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).
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Wave Gotik Treffen 2014: festival dates, bands & travel tips! Steampunk Victorian picnic fashion.
Every summer, the streets of Leipzig are strewn with black feathers and glitter… for the world’s biggest Gothic festival, Wave Gotik Treffen! This year’s celebrations are from June 6-9, 2014, and musicians like The Cruxshadows, UK Decay and Apoptygma Berzerk will be taking the stage.
A trip to WGT is at the top of many Goth bucket lists. I still think back fondly to my experience in 2012. If you missed it, you can look back at my Wave Gotik Treffen posts and travel video.
If you’re thinking of going to Treffen, you’re in luck: my friends Jen Hoffert and Holger Karas wrote this post with all the details you need, including where to stay and how to get around. They attend WGT each year, so you could’t ask for better experts. Enjoy their photos from the 2013 festivities, and find out more on their Seventh Sin Tumblr.
The first 145 bands have been announced for the 23rd annual WaveGotikTreffen and we’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of our friends from around the world to our home city of Leipzig, Germany. Wave Gotik Treffen is one of the largest gothic and industrial festivals in the world, with over 20,000 visitors and roughly 200 bands playing at dozens of venues throughout the city over four days. In our opinion, it’s also the most stylish festival, where people go all out to express themselves.
This year WGT falls quite late, June 6-9, so the weather should be perfect for exploring the city. In addition to the concerts and parties, there are dozens of other events: operas, musicals, films, a display of historical hearses, and more. Many of the museums and galleries in Leipzig will features works of particular interest to the Gothic crowd such as the Grassi Museum of Ethnography’s global exhibitions on celebrations of death from Sumatra to New Orleans, a special showing of H.R. Giger’s work at the SansvoiX Gallery, and a multimedia presentation from Slovenian electronic pioneers Borghesia at the counterculture gallery Kultúrny dom B31.
Our dear friend Danarama of TwoKnottyBoys from San Francisco will be presenting a bondage workshop on Friday evening at a special downtown location. Dan will also be releasing the first EP “Inside Out” from his project Harm Joy with Olaf of Tyske Ludder at WGT. You can find out more about the many unofficial events surrounding WGT here at the online gothic event calender Schwarzes Leipzig.
The Victorian Picnic at Clara Zetkin Park is a highlight of WGT for those who like to dress up. Hundreds of beautifully costumed participants gather here on the shores of a lake in a manicured city garden, the perfect setting for Lolitas, Steampunks and other romantics.
The pedestrian road running thorough the WGT’s main venue, the AGRA, is known as “the catwalk” for good reason. There will be many people strolling up and down, wildly costumed in every imaginable version of dark attire with photographers, and even a few video crews taking it all in.
If you find yourself missing the perfect piece to finish your outfit, one of the massive halls of the AGRA hosts the WGT Black Market for vendors of clothing, housewares, music, and just about anything else your little dark heart desires.
You can purchase your tickets to the festival when you arrive (which is much easier than using a wire transfer to purchase them online), but hotel rooms in Leipzig are notoriously hard to come by during the festival weekend. One alternative is to seek private accommodation on the official WGT subforum called “Do you need sleep?” Here you can browse through the offers made or post your own request. Leipzig also has a number of good listings on AirBNB. Private accommodations including a bed and use of the bathroom and kitchen generally run about 20-50€ a night per person.
For the truly adventurous among you, there’s a large official campground set up for WGT visitors (25€ for the weekend). Although for the life of me, I’ve never been able to figure out how people manage to come out of their tents looking so good.
Confirmed performances for WGT 2014 include well known acts such Anne Clark, Apoptygma Berzerk, Hocico, Mephisto Walz, Six Comm, The Crüxshadows, and UK Decay, as well as hidden gems such as Antichildleague and Sieben. Naturally there’s a smartphone app for WGT to help you plan your concert schedule, keep track of where your friends are, and find the best tram connection between venues.
However, it never fails that two of your favorite bands will be playing at the same time at opposite ends of the city. Don’t despair, you’re still going to have a great time and you’ll see an unbelievable number of great performances over four days. The WGT organizers know their stuff about this music, which means that each venue will most likely host a particular subgenre. It’s often worth staying at one venue for multiple bands to discover new bands similar to one you showed up to see.
After the concerts and cultural events shut down each night, DJs from all over the world will invite you to dance at clubs throughout the city. From NeoRomantic parties held in ballrooms and Batcave themed old school nights in cellar vaults, to the hardest industrial and noise and even one of the largest fetish parties in Germany, no matter what your taste is there’s something, somewhere in the city to keep everyone on their feet from Thursday night till the sun comes up on Tuesday morning. We hope to see you there!
Back to La Carmina. Thanks to Jen and Holger for the report and photos, and I echo their words: I hope you’ll make it to Wave Gotik Treffen one day, to see the inspiring fashion and culture for yourselves. One is never too young to enjoy, as you can see from the “baby Goths” in Victorian prams…
While you may not want to take a youngster into the crowded concert halls, they’ll enjoy the outdoor food courts and fashion stalls.
Want to see more of the “black market” clothing and bands? Watch my Wave Gotik Treffen video (it includes tons of travel tips), and peruse my blog posts about the festival.
What do you think of the dark outfits in these photos? Do you know any Goth or punk parents? If you have more Treffen tips for newbies, please share them in the comments!
LA CARMINA
