Good and Good For Ya

So. A couple of things to announce.

The big one is, Hiroko and I have launched a new YouTube channel! The very first video is of my expedition to Shinjuku's Piss Alley to sample some grilled salamander. We are going to be packing it full of short vids of yokai, ninja, and other assorted fun stuff over the coming months.

Speaking of grilled salamander, here's a CNNGo article I wrote on Japan's five freakiest foods, including not only amphibians but bugs and reptiles as well. 

And remember the illustrated piece I did for CNNGo about Tokyo's top mythical creatures, illustrated by Chip Boles?  I teamed up with dojin artist Shinkichi to pen a sequel called Tokyo's Top Ninja Hideouts. I'm planning to do more of these... what? "Graphic journalism pieces?" "Illustrated articles?" "Mangarticles?" (yikes)... Whatever you call them, I'm planning to do more in the future as well, so stay tuned!

Comments

[The CronoLink]

Uuhh... Piss alley?

[MattAlt]

That's what they call it... click the video link to find out why (if you dare.) I promise, it's "safe for work." ;)

[Joe]

Man. How did I not know about 思い出横丁 when I was studying over there? Ameyoko and its surrounding was one of my favorite areas; this looks even more interesting.

Thanks for the article! I'm going to have to check out the area when I intern in Tokyo this summer.

I imagine you've probably been, but if not 谷中銀座 and かっぱ橋道 are worth checking out.

[MattAlt]

Ameyoko is more of a "black market" kind of feel to me, because it sells all sorts of stuff from groceries to jewelry to bootleg DVDs; Memory Lane/Piss Alley is pretty much a drinking hole and drinking hole only. It's really easy to miss, even though it's right smack in the middle of Shinjuku. Ebisu has one as well, but they recently remodeled their and I find it a little too antiseptic now.

I haven't been to 谷中銀座 but Kappabashi is fun (if a little touristy and more of a kitchenware area than a place to hang out.) The bars under the tracks around Kanda and Yurakucho have a pleasantly scummy feel to them too, sort of like Piss Alley al fresco.

[Gilles Poitras]

Damn. Since I am committed to a trip in Kyoto for the next vacation (every two years) it will be 4 years when I'm in Tokyo again. Even after all the trips I have done there I still have a long list of places to experience.

[Joe]

Heh, I could see the black market feel to Ameyoko. Yanaka Ginza has more of a older shopping street feel, so somewhat different than Memory Lane or Ameyoko. Any other recommendations for good Shitamachi areas?

[MattAlt]

Drinking or shopping? You should definitely hit Hoppy Street in Asakusa for the former. The drink of choice there is a weird beer similacrum made by mixing shochu and a low-alcohol beer-like beverage called Hoppy:

http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/drink/hoppy-denki-bran-and-hoisu-3-unique-tokyo-drinks-543636