5 ways to enjoy summer in Tokyo

Japan's summer is known for its humid and really hot weather and the combination of the two elements actually creates a steaming heat that cooks you literally. But it is also the season of enjoyment, festivals and love. And everything happens so fast that you hardly noticed it until it is gone. 

So, don't miss your chance this summer to enjoy what this country has to offer. Just take a train to somewhere new, I bet you can find something interesting that is worth exploring. If not, here is the guide on how to enjoy summer in Japan. 

1. Light up your heart with every burst of the fireworks

The hanabi festivals or the fireworks festivals are Japan's ultimate summer event that one cannot miss. Invite your friends or family, bring some drinks and snacks. Sit on the grass and enjoy every burst of the fireworks. 

2. Attend an exciting summer festival

Summer is the season for festivals in Japan. Every ward in Tokyo is bursting with street dancing such as the Awa Odori, the Obon festival, the summer markets such as the morning glory market, the hozuki market and etc., the Tanabata festivals and the list never ends.

3. Find a wind-chime that is unique to you. 

Edo wind-chime in Japan is created uniquely and you can find one that says the most about yourself. You can choose from the shape - round or long in shape, or from your favourite summer design, or from the color of the glass - made from blue or green glass. The closer you look, the more you realised that there is one special wind-chime for everyone, including yourself. 

4. Enjoy the starry night

Summer is the best time to watch the skies. On July 7th, you can even try to find the two Star Lovers on the Milky Way. Bring your date and stay the night. Accommodation in places like Nobeyama are equipped with telescope for you to enjoy a night of stars together. 

5. Enjoy a walk in the tranquil pathways and learn a new art
If you are not too keen on the crowd like me, especially in the matsuri, why not immerse yourself in art and greenery? Summer is the best time to visit the bonsai nurseries in Omiya, as the weather will be hot, but the serene pathways of the Omiya Bonsai Village will soon cool you off. Plus, you can walk away with new knowledge. 
* Bonus: If you visit the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum from July 18th - Aug 31st in your yukata, the admission to the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum becomes free! 

With so much to experience in summer, which one is your choice? ^^

Japan Photo Blog: I wanna be 20 again!

In Japan, they have a special day to mark the transition of every individual into adulthood and they really do it in style. The special day is the Coming of Age Day in Japan, celebrating all individuals who turned 20 this year and it is a way to welcome them to adulthood and prepare them for an adult life with its responsibilities. It is an annual event and is celebrated on every second Monday in January.

Although it sounded serious, but it is actually quite the opposite. On this day, young ladies and men will dress up (fun), attend a ceremony at the local ward offices or at the Prefectural offices (serious), go to the temple to pray (maybe serious) and then, at night perhaps a little celebration at home or with friends (more fun).

For the young ladies, there is no doubt that half of the fun is to dress up in the pretty furisode and wear the zori sandals while the other half is being paparazzi-photographed by people.

Another special day that makes me want to go back in time is the San-Go-Shichi Day for children. On this day, any child who is 3, 5 and 7 years old will dress up and go to the temple to pray for good health. This occasion too always made me wish that I can go back to being a kid again ^^.

What a great way to celebrate you becoming an adult!

Doesn't it make you wish that you are 20 again so that you can dress up and join this ceremony?

A little Tokyo halloween

Well, almost October and halloween isaround  the corner. Not sure how many children in Japan will dress up and go for trick or treat but you can see these cute decoration being sold everywhere in any of the supermarket in Tokyo. Unlike Christmas, Halloween is relatively a new celebration in Japan and I believe many still not so sure how to celebrate Halloween, and therefore, end up looking like another sales gimmick. But they sure produce some cute fake pumpkins! 

Chilled desserts for summer

I love eating desserts but I don't like it showing on my waistline. Fortunately, we have plenty of low calorie dessets in Japan. One of them is the warabi mochi.

It is made with starch (warabi flour or the baby bracken fern) and serve with kinako (toasted soy bean flour) and black sugar syrup. I love to eat them chilled. Slightly sweet and with the right consistency of chewiness ❤

Slow down and smell the flowers

Summer in Japan is the best season for partying. I call this season the 3Fs - festivals, fireworks and food season. This is the time for beer gardens and BBQs! But with all these partying, one can easily forget to slow down and appreciate the simple pleasures of life.

As for me, after attending 3 fireworks (I actually only managed to see one firework) and countless summer festivals, I am a little exhausted. And to tell the truth, I almost forgot about this wonderful seasonal treat!!

Anyway, I remembered and one early morning, I took the train to Ueno station and headed to the nearby Shinobazu pond. At this time of the year, this place is filled with beautiful lotus.

Not to mention, it was really nice to walk around the lotus pond as it was calm and peaceful especially in the morning.

Here in Shinobazu pond, there is no hurry. It is a place where you can relax and walk around the pond and appreciate the beautiful lotuses.

The best time to catch these beauties is in the morning so come early!!!  Or better still, bring your breakfast here and sit in one the park benches to appreciate them. I assure you that after one hour with the lotuses, you will feel so renewed and ready to go back to face the world.

Is it expensive to travel in Japan?

I think we all know that Japan has a reputation of being one of the most expensive countries in the world to visit together with Tokyo as one of the world’s most expensive cities. However, after several years of living here, I find that the reputation is a bit overrated. 

Especially when taking the wonderful, efficient and clean subway in Tokyo. The fare starts at the mere of 130yen. Also, venturing slightly outside Tokyo most of the time will only set you back around 1,000-1,500yen per way. And there are also area passes that are so useful for that slightly longer distance travel to places such as Karuizawa, Mt Fuji, Kamakura and Nikko for us who are residents of Japan.

Eating out doesn't cost as much as you think. You can eat out for less than 1,000yen per person. The lunch time is the best time to splurge on meals. Meals such as a kaiseki ryori in Kyoto, where prices usually start around 10,000 yen for dinner, can be enjoyed at lunch at about half of that price (There is also mini-kaiseki set ^^). Many restaurants offer special lunch sets and it is the best meal deal for you to try out something new or famous (like the Kobe beef) or curiously strange (eel or octopus sushi, anyone?). I find that Japan is getting less expensive as the years goes by whereas other countries are getting more expensive.

Having said all that, there are still two things in Japan that I find it expensive and can still make quite a damage if you are not careful. One of it is accomodation and the other is the long-distance transportation. 

To find budget accomodation in Tokyo is sometimes a needle in a haystack in this metropolis. For a night in a budget hotel in a reasonable location, you will still have to fork out an average of 5,000-8,000yen and this is a stay in a budget hotel. Although staying in a budget hotel is not a bad lodging choice in terms of comfort and cleanliness, I still feel that Tokyo is somewhat lacking of a vibrant scene of other cheap lodging options.  

As for long-distance travel, I must stress that for those who are travelling into Japan from overseas, there is always the Japan Rail Pass that you should take advantage of it, especially if you have lots of long-distance travel in between cities in Japan.

So, in a nutshell, travel in Japan can be an expensive affair without some sort of planning. Otherwise, the prices are not as bad as you would have imagined it. I think it is pretty comparable to prices in London, Paris or New York. Well, I hope this post helps to prepare you for what prices to expect when you travel in Japan. 

Japan is one country that never fails to amaze anyone, even for me. Every time I step out, this city fascinates me with its beauty, quirkiness and energy. I feel that everyone should include Japan in their bucket list and come here to experience this place at least once in their lifetime. 

Welcome to my unofficial travel guide to Tokyo and Japan ^^

Hello, everyone!!!

After some time of thinking, I have decided to make this blog a little more helpful for those who are planning to travel to Japan and who would like to explore Tokyo a little more in-depth than what the conventional guidebooks can offer you. I will be posting the less-explored places in and around Tokyo with transportation guide, regular travel advice and other news (funny or serious) about Japan and most of all, showing you what Japan has to offer. So be sure to bookmark this blog so that you can return regularly and immerse yourself in my travel adventures.

Also, this blog is for those who are already living here in Japan for several years and would like to get to know more about this city we are living in. We will be discovering and sharing the fascinating nooks and crannies in this sprawling metropolis and beyond Tokyo too. And yes, you are more than welcome to share your secret escapes too! Let's discover this wonderful city together!

Well then, have a look around and I hope my articles can inspire you for your next trip to Japan or motivate you to visit a newly discovered secret spot in Tokyo in this travel blog ^^