Welcome one and all to the Last Door on the Left – a travel agency for the adventurous soul. Have you always wanted to see the world beyond the wardrobe? Longed to wait for the train at 9 ¾? Pined for tickets to hear Plava Laguna sing at Phloston Paradise? Look no further.
Welcome, wanderers, to the Last Door on the Left – the interdimensional travel agency in tune with the warp and weft of the fabric of the Universe. Today we follow the threads of fate to Tokyo, where old gods lie sleeping and the yokai have fallen into myth and wonder. Or have they? New gods are awakening and fighting for their place in the design. It’s definitely an exciting location to visit if you’ve ever wanted to discover who REALLY controls the gossamer web of destiny.
Tokyo is a spectacular city, and many travel agencies and tour guides will take you there. They will point you at shopping districts like Shibuya and Harajuku, or maybe even suggest Tokyo Disney, but here at the Last Door on the Left, we have a more… existential… tour in mind. It starts by getting off at the comparatively (by Tokyo standards) less traveled Ikebukuru station and keeping a weather eye out for the subtly shining strands of the Weave. Their garnet glittering will be your guide through a different side of Tokyo; one inhabited by creatures spawned of ancient superstition and cutting edge technology, each trying to find – and keep – their place in the world.
Savvy Traveler Side Note #1: Following the threads of fate is an eye – and mind – opening experience, but it is not without consequences. As a world of possibilities opens before you, so, too, does a world of possible villains! So, should you find yourself cornered in a less populous area, and surprised to find your attackers suddenly sporting turtle-esque faces, don’t be afraid to look for help even from unlikely sources! That pack of feral felines? Definitely hero material.
Packing Pro-Tip #1: Comfortable clothes. Tokyo is a fashion centre of the world, so let your personality shine through in your clothing choices, but definitely pack with a mind to be able to move freely, parkour style. You never know where those fateful filaments will lead.
It definitely wouldn’t be a trip to Tokyo without seeing at least one shrine, but on this tour, the highlight will definitely be the yokai found therein. Or – if you’re really lucky – one of the newly minted gods of fate: the spirit eater. Nothing quite like watching a cursed teenager consume evil spirits for supper, to get you questioning the grand design!
Savvy Traveler Side Note #2: Keep your travel papers on you at all times. These are interesting days in Tokyo, but even if a coup is more supernaturally theological than political, it can still have travel implications. Best to be able to make a quick exit, should the need arise.
Packing Pro-Tip #2: A large bag. Be it a satchel, a backpack, a tote bag, an oversized purse, whatever suits your fancy. You’re going to want something that will easily store (and conceal) a change of clothes (for those unexpectedly long days, following a ribbon of destiny), a weapon (pick up something local, we don’t recommend traveling with one), and several snacks and water. You’ll get peckish on this existential expedition, and answering the big questions takes brain power!
Savvy Traveler Side Note #3: Stay on the sidelines. It might seem tempting to listen to what that gentleman with the very fine hat has to say, but remember: the old gods became complacent and lazy and cruel, and their cruelty caused the rift that triggered this coup. The new gods have no training and no sense of tradition to guide them, so they have no wisdom on their side to protect them from manipulation. The best you can do is wait until the dust settles and hope fate can provide enough guidance from within.
And so, Wayward friends, follow not the yellow brick road so much as the scarlet ribbons of providence, until you, too, can see the broader scope of the Loom itself. Be safe, Weavers!
