The Arcade ...

Last Saturday Amanda & I took the train to the downtown Okayama area to meet some people at the fountain. This area of Japan is known for it's peaches & the fountain is shaped like a peach. It is also the hot spot. It's where we all typically meet before venturing on.

We met there again at 6:30 last Saturday night to go out to a Thai restaurant. We walked for about five miles (ok slight exaggeration - it was more like a mile) until we came to the most interesting place. I was told it was a restaurant but I remember thinking, 'It can't possibly be. There is a huge dog chained up outside the door, excuse me - the opening in the wall, and there is nothing even close to resembling a restaurant. No cash register, no employees, no non-smoking section, no bright lights, nothing.' We waited outside for a few minutes and then we all filed in, removed our shoes, & up the steepest set of stairs I've ever climbed. The kind where you have to turn your foot sideways to fit it entirely on the step. Once we reach the top we enter the single upstairs room & it looks like someone's apartment. There's a long table where all 8 of us can fit, minus chairs plus beanbags and pillows. The lights are turned way down & there is a large hookah on the shelf, a Buddha on an end table, and eccentrically colored fabric draped everywhere. It looks like a hippie's apartment.

This is my friend Melissa and a new friend Theresa (both from New York).

There was a menu (in Japanese, of course). One of the people with us speaks Japanese so we lucked out. We order a few main dishes to share, I have some orange/cherry drink, and we laugh a lot. It was definitely an experience. I kept thinking, 'this would never fly in America', but it was really cool. So cool, I think I'll go back. Oh yea, the food was good too. :)

Ashley and myself - being silly obviously (while sitting on the floor).

We left to go back to the station to meet some more people (at the fountain, of course). Halfway through the walk we saw a small music set up on the corner. We stopped and listen and then continued on. There are often people playing music outside the train stations or on the corners, but it is illegal for them to accept money (to my understanding), which means that these people play for sheer enjoyment. They are usually very good and that makes me want to give them more money than I normally would at home.

We exchange some people and then head to a place called Joypolis. I have no idea what this is. We walk (another five miles - ok I'm exaggerating again) and eventually end up in front of this large multi-story building with a lot of bright lights. We venture in on the first floor and it is a large arcade. At first I thought it was silly. I haven't been to an arcade since going to Aladdin's Castle in high school, unless of course you count skeeball at Arnold's Park. I don't think that counts though. This arcade was amazing. It has a lot of 'claw machines' with some serious prizes, life-sized racing cars, & high tech graphic games. Aladdin's Castle has nothing on this arcade.

In the few hours we spent there we played some games - Mario Kart, air hockey, a drumming game and Amanda played some weird virtual dog game.

A strange sign on a door inside the arcade. I was afraid. :)

I was very confused by the Murder Lodge inside the arcade. I didn't scope it out. It was strange.

Some pictures of the inside of the arcade. The games were huge, as were the prizes.

This game was the champion of all games. 3 screens!!

A little Jurassic Park action.

Our Mario Kart game! We all raced against each other. You sit in the machine, put in your 100 yen (less than a dollar!!) and select your character. Then the machine takes your picture & puts it on your character & you are ready to race!

Claire & I were very serious about the race. Taylor (in the background) thought it was hilarious.

Amanda played this strange children's dog game. It was like a virtual dog that you had to scratch all the way to the finish line, or something. If you kept the dog happy, at the end a puppy magically appeared. It was definitely interesting.

Amanda and her dog game:

Scratching away.

A children's game - Tokyo Bus Driver, or something. I didn't play - I just took the picture.

We also came across this awesome drumming game. It's like Guitar Hero, only with a drum. I didn't play but my friends did. I sat down and strummed a little tune on the ukulele Guitar Hero-like game.

Melissa & Dennis getting very serious about drumming.

Dennis was so serious, he injured his hand!! Maybe someone will be able to defeat him next week now that he is injured!

After the games we decided to check out the 'Sega Studio' section. This huge section was all photo booths!! It was rather amazing. You could even rent costumes, wigs, & accessories. We crammed all eight of us into a booth & took multiple shots - all hilarious. Then when you are finished you have two minutes to edit your photos. You can add graphics, borders, colors, text, anything and everything. Then the machine prints you a page of all of your shots & you can go cut them up and distribute. I never would have thought a night at the arcade would be so much fun.

I love this sign. Apparently it is ok for a woman or any combination of people to go in the booth, but NOT a man alone. Interesting.

One of our many pictures. In the back row (L-R) you have Taylor, Daniel, Claire, me & Amanda. In the front row (L-R) you have Xiao, Dennis & Melissa.

The evening was eventful. I think Amanda and I might be addicted to photo booths now. I will continue to post our pictures. :)

much love,

-tara-

xoxo