Tokyo Day 05 - Mitaka, Ghibli, Nakano

Today was the first full week of the Japan trip, and the artists began their workshops today. Phil Craven, Kazu Kibuishi and Amy Kim Ganter spoke to the attentive group of students this morning. Here's Amy:

After the workshops we took a long trip to Mitaka. The kids were anxious to take advantage of the drawing time on the subway:
Here's Brett, Tamara, Rashad, and a blurry Kevin:

Wandering around a rainy Mitaka Falynn fixes her hair:

After a nice little walk and a stroll through a cool park we came to the entrance to the Ghibli Museum:



Note the giant robot on the museum roof behind Ray and Kazu:



We couldn't take pictures inside, but I snapped this one from the top floor looking down:

After Mitaka, we traveled back to Nakano, this time with the students:


We were all so tired. Here's a sleepy Dove on the subway:

Naaman, Jason (little Jason - there's three on this trip), and Kate (who's taken on the local custom of napping on this train:

Tomorrow moring it's the fish market (at 4:30 am)... so I must go sleepy now.

Keep checking Jason Mauer's blog for video and a more elaborate narrative.

Tokyo Day 04 - Ueno Park, National Museum.

On our morning walk around, Dove and I found this lovely (un open) pharmacy (apothecary):

Ray talks to the Sequential Art students outside the hotel, preparing them for our trip today:

Ray, Kazu and Amy walking through Ueno Park:

Ueno Park:

Kazu and Amy have their photo taken by their friends (Phil Craven in the light grey shirt):

More park:


Group shot of whole SCAD group (that's me in the back):

Dove drew this drunk guy and he was loving it (Logan shows the comparison while Dove laughs):

The line to get into the National Museum. It's was over an hour's wait. No photos allowed inside.

From the tea garden behind the museum. Today was the last day it's open this year (until next spring):



A boy reading manga in the museum shop:


Just a couple sketches today. I'll get more productive as we have more time...

Tokyo Day 03 - Shinjuku

After taking care of some business this morning (as is the case when you are anticipating 52 student arriving in a unfamiliar place), Dove, Jason (the other Jason - Ray's friend) and I traveled around to get used to the city. I wanted to go to the hotel from Lost in Translation, so we make our way to Shinjuku.


There was a nice park there (Shinjuku Central Park). A young lady playing some sort of fancy stringed instrument. The photo is not nearly as interesting as audio would be.

Even in Tokyo Saturdays are for yard sales! That's Park Hyatt in the far background (our destination).




At the Park Hyatt:

We were making our way to the New York Bar and Grill on the top floor (52). That's the abr from the film). Here we are inside the elevator:

The view was lovely...



We were told that the bar was closed (I don't think it was) so we didn't get in. We were not dressed for the dining room for sure. We then made our way back through the park. We foud a homeless shanty-town area:


A father/son round of catch:

Father/daughter time at the yard sale:

Back toward the station I noticed a manga add for beer:

We had a fantastically authentic lunch at a yakitori hole in the wall. (BTW, it was Jason's birthday!):

Back in Ginza (our home town) the main road is closed and turned into a walkway on the weekend:

The vehicles here are so cute!

Sun down happens around 4pm.

Atmospheric perspective:

The students and artists had a fancy (sit down on the floor, no shoes) dinner after they arrived and checked into the hotel (around 9pm). Tomorrow we're off the Ueno Park and at least one of the three museums there, maybe more.

Check out Jason Maurer's Blog (he's the animation professor for the trip) he's got cool video of the trip so far. He'll be updating regularly as well.