A Trip to Tokyo with Lunakai

"Tokyo is a mind-boggling, expectation exceeding wonderland. Bustling is and understatement - it’s officially the biggest city in the world. Alongside music, I also do photography and because of its dense population, lights, and quirky-ass stuff around every corner it’s basically a dream to shoot there."

Having always wanted to visit Japan as a kid, musician Lunakai fulfilled his childhood dreams in a recent trip to the iridescent streets of Tokyo. Visiting the city to film his latest music video, All In, we chat to him about what he got up to on the rest of the trip. From getting lost in the back alleys of Golden Gai to partying with Hayao Matsumura in his legendary club Trump Room, Lunakai shares memories and flicks from trippin down the streets of Tokyo.

Hayo Matsumura outside of his legendary club Trump Room, which has sadly closed down now.

Lunakai in Tokyo on Trippin — Hayo Matsumura outside of his legendary club Trump Room, which has sadly closed down now.

The taxi drivers in Tokyo wear pretty amazing uniforms...

Lunakai Tokyo on Trippin — The taxi drivers in Tokyo wear pretty amazing uniforms...

Like many things in Japan, they do things with a certain pride and class.

Taxi drivers in Tokyo with Lunakai on Trippin — Like many things in Japan, they do things with a certain pride and class.

Aki after a long ass night of shooting and a few beers.

Aki with Lunakai Tokyo Trippin — Aki after a long ass night of shooting and a few beers.

What was the reason for the trip?

I’ve wanted to go to Japan pretty much since I found out it existed as a kid, I’ve always been into the art that comes out of Japan, from Akira & all of the studio Ghibli films to the twists on fashion and music and culture in general. Japanese people have an amazing way of taking a few influences from around the world and morphing it into their own unique version which blows my mind. I was pretty lucky on this trip, I went with my friend from London who has modelled in Japan for a few years so he knew what was what in Tokyo including introducing me to Rinaco & Aki - the two legends in my music video.

A behind the scenes shot of Rinaco on the video shoot in our airbnb.

Lunakai Tokyo Rinaco Shoot Trippin — A behind the scenes shot of Rinaco on the video shoot in our airbnb.

Rinaco at the end of the shoot, somehow still looking this damn cool.

Rinaco Lunakai Tokyo Trippin — Rinaco at the end of the shoot, somehow still looking this damn cool.

Aki Lunakai Tokyo on Trippin — BTS of the end of Aki's video shoot.

How would you describe Tokyo to someone who’s never been?

Tokyo is a mind-boggling, expectation exceeding wonderland. Bustling is an understatement - it’s officially the biggest city in the world. Alongside music, I also do photography and, because of its dense population, lights, and quirky-ass stuff around every corner it’s basically a dream to shoot there.

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Taken somewhere in Golden Gai, a lot of tourists go to check this out yet somehow it doesn't feel super touristy. There's tons of tiny bars in alleyways that only seat a few people.

On the journey up to Nikko we accidentally got on the wrong train so the instructor called ahead to other train instructors and they shimmied us between trains until we were back on track.

Train in Tokyo Lunakai on Trippin — On the journey up to Nikko we accidentally got on the wrong train so the instructor called ahead to other train instructors and they shimmied us between trains until we were back on track.

The school opposite our airbnb balcony. Everyday the speaker would play a crazy song, it was their school bell I think but sounded like a cartoon intro.

School Pitch in Tokyo with Lunakai on Trippin — The school opposite our airbnb balcony. Everyday the speaker would play a crazy song, it was their school bell I think but sounded like a cartoon intro.

Swindle happened to be playing while I was out there, I've been a long-time fan so it was sick to finally see him!

Swindle in Tokyo with Lunakai on Trippin — Swindle happened to be playing while I was out there, I've been a long-time fan so it was sick to finally see him!

Ben AKA the Legend that is two inch punch.

What was the best thing you ate / saw / experienced on the trip?

It was pretty relentlessly amazing every single day so its hard to say. I don’t think I ate one bad meal. Even the 7/11 & Family Mart food in Japan bangs. People say Japan is super expensive, but you can get the best ramen you’ve ever had for about £4. I was lucky enough to have a unique experience visiting the city, one of many highlights was a Kenzo party which was in a theme park, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu played in the middle of the roller disco & Sam Spiegel who did the insane track ‘Mutant Brain’ on the Spike Jonze ad, which I was already obsessed with, did a DJ set.

On the other end of the spectrum, a highlight was going up to see the waterfalls and temples in Nikko in the Tochigi province. Me and my good friend Troy Baird who by sheer coincidence was in Tokyo at the same time (and is also the legend who took some of these shots and lent a hand shooting the music video) ventured up into Nikko. We arrived just as the other tourists were leaving (thanks alcohol) and ended up getting stuck overnight 2 hours outside of Tokyo the day before I had to shoot Rinaco’s scenes, but we ended up on an adventure so ridiculous that it would take me a few pages of writing to do justice.