Well, I finally have time to write about Torture Garden. To sum it up, it was a blast and I'd go again. If it was another country it would probably be a different experience.
First we had a pre-party starting at 7, although I got there a little fashionably late. I found a few new shops near Ebisu Gardens on the way there though, including a good wine shop. I live close by, but I haven't really explored that area at all yet. I picked up some wine and gouda cheese and headed over to the house. The guy must be pretty rich. I got a quick tour of it and it was a really nice place. He had it custom built, so it even had insulation and double paned windows! Yes, double paned windows are something you get excited about when you spend enough time here. Drank a lot of wine and ate snacks and everyone changed clothes around 10 before heading over to the UNIT, which is where Torture Garden was. I had some leather clothes for the event, which I have to say, I look pretty bad ass in.
We had a short wait to get in, and it was cold. It was supposed to snow that night. There were some fantastic costumes there, and some skin, although those people were freezing their ass off out there. The entrance fee was 5000 yen, or almost $50. I must be getting more used to Japan, because I didn't even hesitate paying it and didn't think about it until later. I'd rather go homeless then pay $50 to get into a club in Dallas.
I described it earlier as a fetish fashion party and that turned out to be a pretty good description. Most people were wearing some kind of leather, latex clothing or otherwise in costume. The amount of skin varied, and sometimes they weren't wearing much. :) One guy next to us in line had this amazing lightup kind of dinosaur looking thing. Others weren't wearing much more then a body harness.
If that's all it was it wouldn't of seemed much different then a really wild club, but it was the other stuff and shows they had going on that made it more interesting. On the first floor they had a fashion show that I caught, and Lucifire. I know she played around with fire, fire breathing, extinguishing the flame it in her mouth and other stuff. At the beginning she called up a volunteer and pounded a nail into her skull through the eye socket. At least that's what it looked like, I was a little far, but it was a real nail. That much I'm sure of. Ugh, my eye and head hurt thinking about it. She made the cute little volunteer pound it in then pull it partway out and put it back in before finally removing it. What I wasn't expecting was her husband(!?!). At least that's what she introduced him as. He was more like a heavily tattooed pain slave. I don't remember everything in particular, not that you want to hear all of it anyway. One part that stands out vividly was when she stapled (with a staple gun) several balloons to his back, then proceeded to pop them by throwing darts at them. These darts stuck under the skin and the blood wasn't a lie.
This was nothing compared to the Psycho Cyborgs though. I forgot to take pictures of them, but if you search on the web you can find lots of images and videos. They are a body modification group, so lots of fun stuff poking out from the skin. Imagine the borg, but it's all real and you get to see it go in. Just be prepared with a strong stomach. Definitely an experience though.
By the time we left around 4 or 4:30am it was snowing outside which made the walk home rather slippery. I probably should of taken a cab, but it wasn't far.
I took a few pictures, but it was really too dark for anything to turn out and I'm not sure photos were that welcome there. If you noticed I haven't been posting much lately. The trial version of the software I was using expired and I haven't decided if I'm going to purchase it yet. That and I downloaded some videos so my hard drive is almost completely full.
Overall it was a lot more fun then I expected. Part of the reason is probably because it's Japan. No matter what you do things feel safer here. If they return next year I'll probably go again. I could write more and try and describe some of the cool outfits I saw, but I don't think my words would do it justice. Just something you have to go to. Anyhow, following this you might see some more reviews on some more rather unique underground stores and events in Tokyo.
The interviews at work went well Sunday, at least a couple possibilities out of 6 people which is better then we've had lately. We went out to eat afterwards and I got home around 2pm I think and crawled into bed and slept.
