TURNING JAPANESE – getting a japanese haircut in Tokyo!

   

Remember the lovely staff of NUI HOSTEL? They were the ones who booked a haircut for me at Broccoli play hair salon here in Tokyo. I looked it up online and found out that Hideki Fujikawa – hairstylist/owner has been travelling around the world, cutting hair. You could say that cutting hair is his passion. I didn’t need more convincing, i’m game!

As you probably don’t know, I always try to get a haircut in cities / countries I go to.

Like this haircut in PARIS

in COPENHAGEN

and in ATHENS

Now it’s time to get a new ‘do here in TOKYO.

Well, as soon as I find the salon.

Nice old man trying to help me find my way

I don’t know if i have poor navigating skills or bad memory, or perhaps both, but it took some time for me to reach Broccoli. I had to ask this very nice old man for directions, and he in turn asked everybody else as well. I so appreciate their politeness to help. We tried our very best to communicate as he speaks zero english and me zero japanese. Well, I do know how to ask in japanese if they can take my picture, and to say Oishi, Sugoi, Kawaii, Arigato – but all is no use now asking for directions 😉 Of course except, arigato grandpa-san.

Good burger and unsweetened iced tea

 Quickstop at freshness burger for lunch! All this walking and getting lost is making me hungry.

Then it is time to continue with my search…

Alas, i found Broccoli jungle in the middle of the city. Yihaaa!!!

I gladly waited at the reception and looked around the knick knacks and vignettes inside Broccoli. I love it!!! I am feeling right at home. They then asked me to go inside and was given a wonderful hair shampoo and massage. Afterwards, they served me ice cold beer — ahh the life!

I finally got to meet Hideki, the owner and hairstylist at Broccoli. I explained to him that i’m open to anything and showed him images of my past haircuts. I’ve given him free reign to do whatever haircut he thinks that would  best suit my kind of hair, face and personality, haha.

After years of living abroad, Hideki or HDK decided to go back to Tokyo and put up his own salon. He would have wanted to live in the countryside and closer to nature, but it would be difficult for people to come see him if he’s too far away. At least now that he’s in Tokyo, people like me, could easily find him. If he can’t be in the province, he brought nature with him here. Hence, the jungle in the city.

I asked him why Broccoli, he said he used to have a big afro and he looked like one. And also it’s easier for people to pronounce and remember the name.

Getting a haircut in Tokyo is not cheap, but nothing is in general. But i’m in Tokyo man! I need a new ‘do 😀

I tell you, this kind of haircut never crossed my mind. I must say it’s original.

I had so much fun in Broccoli, they even asked me if i wanted to stay and just hang out and drink beer. I wish i could, but my time here in Tokyo is running out.

I need more time to get used to it so off i wander the streets of harajuku.

Slowly, i am beginning to get used to it. In fact, i’m really liking it. Hahaha. I returned to Nui hostel to pick up my camera charger, which i only realized was gone when i came back from Saitama. I was scared that i lost it or perhaps somebody got it, but thankfully, the peeps from Nui kept it for me for 5 days i think. That was a relief. And so when they saw me with my new hairstyle, they said “wow sugoi… kawaii.”

Rockin’ and Rulin’ my new ‘do in Harajuku!!!

Ancient Traditions in Modern GINZA (Tokyo, Japan)

From Akihabara, Kanna and I went to Ginza, to ra ra ra, sis boom ba 😀

Ginza (and not Cindys) is the place to be for major luxurious shopping! It is here where you can find flagship stores of famous fashion brands like Louis Vuitton, Burberry and not Secosana.

Every weekend, from 12 to 5, they close down the streets to make way for shushaling shoppers like me 😀 Okay, show me the ukays!!!

AKIHABARA with Kanna (Tokyo, Japan)

Yihaaaa, I get to hang out again with my japanese painter friend, Kanna 😀

This time she took me to Akihabara.

I’m no anime/manga geek or gadget fanatic, but since I’m here, why not look for stuff connected to “Death Note.” It’s an anime series that i got totally hooked on when I was living in Paris. It was A who introduced it to me, he even gifted me a young “L” seated on a chair and a miniature “Near” 🙂

ASAKUSA DISTRACTIONS (Tokyo, Japan)

Good thing Naomi came with me to Tokyo. She helped me easily locate Anne hostel in Asakusabashi, and not to mention, helped me carry my now heavy luggage. The hostel isn’t as nice as NUI – the room here is small and this time I am staying in a mixed dorm of 8.

And so just like that, I am back in TOKYO 😀

It was already dark when we went to Asakusa, and yet again, I was drawn to the shops leading to the temple. They are all calling my name – “You are looking for darama, come here! You love local handicrafts, you will love my shop! You want to try this pastry, taste it here!”

I was getting all fired up seeing all these things. Ahhh there are so much i want to buy. Naomi said, it’s better to return here during daytime, with more shops to choose from. No, no, no, NO more shopping please 😀

five-storeyed pagoda (second tallest in japan)

senso-ji temple

After giving in and buying a small darama from an old lady and a miniscule handpainted horse made by an artisan (his shop was even visited by the emperor himself), we continued exploring the area wishing for no more shopping distractions. I particularly like this gritty part of Asakusa. It looks like a scene straight out of Blade Runner.

parang quiapo lang pero mas malinis

gritty yet soooo clean

Distracted yet again but this time by the smell of something yummy. We had dinner in this Asakusa gem called DAIKOKU-YA, apparently known for their tempuras. When travelling, I sometimes prefer discovering restaurants on my own. It can be a hit and miss thing, but if locals line up just to eat here, then i am sure the food is good. And this time, we are right! I actually haven’t eaten any bad meals in Japan. So far, so good 😉

Daikoku-ya restaurant – i took this picture late at night so there’s no longer a queue, but it’s said that lines here especially during lunchtime can get quite long.

the girl on the left (with hairclip) i assume is out on her first date. i don’t understand what she and her date is talking about. Based on her body movements and facial expression, looks like there will be a second one.

tendon number 1 for naomi, tendon number 2 for me

the food is really good and the shrimp is humongous!

After these wonderful Asakusa distractions, it’s time for Naomi to head back to Saitama and for me to go back to Asakusabashi, in my not-so-nice hostel. (Everything is all sounding the same to me – asakusa, asakusabashi, akihabara, hahaha.)

Good night TOKYO.

Tomorrow, I meet up with Kanna and have dinner with our other artist friends 🙂 But for now, i have to try to sleep in this very cramp room. I think i’m the only girl here, but it’s ok. I just wish that it’s not so stinky, ugh.

Japan: SAKURA FANTASIES and HANAMI DREAMS

ceci les couleurs des mes reves

this looks like a neo-impressionist painting by Georges Seurat

I’ve been going on and on about this, since my first Japan blog entry… One of the main reason why I came here during spring time is to see the sakura and experience hanami. Scenes of people drinking and having their picnic under the cherryblossom trees kept playing in my head since i was a kid. I remember watching it on tv from a Japanese documentary.