2016 Japan trip in Spring ( Day 6)

Hey guys~

Basically, I just attended the class every morning and went back home after class.

But! On the 6th day in Japan, my previous host parents came to visit me!!! ✌

Really excited about it because we haven't seen each other for almost a year ~ 

I bought a Japanese fried rice with fried chicken Bento from the shop nearby and quickly dashed back to home. 

Tadaa ~ 

(From the left) my second host daddy, my first host daddy, me, and my first host mummy :D 

*My second host mumy took this pic*

I'm glad that they were doing well and always keep in touch with me! *Touched*

They know I've always loved 喜多方市らーめん (Kitakata Ramen) so they bought me this! 

So sweet of my host parents~ hehe, they even got me some pickles and sliced porks to eat with the ramen. 

The one I got was 醤油ラーメン (sho-yu ramen), which was soy sauce ramen noodles! 

I highly recommend this はすぬま (Ｈasunuma) as the noodles are really smooth and chewy in texture~

With this, you can simply make yourself a perfect bowl of authentic Japanese ramen anywhere and anytime ~

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That's all for my 6th day :D 

See you in the next blog!

2016 Japan trip in Spring (Day 4 & 5) Akihabara 秋葉原

Hi! 

It's me~! I'm back again with the Japan trip for Day 4 & 5! 

Actually, I didn't shop around much on Day 4 because it was the first day of school! 

FYI, I attended a Japanese language institution at Okachimachi  (Intercultural Institute of Japan) for 5 days. 

The entrance of the Intercultural Institute of Japan! (Luckily Kento and I did not get lost)

So, there were 7 floors in total and the reception desk was on the third floor.

After registration, the staff asked me to have an interview (speaking level test?) before they assigned me to the class... *Nervous*

The teacher in the class distributed a textbook and an exercise book( materials for one week). 

The class was really fun and interesting because everyone had to speak in Japanese all the time. 

We made mistakes and we learned from mistakes. 

Little sweets from my classmate during break time! 

I really missed the class schedule in Japan. 

There were 5 slots in 3 hours per day. 

We got to take a 15 minute break between slots, so it was a very relaxing class. 

After class,I had lunch with my classmates, Diana (left) and Max (right).  

The best thing when I travelled was having and enjoying intercultural experience.

Travelling to another country was not solely crossing borders and visiting new places, but a chance to encounter with different people with different cultures, traditions, languages and values.

Making friends with different cultures and communicating with them had made me realize how enriching my experience in another country could be..

Hehe.. Enjoy enjoy~

BTW, do you know this? 

Every train station has its own Eki (train) stamp. 

(Japanese love collection)

 I really aimed to collect all the eki stamps, but I failed to. (I stayed only 8 days, so I was not able to collect all the stamps~Obviously)

I went home early after a quick shopping at Okachimachi on that day.

But, I realized I became a Maiko (lost) during my stay in Japan! 

4 out of 8 days I lost my way back home, no matter day or night. 

As long as I was alone, I couldn't find my way back! 

" Mama, save me. I get lost again"  was the most frequent texts I sent to my host mum. Ha-ha..

So, if you happen to travel to Japan alone for the first time, please make sure you learn basic Japanese (at least you can ask the passersby or the police) and bring maps! 

Day 5 in Akihabara

Akihabara was just one station from Okachimachi.

You can either walk to Akihabara or take Yamanonte Line to Akihabara. 

I went to Akihabara to meet up with my Japanese friend, Azusa san, and her daughter! 

I was really excited to meet them because it has been a while since we met in Malaysia! 

Waiting for Azusa san to pick me up...Well, I get lost again(= - =) 

三田製麺所 

Tadaaa~  We were at this famous つけ麺 (tsukemen) restaurant inside Akiba. 

It was my first time having Ramen cousin, tsukemen. Tsukemen was so called dipping noodles.  (Udon noodles are served with soup separately).

!!!*Thumbs up*!!!

 "きゃああああああ～～～、Ｂlythe~~"

I shopped around Akihabara and I found my blythe!!! This is the doll I have always wanted..

But it was out of budget! *bite handkerchief* 

Also, figurines from Gachapon!!

I could only say this is really a heaven for anime lovers♡

I would spend my whole week here if possible, but I could only spend one day here.. *sob*

Sailor Moon miniature tablet containerヾ(❀╹◡╹)ﾉﾞ

Anyway, I spent two days hanging around Akihabara and Okachimachi!!

There are a lot of shopping malls and traditional markets there. 

Please pay a visit if you happen to go there! 

I'm sure you will love the place..

Hehee...Good day ♡♡♡

2016 Japan trip in Spring (Day 3) Mount Fuji 富士山

He~llo~ Sorry for being late because I have been busy with school lately.

✧*ヾ(｡>﹏<｡)ﾉﾞ✧

Anyway, back to the topic. Haha~

I've shared my first day and second day of Japan trip in my previous posts. ( If you haven't read any, please check it out at my blog (๑¯ω¯๑))

So, today I am sharing the third day in Japan. On that day, my host family and I went to Mt Fuji. 

We headed out quite early in the morning because it took 2 hours ride from Saitama to Mt Fuji.

٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و Oh yeah,  Mt Fuji! 

It is the highest mountain (3776 meters) in Japan. I was really surprised when I saw it from far  because it didn't look real! It was so huge and pretty!

Mama said that spring and fall  were the best seasons for Mt Fuji as the peak of the mountain would be still covered with snow, whereas the places not far from the mountain would be full of flower blossoms or maple trees~

Also, she told me that Mt Fuji was visible at Saitama on a clear day. 

So, there was one day when I was taking the train to Tokyo, surprisingly, I really saw Mt Fuji from far (Still huge,OMGA).

Plum blossoms 

There were actually many good spots to enjoy the beautiful scenery. 

But, we chose Lake Kawaguchi 河口湖 because it was one of the best place to capture the beauty of Mount Fuji from the shore of the lake. 

Also, it  was well developed and most easily accessible by public transports like bus and train.

Probably because it was Sunday, there were so many local tourists and foreign tourists came to Mount Fuji.

Pretty cherry blossoms

With Kento ♡

With mama and Jasmine ♡

Don't think that I was only busy taking pictures!

 I actually did feast my eyes on the beauty of Mt Fuji for a while! 

Just nobody had noticed that.. ヾ(〃l _ l)ﾉﾞ

After that, my host mama brought us to Fuji's oldest shrine, which was 北口本宫富士浅間神社 (Kawaguchi Asama Shrine).

This shrine was built to worship the God of volcanoes, whic was 木花开耶姫命 (Konohanasakuya-Hime). 

People believe that the God will protect his people from volcano eruption.

  Gathering " Power" from the Cedar tree.(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑

After praying,  we headed to the next destination! 

 High-Tea Time~!! 

♡♡♡♡♡Kawakuchiko Cheese CakeGarden♡♡♡♡♡

If you happen to pass by there, please pay a visit! I bet you can't resist them!

 The cheesecakes were really soft and creamy!

We picked  "Fuji Powdery Snow Cheese cake"(top), "Original Cheese Cake"(left) and "I-forgot-the-name Cheese cake"(right).

 We chilled out there for a while and went to a Wine museum beside the cheesecake garden.

We also went to a Gem shop where you can buy pretty jewelries and accessories.

 We came to Kosaku Hoto Kosaku  restaurant for lunch.

The restaurant was big and beautifully decorated.

 Mama said that it was hard to find in Tokyo and it was one of the famous dishes here.

Well, it was also my first time having this too, so I think mama brought us to a right place. 
(Good job, Mama) ٩(●˙▿˙●)۶

豚肉ほうとう ( Pork Houtou).

It was served in an iron pot with flat Udon noodles, veggies, and pork. 

Yum Yum, it is now on my favorite Japanese food list.

•   (*˘︶˘*).:*♡

Closer look! Delicious right~

Itadakimasu! 

After lunch, we walked around and found this perfume shop named 香水の家.

The perfume and perfumed soaps they sell are really attractive.  They sell mostly floral and fruity perfumes!! Smell really nice and special.

 I regret that I did not get one! Really, really regret *sob*

Milk ice-cream at Flower shop

We went home before sunset.(Jasmine already napped for N times, LOL)

It took almost 3 hours to get home because there was a heavy traffic jam >~< 

Really Thank you Kento and mama for driving & bringing me to so many interesting places around Mt. Fuji. 

Initially, I thought we would only spend time seeing Mount Fuji, and have lunch there.

But it turned out to be a wonderful Sunday trip for me! 

Thank you once again! :D

Anyway, it was my D-3 in Japan.

Thank you for reading.