neon

Pyschedelia, Japanese-style, at organic farmers market

June 22, 2013fetish, male fashionaccompany, boots, farmers market, food truck, green, look, Moe, neon, organic, psychedelictokyo moe Leave a comment

Food trucks accompany the Tokyo farmers markets. I *love* these neon green boots, adding an 80s twist to a classic psychedelic look.

Fashion conundrum #3: How to process this Koenji youth style?

June 12, 2013Uncategorizedconfusing, couch, grandma, how, kid, Koenji, lose my mind, matching top, neon, process, stockings, style, wings, youthtokyo moe Leave a comment

This outfit almost make me lose my mind. The bottom is fairly standard, neon tennis shoes with wings. Above that are stockings that scream Rocky Horror Picture show. The shorts and matching top look like someone robbed grandma’s couch. And there’s so much more. I have to thank this kid for confusing me completely.

Slutty girls even grab gay guy’s attention!

March 20, 2010Nakano, Public spacebikini, Christophe, fashion, female, high socks, higher power, Nakano, neon, rose, skulls, slutty, subwaytokyo moe View all 4 comments

Regular readers know that I rarely feature female fashion. Well, Christophe, this one is for you! I saw this young lady in the subway, and was amazed at her ridiculously slutty early spring outfit. Piles of damaged hair, puffy down jacket, shorts that are almost invisible, neon skull high socks, and doc martin boots featuring a bikini-clad lady in a rose bush. At the moment I saw her, I recognized there is a higher power, and I must strive harder to be fabulous in Tokyo.

Straight or gay fashion?

February 28, 2010male fashion, men, Public space, Uncategorizedconfused, gay, markers, Mexican, neon, pink, shocking, signs, single-sex, straight, tip-off, wrestlertokyo moe One comment

More street fashion for you, dear readers.

After almost two years living in Tokyo, I am still confused by fashion markers. Here we have shocking pink running shoes, contrasting neon colors, and a single-sex group of young guys. I thought I had finally learned that all those markers were signs of heterosexuality in Japan. However, the young Japanese-American couple I was with (and later the husband) are convinced that these guys are gay. For them, the tip-off is the Mexican wrestler backpack. Go figure!

Yes, Japan has girls too!

October 28, 2009Public space80s, alt, band, concert, fan, fashion, girl, music, neon, Okinawa, Orange Range, rocktokyo moe View all 4 comments

You might not realize from reading my blog, but, yes, Japan has girls, too. I certainly appreciate female fashion, but it takes some extra originality and flair for me to strike up a conversation and snap a photo. These girls were dressed in super 80s neon to attend a concert by Okinawa alt rock band Orange Range. I am sorry I didn’t capture their pink sequined sneakers.

In true fan girl fashion, and being loyal to the theme of this blog, I can’t help but include a photo of the 5 band members!

Baseball madness

May 17, 2009men, Public spaceballoons, baseball, beer, bleachers, chants, cheap, dancing, Hanshin, horns, Ikemen, neon, pink, plastic, Swallows, Tigers, trash, umbrellas, Yakulttokyo moe View all 2 comments

That glazed expression is the result of two beers before dinner. And those tiny plastic umbrellas? No, it is not raining. It is a fan tribute for a home run at the Swallows baseball game in Jingu Stadium. Anyone who knows me could be surprised seeing me at a ball game, but I was invited and, well, it’s Japan, so why not?

My pal encouraged me to sit in the cheap seat bleachers to fully enjoy the rowdy fans. It was a packed night because the opponents were the very popular Hanshin Tigers from Osaka. The stadium is divided right to left for each team’s fans, and we sat in the Swallows section. Although the rules are the same, the atmosphere is very different.

On our side, there were many plastic bats rhythmically beating, team jerseys and towels, general chants and player-specific chants (including a version of “Oh Canada” for one foreign player, and “ikemen” for one of the Japanese players), a few horns, some very large flags, and beer vendors in neon clothes with kegs strapped to their backs. While the Swallows fans have their plastic mini-umbrellas, the Tigers have large yellow balloons which they release into the sky at the 7th inning. A Japanese fan in the Swallows stands complained that it produces a lot of trash.

This fan in front of us was very friendly, proud of his team and their foreign players, and eager to lend us his dancing umbrella. Despite his super-butch appearance, I liked how he explained his “ikemen” chant (“because he’s sexy”), and that he came to the game with his buddy and the hugest pink and white sports bag I have ever seen.

Numazu’s infamous “rabu hoterus” (love hotels)

May 7, 2009ceramics, Uncanny555, absurd, Alpha, birds, car parking, columns, fountains, free Wii, garish, Hunny Pot, love hotels, lovers, Mickey Mouse, names, neon, Numazu, palm trees, plastic, rabu hoteru, short-term stay, statuary, tikki lights, uguisu, Watergatetokyo moe View all 4 comments

“Come in lovers,” Numazu’s Jump Hotel beckons. This post is a photo essay on the over-the-top “rabu hoterus” (love hotels) that surround the Numazu bizen ceramics studio. On one side of the studio is a large forested hillside, populated by birds including the lovely uguisu.

The other three sides are dozens of short-term stay hotels, with garish neon, absurd names, columns, statuary, fountains, tikki lights, plastic palm trees, free Wii, and abundant car parking. All of this looks worse in daylight.