Moshi Moshi Japan Festival

Exciting, creative, controversial and quirky. There are some words to sum up the "Moshi Moshi Japan" Festival that happened last month. Set as an event to celebrate Japanese culture, Moshi Moshi Nippon festival comes from the same creators that have brought us Harajuku Kawaii festival. This time based in a stadium the festival was uniting fashion, music, otaku and other pop- and subcultures.

The festival aimed especially at foreigners with two very controversial deals:
1) Foreigners got in for free if they booked in advanced and showed their passport.
2) There was a segregated area in front of the stage, exclusively for foreigners.

Certainly this must have been done with the best intentions, but it still felt kind of wrong to me on certain levels. I'd rather have us all pay 1000 yen entrance fee and have equal opportunities than letting the Japanese nationals pay over 2000 yen while I walked in for free.

Visitors got a MoshiMoshiNippon Bag, a Kyari clear file and tons of flyers

 There were several stages, ranging from Idol groups (Dempagumi etc) over fashion shows (KERA fashion show) and stage artists like Kyari Pamyu Pamyu. There were also stalls, ranging from hair stylists, wig shops, nail design and merchandise to fashion brands and even cosplay.

Innocent World Lolita fashion show during the KERA stage

The set up with stalls and stages was quite impressive and there were many people with press tags taking pictures and videos. Unfortunately for "normal" visitors most things were "NO PICTURES" so I could not really make a video about the event.

The final event featured a fashion show with 100 models, a (slighly cringe worthy) Karaoke Contest and a Kyari Pamyu Pamyu live show. Personally it was worth waiting for Kyari. She even sang Fashion Monster and Pon Pon Pon, so I was more than happy to see some of my favourite songs performed on stage. I was jumping and singing along until I almost lost my voice, it was that much fun.

From the distance the bow looked like a little bit like bra to some eyes

Check out the face of the guy on the right

All in all it was a very impressive event. I just hope next time it is either free for everyone or we all pay the same price. Special treatment for foreigners somewhat does not sit right with me. I would like us all to be equal, on all levels. Nevertheless I am grateful for a fun day out. Hopefully next time the organizers throw an event like this, there will be more chances for us to take pictures too, so I can make a video for you guys.
And yes, as always, my head is in YouTuber mode. I want to make fun videos for you wherever I go. It has altered the way I think about fun events. I always think "I want to show my viewer friends this", even if it means that I am experiencing only half of the event by setting up my camera and dashing around. I hope it is worth it and gives you a taste of being here with me.

All the best from Japan
x
Cathy Cat

Pokemon center Tokyo - I choose you!

There's nothing quite as exciting for a geek soul as to read the letters "Pokemon Center" on a normal Subway flyer. Indeed, the first time I read about it, it was inside an flyer about famous attractions tourists can reach via the subway system. When I stepped out of the train at the indicated station, I couldn't however find a sign to said delightful destination - I decided to ask the station officer, who sat down in his little booth near the automatic ticket gates. He looked up from under his officer hat, at the gaijin girl approaching him. I took a deep breath and said:
"Excuse me please. Could you please tell me....... how to get to the Pokemon center?"
Just being able to ask those sentences in a real-life conversation felt surreal and made my heart almost jump out of my chest. Without blinking twice, he described me how to walk to reach the Pokémon center. From there I stepped out onto the busy streets, followed his route, went up the escalator, and there it was: The Pokémon Center Tokyo!

Large posters, displaying famous characters on the outside, the Pokémon center still looked rather professional. The first time I went there, the whole area in front of the store was full of people, children, students, office ladies, otakus and other, crouching down with their Ds' in their hands, trading Pokémon and playing the game. I often walk around in Europe, hoping for a trading haven like that. If we had a Pokémon center in Europe, just think how easy it would be to make new friends and trade/battle with them!!

Unfortunately, the Pokémon center has made it pretty clear that you are not allowed to take videos or photographs inside, so if you see them online, they were most definitely taken without permission.
To illustrate: imagine shelves upon shelves stuffed with key chains, plushies, posters, stationary, sweets, collectible figures, badges, towels, tissues, games, cards, lunch boxes and more items, featuring pretty much all Pokémon that have been released so far. It's heaven for Pokémon lovers, unless you have an empty purse - then it's torture!

Pokémon Center Opening Times and Holiday announcements

Sometimes the Pokémon Centers (there are 8 Pokémon Centers across Japan) have special promotions on, which are usually announced on their webpage. There you can receive rare Pokémon or items when you go to their event space. For Pokémon X and Y there wasn't an event yet, but there should be one soon, around the new year and the xmas holidays. Sometimes those Pokémon can be acquired through the online system for players outside of Japan, in the past though, there have been a couple of Japan-only events.

The Pokémon Center Tokyo shares the building with normal convenience stores, restaurants, companies (such as Berlitz) and other, so it's actually placed in a business environment in a tall building, which was surprising. I wish the staff was cosplaying as nurse joy, but instead they have a uniform. Nevertheless, it's worth the trip out to the Pokémon Center. Even if you should not be an adamant Pokémon fan, you still have to admit: There's nothing quite as cool, as asking in real life where the Pokémon center is, and getting an honest answer.

 3 Tips if you want to go to the Pokémon Center Tokyo
1) If you go there for trading, pick a weekend when there are both workers and students to trade with. That way you get the maximum of potential trainers for trades and battles.
2) Check their event times! You might be lucky and get a free Pokémon. Be aware though that usually those events only involve the newest game release. For the next events, you will need a 3DS and Pokémon X or Y.
3) Bring more money than you think. Don't forget Pokémon is an expensive merchandise brand. If you should see the Pokémon item that you always wanted, you want to make sure you can afford it!

They have an English introduction to the Pokémon Centres HERE

Love
x
Cat

Giveaway of Japanese goodies!

Cute Japanese goodies, Pokémon plushies, Lolita fashion accessories, Anime merchandise and lots of other cute little things I brought back from Japan: The new video is up!

I will now also do giveaway for Xmas and you have the chance to win one of the four prices.
Check out my HAUL video to know more:


I decided to also do a giveaway specifically for my Blog!

I picked a random selection of sweet things that I like, for you to win:
Decorated Tissues, Swimmer CDR, Hello Kitty Lash Case, Kewpie Pen,
2 Erasers, Chocolate comb, Cake reflector, Bear keyring, bracelet

Steps to join the BLOG PRIZE of Cute Japanese Goodies

1) Please be subscribed to my youtube channel of course :)

2) Like my Facebook (Feel free to enter if you don't have Facebook)

3) Follow my Blog via Friend connect
It's easy. Just supply the email address that you use for your youtube, or other services, and you will show up on my friend list

4) Please comment: What do you want for Christmas?

Full details are on my Youtube channel video so please check it out.

I am looking forward to hearing what things you would like to have for Christmas! Is it a hug, a partner, a present, more time, karate skills, magic power? I wonder!

I can tell you what I want, I want a means to travel to different places instantly.

That way I could deliver all packages and Christmas cards like that in person and meet you all!!

Hope you have a lovely end of the weekend and a fun start into next week!

I am looking forward to hearing from you!

Love

x

Cat