Pic of the Day - Omotesando

-john-

World Wide Ape Heads Show 1998

Whilst wondering around my local Book Off (a chain of second hand book/game/cd/dvd/manga stores here) I stumbled upon this copy of Smart magazine from 1998, complete with pictures from the Word Wide Ape Heads Shows in Akasaka, Tokyo and Harlem, NYC.










Needless to say, I must have the Ape Heads camo jacket they are wearing!!

-Yom

Life size Gundam is Gundamn!

As reported by John here, there has been a true-to-size Gundam in Shiokaze park, Odaiba since June to promote Green Tokyo.

As I was in Tokyo this weekend, I decided to go check it out in person.

It was awesome!








Unfortunately it is being taken down at the end of August and I don't know if it is being moved elsewhere. Hopefully it'll come to Nagoya.

There are also reports that they are building a life sized Gigantor in Kobe as well.

-Yom

True to Scale Gundam RX 78-2 Built in Japan

As if you need any other reason to go to Japan, Bandai Namco has just completed a 1:1 true to scale Gundam RX 78-2 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Gundam franchise. The model stands an epic 59 feet tall, and is the largest standing Gundam to ever be built.

Amazing. Couldn't even imagine seeing that in person.

Details are crazy.



And to get a little scope of how big this thing is just take a look at how tiny the people in the foreground look. About to height of a 6-story building.


"The statue will be free for viewing, but it will only stay up for two months. It was built with fiberglass-reinforced plastic over a steel frame so it can be disassembled later. The head unit moves and the body has 50 points that emit light. Mist can also shoot forth from 14 locations on the body. The park is just four trains stops from Tokyo Big Sight, the home of the Comic Market convention and the Gundam Big Expo convention that will be held from August 21 to August 23. Bandai Namco Group is still determining what to do with the statue after its allotted two months in the park are over."

The Gundam is on Odaiba island which is a small island right in Tokyo that basically is the future, or at least looks like it. Crazy buildings, arcades, museums, and parks comprise the island so the new Gundam attraction is very fitting.


To see what the plans looked like before they built it, check here. (pretty impressive)
For tons more pictures and the progress, check this guy's blog.



We out?


-john-

via Kanye

Entire Nike SB City Pack at MentalKicks

Released way back in 2003, when Nike SB was just starting to take over the sneaker scene, the original City Pack consists of 4 of the most coveted SBs (if not sneakers) to ever have been released. Now, some 6 years later, MentalKicks somehow has the entire pack together for sale in the same size (11 if you were wondering and have the dough).

From front to back: New York (Pigeons), Paris, Tokyo, and London. Each were exclusively released in their respective cities.


The sneakers originally released for close to MSRP, but with only 200 pairs of each in existence the market price on each pair is now somewhere between $1,000-5,000 and continues to rise each year.

No clue how they did it or how long they've been holding onto them but MentalKicks is now selling all 4 pairs in size 11 as a package deal for $10,000.

Breaks my heart that I fit size 11 and that this opportunity will most likely never be available again.


-john-


via mashkulture

Tokyo Trip

This week is Golden Week in Japan, which basically means almost everyone in the country is off work for 3 days. This also means that almost every goes somewhere for those 3 days.

We decided to go and visit my best mate who lives in Tokyo.

First night we had a BBQ and got completely wrecked. The next day we went to Harajuku which was the busiest I have ever seen it in my 10 years of visiting Japan.

Here are a few pics. Enjoy!


The view at one of the service stations we stopped at! Awesome!


No greasy spoon cafe's here


I spotted Mount Fuji at another service station stop


Waiting in Shinjuku


The BBQ gets underway


Beer and meat and some random Japanese Spirit. All you need for a good night.


Now we are cooking!


These were really nice, but my friend said they were the most disgusting thing he has ever tasted lol


Next day and Ramen was on the menu


The New Murakami'd LV store on Ometosando Dori, Harajuku


Awesome looking store


The NSW store on Neko Dori


The Adidas Originals store is 2 down


Harajuku crossing with the new H&M and Forever21 stores in the distance.


We couldnt get into H&M or Forever21 as they both had 3 hour queues!!


As I said, it was the busiest ive ever known it.


I always like to play "Spot the Star Trak Sticker" when ever im in Harajuku. This is a new one I found lol


Lots of people sent flowers to congratulate Carhartt on their new store opening, including Nigo, Stussy, Bounty Hunter and others.


A shot of the inside of the store


The LOVE statue in Shinjuku


Limited EDT 2 in Harajuku. I love this shop, I always want pretty much every shoe they have!


Burger King Terriyaki Whopper. Only in Tokyo so I had to have one. It was great :D


The Mode HAL School building. Great design.



-Yom

Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Store in Tokyo

As the collaborations and special releases continue from Louis Vuitton, there is now a new Takashi Murakami redesigned Omotesendo LV store in Tokyo






The Tokyo store was completely done over in Murakami designs, including a huge plush character as a center attraction. As you can see Murakami was there for the unveiling also.


-john-

via BBC/IC

SNEAKER TOKYO : The Past, Present and Future of Sneaker Culture in Tokyo

March 2004

Tokyo

Issue 1 of "SHOES MASTER" is published

Fast forward to 2009 and to celebrate the 5th Anniversary and their 10th Issue (SHOES MASTER is published twice a year) they have released a compilation book, containing the best and most talked about articles and interviews from the previous SHOES MASTER magazines.

Interviews with Hiroshi Fujiwara (Fragment), Hiroaki Shitano (Whiz), Shigeyuki Kunii (mita) and others are included, as well as features on many brands such as adidas, Converse, Reebok and VANS about what the future holds for the sneaker market.

The major bonus with the book is that it is in Japanese AND English, so sneaker heads from all over the world can enjoy it.

The book finishes with a list of the best and hottest Tokyo Sneaker stores, with a map to help you find them the next time you are in Tokyo.

Here are some scans from the book.

I will type up a transcript of the interview with Hiroshi Fujiwara later this week.

Enjoy.


















-Yom