A beautifully done time lapse of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Taken with a Canon 5D MKII and overlaid with the soundtrack from Blade Runner.

(via Gizmodo)

Jordan teams up with Nitro Microphone member XBS to produce the Jordan Tokyo 23 pack. Both sneakers feature yellow, gray and black tones with Jordan Tokyo 23 logo embroidered onto the sides. The speakers are expected to launch as part of their new website jordantokyo23.com.

(via Highsnobiety)

One place to certainly visit is Tokyu Hands. This unique eight story department store sells everything from weird toys to home improvement products.

Krispy Kreme in Japan? Yes, and the Japanese love it as much as we do it seems. The wait for a donut in the morning is more than an hour long!

Lunch time for us. :)

Cell in hand while knocked out is an often seen sight on Tokyo subways (they’re extremely safe compared to U.S. subways), and masks are worn when you’re sick to prevent spreading your germs to others.

Tami waiting anxiously of course for her gelato!

Tokyo really lights up at night. The only sad thing is that places tend to close by about 9pm.

The breeding grounds for some of the best Street Fighter players in the world are coming to a close and they’ll be sadly missed by many of my generation who grew up with them. I spent countless hours at the arcades, and can I tell you there’s nothing like the feeling of in person head-to-head competition – something that internet gaming will never be able to replace. Japan has had an advantage for years over U.S. players with Street Fighter games consistently being released in their arcades months before the U.S. could get their hands on a copy. Combine this with a place to consistently train and level up against the best competition, and you can see why Japanese players like Daigo are virtually unbeatable.

On any given night in Tokyo, you’ll find large groups of top ranked national players at one of the few arcades left. Most play at Big Box Taito Station arcade located in Takadanobaba, Tokyo off the JR Yamamote 1 line.

Once you arrive at Takadanobaba station, take the Waseda exit and Big Box will be directly to your right – the large blue building is definitely hard to miss.

Taito Station is located on the 6th floor of Big Box.

If you want to keep track of your Street Fighter IV battle stats, be sure to pick up a gamers card (400 yen) that will keep track of your progress and also records any costumes and colors you’ve unlocked. It’ll work in any official Street Fighter cabinet in Japan.

Now prepared to be beasted on by locals with techniques and strategies much different than you’re used to back home — Yes, even the girls are good so don’t underestimate them by their looks!

Next visit will be to Shinjuku Sports Land in Shibuya, Tokyo. Stay tuned.

If you’re wondering about the lack of updates the past few days, it’s because we’re in Tokyo! Our first stop after dropping off our bags at the hotel was a trip back to our favorite ramen shop in Shibuya.

It’s been over a year since we last visited and it’s good to see that it’s still here. Everything about the place looked the same except the owner upgraded the dated ordering machine to an all new touch screen with snazzy photos.

The place was packed with business men as usual, but the locals don’t play when it comes to finishing their ramen. They’re in and out usually in less than 20 minutes, so we got a seat fairly quickly. Tami and I both ordered miso ramen with pork tenderloin and a side of gyoza.

What else can I say but damn… yummy in my tummy baby! Packed with flavor and just the right amount of salt. We’ll definitely be back again before our trip is over.

(The owner doesn’t speak a word of English, but he’s super nice!)

A few months ago, we reported that a life-size Gundam would be built in Tokyo park to celebrate their 30th anniversary. It’s now a reality. Our friends over at Pink Tentacle have taken some nice sunset pics of the 59-foot Gundam.

I wish I was in Tokyo right now with my cam!

Kenji Yanobe’s Giant Torayan robot is a 24-foot tall mechanical baby that sings, dances and breathes fire. It’s currently on display in Tokyo’s Roppongi district, and has attracted quite the audience.

I wish I was in Tokyo right now, so I could shoot some videos of this monster in action!

A new special book from “SHOES MASTER” magazine. The past, present and future of Sneaker culture in Tokyo. Included is a map to help you find hidden sneaker shops tucked away in the backstreets of Tokyo.

(via Honeyyee)

Our friends at Bouncing Red Ball scoured the net looking for photos of Japanese factories at night. What they came up with is nothing short of amazing. The colors, lights, smoke and complex railings looks like something straight out of a Neo Tokyo.

View the complete set here.

Fancy an “icy” outdoor bath during your next holiday? At Alpha Resort-Tomamu’s ice village in Shimukappu town, you can stay in a hotel where dining room, bedroom and bathroom are all made out of ice. Even dinner is served on an ice plate.

Room charges are at 80,000 yen (~$900) for two per night and the hotel is open until Feb 15, 2009. Temperatures in Shimukappu range between -1 to -10 degrees celsius during this period.