Category Archive for Tokyo + Japan
To Africa and Asia! Traveling to Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Cape Town in South Africa.
There’s no other way to put it: the next month will be cray-cray. Here’s the huge travel news… I’m off to five countries in two continents, including Africa for the first time!
My filmmakers and I are thrilled to be shooting a travel episode in Cape Town, South Africa. And as the ambassador of a trip-planning startup, Odigo, I’ll be going all over Asia: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei and Seoul.
Want to know more, and meet me in Japan on June 25? Read on for the exciting details. (Above image by Jesse Winter Heading for our Vanity Magazine cover shoot.)
As you know, my filmmakers and I travel around the world, making shows for my series published in Business Insider. (Previous episodes are on my YouTube.) We’ve shot in the Maldives, Dubai, Budapest, Jordan and more.
This time, we’ve teamed up with Cape Town Tourism. They’re bringing us to South Africa to explore the local design, fashion, nightlife, restaurants…
… and animal safari, my very first one! Can’t wait to hang out with Basil Farrow’s lion cousins, in their natural environment. If you have any requests for Cape Town coverage, please let us know in the comments. (Pic by Meraj Chhaya)
But first, I’ll be in Tokyo, as the ambassador of Odigo! This new site introduces travelers to little-known local hotspots in Tokyo and other cities. In a nutshell, you can plan a Japan trip tailored to your interests (such as Goth culture, otaku, or temples), and Odigo will link everything up in the best possible schedule.
Exciting news: I’ll be speaking at Pecha Kucha Tokyo on the evening of Weds, June 25! I’m making a 7 min presentation (20 slides, for 20 seconds each) about my passion for Tokyo underground travel: how I got started, adventures in TV hosting, and funny stories involving mistresses and whips. It’s an honor and challenge to present at this worldwide speakers’ event. I hope you’ll stop by to watch me, it’s free.
WHAT: PechaKucha 20×20 Tokyo (La Carmina is speaking)
WHERE: SuperDeluxe 西麻布3-1-25 2F, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 106-0031
WHEN: Wednesday June 25, 8:20 to 11pm
RSVP: Facebook e-vite
And on Sun, June 22nd, I’ll be partying with the Harajuku kids at Heavy Pop. Join the party for visual fashion, alternative music, cake, and a drag queen performance by Yukiro’s dark persona, Die Schwarze Frau.
WHAT: Heavy Pop, Tokyo club night
WHERE: Hell’s Bar, 2-12-1 Dime Tower 2F, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
WHEN: Sunday June 22, 5pm to 10:30pm
RSVP: on their Facebook page
The event is run by Ray Ochiai, who took street-style photos of me during my last visit to Tokyo. (Here are more of our Tokyo street snaps). We hope to see you there!
Then, I’ll be traveling around Asia with my photographers, capturing local spots and meeting with influencers. We’ll be in Seoul, Korea — I haven’t been here for over 10 years! Can’t wait to experience K-pop madness in the flesh.
And I’m excited to be in Taipei, Taiwan — home to some of the most bizarre theme restaurants, including cafes dedicated to Hello Kitty, Barbie and more. (Above two images via Wikicommons.)
I’ll also be hitting Hong Kong with Yukiro and John Skeleton. There are photoshoots in the works… and a lot of shopping and eating during our down-time!
(Image by Ken Yuen and Jacqueline Kwok, for Dark Beauty Magazine cover and spread).
I’m passionate about my Odigo partnership, and believe in their mission to encourage meaningful travel in Asia. I hope you’ll enjoy my upcoming adventures — to stay in the loop, you can sign up for updates on their site.
(Above and below pics by Said Karlsson from our Adone Magazine cover and shoot.)
La Carmina is at your service! Do you have suggestions for places to visit in Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Africa? Any must-see locations or topics to cover? Please leave a comment on my blog or Facebook letting me know, and I’ll do my best to fulfill your wishes.
I’ll do my best to update this blog during this crazy time, but for the most current coverage — including outfits and travel previews — please add my social networks below. Hugs and kisses!
SHARE & COMMENT
51 Comments
Stroll in Shinjuku: Tokyo locals & city life. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell.
And now, for something a little different: a walking tour of Shinjuku, Tokyo.
I’ve been trying to up my photography game in 2014, and there’s no better way to practice than by walking around a city and taking impromptu photos. I hope you enjoy these little slices of Japanese life, seen through my camera lens.
There is so much you can learn about Japanese culture and its unique quirks through a walking tour, especially in a fascinating district such as Shinjuku. If you are looking for walking tours or other tours from Tokyo options, you can find out more about these tours as well as useful information for planning a Japan trip on Tourist Japan.
Here’s a typical sight by Shinjuku subway station: commuters waiting at the entrance gates for their friends. Most pass the time by staring at their cell phones, like this girl in a cute pom-pom hat.
As you may know, nobody steals in Japan. Cyclists leave their bikes on the side of the road, unlocked. This officer is merely lining up the bicycles so that they don’t interfere with pedestrians on the sidewalk.
There simply isn’t a culture of stealing (people usually get their wallets back when they lose them). And punishments are so harsh for petty theft that it isn’t worth the attempt.
Sometimes, it seems the main job of police officers is to wave traffic along, and help befuddled foreigners find their way!
Near the West exit, I spotted an Evangelion pop up store. Do you know the names of these anime characters?
Towering above the East exit: a giant Ghost in the Shell poster. Anime and manga are ubiquitous here.
Harajuku pop queen Kyary Pamyu Pamyu remains popular. She models glasses and tentacle-like hair for A-Look Eyewear.
More metal bicycles on Shinjuku Dori. This is the road that leads to Marui Annex, the current home of Goth Loli Punk alt fashions.
You’ll always see trucks decorated with striking ads, driving around the busiest streets.
The graphics are eye-catching and frequently feature “kawaii” characters.
How can you resist staring into the eyes of this doll-like girl?
Ad trucks also blast music and showcase the new releases of major artists.
Singer-songwriter Daigo had his face plastered on this one.
Small dogs are easier to house in cramped apartments, so many Japanese prefer them to large ones. In a trendy cafe, a couple was eating lunch with their little brown toy dog, dressed in a shirt.
Love this stern sign, featuring a man’s eyes done in Kabuki makeup.
Three stylish Japanese guys, captured in a moment of laughter.
Don’t forget to look down. Many of Tokyo’s manhole covers are decorated with art. This one is a sakura flower or white cherry blossom.
When it gets dark, Kabukicho (the host club and entertainment district) glows with neon letters and lights.
Rainbow reflections from a motorcycle, parked in front of Don Quixote (the inexpensive general goods store).
This rearview reflection captures the crowds, colors and craziness that are uniquely Shinjuku.
Near the subway station, various bands perform and cell CDs, often within meters of each other. This rainbow haired Visual Kei musician sang in the most remarkable opera-meets-atonal voice.
Shinjuku is perfectly safe at night, so I encourage you to stroll around, and take photos of the magic.
What do you think of this travel feature? Would you like to see more posts like this?
PS: I’m currently in Toronto, and loving the scene here. There are previews of my alternative travels on my social networks (@lacarmina, linked in the right sidebar if you want to follow).
LA CARMINA
