one was enough!
hey, i haven't congrats you on your new err job (?) if you can call getting money from your hobby a job that is =D hahaha. keep it the good work
hey, i haven’t congrats you on your new err job (?) if you can call getting money from your hobby a job that is =D hahaha. keep it the good work
Matching mole has the worst coffee in Japan. Walls are depressingly black. Only been there in daytime though. The cheapest bar in Koenji is Aburi all drinks and food 390 yen!!!! for example gin and tonic with Taquaray gin still 390!!!! no Gordons crap.
Hahah that place is one of a kind…
Matching mole has the worst coffee in Japan. Walls are depressingly black. Only been there in daytime though. The cheapest bar in Koenji is Aburi all drinks and food 390 yen!!!! for example gin and tonic with Taquaray gin still 390!!!! no Gordons crap.
Hahah that place is one of a kind…
Definitely my favorite place when I used to live in Japan
Yeah!! I did a more recent post:
http://lacarmina.com/2011/09/japanese-dirty-underwear-vending-machines-otaku-shopping-at-nakano-broadway-anime-manga-stores-tokyo/
Matching mole has the worst coffee in Japan. Walls are depressingly black. Only been there in daytime though. The cheapest bar in Koenji is Aburi all drinks and food 390 yen!!!! for example gin and tonic with Taquaray gin still 390!!!! no Gordons crap.
Hahah that place is one of a kind…