Internet Cafes In Japan

Many friends from here who are planning to visit Japan had asked me - if there were internet cafes in Japan - and I had to assure them that they will be able to find plenty of them around Japan - especially in Tokyo.  Most internet cafes in Japan are opened 24 hrs like this one - and they are cheap too - with food and drinks to offer to customers. If you are a manga lover - or prefer to watch a dvd - you can find it all in these internet cafes.

While internet cafe didn’t take off as well here - in Japan it is a culture.

Big On Manga

Japan is a nation that is huge on Manga and anime - what am I talking about? Manga are actually comic like magazines that are sought after big time not only within Japan - people here in the West collects them too.  Now that manga are in English - even the Westerners who are working in japan buys them or follow their convention really closely.  Manga are not only for the young - but middle age men and women are seen reading them just about everywhere in Japan.  The Manga in Japan are quite explicit and not your friendly comic like Archie - so if you are thinking of getting your children into Manga - just be careful.   Manga is said to billions of dollars industry in Japan.

Snoopy Town In Osaka

I’m a big fan of Snoopy and Peanuts - so when I saw this in Osaka - this is even better than Disneyland - alot ot shop for here.  Some of the things you see here are not sold anywhere else.  Check out their snoopy marshmallows before you leave.  Snoopy Town is located at 5-15 Kakuda-cho, Kita-ku Hep Five 4F 530-0017 Osaka.

This Snoopy Town is located in Harajuku - not taken by me - but by my best friend.

A huge Snoopy inflatable to show people where Snoopy Town is in the mall.

Snoopy Town in Yokohama

Wished i could bring a big snoopy home like this one.

Some snoopy snacks for the kids and some adults too.

Living The Green Life In Japan

In Japan most couples and family lives in very small spaces but they managed to live as green as possible and my dear friend who is in Japan was so intrigue by Muji’s new product - she was going to re-do her apartment to be more green.  Now I would love to be in a place looking like that too wouldn’t you?  With my Lecteurs MP3 , I could sit all day in the house and enjoy a good morning or reading a book.  So very simple - yet so livable.  I particularly love the 2 hanging greens - great for a sheltered patio or even the gazebo don’t you think?  As busy as the japanese are - hurried most times - getting from one point to another - they make time to do stuff like enjoying the environment - I’ve never seen any one who enjoys as much picnic as the Japanese.  I love the way they look at life itself.

Dorayaki Japanese Pancakes

I so missed the Dorayaki from Japan !  unlike the ones we get in different parts of Asia - the best Dorayaki are the ones that is really thin and filled with lots of red bean paste.  You see the dessert on the left - that is another unique Japanese dessert - it’s like jello the white stuff but without any taste to it - the taste comes from the brown sugar that fills half the bowl.  Of course, you have the famous red bean paste and some tangerines.  The Dorayaki is loved by both young and old in Japan - plus the Dorayaki is made famous by the creator of Doraemon - the fat blue cat because the creator loved eating Dorayaki.

Comfortable Mexican In Japan

Yay!! i finally remembered the name of the Mexican place in Japan!!!  I kept thinking for the longest time what the name was - and it was at the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t - in the name of God - named it. And then I found a picture of the restaurant in a very old album when I was re-organizing my closet.   Junkadelic - was the name of the restaurant we went to - one time - and it was pretty good Mexican by Japan standard. We had some margaritas of course but non-alcoholic - and the guacamole and some beef fajitas.  Love the lights at Junkadelic and the menu is in English if you are wondering - and the wait staff were very pleasant - didn’t speak perfect english - but who was there to judge right -  so if you are in Tokyo for a long time and want some tex-mex - check out Junkadelic.

Japan Wins Asian Cup

Japan won many Asian Cup trophies - in fact 4 altogether and the last one from Qatar when  Japan played Australia in the final of the Asian Cup 2011. The game went into over time. Japan scored an amazing goal to clinch the title. The goal was scored by Lee who is of Korean ancestry and became a Japanese citizen in 2007.  Japans soccer team has grabbed my attention since the World Cup 2010. I think if they continue playing like they are you will see a lot more Japanese soccer players around the world.  Japan came home with the trophy - and a huge celebration - I read.

Cosmic Clock Yokohama

The new Cosmos Clock 21 grew about 7.5 meters to reach a towering 112 meters. The wheel with a diameter of 100 meters totes 60 eight-person gondolas. It might be fun to compare Cosmos Clock 21 with its 115-meter-tall rival that opened in Tokyo’s Rinkai Fuku-toshin in early March. Although the wheel ultimately lost its “world’s tallest” status to Tokyo, at its opening, Cosmos Clock 21 won a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for height, capacity and the clock in its center. In these three categories, our wheel was No. 1 in the world.

Ice Waterfall Festival

At this time of the year - the best place to be in Japan has got to be Hokkaido - the Sounkyo Hyoubaku Matsuri or the Ice Waterfall festival is a very colorful place to be.  I loved it - it wasn’t like the musical fountain but 10,000 sq meter of flatland by the river is used to display pillar of colorful ice and ice tunnels and even domes.  If you visit during the weekend - they may even have fireworks as well but remember to dress really warm and don’t miss the Sounkyo Hyoubaku Matsuri.

Japan Red Light District

Although I love Japan very much - I cannot say that much about the seedier part of Japan - the red light district.  Kabukicho is known as Tokyo’s red light district and here - it comes alive mostly during the Friday and Saturday nights. Kabukicho is said to house more than 300 sex shops, about 200 clubs and 80 hotels or more and 100s of bars and eatery.  From sex toys or blown up dollies  to  male enhancement reviews can be found there.  If you choose to bring your English businessman in suite to see some naked girls swimming in a huge tub - you can do that too.  I’ve only been there once - when I first arrived out of curiosity - but Japan never fail to amaze me - as conservative as they are - they have the wild and immoral side too.