（どうせ眠れないからブログをアップデートすることにした。日本にいる最後の日にちょっと風邪気味かなと思いながら、夜飛行機に乗ったら急にひどくなった。隣の席が空いてて、横に慣れたのにまったく眠れなくてちょっと大変でした。この二日間しばらく横になると鼻痛・鼻づまりがひどくなってちょっときついな...(>.<) 日曜日に新しい一人暮らしの生活が始まるから元気になるようにがんばります！それでは、この前の続き...）
Day 6:
I had a relaxing lunch with D at Umie, then walked around Kitahama Alley and up the shoutengai (covered shopping street). After afternoon tea, D headed back across the Seto Inland Sea and I went back to LL's. My stomach was still not feeling 100% so I made a light dinner (mushroom omelette) and had an early night.
Day 7:
I packed my bags once again and moved to LY's place in Tak city for my final 2 nights in Kagawa. After a quick chat, I visited my old office, IPAL, had udon lunch with a former workmate, visited the kencho (my 2nd old office) and collected my tax refund in cash(!). I then met up with some old friends for coffee at Sunport and walked around for a while until my dinner appointment with my former supervisor and 2 other colleagues.
Day 8:
The Ymji's took me and their Singaporean guest, Dmc, for udon at Ymagoe. The queue was unbelievable! People had come from throughout Japan. In the carpark, we saw cars with number plates from as far as Tohoku and Western Japan! The udon was indeed fantastic, as was the sweet potato tempura and yakimochi on a stick. After lunch, we then spent an hour at the new shopping centre in Tak before going back to the Ymji's place.
I met up with M and R in the late afternoon and watched the sunset from a spot on Yashima before a scrumptious dinner at an Italian restaurant in Kmachi. I had a wonderful time catching up with you both - thanks a bunch! Miss you dearly...please come to visit!^^
Day 9:
After farewelling and thanking the Ymji's for their kind hospitality, I met up with the Kim's for lunch at a fresh pasta restaurant - it was delicious! Afterwards, we had ice-cream and walked around the shopping centre. Their 15 month (?) old daughter Trn is absolutely adorable and very well-behaved. The Kim's were going to give me a lift to Tak station but as we were about to leave, the car would not start so we hurried to the taxi stand and I caught a cab to the train station. I trust the Kims made it home ok...
I arrived in Osaka earlier than expected so I checked out the souvenir shop and waited for Ysko's phonecall. She took me to a cozy little okonomiyaki restaurant for dinner. It was busy but we didn't have to wait too long for a table. The food was definitely worth the wait. We tried the tofu & cheese okonomiyaki - sooooo good!! The Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki was also tasty. On full stomachs, we made our way to Ysko's place - a rather nice, new apartment near a river about 5 or 6 stops from Osaka.
Day 10:
I had planned on going to Kyoto, but seeing as rain was predicted and the cherryblossoms were not yet in bloom, we decided to visit the aquarium instead. We took it easy and slept in til around 9 or 10am. The aquarium was great fun. We stayed there for hours just watching the amazing creatures. I never realised otters were so big! Think I still liked the penguins best though we did see some pretty spectacular jellyfish and other funny-looking fish. I tried taking photos of them but mostly failed. I took way too many photos! Thank goodness for digital cameras. ^^
After tea and a quick tour of the souvenir shops, we went back to Ysko's place and cooked dinner. It was great! And thanks for letting me stay at your place and for spending one of your days off with me. I had a wonderful time. Let me know when you're ready to plan our trip around southern Austrlia. Mri - wanna join?^^
Day 11:
The last day (or rather, half a day) of my trip was spent shopping. And eating. Ysko treated me to breakfast at a bakery near the station exit. The matcha latte and the matcha cream bun were so tasty...thanks Ysko! For lunch, I went to a nice little cafe and ordered a pasta set that came with salad, unlimited bread, drink and dessert...all for 1050yen. Bargain!
Once I got to the airport, I picked up the bag I had posted there from Tak and repacked my luggage. I still had plenty of time to grab dinner and walk around. Thinking that I'd had quite a few western-style meals during my stay, I settled for a traditional Japanese home-style cooked meal for dinner. I gotta learn how to make this tamagoyaki...
The flight was ok and I was glad that there was no one sitting in the seat beside me. Even so, I was not able to sleep during the evening flight due to the most uncomfortable nasal congestion I've ever experienced. Lying down just makes it worse. (Which is also why I'm updating my blog at 5am in the morning and took my first sick leave on Thursday. The poor people suffering from insomnia and chronic sinus problems!)
And that's it. My 6th visit to Japan. All in all it was a rather exhausting trip (most probably enhanced by the fact that I was tired before I left) but it was lovely to catch up with so many old friends. Thank you all for a wonderful time, and thank you Mri for inviting me to your wedding and giving me the excuse to go to there in the first place.^^
Click here for photos!
Next time I think I'd like to explore Kyushu or go to those famous festivals up in northern Jpn or maybe just go to onsen or see the 紅葉.^^
（鼻がちょっと楽になったからもう少し寝てみようかな...）
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Japan visit #6
It is 6am and am sitting under a kotatsu at a friend's place in Shido after dropping her off at the bus stop. She is off to India for 5 days and generously offered to let me to use her apartment and car while I am in Tak. Thanks pal, it was great catching up with you even if for a little while...I miss you already!^^
Day 1:
It's been go go go ever since I landed in Japan. After arriving at KIX on Friday evening I headed straight to my accommodation for the night, the Shinosaka YH. I wasn't able to sleep well on the plane despite being utterly exhausted. We went through some pretty rough turbulence especially when we commenced our descent into Osaka which was really quite frightening.
Day 2:
Early Saturday morning, I set off for Nagoya with my seishun 18 kippu, arriving at around noon. YH met me at the station and took me to drop my stuff off at the hotel before heading back to her place for a delicious home-cooked lunch. The afternoon was spent getting ready for the wedding which was held at the local wedding hall. The reception began at 4:45 where guests mingled and were served drinks and nibbles. Cameras started flashing as soon as the bride and groom entered the room. They looked a bit overwhelmed with all the attention but happy. There was no doubt that M was absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress.
Once everyone was done taking photos, we moved across to the ceremonial chapel for the exchange of vows. It was a like a chapel but not. Nonetheless, the ceremony was not unlike a western style wedding ceremony with the exchange of vows and rings, and the signing of the marriage certificate.
After another photo session, the guests were ushered into the banquet hall. There were about 12 tables each with 5 to 6 seats. The bride and groom sat at the front of the room, facing the guests. Unlike at a Chinese banquet where family and relatives usually sit nearest the newlyweds, the immediate family sat at the table furthest away. I was seated with the bride's immediate family and helped to take photos while YH took video.
The wedding cake was cut at the very beginning of the banquet. The cake was in the shape of an open book. What was special was the chocolate writing on the cake. It was the bride and groom's promise to each other. His was to give her flowers on her birthday, and hers was to bake him a cake on his birthday. They both then signed their names on the cake in chocolate!
As for the food, a mix of Western and Japanese dishes were served. M had kindly arranged a vegetarian course for me.（とてもおいしかったよ。いつも気遣ってくれてありがとう！＾＾）
Speeches were made throughout the evening, one from the groom's side and one from the bride's. They also showed a photo biography of the newlyweds, complete with captions, which I thought was very well done. Toward the end, the bride read out loud a very touching letter she had written to thank her parents and brought the guests to tears, as did the DVD the couple had made with messages to all the guests.
All in all, it was a beautiful wedding, and very well planned! Thanks again for inviting me to share your special day with you and your family. I had a wonderful time and I wish you both every happiness in your new life together! (^O^)/
Day 3:
After all the excitement of the evening, I welcomed the quiet breakfast alone in the hotel cafe. After check-out, I made my way to Nagoya. I wandered around 3 coin locker areas before I found an empty locker that was big enough to fit my luggage in. After some window shopping and kishimen lunch, I set off for Okazaki to meet my former student. She took me to Okazaki Sogo Park which was quite busy. It was nice to see so many cheerful kids playing outdoors with their family in the park. We also checked out the mini art gallery there. It was a unique and interesting exhibition. There was one that really stuck in my memory. It was a series of drawings that connected to create a 360-degree picture. An artist had used 17 children's drawings and linked them together using one of his own between each of the children's ones. He did such a great job of imitating the children's work that at first glance you could not tell which was drawn by the artist and which by the children.
Thanks for a nice afternoon Mnri, and many thanks for you and your family's warm hospitality. The curry rice was delicious!^^
Day 4:
It may seem strange to go to an airport just for fun but I reckon Centrair is a half-day tourist attraction, especially if one has limited time in Nagoya. There are decent shops there that are also found on the streets of Nagoya as well as some nice local arts and crafts shops. The highlights would be the Toyota robot gallery where you can see the trumpet-playing robot, and the public baths which were recently renovated. In the bath house, there is a well-concealed outdoor deck from which bathers can watch airplanes take-off and land. It was a strangely relaxing experience.^^
It so happened that there was a quilt exhibition with the theme of GenjiMonogatari. It's amazing what you can create with a needle and thread.
Thanks Nzmi for a great day! I hope you weren't too tired with all that running around! And thank you Wkyo for coming out so far to have dinner with us on a weeknight - お好み焼きすごいおいしかったよ！
Day 5:
Thinking that Ykri would be busy with work during the week and living an hour from Nagoya, I didn't think I'd be able to meet up with her. But having stayed in Okazaki, so close to her home, I felt I should at least give her a call to say hello and let her know I'm here. Good thing I did call, as she was free and willing to travel to Nagoya! She invited me to her parents' house for lunch and we'd arranged to meet at the local station. However, just as I was about to get on the train, I heard her call out my name. She was standing right next to me. She was wearing a mask and carrying so many bags that I did not recognise her. As we sat down, I asked about her old job amongst other things and she told me the good news - she's 3 months pregnant!! Congrats!^^
As we approached the house, we were welcomed by the sound of barking puppies. Ykri's sister's dog had given birth to 5 adorable pups which keep Ykri's mother company, but also keeps her very busy!
Ykri's Mum cooked up a feast as per usual and Ykri showed me her brother's wedding photos from last year, as well as some old childhood photos. It was a great time. On the drive back into town, Ykri and her Mum took me to the local Shippoyaki (Japanese enameling using gemstones) gallery which was interesting. Another fascinating artistic technique!
I had an hour or so before my dinner appt with some old dorm buddies still in town, so I went to my Osu, my favourite shopping place when I stayed in Nagoya as an exchange student several years ago. Everything was very 'natsukashii' and I was happy to see that not too much had changed. I picked up a few souvenirs plus a nice top for me.^^
Dinner with LH, T&M was also very 'natsukashii' and we reminisced about the days at the ISC and caught up on news of other friends. T&M took us to a nice little bar near Meieki called Kirin City which would be a nice place to take my parents or others next time I come.
By the time I got back to the YH, it was close to 11pm. I was quite exhausted and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Day 6:
I awoke to meet my roommate. She was a sweet Korean exchange student in Miyazaki and had gone to Tokyo and Osaka before Nagoya on a seishun 18 kippu and had plans to go all the way to Hiroshima before heading back to Kyushu. Unbelievable. すごい！感心した...^^
We said our goodbyes and I set off to start my journey south to Kagawa. On the way, I had to change trains 3 times. At the Maibara transfer, a little old man in the seat behind me was struggling to get his suitcase from the high bag rack so naturally I helped him out. While waiting for the connecting train, the little old man came up to me to say thank you and gave me an ice-cream!
By the time I got to Himeji it was lunch time and I had a 45-minute wait before my next connecting train, so I decided to try out the noodle stand in the middle of the platform. It seemed quite busy so I thought it would be quite good. It was ok. Kinda tasted like spaghetti in a hot clear soup. The sweet tofu was tasty though.
When the train got moving, I wasn't feeling all that well. At first I thought it was just the usual cramps, but then my stomach started making growling noises. Let's just say it was not pleasant and it was a struggle to hold it in for an hour before the next stop. After that I felt much better. So perhpas wasn't food poisoning, just the fishy broth that upset my stomach.
I arrived in Tak around 4pm and went straight to Yashima to meet LL. After waiting a while, we both realised there were 2 Yashima stations and completely missed each other. It was pouring with rain. What an adventure. Eventually we found each other and made our way to her place. It was just like old times - watching TV over dinner. She made us a healthy dinner of polenta with a delicious mushroom, tomato and red capsicum sauce, with broccoli on the side - yum!
Ahhh, gotta run! Meeting D for lunch. More next time!^^
Day 1:
It's been go go go ever since I landed in Japan. After arriving at KIX on Friday evening I headed straight to my accommodation for the night, the Shinosaka YH. I wasn't able to sleep well on the plane despite being utterly exhausted. We went through some pretty rough turbulence especially when we commenced our descent into Osaka which was really quite frightening.
Day 2:
Early Saturday morning, I set off for Nagoya with my seishun 18 kippu, arriving at around noon. YH met me at the station and took me to drop my stuff off at the hotel before heading back to her place for a delicious home-cooked lunch. The afternoon was spent getting ready for the wedding which was held at the local wedding hall. The reception began at 4:45 where guests mingled and were served drinks and nibbles. Cameras started flashing as soon as the bride and groom entered the room. They looked a bit overwhelmed with all the attention but happy. There was no doubt that M was absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress.
Once everyone was done taking photos, we moved across to the ceremonial chapel for the exchange of vows. It was a like a chapel but not. Nonetheless, the ceremony was not unlike a western style wedding ceremony with the exchange of vows and rings, and the signing of the marriage certificate.
After another photo session, the guests were ushered into the banquet hall. There were about 12 tables each with 5 to 6 seats. The bride and groom sat at the front of the room, facing the guests. Unlike at a Chinese banquet where family and relatives usually sit nearest the newlyweds, the immediate family sat at the table furthest away. I was seated with the bride's immediate family and helped to take photos while YH took video.
The wedding cake was cut at the very beginning of the banquet. The cake was in the shape of an open book. What was special was the chocolate writing on the cake. It was the bride and groom's promise to each other. His was to give her flowers on her birthday, and hers was to bake him a cake on his birthday. They both then signed their names on the cake in chocolate!
As for the food, a mix of Western and Japanese dishes were served. M had kindly arranged a vegetarian course for me.（とてもおいしかったよ。いつも気遣ってくれてありがとう！＾＾）
Speeches were made throughout the evening, one from the groom's side and one from the bride's. They also showed a photo biography of the newlyweds, complete with captions, which I thought was very well done. Toward the end, the bride read out loud a very touching letter she had written to thank her parents and brought the guests to tears, as did the DVD the couple had made with messages to all the guests.
All in all, it was a beautiful wedding, and very well planned! Thanks again for inviting me to share your special day with you and your family. I had a wonderful time and I wish you both every happiness in your new life together! (^O^)/
Day 3:
After all the excitement of the evening, I welcomed the quiet breakfast alone in the hotel cafe. After check-out, I made my way to Nagoya. I wandered around 3 coin locker areas before I found an empty locker that was big enough to fit my luggage in. After some window shopping and kishimen lunch, I set off for Okazaki to meet my former student. She took me to Okazaki Sogo Park which was quite busy. It was nice to see so many cheerful kids playing outdoors with their family in the park. We also checked out the mini art gallery there. It was a unique and interesting exhibition. There was one that really stuck in my memory. It was a series of drawings that connected to create a 360-degree picture. An artist had used 17 children's drawings and linked them together using one of his own between each of the children's ones. He did such a great job of imitating the children's work that at first glance you could not tell which was drawn by the artist and which by the children.
Thanks for a nice afternoon Mnri, and many thanks for you and your family's warm hospitality. The curry rice was delicious!^^
Day 4:
It may seem strange to go to an airport just for fun but I reckon Centrair is a half-day tourist attraction, especially if one has limited time in Nagoya. There are decent shops there that are also found on the streets of Nagoya as well as some nice local arts and crafts shops. The highlights would be the Toyota robot gallery where you can see the trumpet-playing robot, and the public baths which were recently renovated. In the bath house, there is a well-concealed outdoor deck from which bathers can watch airplanes take-off and land. It was a strangely relaxing experience.^^
It so happened that there was a quilt exhibition with the theme of GenjiMonogatari. It's amazing what you can create with a needle and thread.
Thanks Nzmi for a great day! I hope you weren't too tired with all that running around! And thank you Wkyo for coming out so far to have dinner with us on a weeknight - お好み焼きすごいおいしかったよ！
Day 5:
Thinking that Ykri would be busy with work during the week and living an hour from Nagoya, I didn't think I'd be able to meet up with her. But having stayed in Okazaki, so close to her home, I felt I should at least give her a call to say hello and let her know I'm here. Good thing I did call, as she was free and willing to travel to Nagoya! She invited me to her parents' house for lunch and we'd arranged to meet at the local station. However, just as I was about to get on the train, I heard her call out my name. She was standing right next to me. She was wearing a mask and carrying so many bags that I did not recognise her. As we sat down, I asked about her old job amongst other things and she told me the good news - she's 3 months pregnant!! Congrats!^^
As we approached the house, we were welcomed by the sound of barking puppies. Ykri's sister's dog had given birth to 5 adorable pups which keep Ykri's mother company, but also keeps her very busy!
Ykri's Mum cooked up a feast as per usual and Ykri showed me her brother's wedding photos from last year, as well as some old childhood photos. It was a great time. On the drive back into town, Ykri and her Mum took me to the local Shippoyaki (Japanese enameling using gemstones) gallery which was interesting. Another fascinating artistic technique!
I had an hour or so before my dinner appt with some old dorm buddies still in town, so I went to my Osu, my favourite shopping place when I stayed in Nagoya as an exchange student several years ago. Everything was very 'natsukashii' and I was happy to see that not too much had changed. I picked up a few souvenirs plus a nice top for me.^^
Dinner with LH, T&M was also very 'natsukashii' and we reminisced about the days at the ISC and caught up on news of other friends. T&M took us to a nice little bar near Meieki called Kirin City which would be a nice place to take my parents or others next time I come.
By the time I got back to the YH, it was close to 11pm. I was quite exhausted and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Day 6:
I awoke to meet my roommate. She was a sweet Korean exchange student in Miyazaki and had gone to Tokyo and Osaka before Nagoya on a seishun 18 kippu and had plans to go all the way to Hiroshima before heading back to Kyushu. Unbelievable. すごい！感心した...^^
We said our goodbyes and I set off to start my journey south to Kagawa. On the way, I had to change trains 3 times. At the Maibara transfer, a little old man in the seat behind me was struggling to get his suitcase from the high bag rack so naturally I helped him out. While waiting for the connecting train, the little old man came up to me to say thank you and gave me an ice-cream!
By the time I got to Himeji it was lunch time and I had a 45-minute wait before my next connecting train, so I decided to try out the noodle stand in the middle of the platform. It seemed quite busy so I thought it would be quite good. It was ok. Kinda tasted like spaghetti in a hot clear soup. The sweet tofu was tasty though.
When the train got moving, I wasn't feeling all that well. At first I thought it was just the usual cramps, but then my stomach started making growling noises. Let's just say it was not pleasant and it was a struggle to hold it in for an hour before the next stop. After that I felt much better. So perhpas wasn't food poisoning, just the fishy broth that upset my stomach.
I arrived in Tak around 4pm and went straight to Yashima to meet LL. After waiting a while, we both realised there were 2 Yashima stations and completely missed each other. It was pouring with rain. What an adventure. Eventually we found each other and made our way to her place. It was just like old times - watching TV over dinner. She made us a healthy dinner of polenta with a delicious mushroom, tomato and red capsicum sauce, with broccoli on the side - yum!
Ahhh, gotta run! Meeting D for lunch. More next time!^^
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