Koenji Daidogei - 1st May 2010

Grimy Backstreets

Character-building backstreets around Koenji.
Small bars and restaurants taking up space off the beaten track.
In the third picture down, there is even a tiny bar at at the dead-end.
You can see the lantern and the sign outside.

Barracuda

When I was a kid, my friends older brother had an ongoing collection of American muscle cars.
Quite a rare sight in the streets of England at the time.
Moreso these days.
An even rarer sight in the congested streets of Tokyo.

The Hot Wheels shop in Koenji is not only home to a fine selection of toy cars, but also some real ones.
Not much finer than a Plymouth Barracuda standing shop front.
Needless to say, she's loud.
If she's not a Barracuda, then I stand corrected...but I'm sure she is.

South exit.
Turn left.
Keep walking straight along the side of the train tracks.

Cheers Shot Bar

I was contacted by Chester who has opened a new bar in Koenji.
Keen to support the local businesses, so here's the link.

http://www.barcheers.jp/

Music Of the 70's, 80's, 90's.
Hip-hop, R&B, Disco, Reggae, House, Trance, and more.

"Fuck Off" aka "Welcome"

This bar, "Locohead", in Koenji notches up as my first pub that I've seen, or at least recall with a smashed window like this.

Not quite "put-through" and "boarded up" as properly demonstrated in England by the English on a Saturday night, but nevertheless, a good effort.
7/10.

Koenji Daidogei 2010

Doesn't seem like a year since the last round of street performances hit Koenji.
First weekend of May and it all will happen again.

http://www.koenji-daidogei.com/

Feel intimidated?

So, all you want to do on a Saturday afternoon is stroll around town and do a bit of shopping.
It just so happens that your little stroll might be hampered by a bloke wearing a big-nosed mask and a girl who thinks she's a cat.
Both running amuck in the narrow street.
Oh, and don't forget the token chap tapping out a beat on his drum.

It would seem like just a regular Saturday afternoon in Koenji if it weren't for the fact that there actually was an excuse for this insanity...this time.
It was the annual Koenji Fes(festival) where street performers gather for the weekend.
This is from November 2009.

http://koenjifes.jp

On ice

Should any frequent readers to this blog, and also the new ones, wonder about the lack of updates, just a quick note to let you know I'm back in merry England til late January.

You know, doing the festive thing back home...



Actually arrived back in Blighty on 4th Dec.



Flew with British Airways...what a thought.

I always buy a 1-year open return ticket to from England to Japan.

I've flown with SAS, Lufthansa, Swiss Int., KLM in the past. Those flights always required landing in the designated European city from Tokyo, then board for the final, short flight back to England. Birmingham to be exact.
This time, British Airways London-Tokyo.
Good outbound flight.
Good return flight.

Shame that the cabin crew and union don't take into consideration the struggling economy, let alone the pasengers, especially at this time of year.

It's bad news, cus I really enjoyed the BA sevice. Swiss was by far the best, but having to transfer planes wasn't fun...
Still, it might make me book with Swiss again if BA can't get its act together.

Until next month...

Locohead

Locohead's a newly opened bar on Azuma Dori.
"punk rock bar" they say.
About 3-4 minutes from the North exit of Koenji station, just up the road from The Grapes.
The walls are still quite bar inside, with just a few posters and flyers.
On this day, the 12th, they had a special on drinks for 200yen.

Bonus pic.
Opposite Locohead is a flower shop which has a budgie doing his thing every day to the delight of passers by.
He's a noisy little bugger, but whether or not he'll be noisier than the music which will be coming out of Locohead remains to be seen.

Koenji Awaodori 2009 - Sunday (1)

30th August.
Final day.
First part of Sunday nights pics.
Probably got my best pics here from the main road on the South side of Koenji station..
It rained all heavily all night.
Some pics.
I've split this post in two parts.

Koenji Awaodori 2009 - Sunday (2)

Second part of Sunday nights pics.