Japan Day 10

Japan Day 10

Today we went to the Tokyo International Toy Show in Odaiba. We were pretty dissapointed when we found out it was a toy show for little kids, we were under the impression that a toy show in japan would have some kickass grown up toy stuff. Well to make the trip worthwhile I got to see a live performance of people in giant pokemon costumes enacting a battle... i think... or something like that. Anyway it made me very happy, the video is too long to put up here but here's a short clip from after the battle.

On our way back we spotted this beautiful giant clock which I recognized from something I had read online a while back. It was a clock that Hayao Miyazaki designed himself. We got off the train and checked it out up close, a nice Austrian guy told us it would turn on in ten minutes and be quite a sight to see; this guy had also been waiting a hour and half for this clock to turn on so I figured it had to be good. Again, the video is too big to put up on here but I assure you it was worth the wait. This was the most elaborate clock I have ever seen, at 3 o clock everything on the clock moved, lights turned on, music played. Obviously a Miyazaki creation.

We then met up with Yuki and Joey and made a long journey to the actual Studio Ghibli. To my surprise the studio was located in a rural area in the middle of the street, literally in the middle of a plain old town surrounded by average homes and shops. Nothing spectacular. However they did have their own personal farm and there were vines and vegetation crawling up every single side of the building. I was also surprised that the studio was so small. It was a very humble studio thats for sure.

I then remembered I had my buisness cards with me and Yuki did the most amazing thing for me, something I will never forget. She talked the security guard into giving my buisness card to Hayao Miyazaki! I'm sure nothing will come of this but just the thought makes me incredibly happy :).

Maybe he won't even get it but what Yuki did for me I am incredibly thankful for. It was not an easy task either, the security guard was very hard to convince since the studio was so incredibly strict and they were given such specific instructions. But it happened.

Thanks Yuki!

Harajuku & meeting with Asami tomorrow!

Later