（おはようございます）! Finally back to bloggi life after all busy work's life wuff. So happy! My duty trip to Japan is so adorable. Perfect timing when leaves is turning red and yellow and snow is coming in several cities made me could enjoy 2 seasons in a time, so damn undescribable view. Well it started my Singapore Airlines, SQ638 Jakarta to Singapore boarded on 1800. After about 2 hours flying, We arrived at Changi International Airport for continuing our flight to Narita, Tokyo.
(bonus) For you that flying somewhere using SQ and transit in Singapore, you'll get SG$ 20 voucher per passenger that you can use for everything in almost all stores in Transit hall. But better you spend it more than the nomimal because they wont find you the change if you spend it less than that. And some of you must be asked " how to redeem it? ---> Show your transit boarding pass and passport to SQ voucher redemtion counter in T3 ( behind Coffee Bean Shop ) or T2 ( near bamboo strip ). And me? I spent it for charles and keith's wallet and Starbucks' ice lemon shaken for keeping me awake :P
After about 3 hours transit, I continued my long haul to Tokyo. So sleepy and boring, it took 7 hours from Singapore to Tokyo. Firstly, We was given a panini as snacks and as breakfast ( after about 5 hours flight ) we could choose japanese style or western style ( omellete with baked potato ). I chose Japanese AAAA so bad I forgot the picture >.< So delicious! A big slice of japanese style baked salmon served with tamago ( japanese egg roll ), japanese rice, vegetables and a cup of hot green tea! Dayum dayum love SQ on flight meal :9
And taa-daa TOUCHED DOWN JAPAN! imigration - baggage claim- custom - exit. Sooooo Cold! Windy day started my day in Tokyo ihiy. Actually Tokyo has 2 airport, where I was arrived Narita International Airport and Haneda International Airport. Narita also is called as New Tokyo airport, it is located 1 hour from the heart of tokyo city ( ya like Soe-ta airport gitu located in cengkareng outside Jakarta ) and Haneda is called as Tokyo Airport, since it is the older one. It's located in south of tokyo city so it still near to the city center, long time ago it was like Narita that provides all international routes but now it's mostly used for Japan domestic routes.
Tokyo (東京) itself means The eastern capital. There are lots of interesting facts about this city. (1) As metropolitan city, it has many kind of public transportation, one of many is JRail train service and Tokyo has the most extensive urban railway network in the world. (2) Tokyo has around 88,000 restaurants and more Michelin stars than other cities in the world. (3) You can buy all what you need in Vending machine! Cigarettes, underwear, umbrella, fresh eggs, ice cream, fast food, hot food and many more!! P.S : Japan has the most vending machines in the world with scale 1 : 20 every people. (4) Tsukiji Fish market in Tokyo, is the largest fish market in the world. (5) Shibuya cross, is the most crowded cross in the world (6) You can find "weird" teenager style at Harajuku's takeshita-dori (7) Shibuya station is the busiest station in the world with 2 million passengers everyday! and on the north side of the station you can find Kabukicho, tokyo red district hihihi (8) Tokyo people always stand on the left side when they use escalator and the right side is used for preceding. (9) Taxi is quite expensive start on ¥700 and from Narita Airport to the city center, we have to pay about ¥30,000 or Rp. 3,000,000 (about an hour drive ) wow! (10) I'm tired HAHA ok lets start with my trip!
1st DESTINATION
ASAKUSA TEMPLE & NAKAMISE STREET
Asakusa Temple or usually been called as SENSOJI is the oldest temple in the heart of Tokyo. Early in the morning of March 18, 628, when the capital of Japan was
Asuka (present-day Nara Prefecture), two fishermen, Hinokuma Hamanari
and his brother Takenari, were fishing in the Sumida River. Suddenly
sensing something, they pulled up their net to find a statue of
Bodhisattva Kannon. When Haji no Nakatomo, village headman of Asakusa,
heard about this, he immediately realized that the object was a statue
of the important Buddhist deity Bodhisattva Kannon. Taking vows as a
Buddhist priest and remaking his home into a temple, he spent the rest
of his life in devotion to Bodhisattva Kannon.In 645, renowned Buddhist priest Shokai Shonin built Kannondo Hall
upon visiting the Asakusa district during his travels. Following a
revelation he received in a dream, Shokai decided that the image should
be hidden from human view, and this tradition has remained in place ever
since. So now-a-days, in the main temple we can't see the real Bodhisattva because it is being hidden till now.
I came in from the (I) called Nitenmon Gate. On the right side, I saw like a temple with White stone torii, looked beautiful but I didnt know the name. Go straight ahead, There's a main hall (C) with huge buiding and the most crowded one, many people comes inside for praying. In front of it, there's a little fountain ( I dont know what it should be called ) You can take water with a little scoop and drink it or for cleaning up your face and hands. Near the fountain, there's a big pot with full of myrrh, People believes that smoke from myrrh is the God's breath, swing the smoke to your face and you will be sheltered. Turn left and there are some small stalls that sell Fetish and I tried my luck with donate ¥100, shaked like a silider with a super little hole KECREK KECREK KECREK prayed and TEEEE a chopstick came out with "95" kanji embosed. I took a luck paper according to the number. GOOD FORTUNE! so happy hihi Continued with (B) Hozomon gate or Angels gate and NAKAMISE STREET yeah! For you who looking for Omiyage ( souvenirs), you can buy it here! So cheap if you compared it with other places. Plastic or paper umbrella, yukata ( japan's traditional summer wear ), key chains and many more. For you food hunter, you also can find lots of Japan's street snacks here. Scrool down!
I came in from the (I) called Nitenmon Gate. On the right side, I saw like a temple with White stone torii, looked beautiful but I didnt know the name. Go straight ahead, There's a main hall (C) with huge buiding and the most crowded one, many people comes inside for praying. In front of it, there's a little fountain ( I dont know what it should be called ) You can take water with a little scoop and drink it or for cleaning up your face and hands. Near the fountain, there's a big pot with full of myrrh, People believes that smoke from myrrh is the God's breath, swing the smoke to your face and you will be sheltered. Turn left and there are some small stalls that sell Fetish and I tried my luck with donate ¥100, shaked like a silider with a super little hole KECREK KECREK KECREK prayed and TEEEE a chopstick came out with "95" kanji embosed. I took a luck paper according to the number. GOOD FORTUNE! so happy hihi Continued with (B) Hozomon gate or Angels gate and NAKAMISE STREET yeah! For you who looking for Omiyage ( souvenirs), you can buy it here! So cheap if you compared it with other places. Plastic or paper umbrella, yukata ( japan's traditional summer wear ), key chains and many more. For you food hunter, you also can find lots of Japan's street snacks here. Scrool down!
JAPANESE FRIED DOUGH
¥120 - ¥200
Fried Dough with fillings. Lovely served freshly fried hot :9 Mine, man with Green tea filling (¥200). The dough lil bit crispy outside but very puffy and thickly inside. For greentea filling is quite too sweet and not-so-greentea. Taste 7/10
¥200 / STICK
Dango is a small sweet mochi served with skewerd. Usually there are 3 mochi in one stick. Mine, is greentea dango with sweet flour beside this flavour you can asked for original taste with brown sugar on top. HMMM i dont know why people loved this :S Tasteless iiii and the flour around dango makes it weird :p Maybe it's better if it's being grilled., Taste 5/10
¥200 / glass
half-way-brewed sake, low alcohol one. Small glass of it can warm for body up when windy day is coming :3. Taste like fermented casava water. Taste 8/10
half-way-brewed sake, low alcohol one. Small glass of it can warm for body up when windy day is coming :3. Taste like fermented casava water. Taste 8/10
¥ 300 / PIECE
Pan is kinda bread in Japanese. Why should be called as Melon pan? Because the shape is looked like a melon, in some Melon Pan store, not only the shape but you can also tasted Melon flavour. But here that I've tried, it only looked like Melon, totally no melon flavour. Served fresh from the oven, It taste so lovely warm, crispy outside and wonderfully soft inside, even better than like Papabun or Rotiboy in Jakarta, it is very soft and bigger :3 Taste 10/10
lunch : CARNE STATION
ALL YOU CAN EAT YAKINIKU
My first all you can eat yakiniku after touch down Japan. Fullfilled my energy before took a long shopping day in Ginza and Odaiba. Carne station is located in Ginza 9, behind Hanamasa supermarket, you'll find a building, go downstairs and taadaa find it! There are 2 prices, ¥1000 for 60 minutes and ¥3000 for 90 minutes. SO damn crowded when lunch time! The place is quite big enough for around 500 people but because recently use for group so ya you know. It's like Hanamasa in Indonesia but with pork! YEAH. The main and the most crowded with long queue is the yakiniku and dessert spot, it's like long display with lots kind of beef, sirloin, tenderloin, thin yakiniku beef, chicken breast, seasoned pork, samchan, squid, prawn, fresh tuna, and continued with dessert ( coffee jelly, konyaku, fresh fruit) & salad. Crossing the yakiniku spot, There are rice, noodle( fried udon & curry udon), soup ( clear soup and miso soup) and agemono ( deep-fried dishes, katsu, tempura, french fries, etc) spots. And here all drinks are already included ( beer and alcoholic drinks excluded) there are coke machine, coffee and tea machine.
2nd destination
GINZA SHOPPING STREET
Thanks God! I came here on sunday and it was Car-Free-Day! WOOHOO I walked from Ginza 9 to Ginza 1, you'll never get bored because there are lots of shop that can be seen. FYI, Ginza had been the most expensive area in the world in 1990 with ¥1,000,000/ m2 when Japan leaded the world with its bubble economy, but now it still being the most expensive area in Japan with ¥ 750,000/m2. For you that hunting youth happening brands, you also can find H&M, Forever21, or Japanese happening brands, Uniqlo! Here in Ginza, is the 2nd largest Uniqlo in the world with 12 floors! Crazy! Too bad here all winter collection so I didnt buy anything because it gonna be useless in Indonesia. Oh iya! And only in Japan, you can find Burberry special black label & blue label. For you that only what to Chill or food hunting, Ginza has some cute themed coffee and fast food restaurant.
And after took a walk to Ginza 1, I was too lazy to walk and decided to try Tokyo JRail Subway, although it only took 1 station LOL. So complicated! I was very confused in buying the ticket huff Thanks to my local guide, Mr. Khristian that helped me bought the ticket. HOW TO BUY THE TICKET? ----> I dont know HAHAHA.
3rd destination
ODAIBA
Odaiba means fort in Japanese because long long time ago, it used to be a fort that protecting Japan from American navy. People knows Japan has some "new" islands that made from trash and Odaiba is one of it. Odaiba itself has a famous icon, Rainbow bridge, 2-layer-suspension bridge that connected Odaiba with Tokyo. There are lots of things that you can do in Odaiba. (1) Enjoying sunset at beachshore (2) Shopping! there are many huge malls here, Aqua city ( highlight : Dinner with Rainbow bridge view), Diver City ( highlight : Real Size Gundam statue 1:1), Venus Fort ( highlight : European themed mall) and many more! (3) Relaxing your body Japanese traditional Onsen, hot spring theme park at Odeo Odaiba (4) Sightseeing from the ferris wheels. (5) Experiencing Japan's technology at Toyota Mega Web & Panasonic Center. (6) Visiting museums.
where to stay?
HOTEL METROPOLITAN
1-6-1 NISHI-IKEBUKURO,TOSHIMA-KU, TOKYO 171-8505
Hotel Metropolitan that located in Nishi-Ikebukuro area is such a strategic place! Beside that, This hotel has spacy rooms, super complete and yummy breakfast, unlimited WiFi at the lobby and here some places to go, if you stay here :
(1)
From the front door of the hotel turn left, go straight, passing a bridge on you , then you'll find super duper yummy ramen house at the corner of the street! OMG!the best one i have ever tried! SUPER
(2)
From the ramen house, cross the street, and you'll find Starbucks! buycute tumblr x-mas edition :3
(3)
From the ramen house, turn left, go straght then you'll find SEIBU
(4)
From the back door of the hotel, go straight and you'll find crowded cross! Ikebukuro Station on the right, Big camera on the left, and go straight to find night market, pubs and pachinko LOL
(5)
Dont be scared! as Indonesian always loves hunting cute snacks at the supermarket, From the front door turn left, there's 7eleven, and from the back door, cross the street, and there's Family Mart
Long long long super duper long stories!
TOKYO-DISNEYSEA-MTFUJI-MATSUMOTO-SHIRAKAWAGO-TAKAYAMA-NAGOYA-KYOTO-UNIVERSALSTUDIOJAPAN-OSAKA
つづく
