Photos abound in the presence of beauty,
And time stands still when beauty surrounds you.
Pictures paint a thousand words,
But words alone will never capture the true essence of beauty.
Our first stop in Kyoto was Kiyomizu-dera – UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kiyomizu means clear water and it’s name in Kanji is ζΈ
ζ°΄ε―Ί. All these photos are 3 months overdue and my memory is clearly fading with time. Thank goodness Grace posted all her photos up on facebook, complete with descriptions so I can leech off her! ;P
We had to climb up a steep slope to reach the temple. It was a slow climb as we kept getting distracted by the little shops selling traditional gifts and snacks.
The scenery was breath-taking.
We also bumped into two Kimono-clad ladies and decided to ask them to take a photo with us ;).
No idea why they stood so far away initially but they moved closer when it was their turn to take photos with us. Haha.
More photos up next!
My friend, M-san, very kindly hosted us to lunch @ cuisine francaise JJ (Tokyo Midtown Galleria Garden Terrace, 2nd fl.|9-7-4 Akasaka Minato-ku 107-0052 Phone: 03-5413-3445) in Midtown Tokyo.
Hors d’Εuvre – cauliflower mousse with caviar
Pumpkin soup
Chargrilled scallop with tempura battered fish
Some fish but I can’t remember the name π
And now, for my favourite part of any meal – desserts! We had a unique concoction of blueberry mousse topped with bubbly champagne. Absolutely divine.
My all-time favourite dessert – Creme Brulee
We were introduced to Yoshi, who played host for the rest of the afternoon. Don’t be deceived by his astute sense of fashion (I personally dig the lapel pin that he wore as it was in the shape of a sock)! He used to work for the Japanese Navy and he was telling us that he had to get ready for combat in one minute!! How very unlike Grace and myself. Both of us take a minimum of one hour to get ready. Well, I guess being a woman has its perks :P.
We went to Asakusa to visit Senso-ji after the meal.
First, we had to trawl through an entire row of shops selling a variety of traditional Japanese snacks and othe touristy knick-knacks.
This was our favourite snack but we can’t recall its name. It looks like moshi filled with red bean paste and it’s deep fried to perfection. It’s crispy on the outside yet soft and fluffy on the inside.
Yoshi urged us to get our fortune told. You slip 100 yen into a slot & then shake the cylindrical container till a stick drops out. Each stick has a number stated on it, and you would then have to open a small drawer with the corresponding number that you had picked for a slip of paper.Coincidentally, both of us picked the same BAD lot!!!! We kicked up a huge fuss as we couldn’t believe it, having been fortunate enough to have met with so many kind and helpful friends who hosted us during the trip!
In a bid to console ourselves, I told Grace that it must be because 1) we don’t believe in the religion and 2) the temple was under renovation, hence the Gods could not really hear our prayers. π I must have said this umpteenth times, but I always believe that your future lies in your own hands, although we were both quite appalled when we received our lots. 
Yoshi also arranged a 30 min rickshaw ride for us so that we could take in the sights and sounds of Asakusa in the comfort of our seats. Here’s Masa, our guide for the tour. He was a friendly and polite chap.
The geishas’ office in Asakusa. It really reminds me of a post office though ;).
We bade farewell to Yoshi at Akihabara. Thanks to him, we found out about a new girl group in Japan by the name of Akihabara 48 as he had engaged them to be his brand ambassadors. We were happily imitating their poses in our hotel rooms for the next couple of days. Catch us in action in my Kyoto posts later on.
We had a stroll along Akihabara. Along the way, we (erm actually maybe more of Grace? HAHA) were so captivated (albeit more shocked actually) by a 7-storey building filled with porn dvds and lecherous men in suits.
We then make our way back to Vinetoca at Tokyo Midtown to attend the birthday party of a famous Japanese rock star who is also the music producer for many renowned Japanese artistes. Despite the language barriers, we had a great time chatting (thanks to M-san for translating) and dining with the guests. I was also given the honour of presenting said rock star with his birthday present before the night came to an end. π
We woke up at 430a.m. in Japan to catch the most exhilarating auction experience ever at Tsukiji Fish Market.
Alas, vanity manifested itself at the wrong hour, hence we took longer than expected to arrive at the market. Grace had been eagerly awaiting for this day but by the time we arrived, the auction had ended and there were only 2 pathetic pieces of tuna left in the room!!!
With disappointment written all over our faces, we reluctantly took out our cameras to capture what was left of the auction earlier on.
Oh well, better than nothing right? π
The fish market is just like the wet markets you find in Singapore, except that you see a lot of interesting seafood here as well. 
I especially like the picture of the fish roe!! Looks gross but I love it with sushi!!
Check out the clams! Each of them was the size of a fist!
Next up were yummy sea urchins. I first tasted sea urchin during my last trip to Tokyo during dinner at Nogawa Restaurant and I absolutely adored the taste! We were served by the owner of Nogawa Restaurant in a private room, and he prepared all the dishes in front of us. Apparently, Nogawa is MM Lee’s favourite Japanese restaurant, and he would definitely make it a point to have a meal there whenever he is in Tokyo.
The prawns were humungous as well. Don’t be deceived by the photo….they were as long as our forearm!!
Queuing up to get into Daiwa Sushi (5-2-1 Tsukiji Central Ward 6, Tsukiji Fish Market 03-3547-6807) which was highly recommended by Lonely Planet.
Queuing up to get into Daiwa Sushi (5-2-1 Tsukiji Central Ward 6, Tsukiji Fish Market 03-3547-6807) which was highly recommended by Lonely Planet.
Many of these motorized vehicles whizzed past us in multiple directions, threatening to knock us over at any minute. It was quite scary having to navigate in such an environment!!
The wait was mighty long, so we resorted to cam-whoring to while our time away.
Finally got in! The chef was a very kind and friendly old gentleman who allowed us to take photographs although there was this grumpy old woman who kept coming over to remind us that photos were prohibited. I guess she wanted us to finish up the food quickly and leave so that she can attend to more customers.
This shows perhaps just 70% of what we ate. Imagine having to eat such a huge portion for breakfast! We got sooo full thereafter that both of us ended up with indigestion!
We had the set menu, which cost us 3500 yen per person (approximate SGD 55), definitely our most expensive breakfast ever π Here’s what the set consisted of: hot green tea (duh!) miso soup with tiny clams, a small rosy pile of pickled ginger, nigiri sushi of 2x Toro (fatty tuna), Ama ebi (raw prawn), Uni (sea urchin), Anago (grilled eel), Tamago (sweet egg) and 3 small pieces of maguro maki (tuna roll) and Ikura (salmon roe).
After a hearty breakfast, it was time for us to work our asses off by taking a stroll at the Imperial Palace East Gardens (Kokyo Higashi Gyoen).
Haha I forced Grace to take a pic with me while she was happily chatting with her mum.
We also had great fun posing with the trees, autumn leaves, and cute little Japanese kids!
This little girl was so obliging. We asked her mum if we could take a photo and the girl literally just walked into our laps with a smile. On the contrary, her sis ran away, petrified. π 
Grace was exhausted after playing with cute Jap kids…hahaha
Resting on a walkway. Autumn leaves provide such a fantastic backdrop.
Silly us secretly took some photos on this prohibited plot of land because the view was too pretty to resist! We got shooed by a security guard once, but we turned a deaf ear to him and continued to camwhore. Boy were we shameless hahaha!!
Hakone, a town in Ashigarashimo District in Kanagawa Prefecture, is famous for its onsen (i.e. hot spring) resorts. As much as I wanted to try out the onsen, I really couldn’t imagine being stark naked in front of a bunch of strangers. π
En route from Mount Fuji to Hakone
Its well-known sights include cherry blossoms (sakura) in Spring and Miscanthus sinesis (susuki) in Autumn. It was love at first sight for me when I saw the susukis. It looked like a scene from a Korean romance drama series…so romantic and magical..
We finally reached the cable car station.
The ride was rather slow and dull, but the scenery that surrounded us left us in awe of mother nature.
We then left to take a cruise along Lake Ashi, otherwise known as Hakone Lake.
The serene surroundings envelopes you with an air of tranquility while the vast expanse of lush greenery soothes your senses and calms the soul.
It felt surreal having the sea breeze caress my face and ruffle my hair while my eyes feasted on a breathtaking view of the verdant landscape. I wished that time would stand still so that I would never have to leave!
Alas, time waits for no man and it wasn’t long before the sun set signalled that it was time for us to leave.
We stumbled upon Yakitori Doori (Yakitori Street) at Shinjuku on our way back and ended the day with a lovely dinner at a hole-in-the-wall yakitori restaurant.
What better way to end the day than with a mug of ice-cold beer in one hand and sticks of grilled meat in another!
After our early breakfast, we slept from 8am to about 2pm before we left for Ginza again to meet up with Grace’s friend, Jessie, for lunch and shopping.
Lunch was at Tatsutano (7-8-7 Ginza, Ginza Tokyo, Phone: 3571-1850) , a 100 year old shop famous for traditional Japanese sweets.
Grace had the chicken with chestnut set while Jessie and I chose the unagi set.
The unagi was the best that I have ever tasted. The meat was so soft, succulent and flavourful that it literally melted in my mouth. Definitely the perfect comfort food for nursing a hangover.
Since Tatsutano is famous for its desserts, we couldn’t leave without trying their signature desserts could we?
First up was Anmitsu, which essentially comprises small cubes of jelly served with azuki bean paste, green tea ice-cream and an array of fruits such as peach, mikan and cherries.
The famous oshiruko – Japanese red bean soup with mochi rice cake. The soup was rich yet not overpoweringly sweet while the mochi was chewy and fluffy!
Besides having a good feast, the other way to nurse a hangover is to shop up a storm. That’s exactly what we did for the rest of the day! There was hardly any time for picture taking as we were rushing in and out of the stores before closing time :P.
Dinner was at a small shop tucked in a corner of the JR Shimbashi station, near Jessie’s hotel, Mitsui Garden Hotel Ginza Premier. We ordered our food via a vending machine. This is a first for me in Japan..so suaku (i.e. ignorant) of me.
Jessie and I each ordered the single hamburger steak set.
Grace, on the other hand, ordered the largest and most expensive set on the menu haha.
All our sets came with a slab of hamburger steak (Grace’s set came with 2 slabs) miso soup, egg, bacon, vegetables and rice. It was so filling that we all wasted a substantial portion of our food!I’ve been to Japan a couple of times, but the primary objective was always to work! I finally had the chance to tour Japan at a leisurely pace with Grace this time. We also managed to catch up with some of our Japanese friends in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Coincidentally, some of our Singaporean friends happened to be there too! In fact, a group of them stayed at the same hotel as us. π
I usually stay in the Shiodome area for work, but we decided to put up at Citadines Shinjuku during our stay in Tokyo.
As this is a relatively new establishment, the furnishings were in pristine condition and the room was spick and span. 
My only grouse is the location. It is located within 5 mins walk from the Shinjuku Gyoemmaen Station (subway train via Marunouchi line) but that means you’ll have to switch from JR Shinjuku to the Marunouchi line, which can be a hassle.
If I decide to go to Japan on a shoestring budget again, I’ll probably choose to stay at Sunroute Shinjuku because it is conveniently located opposite the Shinjuku JR station.
Nonetheless, I must say we enjoyed our stay in Citadines. The hotel concierge spoke perfect English and it was a breeze communicating with them.
After arriving at the hotel at about 8 p.m., we met Grace’s friend who happened to be in town for work. We had a fabulous catch up session accompanied by scrumptious food and ice cold beer at Ginza.
The delectable spread was absolutely invigorating to our senses. We left feeling even more awake than before!
That was when we headed off to meet two Japanese friends,at Muse, a club at Roppongi which is infamous for its flesh parade. 
There were loads of eye candy and the music was fantastic! It was definitely one of the best clubs I’ve ever been to.
Japanese guys are totally different by night though. We kept getting approached by various men who were very aggressive and touchy. What an eye-opening experience it was for us. Thank goodness Moo Hee and Satoshi were there to fend off those perverts!
We had so much fun that we left the club only at 5a.m. By then, Grace and I had been awake for 24 hours. π This was the last picture that we took before leaving the club.
Both Satoshi and Moo Hee had to be at work the next day, even when it was a Sunday!! They really bring the corporate philosophy “work hard, play hard” to an all new level.
Although they were obviously exhausted, these sweet chaps brought us to a ramen place for early breakfast as our stomachs were growling after all the action. The ramen and gyoza were so delicious that we hardly took any photos!
Till now, the both of us still salivate at the thought of ramen and gyoza….
I’m back! Been back for a week but work has been pretty hectic. I wish I had more time on my hands to blog. My Japan posts will probably only start this weekend at best. π
There is so much to blog about because this trip was one of the funnest ones I’ve ever had. In the mean time, here are some teaser pics to whet your appetite.
Also, I am so sorry that I didn’t keep my promise. I know I have not put up the rest of my Korea loot for sale, but please bear with me for the time being!
I’m getting a little lazy when it comes to updating about my Korea trip, so I’m gonna make this a short one filled with pictures of Jeju Island.
This trip made me realize that I actually do enjoy climbing mountains and hills. I guess the daily walks to and from the MRT station (yes I take the MRT!!) also helped to build up my stamina.
You know, I used to be breathless after climbing a flight of stairs, but now I can climb a hill and not feel utterly exhausted!
Although it was the start of autumn, the sun was still scorching hot, hence you’ll see me wearing the same hat that I bought from a tourist shop at the foot of Mount Sorak. It goes with practically everything ;).
I was basking, not just in the hot sun, but also in the beauty of nature. There’s something about nature that soothes your nerves and dispels whatever negative energy in your body.
Doesn’t this remind you of Hawaii? Jeju Island is supposedly known as the Hawaii of Korea.
I went horseriding as well, albeit in a different location. The horse looks very tame and genteel here, but I had an exceptionally thrilling ride. In fact, I was hanging onto the reins for my dear life because the horse decided to race around the track a few times at lightning speed!!! The faint-hearted me thought that I was going to die any moment. π
Next up was the Teddy Bear Museum. I love bears and was very entertained by the amusing yet creative works of art.
This reminds me of someone. You know who you are. Haha.
These two paintings are hilarious!!
I call this the Atas bear. Didn’t know bears had a thing for LV too.
And finally, here are our couple bears! Love them! I bought the girl from Korea, while JW got his from the recent army open house.
Don’t they just look fabulous together? π
I’ve received numerous requests for me to put up more items from Korea for sale, so I’ll take a break from blogging about my Korea trip to put up one pretty item today!
Here’s a gorgeous little cropped cardigan made of chiffon. It comes complete with sweet ribbons, pearls and diamontes. This lovely cardi instantly dresses up any outfit by lending a touch of femininity and elegance. Definitely one of my favourites. π
You know how much such cardis retail in shops, but you can be sure that I’m selling this at only a fraction of the cost! This is so pretty I’ve decided to keep one for myself as well. I can assure you that it looks even prettier in real life!
Price: SGD 49.90 *SOLD*
If you are interested in this item, do e-mail me at regina.chow@gmail.com.
Pls note that items are sold on a first come first served basis. I will also give priority to those who confirm that they would definitely want to purchase this item. Appreciate if payment could be made within 24 hours, failing which the item will go to the next buyer on my waiting list.
Happy shopping! Watch out for dresses in my next sales post. π