Shopping Guide
The volcanic nation of Japan has numerous onsen (hot springs) that have been loved since ancient times by Japanese people and are seen as places that heals the mind and body. Currently, onsen theme parks that combine amusement are popping up everywhere. Among these is Oedo Onsen Monogatari in Odaiba, Tokyo. As can be guessed from the name, it’s not just an onsen but also a popular spot themed after the Edo period where ancient Japan’s culture can be savored. Upon hearing that Oedo Onsen Monogatari was collaborating with the Japanese pop culture icon Hatsune Miku’s song “Senbonzakura,” we went to investigate right away.
After arriving at Oedo Onsen Monogatari, the first thing that surprised us was the impressive entry. A huge illustration of “Senbonzakura” was enshrined at the entrance. Inside the entrance, we were greeted by the sight of the costumes of Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin and Len, Meiko, and Kaito. On the way to the reception desk was a related goods booth where a PV of “Senbonzakura” was playing. As soon as we stepped into the resort, we felt like we had entered the world of the song.
After we had changed into the yukatas which we were handed at the reception desk, what spread out before our eyes was the castle town of Edo. It was like we had stepped through a rift in time, and all throughout the town, we kept seeing Miku. There was an attraction area set up in which the Vocaloid characters were playing traditional sports like target practice and tosenkyo, a food area that was serving dishes created in the likenesses of the characters, a photo studio for taking pictures together - the amount of things to do and see seemed endless. Though, the real eye-catcher was the beautiful arrangement of character cutouts and cherry trees right in front of the clock tower. The full lineup of roughly life-size Vocaloid characters was a spectacle that would more than likely have fans shedding tears of gratitude.
In the past, Oedo Onsen Monogatari has collaborated with other works such as Gintama and Blue Exorcist. Each time, the painstaking elaborateness of the collaboration picked up attention. Choosing this time to collaborate with the innocent, Japanese-style song “Senbonzakura,” the characters naturally blended in due to the resort’s Edo atmosphere. As expected, even regular guests were able enjoy it without anything feeling amiss. This event ended on May 13, but there will be even more tag-team collaborations and projects to come, and we hope to continue to report on this trend for a long time!
“Spring Oedo Onsen Monogatari Hatsune Miku Festival” Official Site:
http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/higaeri/campaign/2013hatsune/event.html (Japanese)
© WhiteFlame / Itto Maru
© Crypton Future Media Inc. www.piapro.net
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.
