Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Top 10 Cultural
Phenomena
!
Hello Kitty
Launched in 1974, this
helplessly naive but adorable
creature has a button nose
and, inexplicably, no mouth.
@
Cosplay
Cosu-pure
, or costume
play, refers to cross-dressing
in outfits worn by manga or
anime characters.
Youth in Goth attire, Harajuku
£
Capsule Hotels
during the afternoon along the
sidewalk between the park and
Olympic pavilions
(see p47)
.
*
Hachiko Crossing
Architect Kisho
Kurokawa's 1970 Nakagin
Capsule Building inspired the
idea of the capsule hotel.
$
Maid Cafés
A battery of neon and
liquid crystal transmits endless
streams of commercial
messaging and colors across
the buildings in this fashion
town. The central panel, Q-Front,
is the largest video screen in
Tokyo.
d
Map A4-6, B4-6 • Shibuya
station north exit, Shibuya-ku
Young women in white
tights, pink hair, lace caps,
and aprons respectfully serve
tea and cakes.
%
Akihabara
The world's largest
electronic goods center also
attracts manga and anime fol-
lowers to its
cosplay
shows.
(
Tokyo Anime Center
^
Manga Kissa
For a cup of coffee at a
kissa
, short for
kissaten
(café),
manga fans can access
hundreds of comic books.
Japan's largest anime center
is devoted to promoting anime
films, games, and character
products. Its digital theater and
dubbing studio stage 200 annual
live events involving voice actors
and anime creators.
d
Map F3 • 4F,
UDX Bldg, 4-14-1 Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku
• 5298-1188 • Open 11am-7pm
&
Hip Fashion Minorities
Harajuku and Shibuya are
full of cyber-punks and “Goth-
Loli” - girls in black makeup
and Victorian frills.
*
Otaku
)
Comiket
Otaku
- geeks or nerds -
are passionate about anime,
manga, video games, and
cute female star merchandise.
The three-day-long Comiket
(Comic Market) trade fair is
the mecca for manga fans.
Hundreds of booths display
and sell a bewildering range
of items, from old Atom Boy
comics and the Neon Genesis
Evangelion series to the
Tekkonkinkreet comic and anime
creation.
d
Map D2 • Tokyo Big Sight,
3-21-2 Ariake, Koto-ku • 5530-1111
• Open late Dec/mid-Aug: 10am-4pm
(
Love Hotels
There are over 20,000 love
hotels in Tokyo alone, featur-
ing various fantasy themes.
)
Pachinko
Pachinko
, or Japanese
pinball, is considered low-
brow, but there are parlors on
almost every shopping street.
45
