Omiyage shopping in Akihabara

It’s that time of the year when people pack up and head to the airport. But of course, headed back home for the summer means bringing back some good old-fashioned omiyage, or souvenirs from Japan. Not sure where to go? Fear not - Akihabara has it all.

Known as the Electronic Town, Akihabara is a great place for electronic lovers and gamers alike to spend countless hours browsing through endless aisles of gadgets. But this digital dream is not just about electronics! Behind some alley ways and on the highest floors of the tallest buildings hide some spectacular shops visitors would love.

Whether you are visiting Tokyo, want to hold on to the memory of living here, or simply want to bring home some gifts, the seventh floor of LAOX is a must see. It has more variety than three stores put together, allowing you to pick up everything you need and want. English-speaking staff are also ready on hand to help out, so you don’t have to worry about any language barriers.

There is something for every member of the family. Shelves are topped with a huge array of colorful Japanese souvenirs like traditional dish sets. Hundreds of key chains and cell phone ornaments dangle from walls and racks. Magnets cling to posts on every corner. Fluffy stuffed toys waiting to be played with line the walls, along with Hello Kitty paraphernalia.

Fans and wall hangings draw the eye to the ceiling and Japanese figurines stand full of life in their patterned kimonos. The kimonos are authentic and can be tried on. Toddlers and kids even have their selection of Japanese patterned shirts, as well as the grown ups.

But of course, Tokyo has its technology to boast. Make souvenirs of Tokyo X and bring back some nifty electronic gifts for friends and family. But of course, with the economy in its state, it’s difficult to just splurge on pricey gadgetry. And Japan being the mechanical powerhouse it is, second-hand stuff might as well be first. The SofMap Mac Can comes in handy here, offering a wide variety of used iPods (the latest models included) and other Mac-related goodies with wallet-friendlier price tags.

Then, there is the famed Japanese pop culture, appealing to foreign youth since the days of Dragonball and Pokemon yore. If you’ve got anime or manga-addicted relatives or friends you plan on seeing, then take a quick look around the town. There are odd little shops scattered around Akihabara that cater to the otaku crowd, offering all sorts of titles, with even some action figures and various related memorabilia. If you’re lucky, you can even find some manga books and anime DVDs translated to English.

So, before you make that dash to Narita, make Akihabara the town you visit.

Getting to know Zac

World-renowned celebrity Zac Efron, widely known from his performances in 2006’s High School Musical and 2007’s Hairspray, is loved by millions of children, teens and young adults alike. Though he has many fans and co-workers, Efron keeps his family high on the priority list.

“Family is everything to me,” he said at a press conference while promoting his new film, 17 Again.

Like other teenagers and young adults, this 21-year-old doesn’t hesitate to ask his parents for help in times of need.

“As far as I’m concerned, my parents are the smartest people I know.”

Efron’s new starring role had him play a family man who wakes up seventeen again with a chance to redo his life. He said the ‘what if’ aspect of the role kept it exciting especially since he always wondered what life would be like if he could change things in his past. There’s nothing major he would change, he said.

“Anything that happened to me got me to where I am today. I might go back and change the tux I wore to prom, and there might be a couple of girls I’d go back and talk to, but that’s about it. Just the essentials.”

The most challenging part of the role? Efron found it difficult to relate to his character, since he has no idea what it’s like to deal with having kids. Trying to keep up to the off-the-cuff and improvisation acting was also difficult.

For other teens looking to pursue an acting career, Efron suggests joining as many theatre productions as possible to get a foot in the door and have the extra experience. He recalls great memories from his time on stage.

“I am definitely interested in doing Broadway. It’s one of my favorite things to do, so I would love to go back.”

Being in Broadway is not just about the stage, Efron explained. Everyone works closely together to achieve a common goal, which is very important for the end results.

“It teaches you much more about the art. It’s much more about being a team. It’s a community.”

Dutch Organ Player in Tokyo

If you’re walking the streets of Tokyo and hear beautiful music coming from a tall majestic wooden box, it’s likely to be the 80-year-old Dutch street organ with its talented owner.

Dirk Rebel, president of Deshima, an import wholesale and festival company, has been performing with the street organ since he found his own at a big Holland Booth in Japan twenty years ago. He loved playing since the day he started.

“Once you have a street organ, you get addicted to it,” he said.

As president, Rebel makes contacts to people who are clients and gets business from their company. He also works for the company by performing with his organ.

The street organ is a large piece of musical instrument that plays book music and is usually equipped with pipes, horns, and even percussion instruments. The ‘organ grinder’ turns a large handle to feed the book into a machine that plays the song. They are loud enough to be heard easily on a busy street corner, which makes Rebel’s job perfect for the city.

Over 600 communities in Japan make home to Rebel and his unique entertainment for many festivals, birthdays, and any other celebration needing some fun.

Rebel loves seeing people relax to the smooth music of the organ after a long, hard day’s work. When stressed business workers come and their furrowed brow fades, he knows his work his done.

“There’s no nicer work than this,” he said. “It’s a relaxing feeling that I give to people and it comes back to me.”

Playing the street organ is a German, Belgian and Dutch tradition, which goes back about 180 years. When Rebel performs, he takes his show and audience back that far. The brightly coloured hand paintings that surround the surface of the large instrument dates the instrument, along with Rebel’s classic top hat, ruffled shirt and 1930s styled pants and shoes. He really gets into character to please the crowd.

People will often wander to the back of the organ too, to see how it works, which Rebel doesn’t mind at all. Anything to please the audience, he said.

This multi-performer doesn’t stop at working the street organ. He also likes making balloon animals for kids and doing other work on the side. He loves his work.

“It’s the gratitude; it’s the energy that you get from people.”

The Perfect Slumber Party

Summer is here and the school year is coming to an end for many foreigners in Japan, resulting in many vacations and trips home. Let the teens have one last night of fun with their pals by following this guide to a perfect slumber party.

Although spontaneity is exciting, careful prep and plan is key to an enjoyable night. Start by sending out cute home-made invitations including time of arrival, and sleeping bag and pillow requests. Have some tables set out with pretzels, juice, pop and other snacks for the guests. But you don’t have to just have junk food. Fresh fruit, veggies and smoothies make a great snack too and are a healthier alternative.

Once the guests arrive, get everyone in their pjs! A slumber party just isn’t complete without those fluffy slippers too. Arranging the sleeping bags on the floor in a star shape, with all the heads in the middle is extra fun.

Start off the night with some baking. Cookies and muffins are entertaining to make and even better to eat, especially after decorating with icing and sprinkles. Have a competition to see who can be most creative.

Movies are a great idea for a slumber party. Make sure to have some variety for all the different tastes. Some personal favourites are Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, Mean Girls, Dirty Dancing, and Legally Blonde. Don’t forget the popcorn!

And what girl doesn’t like a makeover? They’re fun, creative, and can even be done while watching a movie. Set different stations; nails, makeup, hair, toes. Pedicures and manicures are essential for these hot summer months and nothing sparks more laughter than a makeover.

If guests are getting giddy, have some games ready to play. Charades and truth or dare is always a hit as well as board games like Monopoly or Clue.

Girls also love jewellery making. Stringing some beads for necklaces, anklets and bracelets is creative and lets your guests bring something home to remember.

When morning comes, don’t forget to feed your guests’ hungry bellies with some delicious pancakes. Add variety and choice with fruit and chocolate chips.

This slumber party is sure to have long lasting memories and is a great way to start the summer.

SLEEPOVER ACCESSORIES

Check out these slumber party must-haves for the ultimate girls gathering.

Look for Urban Decay glitter eye shadow at the Sony Plaza for ¥2,415 for a glamorous way to complete those makeovers.

Another great buy to add to the look is Siyan hair bows and berets for ¥450.

The Face Shop’s small strawberry and kiwi pack of four facial masks will come in handy when getting ready to go to bed. Get them at the Sony Plaza for only ¥700/pack.

For the ultimate manicure and pedicures, check out dashingdiva.com. Choose from thousands of styles of fake and gel nails with French tips, design, jewels and more. Get nail polish in every colour of the rainbow plus skin care, treatments, kits and everything else you’ll need to perfect the look and have some fun.

Fabio's guide to looking elegant

One person at a time, Sin Den hair and make-up salon is making its beauty mark on Tokyo.

Each person gets their own, unique look. When it comes to hair, length, texture and shape all play a factor in the style each person will get.

“Whatever is suitable for the face and hair,” said Italian master beauty expert, Fabio. “Lisa (brunette) has lots of hair, dark and almost one length. We’ll make it as smooth as possible.”

This is a fancier style.

“It’s more like for a ball-evening look. Something more elegant,” he said. For Natalia’s hair, Fabio made a style that could be worn casually yet pretty.

“This idea is for a more summery and open look, something for a day time party.”

Fabio has been in the hair business for 17 years, and in Tokyo with Sin Den for three. The diversity of Tokyo keeps him anchored.

“I like that there’s a lot to share, and lots of ideas.”

The salon attracts about 90 percent Western customers, who appreciate the English-speaking staff.

Diversity is something Fabio likes and is also something the salon achieves. With the help of make-up artist Naomi Saito, Sin Den will leave you looking and feeling fabulous.

What the Kick!

From a small Island in Canada, I am brought to Japan as an intern to pursue my dream of writing and take the vacation of a lifetime.

When coming to Japan, I was a tad nervous of the inevitable culture shock. One tall, white Canadian vs. millions of short Japanese. There’s minimum English, food with tentacles and steering wheels on the opposite side of the car. I adjusted well but there were two missions I had in mind: get to know the culture and keep in shape, which would be hard not knowing how to speak the language.

Thankfully, a fellow Canadian lives close to me whom I knew before arriving. We met up right away and he mentioned World Oyama Karate which he joined and loved. In the past, I took Judo (another style of Japanese martial arts) and liked it, and since there was little hope to find any other English-speaking place to keep in shape, I followed him along for a session.

The Sensei (master of the class), Masa Takahashi, who is a black belt and has been in Karate for 15 years, allowed me a practice trial to see if I will like it or not. I stepped on the mat alongside my friend and about eight other Japanese men, women and teens, all wearing different coloured belts, each symbolizing a different level of achievement. Everyone smiled, and greeted me as a friend. I didn’t realize then how much I would learn, sweat and have fun.

One month in Karate taught me many things. One being that the sport itself is much different than what I, and probably much of the Canadian population, thought. It is not only all about fighting, but a lot of positive reinforcement – respect, authority, patience, concentration, understanding and discipline.

It is a workout for the mind and body. Beads of sweat drip off every forehead and drench the dry GIs (fighting uniform). It takes a lot of work to get something just right, but when you accomplish a goal, it is very rewarding.

Although I was told this many times, even before Karate, I didn’t realize it would be as fulfilling until I did my first round house kick the proper way. You must be able to have the concentration to have the right stance, twist one leg a certain way, kick the other leg high in the air, keep your eye on the target plus keep your centre of balance. It is very hard but when you are even close to having it perfected, it is also extremely fun.

I don’t know if I would be as comfortable during my stay in Japan if I did not start this great sport. I am stronger, wiser, and instead of being in the house all evening, I’m getting out, meeting people, learning new Japanese words and having a once-in-a-lifetime experience of fun!

INFO

Belt order from lowest to highest: white, blue, yellow, orange, green, brown, black.

Osu: When addressed, pupils must respond with “Osu” meaning patience, respect and appreciation.

Why Sensei Masa likes Karate: “I like to do something. To sweat. It’s great doing it together.”

Dojo is a training facility and translates to Place of the Way.

There are 2 dojos in Tokyo. To learn more, visit www.worldoyama.com