Arcades! Arcades! and more Arcades!

In our action plan, we mentioned that we would try to focus on the 4 main areas of Shibuya, Aoyama, Roppongi and Harajuku. However, since arriving in Japan, we realized that by focusing only on those 4 areas we may not be able to fully encompass the widely diversified canvas that is a Student’s Nightlife Experience. So while we will undoubtedly try our best to follow our original game plan, if an activity arises that is prominent in another area and is also highly connected with a Student’s Nightlife we will not hesitate to write about it.

With that said, this week, Team Blue (Abby Ovid= AO=青) traveled to Japan’s “Electric Town”, Akihabara, to investigate the age old phenomenon, The Arcade. Before we get to the results of our epic foray into mystical world of cabinet gaming, let us first partake in a brief history of arcades if you will.

The first coin-operated arcade game appeared in the mid-1970s and blossomed shortly with the invention of time honoured classics such as Space Invaders (1978), Pac-man (1980) and Donkey Kong (1981). However, by 1983 video games began to diminish in popularity, this decline was short lived as the invention of two player fighting games in the 1990s quickly revitalized the industry.

In these days the word Arcade conjures up different images for different people. Some may recall fond hours spent playing games with friends in Summer Vacations past, while others may think of them only as time wasters reserved solely for children. The truth of the matter is in North America, Arcades are of a dying breed, with the advent of better and better video technology available through home consoles such as the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, people are getting similar experiences from the comfort of their own homes. Thus, arcades have slowly lost their magic over time.

One exception to this downward spiralling trend are the Arcades of Japan. Instead of fading away, Japanese Arcade are thriving and steadily increasing in number. In fact, one of the newest arcades in Japan officially opened on April 28^th and consists of 6 floors and over 300 machines.  Much of this popularity is owed to the plethora of innovative ideas and technology which is able to bring fresh ideas into the arcades to captivate the attention of an ever evolving audience. The current trend is towards rhythm games such as Guitar Freeks and Drumania, while we do have similar games in North America such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero, they are usually played on game consoles rather than game centers. In fact in Calgary, there are, for all intensive purposes no arcades, aside from the small ones attached to movie theatres.

The success of arcades in Japan may also be due to the Japanese lifestyle. Since a majority of Japanese people take trains and walk to get around, more traffic is provided for businesses including arcades. This is apparent in the strategic pricing of the games; in more populated areas, like Akihabara, arcade games usually range from 100-200￥ whereas in less populated areas these games are only 50-100￥.

In our investigation, we visited various arcades in Akihabara but focused mainly on a well known arcade known as Club Sega to gain a better understanding of the arcade scene.

Club Sega consisted of 6 levels. The basement floor consisted of newer fighting games, the street level was comprised of crane games. The games on the second floor consisted of games that required some kind of game card to play (Video to come when youtube is working)

 The third floor was more or less the same as the basement level however the games were a little bit older. 

The fourth floor was dedicated to the popular rhythm and music games.

Lastly, the 5th floor was a special kind of game which used cards of soccer players as players in the game.

Club Sega opens at 10:00 am and closes at 1:00 am, making it an ideal location to visit for night time entertainment. Also of note, is that only the only floor where smoking is prohibited is the street level floor, and that the male washroom is located on the fighting game level while the female washroom is located on the rhythm game level.

In addition to games, most gaming centers contain purikura, which is more popular among girls. With the absence of gaming centers in Calgary, most of these picture booths have also disappeared. These booths allow users to add designs on top of their pictures, making them their own creations and setting them apart from regular pictures.

Gaming centers provide a place for many people to relax and enjoy. Furthermore, because people are not required to be of legal age to join in the activities, many younger people also spend their free time at these locations.

Team Blue Out

4 Days In.....

Keen to kick off our “Tour de Tokyo” we were given the opportunity to go to Harajuku and Yoyogi Park both Saturday and Sunday night. Back in 2008, I worked on the Northern Island of Japan, Hokkaido in the ski resort town of Niseko. A Japanese friend of mine, Tat from my season in Niseko had left me a message mentioning that a big reggae festival would be going on in Yoyogi Park over the weekend. So following our campus tour, Roman and I were quick to round up a group of students to indulge in this Japanese-Jamaican experience which would no doubt be one of a kind. With the help of our new Japanese friends, we managed to get about 20 students from the Kokusai Kenshu-kan (International Dormitory) all the way to Harajuku Station without losing anyone. That's about as far as all of us made it as a group…

We should have known that attempting to march a group of Tokyo first-timers past the shining lights of the main Harajuku drag, Omotesando (photo top left), would be unsuccessful. So there we were, at a crossroad…but only for a moment. Like any true investigative team, we sacrificed for the cause, and made the executive decision to split up in order to be thorough and experience the diversity that Harajuku had to offer. Roman and said 20 students and new Japanese friends disappeared off into the crowd while I exchanged high-fives with old friends a made a bee-line to a convenience store for my favorite Japanese alcoholic beverage, Chu-hi. Refreshments in hand and old friends at my side I spent a few amazing hours amongst many a dreadlock adorn Nihonjin Rastafarian, swaying to Japanese DJ remixes of Bob Marley & The Wailers! What I found unbelievable was that even though I was in Tokyo, it was as though I could have been at a festival anywhere in the world. Everyone was there enjoying the music and taking in the mind-blowing atmosphere that only a crowd of a thousand people can create. We danced to some awesome reggae and cheered on some amazing drummers and musicians.

Meanwhile back on the streets of Harajuku, Roman was having an experience all his own….“Coming from Calgary, Japan is a vastly different situation. After moving past the initial 'Wow! Everyone is Japanese!" shock, Japan's culture is overwhelming. For example, there are much more bikes than that of Calgary, the direction of traffic, the driver's seat in cars, and also the selection on the vending machines. However, the main focus on this blog entry will be on experiencing, first hand, Japan at night. To have a fair grasp of Japan at night, or anything as a whole, for that matter, one must be immersed fully in the subject at hand. However, having spent no more than three days, it would be disingenuous for me to make any assumptions therefore I will just be giving my first impressions. When experiencing Japan at night, the first thing one notices is the differences in the atmosphere at night. Harajuku, and Akihabara are the only places I have been to at night, but both give off a certain ambience that is absent in places where I have lived prior. The streets are a buzz with a vast array of characters engaging in an orgy of style culture and organized chaos within the framework of passion for life.

The train stations, and the trains is another area of difference. Originally hailing from Winnipeg, When I moved to Calgary, I thought that that was a city that was very, “go go,” as Winnipeg is a smaller, yet more personable place, however, it pales in comparison to the pace of people in Japan. Japan is the perfect example of changing for the future, yet keeping the cultural tradition, and not losing oneself completely to the tides of change. As opposed to the usual treatment that patrons of the LRT systems in Calgary experience, countless trains on limitless tracks greeting infinite faces everyday is what awaits Japan on a daily basis, yet the people remain polite, and kind.

Ekimae or “In front of the station” is a place of importance to nightlife in Japan, I will be blogging more about this with Ovid, but as an introduction, our station especially, Mukogaoka-yuen, acts as a meeting place.”

I went back to Yoyogi the next day with my friend and another University of Calgary student, Jessica and met up with my friend, Tat and some of his friends from here in Tokyo. Jess and I browsed through the street vendors stands, and indulged in a little takoyaki (squid balls) as we socialized and practiced our Japanese with Tat and his friends. The weekend proved to be a great kick-off to our time here and our week of exploration in Harajuku and surrounding area. The take home message from this weekend; music festivals are a must, shopping in Harajuku in awesome, and don’t be afraid to have your own adventure! (just make a plan and be safe!)

It has been a fantastic first few days and having only spent a short time here, we have only begun to realize what a task documenting the extensive nightlife here in Tokyo will be. More to come as Week 1 unfolds and as classes begin tomorrow!

Roman and Talia

(The last photo was taken at a famous crossing in Shibuya on our way home)

Peer Contributions

Part II of our pre-departure assignments included submitting contributions to fellow students blogs. Here are the contributions made towards our blog by some of our peers:


CONTRIBUTION MADE BY SHUO-YEN HSU
"The choices of the area for exploration are extraordinary. All four areas are extremely well known for their vivid nightlife. These are some places located in these areas that I found, both online and in travel guides. These areas seem intriguing and worth visiting while touring the area.

Shinjuku:

Kabukicho is a must go when you are in Shinjuku. This infamous Tokyo red-light district is filled with bars, restaurants, strip clubs and host/hostess clubs. The night really comes alive when you enter this district. However, along with all the fun there are some potential dangers since the Kabukicho district is also filled with Yakuzas; therefore, it is much better to travel in a group than as an individual.

After all the excitement in the Kabukicho district, you guys can always go to the New York Bar and the Peak Bar that are located in the upscale hotel, Park Hyatt. The New York Bar is located on the 52^nd floor of the hotel.  The live jazz band starts up at 8pm everyday and plays until the bar closes (a 2000 yen cover charge applies after 8 pm). The bar also offers the best view of Tokyo. Unfortunately, after the movie Lost in Translation was filmed in the New York Bar, the place developed an attraction for tourists. It can be hard to get a table. Therefore, the Peak Bar that is located 11 stories lower is also a good choice, if not better. The Peak Bar has a bamboo garden located in the centre and it is softly lit by washi lamps (Japanese paper lamps). The atmosphere, the cocktails and the service are just perfect here, in fact, it is the seventh heaven of the Babel Tokyo.

Shibuya:
        Shibuya is filled with nightclubs. There are at least ten different nightclubs packed in this little place. Out of all the nightclubs, Womb is the best, most famous and one of largest club in Tokyo. Womb has four floors and consists of two mezzanine lounges, a restaurant, a VIP lounge and two amazing dance floors which have the country’s largest disco ball. Like the Peak Bar in Shinjuku, Womb is also one of the places where the film Babel was shot. Another really cool thing about Womb is that at the entrance there is a biometric system that identifies members; therefore, they do not have to show their ID every time they go. However, Womb is built amid the “love-hotels” in the alley. It is very hard to find even with the address for the first timer. (Personal experience)

Daikanyama:

After all the partying in Shibuya, Lounge Tableaux in Daikanyama is a great place to relax. Lounge Tableaux is a classy, sophisticated and cozy cigar bar that offers great quality Cuban cigars. The price ranges from 600 yen to 6000 yen. With the crystal chandeliers, old books, leather armchairs and sketches of nudes on the walls, the Lounge Tableaux gives the customers a 19^thcentury high class European experience.

Roppongi:
        The Bar is an extremely classy dining lounge and piano bar that is located on the forty-second floor of the Mori Tower Atago in Roppongi. The view from the bar is amazing. People can get a clear view of the Rainbow Bridge and the Bay of Tokyo. The Bar is sometimes renedt out for private events, therefore it is always best to check their website before going for guaranteed entry. The atmosphere and the setting might be very high class, but the prices on the menu are very reasonable. People can order “Buck Wheat Noodle” for just 1200 yen or order “Today's Chef Recommended Special Nigiri Sushi” for 3700 yen."

          CONTRIBUTION MADE BY JUN QIAN
"Pachinko

Pachinko is a Japanese gambling devices. The Pachinko parlours have some different kinds of slot machines. A Pachinko machine is like a vertical pinball machine but without flippers. The players fires a ball up into the machine, and the ball run by itself through the machine. If it not just falls to the bottom, and more balls are released as a jackpot. The more balls the player get from the machine, the more expensive prize the player can exchange for. Gambling for cash is illegal in Japan, so those balls cannot be exchanged directly for chas in the parlor. However, the balls can be exchanged for token, vouches, or prizes, such as pens, toys, or electronics. Players can buy metal balls by inserting cash, prepaid card, or the members card directly into the machine they want to use. The parlours also offer an exchange of 4 yen per ball, 1000 yen per 250 balls. Most Pachinko parlours open from 10am to 11pm every day.

Host Club

Host club, as an entertainment in Japan’s nightlife, has thrived in these years. In host club, the male staffs cater to the female clients. Host clubs usually open from 4 pm to 2am, some of them till 4am next day.  The host clubs sell drinks at a higher price than the regular one and also offer the champagne tower when there is a special event. The drinks can start at 1000 yen to three million yen. The seven layers’ champagne tower is around 1.5 million yen. Most host clubs are located in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo.

The males work in host club is called “Host”. In order to attract female clients, hosts build a seductive image, such as slim body, trendy hairstyle and expensive suits and accessories. However, this image seems not attractive to the western female, because it is opposite to the North American sense of beauty. They are responsible to entertain their clients by drinking, performing, and chatting. They make their clients feel being loved and usually pretend to have a romantic relationship with the clients but without sex.  The clients originally were hostess and wealthy women, and more office ladies go to host clubs nowadays. Most of them want to escape form the stressful life and have fun in the host club. Also, hosts are trained to provide highly stylized forms of service. They intend to establish a fantasy world so women are willing to spend money. Therefore, Dr. Takeyama concludes the service provided by hosts is commodified romance."

ENJOY EVERYONE! NEXT STOP - TOKYO!

The Early Stages...

Welcome to The TORA Nightlife Experience. TORA is Talia, Ovid, Roman and Abby - a group of University of Calgary students, studying at Senshu University in Tokyo, dedicated to the exploration and exploitation of Tokyo's nightlife. (sidenote, unknown to us at the time of our group name choice - トラ or とら - in Japanese has three meanings; tiger, drunk person, and trouble), we really like this...).

We are now in the process of putting together a game plan for our JPNS 309 Culture Project, for which we have chosen to study nightlife in Tokyo. Our goal is to have a broad unregulated view of what Tokyo's nightlife has to offer. This means that nothing is off limits and we plan to exploit it all; Pachinko Parlors, Nomi Hodai, Hostess Clubs, Karaoke, Concerts, Night Clubs... We want to know Tokyo's biggest attractions, and best kept secrets, where to sip on a glass of wine, and where to dance until sun-up.

In order to be efficient, we have begun to set up a game plan. The following is not an exclusive list of where we plan to go and what we plan to do, just a guideline and timeline of our planned documentation. Through our extensive research we have decided that Western Tokyo holds most of the night time happenings. We have therefore broken up the Western portion of the city into 4 areas of exploration, one area for each week that we are in Tokyo; Rappongi; Shinjuku; Shibuya, Harajuku & Aoyama; and Ebisu & Daikanyama. Each of these areas has their own appeal and offer a unique setting.

Our aim is to explore as many different types of entertainment as possible, both those native to Japan and those found globally; nightclubs, karaoke, pachinko parlors, nomi hodai, 24 hour convenience stores, hostess clubs, maid cafe's, and anything else we can get our hands on. Documentation through photo, video, interview, and first hand experience will be made!

We understand that we cannot fully grasp the extent of what is to be found until we are "in the field", so for the moment this is simply a scaffolding for our month-long stay in Tokyo. Every week we will split into groups of two amongst ourselves and bring to you a unique view of of the area and activities we have been amongst. This blog will be updated frequently so that all of our followers can stay in the loop on where we are and what we're doing.

The finished product will be a "best of" guide to Tokyo's nightlife, and we hope that all our hard work will benefit those who follow in our footsteps.

We have posted these maps to allow our readers to have a visual of where we will be going. The Senshu campus is located West of the map on the Odakyu Line, a fifteen minute walk from the Mukogaoka-Yuen Station.

Comments, questions and suggestions are welcome, and we look forward to bringing you Tokyo's best!

TEST TEST TEST

this is going to be the best blog ever