Come To Odaiba To See Gundam

First, some of you may ask, what is Gundam. Here it is check it out, it is on Wikipedia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundam_Evolve

What has Odaiba got to do with Gundam? Well, come and visit Odaiba online to know more!

http://www.aquacity.jp/en/index.html

Then, watch this gigantic Gundam (the Gundam Project) displayed in Odaiba.

(without music & up-close)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM6nUX57gCg&feature=yva-title

(with music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajm7lZgZpJQ&feature=response_watch

(Gundam moves)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykamCJsKFBI&feature=related

More about Gundam and its related products (hm... this one i am afraid is in Japanese only) but just let me know if you have any troubles understanding.

http://www.gundam.info/

Enjoy!

Nanzen Temple (continued)

This is not a concrete but sand, piled together to produce a shape of mountain.

Kyoto is famous for its beautiful colors in spring and autumn.  In most temples there are various type of trees, like cherry blossoms, maple trees, that change colors with the coming of new season.   

These colors reflected in the pond make beautiful pictures.  Unfortunately when i was there, most trees were lustfully green - a beautiful color but less gradation of various colors that you would be able to find in autumn.

If you come in summer, the color of leaves are even greener than springtime.  Weather will be hot and humid, therefore it is best to walk in sandals and wear short sleeves.

Kyoto Day 1 - Nanzenji (Nanzen Temple)

Priests in this temple artistically design the sand in such a way to replicate water and land.    This laborious process takes place every month and in some harsh weather like heavy rain or storms, remaking may be needed.  You can see the gradation made by brushing the sand finely to produce such a shape.

Landscape around the garden is beautiful and serene with many tall trees, many of which are cherry blossoms, pine, maples and other Japanese trees, most of which are more than a hundred year old.    On a very crowded day, it is difficult to enjoy the garden so it is best to go on a less crowded day - such as weekdays in early spring.

A Trip To Kyoto

You probably have already heard about Kyoto famous for its temples, beautiful colors in different seasons, fabulous delicacies and famous geisha, geiko, maiko dances.... well, just recently i went there again, for the third time.

http://www.princehotels.com/en/kyoto/

I stayed at the Grand Prince Hotel, just off Kokusaikaikan station.    The location is off Kyoto central station, a little far according to some people, but i like the place a lot.   It is far off the busy traffic of the city, so you can go out for a stroll for fresh air, listening to birds singing and watching a lower mountain just across the window from the hotel.     Another plus point of this hotel is that you can check in your luggages at the Kyoto central station - where the Hotel Luggage Check In and Transfer Service Center can help you out for free.  

The only limitation of this hotel is that you need to take 2 different subway trains to get there.   I suggest that you get an English train and subway maps when you arrive at Kyoto central station.

Here are some of my visits during a 2 night/3 days stay in Kyoto - covering my favorite spots:

*Nanzenji 

*Kyoto Studio Park (Toei Uzumasa Eigamura/Movie Land)

http://www.eigamura30.com/english/index.html

*Kinkakuji

*Ryoanji

At Kyoto Studio Park, both local and foreign visitors can dress up like a samurai, traditional Japanese King or Queen, a geisha, or just a local girl in kimono and enjoy taking photos at the man made town picturing the old days of Japan.   The best way is to make reservation early and to arrive a few minutes before the time reserved.   I was only 2 minutes late arriving and i lost my reservation to dress up as "oshin" for the day.... hiks ;(

For more photos of the trips, read along ....  hopefully you will love Kyoto like i do!

Not To Miss Out

When you arrive at Narita Airport:

* Visit JR East Tavel Service Center

Here you can book the best and most reasonable tour and direction from the expert, such as if you

 want to visit Mt. Fuji, the Imperial Palace, Kyoto Day Trip, travelling around Tokyo with a cheap day pass, make reservation for Hotels, Shinkansen, etc.

* Mobile Phone Rental Service Center (Just across the JR East Travel Service Center)

Please double check if your mobile phone system works in Japan, otherwise you may like to rent a Japanese latest mobile phone with an audio/TV recording system, all Japanese TV channels online, Internet connection, video & photo capture, wide screen ; check out the latest technology in mobile phone.

When you arrive at a department store, visit Underground level for food and beverages:

*Japanese pickles - various color of vegetables  

*Japanese lunch boxes (bento)

My favorite is to spend time at the 

Art & Lifestyle or Home ware/ Kitchenware section, usually on the upper floor, where you can find Japanese traditional goods, such as "urushi" (Japan), ceramics (Noritake, etc.), Japanese seasonal decorations, such as the Hina dolls (only displayed during February-March), Kabuto, etc.

600 Years Old Cherry Tree

In Oku-Chichibu, a local station just about an hour and a half away from central Tokyo, you can visit a temple where they keep a 600 years old cherry tree.   At this time of the year, from late March to early April, many local Japanese would go and visit this temple to witness a natural treasure.

This tree is 15 metres height and the trunk is 3 metres in width.    It stands strong in all weather for the past 600 years - a really amazing view.   Today, hundreds of Japanese went to visit and take picture of the cherry blossoms of this tree - a beautiful sight indeed.   

At night there will be light ups around the tree so that people can enjoy a different sight of this "shidare" sakura.

Warning For Those With Hay Fever

Hi Friends,

Just a note to let you know that some of you who suffer from hayfever (like me) should be aware that Japan has mountaints full of cedar trees that create countless pollen every year, especially in spring.   For you visiting Japan, you may like to avoid March-April period or get an anti pollen mask at the airport when you arrive.

Having said that there are apparently various types of hayfever, yours may not be caused by cedar pollens.    March-April period is in fact the best time to visit Japan if you love flowers, especially if you would like to see the cherry blossoms.

Get your medication ready if you like to enjoy Spring time here.   

Also, have you heard of what we call here "the sakura zensen map" : it is a yearly updated map informing very accurately the best date when you can enjoy cherry blossoms anywhere in Japan.

When you arrive at the airport, go to the JR Information Center and ask for "the sakura zensen map".    Japanese travellers use this map to plan their trip around Japan - especially to get the best shot of cherry blossoms ... yes, here travelling throughout Japan chasing the cherry blossoms is common for the retired, a healthy way to kill time and enjoy nature, i guess.

Not To Miss - Hamarikkyu Park @ Shimbashi/Shiodome

Spring is here and the weather can not be any better.    I wish i lived nearer Tokyo or when i used to commute to Tokyo to work several years ago, i would usually take a walk after walk at a nearby park.   One of those parks i love and definitely not want to miss in spring is Hamarikkyu Koen (=Park).   

Hamarikkyu is beautiful all season throughout the year, but particularly in spring and autumn.   The best activity is to walk around the Park, enjoy the view of seasonal colors, big koi and gold fish in the pond.   When you get tired, go the the center of the park where you can find a traditional Japanese rest house.    You can see a life performance of *Tea Ceremony, enjoy a freshly made Japanese tea and beautifully prepared traditional sweets.   Or just enjoy a relax and easygoing style of tea time a la Japanese.

*Tea Ceremony (=cha no yu) was introduced to Japan from China and perfected by Master Senno-Rikkyu based on the spirit of Zen in the 16th century.   For Japanese people tea ceremony is a mental discipline for pursuing calmness and content with a profound simplicity of mind.   

Please be aware that there are some rules when joining a tea ceremony, such as being quiet, still and attentive.    

Usually there will be prior explanations to foreign visitors by the Head of Ceremony, such as: on ways to drink the tea, ways to move tea cup/bowl, and other details.

How to get there: Get on the JR Yamanote Line and go to Shimbashi (新

橋）.   You can walk from Shimbashi to the Park.  Alternatively, get off Shimbashi and take another train to Shiodome（汐留）.    Check out a local map here.

From Hamarikkyu, you can take a 30 or 60 minutes ferry ride to enjoy the view of Tokyo Harbor.  On a nice sunny day you can view Tokyo Tower from the ferry.

My Favorite Holiday Spots

Hometown

Tochigi is  my hometown in Japan, since it is where our family and relatives live. I go there a few times a year, but the first and memorable time was when i visited Nikko Sannai, at the center of the Nikko Mountain area.   It has 57 shrines and temples, including the famous ones being Toshogu Shrine, Rinno-ji Temple and Futarasan Shrine.    Nikko has extremely important traces of the Japanese history and cultures and therefore has been a very popular tourists attraction.  If you have only a limited time, my suggestion is to take a day or two days Nikko tour from Tokyo.   Nikko is a "must see" when you come to visit Japan.

A little information to distinguish the difference between shrine and temples:

*shrine (or "jinja" in Japanese) is used by Shinto believers to pray ; Shinto is Japan's main religion and it is practised widely through ceremonies and festivals.

*temple usually refers to Buddhist temples, where you can see images of Buddha, which orginally came from India

Activities in Nikko

Other than visiting famous shrines and temples, you can enjoy a beautiful nature of Nikko National Park, by walking a 3-4 hours, exploring the Park while  listening to the nature's voice, the frogs, birds, insects and breeze of the season.    In spring time hiking, fishing and camping at Nasu Shiobara are very popular to locals.    Roads may be crowded but you definitely not want to miss the beauty of nature there ... lake or river fishing is also fun. 

For more details about Tochigi please visit the official English sites of Tochigi prefecture.  Enjoy!

http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/en-index.html

... coming next is "Ishigakijima at Okinawa"!

Food In Japan Is Not Expensive

There is an image among foreign visitors that travelling in Japan, especially Tokyo or major cities  here, costs a lot of money and that food are expensive here.  Well, that is not certainly true, because nowadays there are choices for those who know where to go.   

Like elsewhere in the world, meals are expensive if you eat at the Hotels or restaurants in high rise building.   So here is my recommendation:

1. For the best Sushi & Sashimi

Shimbashi is known to locals here as the place for you to find good sushi and sashimi.   You can get fresh, delicious and reasonable sashimi, mostly from 75 Yen! (that is less than a $1! each).    Best of all it is located at a very convenient place, just off the station. 

http://www.uogashi.jp/shop_10.html

Take a ride on the JR Yamanote Line, and go to Shimbashi station. Look for Uogashi, name of the chain (kaiten) sushi, just as you Exit the Main Gate.   

Also check photo (left) or print it if you like and show to the Station Master for help.   There are other chains of Uogashi, if you like to check, click below and just click at the shop name and check for maps.    Unfortunately they are all written in Japanese.

​http://www.uogashi.jp/​

2. For Other Local Food

In Tokyo and other major city, any major stations are connected to or have department stores nearby.   Go to these stores such as Takashimaya, Seibu, Tobu, Mitsukoshi and walk to the Basement Floor where they sell various take-out food.  Some major department stores also have eat-in place.   If you are particular about freshness, visit just before the peak hour at lunchtime or dinner time.   If you are more curious about getting the best value, visit just before the closing hour, a few minutes before 8 pm.    However, i recommend that you do not purchase any raw food such as sushi/sashimi at this late hours because they are no longer fresh.    

3.  There also restaurants and cafe that offers special discounts during rainy days.    Yes, here locals tend to stay put and avoid going out/eating out during rainy days, so giving discounts is their way of pulling the consumers to come.     Hm, but i don't think our stomach should wait for rainy days :D !

Enjoy!