Categories
JapaneseCulture

Asu No Shinwa by Taro Okamoto – 明日の神話

Taro Okamoto is one of the most important Japanese artists of the 20th century. Most of his works can be enjoyed in Japanese museums and also in open spaces, like for example The Tower of the Sun, built in Osaka as the symbol of Expo ’70. The Myth of Tomorrow (Asu no shinwa – 明日の神話) is one of his most important works; it represents the explosion of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. It is a big painting, measuring 30 meters long, but for some strange reason it got lost for more than 25 years. Eventually someone found it in a warehouse and it has finally been exposed in Shibuya station since the end of 2008.

You can see it at Shibuya station in the hallway that goes from the JR lines area to the Inokashira lines area:

Asu No Shinwa by Taro Okamoto

Taro Okamoto

Categories
Architecture

Mosque in Yoyogi Uehara

When somebody asks me for a truly “weird” place in Tokyo, the Turkish mosque in Yoyogi Uehara is one of the places that comes to my mind. It’s not really impressive but if you visit it, it will make you feel like you are outside Japan for some moments, it’s a quite mysterious sensation. The mosque is located in Inokashira avenue, just outside Yoyogi Uehara station (Odakyu and Chiyoda lines)

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Yoyogi Uehara Mosque

Categories
Otaku

"Grandma Maids" Cafeteria

Meido kissas are coffee shops where the waiters are dressed like maids. They are quite popular in certain areas of large Japanese cities. The competition for the clients is so fierce that new business arise based on the same idea but trying to differentiate themselves in some aspect; for example there are businesses where you can get your ears cleaned and massaged.

This time the novelty is a cafeteria where you are served by old maids, up until 77 years old. The name of the cafeteria is “Caffe Rottenmeier”, honoring Mrs. Rottenmeier of Heidi. It is located in Ikebukuro neighborhood and it’s becoming very popular, as people has been lining up every day since it opened at the end of October. Inside the cafeteria the “Rottenmeier waiters” treat you and talk to you in a strict way, telling you off and even scolding you if you don’t sit down in a proper way. Everything is mixed up with smiles and kindness, as if the waiter were your grandma 🙂

Maid cafeteria

Zuco sent me the Yahoo News link of the story.