My Japan: Yokohama

We were fortunate that AH has friends in Honmoku-Wada, Yokohama (second largest city after Tokyo). They kindly hosted us for three nights and two days when we arrived in Japan. Hamisah and spouse have been in Japan more than a decade and so are very much at home in this land of the rising sun. She took us around Yokohama, showing us the sights (and the shops, of course!).

Cherry blossoms at Honmoku -Wada (CNB 2012)

Plum blossoms at Honmoku-Wada (CNB 2012)

Ume or plum blossoms up close (CNB 2012)

Daffodils - my favourite spring flowers spotted at Hamisah's
neighbour's back garden (CNB 2012)

We checked out Yamashita Park by the harbour, and saw our first blossoms of the weeping cherry. What can I say ... our breaths were taken away!

The weeping cherry trees at Yamashita Park (SH 2012)

A close-up shot is inevitable ...

Weeping cherry blossoms against the Yokohama skyline
(CNB 2012)

Other spring flowers were also in bloom - we saw pancies, forsythia, camellia, magnolia, etc. There were quite a fair number of tourists there in the park, mainly from China. We all posed in front of the flowers, the cherry blossom trees, and also the big ships by the harbour.

Forsythia - another yellow spring flower (SH 2012)

SH and I (Hamisah 2012)

We had tea later at the Cafe de Pompadour in Queen's Square, and could not help having some cherry blossom steamed cupcakes and also spinach & cheese buns. Really oiishi (Japanese speak for yummylicious)!

Sakura cakes and spinach & cheese bun (CNB 2012)

We visited the office of our host in Pacifico, rubbing shoulders with very many sararimen (salary men) during their lunch hour.

A very clear day at the Pacifico (CNB 2012)

Lunch hour at the Queen's Square (CNB 2012)

We shopped at Motomachi, and Jack Mall, Yokohama World Porters, and the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse and ..., and ... (I can't remember anymore, being a shopaholic, not!).

Young mum & child fashion at Motomachi
(CNB 2012)

With host Hamisah at Motomachi (SH 2012)

Yokohama skyline with the Red Brick Warehouse to the right
(CNB 2012)

Food at Aeon Depato, I do remember, though.

All packed and ready to take home for lunch/dinner (CNB 2012)

As for the sights, the beautiful ferris wheel (at Yokohama Cosmoworld) we saw on our way to Queen's Square, I remember for the pretty pastel pinks and blues. I also remember vividly, more beautiful sakura blossoms all over the city. Thank you Hamisah, for driving us around to show us the sights.

Baby pink and blue everywhere at Cosmoworld (CNB 2012)

Housing and sakura trees around the city (CNB 2012)

Our kind hosts also took us to the Landmark (Tower) Plaza or Minato Mirai and treated us to a sumptuous Italian dinner at the Capriossa; Trattoria d'Italia where black ink pasta was the highlight of the evening. Needless to say, we all had black teeth and lips at the end of the dinner! Sorry no photos of black teeth and lips for you and posterity to laugh at! (Actually, I forgot to take one - it would have been hilarious!)

A part of Yokohama history beneath the Tower - what used
to be a dry dock (CNB 2012)

Our kind hosts in Yokohama (CNB 2012)

The four of us about to eat Italian in Japan (CNB 2012)

Black ink pasta in Yokohama ... (CNB 2012)

We left Honmoku-Wada by taxi to go to Shin-Yokohama and our shinkansen ride to our next destination, Okayama. Along the way at Mishima, we had the surreal experience of viewing the magical holy mountain of the Japanese - Mt. Fuji. But all too soon it was gone from view...

Our first glimpse of Mt. Fuji at Mishima Station (CNB 2012)

The almost symmetrical cone shaped Mt Fuji (CNB 2012)

3-12 April 2012

My Japan: Tokyo

Our first foray into Tokyo was from Yokohama, Negishi-eki/station. We bought a return ticket and a day pass on the JR. In Tokyo we disembarked at Ueno-eki to head for Ueno Kuen/Park, famed for its hanami. We were greeted with all 1,100 sakura trees in full bloom! The hanami parties were in full swing; blue plastic tarpaulin sheets on the ground under the cherry trees, and people everywhere.

At one entrance into Ueno Park (CNB 2012)

Hanami in Ueno Park (CNB 2011)

Sararimen (or rather salary women) claim a place for their
hanami party at Ueno Park (CNB 2012)

Some snacks and souvenir stalls added to the merriment.

Fish snacks (CNB 2012)

Chocolate dipped bananas (CNB 2012)

Noodles fresh from the hot plate (CNB 2012)

From the Ueno Park we walked to the Ameyayokocho market area, which offered almost everything from food to clothes. I got myself a nice 'sakura' t-shirt to remind me of Ueno Park's cherry blossoms.

Ameyayokocho street market (CNB 2012)

Food  at Ameyayokocho (CNB 2012)

Lunch was at the Kaisendokoro Sushi Tsune, a restaurant at the OIOI Ueno Marui. Although its not cheap (its not too expensive either), when in Japan (or in any country), eat the local food (and ditch the maggie mee, rendang or serunding that you may have brought with you). Sushi in Japan really tastes better than the fare we get in Japanese restaurants at home in Malaysia, believe me.

Awaiting lunch at the Kaisendokoro Sushi Tsune (AH 2012)

Ocha and chawan mushi come first (CNB 2012)

Then the main dish - almost too beautiful to eat! (CNB 2012)

From Ueno-eki, we took another train to Nippori, famed as 'Textile Town'. So we got ourselves quite a bit of cotton cloths, before making our way back to Yokohama.

Nippori Street sign (CNB 2012)

The first kimono-clad lady that we spotted in
Tokyo (CNB 2012)

Tomato-s everywhere. We shopped in one (CNB 2012)

Nippori at dusk (CNB 2012)

Later before the end of our Japan trip, we were in Tokyo again, and stayed in the eHotel in Higashi Shinjuku. Shinjuku is one of the 'centres' of Tokyo and was the first place with high-rise buildings in earthquake prone Japan.

Shinjuku skyline (CNB 2012)

A crossing seen from our Shinjuku hotel window (CNB 2012)

For a some glamorous shopping experience, we headed for Ginza, with its expensive department stores and numerous boutiques of famous local and European fashion designers. Most young Japanese women, here especially, sport handbags by Louis Vuitton, Prada, etc. (But we were content to get a LeSportsac each).

Sophisticated facades in Ginza (CNB 2012)

Another scene in Ginza (CNB 2012)

'Peace' from the ladies promoting blueberry drinks in front of
a Depato in Ginza (CNB 2012)

Then there is chaotic, bizarre Shibuya, with the world-famous crossroads in front of its (railway) station. Also the faithful dog Hachiko who waited for its late master every day at the station for nine years between 1925 -1935. We missed the 8 April remembrance ceremony for Hachiko, quite a legend with the Japanese.

The 'crush of humanity' at the Shibuya crossing (CNB 2012)

Posing by Hachiko's statue (SH 2012)

Inside the train monument at Hachiko Square, Shibuya
(CNB 2012)

Of course when in Tokyo, one should visit the biggest fish market in the world - the Tsukiji. We did not get up early enough for the tuna auction (limited viewing daily for 120 persons only), but got a feel of the very busy place anyway, what with the motor trolleys whizzing all around us. We only browsed around the vegetable and fruit wholesale area and did not go into the seafood wholesale area, duuh! (So, sorry no 'fishy' photos).

Entrance to the Tsukiji Market (CNB 2012)

Wasabi roots at the Tsukiji Market (CNB 2012)

One needs sharp knives for cutting up fish, etc.  Right?
(CNB 2012)

Then there was the long queue to eat brunch at an eatery there at the Uogasi Yokochou area, but the very fresh sashimi was well worth it. So I had maguro (tuna), salmon roe, and sea urchin, all raw, definitely. Cost? 1,450 Yen.

Waiting for our sashimi (RMN 2012)

My maguro sashimi, salmon roe, sea urchin  + wasabi &
cherry leaf garnish on a bed of rice (CNB 2012)

3-12 April 2012

A Happy World Book Day

.... on the 23rd of April 2012 (also the day Shakespeare's birthday is celebrated, and this year is his 448th!).

So... I went out and bought myself two books: Defining Moments in Books; the greatest books, writers, characters, passages and events that shook the literary world and a novel by Japanese author Junichiro Tanizaki, Some Prefer Nettles.

The first because I know I will not be able to read all the wonderful books ever written, and this will give me the gist of it all. The second because I am still in my Japanophile phase...

Ex Libris CNB 1954, 1953

My Japan

Ukiyo-e of  'The great wave off Kanagawa'
by Katsushika Hokusai (photo-ed in reverse).

Twice last year we'd postponed our trip to Japan, but we were third time lucky. When SH, RMN, AH and I finally went on the 3rd of April (till the 12th) recently, the cherry blossoms were in their full glory! Everywhere we went it was hanami* at its best.

Sakura in Tokyo (CNB 2012)

Sakura in Kyoto (CNB 2012)

Sakura (and me) in Okayama (AH 2012)

We landed in Tokyo (Haneda) and took the YCat bus at midnight to Yokohama, where we stayed three nights at AH's friends' home in Honmoku-Wada. Our hosts kindly took us around Yokohama, and we also made a day trip to Tokyo by train.

An out of focus photo of us at Haneda, waiting for the YCat
bus to Yokohama (YCat Bus porter 2012)

My Japan Rail Pass  (CNB 2012)

From Shin-Yokohama, we went to Okayama by the shinkansen (bullet train), making use of our week-long Japan Railways (JR) Pass. In Okayama we stayed two nights at the Toyoko Inn. We also made a foray into Kurashiki, using the local JR line.

A shinkansen at Shin-Yokohama (CNB 2012)

Shinkansens at Okayama eki (CNB 2012)

On a shinkansen to somewhere (CNB 2012)

From Okayama, we took the shinkansen again to Shin-Kobe, where SH's very good friend Kumiko, came to fetch us in her car at the eki (station). SH and Kumiko go a long way back to when they were studying together at Kobe Daigaku (University) in the 1970's. It was just right that we also visited their alma-mater in Kobe.

Kumiko then drove us to Osaka for some retail therapy and later to the eki for our local JR train to Kyoto. In Kyoto, we stayed at the Oyado Ishicho Ryokan for two nights. From here, with another ex-classmate of SH, Yukari, we went by bus/taxi to visit two of the very numerous temples and shrines in Kyoto, including a contender for the wonder of the world, the Kiyomizu-dera.

Kumiko and Yukari at the Kiyomizu-dera (CNB 2012)

We also went to Nara by train to visit the famed Nara Park and Todai-Ji. Here we bade sayonara to Kumiko who had to leave for Tokyo on urgent family matters.

Together with Yukari, we went by the shinkansen and local train to Nagoya, where she lives. We stayed at the Cypress Hotel, from where Yukari graciously drove us around Nagoya. She also entertained us to dinner at her home, arigato gozaimasu!

We left Nagoya for Tokyo to stay our last night at the eHotel in Shinjuku. By both the JR and subway trains, we explored a bit of Tokyo, taking in the Tsukiji Market, Shibuya, Ginza, and of course Shinjuku.

A local JR train, this one taken at Kurashiki (CNB 2012)

A rather odd looking JR train at Okayama-eki (CNB 2012)

A Tokyo subway train approaches (CNB 2012)

On the 12th April evening we left Tokyo to return to Malaysia with lots of sweet memories - of Japan in the Spring, at cherry blossom time.

Note: (1) A million thanks to SH who meticulously planned and arranged our trip and guided us around a country where we felt quite buta huruf (illiterate) indeed!
          (2) This is an overview of our Japan trip. Please see my other blog entries for more pictures & details.

* flower viewing

Sajak Musim Bunga [i]

                                         suria meluncur di pipi kamo
                                         dan menetaskan putik

                                         di sepanjang dahan sakura,
                                         walau enggan

                                         masih membenar
                                         musim udara baru mencumbuinya.

                                         dirayu, dan panas oleh gadisnya
                                         maka kelopaknya mekar perlahan

                                        dan menyerah kepada pelangi.

                                        musim bunga
                                        turun dari bukit
                                        dan menegur kota.

                                        pohon bangun
                                        sakura pun senyum
                                        dan berasmara dengan cahaya.

                                        kumbang berdengung ke udara
                                        mabuk madu puspa.

Oleh Muhammad Haji Salleh, dipetik dari Salju Shibuya, DBP 2004. Ex Libris CNB 1467
(Gambar Sakura di Ueno Kuen, Tokyo oleh CNB, April 2012)