japan '06 diary



	Japan Trip 2006 photo diary For the third February in a row, Greg and I took the 13.5 hour flight from Chicago to Tokyo in order to attend the big model show WONDERFESTIVAL. Last year, the show had 1500 dealers and over 36,000 people attending. I can easily believe the numbers went up this year. The show had a Gamera theme, as Kadokawa was publicizing their new Gamera movie, due out this spring. Of course, a trip to Japan is much more than just resin monster models; it's a chance to catch up with friends, see the country and enjoy a lot of excellent food. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful friends in Japan for their generous hospitality. After all the shopping and eating and sightseeing, it's their friendship that stays with us. Domo arigato gozaimashita. Most of the photos presented here are mine, but some were taken by Ed and some by Greg. Thursday, February 16, 2006: Tokyo A shot of Terminal 1 at Narita airport. Looks like...an airport... Friday, February 17, 2006: Tokyo The view out of my Hotel window. Gotanda station is in the foreground. I do what I'm told. The workshop at Hiruma Model Craft. Mr. Hiruma was kind enough to give us a tour. Hiruma Model Craft made miniatures for some of the Toho films, as well as various TV series and commercials. A spacecraft used in a TV commercial. A model of the exterior of Toho's Stage #6, where many of the special effect sequences were filmed. An amazing model of a 1950's newstand. Hiruma san is a big Marilyn Monroe fan, and every magazine cover features her. Detail of the model. Another detail shot. Hiruma san and a prized gift. I can't wait to see how he builds it up. Shibuya at night. Gotanda at night. Inside of a great restaurant in the Shimo Kitazawa area. Seared saba...aaahh.. Saturday, February 18, 2006: Tokyo The day begins with packing up Markalite kits on the hotel bed. We will be bringing them to the convention center later in the afternoon. What day in Tokyo would be complete without a visit to Ochanomizu station and some serious train watching? We arrive at Tokyo Big Site for the dealer set up. I'm vainly trying to glue together Jiger parts for the display. After the setup, we went to the Shinagaw Prince Hotel for the Galaxy Express 999 ride. These guys admonished us before entering. Maybe they were warning us that we were going on a really violent roller coaster ride INSIDE a hotel. I wish I had a clue before getting on... I wonder what the inauthentic show is like... After all this, there's nothing better than...more food. Sunday, February 19, 2006: Tokyo (Wonderfestival) It's 6:30 in the morning. Mr. Ed is pleased about the security situation. Getting to the show so early allows to to get some good shots of the Gamera exhibit. Here's the view looking down at the atrium. It's touching to see the concern I feel for the full-sized juvenile Gamera prop. But Gamera is only sleeping...isn't that right, children? The actual Gamera suit and two bozos. Close up of the suit. Soldier Legion head. Not the actual prop, but a replica. Adult Irys head. Again, it's a replica...but I wouldn't mind having one in my dining room. 1 meter tall Soldier Legion prop. In addition to the props display, Kadokawa sponsered a modeling contest (or "Molding Contest" as written in Engrish). Here are my 3 entries. No, I didn't win, but it was cool being part of the display. The winner was Shinzen's Gamera skeleton. This tiny entry in the contest was only about 2 cm tall. Figures based off of early designs for the film's monsters. The masses await entry... Proud parent with some of his children. My Markalite faces off with Shibata san's Gigan. Behind the scenes at the Resin Chef Team Ukeke booth. Fantastic job on the Resin Chef Team Ukeke Gigan by TIKI. The visor is a custom made vacuform item. Monster Maker 28's fantastic 30 cm 1974 Godzilla. And their equally impressive GMK Godzilla. Papercraft SF3D/MaK figure. Not sure what to call this, but it looked cool. I liked this as well. Nice shoes. Kaibutsiya Gailah and Sanda busts. Image Guiron. Comes with Gyaos body parts. Image Varan. OK, one of these came home with me. There was nothing I could do. Close up of the Varan. The spines are cast in clear resin. Image promotes exercise with this kit. Mad Modeler Atsushi Asai with his latest masterpiece: 1956 Rodan. Another view. There was the semi-annual meeting of the Warrior Nuns. These guys clean escalator railings on weekdays. T's Facto's Godzilla vs Biollante. Nice touch with the rose petals. T's Godzilla and Gigan on a cool diorama base. Gigan looms. A Comet Empire Battleship, from Ndopara. Also from Ndopara, a beautiful 1/1600 Arcadia. Eagle Craft's Baragon, with lighted clear horn. Daimos fantastic Sanda sculpt. Perfect companion to the Gailah they did last year. Close up. Sanda will be holding a tugboat, ready to smash down on Gailah. An Ultramonster in a cool setting. Modified SF3D/Mak Krote. Yamakawa's Sanda and Gailah in a diorama setting. Yamakawa's Godzilla '64 and plaque. MRD had the prototype of this MESSAGE FROM SPACE battleship. They also had this very nice Gohten. A unique item...a Guiron skull. A display of Gamera babies, all suffering from various afflictions. Please end this sensless pain... VS C Project's Godzilla x Megagiras And their G '64 with Nagoya Castle. A large unfinished MechaGodzilla prototype. Dynamic Master's poster version Destroyer. Yuji Sakai's latest: poster art version of Godzilla '84. Sometimes a telephoto lens is very useful. Omanta's flying MechaGodzilla. 1/200 scale i507 from LORELEI, with a great painting behind it. Safety first. Or something. A Very Bad Man. Nice Kong '05 diorama. Large scale Gamera and Barugon. With a really cool Barugon painting. Cruxifiction's a doddle. Really big 1955 Godzilla. Not for sale, but maybe a prototype for a kit? Kaiyodo' figure museum had this interesting piece on display. All made with parts from their Dinoland series. After a successful show, there's nothing better than Yakiniku. And an Oxygen Destroyer. This is the last known photograph of Greg. Team Ukeke member AT YAMO brought some of his amazing mini-dioramas in 1/144th scale. The one in this pictures is about 7 cm wide. AT YAMO also made the 1/1 scale Oxygen Destroyer. Monday, February 20, 2006: Tokyo, Osaka The next morning, we headed over to Shibuya for some eclairs, and saw this poster from the upcoming SUBMERSION OF JAPAN remake. Visiting an old friend. Greg proved more loyal, as he took lunch in this place. I opted for the sushi bar down the street.. On the Shinkansen to Osaka, I spot this wise message in Nagoya. I'm sure this is entirely innocent. Tuesday, February 21, 2006: Kyoto The pagoda at Toji Temple. We went to a sort of flea market here. Spotted at the market: wooden Gigantors! I plan on making a 1/6 scale model of this someday. I took lots of pictures of this... Official drink of Mothra. Official van of....well, maybe that guy who wanders around Shimo Kitazawa in hot pants. At the Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum. A C62, the same locomotive as the 999. Probably this example has not been retrofitted for space travel. There were some kindergarten field trips there when we arrived. Looks like the kid in the back isn't having a good day. Class picture time. Hopefully that one kid has stopped crying. Some nice scratchbuilt structures on one of the museum's N-scale layouts. A large city-themed layout. Figure Museum in Kyoto. 3 floors of character figures from TV and movies. Misa and Greg pose with an old friend. Seems kind of irresponsible just leaving the control box just lying around like that. The highlight of the museum... Some of the kaiju stuff on display. AAAAAAA! Sitting down to eat at the Tenkaippin ramen restaurant. This was the best ramen I've ever had. Greg couldn't even take a moment from eating to look at the camera. I don't blame him. On the way up to San Zen Temple. The path goes alongside a little stream. Focused branches vs unfocused waterfall. Shops along the path. Rooftops and treetops. Temple interior detail. I want to know more about this guy. Stone lantern in one of the gardens. Another angle on garden. Fountain. Garden seen from temple interior. The neccessities are always there. The simple and austere Misa Boot Garden. Greg's attempt at writing the words of Buddha. In another garden, there were numerous "Baby Buddhas". They reminded me of the Kodama from PRINCESS MONONOKE. Looking back on one of the temple buildings. Lake Biwa. Barugon smashed through this bridge in 1966. It has since been rebuilt. Sums it up pretty well. Party in Kyoto restaurant. LUCY starts Greg's Angilas tattoo. Work continues. The finished tattoo. Now it's my turn. The finished Titanosaurus girl. Sadly, she went swimming down the drain when I took a shower later that night. Wednesday, February 22, 2006: Osaka Morning begins with Lemon Butter Toast at the Cafe Lesu Poru. Yes, it's a mayonaise costume at Tokyu Hands. This place has everything. Nothing creepy about this. For lunch we are at the Okonomiyaki restaurant Chin Chiku Rinn. Mrs. Takahashi perpares the delicious repast. Night falls on the ferris wheel on top of a 7 story building. Thursday, February 23, 2006: Tokyo On our last day we are treated to this site. Actually, it's some kind of demo for JR's new Mag-lev train. If only Amtrack promoted things like this, they might not be in so much trouble. This train takes you to a planet ruled by giant insects. Finally, for a last image, an exercise in translation: Finally, some useful links: Resin Chef/Team Ukeke Daimos G-1 Image Kaiju Kits Kaiju Freaks T's Facto Ndopara MRD LUCY Tenkaippin Restaurant Boss Coffee Matthew's Best Hit TV