You know those kind of people that lie all the time to your face, but since they always mix lies with truth, they come across as being alright? Tokyo's a lot like that. (So's Faerie, incidentally, but that's something else entirely.)
Whenever I'm in Tokyo, if I fancy a meal or a park, I need but wait five minutes and I'm sure to have found one or the other, and in a condition that best suits me mood at th'time. Which makes Tokyo a good city-friend, as far as city-friends go. It's laid-backiness and charm are even more impressive than Athens in that regard (being the availability and cheapability of le cuisine native).
However, I'm starting to realize that, should I come to Tokyo for more businessly matters, say, Christmas shopping, the city is far less hospitable than I would've guessed. Maybe I'm being picky. But if I want to get me pa a t-shirt for Christmas I'm looking for two fulfillable categories:
1) that the shirt not be imported from America, and
2) that the shirt not be ~$30.
And it's here that I always come up short. It's incredibly easy to find t-shirts in Japan in the range of $10-$20. Each of these shirts, however, are emblazoned with some professional or college football team, or some other spice de americana. Additionally, Japanese tourist t-shirts are nowhere to be found--at least in the confines of where I was looking.
Tokyo's hiding all its best parts from me, I'm beginning to realize. I found where it hides its English used books section (a wonderful little district called Jimbocho) and a few of its American comics (a Tower Records in Shibuya (which hasn't yet gotten League v3, dag nabbit)), but I'm all aloof still as to where to find tourist trinkets, cheese, a proper deli, Takashi Miike, outdoor magical/samurai duels, underground music and manga, and cheapish jewelry.
Should any of my Tokyo friends read this, don't hesitate to kick me in the right direction.
Whenever I'm in Tokyo, if I fancy a meal or a park, I need but wait five minutes and I'm sure to have found one or the other, and in a condition that best suits me mood at th'time. Which makes Tokyo a good city-friend, as far as city-friends go. It's laid-backiness and charm are even more impressive than Athens in that regard (being the availability and cheapability of le cuisine native).
However, I'm starting to realize that, should I come to Tokyo for more businessly matters, say, Christmas shopping, the city is far less hospitable than I would've guessed. Maybe I'm being picky. But if I want to get me pa a t-shirt for Christmas I'm looking for two fulfillable categories:
1) that the shirt not be imported from America, and
2) that the shirt not be ~$30.
And it's here that I always come up short. It's incredibly easy to find t-shirts in Japan in the range of $10-$20. Each of these shirts, however, are emblazoned with some professional or college football team, or some other spice de americana. Additionally, Japanese tourist t-shirts are nowhere to be found--at least in the confines of where I was looking.
Tokyo's hiding all its best parts from me, I'm beginning to realize. I found where it hides its English used books section (a wonderful little district called Jimbocho) and a few of its American comics (a Tower Records in Shibuya (which hasn't yet gotten League v3, dag nabbit)), but I'm all aloof still as to where to find tourist trinkets, cheese, a proper deli, Takashi Miike, outdoor magical/samurai duels, underground music and manga, and cheapish jewelry.
Should any of my Tokyo friends read this, don't hesitate to kick me in the right direction.
Powered by ScribeFire.
No comments:
Post a Comment