takeshita.dori.竹.下.通.り

hello harajuku (原宿), koniciwa takeshita dori (竹下通り).

this is the famous and playful sign that marks the start and end of takeshita dori.  this is also a place where young, not so young, dare to be different, 'trendy' or alternative gothic people congregate.  takeshita dori is the magic charm of harajuku.

from ginza i take a short metro ride to omodesando, and from there i took a stroll to harajuku. not that i have not had enough of my portion in window shopping but i came here for a purpose.  the church that i am currently attending will be moving to harajuku starting mid march.  saturday night is just the preview of the location with a short celebration service.

while approaching takeshita dori, there is this seriously long line queue for something.... this is not the end of the queue, it actually turns and a lot longer...

i am curious, so i walk up and check it out.  it's actually nothing more than a restaurant called 'eggs n things'.  well, i will leave it for you to figure out what so special about this eatery then.  there are hundreds of restaurant, noodles bar ranging from affordable to expensive here within omotesando (expensive), harajuku (reasonable) and takeshita dori (cheap).

it's crowded, but not as crowded as the last visit two years ago. perhaps it's the time that i am visiting but at least i don't have to braise shoulder to shoulder. lots of hong kong tourists though, i hear cantonese everywhere...

the sort of shops here in takeshita dori.  if you want to be elegant and classy, head to ginza or omodesando, here is definitely not for you.  if you are the ones who want dare to be different, want to be cute and have strong incline to anime. this is the right place for you. i am cheapo when it comes to something.  i just love the daiso 100 yen shop.  they used to have a lot of outlets everywhere two years ago but this seems to be the first so far.  i grabbed a lot of stuffs, from the laundry bags to some kitchen wares, every item is just 105 yen after tax. in fact the ceramic is much cheaper than kapabashi at asakusa if you are opt for something similar, a little lower quality but perfectly fine for the purpose.

the famous crepes, spoiled of choice... but not my cup of tea. it seems to be a very "right" and must try thing here.

at the other end of the street, i spot two "cuties" in the one of a kind dresses.  they are not the only two, just that it is hard to capture the moment in the narrow street of takeshita dori.

i will have plenty of chances to revisit harajuku on sundays... looking forward to explore this place with the girls that i met at the church.... it would be fun!

a.glimpse.of.ginza.銀.座.の.一.見

ginza (銀座) - world famous premium shopping district yet i have no urge to go until yesterday.  after enjoying your extended back garden hama-rikyu onshi teien, i continue my walk to chuo district, the most expensive shopping street.

this strip of streets are closed for cars on saturday, and it is actually quite pleasant to take a stroll early in the morning (well early enough) before the crowds rush in.

 

these are the expensive, world famous most sought after objects of desire from the west.  almost every brand name has a outlet here in ginza.  these are just a few on the main ginza boulevard, there are others at the side street.

some price friendly retail stores.  i walked into h&m and zara and the goods and presentations are so much better here, not just comparing to the lowland but also comparing to the ones in new york city.  somehow, clothing's in h&m and zara become not just trendy but also classy.

chanel and louis vuitton are rival face to face against each other. mikimoto is japan own legendary tiffany (tiffany is here too). i wonder when will i own a set of pearl from mikimoto.

wako (和光), a famous emporium that started with seiko watch i think and carries its own brand of luxury goods.  a little old fashion to my taste though, not that i can afford anything in there but the handbags, clothing's are more like den haag noordeinde, a place where the royalty shop...

opposite wako is mitsukoshi (三越).  i can actually see mitsukoshi from my client's office and now i finally step my feet here...

i was totally starved by the time i reach the 2 chome of ginza.  with so many choices of food and restaurants to choose from, i went into this restaurant on the eighth floor of matsuya ginza (松屋銀座) and ordered a set lunch.  it comes like a feast, although everything in small little portion but if you add every single bite together, it's a very fulfilling and satisfying meal.

not to forget chawanmusi (茶碗蒸し) too good to resist, super delicate and smooth... full of seafood too!



 and finally to finish off, a special bean flour dessert, super yummy and refreshing!

ginza is very pleasant, i will definitely come back again. there are still a lot to see and taste.
today actually marks my one month stay in tokyo.  i arrived on 27th jan and it's 27th feb.  time flies isn't it?  today is also the annual tokyo marathon 2011 but i didn't join the crowds to witness the marathon live, although it is really not too far from me.  the starting point is from shinjuku toyko government tower and by the time i leave for my life group meeting, the runners probably already reached roppongi, tokyo tower area, but i have a more important appointment.  i am meeting up some gals from jesus lighthouse tokyo for life group (or cell/care group) meeting.




it's my first meeting in the life group, we had it at starbucks at roppongi hills, just opposite the church at 11am.  i attended the 1pm sunday service and had lunch with some of them.  a bunch of international mix (american, british, indians, filipino, american hongky, just to name a few nationalities), but we all love Jesus for He has a special place in our hearts and that's why we meet in tokyo. 


i been to many more places this weekend.  after ginza i went to omotesando (表参道) and harajuku (原宿) area.  today after the service i went to daikanyama (代官山).  i took too many photos and i think i have to buy an external hard disk for storage.  more stories of my tokyo weekend will come in the next few days...

more now, time to get ready for a new week.


i wish you a blessed week ahead.

hama.riky.onshi.teien.浜.離.宮.恩.賜.庭.園

it's a beautiful day. clear sky and sunny.  finally i am in the mood to put on my sunnies as well today.  i had a very busy week but i couldn't sleep on further but woke up with such a great joy in my spirit.  perhaps weather has a part to play but most importantly is my spirit is rejoicing for this new day.


with the iphone map, i can travel really light, no more small point and shoot camera in my handbag and i also stop carrying the guidebook.  everything i need is in the iphone, i downloaded a few apps and it should be sufficient for now.  so with the interactive 3g map, i walk to hama riky onshi teien (浜離宮恩賜庭園) in just about 15 min from my place.  it probably takes less time if i not stopped and take photos along the way...

it's really very near and i will probably jogging to here when the weather getting a little warmer.  it is still hard to comprehend when i see high rise building and a japanese garden/park all in one scene....

the park is hugh, i entered through the middle entrace, and the north entrance is just next to ginza.  this is one of the center spot with a tea house in the middle of the lake.  the garden is quite scenic and comes with a history since edo-era.

i love the reflection of conrad hotel.  and one thing for sure is i am very high spirit today, i am communicating with the holy spirit all the way, everything that i see in this garden, the Lord reminds me of His creation.  let every thing that has breath, praise the Lord!

i pause at the tea house in the middle of the lake, to rest my leg and also to enjoy the tea ceremony, a cup of matcha and a pretty namagashi while taking in the view surrounding me.  it's a bliss!!

i took too many photos today, even just in this garden alone, i think i spent three hours just here. it's just so peaceful and pretty, although right now i can only 'imagine' the cherry blossom here.  after the tea, i walk toward the north gate and there are even more things to entertain me, which i will not write about now.  for now, i just leave you with the view as i look back...

well, i guess it is not wrong to say hama rikyu onshi teien is my extended back garden.  from this photo i can see tokyo tower and my apartment block is the  third from the right, immediately after the two identical buildings.

so much for now, good night.

asakusa.浅草

asakusa revisited!  we stayed in the proximity of asakusa two years ago and today i am glad that i stop by again, it's just so close to kapabashi anyway.

the street leading to senjo-ji (浅草寺) is still ever crowded and bustling with aroma of senbei (rice crackers).

the asakusa kaminarimon (浅草雷門) is still the most photographed spot

i remember i took the same photo at the  same spot. what has changed then? well, the hundred yen shop is no longer around, the location for the supermarket is still there but with a different name.

 

and the most significant change is the tokyo sky tree. it was definitely not there two years ago...

well, that's a little account of last weekend.

today, i went to the ward office or minato city hall to apply for my alien resident permit.

the application was swift, but i have to come back to collect my sort of  id card in a week's time.  at the end of the application, the officer gave me a welcome package with all the information about minato-ward.

it's late now, so much for now, time to sleep.

kapabashi.かっぱ橋道具街

another monday, a new week.  this week i have to conduct trainings to the japanese users on a topic that i am not quite familiar with.  but i am almost there after 3 times of drilling and dry runs.  last saturday, i visited kapabashi kitchenware street (かっぱ橋道具街) .  although two years ago when we visited tokyo, we actually stayed at asakusa area, the other side of sumida river, but we never made it to kapabashi.  we did attempt once but couldn't find it and with just one week in tokyo, we didn't continue our search further.

i made a point to be here, simply because i have never come here before and secondly i do need to get some porcelain ware...

this giant sign of a chef actually marks the begin of kapabashi, so are these cups mark the start of about one kilometer long with tons of kitchen or restaurant related utensils and products, including the famous plastic food display.

i first check out the japanese tableware.  although my apartment provided me with some basic tableware, but i still need some smaller saucers, plates, bowls, tea mugs and tea pot.  at the end, i bought some all with japanese prints, i didn't get a tea pot here. i just don't want to pay too much for it.

these are sushi bento - plastic display. they look quite real...

all sort of sushi, but for your eyes only

how about japanese soft ice - matcha green, sweet potato purple, strawberry pink and even some in blue, i wonder what flavor would that be...

beer any one? or fancy any ice cream or fruits... the choices are plenty!!!

how about some namagashi miniatures?  yes, i bought a few as you already know i am a freak when come to namagashi. i like the nabe seafood pot too, the strawberry shortcake looks a little fake to me but others are almost as real.

there are many customers in the plastic food display shop, but these items are so expensive, a simple sushi costs twice the price of real sushi.  i rather eat the real sushi than buying these fake ones.

so i walk away with two tea mugs, a few plates and shallow bowls and some miniature of namagashi.  no serious damage of my pocket at all.  they are cheap to reasonable.  so in the coming days when you see some food photos no longer on white line tableware that because i have added some colors to it.

roppongi.hills.六本木ヒルズ

another sunday, time flies really fast in japan!  i have been thinking if i should go to shinjuku shalom church again.  i like the service there especially when the church is also following g12 vision, however, it is really more caters for local community and although some people speak english but majority still prefer to speak japanese.

i have been praying for awhile and at first i planned to go for two services, one at shinjuku and then to the 4pm service at Jesus light house tokyo.  however, i ended up going to Jesus light house only.  roppongi is just so near, one metro stop away, i made it for 1pm service.

the iron steel spider at roppongi hills (六本木ヒルズ).  i still remember i love it so much here two years ago when i first visit roppongi.  it is just not shinjuku or harajuku, but less crowded and more classy crowds.

this is mori tower

mori arts museum is on the 58th floor, i haven't make it to the museum yet, it actually opens till 10pm daily, i will save till the day when the weather is clear and the exhibition is more appealing to me.

 

this is the building where Jesus Light house tokyo has the service.  it's bilingual, it's international and in just one visit i already made a handful of friends (english, american japanese, indians, philippines) and we went for lunch together after the service and have some fellowships.  we parted at just before 4pm where most of them go back for the 4pm service while i decided to go to tokyo midtown to run some errands..

i feel good, i have my spiritual food "prepare to burn bright" by senior pastor and this is not just comfort food but full of rebuke and challenges to us.  and i have fellowship  with fellow sisters that will keep me going next week.

next week i am going to conduct training on things that i don't really know, so you can imagine the amount of stress and preparations that i have to do in order to make the training happens.

good night and have a blessed week ahead.

travel.back.the.time.at yanaka.谷.中

you read so much about yanaka (谷中) an area just west of nippori jr station and part of the northern tokyo an area close by to ueno (上野) and asakusa (浅草).  you decided to check yanaka out yesterday.
without any guide book at hand, since your japan guidebook doesn't entail yanaka, you rely on what you have read on other's blogs and what you can remember....
so, it's "nippori jr station, turn left, head west"....
this area has the highest concentration of temples and graveyard (or cemetery), perhaps the only area that out beat the number of convenient stores in entire tokyo.  in most part of tokyo, you will find one convenient store less than 500 meters distance, they are everywhere on every streets and corners.  in yanaka, it's the temples and cemeteries that match to this description.  but you are not interested in temples because you worship Jesus. neither are you interested in the dead.   you are here to indulge in the old tokyo at edo-era.

this is the famous yanaka ginza.  yes it's called "ginza".  this is the second ginza that you visited so far, the first one is ebisu ginza last weekend.  you have not step your foot to the real glamorous ginza yet.  not yet, there is no hurry to rush there for organza flame, not when you only have a pair of sneaker as your weekend shoes. 
but yanaka ginza doesn't require you to dress up, a pair of sneaker is perfectly acceptable here.  because this area has not changed since decades.  no high rise buildings, no chic stores, no brand name but this place is full of live, full of delicious aroma, full of vibrant.



谷中銀座


walking through this gate, you are officially in yanaka ginza.  it's early in the day, so there are not many crowds yet.  it is good to let go, not relying on a map or guidebook, but relying on your senses to lead you here.



stores selling marinated goods, pickles, senbei, fresh produces.  food are so cheap here. you just realized you are reap off by paying the extra premium to the groceries at minato-ward where you are staying.  everything is like 30 percent cheaper. what a bummer!  but you don't want to come all the way here to do groceries shopping and carry them back home.

this is more like a domestic tourists area, i hardly see any foreigners here and neither there is any english word written.  they are plenty of locals or japanese tourists carrying a travel magazine and checking out the good stuffs.

here you can see old men and women mending the store.  they are just in their daily down to earth clothing, non pretentious.  at the end of the street, you can even get a bento lunch box for 250 yen. that's probably the cheapest ever i have seen in tokyo.  i pay on average 800 yen for a bento at chiyoda-ward where my client office located, here a large though not gourmet bento only costs 250 yen!!! life is really more affordable in yanaka.


yanaka coffee

as you leave yanaka ginza, you follow your instinct and stop you here, you read it somewhere too.  you ordered a cup of black coffee to try.  perhaps the best one ever for the average japan coffee that you have drank so far. this is cheap and strong.  there's a kick in this yanaka coffee. 

now you are completely lost! you don't know your orientation anymore, but you enjoy the small alleys, observing the balcony where people still hang their laundry outdoor, you sneak in to some communal area and this place reminds you to kyoto. and the door (on the bottom left) is actually smaller than a normal door, not a door that an adult can go in whiteout bending...

you take lots of photos here, simply because many things arouse your curiosity.  things of the old, things of the past... 

but you love your every moments here, you probably will come back again next time when you have a detailed tokyo guidebook at hand. for now, it is definitely a good yanaka first impression and orientation.