Day 9 - Back in Tokyo day2

Day 9 - Back in Tokyo 2....

this is the day fo rall teh last minute shopping, and all the souvenirs stuffs...

Haha.. really get lotsa things just withing the first few hours...

Heading on to Ueno again, to explore the park...
And coincidentally, i chance upon a 6 storey toy/gadgets shop!!

Selling all the latest toys and models kits, occupying 6 storeys!

Spent another 2 hrs there shopping ard and really spent teh bulk o fmy money there this time...
Damn again, could have bought more things, but tiome constraint, have to rush off to get more souvenirs.... haha...

Last stop for the night would be making a visit to the Tokyo Tower.
Choose to go in the night, as the lightings would bound to add more 'special effects' to the tower.
Indeed it does!
Really nice! took many satisfying pics of the Tokyo tower, and its really worth the effort there..

Well, thats enuff, already almost depleted my cash on hand, and the constant swiping of VISA definitely will not be a pleasant sight when the bill comes to me in Singapore...

Overall, It was really a great trip!

Tokyo ---> Yokohama ---> Osaka ----> Tokyo.

Damaged : about 3k SGD
Gained : Unmeasureable and invaluable....

Day 8 - Back in Tokyo

Day 8 @ Tokyo....

back in Tokyo and took a slow walk this time around the Shibuya and Shinjuku area in the evening.

Finally, the weather has not been as hot as it was few days back.
much more a breeze to shop and sight see.

The night scene is definitely very much different from that in the day, not only isit much cooler, the lightings also adds in more aesthetical effects to the surroundings.

Been tempted so many time to make that impulse purchase, but held back...

Its so different from the Tokyo that i came to know when i first reached. Now seems like so many things interest me more....

Arrgghh.. this always happens. Just when you have limited time left inthat particular place, you find it more meaningful and interesting...

wonder what will I explore tomorrow....

Day 7 (Wed)- Osaka

Day 7 @ Osaka day 2

Didnt really have a plan to go today...
Was playing with the thought of heading to another beach in Osaka maybe??

but it seems so inaccessible..

So gave up that idea nad head for Universal Studio Walk.

Its teh street leading to ubniversal Studio Tokyo.

Well enough to shop ard there, and nope, i didnt pay to go into universal studio.... lol..
Looks empty and not worth the price...

Infact, there's a Takoyaki (Otopus ball) Muesem at the universal Walk!
up to 5 different shops selling their own versionof Takoyaki !
I didnt get any, cos planning to head down to the town at night for the more "originals" one....

Went down to teh Minami district, where there are streets of eateries and shops, and not to mention, plently of Takoyakii stalls!
If you hadnt noticed, Takoyaki is originated form Osaka, and u can see a stall selling them every 100 meteres along this street!

Its really nice compared to singapore's ones...
and walking down the streets there is really enjoyable and time well spent.. especially with all the delicacies....

Day 6 (Tues) - OSAKA

Day 6 - Tues @ Osaka

Onward to Osaka via the Shinkansen once again.
Arrghh.. i miss the beach.....

Well, sometime to look forward to in Osaka.
Another happening city in Japan.
Already past midnoon when i arrived, found a not too expensive hotel, (8000yen = s$100/night for very good amenities and big room.

Apparently, the concept of Hostel is not that widespread in Osaka, and they are usually located far from the city centre...
So well, just pamper myself for this 2 days!

Situated near to Osaka station, surrounded by some main shooping centere, and at the alley near all the pubs and bars..

Nice place.

Made my way to the town area , and there i am caught in a Sports apparels complex fro 1 over hours, just going through the volleyball related apparels and others! (you bet i got some unique volleyball items...)

10days on and its the world IAAF 2007 meet to be held in Osaka, and teh city centre was filled with the "sporting spirits". All the athletes posters along the street and gracing all the sports shops ...

Nice place, though another city, but generate a different feel from that of tokyo.. less commercialise i think...

Day 5 (Monday) ~ Yokohama; Kamakura Beach

Day 5 (monday) @ Kanakura beach

This has to be the best part of my trip!
20mins by train and 1.3km walk from the Kanakura Train station, and there i am, The Kamakura Beach!!

It was really a sight!]Its a real beach!! not manmade..
And thanks to the summer season coinciding with the summer holidays, the beach was filled with people!!
the waves, the bikini-clads gals and sorry, no speedo biys around... lol..

Whold beach is filled with sun-lovers! all having fun on the beach water, board-surfing and riding teh waves!
arrgghh... I wished Singapore has such a sight!

Spent the whole afternoon up and down the stretch of teh beachline, taking a rest every now and then just t enjoy the sun , the wind and the even tan !

Something good about this beach is, they have 'Locker hut' for deposit of bags free of charge to all. And the pubs all situated one beside the other across 3/4 of teh beach. It's really really a great kind of feeling, and felt really like sunmmer time to me at this very moment!

hmm.. took tonnes fo photos at the beach, cos its really really beautiful.
Not the clear blue water kinda beautiful, but the kind where its full of people having funinthe water, sun-tanning at the beach, teh waves, surfboards, floats, the view of the open sea all under the clear blue sky!

I will definiteky want to return for a while as a stopover from Osaka back to Tokyo...

Preparing to head to Osaka tmrw on the Shinkansen (bullet train) tmrw morning, so better get some rest and recharge for OSAKA!

hmm.. what can i do in Osaka...???

Day 4 - Sunday ~Yokohama

Day 4 - Sunday @ Yokohama

Took a train to Yokohama (abt 40mins) and checked into another hostel, Yokohama Hostel Village.
The rooms are really superd!

Although small, its Japanese style with Tatmi and Futon. SHIOK!!! somemore air^conditioned with a televison.. (tho' all channels are in Japanese) and the best is, i managed to catch a delayed telecast of the WORLD Grand Prix women's Volleyball match on TV!!

Spent the day walking around teh Yokohama city center, thru' the Chinatown and to the Yokohama Bay.
Very nice and scenic park at the harbour front, great for a picnic!
head downwards to Mirami 21, with its amusement center and the famous Landmark Tower, touted as the highest building there.
A fee is charged for taking the high-speed lift up to the top of teh building, somewhat reminds me of the Taipei 101 Building.

A rare sight is a Back alley 'concert' going on near my hostel area.
A make-shift stage at the lower ground of a residential flat there, everyone singing to the tune..

Heard uts held during this time of teh year.. wonder if there's gonna be any tonight??

alright, tmrw is my last night in Yokohama, and i will be spending the whole afternoon at the nearby beach (Kamakura Beach) abt 20mins train ride away....

Day 3 (Sat) ~ Tokyo - Mt Fuji

Day 3 (Saturday)

An attempt to get near Mt fuji to catch a better view of the magnificent Mountain in Japan.
Yup, just to get a view, not to climb it.

Well, getting near to it takes up quite a fair bit of travelling time..
2 and half hours train from Tokyo to Kawaguchi, supposedly close to the Kawaguchi Lake that is to the north foot hill of Mt Fuji..

Well, managed t0 catch a view of Mt Fuji, but still, the mountain seems so far..
Will require another 1hr of Bus ride and ard 30mins of waiting time for the bus...
Checking that i am running short of time for the return trip to Tokyo, I just have to settle for what i have....
Weather wasn't ideal either fo rthe view of Mt Fuji as it was cloudy, and the peak was covered partially by the big chunck of clouds...
Nevertheless, still managed to take a few shots of teh mountain.

I still have a chance to view it, yeah, from the airplane. The mountain is really that grand that u can identify it from the sky, when I was touching down to Japan.

Tried to rush back to Tokyo center to cathc a Firework, bt too bad, am late, so well, have to missed that agian..
aerrgghh.. a second missed in a day.. -_-''

Nothing to do in the night, so i decided to head down to teh clubbing scene in Tokyo.
The notorious Shinjuku clubbing district, hmm.... wasn't really a great eye-opener..
'cept for the liberal existence of　'artistic' videoa and books...

the 'clubs' are small, more like the pubs in S'pore.. no cover charge for most, and the beer/liquor are cheap!
JPY 600. about S$8.
and teh liquor are strong! I didnt managed to finish a vodka orange after a bee, cos i really cant hold my liquor well.
And of cos, the clubbing scence there is somewhat like Bangkok, in the manner the streets are divided.. one street, its for the men finding gals..
The next street, its for the men finding men.
Interesting...

Still , i think i missed St James Powerhouse though and the likes of Zouk spinning Retro,...

DAY 2 ~ Tokyo

Day 2 ~ Tokyo : Tsukiji\Shibuya\Harajuku\Shinjuku



Still the same hot weather, but more prepared this time as i slipped on my slippers and yes, Sleeveless t\shirts this time! (phew, luckily my instinct told me to bring along some really light clothings) and berms...

Staarted my day at Tsukiji Fish MArket, tho not there to catch the fish auction , etc. But more importantly is to savour the Fresh and cheap Sushi at the restaurants located just a stone throw from the wholesale market.

There's so many restaurants around, which finally i made my wayt into one real great restaurant!
Sushizanami!
It was kinda crowded, and they have this prmo set, at only JPY1,400 I get 13 pieces of sushi sashimi hand-made ight in front of me served on the' wooden structure'...
The sushi is really heavenly!!! it just 'melts' in your mouth!
For an equivalent of less than S$20 , zuch deal is not to be missed!
I am definitely going back on my last day in tokyo....

Next stop, its to Shibuya.
Its really a sight after i exited from the station. Like a meeting point, all the youngsters were standing around waiting for their frens/date.
and yeah, Japan has really got lotsa beautiful people!
The gals are not all short, they are pretty tall infact, and really know how to put on make-ups!
The guys are cool too... Like poster boys.

Lotsa shopping center around but the streets of shops would be worth strolling about. Loud colours out to catch passer-by's attentions.

After that is to Harujuku, which is one station away...
Being a weekday, dont really get to see the ghotic cross-dresser...
But there's a street with all the small fashion/idol shops. Further up the slopesleads to more shops, but just not in the mood for shopping..

Hence, its off to Shinjuku for a peep.

Well, Shinjuku has another street touted as the 'electric Town' Lotsa anime/manga shops around, but the fact that all are in Japanese language makes it felt so alien to me.....

Day 1

Day 1 in Tokyo

like a lost sheep , suddenly felt so lost right after i hit the tokyo central.
The extreme hot weather doesn:t help too...

Not to mention searchinng for a accom for the night under the humid hot sun...


I swear, s:pore hadn:t been that hot before..

Finally managed to get ahostel and a very cheap rate of 2000JPY only!!]]Free internet usuage, though room is small, but fully air-conditioned!
Only abit far from the nearest train station though..
but still no complains forthat great rate and adequated facilities!

the day didnt get any better when i started out my walk...
missed a turn, and i walked extra kilometers...


Walking ard tokyo is no easy feat, the places are not really near to one another... no wonder they needed so many train and subway lines...

Well, the first day was spent 'trekking' around ASAKUSA, UENO, AKIHABARA...

The walk is enough to kill me, and i decided on teh second day onwards, shouldnt save on the trains...