Installment 16: Kodansha & Tonkatsu

Installment 16: Kodansha & Tonkatsu

Odakyu, Keio and Seibu
Because Jos and I didn't have to be at Kodansha until 2pm, we decided to eat first and then stick around the vicinity. Our mission was to also find costumes for the Halloween party and find out about the limo bus to the airport. We ate at a small restaurant in baba (Takadanobaba) and then we headed off to Shinjuku to look for airport bus information.

After a while and asking for directions, we finally found it. We bought our tickets in advance and went into the department stores: Odakyu and Keio. We bought Shu Uemura face products and body spray. We also went to Seibu department store. There was food everywhere. OMG the onigiri (rice ball) was massive and they had different types of sushi, croquettes (deep fried potato with meat and various types of fillings)...basically food heaven. Jos and I basically bought a little of various items and the food was so tasty! Jos said this was such a good merienda, we should do it the next day too.

Jos also bought oranges on our way to Kodansha for my throat. Did I tell you I am sick?...yet again. After the typhoon, I've been under the weather, but trying to fight it.

Kodansha
Jos and I arrived at Kodansha early, just to be on the safe side. I took us to the wrong entrance, but the security man helped us find the right one. The receptionist already knew I was coming and said that Ms. Kubo would come down to meet us. She gave us guest badges and we waited in the seating area. I was really excited and Jos could tell. Ms. Kubo arrived and she gave me the company profile and a manga (japanese comic) catalogue. She gave us her business card and Josie gave her card and then I remembered that the darn typhoon wet my remaining business cards. I gave my somewhat damp card to her and apologized profusely for it's condition. (I apologized a lot about my card..I had to give my card...if Josie gave hers, how bad would it be if I didn't..seeing as how I was the one who was there for the appointment)

Ms. Kubo told us that Ms. Tomoko Suga would be coming down to meet us as well. Ms. Kubo is above 50 years of age and very friendly and kind. Ms. Suga looks pretty young and has a British accent. The latter was really business-like and well, I'll tell you more about it later. As we went up the elevator, they informed us that we would be visiting the editing department and we had a meeting with...THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF SHONEN WEEKLY MAGAZINE! Holy jebus....I was shocked! Editor-in-Chief....I inwardly panicked. I didn't have a lot of good questions to ask, but thank goodness Josie did. Ms. Suga told us that it the Editor-in-Chief, Hiroaki Morita, doesn't usually have meetings like this and asked what I wanted to know specifically. She translated all of our questions to him T___T She was a bit intimidating, but overall they were all nice to us. He showed us drafts and explained what editors do, as well as the history of Shonen Weekly Magazine. I'll tell you more about that meeting in person.

After the meeting was done, Ms. Suga went back to work and Ms. Kubo continued our tour. She showed us the library and the vault downstairs that has everything they have published. Ms. Kubo was extremely nice. We wanted to take her out for coffee, but she told us their cafeteria could only pay by card, so she treated us. I would really like to send them a thank you email.

Arcade Addict
We called Mellers afterwards to find out about dinner plans. She told us to come back home for 7pm. So Jos and I thought we might have time to buy costumes. We went to Ikebukuro, intending to avoid Sunshine City b/c we wanted to shop there with Mellers. We found ourselves there anyway. I found an arcade....and you know what that means right? For those of you who don't know, I am a self proclaimed claw game (ufo catcher) addict. I can't stay away from them...it's worse than a gambling addiction. So Jos went to look for costumes and I played the claw games. Jos had said she wanted a pillow...well I won two soft pink ones with cute bunnies on it. I also won...A DIGITAL CAMERA!! Well it's not one of those highly expensive ones, but a digi camera nonetheless. Jos was shocked when she came back! I only spent like $12.00 to get all three...then I spent $18 more trying to get other cute stuff, I'm such an addict. Jos had to get me away from there. Jos had bought our costumes...a halo and wings for me and a cat headband, bowtie, tail and leopard nose for herself.

Tonkatsu
We got home with all of our purvchases and called Mellers. She was still at the U.S. military base, so she told us to call Eugene for dinner and she would meet us later. We called up Eugene and went with him to buy his friend a gift. Unfortunately, the bookstore was closed. We went to Shibuya, so Eugene asked us what we wanted to eat. We said anything. He took us to a tonkatsu (fried, breaded pork) specialty restaurant. On our way there, we saw so many hosts! Holy jebus! Male hosts basically work at a club and fulfill the needs and desires of women ahahhaha. They tell you you're pretty and they romance their costumers. They were easy to spot in their ironed suits and the complex hairstyles. They must spend hours on their hair! Jos and I couldn't help laughing and she managed to take a picture.

We found the restaurant and ate some superyummy food. Wow. Tonkatsu was amazing and the potato/tuna salad was really good. The dessert was like a tofu pudding and it was sweet. Our dinner was delicious. After that, we met up with Mellers at Don Quixote (sp?) a store that sells everything including halloween costumes. I wanted to buy an evil kitty costume, but it was apparently for men, not women?!?! We also met Mellers friend Craig. He was dragging a big luggage with him, which contained all the purchases from the base.

Craig and their other friend went to eat. I told Mellers about my winnings at the arcade and then we saw another one. She told Craig to meet us at the arcade. I went crazy yet again... This time I won a cute little bunny and...AN MP3 player! MUAHAHAHHAHA. We also took some hilarious sticker pictures of Mellers, Eugene, Josie and me. They are seriously classic!

Craig came back and we went to baba for karaoke. Craig was tired, so he went home. We went to karaoke with Eugene, Mellers and their friend George. He's part American so we kept cracking jokes...he started it! While we were waiting for our Karaoke room, the luggage started to leak! The drinks had busted open and two were spraying. George and Eugene ended up spraying each other and I got out of the way. Our karaoke room was on the 7th floor. There are a lot of karaoke rooms at that place! We ordered a party platter and drinks. We also brought in some alcohol too, but we hid it under the table. Karaoke was fun. We sang in different languages. We got home past 3 a.m.

-Sam
p.s. I took Jos to Matsuya a day or two ago. I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but it's kind of a cross of fast food and home cooking and supercheap! I like the food there.