Went to Shirokiya’s new “Japan Village Walk” in Ala Moana Shopping Center along with my friends and half the entire island population or at least it SEEMED that way! The Restaurant village had its Grand Opening this weekend and the air was full of excitement with giveaways and lots of loud taiko-drum infused entertainment as the masses perused the new shops and stores!
The new place seems to have it all: restaurants from Japanese to Vietnamese to traditional and even American stuff of the Cheeseburger variety, Bakeries and pastry shops and even gift stores welling Japanese wares that reminded me not a little of good old Iida’s back in the day!
One of the perks of dropping in on opening day was that they were giving out free gifts for the first 12,000 visitors: cute little amulets with your “Guardian Spirit” animal which you received and then were invited to read up on what your character meant in the neighboring exhibit!
And after spending the day having lunch and drinks, we couldn’t leave without topping it off with an assortment of those famous Hello Kitty Waffles for dessert! Mmmm...Got the custard, chocolate and regular ones, maybe next time we’ll get the Cream Cheese, Strawberry and Red Bean ones!
So much to see and I’m still not sure we saw all of it- we kept walking past alleys that we’d missed in the initial walkabout, but we’ll definitely be coming back for more! I gotta say, when we first showed up, the line to get in was so long and had snaked from Shirokiya around the corner and almost all the way back to Old Navy, and I thought we'd perhaps made a mistake coming so early, but one inside it was all worth it!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com
A few months back I mentioned that the “media” side of Shirokiya “Book-Off” had relocated to Ward Warehouse under the name “Connect”…Well, I happened to stride on by this weekend, and I found that since Shirokiya’s big move to the Food Court Side of Ala Moana Shopping Center, The Ward Connect had officially become a Book Off, complete with signage and banners! Very Cool! Time to shop for some movies!
Went To Ward Warehouse this weekend to find that the CDs, Books, Computer and DVDs section of Shirokiya has become a brand new outlet called "Connect", which has just taken residence there, next to Menchie's Yogurt (in the place that used to be Executive Chef) and with just a glance one can tell still has that easy-to-spot "Book Off" aura...
The news that Shirokiya was going to be moving places in Ala Moana Shopping Center made me wonder the fate of the CD/DVD side (since they were going to focus on the Food Stalls), nice to know that they've still got a good home! (Or, as long as this DVD thing lasts...Oi.
While I was there, I was shocked to find that Japanese Bookstore Hakabundo (which had also moved to Ward Warehouse a few years ago) looked like they were clearing out their magazine section... but then I discovered they'd opened a newer shop further down in Ward Centre, and there the Magazines were, good as ever! WHEW!
Kind of Sad news about Shirokiya moving...I have SO MANY memories going there as a kid for my Kikaider and Kamen Rider fixes, those cool '45 Singles and Albums...Those were the days!
The other day we spun by the new KZOO satellite station set right into Shirokiya at Ala Moana. Looks Pretty Nifty! Note the cool koa waiting room and wide windows so passers by can gawk at the DJs and whomever might be stopping by! Now if only they could get some of my favorite Japan personalities to visit...
