Gachapon +

Ok, now I've been properly culturally challenged. I went to Akihabara (shortened to Akiba) which is the home in Tokyo of manga and anime, as well as tech like PC parts, TVs, vintage computer games. Oh and maid cafes - lots of those.

Filtered through my cultural lens I felt uncomfortable with some of what I saw, other things were just bewildering or fun, like the gachapon machines which deliver 2" capsules with a toy inside. Each machine has a theme, then you randomly get one of about 6 options. 'Gacha' as you turn the mechanism, 'pon' as the toy drops. The concept is familiar but dedicated shops not! The child in me would happily have bought a few - cute hamster to balance on the side of a glass? Yes please! Cool looking anime character? Oh go on! Realistic looking lizard? Maybe. I settled on just one to bring home (unopened).

Bottom line, this is a very simplified snapshot of my day and I've been left with a lot I really don't understand.Read more