Thursday, November 20, 2008
I stayed in 2 different ryokans. One in Tokyo and another in Kyoto.
The Tokyo one is House Ikebukuro. I recommend this, as it is very clean. First night we were given a room without attached bathroom and toilet, hence a bit small.
The attached bathroom for Annex room. It provides free shampoo and shower foam.
If you book Annex room with attached bathroom and toilet, then they provide free bread and butter for you. Also, there is a PC with internet connection. If you book one with shared attached bathroom and toilet, then its a shared PC.
You can refer to this website...
http://www.housejp.com.tw/englishindex.htm
For the one in Kyoto called Tour Club.. not bad also, just not better than house ikebukuro. But I like its thick mattress, not like the thin ones in House Ikebukuro.I did not take a lot of photos of this ryokan...
You can refer to this website...
http://www.kyotojp.com/
I am still trying hard to upload all my photos into Picassa. Hope I will complete soon to let you all see :)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Japan trip continued from last post.......
Day 10: Okutama-lake and Nippara cave in Okutama
This place was a last minute decision to go when we planned our itinerary. We realised we could't find other places to put into our plan, so decided on this. But we didn't make the wrong choice. It is a very good place for sceneries, especially in Tokyo where it is a city. The journey is long though. About 2 hours journey is needed from Ikebukuro. Along the way into the rural Okutama, nice sceneries appeared on both sides of the train. We were busy taking photos and enjoying the sceneries.
Upon reaching Okutama station, we took a 30mins bus up the winding roads and about 20 mins walk to the nippara limestone cave. During out walk, we saw the rural houses, the vegetations planted by the people living there, and the different shades of colours of the trees on the mountains. This is my dream place to live when I am old. Along the way, friendly obaasan greeted us and urge us to buy wasabi (grown easily in Okutama, their specialty produce) from them.
The huge fresh cabbages and vegetables planted by the people....
The autumn leaves changing colours...
Finally reached the nippara cave...
We walk around in the wet cave. Sometimes climbing up and down stairs. There are name boards in some places of the cave. Some rock structures resemble a thing, hence is label with names. Some gods are placed in the cave also.
We saw a signboard stating a new cave forms here and there is an exit after climbing up and we decided to follow the path. We regreted after that, as we had to climb many steep slippery stairs up and again down before reaching the original place and exiting the other way...aiya..
After a tired climb, we left the cave. Before that I took some pictures with the rivers outside the cave.
On our way back, we took more photos of the sceneries...
Maple leaves!! My aim of going to Japan is to see the maple leaves changing colours...my dream is fulfilled.
Back at Okutama station, we waited for the bus to the okutama lake. A few uncles were barbecuing fishes which I think they fished themselves. They were selling to the tourists there.. the smell was tempting, but they are expensive..
Not willing to pay so much for a small fish, I bought wasabi ice-cream instead..hee. Eating ice-cream on a cool day is special, plus its slightly spicy...
We got up the bus to Okutama lake and reached in about 20 mins.
There is a dam built on the Okutama lake to regulate the water flow.
I love the natural sceneries here.. with cool weather..
Since Okutama is a mountainous area, there are many onsens there. On our way there, a very friendly uncle thought we are lost and finding our way to the station. He pointed to the station direction and urge us forward. However, after knowing we are finding the onsen, he again warmly pointed to the onsen direction and bidded us goodbye..we were so touched. Since I already tried onsen before and one of my friends don't want to go in, we tried the foot bath instead. The bath was so hot...my friend couldn't get her legs in....
Look how red my legs were...
Okutama in the evening is very cold... possibly below 10 degrees celsius...so when we were leaving Okutama and waiting for the train, we were shivering like mad..haha
Day 11: Tsukiji market, Sensoji temple, Akihabara and Ginza
This day, we woke up really early at 430am, so as to get to the Tsukiji market in time to see their tunas and caught from the sea. Along the way, we met a singapore couple who boasted to us about their expenses of 10K on the business class of SIA A380. Aiya, typical singaporean rich people behavior, so "throw face". The market is very super busy, in fact I think we are obstructing their work..veri paiseh..Some of the fishmongers were angry we were hindering their business...
There are a lot of different seafood in the market, huge abalones, red fresh prawns and shrimps, fishes, tunas, squid, octopus, crabs, sea clams...
After squeezing through the market, we popped into a sushi restaurant beside the market for the freshest sushi you can find in tokyo. They are really declicious, each sushi had small knead rice and large portion of fish or squid or fish roe on it. Very worth it.
We tried different sushi, even the urchin sushi..the gold plate in the middle is the urchin sushi...yummy
The fish roe sushi is superb, very tasty and fresh. I couldn't resist and ate a 2nd plate.
In total, we ate 19 plates of sushi for breakfast. The sushi chef are amazed, and told us not to resist and carry on eating...haha
After our fill, we went to the Sensoji temple, very famous where everyone who goes to tokyo will surely visit the temple.
Along the way, many stalls are available for you to purchase souvenirs. The red bean cakes are especially famous along the street, with a few stalls selling. Some even are handmade. You can see chefs sitting there making the cakes. Very delicious with large amount of red bean paste in it.
Reached the mainhall entrance, large traditional shoes hang on the walls to celebrate a special festival.
We pray and I wish for a fortune lot. It states I have a moderate fortune :)
The old street and buildings...
The next is Akihabara and Ginza, which we don't really have interest in. Just a brief walk on the streets..
The flowers in the shape of hello kitty is Kawaii. The stall is outside a shopping centre in Ginza.
After walking through shopping centres and Muji, we headed back to the ryokan.
Day 12: Back to Singapore
We pull and carry our luggages to the station, up and down the stairs. So tired that we wanted to faint. When we are finally on the keisei line to airport, we were so relieved. We waited for 3 hours to check-in.
While waiting, we went to the 2nd level which allow us to look at planes flying off. This is also the filming place for the jap drama in which Takuya Kimura is a captain.
Spotted a northwest plane which we will be taking a similar one.
The origami exhibition in one of the dutyfree shops.
So we said goodbye to japan and flew back to Singapore. So sad, as you can see my expression in the photo.
I still miss Japan a lot even until now. But beside the Sushi, takoyaki and Okonomiyaki, I don't miss the udon, soba, don there. I eat all these for lunch and dinner almost everyday. So I am scared of them now.
Hope to go to Japan soon!!! I am still uploadibg all the photos, so when I completes, will give you all the website.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Continued from the previous post.......
Day 6: Osaka Dotombori, American Mura, Osaka aquarium and hep five ferris wheel
Dotombori is famous for its huge colourful signboards like the gaint squid, puffer fish and crab.
The takoyaki in Japan is delicious, with huge portion of octopus in the soft takoyaki.
The okonomiyaki in Japan is so different from the one sold in Singapore pasar malam. You have to enter the restaurant, wait while they prepare in front of you fresh on the teppanyaki. We spotted a cute chef in the restaurant..hee. I love Japan's okonomiyaki !
Next is American Mura, which is just a few streets down from Dotombori. Not much to look at except if you love fashion clothes. Osaka aquarium is our next destination. There is a huge tank in the aquarium which extends up to 3 storey high, housing a gigantic whale, stingray and some sharks and fishes. The huge crabs as below. Looks delicious...haha
The lightings ouside the aquarium...
We then went back to nearby osaka station to take the HEP five ferris wheel. It is unique as the ferris wheel is on top of the HEP five shopping centre and we enter it on a storey in the centre.
Umeda floating garden observatory is another good place for night scenery. Two 40 storey high towers connect at the top to have this garden. However,you have to walk quite a distance from the station before arriving there. The Osaka castle is visible from the top also.
Day 7 : Nishi hongwangji, Kiyomizu, Sanjusengendo and gion corner
This day, we stayed in Kyoto to explore. The 1st shrine we went to is free admission and near to our ryokan. This is the Nishi Hongwanji shrine.The shrine was huge and beautiful.
We then took the kyoto city bus to Sanjusengendo, another historical shrine. I highly recommend this shrine to you if you go free and easy. Package tour do not bring you there. Its famous for its 1001 life-sized guanyin standing in the hall. A huge guanyin is standing in the middle of the hall. Very grand!!
Beautiful scenery in the garden of Senjusengendo.
We spotted a okonomiyaki stall on our way to Kiyomizudera and went in for our lunch, coz we missed it so much after eating it in Osaka. After our fill, we walked up the slope to Kiyomizudera. Along the way, there will be lots of stalls selling food and souvenirs for you to shop.
Just outside Kiyomizudera.
Beside Kiyomizudera, there is another famous shrine (which I cannot remember the name) for blessing relationships and weddings. There are 2 stones in the shrine, which if a person can walk straight from one stone to the other, will have smooth relationship with his/her partner.
Kiyomizudera hall, built with supporting beams and without a single nail used.
Along the path in Kiyomizudera
We queue up to drink the spring water, which is thought to blessed us.
Next, to try out our luck, we went down to Gion corner hoping to catch a glimpse of geisha or miko there. Its not a easy place to find as it is hidden inside the small streets.
We walked around for a while, but did not spot any geisha and maiko. Just as we were about to leave, a geisha came out from one of the house and we immediately follow her along the way to the theatre where she will perform. She was walking so fast that we had a hard time catching up with her.
We couldn't believe our luck, we saw another geisha again.
It was a fruitful trip down to Gion corner.
Day 8: Higashi honganji, Kinkakuji, Nara deer park, todaiji temple
This morning, we went to Higashi honganji shrine, also near to our ryokan. It looks similar to the Nishi hongwangji shrine as it is its sister shrine.
Then we went on to Kinkakuji ( the golden pavilion). The pavilion is very grand, with the beautiful garden around it. It makes me feel like I am in a perfect drawing.
The golden phoenix above the golden pavilion.
The mini-waterfall in the garden.
After a heavy lunch, we took a train down to Nara for the Todaiji temple. It is famous for its history of a thousand years and free roaming deers in front of the temple. The temple is the largest I have seen so far, standing in an open field and with unique horns on the roof. It is huge because it needs to house a gigantic buddha in the temple, together with guanyin and other large gods.
There are a lot of deer poos on the ground which we had to avoid stepping on them :)
I managed to have a photo with a deer.
I recommend anyone going to kyoto to make a halfday trip to Nara for this temple. Its a captivating sight to see the huge temple.
Day 9: Kyoto to Tokyo and Shinjuku
This day, we bid farewell to Kyoto. I miss kyoto so much. While on the platform waiting for the hikari shinkansen train, I took a photo of the pointed-shaped head of the nozomi train.
The bento I had on the bullet train.
The bullet is so comfortable, with the interior like in an aeroplane, but with a lot of leg space.
After reaching tokyo, we went to shinjuku. 2 singers were promoting their group album on the streets, which is common in Japan.
The night scene in Shinjuku is good because of all the large neon signboards.
We had a walk along the streets before going to Takashimaya for a look. It is no different from the one in Singapore, selling all the high end fashion goods. Upon reaching Ikebukuro station to go back to house ikebukuro, we saw this large disney poster on the platform, which is so cute.
Last 3 days to be continued in the next post.......
