March 26: Anime Japan and a dream called “Shibuya” – EXCLUSIVE

This is a special article because only here you find the entire chapter “March 26: Anime Japan and a dream called Shibuya” from the book “Between Samurai and Manga: An Epic Journey in the Japanese World”, available on Amazon and best seller on Kindle Italia some years ago.

March 26: Anime Japan and a dream called “Shibuya”

Anime Japan is the world’s largest and most important anime and comic book event. How could I not have attended it? Many months in advance, I had purchased my ticket online (the previous day, before visiting the Senso-ji temple, I had stopped by one of the many 7Stores in Tokyo to print it out).

But why visit Anime Japan? Needless to say, I am a fan of anime and manga. In recent years, I have seen more than 50 anime (not counting the most famous ones) and, in Italy, I have always attended Romics as a spectator. My first experience at Romics was in 2015. In 2017 and 2018, I was also invited to sing. However, after that time, I never went back: I stopped working with the management agency that represented me, my friendship with my fellow adventurer dissolved, and the only friend I have left is not interested in attending.

I definitely wanted to see Anime Japan for multiple reasons: not only because of the passion I mentioned earlier, but also to find out what the most important event dedicated to anime and comics is like, from which all other fairs have been inspired.

So in the morning, I woke up and prepared to go out. I first took the streetcar and then the bus that took me directly to the venue, the Tokyo Big Sight.

Although Anime Japan is the world’s premier event of its kind, the organization of the line was so clever that there was virtually no waiting. Checks were quick but still effective, as bags were checked, what one carried and clothing.

At that moment I thought, “Japan, give some of your organization to Italy. Even just 10 percent.” I have never understood why in Italy we cannot properly organize an event. During my graduate course in business administration, they taught us something that I think should be obvious: learn from mistakes. If you organize an event badly, shouldn’t you learn from your mistakes and correct the actions that led to that result? It seems that Italians don’t care about doing things right, and mistakes are often never corrected, even if they result in additional costs.

Anime Japan is simply fantastic. In addition to the welcome gift (two special Japanese brand drinks), each booth offered flyers, bags, masks and other promotional materials. And I accepted everything. Not only because I didn’t want to refuse, but because I was really interested in seeing everything that was offered. Now, at home in Pescara, I still have a mountain of flyers, posters and promotional materials.

In addition to the organization and respect for the participants, the event was well attended. There were booths from international giants such as Netflix, but also from the largest animation studios, such as Toei Animation.

The main difference I noticed between Romics and Anime Japan is that the former is a very interactive event: I remember when I was at the Rome Fair, there were booths where you could play games with the latest computers, try VR viewers and so on. Anime Japan, on the other hand, as far as I was able to observe, you experience it more as a spectator: there are presentations, interviews, exhibition routes where you mainly have to observe without touching.

Finally, one thing I noticed and greatly appreciate is that in Japan everyone, from children to the elderly, reads manga and watches anime. At Anime Japan, as well as in other neighborhoods I visited over the next few days, it was normal to see people of all ages in stores dedicated to these Japanese works, especially to buy action figures.

Why do I appreciate this so much? Because in the West there is a widespread idea that after a certain age you have to get a job, get married, have children, and that if you like playing games or watching anime you are considered a person who has failed to grow up. In Japan, on the other hand, there is no such mental closure: anyone, even business executives and the elderly, can afford to read manga, watch anime and buy action figures of their favorite characters.

So after spending morning and afternoon at Anime Japan, I headed to Shibuya. No doubt Shibuya is one of the most famous neighborhoods in Japan, like New York’s Times Square (but Shibuya is even more beautiful, subjectively, and safe, objectively, as a place). I had intended to visit Shibuya the first night, but I was really tired after visiting the temple and having dinner; therefore, I thought it more appropriate to go to sleep. Indeed, it was the wisest choice.

Stations in Japan are crowded with people walking and running in all directions. No one stops, everyone is constantly moving, and it is a chaos of movement that can be overwhelming after a while. Imagine Shibuya… There was twice the flow of people in the station than in other stations.

Despite the chaos and people walking in all directions, however, it is easy to get used to, at least for me it was. Just follow those in front of you to avoid colliding with others.

After locating one of the station’s many exits, I followed the signs to a sushi restaurant, Uobei Shibuya Dougenzaka. It is one of the most modern sushi restaurants in Japan. There is always a long line, but the seats open up quickly. Once your turn arrives, they assign you a number and give you a card with a bar code that you have to keep because you will need it for payment at the end of dinner. They lead you to your assigned seat; there are no tables, but numerous counters with a conveyor belt in front (it doesn’t move all the time). When you order through the tablet, the dish you have chosen arrives on the conveyor belt and stops right in front of you. You have time to pick it up and select in the tablet that you picked it up. This way the belt can be used to deliver dishes to other customers. The cost is really affordable and the sushi is delicious (although of course it cannot compare to that of a real restaurant where the chef prepares it in front of you).

Believe me, when you are there, you understand the ingenuity of the people who designed all this. If I were asked, “What is the organization?”, I would answer, “Uobei Shibuya Dougenzaka.” The Japanese are truly ingenious.

However, it should be noted that these technologies are present only in major centers. Also keep in mind that almost no one in Japan accepts card payments. In the centers of Tokyo and Osaka it is more common, but it is not the norm.

Fortunately, there are numerous automatic teller machines (ATMs) in Japan where you can withdraw cash for a low, fixed bank fee. ATMs can be found everywhere: in supermarkets, both large and small, on the street, and in stations. So don’t worry, but keep this information in mind because if you go into a restaurant and then don’t have cash, it could be a problem. Also, the fact that many people do not speak English makes it worse, since you cannot explain that you are going to withdraw and will be right back. When in doubt, always ask first.

During the days spent in the centers of Tokyo and Osaka, I paid by card only a few times. For all other destinations, even just around, I always had to use cash and coins. In some stores there are vending machines. You choose the dish you want, press the button on the vending machine, insert bills or coins, and the machine issues a ticket, which you then hand to the chef to prepare. Again, however, credit cards are not accepted.

Some restaurants accept credit cards, but only a few and of Japanese brand.

After enjoying an excellent dinner and spending little, I ventured out into the streets of Shibuya and, after a certain hour, returned to the hotel.

Andrea Pimpini: Author

Andrea Pimpini is a multi-talented creator, entrepreneur, and graduate student based in Macau where he studied and worked. His journey began at age 11 with a YouTube channel, evolving into a career that spans music, writing, and international publishing. As a performer, Andrea has appeared at major events like Romics and earned recognition from outlets such as Sky TG24, and Il Messaggero. He is the founder of TheGameTV, a cross-platform media brand, and has collaborated with companies like Xiaomi and Xbox. His motivational book, “Start Before You’re Ready”, chronicles how he built a global life by 22 through persistence, creativity, and reinvention. Andrea holds a Bachelor’s in Economics and Management and is pursuing a Master’s in International Integrated Resort Management. His mission is to inspire others to take action, embrace failure, and create opportunities beyond borders