Author: sonokotchi

Currently living in Tokyo. I would love to share feelings, food, places and things that I do!!
Posted in Daily Life, Exercise, Family, Feelings, Food, Friends, Gadget, Hotel, Japanese Culture, Japanese Food, Place, Restaurants, Shop, Shopping, Tokyo, Travel

Weekend Trip to Kyoto (Day 2)

Posted on by sonokotchi

I had obento (packed food. Actually, I bought sandwich this time) for breakfast last night.

I had Amanoya Tamago Sando (Amanoya egg sandwich), Azabu Juban, Tokyo and Jiichiro’s Baumkuchen – a souvenir from Mom’s friend.

For Amanoya Tamago Sando, I recommend to eat this as soon as possible because it surely taste better when it’s fresh and fresher the better.

Oh, I should introduce one of services that this hotel provides to hotel guests during our stay.

The hotel provides a free mobile to call, access internet and to obtain sightseeing information.

Foreign tourists surely appreciate this service.

Today, I visited a friend; I had nice lunch while we chatted.

I returned to Kyoto and enjoyed shopping at JR Kyoto Isetan, Kyoto Station.

Why shopping in Kyoto?

In Tokyo, I have things to do — mainly house keeping — and there are too many people at a store that would make me feel tired to do shopping.

Here, I could take time to pick clothes. hahaha

I had a dinner at Kyoto Cuisine, Kyo Yasai Ryori Sepporai (Kyoto Vegetable Cuisine Sepporai), Kyoto Station.

I enjoyed Kyoto local vegetables very much!!!

After dinner, I went for a walk: window shopping at Porta, shopping area at underground of Kyoto Station.

Window shopping is my favorite way of exercise!

I walked for an hour easily.

Posted in Daily Life, Feelings, Shop, Shopping, Tokyo

Socks for Office Shoes

Posted on by sonokotchi

Perhaps, this is not new for many of you; but me.

It’s been hot and it’s too hot to wear a stocking.

I bought these socks for office shoes at Mujirushi Ryohin (No Brand Good Quality), Tokyo Midtown Roppongi.

This store is also known as Muji.

Muji sells simple and functional lifestyle products such as clothing, kitchen goods, bed linens, etc

Posted in Experience, Feelings, Japan Technology, Tokyo

Experiment

Posted on by sonokotchi

It’s been hot in Tokyo, between 35C to 39C.

Furthermore, we experience heat island phenomenon; wind blows but wind is hot…

Nowadays I sweat easily so I bought Natsusama Sheet (lowering fever sheet) for children to apply it at back of my neck to cool down.

It works!

I sweat, but less now!!

Posted in Experience, Feelings, Food, Movie, Shop, Tokyo

Wednesday is Movie Day for Ladies

Posted on by sonokotchi

Toho Cinemas offer a special rate for ladies on every Wednesday.

Normal rate is JPY 1,800 (USD 18) for adult, but for special rate for ladies on Wednesday is JPY 1,100 (USD 11).

Three of us went to watch Star Wars Han Solo at Toho Cinema, Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.

We were greeted by Godzilla.

We watched it at Screen 8.

I should enjoy ladies movie night n very movie way: hot dogs, pop corns, coke and red wine.

I had a glass of red wine while watching the movie.

I enjoyed watching as if I were at home.

This movie theatre is recently opened; therefore, it designed nicely.

There is enough gap between seat rows so heads won’t disturb our view. Great!

I might come back for Mission Impossible Fallout.

It seems the premier viewing for Mission Impossible Fallout was played here and Tom might have been here….

Posted in Experience, Feelings, Food, Friends, Hotel, Place, Restaurants, River, Tokyo

Disney Saturday

Posted on by sonokotchi

I am posting back dated event because it crashed so I was demotivated to upload last week.

This page is next day of Disney Friday.

I spent over night at the Hotel Dream Gate Maihama to enjoy both Disney Sea and Disneyland.

This hotel is literally gate to the Dream Land: Disney Resort.

Rooms are efficiently functional.

Space is not big, but comfortable enough.

We didn’t feel tight though we are three of us in a room.

We had a breakfast at Becker’s Coffee shop.

I bought two days pass (it’s cheaper than buying two one day passes).

Two of my friends needed to buy a ticket; therefore, they skipped the breakfast to get a ticket at the gate.

They called to inform us that the gate will open 30 mins earlier than opening hour at 7:30 am because too many people are already waiting at the gate under strong sunshine (there is no shade to protect us from strong sunshine).

No wonder there are many people at JR Maihama Station at 7:00 am.

I think they knew Disneyland might open earlier.

We rushed to get there and …. wow so many people!

The gate opened at 7:30 am.

We started with It’s a Small World.

It opened recently after renovation.

Let’s Go!

Many Disney characters joined to receive us there!

Star Tours also reopened recently and it’s AMAZING!

I don’t get board riding it again and again because there are 6 gates, meaning 6 different episodes!

I enjoyed 3 episodes🎶

Next, Stitch Encounter.

We, audience, can interact with Stitch if we are lucky.

Now time to get wet at Sansui Summer Beat!

We’ve been enjoying Disneyland since early morning so we decided to take a break by taking an early lunch.

We ate at Alice’s Wonderland!

Indeed, we are at Dream Land…

After lunch, we continued with our Happiest Celebration, the classic Haunted Mansion.

we also went for a fun ride: Splash Mountain.

It’s so hot so we took a break again to enjoy Nashi Ice Kakigori (Pear Ice Shaved with Ice Cream).

We cooled down and rested at the Country Bear Theatre.

Jungle Cruise…

Every captain has different story; I never get board riding it.

After cruising, it was nicely time for Dreaming Up Parade.

After a party, we are pumped for fast ride: Big Thunder Mountain!

One of us are not good at fast ride so we decided to take it slow by catching Mark Twain Riverboat.

This is my first time trying this ship.

Lastly, we went to get a spot to watch Celebrate Tokyo Disneyland Show!

This show collaborates with Cinderella Castle, projection mapping, fire works, smoke and fire!

This is MUST to watch!

I would love to come back again!

Posted in Feelings, Food, International Culture, Japanese Culture, Place, Shop, Tokyo

Tokyo Station Now

Posted on by sonokotchi

Before exiting from JR Tokyo Station, there are small shop lots.

Each of them sell cute and attractive stuffs!

I enjoyed window shoppings there.

Specialized shop for JR Higashi Nihon (East Japan).

Train lovers should stop by to check it out their merchandises.

Across from this shop, there are other specialized shops for traveling, household, lifestyle, food and Japanese traditional products such as chopsticks, towels, etc.

I found portable tea and coffee brewer that I bought as souvenirs from Denmark. (Bottom Shelf)

Wow, these reached to Japan!

These are delicious and recommended to buy.

Posted in Diving, Exercise, Feelings, Food, Friends, Nature, Place, Restaurants, Travel

Hammerhead Sharks at Mikomoto

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It’s a season and I had a free Saturday.

I caught an early Shinkansen (bullet train) to go down Mikomoto, Izu Shimoda, Shizuoka.

It’s such a nice day!

I overheard conversation of others and learned that we can view Izu Islands from train window.

At the window, there are shapes of islands that we expect to see from the window.

Could this be Ooshima?

Miyakejima?

8:50 am sharp, I arrived Izu Shimoda Station.

Today, I could see Hammerheads!!!

Big Yeah!!!

At the first dive of today, I saw one but very close by.

At second dive, I saw 6-7 Hammerheads in a group, picture is not clear to identify hammerheads.

For lunch, we went to a beach house.

It was nice and peaceful between two dives as if I were at vacation.

We celebrated at Izakata (Japanese pub) at Izu Shimoda Station to celebrate watching Hammerhead Sharks today.

This time, no stay over; going back to Tokyo.

Though I managed to see Hammerhead sharks not for singular for singular but plural, but now I become more greedy…I want more clear and more more more Hammerhead sharks!!!

Posted in Feelings, Food, Friends, Hotel, Restaurants, Tokyo, Travel

Disney Friday

Posted on by sonokotchi

Last Friday, I took a day off to visit Tokyo Disney Resort to celebrate its 35th Anniversary with the theme: 35 Happiest Celebration.

We met at Hotel Dean Gate Maihama which is conveniently located at JR Maihama Station.

It is literally located JR Maihama Station because the hotel stands under the rail way.

Hotel guests can use their free locker.

Once we reached to Disney Sea by Disney monorail, we rush to get a Free Pass (FP) at Toy Story Mania.

Unfortunately, FP was out by 10:06 am…

We took a FP at the Nearest ride, Tower of the Terror, and went to Nimo & Friends Sea Rider.

We queued for more than an hour to get on Nimo.

After queuing for an hour, we became hungry and thirsty.

At Disney Sea, we can drink alcohol such as beers and beer cocktails. Yeahhhhh

First, we get a coin and go to the bar to get a beer.

I had a Special Pirates Lunch Set.

After lunch, I had a dessert: a tropical shaved ice.

Then we caught a ship, Steam Liner to return to the entrance for Tower of the Terror.

We had a packed schedule in the afternoon, we rushed to the Pirates Summer Battle “Get Wet” performance.

We need to be careful where to stand to get wet and not to get wet.

We took a break after the show at Aladdin section: Arabian Coast.

After satisfying our throats, we watched Magic Lamp Theater.

We also visited the Mermaid Lagoon to watch Mermaid Lagoon Theatre.

We couldn’t get a FP at Toy Story Mania, therefore, we decided to queue for the ride because we don’t want to miss it.

It was fun though I’m only fourth place among five of us.

We took a rail way back to Lost River Delta section for more adventure.

We rode Indiana Jone’s Adventure and it was fun!!!

As our last event, we took a photo with Minnie and left the adventure land by a rail way to go for dinner at the sandwich shop that opens at late hour.

We rushed to this restaurant because this restaurant is one of few restaurants that serves alcohol.

This time I had a beer cocktail for sandwich.

My stomach enjoyed both food and a drink!!!

Indeed, it is a dream land!