Shibuya – RITs International Game Industry Course for 2023

Dawn of the Final Week

Yesterday was a little bit of everything, which I wasn’t sure if we were going to get again! We did some shrines, some shopping, and another very cool themed cafe.

To start the day, me and Megan had to do our laundry for the last time. The hotel that we’re staying in charges an outrageous price for laundry service, so we had to lug our stuff to a local coin laundry building and immerse ourselves in the culture. It was really cool! I was dumb enough to forget to take a picture, but they had these machines that did both the washing and the drying so you didn’t have to move your clothes between machines, which ended up working really well (despite us having to run the drying mode for an extra cycle).

Then, we headed to the Imperial Palace to walk the grounds. We weren’t able to get a ticket into the actual palace, but even just the gardens surrounding it were absolutely gorgeous. It’s really weird to see giant skyscrapers behind the small, ancient buildings nestled into the middle of the city. There’s a specific garden called Ninomaru with lots of colorful flowers and a super cool (small) waterfall that you can walk to the top of.

After the Imperial Palace we headed to Harajuku, right outside of the Meiji Shrine grounds, for lunch. We originally tried following Megan to the mall with the Sailor Moon store, assuming that there’d be some kind of food there, but we managed to lose her and ducked into a different mall instead with an entrance that I’d swear is actually just a portal to another dimension. It looks SO COOL!

The only restaurant in the mall seemed very expensive and didn’t look like they’d have anything that I would like, so at the last second me and Fabian decided to leave and head to a small gyoza place instead. I can definitely say that it was worth it – the dumplings were absolutely delicious and super cheap for how much food we got!

After lunch we travelled into Meiji Shrine, with a long shaded path leading to it and other sub shrines in the area. The shaded path was very comfortable and a welcome change from the sun beating down on us. It was pretty standard compared to all of the other shrines that we’ve visited, but I picked up a peace of mind to keep on my backpack.

After the shrine we were sent off on our own, so a group of us rushed to Shibuya PARCO to visit the Pokemon Center (my 6th) and the other Nintendo Store in Japan. I got a pack of card sleeves from the Pokemon store (no pressed coin because they didn’t have any there 🙁 ) and a Korok coin purse and a handful of gummies from the Nintendo store. I really wanted to do the shirt design lab at this Pokemon Center, but unfortunately the wait was a bit too long for me. Once we had our fill, we rushed back to Akihabara for our dinner reservation!

For dinner, we ate at the Monster Hunter Bar for Fabian’s birthday. It was a super cool Monster Hunter themed cafe with drinks and food! I personally got a couple of different drinks and a steak meal, as well as a very cute set of dango. It was the first time I’ve ever tried dango, and it was definitely a lot chewier than I expected but it was still really good! Pavel also ordered this giant beer that Fabian took a picture with for his 21st birthday that seemed as big as him and it was hilarious.

We went back to Liam and Skyler’s room to watch another movie, this time the new Dungeons and Dragons movie, but we were all so exhausted that we barely made it halfway through before we had to call it quits.

Behind again on my blog posts! It’s getting harder and harder to keep up with them but I’m trying my best. We only have two planned days left after this, which is very very sad :C but I’m happy that I’m staying a couple days after to experience a little bit more!!

Invading the (Probably) Emperor’s Home

We met at noon, but beforehand, Brody, Esther, Maddy, and I got McDonalds, which was conveniently close by. Then, we met with the rest of the group in the lobby and debriefed for the day before starting our journey towards the Imperial Palace, where I was told the Emperor lived, or at least previously lived.

We took the subway to Tokyo Station and walked to the Imperial Palace from there. The name refers to a whole plot of land instead of a singular building, and it was a large plot of land.

We first walked through the given paths, which taught us a lot about the masonry and upkeep of the Palace over time. Towards the end of the palace, however, was when the beautiful garden began to reveal itself.

The garden was beautiful and had an arrangement of plants, structures, pathways, and sights, including a small waterfall and a pond.

After our quick tour of the Imperial Palace, we made our way towards the Meji Shrine, a shrine near Shibuya and Harujuku. We got some quick lunch in Harujuku before making our way towards the shrine. After a small, civil dispute within the group, we entered the park towards the shrine, passing through the large Torii Gate.

The Torii Gate Entrance to the park nearby Meji Shrine

I learned that we had to walk on the sides of the pathway because the middle was meant for the gods to pass through, which I thought was a fascinating design based on spiritual beliefs and cultural tradition.

Eventually, we made it to the shrine and I prayed the longest prayer so far, and received a fortune that included a vague poem that I have yet to fully decipher. and realize its meaning. After the shrine, we were let go to do what we liked, so Brody, Esther, Maddy, and I went to Shibuya, where I picked up the My Neighbor Totoro vinyl from one of my new favorite shops: RECOfan. We explored some other record shops and music shops as well, eventually ending out mini-trip to Shibuya with a steak dinner where we had to cook it ourselves.

Tired and exhausted, we made it back to Akhihabara and prepared ourselves for our MAGIC meeting at 11pm (before you think anything: yeah, I know). After the meeting, it was not long before I had fallen asleep.

The Shibuya Incident

For our free day in Tokyo, Brody and I went to Shibuya and planned to do a lot of shopping. We knew we wanted to hit the three-floored UNIQLO there, but we found so much more.

We did some research and found ourselves initially in Shibuya109, which we then realized was a female clothing store, but still thought was interesting enough to walk through because the designs and fashion were really cool. However, I didn’t come out empty handed as there was a place where I could get a very good matcha latte.

After leaving Shibuya109, we went to MAGNET, which was the male equivelent of Shibuya109 under the same company, however much smaller. Brody and I found some very expensive places, but eventually hit one of the many places I would become a costumer at: RECOfan, a record shop. Here, I bought two Studio Ghibli records as Joe Hisaishi is one of my favorite composers of all time, and they were much cheaper than if I bought them in the United States.

After that, we went towards the Parco mall which holds the famous Nintendo Store and Pokémon Center, as well as a Jump store (which covers most shonen anime). Of course, I spent some more money at these places, acquiring many stickers and even a painted manga panel, as well as some plushy gifts for my friends back at home.

Next, Brody and I went to UNIQLO, where we bought even more clothes (this being our third time to a UNIQLO in Japan). Lastly, we hit the Converse store, where we got some Japan-only kicks.

After the massacre of our wallets and the encumbrance of our spoils, we went back to Akhihabara to meet with Maddy and Esther for a hot pot dinner. It was delicious and, surprisingly, empty. It was also connected right next to our hotel, which made it convenient. We ended the night with an attempt to go to karaoke, but after Maddy’s unfortunately late birthday ruining our plan to get drinks, we abandoned the plan and called it a night.

Record of the Incident on May 30th, 2023 at 12:00pm.

Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Shibuya, Tokyo

Today was our Tokyo free day, so me and Vincent when to Shibuya >:). This was the highlight of the trip for me. I love huge bustling cities, I love shopping, I love anime, it was perfect. Also not the mention this is where the Shibuya Incident took place >:))). We didn’t have much of a plan besides wanting to go to the nintendo store. Upon arriving we walked out of the station to see giant walkways stacked beneath freeways on top of intersections between skyscrapers. It was like a shot from a cyberpunk city during the day, absolutely insane urban architecture. We decided to start our adventure at Shibuya Scramble Crossing because that’s where we heard a lot of shops were.

Cool building that you would never find in the US (too much green)

After watching 50 bajillion people scurry across the street in 20 different directions, we headed into Shibuya 109. This store was 7 floors of every style of feminine clothing you can think of. We didn’t even look in the shops because we knew there wasn’t really going to be anything we wanted, but we still went to all the floors just to see it. After 109 we went to Magnent, which is owned by 109, and is for a more masculine audience. However they pretty much only sold designer clothing or streetwear designer that was way to expensive for me, even though they were sick ass clothes. After Magnet we walked over to the Nintendo store in Shibuya Parco and spent an obscene amount of money. Got some stuff for me and some stuff for my friends. After Nintendo we went to the Jump shop because we are anime fiends. They had some rlly cool stuff too, including printed JJK manga panels on canvas, which we each got one of. Then we were hungy so we got some italian food, it wasn’t the best food ive had but it wasn’t bad.

Conssss

Then we went to the converse store and I got Japan-exclusive white chucks that are sooo cool. After the converse store we headed back to Akihabara and got dinner with Maddy and Esther at this hotpot place connected to our hotel. It was quite scrumptious. Then it was bed time for the next day :).

Food in Early Days of Japan

First Day: Shibuya

On the first day, Maddy and I went to Shibuya. We saw the famous crossing and explored the area. We went to the Mandarake in Shibuya and other stores, such as the Pokemon Center, the official Nintendo Store, and the Mugiwara Store known for its One Piece merchandise.

More importantly, for breakfast, I went to 7-11 and got a melon Fanta and a tuna and mayonnaise rice ball. It was a very good start to the day. The melon Fanta was very refreshing and sweet drink, and the rice ball had an umami flavor that paired well with the drink. The rice ball was also incredibly easy to eat and was almost criminally convenient.

For lunch, I ate pork oil noodles with a side of rice. We were able to order our food using a screen, so there weren’t any issues ordering our food. The noodles were savory and filling, so I wasn’t able to finish my side of rice. Still, the pairing fit well together because the rice helped balance out the strong flavor of the noodles.

Second Day: Harajuku

The next day, we headed out to Harajuku. We did a lot of walking around, checking out shops, and looking at the amazing outfits people in the area were wearing.

For breakfast, we stopped by 7-11 again. I picked out a ham and cucumber sandwich, steamed bread with egg, and a yuzu and lemon soda. The cucumbers on the sandwich made eating it feel more refreshing to eat in the warm morning air, and the ham added the necessary flavor. The yuzu and lemon soda was very tangy and unlike any soda I’ve ever had in the U.S. Lastly, the steamed bread with egg was sweet, light, and fluffy; a perfect way to finish off breakfast.

Pork ham and cucumber sandwich steamed bread with egg, and yuzu and lemon soda

After walking around for a couple of hours before the stores opened, Maddy and I wanted to sit down somewhere so we didn’t burn ourselves out. So I got Maddy to go into McDonald’s because an enticing ad depicted a delicious-looking peach drink. The ad worked because that’s what we both got (plus hashbrowns). The hashbrowns were typical McDonald’s hashbrowns: yummy and salty. The peach drink was lightly sweet with a strong peach flavor, and there were peach chunks on the bottom that added a refreshing feel to the sugary drink.

For lunch, I got udon with spicy cod roe and a side of rice. Thankfully, I was able to eat everything this time around. The strong umami flavor of the spicy cod roe was nicely balanced out by the rice. Sadly, although good, it was not spicy as I was expecting it to be. The egg yolks made the dish more savory, and all the toppings added more texture and umami flavor to the dish.

Third Day: Shimokitazawa and Shinjuku

On our third day, we went to From Software headquarters to bask in excellence and pray some of their game design skills to impart to us for just being in their presence. After getting a glimpse of a Sanrio-themed train, we went thrifting at Shimokitazawa. Afterward, we went to Shinjuku on a whim and experienced the lively nightlife there.

More importantly, the first meal of the day, which was in Shimokitazawa, was an omurice dish with demiglazed beef that came with some broth and a small salad. The salad had a tangy dressing that paired well with the lettuce which was a good way to start off the meal. The beef made the omurice incredibly savory, and combining it with the ketchip-covered rice helped to lessen the strong savoriness.

For dinner in Shinjuku, I had fried rice and pork dumplings. The fried rice had a very subtle flavor, but was filling and delicious. The pork dumplings were very juicy and paired well with a good dipping of soy sauce.

Day 4: Meeting Up with the Class

On our last early day, we traveled over to Shinigawa to meet up with everyone else. After struggling with our heavy suitcases and miscommunication about which hotel we were in, Maddy and I decided to visit The National Art Center (mainly because John Wick 4 took place there).

For breakfast, I had some discounted goodies for 7-11. The first thing I ate was a chocolate-coated donut. It was sweet and crunchy, but it was a little bland. For the price, I would be willing to buy it again. The second batch of goodies I had were honeyberry and cream cheese-filled rice cakes. Although the flavor was wonderful, I did not enjoy the texture of the cream cheese. However, for the price, I cannot complain.

Chocolate coated donut and rice cakes filled with honeyberry and cream cheese

For lunch, I had soba noodles with shrimp tempura. It was amazing. No qualms at all. There were seasonings readily available, so I added some to add a little more flavor. I didn’t believe the dish could get any better, but the seasoning made it reach new heights. I may also be biased though because I was incredibly hungry and tired, and food always tastes better when hungry and tired.

After meeting up with the rest of the crew, we all got dinner together at a food court near the Shinigawa Prince Hotel, which is the hotel we were staying at for the night. I got takoyaki with spicy cod roe. The spicy cod roe was also not spicy this time around, and there was nothing to balance out the strong umami flavor of the cod roe. The takoyaki itself was delicious and I highly recommend it, but everything together was not as good as the spicy cod roe with udon and a side of rice I had a few days ago.

After this, Maddy, Vincent, Brody and I went on a little night adventure around Shinigawa, had a meeting about Magic Makers, and then head to bed. The official trip begins!