With everyone pulling roller suitcases, it seemed appropriate that we were heading for the Harumi Passenger Terminal built on land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay in the city's central Chuo Ward.
Still, no boat was capable of taking our 400-strong legion of teenage and twentysomething women where we were going. As one fellow traveler put it, we were headed for "the world of manga."
Five minutes later, in a giant hall overlooked by the towering Rainbow Bridge, suitcases were thrown open and myriad cloaks, skirts, armor, wigs, swords, laser guns, beards and other props spilled out. Costumes were slipped on, makeup was carefully applied and, with surprising speed, characters from manga, anime and video games appeared — like a ramshackle militia from all corners of time and human imagination.