Wait a minute… when did I visit Hong Kong?

I didn’t. These photos are from Little Hong Kong, an indoor re-construction of the Chinese metropolis, complete with traffic noises and Cantopop!

Little Hong Kong is situated in Odaiba, an artificial island that is a must-visit if you’re going to Tokyo. A monorail from Shimbashi or Toyosu will get you there.

This is the place to eat your fill in Chinese restaurants, get a palm reading and pose with Jackie Chan cardboard cutouts.

Odaiba also is home to a large “cat petting zoo”…

For more photos of cat cafes and ancient China-themed restaurants, you’ll have to flip through my Theme Restaurants book (out on Mark Batty / Random House). I was in Odaiba yesterday, on a hilarious dinner cruise with Antoine de Caunes and the French TV crew… you’ll see photos of this shortly!

Speaking of cats… I saw some Yoshikitty merchandise in the Shinjuku Sanrio store. The name says it all: it’s a collaboration between Yoshiki (of J-rock band X Japan) and Hello Kitty. What do you think — can Hello Kitty pull off the Visual Kei look? (Also pictured: the new Dr. Martens + Hello Kitty collaboration shoes.)

Thanks to everyone who gave me camera recommendations. I ended up with the Canon Powershot S9 and LOVE it. Fabulous color saturation and low light abilities. I think the images reflect my colorful carnival world!

Japanese Word of the Day: Blond = Kinpatsu no (hito)
Song of the Day: SITD – Herbsterwachen

Somewhere, over the rainbow… specifically in Tokyo, Japan… there’s a Hello Kitty theme park!

The giant rainbow that shines over Kitty-land is easy to find. Take the Odakyu or Keio line to Tama Center Station, then follow the Sanrio character posters.

Once you step inside, you’ll run into these scary-cute mascots! The design is quite clever: the adults see through the letters on the hats.

The entire amusement park is Hello Kitty hell. You can’t walk two paces without coming face-to-face with the mouthless cat.

There’s not one, but several stores that sell Sanrio goods. You can find obscure merchandise, such as Tuxedo Sam plush toys. Kitty’s mom and dad lord over the main shop.

You can line up to sit next to Hello Kitty in her pink car, and explore the house that she shares with Dear Daniel. Don’t worry, they have separate bedrooms.

The rides aren’t impressive. Most of them are coin-operated one-seaters.

The stage show, however… is an LSD acid trip! An excerpt from my Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants book: Fifty dancers zoomed around the colossal circular stage, flapping their arms to a manic pop track: “Imaginaaation!” The Professor noted two nymphs with strawberries on their heads, a DayGlo Amish lady, a mustachioed man in a rainbow apron. He wrote Saturday Night Fever, then crossed it out and wrote Drag Ball + Bollywood and underlined it twice.

My Puroland adventure is one of my favorite writing pieces from my Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants book. Please consider picking up a copy here — I hope you’ll enjoy the writing and photos.

Japanese Word of the Day: Drugs = Mayaku
Song of the Day: Zilch – Electric Cucumber (featuring Hide of X-Japan!)