My Trip to Toho Studios

Toho Studios Japan.

Well this was a pain to find, after doing some research before we went to Japan I saw a picture of Toho studios with a statue of Godzilla outside with his tail smashing through some concrete and a huge painting on the studio wall of The Seven Samurai, I had to go so on our travel plans it went!  The map off of Google looked simple enough to follow, exit the station and you’ll see a KFC, Follow the road straight down and then slightly to the left and there you have Toho studio’s, no, not that  simple, We left the station and spotted KFC straight away, followed the road straight down and slightly to the left, walked through a park which was a very nice park I must say but ended up on what appeared to be a busy duel carriage way with bridges everywhere, I think we were lost.

Now being a geek (and proud!) and a huge Godzilla fan I donned my Godzilla T-shirt for the trip and photo opportunity with the statue and the Samurai, As I said we were lost and when I spotted a car park security guard I thought  “ I know, if he doesn’t speak very good English I’ll just point to my T-Shirt” But it was to no avail, My Japanese is terrible and the even  me pointing to my T-shirt and  using the Japanese “Goijira” to him just ended up with him smiling very politely and nodding his head, He must have thought I was a right weirdo!  

We walked, Walked some more, then some more. Up a hill, Down a hill, around a corner but I had no idea where we were going I was well and truly lost. Before we went to Japan we had planned in Tokyo as our last stop for a few days and Emma bless her for her patience said that why don’t we have “Jonny Friday!” a day just for me involving Kaiju toy hunting and a trip to Toho Studios. So with getting lost and looking at my watch it was getting later and later and eating big time into Jonny Friday, I was ready to give up, But Emma said we have come this far we will find it! We wondered around what seemed to be the 100^th corner when Emma said “Stop, show me the map, I'm sure I recognise the name of that furniture centre” so out came the map and there it was the furniture centre with Toho Studios on the map a few 100 yards away, Had we finally found it? Yes we had! As I walked further up the road I saw it slightly hid behind some stunning cherry blossom trees a sign for the legendary Toho Studios.

So we walked up to the studio and I spotted him, yes Godzilla! Standing around 7ft tall the detail was amazing, I was thinking of ideas/angles for my photo’s when a Japanese lady with a small child on the front of her bike who was holding a cool Ultraman toy came and sat in front of it, The child obviously loved it but all I could selfishly think was “how long you going to be, I want a photo!” After 5 minutes or so they left, The only people there were me and Emma and a man who worked for the studio who appeared to have the never ending task of sweeping up the cherry blossom. To the right of Godzilla is a huge wall with a painting of the Seven Samurai and when I say huge I mean HUGE, it was amazing to see the scale of it just looking up, A great memory to have.  

Now unfortunately you can’t get access into Toho Studios only on certain days do they open their doors for special tours but our time in Japan didn’t coincide with one of these dates, But saying that I did take a sneaky photo down the side of the entrance where I spotted Mothra! The people at the reception desk were looking at me a bit odd but I’m sure I’m not the 1^st or even last geek they will have to look at, So I though sod it I’m only here once, let’s get a photo!

So with no one around it was photo time with The King of the Monsters! As I said the detail on the statue is amazing and it was quite a surreal thing to see him covered in falling cherry blossom, one thing is for sure though if I ever win the lottery I am commissioning one to be made and he’s going in my garden! (sorry Emma!)

KING OF THE MONSTERS AND HIS CHERRY BLOSSOMED FACE!

IN ALL HIS TALL GLORY

VERY DETAILED ZILLA'S SPINES!

LOOK OUT EMMA SOMETHINGS BEHIND YOU!!

FULL METAL GEEK!

CHERRY BLOSSOM STOMPING FOOT!

CONCRETE DESTRUCTION!

MY FINAL SHOT OF THE BIG FELLA.

So that was our trip to Toho Studios, Thanks to Emma’s patience we found it. We then wondered back up the road, back to the station and got lost again! This time we found ourselves wondering through an housing estate and down a huge hill which I commented on “ I wouldn’t fancy walking back up that!” but I did, we were knackered but found a vending machine, got some weird tasting fruity water and spotted a bus that had our station name on it, We decided no matter how long the bus journey took us we were getting on it, 2 stops later and literally 3 minute’s drive  we were at the station, we were just around the corner all the time! But what a great trip it was, now off to find some toys! Needless to say when hopefully we go back to Japan I’d love to go again and this time I’m going in! Below I have put a short video I took that hopefully gives some of the scale of the samurai wall and the king of monsters Goijira!(look out for the man with the broom!)

Thanks,

Jonny T.