Koh Samui is my favorite place in Thailand. It has beautiful private beaches, and even unique geography like mountains with gardens that make it a stunning destination full of wonder. I arrived here by ferry on the first day of 2019 after counting down the new year at the full moon party. When one of the attendants woke me from my slumber, I had arrived at this fantasy dream-like island and was staying in a pink triangular hut on Lamai Beach:
This is New Hut Bungalow, the most colorful and affordable accommodation on the island (priced at around $11 per night). When I saw how adorable my hut was, I immediately fell in love with it! All of the beaches on Koh Samui are more secluded and less touristy than the ones in Phuket and Krabi. I enjoyed waking up and running on the beach every day, the ending the night with a swim under the purple and orange gradient sunset. It felt like I had the beach to myself at times!
The palm trees, soft waves, and the lanterns really made me feel like I was in paradise! I enjoyed swimming and looking back at the rainbow huts. It made me realize how hard I had worked to come here, and how much I was enjoying adventuring through this country! The restaurant also had amazing glass noodles and fresh fruit that I feasted on everyday. It was so much fun that I didn’t want to leave!
One iconic landmark of these bungalows is the sign for the toilet whose eyes light up at night:
Whether it’s cursed, and omen, or actually good luck, I was grateful for this guidepost, as the island gets quite dark around 8pm and there are no streetlights like in the city so this is a necessity to survival. Even though whatever it was is now deceased. In theory. I really would like one of these for my room!
The 5 cocktails I had during happy hour on my 2 nights here.
While I was in Koh Samui, I went to the Tiger Kingdom, saw and aquarium and birdshow, went to the Magic Buddha Garden and saw some of the mountains, and also relaxed on the beach and had an amazing start to the year! I would choose this over Tokyo most days, because you don’t find this kind of relaxation there (though onsen are pretty great for that). I am so excited for my next trip back here during Golden Week!
I had a very fulfilling trip to Thailand over NYE traveling to Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Chiang Mai, but unfortunately due to a severe storm my pink dolphin and James Bond Island trips were cancelled. Not wanting to accept defeat, I immediately scheduled my next trip there over Golden Week. This year Golden Week lasts a consecutive 10 days, so both overseas airline tickets and domestic travel costs within Japan are heavily inflated, being even more expensive than the average New Year’s prices. Even though it was quite costly, I bit the bullet and booked my flight. This time I am determined to do what I couldn’t do last time, and more!
My planned itinerary (so far) is listed below:
Narita Airport (international flight is around 2pm on the 26th) → Bangkok → Phuket → Phi Phi Islands → Koh Lanta (and surrounding islands) → Phuket → James Bond Island → Phuket → Koh Samui → Koh Tao → Koh Phangan (for Blackmoon Culture party) → Krabi → Bangkok ↺ Tokyo (on January 7th).
April 26th: Phuket
I will be leaving Tokyo a day before Golden Week starts and arriving in Phuket at 10:00pm. This time is not ideal, but was the cheapest flight I could find. I booked this flight in February, and already most of the discount airlines leaving from Japan were fully booked. This time I am staying at a guesthouse in southeast Phuket near Rassada Pier since I will be sailing a lot. I do not have many plans besides maybe getting some mango sticky rice because tomorrow I will be getting up early for a sightseeing adventure!
The Phi Phi Islands are a popular destination among many Thailand travelers due to their beautiful beaches and nature, and are a destination I feel I most definitely see. This was a tour that I was supposed to go on last trip, but it got cancelled due to the weather. I booked this tour through a private company with good reviews called Phuket Sail Tour and will be traveling around via speedboat. The advantage to this is hopefully I will avoid the crowds, as the people who run this tour are Thailand natives that manage their own company. I look forward to exploring Viking Cave, swimming in Maya Bay, and seeing the monkeys on Monkey Beach (even though I recently saw some in Hakodate).
April 28th: Koh Lanta
Koh Lanta is a beautiful island in Krabi with rich emerald waters and scenic beach huts. My friend who teaches English in Thailand posted pictures of her vacation there, and I’ve been longing to go ever since! I had a great stay in Koh Samui in my rainbow beach hut in January, but I am looking to stay somewhere more remote. I will be taking a ferry from Rassada Pier in Phuket which I booked through 12go, and arriving there early in the morning.
From there, I plan on exercising a rescue dog on the beach from Lanta Animal Welfare to support their foundation and also meet a cute animal. If I have time, I want to venture to Mu Ko Lanta National Park to do some sightseeing, and then return to Lanta Secret Beach near my accommodation, Pinky Bungalow Resort. Pinky Bungalow! What a name!
April 29th: Koh Lanta Island Tour
On my 2nd day in Koh Lanta, I will be snorkeling at Koh Ngai, seeing the glistening Emerald Cave at Koh Mook, swimming and sunbathing at Koh Kradan, and seeing tropical fish at Koh Chuck! That sure is a lot of “Kohs” (which means “island”)!
I booked my tour through Easy Day Thailand. I do not know a lot about them, but the tours in Koh Lanta are limited so I hope to make the most out of my situation no matter how it goes (it should go well).
April 30th: James Bond Island Sunset Tour
I will be taking the first ferry back to Phuket from Koh Lanta, then having Phuket Sail Tours (which I booked for Phi Phi too) pick me up at Rassada Pier. This was another tour I was supposed to do last time, and I have high expectations for it! If you look through most trip itineraries for this island, you will see that most boats leave early in the morning to go here. The tour that I booked specifically says it leaves in the afternoon to avoid crowds, and I am looking forward to getting that picture perfect Instagram-worthy sunset photo!
I definitely splurged a bit here, but the price is still reasonable at $50 per night. I will be staying at Tango Beach Resort on Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui! This is the party beach and I plan on spending the entire day there. Last time I stayed at the budget New Hut Bungalows which were actually very nice and cost approximately $10 per night, but this time I am looking for more luxury! I am hoping the rain holds off on this day, or else I will just focus on writing.
Koh Tao is one place I haven’t been where everyone tells me I need to go! I debated about staying overnight here, but again I prefer the accommodations and convenience of staying in Samui since you can reach other places easier. That is why I opted to take the one day speedboat tour here so I could see all of the island’s main points.
I am most interested in climbing to the famous viewpoint in Koh Nangyuan and taking pictures of the beautiful waters crashing below. I am also looking forward to snorkeling in Mango Bay! I will be snorkeling a lot during this trip, so I hope I don’t get tired of it!
May 3rd: Pink Dolphin Tour + Blackmoon Culture Party
Image Credit: International Packages (I will hopefully have my own original images soon)!
This is the main reason I’m going back to Thailand. I’ve never told anyone this, but I think about meeting these pink dolphins almost every day. I was supposed to see them, but the great storm of Phuket last month cancelled my trip. This time however, the weather should hopefully be on my side. Or else I am postponing other things on this trip until I see them!
This will be an insane day, because immediately after the tour I am having my bus drop me off at Na Thon Koh Pier where I will be sailing to Koh Phangan for the Blackmoon Culture Party! I had a very memorable time at the Fullmoon Party I went to during the 2019 Countdown. I made friends from all over the world, and the kind folks at Wild & Wandering Backpackers Hostel let me store my luggage there for a great price. I definitely plan on paying them a visit this time around!
Unlike some articles on the internet say, these parties are safe and I did not witness any drug-taking there. The fire rope definitely exists, and partying with hundreds of people on the beach is a crazy experience, but ]the majority of people there were kind and respectful. I’d say this is definitely a beach worth partying on!
After the party ends, I will be taking the first ferry back to Krabi at 7am!
May 4th-5th: Krabi
During my last two days in Thailand, I am meeting up with my old friend from college in Krabi! I did not plan much other then drinking on the beach with her and hiking to the Tiger Cave Temple! I feel like there is no better way to end my trip then spending it this way and reflecting on my trip over gorgeous views and farewell drinks on the beach. I am super excited to write all about my experiences (I still have many to write about from the last trip)!
I will be flying back to Tokyo at 5:30am, which again is not ideal, but is the cheapest price I could find for Golden Week. I will likely be sunburnt and exhausted when I get back, but the relaxing moments I have in between will make it worth it! I am excited for yet another exciting trip in Thailand!
I woke up early on a chilly Saturday morning so I could make my way to the famed Hakodate Asaichi seafood market conveniently located near the station. There I was greeted by many friendly vendors selling everything from freshly caught crabs to mouth-watering ice cream made from Hokkaido milk, but I already had my eyes set on the famous dancing squid dish from Tabiji:
One of the staff told me they receive fresh shipments daily, and I could definitely taste it! It was probably the freshest squid I had ever had because the fish eggs, rice, and wasabi with the slices of squid had an amazing flavor. Thought I felt bad for the squid, this was a rare dish that I definitely did not want to miss out on! Tabiji is currently the only restaurant in Japan that offers the dancing squid dish and they even have their own T-shirts available. No reservation is required.
Also worth trying are the Kaniman (hot crab buns), and the Hokkaido ice cream! After feasting on this wonderful seafood, I decided to go to Fort Goryaku, the beautiful star-shaped park:
This park is unique because it has an observation tower you can take to the top floor to see a panoramic view, and you can also stroll through it! In the center is the Former Magistrate Office (reconstructed), and the spot is extremely popular for cherry blossom viewing. Once again, I felt at peace while I was here. I think it’s amazing that they transformed a military fort into such a lovely park!
Nakata Yasutaka performs at Club Riviera in Sapporo, Japan.
After seeing all of the sights that I wanted to see, I decided to take the bullet train to Sapporo to make the Nakata Yasutaka show at Riviera. The ride takes nearly 4 hours, but since I was exhausted from all the walking I did, it was actually quite relaxing. When I got to Sapporo, I stayed in another internet cafe called Kaikatsu Club (conveniently located in the Susukino party district). I pregamed a bit then headed to Riviera which is a very glamorous club! This was my third weekend in a row seeing Nakata perform, and I was not disappointed!
Overall my 2nd trip to Hokkaido was relaxing and filled with fond memories. I was able to reflect on my life and also do all of the things on my trip itinerary so I felt an extreme sense of accomplishment at the end of this trip. I will come back to Hokkaido in the summer to see the lavender fields and hopefully go to the beach! My aim with each trip is to combine sightseeing with nightlife, and I am sure I will be going on many more adventures!
Over the weekend I went on a two day trip to the charming city of Hakodate in Hokkaido, Japan! This town has been on my travel list for a while because of its famous dancing squid dish and gorgeous views from the top of Mt. Hakodate. Why I chose to go this weekend is because Nakata Yasutaka played a show at Riviera (in Sapporo), so I figured it would be the perfect combination of sightseeing and listening to my favorite music.
The first place on my list was Yunokawa Onsen to see the hot-tubbing monkeys! This was very close to the airport and inexpensive to travel to by taxi. I was happy to skip town for this scenic view:
Seeing monkeys bathe was definitely an experience. Though you can’t bathe with them, there are a number of hotels that are part of Yunokawa where you can use onsen! Here is a comprehensive list, including those that are available to day trippers. I took a very relaxing bath at Hotel Banso which had an amazing aroma sauna, then took the tram to Mt. Hakodate to see this glistening view of the city:
A lot of people say that the city lights of Hakodate glisten like a jewelry box, and it’s very true! You can take a cable car to the top of the mountain from 10am to 10pm to witness this breathtaking view. The sensation that I got from being up here was truly amazing–I felt like I could finally clear my head after being in Tokyo for so long.
This town is very peaceful and is probably the closest place that I’ve been to in Japan that resembles the countryside where I grew up in America (minus the squid, monkeys, and mountains). It’s very quiet, the people are friendly, and there are a lot of parks and rivers. However, I think Hakodate is definitely more fun! A lot of towns in America are suburbs, but Hakodate has a lot of nature so it is better for sightseeing.
After my wonderful experience on the mountain, I went to Bar Jey’s in central Hakodate and was whipped up an impressive cocktail:
There is not a lot of nightlife in Hakodate, but there are a number of fantastic bars! Because I am a budget traveler, I stayed at Hakodate’s only net cafe called Eye Cafe. It is cheap and close to Fort Goryokaku and is very convenient. I will cover the rest of my adventures in my next post! Please look forward to it.
Note: This is a post from my previous website. I have decided to re-publish it in hopes of helping other foreigners with pet adoption in Japan!
After settling in Tokyo, I promised myself that I would achieve my life-long goal of adopting a stray animal. Roughly 3 weeks after accepting an IT job in Tokyo, I decided to adopt this little guy through a wonderful resource called Japan Cat Network (JCN). Japan has an abundance of stray cats; some of which are seeking domestication. JCN is an international Facebook group where people from all over the country post cat adoption ads, and also share stories of their own pets for others to discuss.
Feeling welcome, I posted an ad saying I was looking to adopt a sociable stray and eventually I was contacted by a person from Chiba who said they had the perfect cat for me. After several exchanges and ensuring that my landlord and housemates were okay with keeping an animal, I made the decision to take him into our sharehouse. I decided to call him “Leo” after my favorite Fire Emblem Awakening character.
Leo is the perfect cat for me. He can take care of himself yet is always open towards human affection such as kissing, petting, snuggling, and hugging. According to his previous caretaker, he used to wander through the neighborhoods of Chiba meowing and trying to get in other peoples’ homes. Unfortunately his caretaker could not adopt him, so she had her daughter contact me in regards to adopting him. At first, I was a bit afraid that Leo would have trouble adjusting to the house since he had always been an outdoor cat. However, he adjusted to our home quite well!
When I first brought him indoors, he was very docile and tried to hide underneath the steps of our entrance. Within an hour he came out, and when I brought him to my room (as pictured above), he instantly took to the blankets! He loved rubbing his paws in my bedspread and was able to cuddle next to my Neko Atsume plush. After I petted him for a while and he rubbed his scent on me, we became instant best friends. Now Leo will wait for me to get back from work and meow at me to welcome me home!
To those who want a pet but don’t necessarily have the money or time to fill out the paperwork, I definitely recommend adopting one. All you need to adopt a pet is their original papers from their previous caretaker or shelter. With proper time and care, you can form a wonderful bond with them just like any other pet. I am very fortunate that Leo doesn’t bite at all and acts like he’s been a house pet his entire life. The only negative behaviors he demonstrates are scratching at the walls to stretch and trying to run outside when the door is open, but this is normal cat behavior that can be corrected. Now that he has adjusted to the house, I let him out from time to time because he always knows to come back.
I am so happy that I have a pet to keep me company in a foreign country. He has helped me through homesickness and depression, and even when I have a bad day I always look forward to coming home to him. Words can’t describe how much he has made me a happier person. I have decided to take him wherever I go, even if I have to bribe a yakuza to help me sneak him out of the country. I will always love Leo for life! Though the vet doesn’t know his true age, they suspect he is around 4-7 by the wear on his teeth. I plan to give him a happy, and relaxing life for years to come!
Further Notes: I published the blog approximately three years ago on my website (as you can see, my writing style has changed a bit), but it still holds true. I have now moved into a private apartment, and Leo is very happy here. He has not been outside at all in over 2 years, but he is quite happy laying on my bed and watching the birds from the window. Fortunately there is a lot of natural sunlight here, and I have learned all of his favorite cat food brands by now, so I believe he is living a good life.
If you have any questions on pet adoption, feel free to ask me in the comments below. I wrote this blog to demonstrate how easy it is to adopt an animal, and also to show that doing so can make them extremely grateful!
Since the beginning of my early childhood, I had always dreamed of escaping reality and entering a virtual world. Not because I had a bad life (because I actually had a really good life), but because I was heavily influenced by anime and games as a kid and wanted to live in a fully interactive world where I could freely express myself. My fascination with VR started when I first watched Digimon as a kid, then later grew as I became engrossed with Yu-Gi-Oh! (specifically season 3) and Sword Art Online. When I entered college, I had the opportunity to test VR games with an Oculus Rift through my university’s gaming program, and even got to try some indie VR games at Tokyo Game Show last year! Just recently in 2017 the Shinjuku VR Zone has opened in Tokyo as an experimental VR gaming arcade and playground for the public to try out, so naturally I had to go and visit! Currently boasting 15 different immersive activities and an interactive VR exhibition by Tokyo Art City, this zone is growing at a rapid rate and was definitely worth the trip!
The System
I came here early Saturday morning with my friend visiting from America who is also a huge nerd like myself. We purchased 4 different colored tickets online (each for a different selection of games) so we could ensure that we got in. Tickets are available at the door, but some attractions are so popular that you may not be guaranteed entry so I recommend booking in advance online. You can buy tickets in sets of 4 (for 4,400 yen) and also individually (for around 1,200 each). After showing our tickets at the door, we were welcomed in by friendly staff and decided to explore the area! At the center of the building we saw a hologram projected on the wall and a giant glowing VR tree structure looking like it was radiating powerful energy. This was such a fitting atmosphere–I already felt like I was the hero of a sci-fi series!
Immersive Horror Room
After staring in awe at all of the cutting-edge decorations, we made our way to our first game, which was the Immersive Horror Room (IHR), just because we wanted to be thoroughly spooked before we had to wait in line for the more popular attractions. IHR was overall the best way to start our VR experience because the wait for short and the game was extremely entertaining and high quality. The aesthetic was very Silent Hill-esque and some parts of it actually made me scream out loud. Fortunately, I was not the only one!
While sitting down with VR helmets, you and your partner control characters in a wheelchair and navigate through a haunted house full of wicked obstacles and enemies that try to kill you. It was a bit hard to get used to at first, but you could use a flashlight to choose different directions so the gameplay was easy to learn. At one point, I triggered an alarm and was blindfolded and captured by the enemy. Once I regained my vision, I was strapped to the floor and couldn’t move my character was twisted figured surrounded me and other victims. I watched them murder characters around me one by one with gruesome weapons and was truly terrified that I was next. Luckily my friend was able to solve a puzzle and save me just in the nick of time! The game has multiple scenarios, and you can see and talk to your partner through a headset. Though we won the game, it had a “To be continued…” screen at the end implying that it might be developed into a “real” full-length game someday. I really hope that it is because it was a lot of fun and it was truly immersive making me feel a lot of terror, suspense and excitement! I would rather pay for this than go to a horror movie any day.
Evangelion: Throne of Souls
Next, we decided to go to the Evangelion Throne of Souls attraction, because who doesn’t want to pilot a giant robot!? Since I was 14 (the same age as the pilots) I’ve wanted to volunteer myself at NERV HQ, so I am happy that nearly after 10 years later I can finally achieve my dream! This VR attraction was extremely personalized and you could choose to pilot Unit 00, 01, or 03, and see a launch sequence that made you feel like you were in midair! After launching, you need to stealthily navigate through Tokyo-3 and pick up weapons along the way to destroy the AT field of a giant Sachiel with your partner co-op style. The simulation was amazing because when you looked down at yourself, you were wearing a plug suit, and piloting the Eva felt a bit narrow and clunky just like its frame implies. It felt genuine–like nothing else I have ever experienced before. My only complaint is that there weren’t multiple stages and the simulation was so short. In the future I really hope they give you the option to pay more to continue, because I definitely would!
VR Mario Kart
Next we made our way to everyone’s favorite attraction–VR Mario Kart. The wait for this was nearly an hour, but there were places to sit while waiting in line (unlike Tokyo Disney and Universal) so the wait was actually quite pleasant. The game was complete with 4 different players going against one another! They let you choose your character (Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, or Peach), and I of course chose Princess Peach! The game sequence begins with the 4 of you lined up at the starting point, and all of you can communicate through the headset! Then 2 popular villains show up, and you must all race them to the finish! Along the way you can pick up and throw turtle shells, whack other players with hammers, and also throw bombs at one another! Fortunately blue shell VR technology has not been developed yet (and for the sake of friendship, it hopefully never will). The game was very fun and had a lot of obstacles that balanced out who stayed in first. You could not customize your car so everyone plays on equal ground. Being launched in the air and flying through the sky was my favorite part! I came in 3rd but I had a wonderful time and was glowing after the experience. I highly recommend doing this one, because before a long-term VR world like SAO and Accel World is developed, this is a once in a lifetime experience.
Panic Cube
The last attraction that we did was one called Panic Cube which is a non-VR activity where you are locked in a prison cell and must solve puzzles on a giant touch screen while handcuffed or else a giant balloon will pop and you will meet your end! We were specifically asked not to publish any hints about this game online by the staff so I will respect their policy, but one thing I recommend is not sharing the cuffs with your partner. We did this thinking it would make the game easier, but it did not! We sadly lost in the simulation, but it was still a fun way to die.
Final Thoughts
After finally processing this mind-blowing experience, I am eternally thankful for my trip here. To those who truly interested in VR and have the money, I highly recommend it because currently this is one of the most cutting-edge public areas where you can have a hands-on VR experience. However, unfortunately the long wait lines and ticket purchasing policy ruin some of the momentum, so if you are just looking to spend the day at an arcade playing with a friend then I would recommend going to something like a Taito game center instead. I really liked how clean the place was as well. They make all players wear a face mask before putting on the VR helmet and also thoroughly wipe down the controls before the next players get in (hence the long wait). It is reassuring to know that the facility is well-maintained and treated with respect so it was last long! It is clear that this is a very experimental project and a lot of the games they have are still in development, but it is drawing a crowd and gradually expanding! Being one of the first to try it out truly made me feel like a hero.
Because I know that my money is going to a good cause, I will likely return in the future. I would really like to try the Gundam, Dragonball, and VR rock climbing games next time. I have high hopes that they will develop more angels for me to fight and more courses in Mario Kart that I can go back and triumph over. From 8bit to virtual reality, I will always appreciate the glorious gaming world that has forever influenced my life.
Recently Japanese citizens, tourists, and foreign residents alike are saying that temples in Japan are becoming overly crowded. I, however, am not one to complain! In every town, there lies a hidden gem or area off the beaten path that you can discover. Since I have been to all the major temples in Kyoto already, I decided to check out Daigoji for their yearly festival in February: The Godai Rikison Ninnoe Festival.
Daigoji is a beautiful Buddhist temple located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, approximately 30 minutes from Kyoto Station. It is famous for its red architecture (which looks most alluring in the fall with the autumn leaves), and also the golden Buddha statue you can see in one of the smaller pavilions. The Godai Rikison Ninnoe Festival is held on February 23rd every year (I was lucky because this year it was on a Saturday), where monks pray in a public ceremony for “peace, health, and happiness of the country and people”.
What I liked about this temple was that it wasn’t overly crowded, and most of the people there were Japanese families praying and partaking in the festival activities. Traveling here felt like a journey because the temple itself was located approximately 15 mins uphill from where the station is. Though it wasn’t a long hike, it is just the right amount of time for people who want to go multiple places in the city.
I arrived around 11:30am and was just in time to see the monks delivering their prayer ceremony! I was very happy to witness such an event. Though I didn’t fully understand the cultural significance of everything, people treated me with a lot of kindness. One monk asked (in English) where I was from and what I thought of the festival. I responded that I had been to a similar festival at Mt. Takao, but it was refreshing to get out of the city and be at peace here.
Though this is the biggest event at Godaiji, there are numerous seasonal events too! I recommend this temple for those who want to get away from the crowds.
Traversing through the streets of Harajuku–one of Tokyo’s most iconic fashion districts famous for pastel, lolita, goth, and designer street wear clothing–one would not be surprised to see bright-colored styles in all sorts of unique forms. However, one piece of clothing in particular caught my eye. It was a bright pink sweater with a green dinosaur on it and felt strangely nostalgic:
Myself modeling a sweater from the dinosaur line at WC.
Upon looking at it closer, the dinosaur had a very unique expression on its face. Its lips were parted in an extremely derpy way, and it looked liked it was trying to say something. Not “roar” like you would expect a dinosaur to say, but perhaps something less intimidating… like “rawr”. When I noticed this, I immediately thought back to the Rawr xD memes that plagued the internet in the early 2000s. And it got me thinking… Is Scene Kid Fashion Forever Iconic in Tokyo? Or does it just coincide with Harajuku fashion?
Similarly to how Harajuku fashion is influenced by music (especially Visual Kei), scene fashion was originally influenced by rock and other subgenres. Both styles feature brightly colorful attire that is sometimes paired with excessive hair clips, intricate makeup, big bows, and sometimes piercings as well. Just like scene lingo exists, Harajuku gyaru lingo exists too. When you compare pictures of the two fashions side by side, they are slightly different but fundamentally the same:
Although Harajuku fashion started in the 1980’s, the gyaru and lolita subcultures started from 99′ – 00′, which was right around the time when scene kid fashion was starting to form as well. Though it wasn’t until the late 2000s when the term “scene kid” was coined, a lot of people were wearing the style before then. Regardless of when exactly they were formed, both fashions express a statement against conforming with societal normsandare designed to express individuality.
Though both styles have received both praise and cringe-worthy reactions from the public, I find that their connections are quite interesting. Japanese fashion continuously uses inspiration from the west, and western countries often import and find Japanese fashion quite alluring. I don’t think I’ll ever be a scene kid or a Harajuku girl, but I can appreciate both fashions for the uniqueness (and weirdness). At the end of the day, I am extremely grateful to whatever influenced my derpy dinosaur sweater!
