It was with sadness and expectation I wrote this entry - I finally leave Chiba prefecture, and Matsudo, my home of my 2 years in Japan.

Isaw this rather glitzy alighted advert in my local town Matsudo on the way home the other night. It's a sex club offering コスプレ - cosplay (dressing up) sexual fantasies and intercourse all for the princely sum of 7,000 yen (that's roughly 35 pounds).

Pay your money and you have the choice of "Nurse", "Race Queen" (think the latex clad girls at car exhibitions), "Tour Guide" or "School girl" for an hour.

I always wonder who goes to these places and what kind of people work at them. The image of a 50 year old balding salaryman frolicking with a 38year old "school girl" brings tears to my eyes.

I've long seen this magazine in Tower, HMV and other foreign selling bookstores in Japan, so I went the whole hog and picked up a few of their back issues.

It's billed as Japans International Arts & Culture magazine, while it does have some very culturally interesting articles, some of the arts features are definitely aimed at more feminine audiences - I just can't whip enthusiasm up for new ranges of Jewellery with traditional Japanese designs. Saying that it does feature some nice articles on general design, food and architecture.

I'm not sure I'm its target audience, seems aimed at the Rich Roppongi expatriate crowd, though it does have interest for common old Joes like myself.

Definitely one to subscribe to if I ever return back to blighty

Since coming to Tokyo I've been a huge fan the style of clothing worn by Japanese construction workers.

Silent hill has been "filmitised". I wished it, but cursed its coming.

The original Japanese story can be found here

I wonder exactly how aggressive extorting would work in sign language ? and do Japanese have their own sign language !? Poor old lady.

There's a new おしゃれ(stylish) looking cinema opening up in Shibuya at the end of this month named q-ax, while the name sounds stylish and is being touted as the cinema- connoisseurs choice of cinema, the exterior and location leave a lot to be desired, slap bang next to 109 building (the gyaru mecca of Tokyo), what initially looked to be developing into an elegant architectural dream is now looking like a dropped piece of chalk wrapped in tinfoil in the heart of Shibuya.

One redeeming quality is the 1st floor is dedicated to a cafe and bar space which seems eager to emulate European art house cinema cafe aesthetics and atmosphere, as well the schedules seem devoid of foreign film and seem focused on Japanese cinema.

I hope to attend shortly after the opening so more later.

Title screen - wonky fonts

Diana

Amanda

I've been reading more about SCEJ's new release into the world of "survival horror": Rule of Rose.Not so much "survival" going on but more "horror". From what I can garner from reading the site the story revolves around the main character Jennifer's visit to an isolated house after boarding a bus, a mysterious girl called Rose and an all girls society.

I recommend visiting the site and downloading the PDF story book, printing and getting your fingers mucky with some glue and scissors.

The game itself looks to cover most Japanese otaku's fantasies with horror, ropey bondage looking monsters and pubescent girls, still it can be lauded for its change in artistic direction, the 1930's brown shaded palettes and the look n feel reeks HP Lovecraft. The character design looks fantastically sinister, especially "touched" Amanda - "she follows the rules better than the others, but is still a lower rank member of the group" and the lolita-esque malevolent Diana.

Its released in Japan next week (19th Jan), where I hope it makes a welcome edition to my collection. I will report more after purchase.

For almost the entire duration of my time living in Japan, 今年の6月に3年になります、光陰矢のごとしだね - 3 years this year in June, time flies ! I had to commute to and from work on the "Joban" train line. Running from Ueno in central Tokyo to small country towns in the North such as Mito and Torride. It's one of the busiest commuter lines leaving Tokyo region into Chiba; the less sophisticated suburban country sprawl adjoining Tokyo.

This is another article I've done for Pimp magazine, this time its on Japan's love hotel culture.