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My
final installment of the Japan Travelogue.
Scroll
way down for a complete list of my travelogues, assembled for your
reading pleasure. ;P
It's
been a long time comin'.
December
26, 2000:
I woke
up this morning and got ready to go out as I have been doing for
the past several days here in Akasaka. Today is December 26th. It's
the day after my lonely Christmas in a foreign country, it's also
the day before I'm leaving for Japan bound for California -- home.
But more importantly, it's the day of the Luna Sea concert. This
is the day that I've waited over 8 years for. And never in those
8 years would I have thought that I would be here to see them in
concert. Live. In Japan. Their finale. Me.
the
inside of the tokyo dome is really nice with lots of glass and lots
of lights - here i am snapping a pic of the sign before i got seated.
When
you sit back and think of the amazing things that took place in
your life and the things you want to witness, accomplish,
see and partake upon, there are always things that make you shake
your head in disbelief because they will never, ever happen. And
you know it. But to me, it's really finally happening. And it's
even better than falling in love. Words cannot express what I feel
today. What goes on in my mind, my heart, my soul.
Many
people don't share the same enthusiasm for this band as I do but
think of your ultimate favorite musician, band, idol, movie star,
celebrity, artist, mentor and if you knew you would be seeing them
tonight, you'd feel the way I am feeling now. It seems to be a dream
yet I know it's not. Me and 50,000 other people will be there tonight,
enjoying the first of their two final concerts in Tokyo before they
are no more. It saddens me to know they will be disbanding after
this because they will no longer be making the music that I love.
Music that I've associated to so many people, so many emotions,
so many events in my life. But all good things must come to an end,
including this trip. And I can't think of a better way to end it
than like this.
Not
wanting to drain myself today, I caught the train to Ikebukuro to
spend one final day in the stores there. There are other places
that I didn't get a chance to see during the trip but I could feel
my health waning and needed someplace familiar -- someplace that
wouldn't require stress. So I took shelter in the giant department
stores there browsing to my hearts delight. Seibu. That's the only
place I needed to go today.
Once
again, I plunged myself into the world of Japanese goods, gazing
and looking at all the lovely products in the food section. There's
something about being in the underground food levels that makes
you feel like you know what it's like to live here. A certain vibe
gets transmitted from other shoppers who are there purchasing groceries
and edibles for their meals. I made sure I took in all the sights
of the prepared foods - salads, bentos, tempura, agemono, nimono,
desserts in every shape and form with all their deliciousness out
in full display. Breads, foreign delicacies, local creations, specialties
that customers rather buy than make. People all indulging into their
food fantasies. The prices however brings you right back to reality.
The
New Year is only a few days away and many people are out there working
hard, shopping hard and scurrying about to get things prepared for
it and the days of rest ahead. Unfortunately, I will not be here
to ring in the New Year but I'm sure there will be other opportunities
to do in the future. One can always hope.
I headed
upstairs to walk around the clothing areas, the accessory departments
and weaved my way through the multiple buildings that are linked
one to another. You don't even realize that you've gone from one
building to the next because they are so close together. I wanted
to look at the bookstore today and I wanted to look at the neat
calendars that are held in those cd rom cases that you can make
stand upright on a flat surface. Calendars are everywhere and so
many to choose from. Everything is adorable but I couldn't settle
on one. I often wonder why we don't have the same types to choose
from back home.
The
Asahiya (? sorry it's been too long now) bookstore is on the upper
levels of the depaato. They always have a good selection
of English books and art books to look at. One thing I am always
amazed at is how the Japanese culture makes an effort to keep their
people abreast on everything else that is going on in the world
- art, cinema, fashion, music, literature, science etc etc. -- thereby
making sure everyone is up to date with everything and never behind.
And it's precisely this reason that going to Japanese bookstores
are so engrossing because they carry published matter in every topic
that you can think of. Nothing quite beats the picturesque coffee
table books on art though. And it really puts our bookstores here
in the US to shame. Most evident are books with full colored pictures
never skimping on quality or quantity. You don't even need to know
how to read Japanese to gaze in awe at the books that they offer.
And yes, they cost a pretty yen also.
I didn't
have anything to buy today as my money is running low after surviving
here alone for a few weeks. Besides, I'm sure I am going to buy
something tonight at the concert. I went to the dining levels to
find a place to eat because it was well past my lunch time. I did
find a small eatery that offered omelette rice and that's what I
settled on having. After spending some time here, I've finally grown
comfortable enough to speak some Japanese without hesitation --
something very hard for Americans to do who aren't as well versed
in multiple languages. But I feel good enough to do so without embarassment.
Afterall, if you're not going to try, you're never going to get
the hang of it. I noticed that most people in Japan are very open
and receptive to your efforts in trying to speak their language.
It's almost appreciative in return as they try to make sense of
the jumbled mess coming out of your mouth. I always try to let people
know that I'm not a native speaker so they won't have any preconceived
notions based on my outer appearance.
After
my meal, I decided to hop back onto the train heading back to the
hotel to get some rest before the concert and to begin some light
packing as I doubt I would have any energy to do so tonight after
the concert.
Around
4:30pm, I started my walk to the Yotsuya Station from the hotel.
The train station is only about 10 minutes walk from there but it
was already getting chilly and windy. I clutched my wool jacket
closer to me as I walked along the tree-lined streets of the New
Otani Hotel passing all the hot drink vending machines that I'll
probably purchase from later on tonight. From the Yotsuya Station,
it's only a very short ride to the Suidobashi Station where the
Tokyo Dome is at. Perhaps only 2-3 stops in between? But once I
alighted from the train at Suidobashi, it was an amazing spectacle.
The train station was packed with concert goers, ticket scalpers,
fans done up in full garb and I have never seen so many Luna Sea
fans in my life! The Tokyo Dome is right next to the station and
only requires you to walk up this overhead pass but just trying
to get out of the station itself was a chore. Scalpers grabbed your
arm to see if you're interested in their tickets, people were outside
selling unoffical concert goods, but it was the sight that I saw
right outside the Tokyo Dome entrance that amazed me. Large groups
of Slaves (Luna Sea fanclub members) congregated in groups with
their magenta colored hair, black goth teased hair in long tresses,
black lips and eyes, black lace, leather, women dressing as their
favorite Luna Sea member, men dressing up as well. But the real
shock was the amount of elderly housewives in the 50's who were
there(!).
the
original ticket, priced at 7,350 Yen but i got it for 14,000 Yen.
yay me. ;P i was actually willing to pay up to 30,000 Yen for one.
haha. nuts!
It
was unbelievable. I was there. Yes, alone but there. I hung around
outside looking at the people and trying to capture the whole vibe
of the place via osmosis. I regretted not dressing up more for fun
but I guess I had to make do with what my suitcase offered. After
lingering outside for about 30 minutes, I found the right entrance
for my seat and went in. They had a very tight security check once
inside but I brought only my wallet and a small camera with me in
my coat pocket so no one stopped me. With my ticket in hand, I think
I felt like Charlie with his Golden Willy Wonka ticket. I made out
what I could on the ticket and found the correct area where I'm
seated. Most people have problems looking for their seats in big
concert halls, imagine what it's like when everything is in Japanese?
Unlike
concerts in America, the stands inside the concert hall itself all
sell the same products. One stand after another -- they are all
the same. Which is kind of good since you didn't need to waste your
time hunting for stuff that you liked. I stood at one stand for
the longest time deciding on what to buy, not being able to decide
on what I could fit into my suitcase and what I really needed or
didn't need for that matter. But when I finally stepped up to the
stand, I couldn't control my mouth - it started ordering all these
items I didn't plan on getting. Ah, but it's their final concert
I justified to myself. :) I ended up with a large towel, a small
towel, a neck strap (which I will never use), a concert book, a
poster and a bag. What I really really really
wanted was a tshirt but they only sold up to a size Medium (!).
*frown* That just about limited tshirts to only small women or very
thin men.
Figuring
I shouldn't waste time, I went to the restroom and found a long
line. The management somehow closed a men's room for women to use.
Ah, very interesting. And to make a long story short, it was yet
another squatting experience. But I didn't wet my pants this time.
Finally,
I went to the area where I was sitting. They had a person at each
level making sure people were going in with the right tickets. I
handed my ticket to the guy and asked him to take a picture of me
in English. Why I didn't ask him in Japanese was beyond me but I
scared the guy who took off running with my camera to another colleague
who snapped my pic. When they handed the camera to me, I thanked
them in Japanese which left them both laughing. *shrug* Oops.
I settled
into my rather small and tight seat. If my hips were any larger,
I would have been wedged in there all night. On the right side of
me, were two guys and in front of me was one tall guy -- probably
the tallest guy I've seen in Japan so far. ;P Just my luck. And
on the left side, it was still empty. I put my goods under the chair
and took out my small Canon Elph. I HAD to snap a pic of the concert
hall and where my seat was in relation to the stage. It's really
going to be the only time in my life. I snapped twp pics before
someone came to ask me to put the camera away. Oops. Again. Ah,
who cares, I got two shots and that's enough. :)
one
of the two pics I got "warned" for. but this gives you
an idea of where i was sitting inside the dome. the seats aren't
too bad and the stage is to the left with a long runway down the
center floor. gah, look at them nosebleed sections way up there!
The
Tokyo Dome. It's huge. I assume it's like Staples Center, although
I've never been there before. And although my seats weren't super
duper close, they were pretty good considering they cost me around
$140 USD for them. But there I was. And I still couldn't believe
it. It all seemed too amazing to be true.
The
concert finally began at 6:30pm. And then there they were. Those
5 guys. Those same 5 guys I've seen only on video. Heard on on cds.
Gazed at in magazines. Wondering what it would be like to see them
live. Flesh and blood. There they were. I stood up with the rest
of the people cheering them on...the noise became deafening.
And
then they began to play.
And
at that moment it's as if I turned into liquid, fusing into the
scene, blurring into the moment. Nothing can ever take that moment
away from me. It will forever be embedded in my mind and my heart.
I can't
put down in words how the concert went but during the next 3 hours,
I sang along to every song -- new and old. I stood there in a tight
cramped space with other people who shared my passion. A girl finally
showed up alone on my left side after the first few songs. And during
an intermission, she asked me in Japanese who I liked the best out
of all the members, I answered "Ryuichi" and she smiled
and nodded in agreement. She told me she came from Yokohama for
the concert and I told her I came from Los Angeles. "You must
be a big fan," she exclaimed.
Yes,
I believe I am.
Although
I had to look at the huge monitor screen during most of the concert
to see what they looked like up close, it didn't matter to me because
I was there. Towards the end of the concert, they asked all of us
to hold hands to the person next to us and on a count of three to
jump up altogether. Many of us cried as they said their parting
words, including me. They tossed their water bottles, drum sticks,
and other goods into the crowds. As they began departing the stage,
they started to cry as they said their final goodbyes, perhaps knowing
that this is the end - the last time they will ever be like this
with this crowd, here in Tokyo.
a final picture for the night as we were all leaving
the dome after the concert.
As
the concert ended, I couldn't believe that it was all over. Just
like that. I found an official goods stand outside of the Dome and
found a nice tshirt in a Large size. In Japan, the don't say Large,
they call it L size or M size or S size.....just the letter, not
the word. The masses lumbered towards the Suidobashi station again,
as most of the concert goers used that means of transportation also.
But it was chaos, the crowds pushed and shoved. No work hour rush
could have rivaled what I went through that night. It was a sea
of heads trying to get to the machine to purchase train tickets
and then through the gates. And once inside the train, I don't think
I've ever felt so many body parts against my body in my entire life.
And
in that moment on the train, crammed alongside many of the other
concert goers, I realized that no one had a clue that amongst them
was this single girl who came all the way from Los Angeles to see
her favorite band live. That this girl lived one of her dreams tonight.
That she traveled so many miles, so many days, to be here at that
concert and on this train.
A train
heading for homeward bound.
:::
:::
I actually
do have one more installment to the Japan trip but it's all too
similar to my other days there and don't feel it's necessary to
write about it.
But
here's a complete list of my days in Japan in consecutive
order with their respective links from my journal. I will
eventually put them all somewhere in another section on the site....someday.
Some entries are divided into two parts, as denoted below:
I'm
out. Whew.
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