Here’s something you don’t see everyday: Gatchapin dressed up as Gatchaman with 3 girls in kimono. It’s coming of age day, thus the kimonos. Spotted while walking down dogenzaka in Shubiya this afternoon. I came to buy a dining table at Loft and spent some time taking photos like a tourist. I didn’t get the Gatchpin/Gatchaman pun until just now. :P
How the above scene came about: (1) First there was only one girl (2) Gatchapin calls over to another to join (3) A third girl shows up out of nowhere (4) And then this other woman took their photo. I guess they knew each other.
It being a national holiday today, the roads where closed off and there were large crowds in the streets (1) TV camera crews were out doing the traditional “How does it feel now that you are an adult?” Seijin-no-hi interviews (2) A huge crowd of people gathered to watch this girl sit on a stool. Seriously, she wasn’t doing anything (3) More kimonos in center-gai. I don’t like those furry white things the girls wear around their necks. It hides the back of the neck, which is what a kimono is supposed to emphasize. I didn’t see too many kimono-casualties today although I did see one girl in furi-sode slouched over while chewing gum and smoking a cigarette. gehin…
I went into Tower Records where there was more Gatchapin everywhere.
In the book store, The Game, a book about how to pick up chicks in a bar, was displayed beside the Holy Bible. I had a good laugh and wondered if they did this on purpose or just because the books looked kind of the same.
At Tokyu Hands, many people were intrigued by the 人生銀行 jinsei-ginko or life bank. You feed ¥500 coins into it and nurture some stick figure guy inside, like a tamagotchi. The images change from scenes of poverty to wealth and abundance as you save more money. That box fits up to 200 coins or ¥100,000. Interesting idea but I wouldn’t pay ¥5000 for it. By the way, that’s not my hand in the first photo. I don’t have such a nice manicure or a spider-ring.
Kadomatsus were still decorating the gate of centre-gai even though they should have been taken down yesterday.
That’s an oddly endearing hand…
I love that life bank thing. But yeah, too expensive!
I saw those life bank things in Tokyu Hands… They are really interesting… Maybe I should get one…
Roy, can I make an assumption that if you run into a girl who is in Kimono on the coming of age day, she must be 20?
Generally yes, but some older women also wear kimono on that day to go to a ceremony or other kind of event. But you can tell that they aren’t 20 yrs old. Also, women who wear kimono with furisode, long sleeves, means that they are single and available for marriage.
That’s funny.
Does the bank start counting at a negative 5000 until you recoup the price of the bank itself!?! Because really, if you don’t buy it you instantly have saved 5000 en!
Roy you just saved money!
I don’t get the pun. I love “oyaji-gagu”, but this one went straight over my head. I also have no idea what that character is. I don’t own a TV.
Robbie, I think it said you first set the amount of money you want to save and then it’ll adjust itself.
Marcello, that green character is called Gatchapin. It’s famous character on the childrens show Ponkiki. And he/she is dressed up as Gatchaman, because they are both “Gatcha”
Sorry but I happen to notice that the Gatchapin looks really sad by the look of his eyes.
First time to your blog and I must say that you have a great picture database of japan and all its quirkiness!
Thanks for the time you’ve put into this!
I love Gatchapin! Great photos, I picked up one of those Tower Magazines with Gatchapin on the cover too…great stuff. ^_^
I just gave my dining table away for free.
I’m after a smaller one, the one’s in Loft look pretty nasty. Whatcha get?
hawken, yeah those Loft ones were dreadful. I got a rounded triangular one with fake leather chairs. Kind of regret the decision now but too late. btw, nice blog I will add it to my RSS reader.