Japan 2007... 5 years ago!

JAPAN!!!! 

March/April 2007

I miss you Japan and all the friends I made there. Most of whom I am still in good contact with but miss nonetheless! One of my favourite trips and countries. I hope to visit again!! A trip down memory lane...

This is sushi that was made at around 1am in Asakusa. The chef had a bit of free time so made this for fun. We put a cigarette there so you can get an idea of how small it is. SUGOI!

 In Kamakura... (These 2 vids were nabbed off the lovely Tyra!)

Osaka

I went to Osaka and met up with my friend Minako. She invited us out and we stayed with her at her family's place. It was so lovely of her and her aunt to let us stay over and it's an experience I will never forget. We went to Osaka Castle, then to an Izakaya where we met Minako's friends. We also got to try on a kimono and experience a tea ceremony as her Aunt is a kimono teacher. It was very special and I felt very privileged to have been given this opportunity!

Osaka Castle...

Eating Okinomyaki.. YUM. I also tried my first sashimi here. LOVE IT!!! Oishiiii!!

 Us with Minako's Aunt and Uncle.

 Kimono time!

 Another thing I saw was the heated toilet seats. Minako's aunt explained all the buttons that were on the side and we found it very fascinating. I want one! hahaa. :)

Kyoto:

Met these guys in the Tokyo hostel and had sushi with them at 1am in Asakusa. We met up again in Kyoto for drinks at the A Bar. Scott (American) and Klass (Dutch).

Kyomizudera

I loved this day. I rented a bike from the hostel and cycled around Kyoto. I went to this temple which I famous for it's massive terrace. It was huge and I went from there to a walk all the way to the park. Then had to retrace my steps all the way back to the bike and then to the station to see Minako again! We then had dinner where I tried tempura for the first time and then to a spontaneous night time temple viewing which was beautiful! Unfortunately my camera ran out of battery for that bit!!

 Kinkakujii Temple

Ginkakujii Temple

Arashiyama

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Loved this place. We got there early morning and ready for the walk around the shrines. Scenic and lots of fox statues here.

Nara

We did a day trip to Nara to see the Todaji Temple and the friendly deers that it's known to have roaming freely around the place. I bought myself a fortune and as I liked it, I kept it in my purse. I learnt from Minako that the ones people don't want they tie on to the poles. 

Loved it here!

The Giant Buddha in the Todaji Temple.

There was another Buddha that was outside (Bottom right of the temple in pic below) where you could touch him and if you needed to heal something, a headache, foot sprain etc you touch him on that part of the statue and then yourself and it should help you heal. Sugoi!!

Tokyo
Asakusa Sensoji Temple

Golden Dragon Dance

Ameyoko Market. 

I found the BEST strawberries and pineapple here. The strawberries were actually SWEET as they should be. Not like the ones in Europe I have tried so far... sour!!

Hanami at Ueno Park. I met these guys at the takoyaki stand. Got to try out turning some over and eating it. First time I had octopus ever and it took me a while to get psyched up to trying it!

Hanami festivities. Drinks in the park. I wish the UK celebrated the cherry blossoms like this. They really appreciate the beauty of the sakura here.

At the Ghibli Museum

Shibuya Crossing 

Olly was in town too!

Park Hyatt with Akio

Anime Fair at the Tokyo Big Sight

Hakone. Getting a cable car and ropeway up to this place. Hot grounds and the stench of rotten eggs. Amazing views though.

Windy too!  Heh.

Nikko
This place is rather mystical. Its surrounded by mountains and a little train ride up from Tokyo. The temples here are known for the monkeys and the over-embellishments of its decor. Very beautiful if a little garish in my opinion. Well worth seeing with your own eyes as with many places in Japan. Generally speaking, going to these places, you don't just get a kick out of just seeing the temples but for the woods, rivers, and landscapes surrounding the place. Absolutely beautiful.

 The famous monkeys...

Tsukiji Fish Market.
I got up at 4am to get to this place. Well worth seeing this.

Tuna auction

After the market I took a bullet train to Hime-ji Castle, the largest castle and 2/3 hours away.

Hime-ji
Here I met Yuko and her son Hiro. They didn't speak any English and my Japanese was pretty rough but I guess I knew enough Japanese to get by! We ended up hanging out for the day till I had to go and get the shinkansen back to Tokyo and meet Akio, Rylan, Tyra and Anna for dinner! Busy busy!

I gave Hiro a little present from London... (I remember reading some travel advice to bring little things from home for people you meet along the way! Totally came in handy!)

Well, we know I love birds...

 Yuko-san, Hiro's Mum...

Back on the bullet train (shinkansen) ...

Shinjuku
A meeting between 3 groups of people, I was meeting Akio (Japanese) that night and he brought Anna (Swedish) and the day before I met Rylan (American) on the train and he brought Tyra (Canadian) out that evening. All a bunch of strangers and all different nationalities!

There are some "special" people all over the world and when I saw this I had to record it! He, yes, it's a guy, even had groupies!

PURIKURA! 
This was SO much fun. We went around town in Tokyo and Akio and Kenji said w have to do this purikura. It was a photobooth in a mini green room and you can add some quirky things after. You have to pre select your scenes and have a very short space of time to get from one pose to the other. As you can see, I wasn't quite fast enough for one! Loved it!!

Kamakura and Enoshima
Meeting with the guys again in Kamakura and with Kenji! The Giant Buddha was amazing and very cool that we got to go inside. We also saw a little girl performing a tea ceremony and walked to another shrine where we had to go inside a cave where people write on little wooden trinkets their wishes. The video of this day trip is at the top of this post.

 A few weddings were in progress this day.

 Green tea ice cream! First for me!

Another first was trying this shirasu at Enoshima. Little fishies raw!!! As you can see I was a little dubious but in the end I liked it! Oishii!!!

You could even buy it on the street as a snack!

Nagoya Castle

Sakura from outside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

I love JAPAN!! It was only 3 weeks but it was all amazing. I got to do and see so much and everyone there is so friendly. I highly recommend a trip there to everyone. It is stunning and I hope to visit the north and southern parts the next time I go.

Will add Mount Koya and arashiyama at a later date!

-Sherin