Himeji Castle

Reputated to be the most beautiful castle in Japan because of it chaste white walls. Also nicknamed as the "White Heron" as this symmetrically beautiful silhouette reproduces the graceful figure of a heron about to take wing at any moment.

So anyway, still the 7 of us because Chou-san hasn't met up with us yet, went to the castle together. I particularly was really excited because I have been wanting to go visit it for ages since so much had been said about it.

The palace was pretty huge. Lots of buildings had also been preserved properly. It was a little different from other castles in Japan I have been to to because the main attraction was the building itself rather then the remains like ancient scrolls or relics. It was interesting to see how even in those days, architetural skills was superb as they cleverly integrated designs for defence as well as for various purposes. Well since wars seems to be pretty common then, needless to say, there were many intelligently designed hideouts and storage.


And of course, that was just the first part of the trip. Japan if not famous for it's outrageous, forward fashion is known for producing it's own speciality in every part of the country. This time round, the speciality is "Anago". It is something similar to "Unagi Don", eel too, only that it was of a different breed. Very delicious other than its numerous bones...

Well well, that ends our Himeji trip as we trotted back to Kobe for a last minute shopping and to pick up our bags. All ready to storm Osaka!

By the way pictures... somethings we took on the trip...

My crazy Sweden classmate who seems to have special likes... hemm...

Outside the castle...

Kobe's Chinatown.. Bruce Lee...

Obon Holidays

Obon is a Japanese holiday similar to the "Chinese Ghost Festival" where ancestors are believed to be going home for a visit. And because of that, Japanese take offdays from work up till a week sometimes to go back to their hometown.

So foreigners like us who have no hometown to go back to go for trips. heeee... this time, 8 of us, conquered Kobe, Himeji, Osaka and Nara together. A very fun and full of interesting happenings trip. Shall start with Kobe.

So 8 of us went to school with our large bags intending to dash for Kobe straight after class. And since this is the period for the "Senshun Ju18 ticket", it allows us unlimited rides on JR trains for 2300 Yen per day. It is very very cheap to travel this way in Japan because on normal days, it costs about 5800 Yen to reach Kobe.
'
Anyway, we hopped on the train bound for our first destination. After about 4 hours' train ride, this is where we went to!

The youth hostel which we booked was about 2 stops away, so we decided to have some fun at Kobe habour before checking in. Check out the night scene.. It was sooooo beautiful! Breath taking, magnificient view!





And we entered a restaurant by the sea determined to have some famous Kobe beef. The ambience was superb accompanied by soft music and friendly staff. Of course, the food was so delicious and mouth-watering. can't help but over eat! Oh yes, it was buffet style with the different kinds of meat delivered straight to our tables. oohh.... so blessed! The meat was soft, tender and as you bite into it, the juice just fills every part of your mouth.. urhhgg....

Anyway after dinner we decided the trip will not be completed without a ride on the ferris wheel. But... the view should be fantastic uh? hmm why do I say so... because, I only took glances of it here and there. We the girls who sat in one car together were soo excited that we spent all the time yakking and taking photos, only to realised it when we were touching the ground ....ahaaa

So the final was wrapped up with us riding on mad mouse. Wasn't scary at all but yet we still screamed our lungs out. Well well... it was almost 11 then and we decided it was time to pick our bags and check in....

Only to find that we couldn't! No matter how hard we rang the bell or press the intercom, nobody came to the door for us. Eventually we met 2 other occupants staying in the youth hostel too but they too couldn't locate the manager as the rooms were a separate building from the main reception... almost midnight, tired and dirty bodies... the 7 of us were left stranded on the streets not knowing what to do. Train service was almost ending too... So san and I wee frantically calling every hotel in the area only to find that they are all fully occupied...

Just at the moment, we managed to find one that has space for all 7 of us. Though it was a little expensive, we welcomed the comfort of having single ensuite rooms.

Yup... wth that our first night in Kobe ended!

Okazaki's Hanabi Party- Fireworks

It is said to be one of the biggest in Japan... or well at least Aichi Ken. So of course as foreigners who might only have just one chance in our lifetime to attend the party, it got us really excited. The party was held at the big grasspatch by the river near Okazaki castle. So while the girls went on shopping trips for hair accessories together, the guys went to make reservations for seats 2 weeks beforehand. And that was considered late still!! Japanese are really even more "kiasu" ( afraid to lose) than "those we know". (ahem.. fellow singaporeans..) Anyway, that we have to thank our classmate Federik and Robert (a guy from the other class) who went there on the acutal day at 7.30am to make sure our space were not taken away.. and poor him, got sunburnt.

Anyway... the girls, we got dressed together in one of our classmates' room. And she's so amazing with her hands cus she tied everyone's hair.


After that, we went to a kimono shop where I know the owners pretty well. She helped us to adjust our yukatas and her husband was so nice! We had wanted to take a Taxi to the venue but somehow he offered drive us there. It was really nice gesture and very welcomed because it was jammed in the city and really to take a Taxi there will cost a bomb.

It was a amazingly big party. Said to have more than 50 thousand people. Wow and Okazaki's population is only 300 thousand? But anyway we had a good time with the fireworks, eating and of course taking photos...

One interesting thing. Japanese tend to drink a lot of beer during these festivals. In fact they drink anytime anywhere... and well the result it they get drank and do silly things. There was one young punk who got drank, got stripped (willingly or by his friends not too sure). But he started running around naked. Well at least at the river side, the lighting was not too good so we couldn't see anything too clearly either. But he actually ran up to the main street. Don't know what happened later. Only saw his friends taking photos of him.. sigh...

That's the back view of my hair.. can't see too clearly though...

The beautiful fireworks!

The very crowded area

Last Party for emi chan!

We had the very very last party last friday for emi before he flew off back to France. In his drunken stupor a few weeks before, he made a promise to make french cuisine for us so everyone was looking forward to it. Well he was pretty game so he agreed to carry out with the deal. That made him (and me) really busy. He was running around getting Jan to share with him his recipe (Jan's a great cook!), gathering all the spices and making trips to the supermarket late at night, dragging me along. ( the supermarkets here closes at 12). But anyway to be on the safe side, a few of us, including me, Frederik ( a Sweden guy in my class), Sandra ( a Czech girl) decided to contribute to the food since well, we were expecting quite a number of people.

But all in all, Emi managed to get the food done! 3 cheers to him. It was some kind of beef stew. And really as what french cuisine is just like, he had to dunk all the beef into a whole of red wine for a day before it was done. I nearly fainted at that... haaa

But well, party of course many weird games played again.. Including my famous Hello Kitty Masquerade party and this time round changing heads around. Don't get what I mean? Look at the pictures then!

Emi the french chef in action! *look at my dirty kitchen*

The even great mess when everyone came over to prepare food! arrggggghhh =D

All of us! Ehh... and my long arms

The Hello Kitty fair comes on! Presenting the summer edition!

And the great body changing sessions!

Ok enough of the digusting pictures.. you get the idea don't you... heee

Be With You..

Read from Teck Guan's blog that this movie is currently showing in Singapore and apparently his friend couldn't find anyone to go with her to watch it because it is UNBELIEVABLE...

Well, just a few thoughts to share... name the top 3 most popular movies and inevitably Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings comes to mind. Coincidently, all three are fiction isn't it? So whether a movie is unbelievable or not, it is not that important I guess. Do you think so?

For those who hasn't watch the movie, it was a super hit in Japan prompting the production of the drama currently airing now. The attraction of the movie isn't so much about its storyline but that of what Japan is famous for, touching lines, simple gestures saying a thousand words and a simply beautiful story. This movie touches on the deep love not just between a married couple but also that of the mother and son that suggests that such love transcends beyond the boundaries of life and death. The lady who supposedly got a glimpse of her future when she met with an accident at 20 chose to marry the same guy even though she knew eventually she has to part with them one day. Another part that touched me was when she went to the cake shop to make reservations for son's birthday for the next 12 years to come till he is 18. She knows she won't be around so she makes sure that someone, somehow remembers it on her behalf...

Well... for those who are going to watch this show. Go with an open heart. Relaxed, enjoy the great onscreen chemistry of the cast. Of course if you understand Japanese, you will enjoy it even more! (Btw, both the leads are really getting married in real life) Lastly, be prepared to cry buckets!

My self Potrait!

I received a very special present from Carol, my good friend about 3 weeks back when we were going to Kyushu for a holiday. Despite her claims that she drawn it during her exam period and her apologies that she didn't draw well, I think it is fantastic! Don't you think so? Go look in her blog and you will realised what a talent she is!

Can't use words to express how delighful I felt. It's such a personal gift that I deeply appreciate.

Thanks Carol! For the drawing, for the wonderful week in Kyushu, encouragements during the climb in Mt Fuji and lots of fun to come!

Hanabi!!!

My first in Japan's hot summer. Hanabi anyway is the fireworks festival. It is a season where Japanese will turn up in Yukata, a simpler form of Kimono and enjoy fireworks by the riverside. Along with it will be eating together, games and of course Japanese's favourite pastime, drinking beer!

Went with 8 other friends. It was fun meeting together and getting dressed up for it! Tying our hair together and adjusting our yukatas. Kinda felt like high-school prom kinda of thing.

But well.. enjoy the photos! more to come because this is only the start of summer!

The pretty girls!

Attempting to look demure.. failed??

Watching Hanabi with my "son" Emmi!

The very loving couple.. ahhh...

All of us!!

Strangely speaking, we gathered lots of stares everywhere we went... probably due to the foreigners among us wearing yukatas... good experience nevertheless!

Fuji Q- Highland...

Very very very very FUN!!!! Contrary to it's small size. It had really good attractions!

The world's longest and highest roller coaster, The fastest jet coaster. The longest and very scary haunted house and well with a fantastic view of Mt Fuji!

We all agree the trip to Fuji was a test of the limits of every part of our body. First it was our limbs then at Fuji Q highland it was our heart- our courage!

The haunted house was apparently so scary that one of my friends exited halfway haa... so leaving So, Emmi and I to complete the walk screaming all the way togther. Yes. The guys screamed so loudly too.

Jet coasters. I just shut my eyes throughout... too exciting! Can you imagine the fastest one goes up to 172km/h in just 1.8 seconds??

WOoh.... but I love the place. Great fun!

Our Jet coaster photo. -Fujiyama



In the haunted hospital...



The world's highest and longest coaster. 3.5 minutes long...

Mt Fuji conquered!

Yes... on the morning of July 6th, at 8am.

When the group of us reached the top, one comment was prevalent, " Unbelievable... Can't believe we did". Well, ok maybe just among 2 of us, Shiro and me.. haa But really, the path we chooe or rather So-san, our leader chose was reputably the toughest among all the treks. It was supposed to be for mid-advanced climbers and not amateurs like us! But well, he only knew that on the day of the climb so can't blame him either.

Ok the day started with 8 of us meeting at the Okazaki station at 5.40am in the morning. Yup, we had to do so because there were very limited bus services to the 5 station of the mountain which we will start the climb. But the early hours did not dampen our moods, we as usual went crazy with photos and jokes all the way till the 5th station.

Here's Carol and Emmi who stayed with me for the night before the climb: Too excited to sleep..

8 of us, still sane and energetic and the 5th station. (with Carol as the photographer)

So we went on our way... but well due to the vast difference in physical conditions, some of us were fast and some of us were slow... But never the less, we made it through the 6th, 7th and 8th stations together. See the wooden pole each of us have? There are services at each station to brand the station's mark and metres above sea-level on it.

only finished the story halfway... we made a night's stop at the 8th station meaning to get some rest but well with 8 noisy and excited people you will only get a night's non-stop worth of snores and tossing around. Especially when it was freezing... Poor Carol who slept beside me had to move to another futon. Well that's only because Emmi insisted on squeezing beside us to sleep... ha

ok.. cause of the rain we could only set off again at 5am in the morning... so cus of time contraints only 6 of us made it to the top... sighz... but yup we did!!!

Resting along the way...

The small and squeezy rooms... felt like the coolies in "Wu Shou Nan Yang"...

The beautiful sea of clouds!

Finally, the conquerers!

Hellp Kitty Self-made series

Everyone who knows something about the famous Japanese- mouthless Feline should know that one trait about it is its every-changing image. Hello Kitty, fondly refered to as Kitty-chan by Japanese have been seen in every image possible. Now let's see some self-made images by yours truly...

The male body-builder...

The female weight- lifter....




Ahh... half naked... Kitty's so hairy!



Sexy Kitty....

Promiscious Kitty....

People behind the "scenes"....

Your contribution is greatly appreciated by the audience and the cast...

Kyushu- Nagasaki, Fukuoka and Kumamoto

Managed to conquer this 3 cities on my 6-day "pilgrimage" to Kyushu...

It started with a long 12-hr bus ride from Nagoya to Nagasaki. By the time I got down the bus, my head was already in a state of confusion from the lack of proper sleep and also inactivity.

Ok we started the day off by visiting the Peace Park. Nagasaki, for those who don't know, was the other city after Hiroshima which US dropped a atomic bomb on. As I walked around the museum, it brought back some of the emotions I felt when I first visited Hiroshima. All of lives in our history textbooks, we were taught the atrocities by the Japanese troops during the occupation. We all know how much the Chinese especially the older generation hate them even till today.

Yet, the museum presented another side of the story, which is the innocent Japanese who were wounded and died in the bombings. I was really shocked to know nearly half of the city perished. The effects of the radiation are still felt till today. The way they died were just so gruesome.

Anyway Nagasaki is just so different from other Japanese cities. It is so unlike Japan! The fashion is different, streets are pretty dirty... could be due to the fact they were the "door" to foreigners in the past so the place is pretty much still under the influence of dutch for instance from the numerous dutch artifacts left behind.

Fukuoka on the other hand is the glitzy city. We could feel the difference immediately as we alighted the train. The bright neon lights, high acitivity level even till wee hours in the morning.. It is also the first time I ate in a road-side stall, called "Yatai" in Japanese.

Lastly in Kumamoto. Was supposed to go to a Volcano but well due to the rain, the plan was cancelled.. sadness... but well that's 6 days in Kyushu!