JAPAN QUALITY:natto revolution

natto and natto donuts 

vending machine in Ikejiriohashi

JAPAN QUALITY: Irasshaimase by Jamaican Vibes

At Jamaican Fes in Yoyogi park.
Positive reggae vibes motivated him to pass on his energy with Edo spirit to his customers.

                                                                            by ken void

FISH FISH FISH WHO LOVES FISH

FISH CENTER

FISH FISH FISH WHO LOVES FISH?

Only 3 minutes from Ichigaya St --only a few stops from Shinjuku St by JR line--there is a big Aquarium pet shop with a fishing pond. Actually, you can see this shop from the JR train station.

I think this is a biggest Aquarium Pet Shop in the Tokyo area (maybe I’m wrong...) and you can see and buy those fishes, everything from fresh water fish, turtles,crabs to tropical fish and also reptiles, amphibia, waterweed etc.They sell everything you need to stock and maintain your aquarium. You don't have to buy anything there, and just having a look around can be a fun way to kill time, staring into the tanks full of bizarre underwater faces.

And even outside you can see cheap and small gold fishes and some type of plants while you are bitten by mosquitoes. I speak from experience. Also, around the fishing pond area, if you pay around 700 yen per hour (a bit expensive) you can fish for carps and gold fishes which you can admire and pat yourself on the back for catching, but can’t take home with you. Furthermore, you might enjoy seeing some desperate Japanese business workers with depressing face who are killing time or goofing off on the job during the afternoon on weekdays.You might even see me included in them? Who knows.

DIRECTION

※SNAPSHOT and save these photos in your picture box※

Jr Ichigaya ST

Make left at the gate and left again

down this street

cross at a traffic light to right

will see this sign board

This is the entrance

                                                                                        by ken void

SARATOGA

"SARATOGA" is an instrumental electro/trance/psychedelic punk dance band formed by the 3 piece combo of Didgeridoo, Drum and Synthesizer.

They are usually invited to outdoor events like FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, TOYOTA ROCK FESTIVAL and DANCE MUSIC FUKUSHIMA! while also playing at small clubs and venues in cities. When they played at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL in 2012 at NAEBA SHOKUDO, a stage near the food area, their catchy dance music sparked a bunch of people from the food area to start gathering, making a big crowd, dancing and forming a mosh pit. It was a big moment to show for them how much SARATOGA has refined their sense of music and strong impact with good dance vibes and punk attitudes. Their didgeridoo player is from KOORIYAMA in FUKUSHIMA, a city damaged by the massive earthquake of 2011 and ongoing issues with the nearby nuclear power plant. They are not a politically minded  band, but they are trying to make the situation in FUKUSHIMA  better and organize events sometime.

They have released few albums so far, but this kind of band is definitely made for live music, especially festivals like outside with nature will be super trippy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDIz8jkbBHU

https://soundcloud.com/saratoga-jp

http://saratoga-jp.com/

(in Japanese)

JAPAN QUALITY: Frozen Mousse

A stroll down the aisles of one of Tokyo's many convenience stores will rarely fail to deliver an unusual treat to sample.

Name: Mousse.  It is in the frozen food aisle so it is clearly frozen.

Flavour:   I am not sure but there's a picture of a white jelly that resembles a blancmange.   The girls's in the office inform me that it is milk flavoured.  Milk Mousse?

Appearance:  Packaged in what appears to be a toothpaste tube.

Taste:  Ripping off the top and squeezing out the "mousse" I am given the impression of some kind of carpenters putty.  It's soft and hard at the same time which maybe just due to the fact that it's 29 degrees outside.   In the mouth it feels like a cross between toothpaste and plasticine and not in a good way. It's not very milky or creamy as you would imagine something milky to be.  Just sweet.

Overall impression:  A child has added a load of sugar into a glass of skimmed milk along with a healthy squeeze of superglue and decanted it into an old tooth paste tube.

Buy Again?  No.  It doesn't taste of anything really and the texture is wrong.

                                                                                                                 text by simon void

PICK UP EVENT SCHEDULE OF YOYOGI PARK(ALL ENTRANCE FREE)

PICK UP EVENT SCHEDULE OF YOYOGI PARK(ALL FREE ENTRANCE)

SAT June 21

SUN June 22 

ONE LOVE JAMAICAN FESTIVAL

http://www.onelovejamaicafestival.jp/ja

SAT June 28

SUN June 29

The 3rd World Gourmet and Music Festa In Yoyogi Park 

http://www.wmiba.com/wgmf/

SAT July 5
SUN July 6

earth garden"SUMMER"festival for future

http://www.earth-garden.jp/

SAT July 12
SUN July 13

OCEAN PEOPLES

http://oceanpeoples.com/

SAT July 20
SUN July 21

BRAZILIAN FESTIVAL

http://www.festivalbrasil.jp/

JAPAN QUALITY :phyche pyramid performer

                                                                                                                   by ken void

LAF

〔CLOTHING/LEATHER BRAND〕

Clothing Brand "LAF" is based in IIDA city in Nagano prefecture that makes leather products like wallets, bags, belts, small goods like coin cases and a clothing line. They use rare horse leather "Cordovan" with modern design to make wallets with storng policy, high skill and sence.

2 words of "Laugh" and "Rough" is the root of the name of "LAF" and thier brand concept is "Life Style Garment" based on American Vintage style to make good quality and useful products.
Now they are straining  to make new cordovan leather line with new design and pattern which will be very original new style.  

on line shop http://laykoya.com/laf

http://laf.jp/

Cordovan Wallet / BLACK

Cordovan Wallet / NATURAL

Cordovan Stash Case

Nylonjacket / brass button

Leather dog lead

Leather dog coller

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               text by ken void

Bancho - Caipirinhas and Brazilian meat in Sangenjaya

Bancho - Caipirinhas and Brazilian meat in Sangenjaya


I stumbled across Bancho one evening whilst wandering around the warren of alleys that run between the 246 and Setagaya dori close to Sangenjaya station.   I was lured to Bancho by the delicious aromas of grilling meat filling the air.  At the front of the shop I was greeted by the magnificent sight of huge chunks do meat being spit roasted over red hot coals.  That was enough. I needed to try this immediately.  However it was not to be.  Most of the many bars, izakaya and noodle shops in this area are tiny, seating no more than 20 people and Bancho is no exception.  It consists of one long counter and one table seating 8 at the back and  this time it was full.  It took several attempts to actually be able to get in but the wait only built up anticipation and I was not disappointed.  The menu isn't huge with a few salads, some pastels ( a bit like a samosa), feijoada, the obligatory pizza and most importantly about 10 different kinds of churrasco.  I had never tried churrasco before  and was hooked instantly.     The manager Fuji-San cooks huge chunks of various cuts of meat on his specially imported churrasco machine.  There's spicy steak, garlic steak, delicious sausages, chicken, hearts,  pork and more.  All of it completely delicious.   Simply place your order and Fuji San will bring the huge skewer of meat to you and slice of a thick piece of meat onto your wooden plate before returning it to the grill.   The various cuts of meat range from 250 yen for a very generous slice of meaty goodness.   There are however two dilemmas when coming to Bancho, firstly knowing when to stop ordering and knowing what to drink.  Fuji San mixes a mean caipirinha along with some other delicious Brazilian cocktails, the beer is cold and the wine extremely quaffable.   That first visit and every other time since I have left  stuffed to the gunnels  and quite drunk.   Bancho has become a firm favorite and I often go back for a meat fix.   They do a great all you can eat and all you drink deal for ¥4500.    I'd recommend meat lovers to get over to Bancho and feast on the delicious Churasco.  


They must be doing something right as there is now a Bancho 2 just around the corner from the original and a recently opened Bancho 3 in maruyamacho in Shibuya.


P.S.  Ordered the barbecued pineapple with cinnamon, it's a revelation.
            

                                                                     

                                                                       

                                                                                                          text by simon void

DISC UNION

DISC UNION SHINJUKU USED STORE

[record store]

DISC UNION is the best and biggest chain store for used CDs and Vinyl of any kind of music in Japan.   Branches are scattered throughout the city and can be found in all the major hubs.  The Shinjuku store specializes in used CDs and Vinyl  of 70'/80'/90' Rock,Punk,Garage,HM/HR,Jazz,Latin,Club music and any other kind of music beside Classical music.  They also have book store where you can find a bunch of Japanese books related to music.



 In Shinjuku, there are also disc unions specialising in Jazz, Punk, soul blues, classical music.  The main branch has  7 floors of Used and New Rock/Progressive/Latn/Brazil/Indie/Alternative Cds and Vinyl.

It's very easy to spend an entire day searching out rare, valuable or long forgotten CDs from your favorite bands or artists.  Even just to look around must be fun. 

http://diskunion.net/shop/ct/shinjuku_used

〒160-0022　
            Shijuku Ku Shinjuku 3-17-5　kawase bulding 3F
TEL：03-5367-9530
open
11:00～21:00 mon to sat
            (11:00～20:00 sun,national holidays)

DIRECTION

※SNAPSHOT and save these photos in your picture box※

Shinjuku St East Exit

after the gate go left hand side

and cross at a traffic light to other side of main street

you will see this building called "STUDIO ALTA" at the left side

and keep going straight while you see "STUDIO ALTA" at the left side

and will see "ABC MART" at the left side 

about 20m after "ABC MART" you will see "MIZUHO BANK"

shop is in same building as "MIZUHO BANK" on 3rd floot

(classic music and audio equipment on 8th floor)

 

entrance of the bulding

elevator

entrance of store

                                                                                                                                     text by ken void