July 8th, Sunday

In the morning, i re-packed and i was going to transfer to a bigger room, since my parents were coming in from China on their 2 week stay there, and meeting me at the Akasaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo. I had my belongings, suitcase bags stored for the majority of the day at the bellhop suitcase storage area. I then headed out to Tokyo, Akihabara, and Nakano. I first too the Marunouchi subway line to Tokyo Station. Then from there i switched to the JR-Yamanote train line. By now, i figured out the maze, craze of the Tokyo train systems. And for the gaijin(foreigner) this can be the most frustrating experience to be lost, not know any kanji, and not know where to head, even if you do, how the heck to get there. For me, this is my third visit to Japan. I have seen and experienced this, but doesn't mean i am a pro by any means, just more experienced and familiar with the JR trains in Tokyo. First, knowing where you want to go, specifically, planning, mapping out the destinations in advance, relying a lot on the "romanji" train map, which is translated into writing that gaijin can spell out in words, not characters. Second, know which trains to switch to, and keep in mind how you got there and how to get back to your main central point, for example for me it was either Tokyo station, since it was a train hub of many other train connections, or your main station where your hotel is closeby to. That for me was Asakusa-Mitsuke train station, by subways. Ok onward, i then spent many hours in Akihabara as it is so big, and so much to see and shop for the Otaku. I mostly went to big stores like Tora Ano, which i highly recommend if you really want to see bigtime anime, for all your anime otaku enthusiasts! I also went to Yamagiwa, Don Quixote building, and other various buildings that contained anime. I first had lunch at Mailish Cafe, from 11-12pm. My favorite waitress who i first discovered on Youtube while searching for maidcafe's, is "Arisa". She is a waitress there and also a professional Cosplayer(costume player). Cosplay is very very popular in Akihabara and other parts of Japan. They take it very seriously, and look good doing it. My favorite waitress, Arisa was not working that particular day, and i was so disappointed but nonetheless, i enjoy my meal, ice coffee and my visit to Mailish. A small cafe that fits approximately 30 to 35 people mainly servicing the Japanese locals. I had to rely mostly on mly lmited Japanese language skills to communicate to the waitress. Fortunately the menu's had pictures and i could point and say, "kore o kudsai, onegaishimasu, arigatou ne". I bought a few souvenir pictures and a Arisa anime version small towel of her. I then took off and finally found an internet cafe a block down the street in Akihabara. I used it from 12:30-2pm. It costs about 300 yen per 30 min, which allows you to use email, internet, watch movies on the computer, listen to music, online chat, read japanese manga(comics) and all you can drink softdrinks, tea, and icecream. There was also some Japanese magazines read too. I chose the tatami room, a small tiny computer work space, with tatami mat and curtain for privacy. There was about maybe a dozen or so rooms, both tatami and regular types. Afterwards i headed out the main stores, Tora Ano, Yamisoft, and Don Q building to browse around and shop. Each floor has something within each category, most of which is anime related. One floor will have just anime-music CD's. The next floor will have OVA, i forgot the accronym for that, but that floor had OVA dvd-series of various anime. The following floor would have just regular anime mangas. The floor up would have various Anime accessories by series type. The accessories included cell phone straps, buttons, pins, towels, cups, mouse pads, pillow cases, plush anime dolls, pens, pencils, keychains, clocks, etc... the next floor would have anime figurines, more different accessories, and another floor would have CD-anime computer games and the top floor would be staff only.

The Yamagiwa Soft store has similar floors of the other building Tora Ano, but less anime. There was some floors that had just music, and foreign american music, another floor with regular movies-dvd's, and one floor devote to gravure idols dvd-s. This floor also had a section where they have gravure idol(model) signings, advertising their latest photobook/dvd new release. They have gravure idol weekly signings of various girls where the otakus can get a picture of their favorite idol and autograph. On weekends, they shut down the street, and had street performers, singing and modeling. Various girls performing in the streets posed for the video cameras and digicam's, hoping to become the next big Japanese idol. I took a video and picture this is kawaii Japanese girl.

The Don Quixote bldg, where i spent some time at, has many floors similar to Tora Ano and Yamagiwa Soft, but Don Q had other kinds of random items. I bought my belt, that i need since my jeans were lose, i had forgotten to pack up a belt for my trip, plus all that walking and eating healthier foods, i lost a few pounds. Anyhow, they had different random type items, toys, cosplay outfits, arcades, videogames, and a Maid Cafe on the 5th floor. I had lunch @HomeCafe on the 5th floor, got lunch and a ice coffee drink there, along with a photo with one of the maids. I ate Curry, and the maid waitress even did her signature, "heart-O" symbol and had me do the hand gestures as she said the japanese words....i felt that this was so .......MO-EEEEE!!!! (actually i had lunch at HomeCafe a few days before, but just recalling the time i had there, which was special, and memorable.) . Later on, i headed up to the AKB48 floor which was on the 8th floor. This was my second time here in the same week. I had only met Mariko, my favorite AKB girl a few days before. I came here this time just checking out the environment more of the floor all the framed portraits of each AKB girl, and some of the posters. Team K was having a live concert in the main hall Stage 1 area behind the double doors. I can hear the music blarring and thumbing from the bass of the speakers. Two flat panel TV screens were above showing the actual concert, but for some reason the clarity of the screen wasn't good, so i can barely make out which girls they were of, only that i can recognize they weren't the main girls, of team A, or K. There were other fans sitting around lounging at some of the table-chairs, and some where getting into it, dancing the moves of the girls, and jumping up and down. Earlier in the day, i noticed how big of a line there was of AKB fans, and since i didn't know Japanese, it was hard for me to figure out what was going on, and how i can get into it, but i didn't. They finally got in and bought their latest BLT magazie with AKB girls on the cover. Some had stacks of magazines, so lucky. I think some had AKB girl photos, but i could find any. I actually found a BLT laying on the sidewalk, which took and got lucky, but no photo inside. Then at 6:30pm i caught the train and transfered to another train to Nakano at Nakano Broadway mall. I went to a few stores there bought some posters and photos. I had dinner at this...you guess it, another maid cafe, this one was more of a local type one, small, a few nice girls that didn't speak a word of english, ok maybe a couple, but i had to use my limited japanese language skills to converse with them. I had spaghetti and ice coffee. Later i had a picture with one of the girls, and left. After i headed back to the Akasaka Prince hotel to meet up with my parents. It was a full fun day spent in Akiba and Nakano, Tokyo!