Badaud Dispatch 4---Fool's Luck

I just need to say that I rode from Shinjuku to Hiyoshi the other day on my wonderful new mamachari (tanker) bike with limited maps and exceptionally limited sense of direction AND MADE IT. On time for a meeting. And got sushi on the way. I don't often feel like a boss, but given Japan's lack of street names, my lack of Japanese, and clouds obscuring the sun's position, I FEEL LIKE A BOSS.

This is my mamachari. Isn't she perfect?

Indestructible, suckaaaaas

I bought it on Sunday and rode it to a music festival (more on that in a minute) and, not wanting to ride 20 km in the dark by myself with no maps, I left it behind to pick up when I had time. I was going to lock it to a pole in front of the police station, but was informed by helpful expatriates that it would get impounded at once. I considered leaving it in a (beautifully designed) designated bike trough, but apparently there is an army of semi retired men who lurk in the shrubbery and impound any bike left for over 24 hours. So, again following the Helpful Expatriates' advice, I took it to the closest approximation of a dark alley that Tokyo can produce and locked it to a downspout behind a vending machine (upon day lit inspection the downspout turned out to be a VINE). 

And no one stole it. 

And today I spent several happy hours putzing around the canals and narrow streets and talking to the crows and making friends with local cats. People gave me weird looks-- I think aimless roving is not really a thing here, and neither are dazed westerners on mamacharis. I somehow only got lost a couple of times. I may complain about Tokyo's lack of magic, but I've had really astonishing luck with directions. Maybe what magic there is only works for navigation. 

How I love the canals

So. Music festival. One of our professors puts on MoshiMoshi Nippon Festival with the stated purpose of introducing Japanese pop culture to the rest of the world. So it was music, fashion and food, although the latter was crepes and fried chicken so I guess that didn't quite work out. 

There were robots. Really wrecked robots.

Now, disclaimer, I neither seek out nor particularly like pop and techno, so take the following lightly. 

This guy did not take it lightly

They had girl bands alternating with fashion shows. Girl bands are extremely catchy, well choreographed, and, to my ears somewhat monotonous. Apparently they are all in their early teens and have well crafted public personas. 

The fashion show models were of varying body types and seemed to be having a great time.

Even the guys

The fashion itself was brightly colored and pleasantly goofy. 

Later, when the headliner finally made an appearance, I did find myself dancing (and thinking 'If you told me a year ago I'd be voluntarily dancing all kawaii-like at a J-pop show on a Sunday afternoon , I would have laughed in your face). Her name is Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and here is a video. 

Yeah.

Apparently she is Japan's Lady Gaga. She is extremely popular. 

I think if I'm gonna stay grounded in this utterly baffling country I need to spend as much time as I can outside, by the rivers and canals and mountains and trees and real things.  There are some things I really miss about my dear, chaotic, grubby, open-hearted city. 

I'll just keep trusting in my own good luck and keeping more or less parallel with the trains. Its been working well so far.

AND! The other day I met a lady on the train (she seemed concerned about a bunch of lost foreigners going to the beach on a fairly chilly day) and she managed to hook me up with a volunteer run language center that I signed up for this morning and it's amazing. Lovely retirees sit down with you and gently correct your grammar and teach you new words. So yes, good luck is definitely related to trains. 

-Isis