Today was an early day, although not as early as I first intended. I left the apartment around 6:15 and walked to the convention center, about an hour away. I was a nice cool morning and the walk was really good. I was kept entertained by the lovely morning sites, the other pedestrians like me and an occasional chat on my phone. Near the convention site I started running into small groups who were also going to the con.
The crowds were expected, since the estimated number of visitors on the first few days is in excess of two hundred thousand people, but somehow I was not ready for what I saw. There were groups of people everywhere. I was rather lost when I arrived and just followed the crowds. There was a 7-eleven on route which offered a basic breakfast of mandarins, a donut and a drink. It was tasty but not super nutritional.
I found my group and then waited. I had in mind that the doors open at nine and I was there just after seven so it would be an okay wait. What I learned while waiting in the sun is that the doors open at ten and I needed a wrist band to enter. That started a small panic of being turned away, having waited too long and a number of other thoughts.
After waiting in line for near to two hours I left my spot to go talk to a staff person or volunteer to get information. It was perfect timing because once I had the information I needed the lines started to move so I lost my spot. But I was informed that if I get back into my group and head to the entrance I can still buy my pass, so I moved to the shade and watched as groups moved ahead and the apologized my way into a new group a little behind mine and started moving.
Yay movement, we are moving. But it seems a little early, only nine thirty and all. And then the movement stopped. And we waited again. But this time I knew what was going on. There was a younger man beside me who was using my shadow to reduce the glare on his PSP that he was playing. I found that amusing. And the two women in front of me got tired of standing at one point and sat down. About ten minutes before we started moving again and I nearly tripped on them as they stood up.
Our next waiting point was in front of the centre, about 200 meters away. A young man beside me was very friendly and smiling a lot. He asked me if it was too hot and I could see he had translated it on his phone. It was funny and I laughed with him as we waited. He would play a few seconds of some heavy metal while playing air guitar and headbanging and then stop and smile again.
At exactly ten o’clock the entire crowd burst into applause. It was opening time. I started seeing groups moving towards the convention centre and we were finally on our way. Herded like cattle really. But everyone was excited and happy to be heading in. I imagine it is a different atmosphere during the winter event. We headed up the stairs and near the end I was able to split off from my group and find where to buy my pass. For tomorrow I will know to get it in advance.
I entered the hall, pass on arm, and finally felt the sun off of me. My new shade is a permanent red, but for now let me tell you about the organized chaos of the event. There are line ups everywhere. These line ups are for especially popular titles that will sell out in a couple of hours and people will be in a line of several hundred just to get their copy. Some of those copies will be signed by the artists. Inside there are tables, about six feet in length. Each table will have two different book showings and each book showing will often have two people there. So four people sat at a six foot table. End caps will have large banners displaying the front cover so you can see what is being sold. The spacing between double rows of tables is about three people wide so you are constantly being jostled as you move in the crowds. I have experienced a con before at home. This is a completely different thing.
I wandered around tables, seeing people in costumes and noticing a lack of photography so I decided to ask some questions. There is an International Information booth on the second floor, which requires walking up a very long ramp, outside, so I made the trek. Once on the second floor I was amazed. There was still crowds. There were more crafts than I saw on the lower floor, but still a lot of books. Comiket hosts 35,000 participating artists. There is a scale of size in that which you cannot grasp unless you see it yourself. I had a lovely chat with a brithish man who has been living in Japan for ten years. He helped me figure out some of the customs of the event. Pointing out that the cosplay photograph areas were marked on the map and where I could find food. At this point it was nearly twelve.
I made my way outside to one of the cosplay photo areas and a number of people were out there showing off their creative skill. I put together the most basic request I could, “Sumimasen, shashin ok?” meaning “Excuse me, picture ok?” and got an ok sign so I snapped a couple of photos of a few of the cosplayers and thanked them each time. They were very friendly and the skill in the costumes was wonderfully displayed. I started to get hot and hungrier and so I went to find food.
I ended up outside, found a cafe and ordered an iced tea. Which was very standard southern US iced tea in that it was black tea poured over ice. More bitter than I would normally like but probably pretty good with some sugar. Also it was likely caffeinated which I generally avoid and not food, so I finished it and searched again for real food. I found a basement area, or lower level I guess and it had four restaurants, of which one was Indian, kind of. So I headed there. Lovely place, good food and cool so I enjoyed a sit down, some ice water and proper sustenance. With vanilla ice cream as a treat.
I headed back up to the convention floor which was much quieter now, but being nearly two o’clock it was also slowly shutting down. The convention ends at four, and a number of tables were sold out, or only had one or two remaining copies of the book for sale. Some were gone completely, others were chatting with the people beside them or behind them. I met a cosplayer who was selling DVDs of her work and was in costume from one of her DVDs. We chatted a little mixing Japanese and English. She was super friendly and kind. I she told one of the artists behind her about me and he was surprised I was there and said hi as well. Canadians are rare it seems.
Afterwards I headed out to the convenience store to buy a few missing things. A towel for one. If you visit Tokyo in August you will see many younger Japanese men with towels on their necks or over their heads. I thought it was silly because you are just trapping the heat. I realized that it actually serves two purposes. One it blocks the sun, I really need that on my neck and shoulders. Two, it provides you a way to wipe your brow and nose of sweat, because most of the time your hands will also be sweaty and a towel does the best job. Now I have a three pack. Vanity has been thrown away for comfort and convenience at this point.
I also bought a phone battery pack. It is not rechargeable, it uses four AA sized batteries and comes with a cable. Since my phone seems to only last about four hours now I feel it is necessary. Tomorrow I will not be at 1% by eleven. So with my new purchases in hand I headed home, with a short stop at a grocer on the way to pick up a one liter bottle of water for tomorrow.
I got home and said hi to one of my hosts. His English is not as good as hers but he seems friendly and kind. I took a nap and when I woke up both my hosts had returned from errands of some form. I mentioned my burned skin and asked where I could get something but she insisted she help and darted out the door. She came back with a couple of aloe products and a skin care spray. She felt so bad for my condition. I feel the need to pay her back.
Now it is time for bed and hopes that the burns get better with treatment. Back to waiting in line tomorrow, but this time with my towel and lots of water.
My fun blog 