storm colours my life

Notes:
Sorry that this is a loooong post but rather than a report, it's more like my impression of the concert itself. Since it was my first time attend an Arashi concert and it took me quite some times to finish writing this all (yep, due to work and internet connection), there may be many things missed. Plus the fact that I didn't take even a note to write interesting things happened when the show is going (my bad!). So yeah, mistakes are much possible. Pardon for any structure and grammar mistake, English is not my first language and I keep studying it forever.

I arrived quite late in the Dome area. We're allowed to get inside starting 14.00 but I think I was arrived on 14.30. Plus, I have to wait for Berda, my friend from whom I got the ticket, as she's also watching the concert. It took only a minute or so to tap my fanlight in the area near the Tokyo Dome Hotel and then I headed to the front of the Dome. There are already many people packed up the area, but I still have to wait so I took my time to buy extra goods I want (can't help it! XP). My plan is to buy a medal brooch, roller stamp, and another Ohno's mini uchiwa for my sister (I was totally forgot so I only bought one for myself on 19th). To my surprise I found that Ohno's mini uchiwa is sold out! Not long after followed by group's clearfile and Ohno's clearfile also out of stock! Well, Ohno is popular lately it seems? Also it's the last day of the tour so people might be buying extra goods as many as possible, haha.

( [beware] loooooooooooong post! )

[at last! I'm back and I'll be back!]

So... I'm home now!
After spending about 10 days in Japan, it's somehow feel good to back to my lovely home town. Haha.
Not that Japan isn't great, is not about that at all. Japan is good, but the best part is of course Tokyo Dome! <3

I wouldn't say I've met the boys, but at least I saw them with my own two eyes.

I went to Tokyo for the first 6 days (landing in Narita) then headed to Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto to back to Narita again in the last day. Basically my Tokyo days full of meeting new (and old) people. Here are the timeline occurences.

18 December 2014
Arrived in Narita on time, Took my wifi in QL Liner (Terminal 2, 3rd floor). Buying kairo for cold protection (that thing is magic, really!) headed to Tokyo Station by Keisei Bus. Got lost in Tokyo Station, yeah. But then found the right way, go to Ueno then change train to Minami Senju. Took times for us to fing the right way to our hotel, but finally found it! Welcomed by the strong cold wind and light drizzle. Phew. We're finally arrived. The initial plan is to watch Kabuki and roaming around Shibuya, but since we're tired and need cleaning and eating something... we stopped for a while.
Met a boy named Jarid from Australia when we use the common room to eat and relax. Haha. He stayed with friends after their study tour is over like a week prior. Talked about manga, anime, and jpop cultures. Wow.
Clean body and happy stomach, headed to Akihabara! Akiba is just a few station away from Minami Senju. And happy thing is we decided to try another way (randomly) to go to the station and found a nice path: it's quieter and easier and nearer. Lucky! Get lost a little bit in Akiba just to try to find Book Off but managed to found it after buying some stuffs in Uniqlo (quite pricey for me, just grab a pair of stocking). It was in the atre 1. Japanese station usually has this shopping centre around that called atre, I think. Have seen them in quite some places. Finally, Book Off! but I didn't find what I'm looking for there, so no shopping.
It's quite late so we decided to back to hotel and continue the journey on the next day. That night is pretty cold, probably because it was our first night in Japan so we need to adapt. It's winter anyway.

19 December 2014
Already made appointment with 2 people that day: meet Daphne and my friend who will bring me ticket. But there's one thing need to be done first: get the goods in Tokyo Dome. So we headed to Tokyo Dome thru Suidobashi Station (it's quite near from Minami Senju!) and yes, the Dome was easy to find. Across the street from Suidobashi station all the way to the dome there are some girls holding signs asking for ticket... ah so sad to see them ><. Reached the dome area, there are many people already, and there are some different spots for good sales. There are many staffs who show you the way, saying "Arashi concert goods sale is this way" so you won't be confused, just follow the line. I choose to enter the nearest one from Suidobashi entrance, which is indoor, near the shopping and food center I guess. There are already many people queuing but not too long since there are many booths and it was basically quick service (excellent staffs!). Basically they separated the goods like bags and photobook, or mini uchiwas and medal brooch, so you can basically hopping from booth to booth once you get what you want. I've done my shopping only in about 30 minutes!!! Truly a fulfiling quality time in my opinion. On the end of the sales venue there's a digitalian area where you can tap your fanlight according to your ticket color. Sadly I haven't got my ticket yet, so I couldn't tap my uchiwa. So I got thru and went out. Took some times to rest and take a look around the dome. It was around 12 so I bet the rehearsal is starting already? This thought somehow makes me excited. Overall, even tho there are many people come and goe but the sales is fast and easy. The staffs are very nice and helpful (remember, with my crappy Japanese mixed with Engrish of course XP).Just an info: Star Kebab is the first kebab shop in Japan! (so Dahpne explained to us). Here's the website http://www.kebab.co.jp/akiba_terrace.html

After lunch Daphne kindly guided us roaming around Akiba. She's good in Japanese so it's easy to move around without getting lost haha! My Japanese is basically crappy so it helps a lot. Visited Hard Off and found a decent binoculars for my friend, later this is useful for concert so I borrowed from her, haha *slapped*. Went to Don Quijote (too many stuffs!!! o.O) and animate to grab some omiyage requested by friends back home. Time flies and Daphne have to go as she has another appointment. Thank you so much, Daphne <3 Sorry for all the ruckus! Hope we can meet again next time ;) Still have some times before 7 (the time I have to pick my ticket) so walking around Akihabara station and enjoy the park (?) in front of the station.
It takes about 30 minutes to go to Shibuya so we left Akiba on about 6.30. Shibuya is a pretty big station and with the current flows of people it doesn't help at all... it was rush hour I guess? Or maybe it's just so many people going to Shibuya. Even so we're succeed and met right in front of Hachiko exit. So there I met Berda and got my ticket! It's blue <3 Berda was with her two friends and apparantly they have another appointment in few minutes. Shibuya is just too crowded, huh. So we just walked across the street ahead to Tsutaya together then separated, before making another appoinment to attend the concert together.
I found what I'm looking for in Tsutaya but decided to leave it for now and went to look for Mandarake instead. We failed to find the store but caught up on Book Off (yep, again!) and Bingo instead. Bingo is the part of Book Off which sells secondhand clothes, watches, shoes, and other accessories. They have some new stuffs too I guess. My friend got a pair of cute boots here only with 500 yen, she's lucky. Sadly, even this Book Off doesn't have many Arashi CDs, only some DVDs... but a lot of drama DVDs (which are expensive!). Me got a secondhand cd for omiyage in Book Off instead. It's getting late so we decided to drop the Mandarake plan and went back to Tsutaya. Oh yeah, at that time, Shibuya is basically full of TOKIO, Kanjani8, and Kis-My-Ft2 promoting their own project. I only once seen Devil Nino Pocky haha. Speaking of the devil, accidentally my friend found a branch of Tacchon's dad yakitori chain restaurant: Torikizoku, completed with a mugendai sign after the name.
Grab what we want in Tsutaya and then ride on the train back to hostel~ The next day we'll meet another friend and a group of students in tour in Yokohama and plan to ride the ferris wheel in Minato Mirai 21! So it's all for now.