The Last Samurai, Tokyo and Sapporo

[rbjhan]

Ah the Japanese aircon!
I have about 100 stories to tell....but these days I just turn them off

That's not it though. Most likely I need to ask for a summer futon as the one provided would be too warm. Often I get this strange look, summer futon?? Then I have to explain it's too hot. Then sometimes got told that they have only one type of futon. I'm not sure how the Japanese bodies work but apparently they use extra warm down duvets in summer

 

[Justinf]

Ah the Japanese aircon!
I have about 100 stories to tell....but these days I just turn them off

That's not it though. Most likely I need to ask for a summer futon as the one provided would be too warm. Often I get this strange look, summer futon?? Then I have to explain it's too hot. Then sometimes got told that they have only one type of futon. I'm not sure how the Japanese bodies work but apparently they use extra warm down duvets in summer

And not to mention the heated toilet seats!!!!!!!!

 

[Justinf]

It was nice wandering around even though I was feeling damn ordinary.
Weather was around 16 or 17 degrees and sunny so not cold and not warm.
Just walked and walked.
Who doesn't love a good eggslut?







I looked for some lunch but didn't really feel like it. This made me definitely not feel like it.

 

[Justinf]

Went back to my room and decided to phone reception to ask for a fan.
An attendant was sent almost immediately and although it took a while to for him to work out what I wanted, he delivered said fan in record time. I was very happy.
Feeling really ordinary now and had a nap.
Woke up around 4.30pm and decided to head out for a beer.

I had the Robot Restaurant booked for tomorrow and was quite looking forward to it.





it had cooled down noticeably to the low teens by now.



A few quiet jars in Shinjuku, but only a few. Was feeling coughpy.



Headed back to the room fairly early. Didn't feel like a full dinner and then I discovered these absolute gems. Fluffy balls with filling inside. These were pizza-filled and they were cheap and delicious. I would make these my go-to snack for the entire trip.
Two was enough and then I put my wonderful fan on and hit the sack.

 

[rbjhan]

And not to mention the heated toilet seats!!!!!!!!

Ha, I actually quite like it in winter

 

[rbjhan]

Tried the salted squid guts before
Yeah it's best to be avoided.

 

[Justinf]

After having racked up 20,576 steps yesterday and feeling a bit poorly, I slept until 10am.
I had the Robot Restaurant booked today and opted for the early time of 2.30pm, although the show doesn't start until 3.30pm and finishes at 5pm.
Not feeling like going out for breakfast (I'm not much of a breakfast person anyway), it was a quick trip downstairs to Lawsons where I stumbled upon this magnificent creation.



Rice, egg and tomato sauce. So ridiculous it worked. It was marvellous. Why hadn't I thought of this before?
There was a kettle in my room, but on;y a tea bag and a green tea bag. Lawsons coffee i not great but I had to settle for it.
Before too long is was out into the Tokyo air and it was cooler today with a top temp of 13. It felt a lot warmer in the sun, but cool in the shade.
I had done a bit of research on the Robot Restaurant. Most reviews were favourable, but I was also aware that it was not to everyone's liking.
It's not actually a restaurant. You can buy fried chicken, popcorn and a bento but that's it. You can also buy booze and they will take every chance to get you to put your hands in your pockets.
As I type (Monday 2 March) the whole thing had closed down due to the coronavirus. I really did time my trip to the absolute best possible way.
I'd also heard that you should never pay full price. Full price is ¥8500 ($120), which is absurd.
However there are websites such as Klook and Govoyagin that sell them from around ¥5000 ($70) for the early shows and a bit more for the later shows.
I booked with govoyagin.com and was sent a conformation email which you then take to the ticket office directly opposite the 'restaurant'.
They are pretty strict with times. In my case, I had to pick up my ticket strictly between 2.30pm and 3pm.
You are then directed to enter and after a series of steps you are taken to a 'holding pen' where you can buy drinks etc. There is a musician playing and it's actually quite a nice way to warm up for the main show.
Tall cans of Asahi were only ¥500 ($7) so that was very decent.
There was a guitar player doing his thing and he was very good.



The waiting room is very brightly lit.



Apart from a group of four British-Indians (their words not mine, and nice blokes too, boy did they put the beers down!) the crowd was all white caucasian.

 

[Justinf]

It was time for the show.
Anthony Bourdain said this was one of the best things he had done anywhere in the world. High hopes indeed.
Here is a brief description of what to expect courtesy of Time Out:

"Every night in a basement in Shinjuku's Kabukicho district, the dressed-up crews stage mock battles using enormous robots – though it's more steroi_-enhanced fairground attraction than modern-day Gundam. Fitted out at a cost of ¥10 billion, Robot Restaurant looks like something straight out of Gaspar Noé's Enter the Void, all migraine-inducing neon, video screens and mirrors. Customers pay a ¥8,500 charge (see the discount below if you bring our magazine), and once you're in your seats you can order a bento box and other snacks to go along with the evening's lively show. The drink menu extends as far as canned beer, chu-hai and bottled tea, sold at the kind of prices you'd expect at a baseball game. There are four 90-minute shows each night, in which the nubile staff take to the floor on giant robots, including everything from neon tanks and enormous female 'borgs to giant sushi boat floats and flashing daruma dolls fit with drum sets. When Time Out visited, the customers seemed a little too gob-smacked to know what to do at first, but by the end they were waving their glowsticks like hardened para-para dancers. Give it a chance, and you might find yourself doing the same thing too."

Before the show, staff wander around in circles with placards advertising for chicken, popcorn, beer. The efforts to sell anything they can is a bit incessant and would continue at every break. There are two breaks in the 90-minute show.
It became obvious that it was not going to be a full house. I would guess the place not even half full. Seating is cramped. There are only three rows of seats on each side, so you are guaranteed to be up close to the action. You can pay extra to sit in the front row, but my personal observation is it's probably not worth it. You can see plenty anywhere.
With my 500ml can of Asahi and seated next to the Brits, who were well pissed by this stage, the show began.
Be warned. I'm going to post a LOT of pics and videos.
Here's the first act.

 

[Justinf]

First impressions were the actors were very pretty/handsome, looked like they loved what they did and the choreography was brilliant.
Very cheesey and the Brit guys were laughing out loud at how bad they thought it was. But i was in the camp that is was super fun so far.



This guy was here to cause mayhem.



And cause mayhem he did.

YouTube

 

[Justinf]

It was loud and over the top, but everything was so close. You could make eye contact with the actors and they were happy to make eye contact with us punters and give us a wave or a wink.

YouTube

PHEW!
The end of the first act. Time for a toilet break and more trying to sell food and beer.

 

[Justinf]

 

[Justinf]

The end of the 2nd act. I couldn't work anything out except that there were battles between humans and robots.
I guess that's all you needed to know really.
Time for another toilet break and more beer.
They gave everyone a fluoro sabre thing.

 

[Justinf]

In the early stages of the third act it became obvious the humans won the battle and it was a celebration.
Yay us!

 

[Justinf]

 

[Justinf]

 

[Justinf]

And with the blink of an eye the show was over.
The Brit guys were laughing at it all which I found pretty disrespectful, but as one explained "it's so bad, it's good".
One of the 'benefits' you get from booking the early show is you get to have selfies with the robots and the actors. Of course, being a selfie junkie, I was in heaven.



So, the all-important verdict. Was it worth going?
Hell yes.
Suspend all preconceptions and leave your ego at the door.
It's cheesy, fake, over the top, at times laughable and totally corny.
But it is FANTASTIC. I had a ball.
It won't be for everyone, but I was really glad I went.

BY the time the show finished it was 5pm, so that meant beer o'clock, but to be honest I'd had a few at the show so I went to a bar called Roadhouse which is run by a Nepalese guy who has been living in Japan for many years.



After a few coldies, I decided it was time for some real Japanese food so I found an alleyway that had a few small restaurants and ordered this.



It was without doubt one of the best things I have ever eaten. I was in heaven.
I think it was soup curry. Yum.
Back to the room for sleep. I was still feeling a bit unwell.
20,520 steps today.

 

[cjd600]

Thank god, you're back at last, was wondering when you'd be going on holidays again!

 

[rbjhan]

Thank god, you're back at last, was wondering when you'd be going on holidays again!

That was tsukemen my friend...

 

[Justinf]

That was tsukemen my friend...

Thank you!
It was delicious.
Not being a foodie, I wasn't quite sure what it was given it was a very traditional Japanese place and I was the only gaijin there and there were no English or picture menus.
So now I know it was tsukemen

 

[rbjhan]

Thank you!
It was delicious.
Not being a foodie, I wasn't quite sure what it was given it was a very traditional Japanese place and I was the only gaijin there and there were no English or picture menus.
So now I know it was tsukemen

Rokurinsha is probably most famous for tsukemen, well of all the ones I've been anyways.
There is one in Tokyo Station Ramen Street, seeing you like tsukemen I recommend it.
Warning: queue is generally very long.