Honotime is pancaketime!

My new Japanese friends Hono and Wendy showed me around town today. They both used to live in London and went to St Martins and London College of Fashion, these days they're making mushroom costumes and other artistic outfits in Tokyo. It's such a difference when you're with someone speaking the language and knowing the Japanese culture. It's like seeing through a wall which all of a sudden becomes transparent. Hoko and Wendy took me to an artsy place called Sakuratei were they make art and pancakes. The pancakes was definately the highlight! For 1000 Yen, less than 8€, you get to make as many pancakes you can eat (besides that my hostess refused to let me pay for anything during the day, since I was their guest!). We had all different kinds with mini shrimps, ginger, onions, cabbage - basically a poor man's food in old Japan, today trendy munchies in cool Japan. You can do this at home:

Designer Pastry

Since I couldn't afford any fancy designer clothes I settled for second best; a designer pastry (500 Yen = 4 €). Surely the Japanese people are obsessed with fashion and designer clothes, this just proves the point - you can get anything here.

Hotto-Peppa

NEW HOTTO PEPPA - Click here!

The Weiwei experience

I went to the Mori Art Museum pretty late yesterday since they're open until 10 in the evening, which is pretty cool for being a museum. Cato, the musician I met the other day, told me about it. His friend Ai Weiwei is exhibiting there now, and Cato thought I'd like his work. He was right indeed! This is totally down my alley. Ai Weiwei is one of contemporary China's most exciting creators, and his bicycle installation and video installations blew my mind.

Another interesting thing visiting a museum in Tokyo is the visitors. Most of them are dressed up to their teeth in super expensive designer clothes, most of them couples on a date, the girls weiring heels higher than the length of the shoes, all giggeling and kissing in the corners. A must see if you're in Tokyo - both the museum and the people.









More pics on Flickr: Ai Weiwei

Coming up: Mori Museum & Roppongi Tower

I spent most of the day planning and booking India and Thailand. In the afternoon I went for a tasty lunch at a stand up sushi bar. Then I timed it right with the sunset at Mori Tower, went for a cocktail in the sky bar and saw a really interesting exhibition at the Mori Museum. It's really late now, so you'll get to see all of this tomorrow.

Cato Canari & the streets of Tokyo

Click 'Play' and the right lower corner for fullscreen.

I spent the day with Cato Canari, a Norweidian musician that I exhibited with at Portable Gallery a few years ago. He lives in Tokyo and showed me around in Shibuya and Jingumae all day. It was great!

Despite my mixed feelings in the morning - I wanted to go to Japan since I was a child after all - so this is really a dream come true.

Lost in translation no kidding, if you don’t know Japanese you’re lost. I did get lost in a pretty good way, ended up looking at things in a (probably very dull and normal) general store for at least an hour. Everything was talking; little TV’s in the shelves and speakers in the roof trying to sell anything possible to anyone possible. Prada and all the other fancy stores are like a cyberfuture experience, and the teens on the streets are...different...

First day in Japan

After living the wild nature life in Kauai lately, it was almost a shock to face Tokyo with more than 35 million people in the greater area. Everything seems to circulate around huge spending sprees and who’s having the most expensive bag and working the longest hours. Always been a city girl myself, the reaction against the whole idea of what a place like this is about, is kind of overwhelming. You know the feeling when you're in a large crowd and you feel lonelier than ever? I don't think I ever felt as lonely as I do now. It doesn't bother me travelling on my own, or being alone for that matter, it's just something about this many people in one place...it definitely puts things in perspective. What are they looking for? What are they spending their money on? More stuff? So they have to work even harder? It’s like a vicious circle you can’t get out of once inside. Well…I guess it’s the same in all big city’s around the globe. It's just...the contrast coming here from the Pacific is a bit extreme, and my jetlag probably makes me a bit sensitive…

Japanese Hotel

I'm staying in Mets Hotel in Shibuya, which is a pretty standard hotel. It could be in any big city in the world really, apart from a few details. Check out the water kettle heating up on a mini stove on the desk, the special flashlight under the night table, and of course the toilet options.

Hawaii - Japan

Tokyo arrival and Japanese toilets...

Here's a link to a Japanese toilet You Tube clip:

TOKYO TOKYO TOKYO

This is my last day on Kauai on the opposite side of the earth, tomorrow (Monday) we're going to Japan. We = you and me and everyone I know. It's my first time going there, so I'm really excited! Please tell me stuff to do, places to stay, people to meet, food to eat, clubs to go to, shops to shop in and all the rest! I'll sleep now and then be in transfer all day tomorrow, so will be back here in about 24 hrs...

Goodbye Kauai...

Started this last day by snorkeling with 8 gigant turtles in the morning, which really blew my mind! They were so cool, not afraid of people at all. Then I went with a friend who made a photoshoot of a house built according to 'Staphatya Veda' - the traditional Indian science of architecture, that guides the design and construction of buildings in harmony with the laws of nature and the universe. After that we went to a pool party where everyone were crazy dancing, singing and playing really early in the evening with no alchohol or drugs. That's kind of unusual for being Scandinavian...brilliant! Now I'll sleep for a few hours before getting up at 4 am to take a flight to Tokyo. See you tomorrow!

Helicopter

It finally cleared up a bit and I got on a tour with Jack Harter Helicopters in the afternoon. The part with all the greenery and the waterfalls is Mount Waiʻaleʻale - one of the wettest spots on earth, with an annual average rainfall of 460 inches (11,700 mm)! It rains a lot in general on Kauai, but it quickly clears up and is quite nice since it doesn't get too hot.It was pretty amazing to go by helicopter, since you're hovering over the waterfalls and places an airplane can't go.

Kauai - Helicopter Pics

Click 'play' and then on the corner below on the right to get full screen.