Sometimes co-incidences make for the best times, don’t you think? After seeing H Naoto and his autumn collection, I thought I’d drop into Takuya Angel’s shop, having been disappointed to find it closed the day before.
It was 6.30 by this time, and I had somewhere else I was suppposed to be, but I thought…just a short visit, and then on my way.
As I got to the doorway, coming at it from the other direction was my good aussie friend (and photographer) Brendan! Who I hadn’t seen since April when I was last in Tokyo. He’d only been doing a shoot for Takuya that day with some lovely customers being the models. I’d spotted them in front of me in Takeshita St, and wanted a picture, but didn’t want to annoy them. It’s a small world. B said he wasn’t really surprised to run into me, such is the smallness of the alternative scene here too.
So catch up chatties were had, a few pics of the store taken…
…and then Takuya announced it was hanabi and we all had to let off fireworks. I have to admit, I hadn’t done this before, but I LOVE fireworks…and I love how they make people like little kids again.
(OK so hanabi season has been going for a month, and the big events are huge outdoor fireworks displays like the Tokyo Bay Big Fireworks Festival whch is held on the 2nd Saturday in August..but it’s all about participation, innit?)
Out onto the balcony we trooped with our little bowl of water in case of mishap…and started lighting up! Check out the intense and mesmerised looks on everyone’s faces.
Aww….while they were a bit like sparklers (and smelled like them!), they actually set off little tiny explosions like fireworks in the sky – like sparkling fizzy flowers of light.
It was somehow a bonding experience, transcending language and age barriers. Like hanami parties, you just get a sense of the good part rituals have to play in japanese society, and mourn the passing (in Australia anyway) of the old fireworks nights that used to bring joy to kids’ and adults’ hearts alike.
Then it was time for a pic outside the shop, before we headed off to a little izakaya round the corner (joined by DJ Chihiro; photo coming later).
So I headed home happy with my day – and not much poorer, at only 2000 yen for the meal and drinks!! Bargain 🙂
[…] a friend of Takuya Angel’s who always wears his clothing (and who you saw in my post on celebrating Hanabi with Takuya Angel, although she had pink hair then). She’s a walking advertisement, you might say. She’s […]