Japan – Mt Fuji Hakone

This morning, we gathered at Hamamatsucho bus terminal for our Mt Fuji-Hakone 1 day excursion with Sunrise Tours

Afar – Tokyo tower

 

Mt Fuji – Fuji Vistor Centre & Mt Fuji 5th Station

Nature, culture and artwork concerning Mt Fuji are on display at this information centre.

 

Next we drove to 5th station, halfway up to Mt Fuji. The passing scene en route was impressive. Sigh!!! we couldn’t see the summit that morning as it was too cloudy

Very v nice weather up the mountain… guess it was only 15 degree that morning. 2305m up the mountain

 

 

Theme park at Mt Fuji

 

Next we head down to Hakone – Cruise on Lake Ashi

 

 

And we took at Aerial Cableway to Mt. Komagatake (2nd highest volcano in Japan) for a sweeping view of Hakone National Park

 

View from Mt Komagatake

 

The tour disbands on arrival at Ginza that night. Ginza is the home of Tokyo’s oldest and most prestigious department stores; the most exclusive is probably Wako. And of course Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel and Prada have stores as well, as do most other fashion brands you can think of are all located at Ginza area.

Japan – Yokohama II

This was where I stayed in Yokohama… Kita-Shin Yokohama, Japan

My Birthday dinner @ Kurobutaya Yokohama-Lumine. The food there were really NICE!!! and the staff are Super Friendly! Must try when you next visit Japan. Kurobutya serve “black pork” cooked in varies style… bbq, fried, steamboat, with udon, with egg etc…

 

 

 

 

  Can you see the “black pig” below

My birthday cake

… roses from this florist

Yummy doughnuts from Doughnut Plant @ basement of Isetan

 

Shop shop shop… Lumine carries some of my favourite brands…

 

 

Belated birthday dinner @ Agio (an expensive and very good Italian restaurant) with Vince, Linda and Ima San…

Nice ambiance

Blood orange and tomato juice.. blood orange taste abit like grapefruit juice

Appetizer – cold onion chicken and mushroom

 

Steamed veg covered with cheese and lemon egg plant

 

Brick-oven-baked Seafood pizza and spicy pasta

 

And we had our desserts @ La Maison… you wouldn’t want to leave this cafe without trying all their cakes ha…

  

Dessert set – cake of your choice and tea/coffee cost ard 1000 yen

 

Above – Mint chocolate, Below – Banana chocolate and Blueberry cheese

 

Highly recommended – Double chocolate

More interesting food and snacks….

 

 

 

Must try Kagome fruits & Vege juice, the purple one was my favourite… 1 litre carton cost ard 200 yen. In S’pore, the 250ml pack cost S$2.55!!

Freshly packed sandwiches

 

  Highly recommended, seedless plum (available at 7 eleven store)

Assorted “Pocky”… many not easily available in S’pore… cost 100-200 yen

And how could I leave Japan without trying Japanese Ramen right??? Of course not… we had our lunch at this ramen place before heading for airport limo

 

Special marinated pork with ramen

Spicy Ramen… nice!!

Japan – Back to Tokyo City

We went back to Tokyo this morning… our first stop – Ueno

Ueno is in the historical shitamachi, literally “down-town” district of Japan, a working class area. Ueno is a district in Tokyo’s Taitō Ward, best known as the home of Ueno Station and Ueno Park. Ueno is also home to some of Tokyo’s finest cultural sites, including the Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, and the National Science Museum, as well as a major public concert hall.

 

Street along Ueno… is abit like S’pore Chinatown district… hummm lots of “XXX” stuff along the streets

We walked from Ueno to Akihabara (1 station away)… also known as Akihabara Electric Town, Akihabara Denki Gai), is a neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan. It is located less than five minutes by rail from Tokyo Station. Its name is frequently shortened to Akiba in Japan. Akihabara is best-known as one of the largest shopping areas on Earth for electronic, computer, anime, and otaku goods, including new and used items. New items are mostly to be found on the main street, Chūōdōri, with many kinds of used items found in the back streets of Soto Kanda 3-chōme.

Lots of cute and animated goods along the streets of Akihabara

Latest mobile deco

Latest arcade game in town…

Lunch at Akihabara… fried pork with rice 420 yen… this was the cheapest lunch we had in Japan…

 

Japan’s Wanted List at subway station…

Japan – Yokohama I

Today we took the Shinkansen (Japan’s highspeed bullet train) by JR to Yokohama City.

The Tokaido Shinkansen, connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, was inaugurated in the year 1964 as the first shinkansen line and the world’s first high speed train. In 1964 the trains already run with speeds of about 200 km/h. Nowadays they reach speeds of over 300 km/h.

It took us simply 15mins to reach Yokohama Station from Shinagawa Station. Train fee is approx 1,600 Yen. It would take at least an 1 hr to travel the same distance for 600 yen if you travel by the normal train. If you are planning to travel on your own and to different parts of Japan, purchase the JR Pass from authorise dealer in your country, in S’pore it cost around S$400, which allows you to travel to anywhere by JR within 7 days from your first use.

 

 

At a different cost, you can choose between reserve seat cabin or non-reserve seat cabin

That night we had our first home cooked dinner at Yokohama. Kasu Curry with rice and desserts.

  Pudding in Matcha, original, strawberry and caramel favour. Yummy!!

                            Yokohama City Tour

Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and, with a population of 3.6 million, Japan’s largest city after Tokyo, located in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshū. Yokohama is a major commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area.

It developed rapidly as Japan’s prominent port city following the end of Japan’s isolation in the late 19th century, and is today one of its major ports along Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, Hakata, Tokyo and Chiba.

 The bridge used to be a railway track

The weather in Yokohama was generally cooler than Tokyo

 

Found my favourite Snoopy Shop @ art Queen Square!

Afternoon tea at KFC… look at their presentation… its bright and colorful and they serve prawn wrap and bake cheese macaroni!

 

Next we had ice cream at Cold Stone. This is the 2nd store opened after Tokyo… long Q

 

But during the whole waiting period we were being entertained by the singing of these bunch of friendly staff

Staff mixing the ice cream of our choice with the toppings we picked on the cold stone

And here we got… our yummy mango and vanilla ice cream!

 More sight seeing and shopping

These are what Japanese wear during summer… Yukata.

Yukata is a Japanese summer garment. People wearing yukata are a common sight at fireworks displays, bon-odori festivals, and other summer events. The yukata is a casual form of kimono that is also frequently worn after bathing at traditional Japanese inns. Though their use is not limited to after-bath wear, yukata literally means bath(ing) clothes.

After a whole day of walking tour… yet we had another relax home cooked dinner

 

                            Kamakura 

Kamakura is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 km south-south-west of Tokyo (to which it is linked by the railway line to Yokosuka).

As of December 1, 2005, the city has an estimated population of 171,241 and the density of 4,324.27 persons per km². The total area is 39.60 km².

Kamakura was designated as a city on November 3, 1939

 

Eating of sweets and drinking on train in Japan is not an offence! therefore its common to find venting machines all over Japan. Oh ya… the use of mobile phone on train is prohibited.. acccording to my friend, one is not suppose to talk on mobile phone as it would distrub other train riders

 100 Yen Shop

Arrived Kamakura City

   

1st Stop: Engaku-ji (North Kamakura)

Engaku-ji. Number two of Kamakura’s Five Zen Temples, founded in 1282 to commemorate soldiers who fell fighting off the Mongol invasion the previous year. The Shariden building on the grounds is reputed to contain one of the teeth of the Buddha. Atop a hill near the temple is the temple’s large bell and next to it a teahouse famous for its tokoroten (sweet cold noodles) — although foreigners tasting this peculiarly salty and slimy concoction may wonder why.

On our way up the temple… we saw this… according to my friend, one can write down their bad omen and tie it to this board

 

 

Wishing candles and wishing board

These were what we saw on top of the hill

 

 

 

Kamakura has a beach which can be seen from this hill

 

Nice snack from the temple’s teahouse

  Daikichi dango (taste abit like rice dumplings over some salty sauce)

 Yaki Onigiri (Rice roll)

 Cold siratama-zenzai (its like redbean soup with rice dumplings)

No taking of photos are allowed inside the temples

Next Stop: Kotokuin (Western Kamakura)

Kōtokuin. Home of the famous Great Buddha, a bronze statue of Amida that at 13.35 meters is the second largest in Japan (second only to that in Nara’s Todaiji). Thought to be cast in 1252, the statue was originally housed in a giant temple hall, but the building was washed away in a tidal wave. Entry to temple grounds is ¥200, while an additional ¥20 will allow you inside the statue itself where you can take in the view from the statue’s back, open 7 AM to 5:30 PM daily.

And we can’t leave kamakura without trying this seasonal bun that was made from the flowers above….

 

 Nice… taste abit like our redbean bun, 150 yen each

Up coming… More on Yokohama

Japan – Tokyo City

Grand Prince New Takanawa Hotel was where I stayed during my first 3 nights in Japan… The hotel is located about 7 mins walking distance from the North entrance of the busy Shinagawa Station.

  Cute iron gate in front of our hotel room door. Not too sure is that part of the hotel decor or what???

 Room considered quite spacious

 Day break at 4.30am and sunset time is 6.46pm on May 24

  Interesting umbralla locker

 

Tsukiji Market

Our first stop in Tokyo was Tsukiji Jou-gai Shijo (fish market). Tsukiji Market represents the typical wholesale seafood, vegetables and fruits market. Its quite like Singapore’s Pasir Panjang wholesale market. The market is open 24 hours however public is not allowed to shop there but are welcome to visit. On the other hand, there are about 300 shops in the Jou-gai, or off-market area, where anyone can buy and also dine on sashimi, sushi or tempura made with fresh ingredients on the spot.

 Many many interesting stores along the way to Tsukiji

  Fresh plum at 500 yen per box

  Dried cuttlefish

  Store selling all sorts of beans

  Dried fish

  This is the end product of the above dried fish, called Bonito flakes. Bonito is a type of tuna, which is a member of hte macherel family, and one of the most important fish in Japanese cuisine. Rarely eaten fresh, the dark, oily meat is dried into very hard cubes (the photo above), which must be ground or shaved with a special tool before use. Bonito shavings form the base for many Japanese sauces and stocks (such as dashi, made with bonito and seaweed). It can be bought in flakes, also know as katsuobushi, which has a strong, salty flavor and a tan color. The flakes are frequently sprinkled over boilded or steamed vegetables and into soups.

  Fresh wasabi

  Not too sure about how sweet Japanese melons are but I did heard lots of good comments on these fruits. A melon about a size of a honey dew that we can find in most supermarket easily cost S$30!

  Peas

  Hawker selling freshly made dried fruits (papaya, mango etc). 1 packet cost 1000 yen

  Freshly cooked assorted fishcakes

  Roadside noodle store

  Assorted tampuras. Fresh ingredients from Tsukiji Market

  Soba with tampuras and peas. Cost ard 1000 yen

Before we moved to our next station, below is the metro card used in Japan. Same concept as Easy Link card.

 

Sensoji Temple

Located in Taito-ku along the west bank of the Sumida-gawa River, Asakusa once thrived as a temple town for Senso-ji Temple, and now it is a downtown that rivals with the Ginza, Shijuku, Ikebukuro and Shibuya. The history of Senso-ji Temple goes back far into the past. The legend has it that fishermen brothers discovered an image of Kan’non(the goddess of mercy) in the Sumida-gawa River around 1370 years ago and they were inspired to enshrine it. Its symbol is a large red paper lantern that bears the word “Kaminari-mon”, or a thunder gate. There is a constant flow of visitors and worshippers throughout the year.

This temple can be easily found. Its just few minutes away from Asakasa station

Numerous shops along Nakamise-dori Street that runs in the approach way to Senso-ji Temple carry a variety of small articles made of the Japanese paper and other traditional flavored goods such as folding fans. It is a lovely shopping street that attracts many foreign visitors.

 

Many interesting store selling souvenirs and Japanese pastry and ice cream

 

Freshly baked Japanese cracker

 

 

  Keychains and handphone display

 

 

Freshly baked custard bun. Taste abit like our redbean paste bun.

 Drawers of interpretation notes after your divination lots

 

Asakusa is also known as the site for many traditional events. Sanja-matsuri is a festival of Senso-ji Temple and is famous for the palanquin parade that conveys the “Edokko Katagi”, or Edoites’ spirit, which represents the traditional temperament of the townsfolk of Tokyo. Other festivals include Hozuki-ichi, or Japanese lantern plant market in summer, Tori-no-ichi, or Cock Fair at Otori-jinja Shrine in early winter and Hagoita-ichi, or ornate Japanese battledore racket market at the end of the year. The most popular event is the firework display on the Sumida-gawa River in summer. Over 1 million people throng to watch it.

On our way back to subway station… we found these!!! Kawaii ne!!!

Imperial Palace

You can do a tound-trip tour of the Imperial Place, Ginza and Marunouchi on the double-decker open-top bus called “Sky Bus Tokyo”, which departs at 6pm (45mins trip). If you have extra time, you can also join the “Rainbow Bridge/Odaiba Trip” (2 hrs trip). I was too tired and lazy to walk over to the Palace opposite this park… so we sat at the park to enjoy the cool afternoon breeze.

Before we head back to our hotel, we stop by the pastry shop nearby our hotel…

bougth these bento set as dinner as I was too tired to eat out, just want to laze around, watch tv and munch

 

Bento set with salmon and pork cutlet, cost 900 and 700 yen respectively

Ohayo!! Day 2

Fully re-charged. We had Japanese breakfast that morning. Each set cost ard 2,600 yen. Baked salmon with rice or porridge.

 

Stop no. 3, took the subway to Tokyo Teleport station this morning… this is where the famous shopping centre, VenusFort is located. VenusFort, opened in 1999, is the first theme park-like shopping mall in Japan. Inside the enclosed building, 17th-18th century European style streets come to life. Some of the shops offer duty free benefit as long as you spend 10,001 yen and above in the same shop.

 Next to the shopping mall was this huge Ferris Wheel, which takes about 15mins to complete one circle

Was lucky to bum into their Wild flower festival that morning… public are welcome to bring home any wild flower you pick from the field. Many people came well prepared with gardening tools and bags to store their flowers and soil

Not too sure what this mean… maybe someone can interpret for me??

On level 3 of VenusFort is the huge Toyota showroom where at least more than 50 vehicles are on display.

Some attractions in the centre stage of VenusFort

Pets are currently permitted on the first floor (currently Sun Walk). Many shoppers have taken advantage of this opportunity to shop with their dogs. A dog run of approximately 100 tsubo at the south of the building has also been established at the customer’s request. Enjoyed shopping for my boys ha, bought for them 2 tops each

Gaming machines

Buildings surrounding VenusFort

 

 Take a closer look at this building… its actually made out of storage containers. If I am not wrong, this building is a culture/art centre.

Coming up: More write up on my stay at Yokohama