Life in Tokyo

Photo above: Sunrise in Tokyo (I've taken this while I was up at around 0500 am yesterday)

So if anything, then today would be the day I felt like as if we we're really living in Tokyo. We didn't do much, but that's also why it felt like as if we live here.

The good side of going on Holidays with a Tour is: You'll get to see a lot. A lot of the your tourbus that is! Sure you do get to see a lot of touristic attractions like shrines,temples and all those other famous places. But after you've done seeing all those stuff, you haven't really experience Japan yet. You were the tourist. That's the downside...

I didn't want that. I wanted to feel as if I was living in Japan. And I think we've come pretty close to that kind of feeling. For the past 3 weeks we've been using the metro, trains, buying groceries at convience stores/supermarkets, eating at restaurants, buying stuff, eating at home (snacks! Microwave food! Drinks! Warm Green Tea!), dumping the garbage, washing the dishes, bringing clothes to the laundry, going to he postoffice etc etc. As if we were Japanese residence!

Well sort of. But I like this more than each day waking up early to get on a tourbus and go sightseeing.

Life In Japan. I don't know how it would be like. I guess it would be pretty hectic. Seeing how hard everyone works here. And they must be tired, sleeping in the metros.

So it's still fun if you're on holiday, but I wonder how it would really feel like to actually live here.

I am actually thinking of going to Japan for work! or Study! Maybe, who knows =P

Still 2 days left, So I'm gonna combine all the things I still want to write in 1 post. I'll make a JAPAN REVIEW/GUIDE later. As to the prices of food, the public transport etc. Ofcourse you can read all this on the web, so it will be my take on it. From what I've expenrience.

Keep it short!

Today a few things:

Homan's 21th no Tanjobi desu!!

The initial plan was to get him a cake/pie since you got to have cake/pie on your birthday.

But it should be done without him knowing, a sorta suprise you know.

So I needed to get an opportunity to go buy it without him knowing. So here's how the day begins. We both went out to the yubinkyoku (postoffice), then we returned home. I still had no chance to go buy it. I knew I had to come up with something. So afterwards we were supposed to go to Harujuku. So we went to the Ueno station, but when we arrived there, I discovered that I had forgotten my JRpass!! (Or did I?...;)

So we decided that he'll go first to Harujuku and I'll meet up with him later. (All according to the plan...*grin*...or maybe it was just coincidence, haha who knows =p )

Anyway, this gives me time to go buy the cake. I went to "DOUTOR" to buy it. Lucky there was this place just around the corner which sells stuff like cake/sandwiches/coffee. So I got futatsu (2 pieces of) pies. Next was candles, but there weren't any candles to buy anywhere here.

Anyway just pie will do =) Better something than nothing.

We went to Harujuku and Akihabara Laos (Duty free shop), came back, send our stuff, eat, and came back for the BirthdayPARTY!!.........................not. Wish you guys were here hahaha.

(If it looked like we had fun, well only the photo was hahaha. )

Anyway I'll keep this short. I also went to get a haircut, like all of you have anticipated for sooo long. No photo =P See the result when I get back hahaha. (Suprise or Dissapointment?!)

Hairdresser story, kinda same like Homenz story. Difficult communication, hand gestures, laughing, not understanding, worrying on hairdressers side (whether he will do it well), more hand gestures, asking other guy to help communicating...etc etc.

But the Japanese hairdressers are so worried of messing your hair up, they absolutely do not want to have unsastified customers. They really care about you, the customer.

(Amsterdam Chinatown's Chinese Hairdressers are totally garbage compare to them!!)

So yeah, I really like this Japanese mentality, of "Customer is the King". They really put effort in their job.

Anyway still managed to have some small conversation with the 'funny guy' hairdresser (Yes this particular place I went to had 3 hairdressers. A blond-haired guy which was the boss I suppose, a tough looking guy with shaven head on both sides and back but with long hair! on top in a short tail, and this funny guy who always kept a smiling while he was cutting my hair).

So I said I was from Holland and he was like: Eeeeh, from Holland?!?!. Then he asked what ethnicity I was, I said Chinese and then he said: Oh chinese? So desu ka, but your face, look like Japanese!! I knew I would blend in =P

This place I went to was just near Ueno station, 5 min walk from our appartment, I chose it because it was close, it was cheap 1200 yen!, and the hairdressers looked like good and proffesional ones. Aged 25-35. Means at least trendy. =p

(My English: It went from bad to worse! I know it's bad, I'm sorry. I'm not putting my utmost effort into writing a good post. Gomen nasai)

Shibuya Crossing & Harujuku Chilling

Today was the Shopping Galore!!
Harujuku really IS the place for all the sneaker and streetwear!
Shibuya too is a shopping place for the young ones. (for everyone actually)

Below a photo of the stuff I bought the past few days. Some of them, are souvenirs/gifts. So they're some spoilers for those who'll recieve it.

For some Japan will be a paradise when it comes to clothing. A lot of styles can be found here. At first I couldn't found some 'normal' stuff. Most of the things we came across were either urban stuff, asian style stuff, western classy stuff, skating stuff (which is cool by the way), or very expensive stuff. But after being used to the shopping streets and understanding which shops sells what, I've found that it is really cool to shop in Japan =)

Concerning the price, well some things are cheap, whereas other things can be pretty expensive as well. It really depends. You got a lot of stuff around the 3000 Yen (which is pretty okay price). Cheaper SALE things are around 1500 Yen. But NEW ARRIVALS can be like 6000 Yen.
It's still an okay price actually. Shoes can be pretty darn expensive by the way.
Oh but if you got to the more classy department stores with brands stores, the price is much higher than what I've stated. So yeah, find your way, and discover what suits you best.

About the sizes, well they say that the Japanese sizes are always one smaller. So like Medium is the western Small. And Large will be the western Medium. In some cases this is true. For example Japanese brands. But normal western brands like Nike handles the normal sizing. It really varies from brands to brands. So try to fit them if you can. Most of the time this is no problem in clothing stores. Some fitting rooms requires you to take off your shoes. And sometimes the storeclerk will wait for you outside.

The Japanese language also uses the words: Medium or Emu Sizuu, Largu Sizuu or Erlu Sizuu. So if you use this few words it will be okay to make yourself understandable.

I haven't tried to return any items yet, so I don't know how that works, but I guess it's possible, since that's like a normal consumers right.

---

Really not much to say. Later post will be about the fastfood chains over here in Japan, Like MosBurger, Freshness Burger & Wendy's. We've went to these 3, but they're still more of these places like Lotteria and City First Convience Kitchen. I'll post it up when we've had them all =P (maybe).

As far as Japanese foods go, literally each 10 meter you walk there will be a foodplace.
(I'll write later as to the pricing and stuff and what you can eat)

So if you got questions about living in Japan, concerning the prices, shopping, eating, places to go, Japanese manners, feel free to ask them. I'll try to tell you what I've experience so far.

It's really fun over here in Japan. No I really do like it. If you guys have a chance, you really should come here to experience Japan!

Ja mate!!

I Live For Vending Machines

If you would give me 1 dollar for every vending machine I see in Japan, I would be a millionaire right now. There is literally a vending machine e-ve-ry-whe-re!! Around every corner, alley, street, building, shrine!, subway are vending machines.
You may ask why there's so many. I guess the Japanese know the danger of dehydration. They need to take in H2O or some sort to refill their energy through the day. Cause believe me, without these life-saving-machines, everyone would be fainting from the heat, stress, over-polite-japanese salesmen/women and what not. These vending machines are your best friend in Japan.

Also Japanese people likes brands, there's so many choices of beverages,softdrinks,juices to choose from. I don't think I can try them all by the end of my trip.


Drinks are 120 Yen to 150 Yen for larger ones.


Everyone's favourite phone in Japan. The Flip-Over 3G Multi-purpose phone!
Waiting in the subway? Flip open your phone! Need to tell your best friend the new shoes you bought? Flip open your phone! Checking your mail? Flip open your phone! Bored? Flip open your phone!!
I really really love them, I do. But I'm not buying one though...or maybe...just maybe...
(Well not everyone got these do, I've seen some with 'normal' ones. Slide-Up phones, normal 1piece phone. But those are rare. I've seen 1 person with a Touchphone (smartphone like those everyone uses in Europe). But she was most probably NOT Japanese...

Wednesday 5 August: Osaka (Namba,ShinSaiBashi, ShinSaiBashiSuji) (Umeda)

100 Yen shop, but it's actually 105 Yen plus the taxes.

We went to eat a RamenShop! Those with just 8 seats. Lined up at the table/bar-style.

You need to choose what you want to eat from a machine, then insert the money and you'll receive a card which you then give to the Ramen-maker =).

There were 2 kids next to us. And they reminded us of how to eat up your ramen properly. Which is eat/drink up everything! All the soup included!

So after this was ShinSaiBashi and Dotombori.
Look at all those bicycles, just like Amsterdam. ;)

Just pick a guy you like. Anyone will do. Cause they've got a very nice personality...

(eerh...right....)

No they do...they really do

(How do you know that, just by looking at them?)

Well...just look at them, they seem so nice and cool. And their hair...it's sooo fasionable.

(I don't think you should judge someone just on their looks and hair....)

Hmm...you've got a point. I guess you're right.

=P

(It's random...=P)

Anyway: Japanese HairStyle!! (Or East-Asian for that matter...)

Let's go on to something that's really cute! Kapibara-San!

Even more Kapibara-Sans, now in smaller cuter versions!

A giant Pocky =)

Ruido (I don't know what this place is, but this one is for the YUI fans. Inside joke)

Look, Detective Conan and his friends are running to you~~~ =)

Guitar shop, but it was closed.

Just like the Shoe-store, with Nikes and SPX shoes.

Dotombori, Osaka's food-district.

We could have eaten this, but we didn't. It looks delicious though!

Instead we went for the Osaka-Famous-Food: Okonomiyaki!

This specific restaurant had a very unique way of ordering. You got to use an electic pen to scan/touch the menuplate to order it.

I forgot to put the mayonaise!! stupid.

After we eat (They messed up our orders sort of at the restaurant, so it turned out a bit late) we went home. On our back way home I noticed this peculiar thing.

Turns out, there are metros parts for women only.

Peace!!

Photo wa Shashin desu =)

Shashin means photo in Japanese...just so you know.

Anyway the UPDATE photos of the previous Post.

Also: Go read HMT's Blog for the detailed schedule of what we did on what day. Since his blog is more clearer and straighforward than mines, and plus he'll update it everyday. Also he's using my photos anyway, so yeah. If mine blog fails you, go to his. I found myself going to his blog more frequently too. Omoshiroii ne...~~

Photos Startooo~~~

The street of our appartment

Our appartment's sign on the building.

Nice entrance of Weekly Mansion Otemae

Can't get enough of the signboards...

Our room at 4th floor
Japanese style, take off your shoes and change into the slippers

Japanese style, wash yourself first in front of the bathtub, then take the bath.

The room, with HMT checking his own blog, checking if he got any new messages =)

Bla bla bla...obviously...bed, tv bla bla bla

Diner for day our first day...bentoboxes

Grocery bought at FamilyMart

=)

The Journey of Days

[Day zero][Cause we basically did nothing other than travelling...]

After 2 days of intensive journey we finally arrived at The Weekly Mansion Osaka at Otemae.
I'm not feeling well, I'm tired and I want to sleep.
So I'll keep it short

Monday 3 Aug.
We'd board the JAL Plane, which was a pretty average plane, Boeing 777. They got the usual onboard entertainment system like you see in other Airlines. There was films like Star Trek, Monsters vs Aliens, Japanese films, games, J-Music etc etc.

But this post isn't about that, I know it should be about how great Japan is and all that, but as of now, I'm not 100% feeling it.
I got airsick, I felt miserable on the plane, tried to sleep, but it didn't succeed. And if that wasn't enough, Homan started to sing " We zijn d'r bijna~~~we zijn d'r bijnaaah~~~" I was totally not in that "Happy Mood".
Ofcourse I was glad we were almost at Japan, but that gladness soon disappeared when I realized what lied ahead of us...

Tuesday 4 Aug.
After we got off the plane, we needed to change money >>> Searching for the right ATM...
Then we needed to exchange the JRPass. >>> Searching for JROffice...
Remember we have our 15 Kg luggage with us. It wasn't a big problem untill then, cause we were still inside the Airport.
But I wasn't feeling well already, and we still needed to take the trains.
Narita airport to Tokyo ( to Shinagawa) >>> 1 hour 10 min
Shinagawa to Shin-Osaka >>> 3 hours
Shin Osaka subway >>> Search for ICOCA (which is like an chipcard for subways)(NL:OVChip)
Then from there took the subway, to Hommachi. And exchangee there to another subway to Tanimachi 4 Chome. And between all these were like a thousand of staircases, escalators, japanese pedestrians, humid/heat and what not. (Even if I didn't pack that much it was still heavy to travel in these circumstances while you're 'sick')

So after 12hour planeflight - 2trains of 4 hours total - a dozen of stairs and escalators - some searching and asking we finally got here!! It seemed little, but it felt like 2 long days.

Some random Japanese stuff I've seen today before I stop blogging cause I'm so tired.

1. Japanese people DO look like Japanese people...
The girls, the boys: They are kind of stereotype Japanese...like with the clothing and stuff =P

2. Japanese people are EXTREMELY friendly. They're so friendly it reaches a point where it becomes fake...
No but I do think they're sincerely friendly...wel some of them do. Some just do it because it's their 'job-etiquette'.

3. Very Big Flip-Out-Cover (Clamshell) Phones!! But oh so very cool. I like =D
Literally you can see 2 or 3 people every second with these phones messaging, calling and whatnot.
These phones must be pretty heavy I guess, I've already seen 2 people drop it on the ground!!
This one girl came out of the subway, walked across Homan...and DROPP!!. Her Akai-keitai (red phone) slides some way over the ground.......odd.


Anyway our appartment is pretty cool, can't seem to upload the photos right now.
I'll upload the photos tomorrow or when it works again, cause there seem to be some kind of error right now...

Just had some diner, HMT went to the 7Eleven just then. Guess we'll be heading to sleep soon.
With lights on...or off. (some of you we'll get this joke =P)

There's actually this 'sound' we always here at our door. We don't know what it is, but it sound like someone is there or something. But when we go to watch through the see-hole-thing, there's nothing. Anyway there's also this quiet appartment hall (we stay in the 4th floor) and there's this elevator...

But oh well, next post will be about Japan!! The very own reason you all came to read this blog!!
I Promise! Yakusoku!!

Bye =)

Ps: I'm sorry for the bad english, grammar and typos. I'm really tired...