Mario or Anatomy Lesson?

Today is a special day at Yodobashi Camera, which, despite its name is actually an electronics megastore. And we know that it is special, because they got Iron Man himself just to stand there and hold a 10% off DVDs sign. Now, even though they do have an entire section on train films (documentaries on Shinkansen is very popular - you can see inside the cockpit and everything), we are actually here for a different reason.


And that is Gatchapon. You know those machines you put a coin into, twist the handle and out comes a ball with a toy? Well, the turning sound, in Japanese at least, sounds a bit like "Gatcha gatcha gatcha", and when the ball falls down, it sounds very much like "pon". Hence the name.

Now, Gatchapon in Japan are not just rusting machines outside the public swimming pool. No, they are mainstream, and very popular. And one of the best places to go for Gatchapon is Yodobashi Camera.

Basically, all the big names are represented - Mameshiba, Hello Kitty, Relakuma, Mario, Snoopy, Pokemon, Ultraman, etc.

However, there are many, many, many more.

Here you can get a plastic replica burger, by Mos Burger (like Burger King but without the smell and litter on the floor), in case you want to remind yourself of your favourite convenience food product when reaching for your keys. $2.

This was also somewhat curious - Bouncy Body Mascot.

Or how about a ...

...poo light! Available in six different varieties.


or a miaowing paw? Also available in dog version.


or a handy anatomy lesson?


Now, when you put the money in and turn the wheel, it does indeed go gatcha gatcha gatcha, and there is a helpful safety-pacman to show you how to retrieve your Gatchapon without injury.

I ended up going for :


A keyring which looks like a slide with a bacterium on it. I didn't really care for the bacterium so much, but the machine did say "Tales of Agriculture", which I felt was a strong use of Jinglish. I also got a Mario one (very difficult to decide between the soft version
- which you can use as a screen-wipe, and the hard version, which is also a handy fridge magnet):


And here's the thing - I really wanted to get the bullet guy, or perhaps the cloud, but the machine gave me the yellow mushroom.

And this reminds me of the market - you can't eliminate randomness.

Oldschool Acrobatics

One of my top TV programmes, and I do admit that there are quite a few of them, is "What is this? Rare Sceneries of Japan". In this case, "sceneries" are not just view of mountains and lakes, but also include a spring which produces perfectly carbonated soda water, a school where they eat Konbu (one of Japan's many seaweed products) to prevent tooth decay, and this:

"When did you start doing the steel bars?"

"When I was about 50 or so." He is now 80 years old!

"There wasn't any reason to it"

"I just thought `lets try something` "

Ok, so let's see how many turns Mr Ikeguchi (I think that's his name, but let's just call him Henry from now) can do. He lifts himself up on this rusty bar, and starts spinning around like a crack-crazed acrobat, in a circus:

...11

...22...

...35! Even the kid watching him is surprised.

"So, what's the most you've done?"

"40"

So, if you move to where this guy lives (Chiba, not far from Tokyo), maybe you too could enjoy the rare signt of Henry going for some age-defying acrobatics. Should it go into the list of top strange sights in Japan?

Fortunately, as with most Japanese programming, a pannel of semi-famous people is at hand to provide instant analysis, and vote on whether it should be included in the list of rare sights in Japan - surely this is a no-brainer for inclusion. All pannelists must agree in order for the rare sight candidate to gain admission to the list.

However, not all three pannalists agree! It is apparently not a rare sight in Japan!

"It's not unique" (!)

And this reminds me a little of the market. Don't count your chickens until they are hatched.

Further Adventures in the Newly Found Land of Jitalia

So, now that we have discovered the new branch of cuisine - Jitalian - and especially given the positive early signs we saw, it is imperative, I feel, that we further investigate this curious fusion of two world cuisines.

And, conveniently, we find ...

...the Mountain Cat Pizzeria!


Now, you can't really see very clearly here, but the outside looks like an overly-stocked seaside antique shop, specialising in cats. Very un-Japanese in its messyness. A positive sign already!

Our suspicions are confirmed when we enter. Full of random trinkets - excellent. Although the size of the place (sits about seven Japanese, or maybe two and a half Europeans), and the seats at the counter are also very Japanese. Is this going to be the perfect fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisine?

The table looks even more promising - what could be more Italian, than a map of Italy plastered across your table. The diner is left in no doubt that he or she is in for something different.

And the charming cat drawings and Italian grammatical mistakes in the menu are clearly designed to make everyone feel at home.

And once I saw this, I was almost too excited about the ingenuity and creative technique of the proprietor, and jumped to the conclusion that the food would be equally immaginative.

However, the starter was fairly standard. Not too much cheese - it is, after all, a precious commodity in Japan, such as oil, cobalt, and golf courses.

However the bruschette were original. These came in three types - cheese and pepper, pate, and ...

... raw salmon and basil!

Essentially another variety of sushi. I was overjoyed at discovering this culinary innovation.

Now, the pasta, which as you know is an Italian noodle a bit like yaki soba, but not fried, you can eat with a fork, if you wish, but after slurping noodles everyday, the chopsticks just felt right.

Now, here is the pizza. Looks good, doesn't it? Yes, but they committed one fatal error....

...the unpardonable sin of using concentrated tomato paste! I was instantly dissillusioned, and would have probably started to cry were it not for the four-minute bowing-fest by the three salarymen crammed into the next table.

And this, I am afraid, somewhat reminds me of the market. Sometimes you can't test your assumptions until it is too late.