j-11 5/15 Of Ochakais and Shinkansens...
Well, the morning didn't really get off to a good start. I woke up later than I had really intended and still had to finish packing and making sure I didn't forget anything. I also had to try and takyubin my luggage to faux_semblant's place.
Also I needed to figure out where the heck was the JR station near Jimbocho. I just really didn't know tokyo trains at all. I swear I felt like an idiot tourist up there where I could't plan ahead. Anyways....
Figured out where JR station was, about a 20 minute walk, and managed to takkyubin luggage. Though later on I would realize that that I had messed up addresses (I was writing the kanji and was REALLY TIRED) and sent it to JHoppers instead with Elise's name on it. At least got somewhere I could pick it up... but that is for the following day.
I walked to the station using google maps on my IPod. It was a rather interesting walk. I got to see more of Jimbocho and such. I noticed I was getting closer to the station when the number of people wearing the same pant/skirt suit increased. It was mildly frightening and amusing at the same time. I got through the throng of people and did some weird transfer dance and ended up at Tokyo Station.
It took me a while to figure out where to go since I didn't remember Tokyo station at all from the last time I went. I was once again struck by how big that place is. After chatting to the Information lady, she sent me off to where I needed to go. I spent a few more minutes trying to figure out which gate I needed and which were the unreserved seats.
Lucky me though, I managed to get on the Nozomi train as opposed to the Hikari train (which is the one that the Rail Pass covers...). Thankfully, the dude was nice and just told me to get off on the next stop and catch the proper one. Honestly, I think the only reason I was being so dumb that morning was because I was nervous, tired, and generally unhappy with Tokyo. The transfer set me back, but I would still make it at a semi decent time to Osaka.
Yeah, I was heading down to mura just for Ooki Makoto's ochakai, then back up to Tokyo the next day. This would be the first of many crazy ass shinkansen trips.
I pretty much passed out on the train until we got to Shin-Osaka. From there I did another transfer dance and went to Osaka Station and then did another transfer dance and got on the JR train for Mura. I arrived about an hour before we had to head into Espirit Hall. (That whole trip from Tokyo was like 4 1/2 hours ...)
Thankfully Maureen was there to greet me and spirit me away to this amazing bathroom in Sorio where I could change from my sweaty travel clothes and into my dress. I really wish I could have taken a shower.. but I cleaned myself the best I could then did my hair and makeup. While I did that Maureen was kind enough to pick me up a gift bag for Michael's gift. (I THINK I STILL OWE YOU 200 YEN DEAR D:)
Then we scurried over quickly to meet up with Jess and Manda in the theater lobby. Everyone looked amazing! I was especially impressed with Jess's lovely dress and bow as well as Manda's cute red heels. Then we split up and Maureen went to another person's ochakai and we went to Espirit Hall. It was my first time there and I was excited~!
As we signed in, Elise joined us and we headed over to our table. I felt awful for the one Japanese person seated at our table. Thankfully she was joined by someone else later. All of us poked at our forms and programs and I noticed that my name ... was not completely right.
Suffice to say I suffered a sex change at the expense of Michael-kai staff. The label clearly said Estefan Pena. This of course was even more hilarious for Manda and I due to a really bad inside joke from several years back which involved me, a suit, and slicked back hair. I looked like a greasy hispanic man, named Estefan. <= (probably not as funny to anyone else.)
The group photographs were the first thing on the agenda and we were called by table down to the inside theater lobby. We took our photos with her in front of the piano by the staircase. Oh also on the way down we got to walk by and be grinned at by Mickey(?).
The actual ochakai was a riot. Michael is that sort of short, cute, semi-rakish, otokoyaku type I seem to be helplessly attracted to (i.e Houju Ichi, Chinami Karan). She came in dancing to the chuzume music and had clown ruffles on her wrists. Super cute. This was also my first time seeing her Off persona and I was pleasantly surprised by how calm and cool she was.
The Q&A section was okay. I don't really remember what she said, mostly cause my own brain was fuzzy from just being off the shinkansen. The game was possibly the best since it involved the most hilarious mishap I have ever witnessed. I think Michael took the entire event with as much grace as she could. Made me love her buckets. Especially her panicked, girly prancing about.
I think though what really slayed me the most was her turning to our table and asking our "opinion" on an English word. A word I wasn't quite expecting to come out of a sienne's mouth ever. (I know where all your minds and are going and NO IT WASN"T LIKE THAT). I think we all literally headdesked.
Prize section was amusing. I have a distinct feeling that clubs really do not discuss what photographs will be prizes with their stars. I am always amused by their reactions to the photographs. I think one of them was Michael in daruma. She was very distressed that it was one of the choices. The first person called up picked it and Michael made a very cute "ARG WHY" face. Pretty much after that ... the rest of the prizes went to us.
Though, I had the dubious honor of winning the last prize of the evening. Also had the dubious pleasure of hearing Michael somewhat dramatically call out "ESTEFAN PENA!" I was pretty damn embarrassed to have to walk up there. I couldn't look at her ...
Oh yeah my prize was a blue towel she had bought to do choreography with. She demonstrated for us how it was supposed to be used. I was perfectly amused. Oh and it was heavily sprayed with some sort of perfume.
I still don't know how to feel about this. Hah.
She also sang for us a song I wasn't completely familiar with, but ... lets she tried her hardest. Michael was really cute hah.
Handshakes was pretty embarrassing too. For her not being my star, I think I've had to deal with being rakishly grinned at too much on this trip. I fretted and took my turn last. I handed her my gift and paused momentarily trying to work up the courage to say something and had just decided to not say anything, but Michael was giving me that expectant look. So, I tried the spanish thing again which elicited a grin and a "I know the song! Let me sing it for you!" moment. Then I shook her hand and ran away. Then had to be called back to grab my omiyage. Then I ran away again.
Being on a high, nobody really wanted to head home (Except Manda... but that was understandable). Also we realized that we were all kind of hungry. Which prompted us to head into Osaka still in our finery to try and hunt down a place to eat that was still open.
The adventure was not as fun as one would suspect, but eventually we managed to find a organic place that seemed to have a vegetarian option. It was a decent place, but not actually as vegetarian friendly as we expected. After we ate and figured out train schedules we all went our separate ways. Jess with Maureen, and I with Elise.
It... really was quite the day. I was pretty exhausted by the time we got back to Elise's place. I don't even remember what happened after that.
Next: Osaka really is my home and its hard to leave it.