Peter's Japan blog

Updated all posts of my Japan trip with photos. Check it out: Japan 2008

Ayumi
Mirrorcle World [CD+DVD] (Version with Depend On You) + poster + plastic map
Mirrorcle World [CD+DVD] (Version with You) + plastic map
Concert towel (x2)
Concert Muffler
Concert phone strap (red) (x2)
Concert phone strap (black)
Concert light stick (x2)
Concert stickers
Concert key chain
Concert chips

X-Japan concert photo book

The GazettE:
Concert T-shirt
Concert Phone strap
Concert Muffler
Concert bag
Band score NIL
Band score STACKED RUBBISH
lots of plectrums

Manga
Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu part 4 & 5
Clannad part 1 & 2
Comp Ace (May 2008) (+ Lucky Star playing cards)

Magazines:
Comptiq Heroines (Vol. 8 & 9)
Animage
NewType Voice (+ poster)
ViVi (May 2008)

Art book:
Lucky Star
Yoko (from Gurren Lagann)

And some Hello Kitty stuff too.

Some big bags I got free at Tokyo Anime Fair + lots and lots of flyers.

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Got up at 6h in the morning to be able to catch my flight. I heard that the rain that was going on since last evening hadn't stopped. Was out of the hotel by 6h40, grabbed an umbrella from the hotel (which are freely available, you find this service also in some shops) and went to the nearest train station, which was still about a 15-20min walk. It was really raining hard and lots of rain came on my suitcase, although myself didn't get wet cause of the umbrella. But I should have taken more attention to my suitcase. Some of the upper stuff got a bit wet... Luckily, almost all of the books were still in their plastic bag and were okay. Except my thick Comp Ace book (the monthly manga mag) had some water damage, but it's still readable. Didn't make the train of 7h24 to Narita by just a minute, so took the one of 7h50 and got there at 9h04. Still nice in time for check-in. Getting at the check-in counter, they weighed my suitcase and I saw on the display it said 30.5kg :s Max allowed was 25kg... So I had to pay extra. Paper seems to weigh a lot ;p Anyway, I didn't care and paid the extra and got my window seat that I wanted.
We got off the ground at 11h with some strong cross wind. As the wheels lifted from the ground the right wing was only about 5 feet from the ground ;p. I heard from the people on the other side and I had also noticed it because the left wing really went up in the air. Isn't it fun ;p The rest of the flight was quite smooth actually.
Arrived in London on time at 15h30 and a connection at 18h25. It felt like a longer wait than on the first (which was even 1 hour more). London to Brussels is like up and down and you're there so I was quickly back in my home country by 20h30. Got back home unpacked everything and went to bed at 23h. Next would be back to work...

The rest of the pictures will come later, because of the trouble with my camera. But the posts will be updated slowly.

Sadly it's my last day again. So went to Akihabara for the last time. Had met up with Matthew from the concert, but for some reason we could not find each other. Went to eat some curry-rice at Cafe with Cat again (I'm getting quite a regular customer there ^^). Then went around to look for some cheap stuff I could buy with the money I have left. Went to Shibuya afterwards to buy Ayumi's new single Mirrorcle World. Bought it at Tsutaya, because you could get a special plastic folder with it. Seems like these printed plastic folders are popular lately. I'm seeing the same trend in anime as well. They are nice because they are quite big (A4 format), and actually useful to put some papers in them ;p. While the pencil boards are used to lay paper on them and write on it, which means you could "damage" the pencil board when you press to hard. Anyway, I got my single (2 versions) and a poster with it, so I'm happy ^^. I actually got two plastic folder because I bought both versions, but it's the same picture printed on them, and the plastic bag it came in, also has ayu's picture on it ^^.
Then went back to Akihabara to eat something again and went on foot back to the hotel. It's not that very far from Jimbocho and since my Japan Rail Pass was only valid for 14 days until yesterday, I can't spend too much money on train tickets any more, just for the Skyliner to Narita Airport tomorrow and some food.
Gonna get some sleep now to wake up again at 6h and take the Skyliner at 7h25 to be at least 2h in advance of my flight. That might be early but you get better choice of seats and I like window seats. I like them for 2 reasons, I like watching out of the window in an airplane and you don't need to get up for other people wanting to get through. Only one downside is the opposite of the last one, if I need to go to the bathroom I need to pass by other people. But I don't need to go very often on airplanes, so that's good.

Be back later for more pictures and a final review of my trip. Off to bed now.

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Finally, it's the day of the concert! Went early to the stadium area at around 11h30. I had been emailing with a girl from Australia who I was gonna meet there. And also left a message on AHS, but I wasn't sure it would get to them in time. It was a very sunny day I must say, think I got a little bit of a tan from this vacation ;p. Been noticing it the for the past days. Didn't expect it. I waited until 13h, and didn't see anybody and went to the merchandising stand, cause I still had a few items to buy, and met another guy there from England. He was shy about buying some merchandise and helped him along. He wanted a t-shirt, but as you know, they aren't out yet until the 8th so he bought a hoody. We started talking (his name was Matthew) and eventually met up with Amanda (the girl from Australia). Took some picture for each other with the arena in the background, got something small to eat and it was almost time the doors opened so we went to get into the line. The doors opened half an hour late, which also meant the concert was starting half an hour late at 16h30. I had already seen the tracklist on AHS from the day before and read some of the things that were going to happen on stage and seen pictures of the costumes ;p

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Today I moved back to Tokyo, where I'll be staying 3 more nights, during which I'll be going to Ayumi concert ^^.
I don't really like Osaka, but it's location is convenient for the Shinkansen, although my hotel was not so convenient to get to Shin-Osaka station for the Shinkansen. Especially with a heavy suitcase... Getting on the loop line in morning rush hour, FULL of people. I like being in crowds like that, but not when I need to carry along heavy bags or suitcases.

Anyway, I finally arrived in Tokyo at around 13h and went to my new hotel in Jimbocho this time: Jimbocho Sakura Hotel. You may remember I was in Jimbocho a week ago, it's where there's loads of book shops in one street, music instruments shops and sports shops in another. I was not very well prepared and didn't print a map (which is not my style, not being prepared), but I kinda knew where it was. So I just went in that direction and searched for a map. The good thing is, the maps in the area also have hotels on it. And indeed, Sakura Hotel was on the map, and it was 2 streets away around the corner ;p Once I know where something is, I remember it. I had been to the previous two hotels last year so I could find them quite easily.

Dropped my bags there and went to Shinjuku to take a look again at the skyscraper district. This time I was going to go to the observatory on the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which has a very nice view of Tokyo. (and it's free ;p) You can actually choose to go up the north or the south tower. I took the south tower because I heard it had a better view.

After Shinjuku I went to have a look in Harajuku where the first concert of Ayumi's new your was going to be. I wanted to get some merchandising the day before I went to the concert so I could wear some of it. There were of course,loads of people around especially at Harajuku station, which was not only because of the concert but also because it's near Takeshita street with all the trendy cloth shops and it's Saturday. I met with two down side when buying merchandise. The t-shirt weren't out until the 12th and the light fans weren't out until the 8th of April. So no light fans or t-shirts ;( Did get the towel, muffler and phone straps though. I'll order the rest through the internet later.
Now I had to get back through that big swamp of people to my hotel. End of today, getting some sleep. Tomorrow is concert day!

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Today is Hiroshima, which was originally planned for yesterday. I also shortened the schedule a bit as I was late out of bed. Orignally planned for Hiroshima, Miyajima and Iwakuni, but I dropped Iwakuni, which was actually just added to fill up the day because it was not far from Hiroshima.

Hiroshima is of course very well known because of the atomic bomb that was dropped here in World War II. There was one building still standing, that actually stood the closest to the impact. It has a very distinct look as it has a dome on top of it, of which the steel frame is still visible. The building was kept in the exact state as it was when the bomb exploded, and will be kept like this for eternity to let later generations remember the cruelty of war and the destructive force of the atomic bomb. The building is also on the world heritage list.

Next I went to have a quick look at Hiroshima Castle (which was rebuilt after it was destroyed by the atomic bomb).

Then I took the streetcar to Miyajima, where I took the ferry to Miyajima island. This is the location where there is a Torii standing in the water and has many temples and shrines. I was surprised (but not completely) that here also there are deer walking around freely. I've seen the same last year in Nara. These seem to sometimes like paper as one of them tried to eat my flyer which had a map of the island on it ;p
It was low tide, and therefore you could walk up to the torii that stand in the water (well, the water was gone now, obviously). On the shore in front of the torii, there is a large and very old temple. A bit further up the hill is also a small five-story pagoda. Both had very bright red colors which was very beautiful. It's possible to explore the whole island and go to the top by a ropeway. Much of the island is also on the world heritage list. But it was getting late and wanted to get back in time.

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Today will the farthest point from Tokyo I've ever been. That is to Fukuoka which is at the other end of the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen at 1179km from Tokyo. Osaka is right in the middle, so I only traveled about 650km today (in only 2.5 hours).

In Fukuoka is where the first Zen temple in Japan was built in 1195, the Shofukuji temple. It's not the original temple any more of course, but it looks quite old.

Then went to go look at the ruins of the old Fukuoka Castle and the Ohori park nearby. Was not much left of it and the park was too big to do all the way, because I was still quite tired.

Took the subway further on to check out the Fukuoka Tower. It's a tower of 130m with a large antenna on top of it and stands by the sea and is the only large building of this kind in the area. Wasn't much else to do there, so went back to Hakata station to take the Shinkansen back to Osaka. I did this by bus. Taking the bus in Japan is quite a different experience. Firstly you get on the bus at the middle, and go out at the front. When you step on the bus, you either stamp your card in the machine, or take a ticket. When you reach your destination, you go to the front, the the ticket in the machine and pay. Interesting fact (which I'm not 100% sure of). The ticket that you get has a number printed on it. At the front of the bus is a display with 32 numbers which represent the number on your ticket and displays the amount you need to pay. This amount changes according to how far you're going. If you think a little more about it, it's a strange but easy system. Also, the bus driver will almost say at which station he will stop, and also notifies the passengers who just rang the bell that he/she heard it and will stop at the next station. I'm not seeing this done in Belgium ;p Again, it shows the politeness in Japan.

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