Moonshadow: Sun and Star

Life in Tokyo is busy. High school students go to school in the morning, participate in club activities in the afternoon, and some even have to go to juku (cram school). College students go to universities and many do have part-time jobs, as well. Many adults have to go through–in some cases–hours of commute to and from work, often in extremely packed trains during rush hour. We can even see high school students in their uniforms and company employees in business suits even during weekends.

Having lived here for a couple of years, my partner and I, coming from countries that have relatively laid-back lifestyles, have gotten tired of Tokyo’s fast-paced environment. In the morning, the busy streets, steel buildings, and paved roads look stale and uninteresting. However, as in many countries, there are still many beautiful things about urban Japan.

Appreciating the awe-inspiring view of the city from rooftops and the highest floors of buildings and hotels is one couple activity that I and my partner enjoy the most. Our favorite times to do this is in the afternoon and at night. It provides a different perspective from the usual hustle and bustle of urban living. Tokyo seems more peaceful and dreamy, which takes away the reality of social problems that many citizens, especially foreigners like us, are facing.

Tokyo offers plenty of opportunities to partake in this kind of rejuvenating activity. Both locals and tourists swarm the world-famous Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Sky Tree. In addition, there are some restaurants located on the rooftop of some malls in Shinjuku. Getting a room at one of the topmost floors of 5-star hotels such as Tokyo Dome Hotel, Hilton Tokyo Odaiba, and Ritz-Carlton Tokyo will give you a more intimate majestic view of the city at night.

I would recommend taking a break from the monotony of daily life and viewing things from a different perspective through this activity, especially for people like us who feel like we don’t belong in Tokyo. Whenever we feel weary, it’s proved helpful in redirecting our attention from the things about Japan that don’t suit our personalities, interests, beliefs, and chosen lifestyle, into the things about Japan that we like and enjoy.

When it comes to arts, crafts, and kawaii things, Japan has anything one can imagine. Creativity seems to be one of the things Japanese people are known for globally. From aesthetically appealing food to beautifully-drawn characters in anime, there’s no denying that no matter a person’s background or interest, they can always find something new and eye-catching in this country.

While kids have cute toys to play with and fun children’s anime to watch, some teenagers, especially middle and high school girls, frequent the arcades–known here as “game centers”–to try out different PuriKura.

PuriKura, short for “print clubs,” are photo booths that are usually located in amusement arcades. There are different kinds of PuriKura that have various features, some of which include functions to make one’s face look smaller, apply makeup onto specific parts of the face, remove blemishes and other imperfections, and/or make the eyes bigger. Most PuriKura allow users to choose among the photos taken, then put stickers and write messages on the final product which is then printed out.

On the first day of this year, my partner and I decided to take their sister to a big arcade in Kawasaki known for its unique Kowloon Walled City-inspired interior. Although their sister has previously been to a few PuriKura with some of her friends, for me and my partner, it was our first time.

It was bright inside, and there was some upbeat music playing, which I suppose was meant to add to the fun and make users feel energetic and more confident about having their photos taken. The monitor in front of us gave us suggestions on how to pose, and when it was over, we could decorate our chosen pictures however we wanted. It was a truly interactive experience!

I recently took a photo of this printout after almost losing it. Most teenagers and other fans of PuriKura usually put their printouts inside their wallets and bags. However, we just chose to leave it at home and place it on top of my laptop. Last week, I thought I had lost it when I couldn’t find it in its usual spot–the second cube of a wooden organizer shelf that we bought from Nitori and assembled ourselves. Having only one PuriKura printout makes it precious.

I wonder if PuriKura fans treasure every printout they have… Since high school girls often go to PuriKura in groups, what do they do when they lose touch or have a falling-out with some people in the photo?

I think PuriKura photo booths are great! They’re a creative, fun, and unique way to keep memories alive. They also encourage teenagers to express themselves and demonstrate individuality in a society that, in many ways, frowns upon standing out and values cohesion instead.

Have you tried PuriKura photo booths? What do you think of them?

Japan, like many other non-Western countries in this day and age, has an appreciation of certain special occasions that originated in the West. For instance, the Japanese celebrate Valentine’s Day, albeit in a modified way, since in most countries, in heteroseual relationships at least, it is usually the man who gives flowers, chocolates, and other gifts to the woman.

On the other hand, in Japan, it is customary for women to give chocolates to the important men in their lives–romantic handmade ones to their crushes or boyfriends, and store-bought ones as obligatory gifts to male co-workers, bosses, and/or school friends. These gifts will then be reciprocated on 14th March, the Japanese “White Day,” when it is the man’s turn to show affection to women via material presents.

The Japanese also celebrate Halloween. However, unlike in predominantly Christian countries, there is no religious connection to the celebration of this event. Regardless, shops are usually decorated with cute ghosts, “spider webs,” bats, and other Halloween-themed decors. Restaurants and cafes also tend to create limited-edition Halloween menu items.

Last weekend was our anniversary, so I surprised them with a six-course dinner in a private room at a restaurant on the 41st floor of a building in Shiodome, overlooking Tokyo. Apart from the dessert included in the course meal, we were surprised when one of the waiters brought in a big cart of Halloween sweets into our private dining room.

I noticed that the Japanese have an interesting practice of choosing a symbol, theme, or ingredient for a particular season or event and use it for marketing purposes. For example, in Spring, many shops and services use the sakura (cherry blossom) symbol in their posters and ads, while cafes usually have sakura-flavored sweets.

The food ingredients commonly associated with Halloween and autumn in Japan (and perhaps in some other countries, as well) are sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and pears.

But how do the Japanese celebrate Halloween aside from food and decorations? Some stores, malls, and schools do have Halloween events such as trick-or-treating and face painting for kids. In contrast, adults who are enthusiastic about Halloween and wearing costumes have a choice of going to Shibuya, Shinjuku, or Roppongi to celebrate outdoors, or going to clubs to celebrate indoors on 31st October.

Since we’re not fond of big crowds, my partner and I will probably stay at home and order some Halloween-themed foods as we did last year.

Are you going to celebrate Halloween? How?