The first full day of my Tokyo trip was a Sunday, and I shot a fair amount of video. I may only have covered a fraction of the city, but it was one busy day.
Here are the highlights, including all the people getting a photo or video on the promenade up to Tokyo Station, and a walk along Akihabara’s main drag after it was closed to traffic.
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The Chiba Urban Monorail is the longest suspended monorail in the world. I took a ride on it whilst I was in Japan, stopping to pay homage to a sci-fi classic along the way.
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The Yurikamome is a driverless light rail system that’s a convenient way to get to the attractions on Odaiba, with some great views along the way. I rode it a few times whilst I was in Tokyo, and shot this video on one of those rides.
Fujimi make a model of a 4 carriage Yurikamome train in N gauge (affiliate link).
Click the image or this link to watch the video on YouTube.
Small Worlds Tokyo is a collection of massive model railways and dioramas- much like Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, but with a fantastical and sci-fi twist. From a spaceport, to a Ghibli meets cyberpunk and steampunk layout with dragons and robots, to several recreations of the worlds of Evangelion, and more, it was a fascinating place to spend half a rainy day. Highly recommended if you’re in Tokyo.
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For some reason, WordPress won’t let me embed YouTube videos. Click on the image, or this link, to go to it.
I didn’t plan my trip to Japan to coincide with this event. But when I found out it was on, I had to go. I tried to get footage of every stall, and resisted the temptation to buy from all of them.
Some of these companies can be hard to find at your local model shop. My first call when I can’t get them locally is Hobbylink Japan (affiliate link).
I’m definitely going to hunt out (and hopefully just stumble across) some of Tokyo’s Shinto shrines when I’m there. Little pieces of history hidden behind the everyday are just the sort of thing I always try to find.
The price of food is rising in Japan, so salary men and women are looking for ways to cut the cost of lunch.
A ¥500 gyudon sounds good to me.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/16/japan-salarymen-ultra-cheap-lunches-food-prices-rise
I’m planning a trip to Japan, as soon as I can afford it. I think I’m going to avoid Summer, though, as temperatures are reportedly extremely high. If that wasn’t enough, there are typhoons which throw giant wooden penises around (warning- link goes to a site with adult content).
Another eccentric kit from Japan. This storyteller’s bike is a companion to the Goldfish seller, and has links to Golden Bat. At this rate, I’ll soon have a full fair.
I bought this model from Hobbylink Japan (affiliate link).
I will visit Japan one day, there’s so much stuff there that fascinates me (and, right now, distracts me from writing).
Scientists have solved the longstanding mystery of a Japanese submarine missing since 1946 after stumbling across it in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii.
The Sen-Toku I-400 submarine – one of the largest pre-nuclear underwater vessels ever built – was discovered lying 2,300 feet beneath the surface of the ocean off the southwest coast of Oahu.
via Missing WW2 mega-submarine found off Hawaii – Telegraph.
Based in San Francisco. The Japanese Model Museum only displays models which can be bought. The site is too wide fvor the screen on my laptop. Larger monitors needed.
Technorati tag: Scale Models
Poseable Barack Obama doll. They start out sensible enough, but just keep scrolling.
via William Gibson
You really have to wonder if this is a hoax? or is just another lost in translations.
There haven’t been any trailers worth highlighting for a few weeks, but just today I’ve seen nearly a dozen. Rather than one big trailer time post on Sunday I think I’ll spread them over a few days.
A selection of movies from the orient first.
A Tale of Legendary Libido.
Tokyo Gore Police. By the people behind Machine Girl, who seem to be keeping Japan’s fake blood industry afloat all by themselves.
Wushu, starring Sammo Hung.
Shaolin Girl, a spin off from Shaolin Soccer.
Onechanbara. Bikini girls versus the undead.
Old Japanese models, depicting a variety of odd and fantastic subjects. Lots of Star Wars rip offs and transforming robots as well as stuff licenced from old school anime. For the automotive modeller I think 1:24th Sumo wrestlers or 1:25th lemonade stand would be great diorama additions.
(I tried translating teh page, but somehow that meant I lost the images, which are the main joy of it.)
via BoingBoing
Technorati tag: Scale Models, Japan
After the huge Moscow diorama, now there is this 1:23rd scale reproduction of Himeji castle built by a retired Japanese man. The project has taken 19 years and involved inventive use of materials and surreptitious measuring of the original.
There are more pictures here.
via BoingBoing
Technorati tag: Scale Models, Japan, Castle