Category Archive for Nightcrawling
GOTH CLUBS IN TOKYO, JAPAN: GOTHIC BAR HEAVEN, DJ CHIHIRO, TETRA & D'S VALENTINE. STRANGE NEW JAPANESE FETISH.
Ah, DJ Tetra. Nobody can do the “Death Note L” pose and emo hair like you can. Add a Swedish Barbie and incompetent minions into the mix, and it’s just another night at Tokyo’s darkest dance party, Gothic Bar Heaven.
Kanae looks like death (and that’s a compliment!). The ball gag choker is brilliant. Do you remember her falling over laughing and swabbing the lipstick from my teeth in this makeup video?
As Evil Queens, we treat our minions terribly. Naomi is not allowed to eat anything except stale Hello Kitty apple cakes from the convenience store. These “apples” are dyed bright red and green, and (surprise, surprise) taste like cardboard. Poor thing.
Yukiro dressed like a Swedish plastic Barbie doll for an ultra-Goth party. He ended up being the scariest person there.
Let me tell you about the latest and strangest Japaense fetish: strawberry fish. The poster of the couple embracing, while stroking a strawberry and slimy fish… DJ Tetra and his “sister” stared at the poster for about 20 minutes, trying to figure it out! Inside Club Crawl, hanging from the ceiling, was a fish fused with a strawberry. What’s going on here?
The Goth outfits that night were particularly frightening. I’m afraid of clowns, and Basil Farrow is terrified of belly dancers… and both were in attendance.
The fashion at Gothic Bar Heaven is grittier and less Lolita-elegant. Lots of spikes, torn up tops and fishnets.
The DJs played “Goth rave” music that I loved to bits. (I’ll post a video from the dance floor later). DJ Chihiro performed as well, and his undead singing is better than ever.
D’s Valentine (on the right) puts on some of the best Gothic parties in Tokyo, especially if you’re a fan of classic dark / cyber dance tracks. The events tend to be small, but the crowd is very much into the music. For directions, addresses and previous reports, please check out my Tokyo Goth club guide.
PS: I have several very fun TV/video projects in the works… might be doing a lot of travelling soon! Will keep you posted. Don’t be surprised to see me in your neighborhood.
PPS: I’ve been Tweeting news and articles about X Japan, Deluhi and your other favorite Visual Kei / J-rock bands. You can add me on Twitter to keep up with the latest.
Japanese Word of the Day: Tenno = Heavenly sovereign
Song of the Day: Diva Destruction – Electric Air (If you like Aural Vampire, you may dig this.)
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JAPANESE DOLL EYELASHES & CHEAP SUSHI IN SHINJUKU. PURIKURA EYE-ENLARGING STICKER BOOTHS IN TOKYO GAME CENTER, ABSINTHE JELLY.
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: our favorite sushi restaurant in Tokyo. Hibari is a cheap but melt-in-your-mouth fresh conveyor belt sushi parlor, located a few steps to the left when you exit Shinjuku Club Marz (map here). Since it’s open all night, we often head here after dancing at monthly Goth event Midnight Mess. Daytime, this is the prime spot to ogle spiky-haired Japanese host boys!
Skull tshirt: Mari’s Rock, from Closet Child Shinjuku
Gothic vest: Gramm, from Closet Child Shinjuku
Lavender casual skirt: Algonquins, from Closet Child Shinjuku
Ashi dashi pencil knee highs: gifted from Sock Dreams
(Count de Sang is wearing a Tokyo Gore Police t-shirt.)
Mihoko is always the picture of elegance. Her clothes are by Moi-meme-Moitie, Mana’s Elegant Gothic Lolita brand.
That night, the sushi restaurant was invaded by spooks and schoolgirls. Everything is 130 yen (about a dollar) a plate, so we ate a lot!
Makeup: Using gifted Sugarpill Cosmetics black eyeshadow, I did a cat eye. Above, I applied lavender eyeshadow to match my skirt, and blue eyeliner below. I put matching pastel heart stickers on my forehead, and Dolly false eyelashes. The effect is dramatic up close, but softer from far away.
Hair: I pinned the top to one side and covered it with dollar store paper flowers.
Shinjuku’s kabuki-cho district is known for scantily-dressed hostesses. This advertising truck drove by and Yukiro ran out to be part of the action.
Look who’s here… I Am Sebastian! V-fingers for joy!
We picked up more spooky spooks and went into a noisy gaming center for purikura (sticker picture “print club” booths). The latest machines feature technology that make your eyes Godzilla-sized.
Sebastian and I did our best imitations of the kawaii gyaru models.
About ten of us piled into the tiny booth and tried to fit our faces onto the screen. See how the machine makes us white as snow, with big and shiny eyes? (I have a guide to taking perfect purikura and decorating the print-out stickers in this post.)
Funny story: great minds think alike, so Yukiro and I both gave Cotton Bale fake eyelashes as a gift. And them the purikura machine spat out yet another free pair… so she’s stocked up for life. On the right, Kana and I did a shoot-em-up zombie video game and got a bit too excited.
The night didn’t end there. Five of us went upstairs for all-night, all-you-can-drink karaoke. The photos aren’t fit to be seen by the public… however, let me sing the praises of Kana, who invented absinthe jelly and brought it for dessert. Aren’t spooky friends the best?
Do you and your friends like to go for sushi, purikura and karaoke? Where are your favorite haunts?
PS: Tokyo friends, come watch Yukiro’s musical debut this Saturday at Midnight Mess! He’ll be singing original songs and a Lady Gaga cover, and performing a one-time-only vulgar act. All details here.
Japanese Word of the Day: Shibafu = Lawn
Song of the Day: Dalida – Besame Mucho (My favorite era of the tragic Egyptian chanteuse.)
LA CARMINA
