Japan!

The Neko Nation owners recently went to Japan to get started on our next business project Tokyo Hardcore, a Japanese lolita, gothic and cyber fashion store featuring the best brands from Japan.  We had a blast meeting a lot of the brands in person and went really well with the meetings, we will have more details and a proper blog for this soon as well.  We're working on getting a stall at AV-Con as well too!

More details at: http://www.facebook.com/we.love.tokyo.hardcore

On my own personal blog I've done a more serious blog about the things and adventures I had in Japan which you can check out at: http://hyper-catalystic.blogspot.com/2011/07/trip-to-japan.html

This is more a light hearted look into some of the things we did and saw in Japan that I personally thought was quite amusing.  XD

The JR (Japanese Rail), system.  Might be a good idea to start learning this before you go, to say it's a bit confusing is an understatement.  Choose to not learn it at your own peril or you'll never get to anywhere you want to go in Japan!

Found outside a hotel in Osaka.  It's just to freakish to properly caption.  :S

 McDonalds are never far away in Japan!  XD

 Naomi (our translator), took us to this really awesome gothic restaurant located in Shinjuku, the menu is written in a big chunky gothic bible, this place looks amazing!  Also holds the Tokyo Decadence events as well.  ^^

Found at a temple in Shinjuku, notice how the wooden part at the top looks exactly like a giant penis.  XD

The one game everyone wanted to play in the Sega Arcade, the Vocaloid game, I totally did not try to glomp the poster here.  XD

Reasons why Japan is awesome, you're discouraged from wearing Crocs as soon as you get to the airport.  XD

DOS compatible floppy discs.  Japan is so far ahead in technology that you can't possibly fathom the amount of power these discs can hold!

Shinjuku, very clean thanks to their anti-elephant policy.

This is what the ads for the new Zelda game look like, seriously.

Cubic Mouth, as Naomi quoted, "it looks like clown porn".  Somehow Disney gave approval for this brand to exist.  Click on the picture to see it zoomed in, we saw this merchandise everywhere around Japan, seriously, wtf?!

Cat relaxing cafe, think catgirls serving free sushi is awesome, what about cats serving coffee!  Ok, that's probably not what this place was about but the sign is somewhat quite misleading.  XP

Edward Cullen is so last decade, Nyanpire is the new vampire for the new decade.  Does Edward Cullen drive in a cat shaped car that looks exactly like himself?  Didn't think so, hence why Nyanpire is just too damn awesome.

Last but not least an ad for phone company SoftBank, they're the only phone network you can get iPhone in Japan.  They've got a bizarre advertising commercial involving a family, I originally thought the family didn't have a dad but our translator actually pointed out that the dog is the dad!  There are kids in the family and to be honest it's all sounding a bit Azu Manga Diaoh (think Chiyo-Chan's father).  The ads lead to some very interesting merchandise for this character and this is just another case of whacky advertising in Japan and why we love how strange Japan really is.  ^^