FETISH BDSM BAR IN TOKYO, JAPAN: GUINEA PIG. STRANGEST, WEIRDEST GOTH BARS IN KABUKI-CHO, SHINJUKU.
A writhing snake, spooky Asian girls and metal chains… What’s this — a haunted house? A Torture Garden of Good and Evil?
Welcome to Guinea Pig, a BDSM fetish bar in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Where disturbing, bloody videos play on the big screen TV…
Where the decoration consists of guro-baby mannequins, decapitated heads and horror art…
And where the owner is super-genki and fabulous! Only in Japan, right?
After we left the metal bar with the Nazi outfit on the wall, I took the Australian TV crew to Guinea Pig. Tim had no qualms about wrapping the resident pet snake around his hands — and letting it kiss him on the lips.
If you’re read my Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo book, then you’re familiar with this juxtaposition by now: horrifying, kitschy and kawaii (cute), all on the same shelf.
I’m not sure I’d hire this interior decorator to spruce up my apartment.
However, the special grapefruit cocktails and jasmine chu-his are delightful. And the crowd in this small bar is always friendly, with a wicked sense of humor.
The bathroom is covered in horror B-movie posters.
No comment…
Address: 東京都新宿区歌舞伎町２－４１－３. Shinjuku, Kabukicho, 2-41-3, third floor.
It’s a little hard to find Guinea Pig… From the Kabuki-cho koban (police box), walk north until you reach the playground under construction. Guinea Pig is in a building on the right, filled with small bars and fronted with a white winding staircase.
Have you ever been to a fetish / S&M bar? What’s the weirdest drinking establishment you’ve ever visited?
Japanese Word of the Day: Enjo-kōsai / Enko = Compensated dating in Japan
Song of the Day: Szirota Dzsenifer – One Night Only (from Hungarian X Factor)
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VISUAL KEI GROUP DELUHI ANNOUNCES HIATUS. TRICK MONSTER, CYBER RAVE HAIR & CLOTHING STORE IN SHINSAIBASHI, OSAKA.
First Vidoll, then D’espairsRay… and now Deluhi. Yet another Visual Kei band is taking a temporary break from musical activities. Beginning December 1st, the band will be taking a pause so that the individual members can increase their skills and “musical power of expression.” Until Deluhi reaches their goal, there will be no lives or new releases.
Anyone want to take a stab at why so many young Visual Kei bands are taking hiatuses? A reaction to poor management and/or demanding record companies? An excuse, to cover something up? Such as frazzled vocal cords, due to improper care and growling? Or maybe it’s a curse: as soon as La Carmina watches a Visual Kei group perform live, it breaks up. (I saw Deluhi a few months ago; here is my concert review.)
On a brighter note… quite literally! Yukiro and I went shopping in Shinsaibashi, the alternative fashion district of Osaka. One of our favorite stores was Trick Monster, purveyors of cyber rave clothing and neon hairstyles.
Customers could purchase striped, rainbow hair extensions and have them fitted right then and there.
Here are some of the very creative dye-jobs from the Trick Monster hair salon. Shaved patterns, colorful streaks, and a tomato-head!
Rave revival. The store sold lunch boxes and grotesque-cute monster dolls.
If a Troll doll were bitten by a zombie…
“I was working in the lab late one night, when my eyes beheld an eerie sight. For my monster from his slab began to rise, and suddenly to my surprise… He did the mash. He did the monster mash. It was a graveyard smash.”
Set your TIVOs… Basil Farrow will be on Discovery Channel / Animal Planet on October 16th and 17th (check your local listings for the exact time). It’s a repeat of the Fat Cats episode; I’ll be posting a clip of his appearance in the next few days. You can see more of my fat-faced Scottish Fold cat on his blog, Facebook (friend him!) and YouTube.
I hope you get a chuckle out of my new CNNGo article, Asia’s 10 quirkiest theme cruises. Sail ho with Dan Rather, has-been celebrities and cattle! All my CNN articles are listed here; I’ll be filing reports from Tokyo in the next month.
Joseph Mallozzi, executive producer and co-showrunner on the Stargate television franchise, interviewed me for his blog spotlight on “individuals that make Tokyo so damn interesting.” How did my friends and family respond to my decision not to pursue a career in law? What makes the Japanese fashion scene so unique? Is there anything I’d never eat? My Q&A responses are here and after the jump.
What do you think of the cyber rave shop and hairstyles? Anyone have a theory as to why many Visual Kei bands recently announced they’re taking breaks?
Japanese Word of the Day: Toshiyori = Old people
Song of the Day: Deluhi – Two Hurt
LA CARMINA
