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Archive for the ‘travelogue’ Category

Tokyo Life 7 – Daikanyama 代官山

22 Jun

Tokyo life – a daydream that I have somehow deluded myself into. When I was staying in Tokyo some years back, I snapped up a tonne of cityscape hoping to revisit them again. And I did in later months,  but usually couldn’t locate where I have walked before simply because I was lost half the time and had let my feet do the leading instead of my brains.

So before I start growing senile and forgetting all about my wonderful Tokyo life, I’ve decided to put it up here! … but that’s not the point.. the point is Daikanyama代官山 is one of my favourite places in Tokyo and it’s worth mentioning.

Anyway, Daikanyama lies in the Shibuya ward. Despite being in so near Shibuya, it is nothing like the can of sardine Shibuya is. Continue reading “Tokyo Life 7 – Daikanyama 代官山” »

 
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Kyoto – Arashiyama 嵐山

17 Jun

嵐山 arashiyama - Kyoto

Arashiyama 嵐山 offers a breath of fresh air when the many similar temple-visits in Kyoto City gets a little humdrum. Located in the western part of the city, Arashiyama is often said to be a less explored area since most tourist guidebooks do not offer much explanation. True enough when I reached there last winter, there were a gazillion Japanese tourists mulling around and very little gaijin.

My first stop was the much talked about Bamboo Forest. Located just about 5 mins on foot from the JR Saga-Arashiyama station, the bamboo forest offers a sanctuary of greenery and peace. Yes green even in the dead of winter.

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Shirakawa Go 白川郷

01 Jun

白川郷 | Shirakawa Go

I have something to announce! I am officially a NEET now. And that’s probably why there will be updates again and I should probably change the name of this blog to something more appropriate. Something like The Long Overdue Posts perhaps..or Everything Outdated haha.

Anyway the post’s not about my complaints and rantings. More importantly, Shirakawa Go needs a better mention.

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Japan Travel – Miyajima at Hiroshima

25 Apr

Travel.dice8

It dawned upon me that I’m not staying in Tokyo anymore and hence shouldn’t be using that Life in Tokyo title every time I blog about Japan. LOL. So  I’ve been intending to change that for moons and here I sat till the cows came home and yet all I could master was an unoriginal “Japan Travel”  How boring!

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Nasu Kogen那須高原 – Winter

01 Mar

Solstice.dice2

I realise that every time I start a new blog entry, I apologise for being late and not up keeping it… I mean what’s new? the epitome of procrastination is still herself… well not really so this time. I kinda deserted my entire family during the Chinese New year holidays and flew to my second home, so here’s your long awaited post fresh from the sushi bar…

Two years back I visited Nasu Kogen during the summer time. Two weeks ago I was back there and boy was it a transformation! It’s Fuyu (winter) time in Nippon and I was ecstatic to see snow!  Yes yes there’s no snow in sunny sizzling Singapore…

Anyway it was quite an adventure just getting into gear itself! In an instance, one miraculously transforms into a dumpling being wrapped in layers and layers of clothes. Despite the  ball of fabric that I am, I was surprised that I could still scale some snow covered mini cliffs that leads to the Otome Waterfall. Pretty slippery if you ask me and I couldn’t even make out where the steps were.

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Tokyo Life 5 – Enoshima (江ノ島)

16 Jan


Enoshima

I wanted to go to Kamakura but ended up in Enoshima (江ノ島) a small island seaside town next to the island of Kanagawa prefecture and to to the south of Tokyo . . .  Another classic example of my randomness! So it’s not in Tokyo. . . Thus I reckon the title’s not very apt. But anyhoos, this post is a continuation of my travelogue while loafing in  Japan the other time round so here goes!  Enoshima is a beach destination and, on a nice summer day, has a bit of the  laid-back California surfer vibe. Are we talking yet?

tokyo_life_05_enoshima_01.jpg

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Reel vs Real Anime

21 Jan

reel_vs_real_05

[Picture Intensive] I was cruising on good vibes when I decided to try watching another magical girl anime show. Turned out its nothing like any other magical (kiddish) girl anime I’ve watched before. Mahou Tsukai ni Taisetsu na koto ~ Natsu no Sora~ ( 魔法遣いに大切なこと ～夏のソラ～) is last year’s summer anime and I’m not trying to do a review here cos I’m just terrible at it. :P  I’m only VERY infatuated with the production for this anime. (ヽ(・。・#)ﾉ

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Reel: Drug store. Notice the subtle name change from the original one below

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Real

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Posted in anime, art, japan, technology, tokyo life, travelogue

 

Tokyo Life 4 – Nasu Kogen 那須高原

18 Sep


One fine morning, I woke up and realised that my days in Tokyo are numbered and there’s so much more I wanna see. ! So I went on a one day drive to Nasu (那須) –  a region in northern Tochigi Prefecture of Japan, with my local friend. It about 3 hours drive from Tokyo by a speeding car.

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Tokyo Life – Part 3

01 Sep

Okay this comes as a “little” late as I dawdle about suffering from summer holiday withdrawal syndrome. I went to a few places over the last couple of WEEKS and snapped up a quarter of a tone of images and then conveniently tucked them in one yellow folder in my memory stick and they’ve been screaming “PUT US AWAY WOMAN!” Procrastinator Number One, I tell you!

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Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu – Comiket edition

28 Aug

I’ve been watching Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu (no its not Haruka above) and I think it kinda reflects a part of reality in some of us. I’m not entirely sure but I feel Japan’s fan-dom for the otaku culture is not entirely raging hot. I kinda notice that the culture isn’t readily welcomed with open arms by the locals so to speak.

When me and some of my otaku classmates were making small talk with our teacher and a bunch of school admin staff during one of our lunch breaks, they went “HUH” complete with goldfish eyes at the very point when we raved that we’re  manga/anime/game/cosplay/rock otakus and are crazy abut it here. It happened a few times with other locals as well. They just gave us THE LOOK – yes the “are you crazy” look, followed by a “why” question as dessert.

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Danny Choo – Chicken Soup for the Soul(less)

24 Aug

Japan’s been having some erratic weather recently. The sky’s been cooling the grounds intermittently between days and I’m starting to wonder if the weather’s working it’s enigma on me lately. I woke up feeling anything but refreshed and then I conveniently blame it on the weather that I’m feeling rather sedate.

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Posted in cosplay, culture, japan, tokyo life, travelogue

 

Tokyo Life – Part 2

27 Jul

You know it’s Summer here in Tokyo when suddenly the whole state’s super hyped up about festivals. Japan itself boosts quite a number of festivals yearly and the heat of summer ain’t gonna stop the locals from some sort of celebration.

I was blessed enough to attend a few of these festivals and experience some traditional local culture in my short weeks here.

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Tokyo Life – Part 1

15 Jul

My “All American Breakfast” here in Tokyo (strange isn’t it?) but that’s what I usually eat for breaky and lunch (cause that’s all I know how to cook anyway haha).

My first week here hasn’t been that much fun acutally. Been really busy getting lost, settling down and trying to get my immigration stuff ironed out (which is a real pain in the ass and perhaps can be written as a thesis itself). Anyway 2 weeks just zoomed by like that. So here’s what been happening so far and a sneak peek of my place.

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Kyoto – Ginkakuji (銀閣寺) Rendezvous

04 Jun

It’s been some time since I last updated my “pilgrimage”. So after the burning me eyes with the glaring Golden Temple Kinkakuji, the “Silver” one is up next. Ginkaku-ji (銀閣寺, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion) is another Buddhist temple and despite its name, it’s actually made of wood. Continue reading “Kyoto – Ginkakuji (銀閣寺) Rendezvous” »

 
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Kyoto – Kinkakuji (金閣寺) Rendezvous

17 May

I went to Kyoto on the 3rd day of my trip. This is the 2nd time I’ve been there actually and I think I prefer it more than Tokyo. Kyoto is ooooold – and she sweeps a sense of nostalgic ancient history through its streets. That’s what I love about it. It’s exactly a well blended mix of classic &  modern culture,just less haste & waste. Established in 794, Kyoto retains its unique position as the country’s historical and cultural heart and believe it or not, its the birthplace of the spirit and technology of traditional Japan.

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Odaiba Rendezvous

14 May

Towards the end of my trip the sky darkened and drizzled as if it knows I’ll soon stop contributing that vigorously to Japan’s economy. LOL I went to Odaiba on the very last day of my trip hoping to attend the Super Comic City convention taking place that day but as it turned out I was pulled away by the mysterious dark aura in the sky. The weather matched my mood and the air was exhilaratingly fresh, but the face of chibi statue of liberty. . . – was horribly black.

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Tokyo Tower Rendezvous

10 May

Tadaima! –

Sorry for the long wait but I’m back~ from my rendezvous in Japan! Well, not entirely back~ I think only this empty shell of a body came back. I’m quite certain I left my heart and consciousness there, together with a few strands of hair and perhaps a quarter of a million expired cells! LOL .

Okay, actually this soulless body has been back for about 5 days but because work missed me so much, I bounced back to it immediately – but only to find a mountain of crap waiting for me to clear. Yeah what a drag.

Anyway, I’m in the middle of processing all the peeks! Am starting off with the famous Tokyo Tower for this string of Rendezvous updates.

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