Tokyo Sakura Season - March 2013

I was on business trip to Tokyo from 24 to 30 March 2013. This year the cherry blossoms started blooming earlier than usual, and I was lucky to be there right when they were at full bloom! Here are some photos.

More photos from Doll Carnival 2012

The Doll Carnival 2012 was held on 16 December, but Groove only start selling tokidoki Pullip Luna on 19 December onwards. Good thing wife and I were still in Tokyo, so on that morning we headed back to Matsuya Ginza to get her. Here are more photos from that day.

The new dolls that were sold only at Matsuya Ginza.

Photos from Doll Carnival 2012

My wife has uploaded the photos we took from Doll Carnival 2012 to her Flickr and you can view the full set here.  I will post some highlight photos below.

This photo is not of a doll! It is a life-size (well, about 140cm) Pullip Pere Noel at level 1 of Matsuya Ginza shopping mall. Lots of shoppers were taking photos with her.

Doll Carnival 2012 - new releases

Wife and I attended the Groove Doll Carnival again this year, but this time it is different from previous years. Instead a one-day event on its own, this year the doll exhibition is on display for several weeks at Matsuya Ginza department store.

Groove had a lot of dolls on sale there, old and new, including the popular re-releases like Regeneration Pullip Paja, 10th anniversary Cinnamoroll Dal, and the Dal 6th anniversary Jouet. Some special dolls were also released at the event like Pullip Pere Noel (Matsuya Ginza 2012 Christmas promotional model), Pullip Rche (Doll Carnival 2012 exclusive), Taeyang Hide, Pullips Nanette, Princess Knight and tokidoki Luna.

Nasu Highland Park - LEGO pavilion (part 3)

Continued from Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Lego Model House (showcasing some awesome MOCs)

Nasu Highland Park - LEGO pavilion (part 2)

Continued at Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Star Wars display

Nasu Highland Park - LEGO pavilion (part 1)

During my holiday to Tokyo in Nov-Dec 2010, I met up with a friend living there and we drove up to Nasu Highland Park. One of the attraction is the LEGO pavilion! Not as big as a whole Legoland, but still nice. Here are some pics I took.

Entrance to the park and the pavilon

K-ON at Animate Ikebukuro

I visited Animate アニメイト at Ikebukuro yesterday, and they were having K-ON exhibition on the top (9th) floor.

Entrance to the exhibit

Akihabara Radio Kaikan

My favourite place in Akihabara - the original Radio Kaikan building - closed down this summer for renovations. While I'll admit that place was old, cramp and rather unsafe during an earthquake, it has a certain charm.

 Radio Kaikan building - Dec 2010

Doll Carnival 2011 - vendors' booths

More photos from Doll Carnival 2011!  Apart from the custom dolls and prototypes/future release displays, another highlight of the doll carnival is the vendors' booths. Their store displays were beautiful, with dolls dressed in the clothes and accessories they were selling.

Photos are from my wife's flickr. But I took most of the photos as she was busy buying their stuff LOL

Doll Carnival 2011 - custom dolls by collectors

More photos from Doll Carnival 2011!  These are customs sent in by doll collectors and displayed during the carnival.

Photos are from my wife's flickr. 

Doll Carnival 2011 - custom dolls for auction

More photos from Doll Carnival 2011!  These are customs by renowned doll customizers, and are available for purchase via auction.

Photos are from my wife's flickr.
 

Doll Carnival 2011 - new releases

Wife and I just attended the Groove Doll Carnival 2011 in Tokyo today. Here are some future releases that were on display.