Ikebukuro Diary

Tokyo is great city to live but sometimes I really feel want to be in the nature.....
I've been to Okutama, west part of Tokyo, which take 2 hours ride on the train,
there is plenty of nature and it's not like Tokyo that we know.

That was really hot day and I stepped into the river, then, screamed because water was so cold!!

And I took a nap at river side with listening sound of a stream and bird's singing,
it was so comfortable...

I brought weapon with me :p

But my friend took it and attacked me heavily.......I really got wet........
I should have not bring it :(

This is a view from Ikebukuro ;)

Sometimes, we can see beautiful side of Tokyo city.
Buildings, houses are spreading over and looks like never ending....and
shining like ocean.

I took this by mobile, so it came out not so good but still beautiful isn't it?

There are a few observatories inTokyo,
●Metropolitan government-Shinjyuku station
http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/TMG/observat.htm
Admission free
9:30am-23pm

●Sunshine 60-Ikebukuro station
http://www.sunshinecity.co.jp/sunshine/observatory/360.html
Admission 620yen
10am-21:30pm

●Tokyo tower-Akabanebashi station
http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/english/
Admission 820yen
9am-22pm

●Roppongi Hills-Roppongi station
http://www.roppongihills.com/tcv/en/
Admission 1,500yen
9am-25am

Enjoy!

Still rainy season. I don't know when it will be over..
But don't worry. Even it's raining, you still can enjoy Tokyo.

If you have to change your plan because of the rain, I will suggest you the plan B.
Plan B is
1. Tokyo Edo museum
>> It is a very huge museum. You can spend one day there. This museum shows us the history and culture of Japan. They also irregularly have special exhibitions of like calligraphy or kabuk . If you go there, you will see Japan from an interesting angle.

2. Night view.
>> I guess most of people know that night view is beautiful when the sky is clear. However, did you know that rain makes night view even more beautiful? On rainy days the wet strees reflect the streetlights at night so the night town looks more shiny.
My recommendation is the night view from Tokyo metropolitan government building observatory.
They have observatory on the 45th floor of the goverment building. The admission is free.

If your plan is postponed because of the rain, Why don't you go to edo Tokyo museum during the day and go to see the night view in the evening? It will be a wonderful day.

**Tokyo edo museum
JR Ryogoku station (From Ikebukuro, take a JR Yamanote line to Akihabara station, change to JR sobu line)
http://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/english/index.html

**Tokyo metropolitan government building observatory
Access; 10min walking from JR Shinjuku station west exit.
Opening hour; 9:30-23:00
Closed on Dec 29th to Jan 3rd.

I change to Yamanote line at Nippori station when I go to Ikebukuro station
and I found 'Sky Tree' from there!

It still under construction and now 398m high.
And it going to be 634m....

Hooo...what a high towert it is.....!

Hahahah, have you watched this video? This is soooo funny :D
Wait! Remember this is 100% a joke. Never take it serious.

It's useful :)
Don't you think these are lovely?

Furoshiki is just square cloth and we used to use these for wrap or bring items.
And we realized that these can be useful recently.
It's very light and small if folded and it's protean cloth.
How about watermelon or 2 bottle of wines if you would like to bring??
No worry! it's possible ;)

I bought one for me and I useing for bring my (big)lunch box :)
This is a link how to wrap items↓
http://homepage2.nifty.com/futava/furosiki/method/meth.htm

How about to get one of these for you?

Do you like Japanese green tea?

I heard that some people don't like it because it has bitter taste.
As to me, I really love this tea and I have green tea every day very often
and also every after meal.
I will bring some with me when I go on a trip.
Maybe I can't live without it :p (too much to say?)
That tea is too familiar for me so I didn't think it has bitter taste.

Shizuoka prefecture located at central main land and temperate region
and also famous for tea leaf field.

We can taste freshy green tea in April and May and these tea has freshy and natural sweet flavour.
I have been to Shizuoka with friend of mine for picking green tea leaves.

I really enjoyed standing in the tea field and picking leaves.
And this is a costume for girls for picking leaves...
don't you think we are lovely....or yes.....
you can laugh :p

And after picking, we enjoyed gorgeous lunch, cooking with tea leaves,
that was nice!

Unluckly we could not see Mt.Fuji during our stay
but if it's clear day, you can see Mt.Fuji behind tea field extend all around.
That would be perfect Japanese scenery ;)

And they have many tasty local foods and
hanging around in fish market would be interesting.
Enjoy and find your Shizuoka ;D

●About green tea
http://www.kisakuen.jp/eng/science/
●Grinpia Makinohara
http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/~gurinpia/
JR Kikukawa station and 15 min by car(taxi)
→English blog
http://kisakuen.blogspot.com/

Also, I would like to show you there is major towns you can visit.

●Yaizu city and Yaizu fish market
http://www.pref.shizuoka.jp/a_foreign/english/map/yaizu.html#sakana
●Shimizu city
http://www.shizuoka-cvb.or.jp/tour_guide/en/maps/shimizu.php

again?! Japanese Prime minister will dipose! He has been with that position only 8monthes..

How it's gonna be in our country?
I just hope it goes good way!!

Actually...Tokyo international airport(Narita airport) located at not in Tokyo,
it's in Chiba prefecture!
So it takes 1.5 hours between central Tokyo and Narita airport.
We know that it's far!

But finally, Keisei line released new project for 'New Skyliner'(express train)!

This train run 160 kilometers per hour and it made possible running 36min
between Narita airport and Nippori station(Tokyo) and it's start to run from July.
↓
http://www.new-skyliner.jp/top.html

Just please make sure...if you come or leave from Ikebukuro,
you will have a few choices.
Narita express(JR line) and Limousine bus running Narita airport and Ikebukuro area directly.
This is mean it should be much easier for you, because you don't need
to worry about change line.
So please ask us or information counter at airport if you have question ;)

More information about....
●Keisei line
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/keisei_us/top.html

●Narita express
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html

●Limosine bus
http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

JR is Japan railway and if you take JR to get to somewhere,
you will hear some melody when the train leave.
They have a lots of melodies and some are even part of music.

●Takadanobaba station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOTgEq2r1yQ&feature=related

●Ebisu station
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_rIY3_IPi4

●various....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU65jqAEhIw&feature=related

I guess if you already have been to Tokyo, you remenber this and thinking......... 'Ah!'
Don't you??

OK then, let's take a Yamanote line and go to the Ikebukuro :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjcUaZmvulY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIp0GoPzN14&feature=fvw

'Kabuki' is the highly stylized classical Japanese dance-drama and one of cultural performance.
I'm embarrassing to declare here but I have not seen it and I was thinking
I can't understand their expression.
Because they use distinctive words and expression in the drama.
But I should go and see oneday....

On the other hand,I like 'Kabuki theater' itself.
It located in Ginza which known as fashionable town and this Kabukiza is very
outstanding in there and massive architecture.

But it will rebuild like this↓

Wonder why we can't maintain this theater.....
I concern that there will be only skyscrapers exist in the future...??

When you go to McDonald's or any other burger shops, you might see 'Teriyak burger'
on their menu.

Teriyaki means one of the Japanese cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine
in which foods are broiled or grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade (tare in Japanese).

The tare is traditionally made by mixing and heating soy sauce,
mirin(kind of sweet rice wine), or sugar.

The sauce is boiled and reduced to the desired thickness, then used to marinate meat
which is then grilled or broiled.

We have typical dishes for teriyaki, fish and chicken, try have some♪

●Buri (fish) no teriyaki

●Tori (chicken) no teriyaki

Weather forecast saying about how the 'cherry blossom' blooming everyday
and reporting which area the best for viewing.

Cherry blossom is best flower people loved and very fascinated us and also
we feel finaly spring coming when we see them.

Well, since when people enjoy viewing cherry blossom?
Cerry blossom(Sakura) trees planted since Heian period(794) for viewing
and don't you think　how great story that people already enjoyed it
in Edo period(1600).

Let's make a plan for Sakura viewing as people do long time ;)
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3050.html
And let's prepare for some beers and foods for that picnic :D
....This is not like people do as long time ago??

Tokyo International Anime Fair 2010 will be taking place in Tokyo Big sight
this weekend (Mar. 27 & 28).

If you like anime, enjoy this event :)
Tokyo International Anime Fair 2010: http://www.tokyoanime.jp/en/

Hono-Ozumo at Hasukuni Shrine[奉納大相撲]
[April 9th]　9：00? Admisson free!!
Place:Yasukuni shrine

This is a ceremonial Sumo tournament and much more.
It starts at 9AM and run until around 3PM.
About 200 Sumo wrestlers include “Yokozuna (Sumo champion) ” will join this event.

If you are interested in "Sumo", don't miss it!
If you want to seat with a good view of the stage, please go there before 9 a.m.

It was a busy day as usual yesterday.
I pick up the phone and woman asked me to put someone who know
about earthquake and tsunami on the phone.
I did not understand why this woman talking about this matter at that moment....

I checked internet and then I knew that there was enormous earthquake in Chili
and also there was alerts for Tsunami coming.

Tsunami reached on the pacific side of Japan and flood in some north parts.
Also, people evacuated and train stopped on the coast line
to get rid of the risk of Tsunami.
Chili is 17,000km away from here, so we can imagine how big
earthquake occured.

I don't know what to say thinking about people...

We send our deep and sympathy and prayers to the victims and their families...

We had earthquake recentlly.
There are occasionally earthquakes in Japan......
That's terrible and scary........................................................
I feel very bad when an earthquake comes
And then I pray in my mind 'stop stop, please!!' ....
There are lots of earthquakes in Japan as the country is located on the continental plate boundary,.
I guess, some people (from Europe?) don't have this experience.
So they might not know....but please just keep in mind that earthquake is a terrible power of nature you can never imagine how scary it is.

(↓Niigata pref, 2007)

What should we do when it occures?

1. Don't be panic!! this is very important, and protect yourself first,
Stay under the desk, for example.
Don't rush out and in case you are out on the street watch out for falling objects such as roof tiles and broken glass,

2. Make sure that any sources of flame are out.
3. Secure an exit for escape when the shaking stops

Are you okay with this?.........I'm not okay..... :(

Good value for getting around Japan!

This pass covering all JR line, which mean you can travel around north and south, anywhere you want , even such a long distance!

For purchase this pass, you need to order before you come to Japan.
Please check it out information as below, if you planning to come to Japan ;) ↓
http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html

I reccomend to ride on Shinkansen (bullet train) once during your stay in Japan!

Enjoy!!

Generally, Japan is known as very expensive city.
But I think it's something wrong.
We can find unexpensive meals and clothes and accomodations in Tokyo.
Though it except about cinema....

You will be surprised how expensive if you go to cinema, it cost 1,800yen for adult.
(equel for 20dollars, 14euro )

Well, we telling you a solution, no worry ;)
You can buy preview ticket as 1,280 yen at some ticket shops or if it will be on 1st of the month,
we can enjoy cinema just 1,000yen.

Or good news for ladies ;)
Most of cinema setting for ladies day at Wednesday in 1,000yen.

Please let us know if you planning to go to cinema, we can help you ;)

Drawing a picture on hot latte is popular in Tokyo now.

This is what I found at mois cafe in Shimokitazawa (keio Inogashira line and Odakyu line).
I ordered the hot lam chocolate, and they drew a flower with lam chocolate. Lovely.
The building of this cafe is a renovated old Japanese style house. The asmospher is very nice.

I found this latte at a cafe somewhere in Harajuku. I forgot the name of the cafe
(> <)

If you find any cute latte art, please let me know☆

Hi, I am back from Oze national park last week.
It was my first time to visit Oze national park in autumn.
I was surprised how their autumn colored leaves are beautiful.
It was like an orange colored carpet!!

We enjoyed hiking at the orange carpet. Because we hiked more than 6hours(?!!), I had muscle pain with my leg on next day. This is how I don't walk in my daily life....

↑Boardwalk is a famous at Oza national park. Thought this boardwalk getting old, some of them are maintenaced every year. Good for hiking♪
In June, it will be marsh and we can see beautiful flower called "Mizubasho"水芭蕉 for all over.

At the night, we enjoyed the delicious meal. Especially, the fish called "Iwana" was great. I ate that fish with three different ways; sashimi (eat as low), salt broiled with charcoal fire, and kotsu sake.
Kotsu zake is unique sake. It is like hot sake with broiled fish. So we can taste like fish taste sake, and those two are match perfectly.

↑Iwana as a salt broiled fish. ↑kotsu-zake (fish sake). It was served with fish shaped sake bottle.

↑Can you see the fish into the fish?

**Access information.

Oze yakou (night train) from Asakusa station to Aizuko kougen oze guchi station. Change to Aizu bus;

From Ikebukuro sunshine hotel.

OZE national park from tomorrow.

Oze is one of the famous national park in Japan.
It is across the 4 prefectures (Niigata, Tochigi, Gunma, and Fukushima .),
Huge park!

Oze national park is muskeg area surrounded by several mountains. It is also famous as marsh pond. We can see marsh pond only in few place in Japan.
It is like a pond with mash. hmmmm...hard to explain. I guess I will take a picture and up this blog.
The walikway in Oze national park are made by wooden boardwalk, thus it is good for hiking.

But problem is, oze national park is very far from my home. I have to leave 5AM and drive 5hours!! I am wondering if I can wake up.. I am thinking to ask Yoshi who is working for overnight today , for wake up call for tomorrow morning.
Anyway, I will enjoy the Autumn travel in Oze national park.
Have a good weekend!
ciao ciao♪

Last week my friend asked me to go with her to an interesting cafe in Kichijoji. So we went there together.
The cafe is just normal from outside. But the interior was surprising. There are neither sofas nor chairs but Hammocks instead !!.

It was amazing. I always wanted to sleep in a hammock. Because it really looks comfortable when I sometimes see pictures of people sleeping in hammocks. So I wanted to try it.

It was so comfortable for me. It is a bit difficult to have some meal while seating in a hammock.
Because it swings more than I thought. But it is good to relax and chat there.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere in the cafe.

I wish we have it our cafe too☆

Mahika mano
http://mahikamano.com/
10min from Kichijoji station on JR chuo line, JR sobu line, and Keio inogashira line.
From Ikebukuro, take JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku station, and then change for JR sobu line or
JR chuo line.

They have been to Mt.Fuji! Sugoi (great)!!

Mt.Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.
It is special and remarkable.
I like this beautiful mountain....and if weather is fine, we can see it from
Tokyo!

Also we can climb this mountain in July and August in the summer time.
and many people climbing toward to the top.
http://www.city.fujiyoshida.yamanashi.jp/div/english/html/climb.html

I've tried once before with friends of mine.
We started walking from 5th station at 10pm, then just keep walking long long way....in the dark.
Walking toward to the top, it was not difficult for me, it was just a long way.....
Normaly, we can enjoy hiking with scenery, fresh air and trees....but nothing in the middle of the Mt.Fuji.Plants and trees can't live there.

Getting closer to the top, we felt really freezing cold, almost below zero,
but when the sun came up, it just turned hot! because we were above the clouds!

On the way back, we can't hide from the sun, and slippery ground and a lots of sandy dust....that was annoying me so much....

But I'm proud of myself and I still reccomend this to the others, you must try once at least!
We can see 'the sea of clouds', that's so beautiful and can't describe it.
That is a gift from Mt.Fuji only to the ones who succefully reach the top ;)

Then I will advise you to plan to stay one night at the hut if possible, this is much better. Bring banana and chocolate and Onigiri(rice ball) with you for energy, also winter clothes to keep you warm and good shoes for walking.

Um....I'm just really sure..it will never happen again to me......I prefer to seeing the Mt.Fuji at the lakeside having some beer :p

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.....

raining and rainy days.....

We have a lot of those rainy days in June here.
But if it's my day off, that's good chance to be at home and spend time listening rain drops.

In this rainy season, we will see this flower, it's called 'Ajisai'
and

in kanji character it mean 'purple sun flower'.

And there are Ajisai temples all over Japan. They are temples with a lot of Ajisai planted in their gardens.
I have been to Meigetsuin(one of those Ajisai temples) in Kamakura a few years ago and it was beautiful....

Even if it's unluckily a rainy day,you are a lucky person to visit there.
Because Ajisai is much more beautiful in rainy days.
You can trust me ;)

Today, May 5th, is national holiday called 'children's day'.
Since long time ago, we set up the carp (koi)made of light cloth or made
with paper on the balcony.
We can see a lots of carps like swimming in the blue sky :)

I found this picture, Koinobori with Mt.Fuji on their behind, this is nice ;)

'Nobori (noboru as verb)' means 'go up'or 'ascend'
then, 'Koi nobori' describes 'The carps going up (stream)'.

Since antient times in China, there was a story 'carp become dragon when they
go up to the top of waterfall',
so people have set up 'koi' outside and wishing their children grow up healthy
seems like carps going up waterfall powerfully.....

This link should be make you unserstand what that means,
my explanation is not good enough :p
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodomo_no_Hi

I'm living in Tokyo for a long time but maybe... I don't know much about Tokyo.
Oneday, we have explored imperial palace and garden, around central Tokyo;)
I realized how nice and beautiful....there was full of freshly green
and flower called Tsutsuji blooming, it was just like flower carpet spreaded.
Also, there are historical houses and museum.

We can rent bicycles and cycling around the palace on Sunday

Such a gorgeous afternoon tea and champagne at The Peninsula Hotel Tokyo♪

We jumped into the bus and enjoyed Tokyo view from the top!

Woooow-!! :D........ . . . and .........Ginza at night!

Then, lastly, we warmed up with cafe-latte.......

Now I can advise you to go there and explore yourself ;)
I know everybody goes Roppongi or Shibuya, such a livery town,
but maybe it would be good idea to see both side of Tokyo!

P.S. Special thanks to Mr.Ono (←we are going to tell you who he is later!)

More information about...
***Imperial palace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Imperial_Palace
*Close on Monday and Friday and New years Holiday,
Entry till 4pm(it will change sometime, so pls check their schedule) Free admission

***Area map
http://www.tcvb.or.jp/en/infomation/2area/map/01map_tokyo.html
*Metro, Chiyoda line and exit C10 is easy to get to Higashigyoen( garden)

***Sky bus Tokyo
http://www.skybus.jp/English/index.html
*Tokyo-Ginza, 1hour, 1,500 yen

Sometimes we find humorous notice in the public places and those are notices for manner in the train that I like.

↑she seems talking on the mobile phone for a long time....

↑rushing into the train....but not in time...

↑good music for him but noise for next person

↑someone can't read a book because of them...

This is me...

I always try to read a book but I can't stay up if I can have a seat....
It's very comfortable for me to sleep on the train.
The sounds of running train, it's just like saying 'sleep well, sleep well....'

On the other hand, this picture describes about rush hour on the train.
It's happening every morning on weekday, truly!

People rush into the train for going to work, time between 7am and 8am,
it's awful and stressful situation.
I ,myself, have had this situation many times.
Headphone of portable music player has been broken, I got hurt all over....totally
exhausted....

Now I remember, when I been to Australia, people have said...
'No rush no rush....!'
I love this word :)

One day, we had an 'ONIGIRI party' with some rice one of our guests had left
to us.
ONIGIRI is a rice ball formed into triangular or oval shape
and often wrapped in dried seaweed.

It's a kind of 'Japanese soul food' and it has various things inside like salted
Japanese plum, salmon, tuna, and so on...

It's very simple but tasty and we can take them out for lunch such as picnic just like sandwich
and we are familier with them from our childhood.

Wonder what 'soul food' is in your country??

Kyoto has different beauty.
Visiting Kyoto in the season of cherry blossom is, needless to say, valuable.
One of our staff, Yoshihiro, has been to Kyoto and please take a look pictures
which he took !

It is also beautiful to see cherry blossoms at night.
We can see them with illumination.
This is great tree in 'Maruyama park'...

Um,it's gorgeous isn't it...good job Yoshihiro ;)
We strongly reccomend to trip to Kyoto and if you visit there in the spring,
you try to see cherry blossoms at night.
We promise that you will see some splendid scene ....

It's spring now but we can still enjoy winter sports!
In Japan, there are a lots of places for skiing & snowboarding in the mountain
and north parts.
I've been to Niigata pref. (3 hours from Tokyo by bus)for a few days snowboarding
this time and luckly I got plenty powder snow!
Actually, the best time for winter sports are December,January and February,
and normaly we don't get good snow in the spring time.
If you planning to come to Japan in winter, why don't you try to do some
winter sports!?
Also, you can get warm in the hot spring later that and have some tasty
Japanese meals and beer....don't you think it's sounds so good ;)

I found a link for a information of winer sports, please check it out ;)
http://www.skijapanguide.com/index.php

And...my favorite lunch at resort is 'Katsu curry' (curry with deep-fried pork),
I recommend this too ;)