dualipaoasischarlixcxhippocampus
Prologue: 英語で書いた理由
I wrote this diary in English (about 99%) simply because I needed a place to use my English skills before they rot and also want this to reach to my not-Japanese friends.Hope you enjoy!
Intro: 今回の東京旅の目的について
2024.11.16(sat)-11.18(mon)
my sister and I took a three-day trip to Tokyo.
every time we go to Tokyo, there is always at least one purpose involved:
MUSIC.
When we saw on social media that Dua Lipa announced her stadium tour in Japan, we looked at each other’s faces and it took no second to confirm we were going to see her no matter what.
Originally speaking, we were supposed to see her in 2020 for her "Future Nostalgia Tour" in the UK, but as we all know, it couldn’t happen due to the pandemic. (it not only ruined my opportunities to see Dua Lipa, but also The Night Cafe, Sam Fender and Conan Gray. I'll never get over it.)
I appreciate foreign artists doing their shows on the weekend as it’s easier for me to take days off from work. So, at first, we were planning to see Dua on Saturday and leave Tokyo the next day so I don't have to miss work on Monday.
HOWEVER, there came another announcement from a band I’ve adored for a long time (precisely 7 years).
hippo campus.
I still remember the moment when I discovered the existence of the band.
it was at Tower Records in Namba, Osaka Japan, which sadly no longer exists at the same location. I was a high school student (about 17) who was just beginning to explore Western music on my own strolling through the aisles of CDs categorized by alphabets.
And this album caught my eye.
Landmark.
Something about this cover spoke to me, and without listening to it, I grabbed the CD packed in a plastic shrink to the cashier.
I listened to it mostly in mum's car which could only play music by CDs.
I played it so much that she also knows their music.
Starting my journey with hippo campus with their first album Landmark, I dug their past music such as South EP and Warm Glow EP as well as Suicide Saturday, everybody's favorite.
Although my first collection of their music was a CD, I have collected almost all of their vinyl releases: South, Warm Glow, Landmark, Demos Ⅰ, Good Do, Bad Dream, LP3, Wasteland, and Flood (missing Golden and Demo Ⅱ).
Anyways, I had been dreaming of seeing hippo campus live since I discovered their existence, and upon announcing their tour in Japan (yes, only in Tokyo), there was no way I didn't participate!! (Don't ask me how I skipped work on Monday…)
Day 1 (11月16日土曜)
My sister and I took our favorite Shinkansen to Tokyo in the morning, but as soon as we arrived, we parted ways to each other's friend who generously welcomed us to stay for the night.
I met one of my best friends who now lives in Kanagawa after she got married (crying cos we used to live so close!!).
We met at Tokyo Station and took trains to see Hello Kitty Exhibition held in Tokyo National Museum.
It was only past 10am but there was already 60mins wait!
But we accepted it and got in the queue.
As we were waiting, we did a catch-up and talked about people at work who annoy us, which is our favorite topic to discuss. lol
At the souvenir shop, which we had to wait again, we both bought stickers of Hello Kitty somehow shaped in hiragana. I love how my friend and I share the same taste.
For lunch, we walked to a nearby cafe called "eggs上野桜木 cafe & salon".
It had a big window facing the main road, so we had nice light coming in.
We both ordered the same thing but different drinks which we shared later on.
When the food came, the shop owner asked if we came from kansai (関西).
We were like, "how did you know?!"
And she said, "I could tell by seeing how you placed the plates and pots. People from Kansai put rice and miso soup vertically."
It was like we were seen through, but knowing the shop owner also comes from Kansai, we felt so at home.
After our lunch, we went back to the same museum see another exhibition of Haniwa.
As time approached for me to leave for Saitama, we said our goodbye-for-now at Ueno Station. I'm so grateful for my friend who is so kind to bring my heavy Jansport backpack to home so that I didn't have to carry it to the concert.
At Saitama Super Arena, I met my sister again after several hours of separation with our dearest friends, which felt a bit unusual and weird.
We bought the third most expensive tickets (S席￥15,500), so we didn't expect our seats to be that good, but it had a pretty nice view!
Of course, we wanted to see Dua closer, but paying ￥100,000 was too much of a big deal for us.
But still, we sang, danced, sweat a lot and enjoyed her show to our fullest!
As soon as her encore finished, we ran to the exit to catch the train back to our friends' homes. We said goodbye again.
I met my friend and her husband again at a Thai izakaya called "サワディ兄弟".
I had two drinks there, guava sour and milk tea sour, the latter one of which had an unexpected taste which surprised me and my friend's husband who ordered the same thing.
But the food was all delicious and the interior was quirky and cozy.
Day２(11月17日日曜)
The next morning at my friend's apartment, they served a beautiful piece of cake for breakfast which brightened me up.
It was a shame I couldn't stay longer to spend more time with them, but I had a bus to catch to meet up with my sister in Tokyo(again).
As you can imagine, saying the last goodbye to your friend can never be done in a second, it takes at least a minute, which is worth it!
But I was in a crisis of missing the bus in a strange place.
The bus I thought I was supposed to catch passed me, so I ran! And I got it!
I'm not used to taking bus, so I forgot to scan my IC card. I only noticed that after the bus driver talked to me through his microphone and the passengers' laugh like in a TV show. God, I was so embarrassed. But I guess this is how it's like to be a traveler in a strange place. All I cared was whether this bus is the right one that gets to me to the destination. Then I looked at my phone to see messaged from my friend;
"Your bus was the next one!"
I lost sense of my face.
"But this bus will also take you to the station, just earlier!"
I felt my blood flowing back again.
My sister and I were at Shin-Okubo(新大久保) Station to drop our baggage to our hotel, which made us feel much better without having to carrying heavy bags.
We hopped on the trains to Roppongi (六本木) Station to see Oasis Exhibition.
yes, we are both big fans of Oasis, who are finally reunited!!
We put our earphones to listen to their music while looking at the history of the band.
Our next destination was Tokyo Disney Sea!! Yay!!
They just started Christmas, so the park was decorated with wreathes, lights and trees even though we were so not ready for it at that time. haha
It always leaves me in awe about the fact all the food, not just at restaurants and including popcorn, are all so good and not pricey at all.
On that day, we had a chicken, cocktail beer, roast beef flavored popcorn, gyoza dog, fried rice at Volcania Restaurant and chocolate churros, which all put smiled on our faces.
Day 3 (11月18日月曜)
Trying not to think about the fact I skipped work, I blasted the hotel room with hippo campus as we were getting ready.
One of my favorite things to do on a trip is shopping for breakfast at convenience store. It's also what makes me feel like being away from home.
On our itinerary had:
①storing our baggage in coin lockers in Shinjuku Station
②having brat matcha at The Matcha Tokyo
③going to Tower Records and praying for the band to show up
④going to another Oasis exhibition in Jinbo-cho
⑤getting foot massage as our feet were sore as hell from walking the past two days
⑥seeing hippo campus live
⑦going back home by night bus
①This went successful because our night bus leaves in Shinjuku, so we didn't have to carry our bags when coming back from the show in Shin-Okubo
②I hope this collab is the sign Charli XCX is touring in Japan!!
I once saw her live in Osaka at a place called Akaso which no longer exists, but please don't make it the first and last!!!
③It's not long ago when I bumped into Alfie Templeman at the floor (well, before his show at the same floor), so I was betting on the chance to see hippo campus but they didn't.
But looking back now, I think it makes me happier to know they're exploring Tokyo instead of meeting crazy fans at a record shop…
④Oasis again!! But a different kind of exhibition in a different place. And it was free!
But we ended up buying shirts that cost ￥8,000…
I especially love the video they were showing about the artist who made the cover art and the photographer who had been shooting Oasis.
⑤If I have had a choice, I wouldn't have worn my doc martens for this 3-day trip.
I thought, if I was seeing hippo campus who sings "doc martens on" in buttercup, it was an obligation I couldn't ignore.
So, we treated ourselves to 50-minute food massage in Jinbo-cho which we will definitely come back when we go to Tokyo again. I highly recommend this place. I still can't forget the feeling of my feet when I put docs back on. My feet felt like brand new as if they had been fresh out of 8-hour sleep in bed.
⑥The second main event. The day I had always been dreaming of.
I'm seeing hippo campus. Thinking about it always had me crying.
I was so lucky to see them in the very front row in this small venue with the capacity of 200.
For this special occasion, I made a sign board which is my only second time doing after easy life show. It had two versions, front and back, saying:
"Welcome & Thank you for coming to JAPAN. We love (heart) hippo campus"
"I'll be fine on my own, but I need hippo campus in my head. Please play buttercup"
I ended up holding the first message the entire show, because I found out buttercup was on the setlist, which made me so happy but also questioned me if I should put the second message or not…
It made me the happiest when Jake, the main vocal, saw my sign board while playing and nodded (almost banging his head) at me to tell me that he read the message. I hope this message was enough to tell the band how grateful I am that they came all the way to Japan.
Sadly, I couldn't stay long to maybe talk to them in person and ask for autographs on my Flood vinyl and landmark CD, I was satisfied to the point one of my life goals was achieved. Thank you, hippo campus.
⑦We managed to make it on time to our bus. I didn't want to go back and face the reality, but I slept immediately after settling down and it was already time for us to get off.
My sister was on her way to our home, but I wasn't.
I had to go straight to work. I wanted to cry because of that and also the trip is over. But I did.
I changed clothes and put on makeup at a staff room hoping no one would come.
I wish I could talk to someone at work about the incredible journey I just had, but it's impossible considering the risk of telling why I was absent the day before. But it's ok, I had the talk in my own head telling myself how crazy I am acting normal after such a wonderful trip.
Special Thanks
・すみれさん
・上野公園の水絵描きさん
・カフェの関西人の方
・Dua Lipa
・Oasis
・hippo campus
・姉
・マッサージ師さん
・ディズニーのシェフ
・セブンイレブンの品ぞろえ
・ハローキティ
・タイ料理
・牛角