#AURPEvent

[aurpevents]

Close Shop

Ever so slowly, the mall began to put an end to the holiday festivities. Store employees took inventory and began to wrap things up within their store as customers were now being ushered out. The night was getting late and money had to be counted, but it was clear that they had made more money than they could have ever expected. It would be a great joy to donate to charity!

As the stores locked up and the lights were turned off, there was only the outside displays that were still running but even those were slowing down. The night ended with a final light show to beat all the others and the cool night air erupted in cheerful echos of laughter and clapping. It was time to embrace the coming new year.

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That is the end folks! The event has officially ended and no more starters can be made concerning the event. See you for the next event turtleducks! 

[shizuka--chan]

[01:02:14] Matantei: Claire's most prized possession being taken [01:02:15] Aya Anderson: What? [01:02:19] Shizuka Kawai: OH [01:02:24] Compa: oh dear [01:02:26] Shizuka Kawai: LORD HELP US ALL [01:02:31] Matantei: Yup [01:02:43] Shinichi: ,,,, no mass killings in town please [01:02:44] Matantei: Thought angry!Shizuka was bad? [01:02:45] Shinichi: omfg [01:02:54] Compa: WHOA WHOA WHOA [01:02:55] Shizuka Kawai: *grins* [01:03:05] Compa: Does this mean rail tracer mode activate? [01:03:06] Matantei: You should have thought about that BEFORE you took Claire's most prized possession [01:03:10 | Edited 01:03:14] Shizuka Kawai: She and Claire should team up. XD [01:03:16] Aya Anderson: I SHOULD RUN [01:03:19] Shinichi: omfg [01:03:20] Matantei: Yup [01:03:23] Aya Anderson: EVERYONE SHOULD RUN [01:03:25] Shinichi: I [01:03:29] Shizuka Kawai: XDD [01:03:30 | Edited 01:03:36] ʀᴀʙʙɪᴛ ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇᴍᴀɴ: Claire, Shizuka, and Arthur; the three who'd go on a killing spree [01:03:36] Shinichi: No kIlliNG S ALloWEd

*insane laughter*

[aurpevents]

Santa's (Mall)shop

Although Christmas isn’t celebrated with gifts and presents in Japan, it is celebrated with elaborate displays throughout the major cities. Giant trees that overlook shopping centers have lights that illuminate, not just the tree, but everything around it. Bridges have elegant lights strewn though the posts and hang wires that align the bridge inspire awe from passerby’s. Oceans of LED lights lay in small groves underneath giant skyscrapers that promote good will and cheer from the cities occupants. Christmas in Japan is about spreading cheer to the people and creating inspirational fixtures that were thought to only exist in one’s imagination.

This year, the great and ever growing city of Bunkyo has decided to follow in the footsteps of cities like Tokyo and Shiodome in creating an elaborate Christmas  display. Although the entire city will be lit up with killer LED fixtures, the shopping mall will be the center of attention. Christmas trees will zigzag the sidewalks and lamp posts will have lights of green, blue and red spiraling, and intertwining from the base, to the bulb. These crazy displays will be placed in such a way that’ll lead the cities occupants to the doors of the shopping mall.Not only that, but these light displays will provide for an excellent show later into the evening. 

When entering the shopping mall, you will find that the store fronts have been completely transformed. Some stores have workshops in place that allow it’s customers to experience the life of one of Santa’s elves; building toys, stuffed animals and making candy. Small games and contests will be in place outside of stores that will invite people to throw pies in each other’s face, compete for the best build snowman, remote control reindeer races, and karaoke. All of the proceeds will go to charities.

Now, as awesome as the light displays are, and the games, there is also an indoor ice skating ring set up for people to spread cheer. The ring will have giant candy canes lining the perimeter and snow will be lining the edge of the ice to create a more authentic atmosphere.  

「Roleplaying Rules 」

First and foremost, be sure to tag your posts correctly. In order to distinguish threads from normal roleplays going on, tag any and all threads for this event as ‘AUWinter’.

The event will run from December 21st to December 29th.

Once the time is up you are allowed to continue threads from the event but you are not allowed to make new starters set during the event.

This is not a mandatory event and participation is optional. 

Lastly, have fun! 

「Safety and Etiquette Rules 」

Make sure to not touch the burning LED lights set up all over the park.

Take caution around the ice skating rink, as the ice can be very slippery and dangerous. 

Try not to aim for the head when throwing snowballs at people. 

Since the park is family friendly, avoid doing anything inappropriate. 

「Activities 」

Many shops are offering classes such as knitting, sewing, creating ornaments, baking treats, and making plush toys for personal touches on gifts.

Cafes such as Tinker's Delight are holding holiday sales and discounts on their desserts.

Each evening there is a strawberry shortcake throw, where people pay for a slice of shortcake to throw at someone of their choosing.

Snowman building contests are held twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening with prizes for the top three entries.

For 1000 yen, people are able to enjoy the ice skating rink that has been set up.

Food stands have been set up all along the park for hungry visitors.

Alongside the food stands, there are many booths with games for anyone to play - win a goldfish, shoot a plate, toss rings onto bottles, etc. 

Once the sun goes down, the LED Ocean strung up along all of the trees turn on. Walk under the lights with a loved one. 

Snowball fights are sure to start amongst visitors. Make friends (or even enemies) and see who becomes the all powerful Snowball Fighter. 

[aurpevents]

Mountain Departure

As sad as it it, the trip to Arashiyama was finally coming to an end. Students and citizens alike were counted and brought to the buses as they lined up outside the hotel. It had been an eventful week up in the mountains and no one was happy to leave; not even the staff. 

The surroundings had been so relaxing from the maple trees to the cooling mountain air. Ouran and Spica were even more pleased that nothing bad had happened and that the students were all well-behaved. Such behavior made them feel proud and though they didn't take trips out of the city often, it showed them that they could do it again in the future. 

Maybe someday they would...but they would have to wait for when they could spare the expense. 

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That's it everyone! The Thanksgiving even has officially ended and no more starters can be made concerning the event. See you for the next event turtleducks!

[aurpevents]

A Thanksgiving in Japan

In Japan, it is formerly known as Kinro Kansha No Hi. This special holiday is meant to not only commemorate labor and productivity, but also to give thanks to each other. This annual holiday is the one time when everyone is encouraged to do nothing but relax and have fun; no work, no school, just unwinding and being at peace. 

This year, Bunkyo is providing an excellent opportunity for both citizens and students alike: a trip to Arashiyama located in Kyoto. 

At this particular time of the year, Arashiyama is a popular tourist attraction during the Fall season and it provides visitors with many fantastic opportunities that they cannot normally encounter back in the city. One of the trademark landmarks around Arashiyama is the Togetsukyo Bridge. It is free to cross and melts into the background perfectly, adding to the beauty of the area. 

Even though this trip and holiday are all about resting, you will find that there will be plenty of activities you can take part in should you so desire. There are shops and restaurants and even pleasure boats to rent to go up the river. It doesn't stop there though. This particular location provides multiple attractions to appeal to various people, just check out the activities below to see some of the options! 

For those who do not like the touristy feel, heading north of Arashiyama will lead you into a more rural atmosphere with a few scattered temples at the base of the mountains. This area that is north of the Bridge is also referred to as Sagano instead of Arashiyama. Traveling through this area can be much easier with the rental of a bike and it is highly encouraged as you can go through fields, residential areas, and scattered temples. It is a most enjoyable experience that everyone should try. Pack a lunch and set out with friends to enjoy the beauty that this Fall season offers as the maple trees turn red. 

As for Bunkyo residents, Ouran and Spica along with some other generous patrons have offered only the best for your stay. Consider it a make-up for all the craziness that happens occasionally. Students and citizens will be given the opportunity to stay at the Hanaikada Hotel; an authentic Japanese style ryokan hotel. This hotel is only a fifteen minute walk from the Bridge and the perfect place to stay. The cost of the hotel is covered, but all other expenses will not be included during your stay. 

「Roleplaying Rules 」

First and foremost, be sure to tag your posts correctly. In order to distinguish threads from normal roleplays going on, tag any and all threads for this event as ‘AUThanksgiving’.

The event will run from November 23rd to November 30th.

Once the time is up you are allowed to continue threads from the event but you are not allowed to make new starters set during the event.

This is not a mandatory event and participation is optional. 

Lastly, have fun! 

「Safety and Etiquette Rules 」

Fees: rental for a bicycle-1000 yen; Okochi Sanso Villa-1000 yen; Monkey Park-550 yen and 100 yen for bags of food; Tenryuji Temple-500 yen for gardens and 100 yen to enter buildings; Saga Scenic Railway- 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children

Be careful to not stray far from people and if you decide to go hiking, bring a friend. 

If you visit the Monkey Park, be mindful that the monkeys are wild so take care when feeding them! 

Curfew is at 10pm and everyone must be inside their hotel rooms by then. 

「Activities 」

Tenryuji Temple is high in the rankings for most zen and it is the largest one located in Arashiyama with gardens and walking paths to enjoy. Inside, the landscape features a central pond surrounded by rocks, pine trees, and the wooded mountains of Arashiyama in the background. 

The Bamboo Groves are a place for a leisurely stroll or bike ride. Pathways are built to cut through the large stalks of bamboo and give everyone a great sense of peace when the wind causes them to sway every so gently. 

Okochi Sanso Villa is located in the back of the Bamboo Groves and consists of many gardens and buildings like living spaces and tea houses. Admission will grant guests matcha green tea and a snack. 

Monkey Park is located further up the mountain, just south of the Togetsukyo Bridge. The hike up can take about ten minutes and once there, guests will be among over 170 macaque monkeys that roam freely. Food that can be purchased to feed the monkeys are: bags of banana and apple slices, biscuits, chestnuts, and or peanuts. 

Saga Scenic Railway runs from Arashiyama to Kameoka, just above the Hozu River. The train ride last for about 25 minutes and goes at 25km/h so that passengers can enjoy the scenery.

Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street was once full of town houses that served as a private residence, but is now transformed into shops and restaurants. 

Go fishing, take a hike up the mountains, shop, and have fun. It is not often you get to take a trip out of Bunkyo. 

[aurpevents]

Ah~ The season of spirits is just so eventful every year. But on the bright side, Bunkyo has been...free of death for a solid two Halloweens in a row! Truly it is a record that will go down in history. Once all of the strange happenings going around Bunkyo disappeared, the residents were finally at ease and able to enjoy the care-free day. Children were dressed up costumes, store windows were done up in colorful displays, and candy was dispensed to all who said the word "trick or treat." 

All traces of what happened the previous week have all vanished - no cracked windows, stray spider webs, or any traces of the red water. Even the spirit sightings have disappeared, and no one seems to even remember that there were supernatural beings walking among the crowded street corners of downtown Bunkyo. Strange, isn't it? As if people forgot the spiritual business that went on. Or, they chose to simply not talk about it. Whatever the case, the city has finally returned to its peaceful state. 

Have a Happy Halloween, turtleducks! 

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There you have it, everyone! Our Halloween event is officially over! With the event at a close, no more new starters can posted that pertain to the event or use of the AUTidings tag. But threads where all parties have replied may continue as they see fit! See you for the next event, turtleducks! 

[aurpevents]

Ah~ The time of Halloween has finally settled over Bunkyo. Businesses have begun to place jack-o-lanterns out in store fronts and children are patiently waiting for the ensuing night of candy and colorful costumes. But the spirits that lurk beneath Bunkyo have other plans for the citizens. Strange things have been reported all over the city - whole neighborhoods going dark for no apparent reason, an influx of missing pet reports, and officers have been called to investigate mysterious sounds in the middle of the night.

Moreever, parks and public areas have been filled with statues of humans seemingly overnight. These statues, all signed with the name "Bijyutsu" on a body part, have been written aside as the ever-growing pop-up art culture that is steadily making headlines across the world. Complaints have been made of the statues more eerie nature. Parents report that their children refuse to go to the local parks now, their children believing that the statues house spirits somehow, or body parts of a statue moving when no one seems to be looking. 

Throughout the week, even stranger things appear to happen to the public.

The first day, all water turned red in color. While it did not have any adverse effects on the quality of the water, it caused enough of a scare for children and adults alike.

The second day, water returned to normal but the skies were filled with clouds and bats assaulted the city, clamoring against windows and surrounding anyone that dare step outside.

Come the third day, the bats disappeared as if they had not ever appeared and spiders took their place. Webs were everywhere around the city - on cars, in front of doors, even in the corners of ceilings inside of apartments. 

By day four, all spiders and their webs were gone without a trace. In their stead came the fluctuations in the electricity. Hours would go by and traffic lights would go haywire, changing between the colors in rapid succession for no reason. Even more power outages followed until the fifth day. 

The fifth day came with no electricity throughout the ward. Bunkyo was left in darkness.

Electricity finally returned on the sixth day, but numerous reports had been made regarding Bijyutsu's statues all over the ward. Many of them were reported to be in different positions in an almost eerie fashion - their head were turned in the opposite direction, arms in a different position than before. And the pictures people took with them! Photographers claimed that the heads of the statues turned to look at the camera. 

Then on the seventh day, everything disappeared. Over night, Bijyutsu's pop-up art exposition had ended and everything was packed up before the 31st of October. All in all, it was a peaceful day of jack-o-lantern carving and preparations for the following day.

Clouds filled the skies yet again on Halloween night. Children and parents were alike going out, ready to have a fun on the special Friday night Halloween. Even during the day, people had already donned elaborate costumes and began their evenings of fun. And once night fell, that was when the real fun began. Just, don't look in any of the dark alleys. Surprises lurk beneath every shadow. 

Happy Halloween, turtleducks!

「Roleplaying Rules 」

First and foremost, be sure to tag your posts correctly. In order to distinguish threads from normal roleplays going on, tag any and all threads for this event as ‘AUTidings’.

This event will run from October 23rd to October 31st

You may continue any threads you have once the event is over, but you may not create new ones for this event.

Participation is optional

And of course get your spooky hats on and have fun! 

「Safety and Etiquette Rules 」

Please refrain from having real weapons as part of your costumes! You wouldn't want to hurt anyone.

That said, do not try to fight the statues, we cannot be held accountable for anything that may happen.

Anything triggery will need to be placed under a read more whether it is smut or extremely violent.

「Activities 」

Pictures are always a great way to record memory of anything! Whether for pleasure or as proof this wasn't all in your head. 

Try out some ghost hunting! You never know what you may find.

Do some classic Trick-or-Treat! Though, you may end up with a trick more often than a treat.

Go out and about all around Bunkyo! Maybe you can find a place the bats or spiders do not reach. Or maybe you can find the cause of the blackout. Or even find out the secrets to the moving statues! If any of that is possible that is.

On the 31st, without anything plaguing the city, participants are free to choose how they wish to spend their Halloween night. However, keep in mind that there have been reports of spirits of friends, family, and even pets who have passed on being seen around the ward - especially in areas they used to frequent when they were alive.

[aurpevents]

Final Send Off

It was a wonderful evening and everything went off perfectly from the parade to the many performers in their celebratory outfits. There were thousands of guests and each stall was reported to have made more money than estimated. This was a perfect example of the amazing talent Spica and Ouran have when they put their minds together! 

Each bamboo tree was decorated wonderfully! The folded pieces of paper were tied to the tree and all around it were decorations of paper cranes and various other ornaments and origami. All the talent was displayed in these wishing trees, it was sad that now that the festival was coming to an end, all of it was meant to be burned. The fireworks were slowing down and employees were gathering around different bamboo trees to carry to the water. Lying just on the surface were small wooden rafts to carry each tree out further. There was only one thing left to do and that was to light it all up. 

May the wishes reach the night sky and drift to the stars above. 

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That's it turtleducks for AUStars. This post means the event has finally closed and there can be no further starters made following this. Any threads that have been ongoing are free to continue but again, if someone has made a starter and it has not been replied to, now is too late. Only those who have had responses made can keep this up. It was wonderful to see all the participation for this event and we hope you all had a lot of fun! 

[aurpevents]

Reminder

Make sure you have read the roleplaying rules of the event and tag any and all posts that deal with the current event as 'AUStars' please. Failure to tag means the mods cannot track who has participated. Other than that, enjoy yourselves! ^_^

-Mod Team-

[aurpevents]

Festival of Stars

Tanabata, or Evening of the Seventh, was made to celebrate when the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi were able to meet. Orihime was known for weaving the most beautiful clothes by a river and her father was obsessed with her clothing so each and every day she worked hard. Unfortunately, her work kept her from a dream of hers; a dream to fall in love. Her father loved her so much, he arranged for her to meet a man by the name of Hikoboshi who was known to work on the other side of the river. When they met, it was love at first sight and they soon married, but it was then that they both neglected their work and her father separated them and never wanted them to see each other again. Orihime's tears eventually broke her father down and he agreed that once a year they would be allowed to meet.

Today, these deities are represented by the stars Vega and Altair while the river is said to be The Milky Way. It is in celebration of these lovers that the festival Tanabata was created. At this festival, it is typically celebrated by writing wishes on small pieces of paper. Some choose to write in the form of poetry, but it is not necessary. Once the wish is written, it is then hanged on bamboo with any other decorations that are desired. Once everyone has finished hanging them, the bamboo is set out onto a river and burned when the festival ends. 

Throughout the festival it is not uncommon to hear people singing a song specifically written for this special evening:

"Sasa no ha sara-sara               "The bamboo leaves rustle, Nokiba ni yureru                         Shaking away in the eaves. Ohoshi-sama kira-kira                The stars twinkle Kingin sunago                            on the gold and silver grains of sand. Goshiki no tanzaku                    The five-colour paper strips watashi ga kaita                         I have already written. Ohoshi-sama kirakira                 The stars twinkle, sora kara miteru"                       They watch us from heaven."

This festival is being held at the Rikugien Garden and it has been made extra special for this celebration. Hanging from trees and poles there are colorful streamers that have been worked on for months in advance. This festival is going to be the best one yet as Ouran and Spica have put their money together to make it only the best for everyone. A parade has been assembled along with many contests, games, and food stalls for all to enjoy. 

「Roleplaying Rules 」

First and foremost, be sure to tag your posts correctly. In order to distinguish threads from normal roleplays going on, tag any and all threads for this event as ‘AUStars’.

This event will run from August 12th to August 24th

Once it is over, you are allowed to continue threads from the event but you are NOT allowed to make new starters set during the event. This means that if you have made a starter and no one has replied to it by the time that the event ends, then no one can reply to it any longer. 

Participation is optional

Have fun! There are many activities and games so take advantage.

「Safety and Etiquette Rules 」

Tanabata starts at 5p.m. and is free to everyone. There will be a show of fire-swallowing on the main stage followed by dancing and music.

Do not litter! If you are caught, security will escort you off the premise.

Fireworks are going to be displayed near the end of the festival which will end at 11p.m. If you want to stay and see the send off of the bamboo along with the various wishes to the water and set ablaze, then that will have to wait until midnight.

Keep an eye out for little children who might be running around.

To avoid long lines, various bamboo trees have been placed all around in certain areas. Maps will be provided upon entering so you can find them with ease. 

「Activities 」

Miss Tanabata beauty pageant for the lady who is dressed in the most beautiful yukata and whatever accessories that may be involved. 

Make paper kimonos and cranes to later be hung along with your wish

Kingyo sukui, goldfish scooping, is where you pay for a flat paper net to try and scoop for a fish and get it in a bowl. Be careful not to let it sit in the water too long or use too much force!

Ring Throwing is a game where you are given five plastic rings with the goal of getting it around a bottle. Sounds easy, but has its own challenge. Depending on the amount of rings you can get around the bottle, a prize will be distributed that ranges from a small key chain to a big stuffed animal.

In the center of the garden, there is a stage that has been placed there for music and other various acts to be performed throughout the festival from fire swallowing to dancing to music.

A platform is also centered around the stage where anyone can join in dances like the Bon-odori. 

Food stalls are scattered all over the gardens. There is Yakisoba, Taiyaki, and Takoyaki. For a more convenient and less-messy form of food, there are various foods sold on sticks such as cucumbers, pineapples, candied fruits, and meat. For more fun, one of the stalls has a build-your-own stick. Pick your fruits and dip them in whatever you like from caramel, chocolate, to vanilla dip and then decorate it with sprinkles. 

Buy a mask in the form of one of your favorite characters and when you're not wearing it on your face, wear it on the back of your head to confuse people. 

Enjoy the parade as the floats and various people in costumes come drifting by.

[aurpevents]

Special Finale

As the week wore on, more and more visitors explored Housen Aquarium and experienced adventures with sea life. From the penguin feedings to the late night sleeping exhibitions, guests of all ages were immersed in sights and sounds few have had the ability to experience. Yet all good things must, unfortunately, come to an end. Many visitors have been taught the most appropriate ways to help save their oceans and beaches through changing small things such as their diet to being mindful of what they throw away into the waste bin. 

The week has finally come to an end and Housen Aquarium's week of education on conservation must end. Discounted ticket prices now back to their regular prices of 2500 yen ($25) for Adults and 2000 yen ($19) for Students. Their special exhibits including the white otters and white dolphins have also been closed for the time being to allow exhibit upgrades and repairs have a slight water pump malfunction. But don't fret, for the rest of the aquarium is still open to the public! 

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That's all, turtleducks. Our AUAquarium event has officially ended! Keep in mind that no new starters can be made, but any threads that were started before this post can continue. In addition, if you posted a starter that was never replied to, it can no longer be made into a thread past this point. We hope you all enjoyed this event and thank you to everyone who participated! See you for the next event, turtleducks! 

[aurpevents]

Housen Aquarium

With the recent birth of three very cute, rare white otters and the full recovery of rescued, Chinese white dolphins, Housen Aquarium has decided to give discount prices for the next week. During the week, special shows will be held to promote conversation of the oceans as well as entertain and educate the visitors.

Entering the rather large aquarium, the first thing you will notice is the aquarium reaches to go over your head. All around you, you will find whale sharks swimming above, the largest fish you will ever see. Once you move further in, you'll find that the building splits into different directions. Each aquarium within, features all different types of fish ranging from jellyfish, sunfish, bioluminescent fish, stingrays, dolphins, turtles, and so on. The deeper you go, the more you will see. 

There are plenty of hands-on interactions as well. In the center of a room, there is an open aquarium to touch star fish, urchins, horseshoe crabs, cownose rays, and epaulette sharks. Once you have done this, there are stairs just to the side that will take you above the aquarium and to the outside where you can feed walruses, seals, and dolphins. Here you will also be able to see polar bears from afar and the otters and penguins as they play in the water and on the land. 

The featuring shows deal with the conservation of polar bears and what we can do as a community to help keep them alive. Most of the shows range for about 15 minutes. You can choose to see a show on penguins, the different sharks, and even a short documentary on the new otters that have joined the family. 

As the sun goes down, you'll notice that lights will dim and sea life will change. Starting at 20:00 PM, the atmosphere will change and you will be escorted to a special room where you can watch penguins and otters begin to sleep. The sea otters in particular are worth seeing as they typically fall asleep holding their hands. Another experience is with the white-sided dolphins. If you hold your ears up to the glass, you can hear a creaking sound that is created by the dolphins as they sleep. 

After awhile, feel free to eat at a nice restaurant held within the aquarium where you can sit around fish that glow in the dark and music playing softly in the background. It is both breath-taking and romantic!

「Roleplaying Rules 」

First and foremost, be sure to tag your posts correctly. In order to distinguish threads from normal roleplays going on, tag any and all threads for this event as ‘AUAquarium’.

The event will run from March 21st to March 28th. 

Once the time is up you are allowed to continue threads from the event but you are not allowed to make new starters set during the event.

This is not a mandatory event and participation is optional. 

Lastly, have fun! 

「Safety and Etiquette Rules 」

Prices for tickets: 1500 ($15) yen for Adults and 1000 ($10) yen for Students

Be mindful of where trash is thrown away. Keep all bags and garbage away from the open exhibits and away from the animals!

Don't be reckless. The open exhibits are open for a reason, so be careful to not run or rough-house around them.

Be gentle when touching the sea life.

Hours of operation for the aquarium are 10:00 AM to 19:00 PM

「Activities 」

Housen Aquarium has documentaries playing throughout the day. Times for the films are 11:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 15:30 PM, and 17:00 PM

Sea lions are fed at 10:30 AM and 16:00 PM

Sea otters are fed at 11:00 AM and 17:00 PM

Penguins are fed at 10:30 AM and 15:30 PM

Stop by to watch the feedings! Some lucky visitors will be lucky to help feed the animals! 

Shark Session is an hour and a half tour that educates the public on the dangers and detriment sharks face in the oceans. Tours begin at 12:00 PM and 17:00 PM.

Grab a bite or two at Tokyo Bay Bar, which serves fresh, sustainable food at reasonable prices. 

The Housen Aquarium Restaurant is more on the pricey side, but an experience you won't forget. The price is about 3038 yen ($30.)

[aurpevents]

Closing Night

As the week has progressed, tourists from all over the country have flocked to the icy area to enjoy its festivities. Chocolate sales rose through the roof as friends and family bought more for their loved ones, exchanging them with smiles on their faces as they navigated through the festival. Sadly, all festivities must come to an end. 

Vendors must return to their businesses, entertainers must move on to other gigs, and the weather has not been proper to continue an ice festival. As the sun shines brightly overhead, the festival organizer and volunteers scramble to keep their melting ice sculptures in piece. Unfortunately, the weather was not in their favor. Winter may still be in session, but the unforgiving, frigid cold has passed. 

Soon, admission to the festival was closed. The trains were slowly taking the rest of the festival goers home, tents were being taken down, and all sorts of equipment were being loaded into trucks and vans. Any leftover foods not fit to be sold the following day was divided to hand out to volunteers or donated to local shelters and families in the area. 

As the festival organizer looks over the crowd, she smiles and thanks everyone for making the event as fun as it could be. 

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That's it, folks! With this post, AURP's Valentine's Day event is over! Remember, no new starters can be made, but any threads that were started before this post can continue. In addition, if you posted a starter that was never replied to, it can no longer be made into a thread past this point. We hope you all enjoyed this event and thank you to everyone who participated! See you for the next event, turtleducks! 

-Mod Team-

[aurpevents]

Valentine's Day! ♥

Valentine's has come to Japan in full swing! Over the last few days, chocolate sales have boosted at an astounding rate! Not only that, but winter has come to Japan. To celebrate both the coming of snow and the love in the air, Lake Hinuma has decided to go big! With the winter chill, residents have sprayed the surrounding area to have a bit of fun. Additional ice has been formed to create snowy structures of interest. From the popular television characters to legendary figures, ice sculptures now line the banks of Lake Hinuma. In addition, locals have set up a festival utilizing the intrigue from the lake to attract tourists from all over. 

Bunkyo, inspired by the whimsical merriment of the lake, has made a temporary partnership with the local train station. In exchange for a cut of the profits, Hinuma Train Station would supply more trains leading in and out of Tokyo to the lake. 

The festival at Lake Hinuma is a mixture of Valentine's and ice. Sculptures of all kinds depict various figures, from cartoon characters in a relationship to even Cupid himself! In the center of the festival residents have even made a large heart sculpture for everyone to enjoy. Many food booths have also been set up, along with games of all kinds and small contests held throughout the day. 

「Roleplaying Rules 」

First and foremost, be sure to tag your posts correctly. In order to distinguish threads from normal roleplays going on, tag any and all threads for this event as ‘AUValentines’.

The event will run from February 14th to February 21st. 

Once the time is up you are allowed to continue threads from the event but you are not allowed to make new starters set during the event.

This is not a mandatory event and participation is optional. 

Lastly, have fun! 

「Safety and Etiquette Rules 」

Be mindful of the time for each train's departure! The last train chartered to each station leaves at 9 PM each night. Trains going in and out of Tokyo do not run 24-hours! 

Bring money! A round trip ticket between the two stations is 2500 yen. This does not include the price for food, souvenirs, and additional fees for games!

Bundle up and keep warm! With all of the snow, it would be best to avoid cases of hypothermia. 

Celebrate with a loved one or those close to you. Friends, family, anyone of the sort! 

Watch your step when walking on the ice! It's very slippery. 

「Activities 」

Since the lake has completely frozen over, ice skating is most definitely an option. Grab a friend, loved one, or anyone really, and get to skating! 

All sorts of food tents and booths have been set up around the lake. Want a nice, hot cup of cocoa? There's a stand right there. Some baked yams? Bam, tent next to the lake. 

Several contests are held each day to entertain everyone: 

Two ice skating competitions are held - Singles and Doubles. Skate by yourself or with a partner to win some prizes!

There is a single ice sculpture competition held each day. Sign ups prior to the start of the contest are required to allot each participant enough space for their sculpture. 

Unlike the ice sculpture competition, there are hourly snowman building contests held for the enjoyment of everyone from all ages. Everyone is a winner, with participants being given vouchers for a free round of any game or one food item at no additional cost. 

Inside a special, waterproof tent is a karaoke machine for everyone to singalong with and enjoy. However, the primary songs playing are pop songs or love songs. Choose wisely!

Some games set up around the festival include "Pin the arrow onto Cupid" where players are blindfolded and given a paper arrow to stick onto Cupid's bow, "Cupids Archery Range" where players test their archery skills and hit as many cardboard people as possible, and "Heart Stacker" where players are given thirty seconds to stack as many hearts on top of each other as possible.

Inside a large, heated tent locals have set up a few tables littered with coloring pages, paper hearts, and paper snowflakes for the children to decorate, color, or hand out to their loved ones. 

Several photo booths have been set up for everyone to take snapshots of the fun at the festival. A framer has also set up his own tent close to the entrance. 

At the edge of the festival, several long tents have been set up and decorated to attract any who wander by. The creators want to inspire and spread the feeling of love to anyone who steps inside. The tent has free heart shaped chocolate samples, a brief history of the day, and showcase iconic, romantic moments in pop culture history.

[aurpevents]

Weltschmerz Malfunction

Technology is far from new to faults and problems, and the Spiran is no exception. After eight days of being released, the tablet has started to reveal bugs both within Weirdward Bunkyo and on the Spiran itself. Unreliable connections to the server, encountering lag in sparsely populated areas, even the screen going black in the middle of a battle. 

With that in mind, all servers of Weirdward Bunkyo have been shut down and the Spiran now flashes a single message: Out of Service

Owners are highly suggested to dispose of the tablet in the regular areas. If an area cannot be found, leave the Spiran outside of their door and they will be collected and properly disposed of by the next morning. The makers of Weirdward Bunkyo also apologize for any bugs or problems players may have encountered during the course of the game. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You heard it, everyone. This event has come to an end. Keep in mind that no new starters can be made but threads that started before this post are allowed to continue. If a starter made for this event was made but never replied to, it cannot be replied to under any circumstances. We hope you enjoyed this event and thank you to everyone who participated. Stay tuned for next time, turtleducks!

-Mod Team-

[aurpevents]

Winter Weltschmerz

A new year signals new things to Bunkyo! In particular, a surprise outside of every door in the ward. Students, teachers, and residents alike received a special package during the night. Each box contained the same thing, yet with a personalized touch. With every box came a small tablet and an instruction manual with “Weirdward Bunkyo” scrawled across the cover. 

Upon opening the instruction manual, the table of contents lie in the center of the page. There are four sections: Rules, Spiran, Avatar, Disclaimer. 

The page after the table of contents holds the rules. Only two are printed. 

Do not mistake the game for reality.

Be careful of the location being played in.

Afterwards comes the Spiran.

The Spiran is an odd thing. It’s a small tablet, barely big enough for the average person’s hand to fit onto. Though compact, the portability of the tablet allows access to all Weirdward Bunkyo servers at any location within the ward. Simply place one’s index finger in the middle of the Spiran to turn on the tablet and begin the game.

As Weirdward Bunkyo is not a virtual reality game, the Spiran serves as the screen the game is played on. 

Once familiar with the Spiran, continue to the Avatar section. The whole section, spanning several pages, details the methods of customization available.

Every new player must hold the Spiran at arm’s length once it has been turned on. Doing so allows the tablet to render the player’s image into their avatar. After the initial avatar has been created, proceed to fill in all blanks presented on the Spiran. This will add additional items to appear on the avatar, such as appropriate weapons and clothing based on the answers given. 

For each avatar, the player must assign a main class and a sub class to their character upon creation. Unless otherwise stated, sub classes must stay with their corresponding main class. In addition, main classes cannot be changed but sub classes are capable of changing through the use of the “S.C. Change” item available only in Tokyo Dome.

Fighter - Hero, Knight, Tank

Rogue - Assassin, Hunter, Spy

Mage - Healer, Psychic, Summoner

Miscellaneous sub classes - Animal Tamer, Artisan, Chef, Merchant, Supernatural

If the clothes are not satisfactory, shops are available all over the ward. Due to the location of Weirdward Bunkyo, every clothing shop in reality has been modeled within the game as well. However, corresponding shops have had their stock edited to allow a large range in clothing.

Custom weapons are allowed within reason. Provided that it can be made in real life (working or not does not matter, a simple model is all that is needed), it may be created within Weirdward Bunkyo. To add custom weapons, the model must be uploaded onto the Spiran via a picture or diagram. Diagrams may also be created online in specialized shops across the ward. 

Until level 45 is reached, players will be unable to create custom weapons.

With the avatar complete, begin your journey into the world of Weirdward Bunkyo. The setting, as stated in the Avatar section, is a complete model of Bunkyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. Clothing shops have been slightly changed, restaurants and cafes remain the same, and vacant buildings have been turned into weapons shops. However, subway lines and highways leading out of the distract have been changed to circle around the ward rather than leave it. Doing so allows for players to keep a sense of familiarity as they continue the game. 

Each time a player logs into the game, they will spawn in the equivalent location within the game. For example, if someone logged in from their home, they would spawn on the corresponding street the home was located on. Logging in from public areas such as parks will result in their character logging in at the exact location. The same can be said for those playing while in their school dormitory, with the exact room holding their character rather than the general campus or street. However, should a person choose to play and move to a different location in real life, the avatar will not move to the location within the game. The Spiran does not track a player's movement, simply spawning them in the equivalent location when they log onto the server. 

The purpose of the the game is simple: level up and defeat any who stand in their way. Monsters are able to attack at any given moment. Said monsters, disgusting, vile creatures that roam within the virtual world of Weirdward Bunkyo, give little indication before initiating an attack. 

Bunkyo is more than just your home. It can also be your grave.

Be careful.

Stay armed.

Survive. 

「Roleplaying Rules 」

First and foremost, be sure to tag your posts correctly. In order to distinguish threads from normal roleplays going on, tag any and all threads for this event as ‘AUWeirdward’.

The event will run from January 21st to January 29th. 

Once the time is up you are allowed to continue threads from the event but you are not allowed to make new starters set during the event.

This is not a mandatory event and participation is optional. 

Lastly, have fun! 

「Safety and Etiquette Rules 」

Haunted locations spawn higher level monsters. As such, they also give much higher rewards upon defeat. Use this at your own discretion.

In the event of a character’s death within Weirdward Bunkyo, characters will spawn in the nearest NPC location. Typically, characters will re-spawn in the nearest local shop.

This is subject to change at any given time. 

Anything with triggering content must be placed under a “read more”. 

PvP (Player versus Player) is not allowed within the game.

Parties may be formed with a maximum of six characters to explore areas or defeat high level monsters. If a party member dies, they will respawn in the nearest NPC location no matter the distance from the party. This is a chance for people to have threads with more than one or two people!

This is not a game that completely takes a person into the RPG like the .hack series or Sword Art Online. Do not treat it as such.

「Activities 」

The primary goal of Weirdward Bunkyo is to defeat monsters, level up, and find rare items within the game. It’s like any other RPG game! 

There are a few, select NPC characters that will unlock quests throughout the ward. Talk to as many NPCs as possible to receive clues for the quests.

A new quest will be sent to every player at the start of each hour. However, the amount of quests each player has will not exceed twenty-four. Finish quests quickly to receive prizes, level up, and start new quests.

Muns are allowed to come up with their own quests for their characters.