Oh Akihabara... I do NOT adore thee

Well I've been in Japan for a week now and I guess the feelings are all starting to sink in.

Today I had a lazy day planned, but low and behold... I changed them and headed on the Yamanote line to Akihabara. The intention was looking for some Bleach character goods for my boyfriend.

The end result left me quite upset.

I got there just fine and aside from really having no huge plan of what to do I went in search of places that sold character goods. You would think there is plenty of those in Akihabara but alas I searched high and low climbed many stairs travelled in many small elevators to no avail. I spoke with about ten different shop staff in stores asking aboud Bleach goods, TWO pointed me to a section that had only like FIVE pieces... which weren't even worth looking at (memo pad and phone straps of obscure characters) Now maybe I wasn't in the right shops but when I finally managed to snag a shop staff for more then two seconds she explained that I probably wouldn't find much that wasn't an expensive collectors item because Bleach was not as popular anymore (GAAAAHHHH!) Really?? All that work for like nothing.

Now maybe I wasn't looking in the right places or asking the write people but by this point I had been out for about three hours with nothing for my boyfriend, and a few volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist fan fiction... yay for improving my kanji!

This while a pressing worry was overshadowed by the other thing that got under my skin. I have been doing very well in Japan so far by not being too much of a "OMG GAIJIN!!" and/ having a huge bubble around me. Yes some people won't sit by me on a train or they hug the other side of the sidewalk when I walk by... or pretend they don't see me and almost hit me with their tiny cars (Thank you man in blue Suzuki while I was going to the store (>x<). But I'd rather be the invisible Gaijin then what I was today.

I was asked I kid you not TEN times to be photographed with! I wasn't dressed up or wearing heavy make or heels or anything, just a cute sweater, coral tank underneath, skinny jeans and sandals! I did nothing to draw attention to myself, I even wore sunglasses (it was sunny).

And yet I was asked by several people (men rather) along the way if they could have my picture. They all muttered something about my hair in broken English, and being on a public street I obliged the first one or two who seemed nice, well my mistake because then apparently I grew a neon sign out of my head that said "NICE BLONDE GAIJIN! WILL TAKE PICTURE WITH YOU!!" It was terrible and exhausting and the second the men got creepy (including a like 50 something business man) I called it a day, ducked into a milk cafe had a pastry and some milk (one guy took a picture of me through the cafe window!!) and I came home,

Empty handed and very unhappy.

I really hate going somewhere and not finding what I want, and then being bothered by people after I'm already frustrated. Just because I'm a visitor to your country with a larger bust then a good percentage of the native female population, and have blonde hair does not give anyone the right to make me a novelty. I know I stand out, but I'm making every effort to fit in, in your country and be a good guest for my visit by speaking the language and not being rude and following customs, so please don't photograph me then go waltz over to your friends bragging how you took my picture and now you are "Oh so cool!" I speak Japanese, well at least enough to understand when I'm being talked about in a not very positive light, no girl appreciates her body being talked about in an impolite way when you think she's not listening.

Thank you,
The Blonde Gaijin