Ikebukuro Diary

We have informed you that we have been collecting caps of plastic bottles for the campaign to the save children.
http://sakura-hotel-ikebukuro.com/blog/2009/06/we_do_eco_do_we_idea_from_yosh_1.html
Everybody, all the cleaning staff cooperated in this campaign and now that caps are...........like this!
↓

Those caps used to be just trash to be thrown away.
But now they will be exchanged with vaccination and save the children,
Don't you think how great it is?

☆Cappee save the children☆

Hey,
Masa?!

What's going on?
You are with cute girls, but why not smile?
He must be shy...??

Do you know something about 'Aromatherapy'?
We just started useing it here in the hotel.
We can feel 'Aroma' from the top cover of the light right after drop some essential oils on there ;)

I had never been interested in it until I just happened to know what it is.
But now, I've been studying it and it often makes me surprize how great power it has!
Those are some kinds of oil made from 100% natural ingredients such as leaves, flowers, woods, seeds.....and so on.
It has been originally used as a medical remedy from antient period all over the world .
And it was originated in France.
Actually, it has great effects on our minds and bodies.

Now I have more than 20 kinds of essential oil .
If you have stress related or jet-lag problems,or something,
let me help you ;)

I've been watching Adachi firework display yesterday!
That was soooo beautiful, I don't know what to say.....!!
Every single year, I've touching how wonderful....

I've tried but could not take a good photo....though.....friend of mine, Eun-jung, took a nice shot, 'smilely' ;)

Big smile in the sky ;)
Hey! smile together!

Happy Birthday!!
'Tanjyobi Omedetou!' in Japanese!

It was Sariko's birthday! and we got together and had a birthday cake with some guests :)

Birthday is very special and I wanted to have celebrate her birthday
with some people.
Then I thought it would be wonderful, if we could organize something like a surprise party !
This idea poped into my head.

So, we had not told about this 'petit party' before we just took her
to the kitchen after finish work, then, put the light off,
and..............................we brought the cake with candle lights.....!!

Happy surprize!!
It's nice isn't it ;)

It's so hot recently and I can't sleep well.........
We have hot and sticky summer every year in Japan.

The best thing in summer is that we will have a lots of festivals and fireworks!!
http://gojapan.about.com/od/japanesefestivals/tp/tokyofireworksfestivals.htm
I love planning to go to see them with friends, specially I do love to see the fireworks........
we bring some foods and beers and sit on the ground and wait that moment..........
and start to countdown ..................... !!That's totally exciting !!

Firstly, there is Fireworks at Sumida river, at 25th July.
This is most biggest firework display in Tokyo.
Then Sakura Hostel Asakusa will have a Hanabi &Sushi party!!
You should not to miss it ;)
Please ask about this at frontdesk ;)

Let's enjoy summer!!

Beautiful Hanabi(fireworks)...........I can't wait........ ;)

While I was traveling, I had been giving 'Tsuru (crane)' to people who got close to me as a tiny present.
We are familier with 'Origami' especialy for girls from our childhood,
'Origami' is folded paper made of a square,colored and patterned paper .
We make animals, boxes, flowers and so on.
I' used to make a lots of things but now, remember only how to make the crane.

Crane is a symbol for peace and health.
So when someone is hospitalized, we make a thousand (1,000!) of this crane and make a wish for his or her recovery.

Also, we can see this thousand cranes (senba zuru) at ceremonies for peace in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
This is to wish for a lasting peace or wishing peace forever.....

Our special staff, Mr. ONO is in the hospital now because of illness.
If you have stayed with us before, you might have seen him.
He is a specialist of travel information as we mentioned in previous post.
He knows (maybe everything? ) about not only Japan but also all over the world!
And once he start talking, it seems not likely to stop it!
Hey, Mr. ONO.....
We really miss you ......
You are not here....
We all hope you will get well very very soon!!

This bear is really similar to him....

Today....
We are going to introduce this person......HIRO! ( I'm thinking he should be 'Human Data Bank'
and other people should be answer'YES HE IS!').

Why he should be 'Human Data Bank'?
For example, you need get a information what is the best way to get the place
you want to go and you asking to him.....

He will tell you that...what time you should leave and which line you have to take
and how often train comes and platform number and car number, and color of
train and then he will show you the picture of train .
Then, what exit number and so on.....
You should bring note and take a memo!

He knows very good about train and about information for regions, foods.....widely.
He knows also information about foreign countries.....

So I believe, he will publish the great book 'Lonely Hironet'
(somebody will say 'Is it copy of Lonely Planet?'.....um, 'It's similar but it's not :p')

He is too shy to write about himself, so I've written it down in his place.

Name; Yasuhiro Ono
Hometown; Tokyo
Language; English, Japanese
Country visited; (?) ...we are not sure but sometimes we surprize he knows about
so many countries and cities....and where is good restaurant and
good accomodation and so on...
What he like is........sweets and sweets, specialy macarron and train, travel,
relax time with dog.
What he doesn't like is..........alcohole, TV, air-conditioning.

He is specialize in tourism information at here, definitely.......

What is "Tanabata"?
Tanabata (meaning "Evening of the seventh") is a Japanese star festival, derived
from the Chinese star festival.
It celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair).
The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky,
separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year
on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.
Since the stars come out at night, the celebration is held at night.

We will see a lots of decorations in many places for this festival or we decorate
bamboo with colorful paper and also hung a 'tanzaku' (written one's wish)
on there.

Then, we will have a party......☆☆☆

[EVENT] Tanabata(Star festival) party
[FEE] 2,000 yen (Sakura Cafe & Restaurant will serve you new start menu
in buffet style and Wine, Cocktails and Japanese beer!)
[DATE] Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 [TIME] 19:00-21:00
[PLACE] Sakura Cafe & Restaurant in our sakura hotel Ikebukuro

Let's have a party and...................what you want to make a wish?

Take a look at this please!
We have made 'Guest Book' here ♪♪♪

He is a first guest who left message in this book!

Now we already have got some messages and that's so nice and we love them!!
Please leave your message or comment about your stay, about your travel, about Tokyo.....anything okay ;)
We are going to keep these books as our treasure......
and we are looking forward to seeing your new message ;)