since I have been living in Korea for… the 4th year now and I think that I’ve been to Japan enough to know a handful of their culture and people, I have to admit that I am far away from knowing enough so whatever I write, it’s based on my own experience. you may agree to it or not but I am not stereotyping, just based on what I know! Continue reading “Similarities and Differences between Japan and Korea”
[Tokyo: Tsukiji] Sushi Dai vs. Sushi Daiwa
Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo.
if you’re planning a trip to Tokyo, Tsukiji Fish Market shouldn’t be unfamiliar to you. especially half of this world renowned market is going to be relocated in 2016 so this year is the only last chance you have to enjoy Tsukiji as it is. and if you’re planning on a trip there already.. you might probably have heard of the most famous sushi restaurant bar in Tsukiji, Sushi Dai. BUT, you might’ve also heard of the sushi bar a few shops away, called Sushi Daiwa. and as a sushi enthusiast as myself, I went to both.
okay, actually because of my budget, I could barely afford such luxury but I skimped throughout my whole Tokyo trip for it. so it better be worth it. so at first, I was dying to look for someone to be kind enough to go with me to Tsukiji as NOBODY wanted to wake up early and queue for hours just for good sushi.
I started queuing for Sushi Dai from 6:15AM as soon as I’ve reached (my friends told me how it was complicating to find bla bla but I found it ridiculously easy to find. just google for the directions from Tsukijishijo Station to Sushi Dai and screen cap it. then use it as your guide there. =). that’s what I did for EVERYTHINGGG hahaha.) Continue reading “[Tokyo: Tsukiji] Sushi Dai vs. Sushi Daiwa”
[Hokkaido: Noboribetsu] I went to Hell for a day. and I loved it.
Noboribetsu, Hokkaido, Japan.
I have no idea why people call Noboribetsu the Hell Valley. it’s too beautiful to be called so. but I guess maybe because it’s filled with boiling hot water all around.
it takes less than 2 hours drive to reach Noboribetsu from New Chitose Airport and almost 3 hours from Noboribetsu to Sapporo station where we returned the car. and that’s by the free roadway. too poor to pay for toll even though it will save us about 1 hour on each trip.
노보리벳츠, 홋카이도, 일본.
이 곳의 명칭이 왜 지육인지 모르겠다. 너무 아름다워서.. 그래도 바닥속에 뜨꺼운 물은 흘려가고 있어서 지육으로 볼 수도 있겠다.
신치토세 공항에서 노보리베츠까지는 2시간도 안걸리고 (GPS예산하는것 보다 일찍 도착할것이다. GPS 계산하는 속도는 60km/hr인것 같다. 그리고 노보리벳츠에서 삿포로까지는 3시간쯤 걸렸다. 무료도로를 이용해서 유료도로보단 1시간씩 더 걸린것이다.
but no doubt as we drove through the entrance, a hell guard greeted us. a hugeeeass hell guard. it was funny how the whole place is filled with devilish decorations and devils. D=. but yet it’s so beautifulllll. if hell is really as great as this, I don’t think anyone would mind going to hell. =X.
출구를 지나갈 때 저승사자 아저씨가 환영했네요? ㅋㅋ. 노보리벳츠 자체가 지육과 관련된 물건이나 인물으로 꾸몄고 되게 색다르다고 생각했다. 지육이 이렇게 아름다웠으면 지육 가는 사람이 좋아하시겠다 ㅎㅎㅎ. Continue reading “[Hokkaido: Noboribetsu] I went to Hell for a day. and I loved it.”
Honey Butter Chips and Christmas!
if you follow Korean news or some idols, or live in Korea, I bet you know about this recent craze over this bag of 1500won chips called the honey butter chips. how did it started becoming so famous? well I’m not sure. but one thing I’m sure of is that Calbee is doing a good job in persuading everyone to long for it by making it a sacred item at the moment.
but is this bag of chips really something new? well no it isn’t! guess what? it was on the Japanese shelves in 2012 as a limited edition item. it somehow got to Korea and that craze over it started. I have a feeling that it is just another marketing scheme made by the Koreans but yeah, it is successful every single time. they started selling these bags of glorious chips once again in Japan and I heard it will be on shelves only until.. March. so if you’re in Japan (these chips are just sitting there on the shelves. not very popular really. the Koreans are the ones buying most of them I guess haha.) you might want to try some and see what’s all that craze about. since getting it in Korea is nearly impossible for foreigners like us. Continue reading “Honey Butter Chips and Christmas!”
[Osaka: Tenjinbashi] Owl Cafe
if you’re a bird person then you should have heard about how Japan’s taken over by these owl cafes. not only is owning an owl (very very expensive pet) becoming a trend, stores don’t just sell owls anymore but they are earning by letting you pet very softly on their owls and shower them with human love!
there are quite a number of these owl cafe’s but I decided to go to the one with the MOST owls! although it’s located literally at nowhere, we were practically their last customer of their day. since it was raining cats and dogs that day, it wasn’t so full. I’ve read reviews how you have to come here and put yourself on a list (they don’t accept over the phone bookings) a few hours before you actually get a place since they limit like.. 6 or 8(?) couples of 2 in only. Continue reading “[Osaka: Tenjinbashi] Owl Cafe”
[Kyoto] Kibune
hello dear readers!
I finally went to Kibune, a place that I’ve longed to go ever since.. I saw its pictures online. google Kibune and its pictures will take your blow you away. this place is especially beautiful at night but.. I went in the day anyway.
now isn’t it breath taking? Continue reading “[Kyoto] Kibune”
[USJ] why you should spend Halloween in Japan.
so for Halloween this year, I fortunately followed my friends to Universal Studios Japan and I am glad I spent my Halloween in Japan. I was never too interested in going clubbing dressing like a zombie or vampire or something but this time, I have to say, I REALLY enjoyed myself.
so on the way to USJ, I ran into IRONMAN! and Pepper. his arm and leg gear was so good he deserves a trophy really. and the girl’s hair was so…….. glam. I am pretty sure she dyed her hair for this special occasion! Continue reading “[USJ] why you should spend Halloween in Japan.”
[Osaka: Namba] Torizo Chicken Sashimi
hello everyone! I bet the title totally captured your attention. despite of not having much time to blog, I MUST blog about this experience as soon as possible before I forget about it. I’m super forgetful T_T.
oh hello Mr. Japanese! just kidding. he’s Korean. Continue reading “[Osaka: Namba] Torizo Chicken Sashimi”
[Kyoto: Fushimi Inari] New Years Day
if you’re in Japan on December 31st, you MUST visit a temple/shrine. it isn’t exactly what all Japanese people do but I can guarantee you a huge crowd. in fact, I headed over to Fushimi Inari, my favourite geisha shrine. okay, it isn’t a geisha shrine but I call it that because it came out in “memoirs of a geisha” and I loved that scene a lot.
we arrived around 4-5am on the first of January and half the stores were closed but you can imagine how crowded it was the night before. I wanted to go for the new years eve festival too but I chose to watch the first sunrise. it is similar in Korea too, where Koreans travel to the most Easten side of Korea to watch the first sunrise of the year. Continue reading “[Kyoto: Fushimi Inari] New Years Day”
[Kyoto: Hanamidori] The Famous Kinana Ice Cream, Gion
Gion is perhaps my favourite place in Kyoto and I would only like to complain that there’s too much to see. there are not just a lot of places to visit but also a whole lot of places to eat at! other than my Jouvencelle, I visited the famous Kinana which were reviewed by many Korean bloggers. I have a friend whom had passed me their card and tell me that I must go there when I go back to Kyoto.
it’s some health ice cream I heard.
so how to get there?
first, get to Hanami-koji! literally mean place to see flowers. I guess it’s a metaphor for a place to see Geishas hahaha. Continue reading “[Kyoto: Hanamidori] The Famous Kinana Ice Cream, Gion”