Japan Local

This is a blog about Nat and Yumie taking Japan by its dirty panty vending machines and exploring a phenomenal metropolis.

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A day trip to Hakone, one of Japan's most famous Onsen town with an open air museum, volcano, cable car, rope way and views of Mt Fuji.

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Day 48 - Teshio : the further North I cycle, the more riders I meet, this land is the country of travellers, only the real ones are here and everybody waves warmly at each other and greets the adventurers. Very quiet part of the country, mainly farms and tiny fishing ports between cliffs, beautiful and quite different from what I’ve seen so far. Here, Nature prevails and this is what inspired me this picture.

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What an angle!

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Day 68 - Onneyu Onsen (Rubeshibe) : I followed the magnificent Sounkyo Gorge, with impressively high waterfalls, and cycled further east, thus going down from this recommended central and highest part of Hokkaido.

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Miyajima Island (officially known as Itsukushima) located off the bay of Hiroshima, famous for the floating Tori Gate, wild deer, oysters and Mount Misen. 

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Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial - a world heritage site and a very graphical insight to the 1st Atomic bombing. 

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Lost in Translation: FiGARO Black

After a long day in Harajuku I found myself exploring my new surroundings in the darkness, famished and exhausted from my day and feeling pretty adventurous I stumbled across a stair way in the wall. The sign read ‘Darts and Dinning’. Standing at the entrance I took a moment, do I go in or go somewhere else? In, Out, In, Out, IN! haha I slowly creep up the stairs, to be welcomed by drunk Japanese men sitting around the bar. 

Irashaimasu! Dozo, I sit down beside the guy in the blue shirt, order some food and a beer. I can feel all eyes on me, the sound of whispers and clinking glasses... who is going to make the first move?! Feeling a bit nervous, I look up and straight into the eyes of the man in blue, "Where you from" He asked, follow by " I don't speak English" with a big smile on his face. One question lead to another and the whole bar was now listening and joining in with the support of Google translator. The absorbing man in blue was also playing a mini slot machine, and doing a great job of winning! Winning meant champagne for all! 

As the evening progressed so did our conversation in Engrish, not to mention the help of beer and champagne. One of the "younger" men spoke a little more Engrish than the rest and challenged me to a game of darts, little did I know I was going up against Tokyo's middle aged dart pros! As you suspected already, I didn't do to well. I blame the a-a-alcohole. ha! Still, it was fun and no doubt it helped improve my dart skills, as I'm sure I'll use them one day. 

As all good things have to come to an end, It was getting late and I had work the next day I said good bye to all the happy faces and promised to be back soon! The great mix of characters and taste in to Japanese culture makes this place feel like a 1989 black retro Nissan Figaro! (Once, only sold in Japan) 

Till next time FiGARO Black! 

Want to visit? 

Address: 5 Chome-13-1 Okusawa, Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan Phone:[phone]

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Green Lake and Shrine in the valley of Touno Hetsuri in Fukushima 

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Food Review: Ore no Italian, Kamiyacho

Possibly the only good thing happening in Kamiyacho after business hours is this italian standing Pizza and wine bar. The food is AMAZING!!! Plus its super cheap! So Tasty! 

5-13-1 Toranomon | Toranomon MT40 Building, Minato, Tokyo Prefecture 105-0001 , Japan, [phone]

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Niijima Island: One of Seven Izu Islands off the coast of Tokyo

Only a ferry ride away, Niijima Island is a easy escape from the heat and sweat of Tokyo. You can either catch the over night ferry (8hrs) or the 2hr express ferry. The island is full of natural hot springs, white sand beaches and pretty good surf. We opted for the camping trip which included breakfast BBQs, bonfires and hoes to secret beaches. This trip was well organised by a group which made it super easy and cheap to get enjoy. 

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2 days in Osaka

First trip to the 2nd largest city in Japan, Osaka. Hell-a-cool place! The place had a more rougher feel in comparison to Tokyo, people on the street where more forward, the subway was noisy, less foreigner ( to the point , that I was the only female gaijin in a 2 story packed out club).

We caught the Shinkansen on Friday night and got back into town on Sunday. Notable places to mention: 

- Dontonbori: aka downtown Osaka. Here I saw my first Butler cafe. A Butler cafe is like a Maid's cafe only where men are paid by women to server and speak all cute to them. BI-ZZAR!  

-  Umeda Sky Building: this building was amazing! its 173 meters tall and has a floating escalator connecting the 2 towers. The 40th floor (Rooftop) is an open atrium with 360 degree views of Osaka. 

- The Osaka Castle: Built in 1583 and was then attacked in 1868 and used to manufacture guns, ammunition and explosives for Japan's military?! What?! In 1928 the reconstruction of Osaka Castle began and continues to be restored to its beautiful architecture. (Thanks Wiki!) 

- Shinsekai Ganso Kushi-Katsu Daruma Tsutenkaku: This is one of Osaka's holy grails, a soul food dish that is simply divine.  Its secret recipe consists of 3 things -  secret batter, tasty oil and sauce. The original restaurant was opened in 1929 and remains a famous landmark. The long lunch time queue proves it!  Here are the details...

Address: 〒556-0002 2-3-9 Ebisuhigashi Naniwa-ku Osaka City      Access: 2 minutes walk from “Ebisucho Station” on Subway Sakaisuji Line 5 minutes walk from “Dobutsuen-mae Station” on Subway Midosuji Line

Osaka is also famous for Okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancakes) and Takoyaki (Octopus battered balls). Must try!! 

I'm looking forward to many more trips here… 

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Robot Cafe @ Shinjuku

You hear about all the strange things in Japan expecially themed restaurant, bars and karaoke rooms. This was my first taste. Bikini-clad women staging a mock battle using enormous robots. You need to see it to believe  it! 3m high futuristic robots, women flying around, R2-D2 and C-3PO look a likes and a confused crowd cheering whilst waving their lifesavers. I'll leave the rest for you to experience first hand... next Lock up bar. 

Details: 

Address B2F Shinjuku Robot Bldg, 1-7-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

Transport Shinjuku Station (Yamanote, Chuo, Marunouchi, Keio, Odakyu lines) Telephone [phone] URL www.shinjuku-robot.com

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Midnight ▲▲ House Party ▲▲ @ Sound Studio Dom, Koenji

It's Saturday night, getting ready to play with the locals I head out in to the burbs of Koenji. Its about 20min West of Shinjuku. Its places like this, Harajuku and Shimo-Kitazawa that house loads of thrift shops, live music, recording studios and young underground culture. It's also said to be the birthplace of punk in Tokyo. SICK Yo! 

Pre-game warm up in Shinjuku, you're never far from a bar. That night, there was a street market selling yakotori, beers and chocolate coated bananas! WHAT?! Yes, chocolate coated bananas. I got my B2 and coco kick at once!  Deeelicious! 

We headed back to the jungle (Shinjuku station) to catch the last train to Koenji. Last trains are always a treat! You're bound to find someone past out, another person being sick and some really shifty faces. Tonight, was like any other night, the people of the jungle had there party masks on.  

Did I mention this party was BYO?? We'll of course it is, its a house party, Yo. We stop off at the combini (convenient store) to load up our ¥200 stubbies. We are set for an all nighter! 2nd floor the dance floor is pumping- Indie - Electro - Retro - Dance - Rock n Roll.  3rd floor/ the roof top is chilling over a blazing BBQ. The back room, you can hear the sound of drums. Big shout out to the boys that put the event on. you had me dancing all night! You can check out the FB invite at  ▲▲House Party▲. 

With the dawn rising, and our party having come to an end, some party soles start to wilt while others rally. As for me - I was bound for the first train home. A new Sunday adventure awaits! 

Glimpses of the night below. 

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Food Review: ICHIRAN - Shinjuku The in and out ramen stop, where you might meet the 'Ramen Nazi'.  This place had a pretty big que but then again most good places in Japan do. What was unique about this place was the dining experience it self, there were individual booths catering for the busy salary man with a small shutter that lead to the kitchen. The shutter opens, your supa oishii (delicious) pork ramen ( with an extra egg of course) is served. YUM!

THEN, the slurping begins. It wouldn't be the same dining experience without it.  Everyone in the restaurant was slurping there Ramen away. I'm not sure if you're aware, but making load sounds of slurring when eating noodles is GOOD, its a sign of enjoyment and compliments to the chef, otherwise you could offend someone! I must admit, I might have been the only non-sluper but it takes some time to get use to for us foreigners, and I'm not sure if I'm quite there yet... =P More Ramen adventures! 

Gochisosama deshita! 

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Food Review: Akita Dining, Ginza

You know a place is good when its tucked away on the 5th floor of some building in Ginza and only has a japanese website. 

This place was EPIC. Food was amazing, the deco was cool and the staff performance was pretty frightening. The restaurant is inspired by cuisine from the Akita Prefecture (hence the name) which is located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu (the main island of Japan). Akita is famous for rice manufacturing, Sake and Kiritanpo (Mashed up rice on skewers). 

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Tokyo Sky Tree

The Tokyo Tree is double the size of the Tokyo Tower and more than double the size of Sydney's Centre Point Tower. This is the view from the 31st floor:  Incredible. Is this enough proof of the metropolis? Tokyo is so VAST! Damn, it just keeps going....

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Asakusa, the home of Sensoji's Buddhist Temple is the oldest of all Temples in Tokyo. During my Golden Week visit, the streets were RAMPED with people... we missed out on the infamous Melon-pan ( aka Melon Bread) =( I will be back Asakusa!!