Ooi-Keibajo Race Track Flea Market

Sunday 27 September :

Decided not to go to the Tokyo Game Show but instead, made a trip down to one of Tokyo's big flea markets - Ooi Keibajo Race Track Flea Market. Travel-wise it was pretty far, having to take the JR Yamanote line down to Hamamatsucho (30mins) then transfer to a Monorail (that goes to Haneda Airport) and alight 2 stops after Hamamatsucho. Rachel and I then walked about 3-5 mins, and we commented on the pungent animal smell on the way there: "Smells like a zoo here!" Turns out we were just outside the Race Track.

Quite an interesting day at the flea market, especially when you see so many different types of goods, and hear so many different accents! The 'stalls' were simply located below the elevated one-storey carpark, hence providing some sort of shelter in case of rain - though not that there was any. Everything was on sale - and I mean EVERYTHING. From kids' toys and cards to guitars, to bicycles (saw one for 8,400yen! so cheap) to tissue paper (bought some) to alligator leather and old electronics/netbooks/washing machine, luggage bags... The list (and sights) went on. Well and of course there was clothes.

Arrived there about 12noon or so and started walking around. By 3pm most had begun to pack up and leave. But some started lelong-ing and reducing prices like crazy in the last minute. One example was 2 pieces of clothes for 10 yen - that's 0.075sgd for each piece! Best buy of the day had to be the A4 Printing Paper - 150yen for 1 pack - since we have to provide our own paper for printing in school, and most of those we've seen cost about 400-800yen (6-11sgd). Second best buy had to be well, I guess everything else.

Spoils of the day:

Gray Autumn/Winter Trench - 1500yen (22sgd)
2 scarves - 50 yen (0.75sgd)
1 dress + 1 black turtleneck - 10 yen (0.15sgd)
4 boxes of tissue - 150yen (2.20sgd)
1 pack A4 Printing Paper - 150yen (2.20sgd)
1 cowl neck winter l/s - 100yen (1.50sgd)
1 x owl brooch - 300yen (4.50sgd)

Perhaps the only item that was a little bit pricier was the owl brooch - but that's a gift so =).

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Dinner was at a Sapporo Ramen place on the way back to the dorm - not bad at all. Had the Shio (salt) ramen that was a a little bit spicy but very yummy. A tad pricey though but very yummy after a tiring, cold day. Still can't beat the Harajuku Ramen though. Will certainly have to search out more yummy (and affordable) Ramen places!