On the Road: Tokyo Trip—From Helsinki to Shibuya Fashion Week

Shibuya Fashion Week, October 16-19, 2014

Being available to revisit Tokyo is quite out of my October plan, since the decision is en fait made swiftly by our Director. My major task is to promoting at Tokyo Fashion World 2014; with no doubt, I unquestionably save weekend days to explore around, to discover yet something new, while last Tokyo trip was a decade ago, back to year 2002.

Taking Finnair direct flight from Helsinki to Tokyo on Thursday afternoon. Luckily, my flight neighbor, a Finnish designer is very friendly and helpful, so after nearly 10-hour journey, we can purchase Narita Express and Suica card (similar to HSL or Taipei Metro transport value card) to Tokyo Station within 110 minutes and arrive my hotel room safe and sound.  

First night at Tokyo is getting familiar with Shinbashi (New Bridge) area and knowing the locations of convenient stores and takeaway restaurants. Before the check-in time, I walk toward Tokyo Tower and witness General Tokugawa Ieyasu’s tombstone. After the mini historical tour back to Shinbashi Station neighbourhood, where gathers various kinds of sushi stands, sake bars, raman restaurants and numerous of yakitori (late night grill restaurant) due to Shinbashi area is well known for after-work social entertainment. The drunken office workers, the lingering young high school girls, the heavy-makeups ladies and sweaty bar tenders are making the multitude Tokyo street visions. Gazing and regarding local’s everyday life has always been my pleasure to travel. I especially like the tiny mini Japanese yakiotori located between narrow passages, and take them as my ‘frame-in-frame’ photography shooting project as the fresh start. 

On Saturday I met my Japanese friends from Yokohama. By van we cruise around the most premium and luxurious Ginza area for sightseeing, and later we dine at shabu shabu (Japanese hot pot) and check the flagship Mitsukoshi department store. At afternoon teatime, we try sweet potato snacks together with their little girls. It’s really fun to know that whole Tokyo city was derived from Nihombashi (Japan Bridge), then developed toward eastern-north, and nowadays Tokyo outnumbers of museum, shopping, residential and office architectures and amazing traditional shrines in between.

Shibuya Fashion Week is from October 9^th to 19^th , so at night I decide to take a look of the streets, the people and the events. Shibuya Parco is holding local young artists’ exhibition on the 3^rd floor. Free admission, it looks more like cute version of comic con booths rather than fine art display, nevertheless, the creation and colours are very pastel touch, truly Japanese ‘kawaii’. Parco bookstore at B1 has amazing collection of fashion/photography coffee books and magazines, I choose WWD Japan and Daydreamer by stylist Michiko Yamawaki.

Outside of Parco, at park tori (park passage) plaza, Japanese pop girl band Color Code is performing their debut-album show. Somehow, these three girls still cannot get rid of high pitch singing as those Morning Musumes do; however, I enjoy Color Code’s dancing moves and vivid spirits, even though I haven’t followed J-pop for a very long time. Shopping some Japanese made accessories is definitely my target this time, though I have to save some Japanese yen because I know the crazy kawaii ones are still waiting for me days later.

First weekend in Tokyo, warm and relaxing, and I refill myself enough fuel for the following challenging days!

www.finnair.com

www.shibuya-fw.com

www.shibukaru.com