Blog of the Week: The Manga Man of Shimokita
25th June 2012
Our featured blogger this week, Justin Egli, introduces us to one of Tokyo's real characters
Justin Egli's blog, Ikimashō, shows a snapshot of daily life in Tokyo and Japan that isn't just all about karaoke bars and anime. It's full of the kind of inside information that only comes from living and breathing a city like Tokyo on ground level.
This post about Manga street performer Rikimaru Toho is just a taster. Make sure you go to Justin's blog and have a real good look around. You won't be disappointed.
Sitting by the side of the road at 12am on a plastic bucket wearing a pair of traditional Japanese tabi boots, Rikimaru Toho is a hard man to ignore. Scattered around him lie 20-30 Manga novels, each and every one crumpled and dog-eared – the sign of a man who is well used to reading the same story over and over and over again.
Toho likes his Manga. A lot. Choose a novel and he'll read it to you: twisting his voice to become high-pitched children, growling monsters and an assortment of other oddball characters. What's more, pay him 100yen (70p) at the end of your show and he'll even give you some sweets. Legend.
Manga Man Rikimaru Toho performs on Saturday nights under the railway tracks at Shimikitazawa station, and on Sunday afternoons/evenings in Inokashira Park. Check him out in action here:
Justin Egli: Ikimashō
"I'm just a wee guy living in Tokyo who likes travelling, ramen, electronic music, punk rock, BMX, drawing, art, writing, cute stuff, quirky stuff and everything in between."
Take a closer look at Justin's blog | Nominate your blog here
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