While in Sapporo, I made reference to a joyride that I took on the streetcar. The latter half of the ride made me glad that it was an enclosed vehicle. The snow and wind started to blow something fierce and conditions were near whiteout. Once I disembarked, I noticed a store near the stop. Because of the poor visibility and the wind blowing about, I misread the banner on the store. Its an honest mistake really. However, I was taken aback by my misinterpretation. The banner's font and colors resembled that of a restaurant chain that many may be familiar with. All I could make out on the banner was The (something)cake Factory. Yes, I thought it was The Cheesecake Factory. But I thought this could not be since the building was so small and thin, although it did have several floors. Maybe thats how things are because space is limited in Japan. On another day, we happened by the same area and the storefront became clearer. It turns out the store is called The Fruitscake Factory. There could be some copyright issues.
Even in as little as less than a years time, Akihabara has gone through some changes. Some stores have closed down while some have been taken over. The biggest thing this year was the reopening of the Chuo dori to pedestrians. this occured usually on Sunday morning until the late afternoon. This had been going on for several weeks prior to my arrival in Akihabara. The shot below shows Chuo dori as the tracks of the Sobu/Chuo line span the boulevard above. You exit the Electric Town exit from the station then go down the alley to Chuo dori. Once you hit the main drag, this view is to the right. As you can see, they have embraced the weekly closure but the atmosphere is not as festive as it once was. Heavy police and fire presence are reassuring but somber. There used to be impromptu concerts in the streets and people in cosplay scattered throughout the crowd. In time, things may revert back to the somewhat baudy raucus that people have become familiar with.
Another new store that was not open during my previous visit was the Gudam Cafe. I dont consider myself a fan but I have enjoyed catching an episode or two. I have always admired how they could keep the designs for the robots fresh and cool! I thought Id stop by and take a gander inside. To my surprise, the footprint of the store was alot smaller than I expected. Barely room for 6 or 7 tables. The tables and counter seats were all snatched up and I didnt have a chance at grabbing a seat if I placed and waited for an order. Aside from the usual cafe items like coffee and tea, the store sells gundam related trinkets and souvenirs. Ont thing that is exclusive to the shop was the beam saber chopsticks and carrying case. You can order the chopsticks online but can only get the set with the shield-shaped carrying case here. I have a set of the Star Wars lightsaber chopsticks and pondered my purchase. but the unavailability of seats drove me away.
