Gachapon Kaikan
It would be easy to write a month’s worth of posts on Tokyo’s Akihabara district alone — the “electric town” certainly has a lot to offer, especially if you’re on the hunt for the latest and best deals in electronics and/or otaku culture. Even though the area has been undergoing startling changes to better cater to the less hardcore (translation: a mass sanitization effort), there’s still reason for the collector to make a stop. If gachapon — toys sold in plastic capsules from vending machines — is your thing, then you can’t really miss the Gachapon Kaikan.
The store is famous for being made up entirely of gachapon vending machines, and it probably has the best collection of such machines (over 300!) you’re likely to find in the city. So make sure to keep all that loose change handy; it’s souvenir shopping for everyone in one cheap go.
Gachapon Kaikan [Official site]
[Photo: Jean Snow]
While just about everyone in the US and Europe …
While just about everyone in the US and Europe bows down dutifully at the altar of Michelin restaurant rankings, Tokyo doesn’t want their stinking stars. The world-famous critics showed up at Tokyo’s doorstep ready to eat, judge and reward, but a few chefs and restauranteurs have decided against accepting their usually sought-after stars. Point for: they say the inaugural Tokyo edition is just a publicity stunt. Point against: they say only Japanese people understand Japanese food. [Via]