Tokyo, Japan (III - Honeymoon)

December 2005 / January 2006



Tokyo, Japan, I got 2-week time spending there in Tokyo during December 2005 – January 2006. It was really good fun over there since my husband was there, my sister was there, my cousin was there, and I had nothing to worry about. Last couple times, I was traveling with worries due to some emotional troubles. Well, it doesn't mean that those time were not good, they were, but there were just something bothering me occationally durring last both trips.

Talking about this time, we were lucky that my husband was sent to his Tokyo office. I was a follower :P He went there 2 weeks ahead. To stay with him did not mean we did not have to pay. I’m not sure whether in some other countries, the hotels charge per head. In Japan, they do. My experiences, I didn’t. Well, it was fine for that.

Most of my three times spending in Japan were in winter. I didn't choose to visit there in winter, but for some reasons, I had to be there in winter every times. I don't like Coldddd weather...

Alright, I’d better start my tale. This time in Tokyo, we stayed in Hotel Villa Fontaine, Roppongi. *(1) Roppongi is a district of Minato Ward, Tokyo, Japan, chiefly known for its nightlife and the presence of Western tourists and expatriates, although the vast majority of visitors are Japanese. The area features numerous bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and other forms of entertainment including hostess clubs and cabarets.

We daily took a train by using the station that connected right in the hotel. The station looks quite new. *(2) It’s Roppongi-itchome Station - Numboku Line (well, please don’t let me describe all about details :P Follow my link and you would have a clue) It was quite convenient cuz we took only like not over 2 minutes from the station to get into our hotel. Last couple times, I stayed in my cousin’s places which were >1st in Yokohama and 2nd> in Kawasaki. Both are located around Tokyo and it didn’t take long to ride from there to the city. It was also convenient, but it took about 10-15 minutes walk from the station to her place. Sometimes, it took 30 minutes or longer than that cuz I dropped by the shops along the way walking back to her place :P Sometimes bookstore, sometimes restaurant hehe :P

Before I finish this chapter up, if I do not talk about Roppongi landmarks, people would not believe that I really reached there. First is Tokyo Tower which we went for New Year Count Down. We just could not find any other landmark but here which was nearest to our hotel. We had been waiting there for 3 hours outside with 0/-1 degree C till they started counting down. Wait just for shouting 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Happy New Year! Then nothing rather than that. After that we walked back to hotel, dropped by Family Mart and bought some instant noodle :P Hence now I could tell people I had New Year count down at Tokyo Tower, no one of them knows how suffer it was. I hate colddddd. Anyway, we got many nice photos from that spot :) It was packed with teenagers and tourists. Some were crazy, they took out their shirts -_-" walking to show off their bodies on the street.

The other is Roppongi Hills. *(3) Roppongi Hills is a newly multi-purpose complex located in the heart of Roppongi. Called the city that never sleeps, it houses more than 200 stores and restaurants in addition to a hotel, a movie theater complex and a membership library. Its proximity to Ginza and Kasumigaseki, where prestigious shopping and dining establishments and most government offices are located, has assured its status as Tokyo’s new center for business, commerce and entertainment. More Roppongi Hills photos (1) (2)

OK, we can move to the next Chapter now :P

*Source (1): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roppongi
*Source (2): http://www.tokyometro.jp/e/index.html
*Source (3): http://www.knt.co.jp/kokusai/top.htm

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No, Not My Day (@ Mount Jeans Ski Resort, Nasu)

If I'm not wrong, my husband got 5-day New Year holidays so we planned to go out of town for ski like other Japanese do. We did not plan to stay over night since the place we were going to is not far from Tokyo.

Our destination was “Mount Jeans Ski Resort”, Nasu. It took about 2 hours to reach Mount Jeans Ski Resort from Tokyo Station. It took 1.5 hours by *(1) Shinkansen (Japanese Bullet Train - Shinkansen is a high-speed rail system that serves as the core of Japan's rail transportation network. In the almost 40 years since it opened, the Shinkansen network has carried over 6 billion passengers without a single major accident - WOW!!) and 0.5 hour by bus.

His friends went over there for 1 night ahead and met us up the next morning at the bus terminal where I totally had no idea where it was. Why’s that? Because I woke up soooo early. We went out of the hotel at around 5:30 AM. Since the first day in Japan this time, I woke up at noon almost everyday. Not sure why – whether? Time Zone? I only had half day in Japan everyday.

At *(2) Tokyo Station heading to somewhere at the bus terminal that I didn’t know, there were many of Japanese teenager brought along there ski gears. I think this thing might be what most Japanese “must do” lists in their teen hood. For me, I had had no experience on ski, but I almost did at Lake Tahoe, California. My husband is good at ski. He had had not ski for 10+ years so he was so keen for that and he looked forward to leaving out of town. He looked very fresh that morning. Maybe if there was not him that morning, I would have missed to go there :P (Because I might not wake up).

*(2) Tokyo Station (東京駅; -eki) is a train station located in the Marunouchi business district of Tokyo, near the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza commercial district.

* Source (1): http://www.japanrail.com/JR_shinkansen.html
* Source (2): http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/tokyo/tokyo_station.htm

Why was it not my day? – My husband's friends, they went there as a couple. The boyfriend is very good at snowboarding. His girlfriend could do, but not good. They both could do though. When we met, they asked us which one we preferred. My husband definitely chose ski. For me, I just thought that maybe snowboard was cool so I said “of course, take snowboard for me, it looked cooler”. There was a small slope for the snowboard beginner but I did not noticed until I came back down the hill. They (my husband's friends) did not ask whether I wanted to practice it first because that was my first time for snowboarding. We took the lift up to the top of the mountain. Oh man, that was too high (too practice). I practiced snowboarding up there. I didn’t know how to begin. The way to do snowboarding is to put the snowboard across the slope because it can stop. I didn’t! So I slip down and fell miserably. Worse than that, hahaha… I can’t help laughing - sorry, I didn’t tell you that my husband changed his mind to do snowboarding (although he was very keen for ski) and he tried to help me on that so not only me who fell that bad, but both of us fell and rolled by sticking together. I laughed so mad, but other didn’t -_-.

When our (couple) friends went snowboarding by themself. We both were left somewhere at the top of the mountain. I still tried pushing myself able to slide properly. How much I tried, I just could not get it right. While laughing so hard together with trying, I was sliping down again and my body was twisted and the upper and lower part of my body went opposite side since the snowboard was so heavy that I could not easiily get it to the proper way. Oh my godddd, I hurt my knees finally. Right that moment, I stop laughing and all along the way back to the bottom of the mountain, I was so upset.

Want to know how I and my hubby went down? We both just carried our snowboards and walked down the moutain whereas most of the people all around the area are happily playing their ways. Shame on me. My hubby had to return his snowboard and hired ski gear, then went ski while I was waiting for him down there. poor huh?

We planned to go some hotsprings in Nasu but time did not permit so we went for dinner at Nasu Kanya restaurant right away. The place was good and the food was great.

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Japan Photo Gallery (Set I)














Japan Photo Gallery (Set II)










*Thank you (1) www.flickr.com
* Thank you (2) www.webshots.com

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All You Can Eat