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Tron Light Cyle in Ikebukuro West Gate Park

Patrick Macias — editor-in-chief of Otaku USA magazine, among MANY other things — has been in town for the past couple weeks, and he dropped by my neck of the woods the other day for a bit of Ikebukuro flavor. I wanted to start with some tonkatsu spaghetti at Nobu but it was unfortunately closed, so we ended up getting tonkotsu ramen at Ippudo. That done, it was time for a few beers out on the street, and since Patrick requested a good place for people watching, we of course had to go and hang out at Ikebukuro West Gate Park.

If you’re not familiar with Ikebukuro — which you shouldn’t really be — in past decades it has had a reputation as one of the “rougher” parts of town, and although that has changed a lot in the past decade, the west side of the station remains the more, ahem, raw part of town. So hanging out at the park — a park with barely any trees mind you — we were treated to a lively show, including the Tron light cycle dude you can barely see in this video, shot with my iPhone 4.

As I was tweeting that night, the guy was amazing, making rounds around the park, occasionally stopping to “service” his blue-lit bike, walking around with quite the swagger. Also, he was wearing a full-body workman’s uniform, and his facial expressions as he rode close to us were priceless. Oh, an the lights, they automatically light up as he starts going, powered by motion. Here’s hoping he’s there again the next time I’m in the area.

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Interview on J-WAVE

I was interviewed the other day for a short program on the Tokyo radio station J-WAVE about some of the things I love about Tokyo. Since it will be edited I’m not sure what will come through, but I did get to mention my meal of choice, tonkatsu spaghetti (that you can get at Nobu, a cozy little pasta joint in Ikebukuro).

It will air this coming Thursday (October 21) from 15:35 to 15:45 Tokyo time, and you’ll be able to listen to it online from the J-WAVE website (or at 81.3 on the FM dial).

Update: The date has been changed, and it will instead air tomorrow (Monday, October 18), but at the same time (15:35-15:45). The show is called RENDEZVOUS, and the segment is called “Foreigner’s Perspectives on Tokyo.”

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Food Meta Photography

Tonkatsu Spaghetti

I may not have talked about it a lot here on the blog, but I’ve certainly tweeted a bunch over the years my love for tonkatsu spaghetti, which I get at this great little pasta joint in Ikebukuro (not far from Cafe Pause) called Nobu. I like it so much I’ve even added the place to the next editions of The Rough Guide to Tokyo and Japan.

Here’s beautiful shot of the meal in question, taken the other day by Hiyoko Imai — a fellow GOOD person.