I've come because Rupert Bottenberg from our group is holding an En Masse collaborative project where some of the Canadian artists from our group and other Tokyo based artists are working on a series of canvases. Everyone is supposed to take a graffiti approach to the work and fill as much as they want of one of the four canvases set up in the small room that Rupert has reserved for three days of work.
When I arrive a number of local artists (some Japanese, other expats) are working and the canvases are a little more than half filled. Three of the Canadian girls traveling with us, Kim, Wai and Julie, who release their own manga as part of the Love Love Hill collective, have already done some work on the canvases and will come back later in order to help complete the canvas.
It's nice to spend some time observing the creative process. As a non creative type it's fun watching the artists bring their imaginations to life.
I will revisit the gallery again tomorrow to see the paintings when they are finished. I'm sort of an unofficial photographer or the group (what with my new camera) so I want to record as much of the process as possible. (Photos to be posted later as they are all on my digital camera.)
After leaving the Design Gallery I walked down Omote-Sando as the dusk turned to night. This was an ideal time to take photos of the really incredible buildings and stores that line the street. Buildings like Prada, Tod's, and Dior all provide unique sights that make this the new street to shop on.
(Pictures to come later)
I got a call from Chris telling me that a bunch of people had gone to the Nakano Broadway store to shop so I headed over to meet them. Nakano Broadway, just West of Shinjuku, is an old mall (seems like it was built in the 60s) which has been divided into small stores each catering to a particular interest in anime or manga. Fan of old classic manga from the 50s? There's a mini store for you. Looking for a rare animation cell from our favorite movie? Another store. And so on. It can be vey confusing but I focus on a store that actually appears to carry some North. American and European comics.
After spending some time in the shops I meet up with the group at a local Indian restaurant. They've already eaten and I can't justify not eating Japanese at any point during this trip. Still I do try some of the Naan as well as some of the leftover curry. It's pretty good.
Instead, I head over to the Takadanobaba area for some Miso Ramen. I vaguely know where the restaurant I'm looking for (Sapporo Junren) is. When I suddenly encounter a line up of salarymen lined up at a small counter restaurant I know I've reached the place.
The miso ramen is more oily than I'm used to and the pork that I've ordered is a little too fatty but the salty miso flavor is very good and the noodles are excellent. As this is a reasonably well known Ramen restaurant the people around me are all experienced Ramen eaters and they are slurping up a storm. The more noise they make while eating is actually a good thing. Unfortunately the guy next to me seems to think that this is a competition. Oh we'll, when in Tokyo. Anyway I do my best to keep up.
On my way back to the JR station I take some photos of two large Tezuka murals done to commemorate the fact that Astro Boy (Japan's greatest hero) was created (in the comics) in Takadanobaba.
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