Latest Fashion Trend In Japan

While everyone associates pearls with Japanese ladies - this year the  teardrop beads are commonly seen amongst the younger generation and the trendiest for the lot in shinjuku.  Every Japanese that I’ve come across are always so well-dressed and absolutely well maintained and they may not have gone for facials every month or a manicure and pedicure but they look immaculate.  Every strain of hair is in their proper places.

So whenever I go on vacation to Japan - the first thing I look out for are their accessories and fashion - and bring some home with me - and show off as well.  Not many people around here can find the same quality of accessories or clothing - so I’m grateful that I get to travel to Japan for work and vacation all the time.

New For Valentine In Japan

Photo credit :  Tokyofashion.com

Valentine’s Day  in Japan 2012 is very popular in Japan but this is not just because you get chocolates, flowers and gifts - because in Japan, they celebrate it differently.  Now like I said before on Valentine’s day in Japan - it’s only the women who give chocolate to let the man she likes or is interested in know her feelings and then the men in Japan will recipocrate on White Day on the 14 March only in Japan and created by Japanese with gifts of chocoalate and jewelry box gifts to the one he might be interested in.   As bizarre as it may seems - on Valentine’s day - you can see woman from all over japan flocking into chocolate stores, candy stores and also flower stores to buy gifts for the men. Japanese are known for being meticulous and not worry about spending money to buy the right gifts.

Pool Party For Christmas

While I missed the pool and bbq parties back home where the children can play around the pool safely because of having swimming pool fencing. We can do this here I mean the pool fencing  - but since it is Winter, no one will be having a pool party here.   But I do remember having pool parties in Japan in friend’s home with a pool and hot tub. As I watch their holiday photos on Facebook, I have to say that I’m quite tempted to visit them next Christmas too - to enjoy the sun and the pool. I think I really missed the outdoor pool a lot and the sun tanning one can do when I lived and traveled around Asia. Sure we have our pools here - but we can only use it during the summer and summer isn’t that hot either but yes, we do have the fencing too put around the pool because the kids are always playing outside and we have to make sure that they don’t go in there when they are alone without an adult. Plus, we have younger kids who comes and visit with their siblings and we all know how engrossed kids get when they are playing and they forget their younger ones - so now that we have the fence put up - we don’t have to worry about one falling into the pool when we are not watching. But I could definitely use some pool party right about now.

Hotel Ryumeikan In Japan, Tokyo

We stayed at the Ryumeikan Hotel for only 2 days - and when we first booked it - we didn’t really think that it was a boutique hotel - looking at its picture - but we were quite wrong.  The entrance of the hotel was quite plain as you can see here - but the inside was pretty decent and some rooms I were told later that they even had those clawfoot tubs that I loved.

Unfortunately, my room didn’t have the clawfoot tub but it was still a very nice tub - if I may say so myself.  Not the conventional tub and I prefer the oval shaped tub a lot better.  I liked the open concept window where I can enjoy the night light of tokyo while i enjoy a soak after a long day of shopping or working.

For the smaller room - they don’t have such a big washing area but still a very nice one - and I wouldn’t mind having a smaller wash area as long as I have one of those clawfoot tubs.

Love the room - they gave us a king size bed - but I didn’t quite like the carpeting as you can see in this picture.  But definitely loved the desk though - one can work comfortably here.

This is the upper lobby lounge of the hotel - you can have a drink here and meet up with your guests or just relax for the evening.  It is also the place where you can check in - and if you have luggage - you need to lug it up yourself.  The hotel is only 5 mins away from the train station and I loved it - very convenient to go anywhere downtown. The rates were good - so if you are in Tokyo - and want to stay comfortably - you may want to check out this hotel.

Getting Married In Japan

So I have a lot of American girlfriends who are married or getting married to Japanese men - now why is that so I teased them ?  but yes ! it’s not uncommon these days - so many Canadians and American women go to Japan for exchange programs and many goes there for teaching and other kind of work.  So when my closest friend’s daughter wrote and told me she is getting married to a Japanese man - I wasn’t really surprised.

So what is the procedure for an American to get married in Japan - I was asked.  Well, besides first getting your partner rings there are some things you have to be made aware of if you want to get married in Japan and be legally recognized so I was told.   In Japan - they called it the civil registration - and you can do it in a Japanese municipal government office.  But of course, you can have the traditional Japanese celebration and the modern Japanese - they do it in church too - but the only legal way to get married is in the government office.

Aerosmith Japan Tour 2011

For those who wants to catch the Aerosmith Japan Tour 2011 - you still got a few more days before the tour ends.  The band started their tour in Japan in late November and has 8 dates to their concert and tomorrow the legendary band plays in Nagoya - Japan.  Aerosmith bass player Tom Hamilton  was said to have bought a special Fender Precision Bass for this tour and why not right?  since his first bass guitar was a Fender Precision - one that he borrowed from a friend - so he said in an interview and he later bought it from his friend.  Of course, now he doesn’t have to buy it from a friend nor borrow a Fender Precision because he can afford any Fender Precision Bass.  Anyhow, it’s an honor to be able to see this legendary band play - so for those who are in Japan - go see them - in Nagoya or Sapporo.

Disney Hotels

For those who’ve been to any disney hotels you know that you would love the ones in Japan too - I’ve compared the ones in Japan to the ones in USA - and they are definitely from the same brand of hotels.  From the restaurants to the service - to the room decor and furnishing plus not forgetting the cute mickey mouse toileteries.

My kid loved the toileteries so much, she asked if we could buy some home - which we did - but we didn’t need to buy them - the housekeeping department was so nice - they gave her some to take home.  The hotels service was good - and the restaurants were definitely catered for children.

Look at the Mickey mouse pancake and you will see how thrilled a kid can get in the morning for breakfast - and even for a fussy eater like mine - she woke up the next day - and dressed up in a hurry to have her mickey mouse pancake again.  We always have a good time in any Disney hotels - be it in USA or in Japan or anywhere around the world.  I’m glad we stayed within the Disney grounds every time we are in Disney for a vacation.

Meticulous Work With Japanese

If you’ve been to Japan - you know how meticulous japanese are - whatever they do - in regards to eating - preparing food - wrapping of presents and even with presenting a report or giving a speech - everything is done so professionally - one has got to admire them for being so meticulous.  Although, we cannot be compared to the Japanese work ethic - I know that we could use a report designer for our report presentation to our bosses which I had picked up when I was working in Japan.   But it’s not only the Japanese who worked with report designer now - here in the West a lot of us - use the report designer now - for all our business presentations and other sales report.  I’m happy that I’ve learned all the good stuff from my Japanese co-workers in Japan many years ago - and was able to bring this knowledge home with me.

Health Plan For Spinal Injury

My girlfriend who’ve migrated to Japan many years ago - is coming back to the United States because there is no health plan for spinal injury in Japan to have her surgery done in United States instead.   In fact, she prefers to have it done in America because now there is this laser spinal surgery which is said to be less invasive - and I cannot agree with her more.  If she needed to pay for that spinal injury/surgery - she might as well get it where she knows she is in good hands and less invasive is definitely best.   She said she can get back to Japan sooner than she she would have been - if it was done in Japan.  So I’m looking forward to hearing all about her laser spinal surgery, it can be hard if you are living in chronic pain from the spinal - I do have a little pain - not chronic - so I can understand what she is going thru’.

Gift For Japanese Host Family

A friend from Canada is going to Japan to teach English - for a year - she will be staying with a host family in Japan during that time.  So she wanted to know what to bring as gift to the host family for allowing her to stay with them rent free.  I’m thinking that this is part of the program in Japan - for bringing foreign teachers to teach for a year - so any gifts would be great and Japanese are usually grateful for your kind thoughts - they don’t really worry about the cost of the gift.  But since there are a few guys in the family - I suggested some padron cigar that she can get at a very reasonable price - and I know some Japanese loved their cigars.   Well, most men love cigars - and I do love the smell of it - I find them less offensive - as compared to cigarette.  So if you are sending gifts to a host family - try the padron cigars.