Don Quijote is calling! Posted by yuki on Jun 26, 2013 in Culture
It has been a while since I was in Japan the last time. So I have decided to spend my summer vacation 夏休み (natsu yasumi) in Japan. I made a list of things and places I definitely want to do and see. Therefore I am going to share some of the things on the list with you guys and maybe you have some more ideas of things I can do. The first one on my list is Don Quijote as already mentioned in the title.
1.) Don Quijote 株式会社ドン・キホーテ (kabushikigaisha don kihotte) is a famous discount chain store and often known as “Donki”. It is very popular for cheap 安い(yasui) and funny products. Apparently the Don Quijote shop in Roppongi 六本木 is very popular 人気 (ninki) and huge with six floors. The best thing about this store is the fact that it is open 24 hours. I will definitely buy a lot of presents お土産 (omiyage) for my friends at home who love all these dubious and tacky kind of japanese stuffs.
2.) Tokyo Sky Tree 東京スカイツリー is a broadcasting tower opened in May 2012. I am very curious about the view from the observation tower and also about the Tokyo Solamachi, the shopping complex at the base of the Sky Tree.
3.) Shopping for cosmetics: I have to admit that whenever I am in Japan I always spend most of my money お金 (okane) on cosmetics 化粧品 (keshouhin) and food. I don’t know why I am so obsessed with cosmetics but for me it’s like collecting stamps. My favourite brands are Shiseido, Kanebo and Canmake.
4.) Clubbing: I have never been to a club クラブ in Tokyo but this time I have planned to visit at least three clubs. On top of my list is AgeHa, a nightclub with a huge dance floor and an open terrace with pool. Apparently the club has hosted celebrity DJs such as Fatboy Slim and David Guetta.
5.) Matsuri 祭り: Summer time is definitely matsuri time. Matsuris are japanese festivals which are very popular especially around summer. A lot of girls get dressed in yukatas 浴衣 (cotton version of a kimono) especially for the matsuris. The highlight of most of the matsuris are the fireworks 花火(hanabi) which are really incredible and stunning. By the way there is also a song called 夏祭り by Whiteberry that catches the atmosphere of a matsuri quite well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fty3wMAxVjI
Is there anything else you can recommend me? Any tips or suggestions?
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About the Author: yuki
Although I was born and raised in Austria my parents luckily taught me japanese starting at a very early age. Since most of my relatives live in Japan I try to fly to Japan once in a year. I love reading and cooking and I also enjoy traveling.
Comments:
Alex:
Doesn’t Donki have a bunch of food and cosmetics, too? Pretty much every one I’ve been to has a bunch of isles of cosmetics. Not that I look for that stuff…
I particularly enjoy the random stuff like corn soup flavored ice cream.
I just found that they have an English facebook page so maybe there are some interesting posts there?
http://www.facebook.com/donquijote.yokoso.en
As for 祭り, I highly recommend the Awa Odori during Obon. The one in Tokushima is the biggest and most popular but as it’s in Shikoku, it might be a bit far for most to visit. The one in Koenji, Tokyo, is also huge though. I had the pleasure of going last year, and it was absolutely massive. It felt like the entire town was shut down for the festival/parade.