Japan 2013 #6

Final 2 days in Japan...That made me sad.

Anyway, a lot of self-exploring today because my partner has to go and meet with a client. So I'm by myself. First thing I planned to do is head to Nakano Broadway. For those who've been with me before or even read my previous trip to Japan, they know I like going to Nakano Broadway. First of all, there are a LOT of Mandarake shops there which sell used anime goods, including books. So I usually get to pick up things cheap there since used goods in Japan are still in pretty good condition. Secondly, I also said I would help a friend look out for a book in Japan and this was probably my best bet to find it. 

Unfortunately, I arrive there a bit too early, reaching at 11am when most of the shops only open at 12 noon. Doh. So I end up having to wander about for a while and then grab a nice Unagi-don lunch. 

Now I've been to this place before so I can tell you it's pretty decent. It's right next to the shopping mall entrance but before you enter the mall, you turn right and walk maybe 10m before you see it. After which, there was a lot of window shopping, browsing for books, etc. 

I was really tempted to buy the Kamen Rider Kaixa helmet Mandarake had for sale, the one that was actually used as a prop on Kamen Rider 555. But it was 210USD and it was HUGE. So I wasn't sure how to send it back without damaging it. Seriously, it would have been like owning a piece of history considering how big a fan I am of Kamen Rider.

Then I hung out in a somewhat nice coffee shop with really freaky sculpts.

Yeah. Apparently those statues are on sale too. Can't understand the kind of mentality that would make people want to buy them though. 

Anyway, after a while, I ended up heading back to the hotel since the Pokemon Centre was there and I wanted to drop some stuff back at the room as well. The only interesting thing they had there was probably a life-size Pikachu but it was 5000+yen so that was a no-go for me. 

Then it was back to Akihabara for some last minute shopping. I'm not that interested in clothes but I didn't manage to really look through the shops at Akihabara the day before. Ended up buying some electronics, some anime goods from there though. Played a few UFO catcher machines but the level of the machines in Akihabara are somewhat insane

It all looks deceptively easy but it really isn't as I'm sure more than a few disparaging people have found out. 

Sadly, it was getting pretty late and I had to leave. My last night in Japan, spent in Akihabara again.

The next day, we woke up early to catch the Limousine bus at Shiba Park Hotel to the airport. Unfortunately, the bus was at 6.40am so we had to wake up at about 5+ and walk about 10 mins to the hotel. It wasn't an easy feat since we had so many things to carry but we managed to do it anyway. Once on the bus, it was pretty much easy-going all the way. Except we ended up having to stop by the Post Office at the airport to buy a cardboard box so we could dump some extra stuff into it and check it in. Also, the United lounge at Narita Airport is one of the worst I've been to for some reason. Their selection of food and beverages were really poor. I'm just wondering what happened to the nice Krisflyer one I was at the last time. 

As a final pic, here's what I managed to get in Japan, all mostly in one shot. Except for clothes/shoes of course.