Many friends asked me where to go shopping for  external hard drive when they are planning for trips to Japan or where the best Ramen or sushi places they can go to, but rarely do people asked about taking nature walks or going hiking in Tokyo.  For those who are planning to stay in Japan for longer than a month - you must not miss taking in the sights and scenery one of the most beautiful nature walk in Tokyo - Mt Takao.   I was told that going during the late spring is the best because of the fresh and bright greenery and the many different kind of flowers you can find there.  It is also the best weather to go for hiking.

]]> http://www.akiodesigns.com/2010/03/nature-walk-in-tokyo/feed/ http://www.akiodesigns.com/2010/03/making-japan-your-home/ http://www.akiodesigns.com/2010/03/making-japan-your-home/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:26:53 +0000 Sumiko Wannabe http://www.akiodesigns.com/?p=1227

Japan is one of the most beautiful place that I’ve lived in but it had to be one of the most expensive too.  A friend who is currently in Japan asked if it was feasible to invest in a house since he just got married to a Japanese girl.   He wanted to know if he needed a  credit report to buy a house - so I wrote back to let him know that it’s a tricky thing when it comes to investing in a house.

First, it’s expensive if you don’t know by now to live in Japan - and it is not the house that is expensive - it is the land!  Unlike here in Canada or the States where land is aplenty - it’s a rare commodity in Japan. Getting a loan is not impossible - I think a certain bank does good on the loan for permanent resident. Houses however depreciate over time. The key some believe is to buy land and house which is a little older – perhaps one which has a zero yen value on it but also one which is in very good condition – you must afterall live in it.  The myth about needing to get the wife to own the house is not true - so don’t let the outlaws make you believe that.  Good luck!

The tsunami warning issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center includes parts of Central and South America, New Zealand, Russia, Japan, the Philippines, Hawaii and a number of Pacific islands.  When my friend from Japan wrote about it on her facebook - i cannot helped but put away my reading of spring plungers and went online to check about the upcoming disaster and tragedy.

“Sea level readings confirm that a tsunami has been generated which could cause widespread damage,” reads a bulletin issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. “Authorities should take appropriate action in response to this threat.”

The Center issued specific warnings for the entire state of Hawaii, saying the first wave of a tsunami could hit at 11:19 a.m. local time.

In Japan, broadcaster NHK quoted experts who predicted a tsunami could hit Japan in less than 24 hours, and could be tens of centimetres high. In 2001, a tsunami that hit Japan after an 8.4-magnitude earthquake near Chile measured 28 centimetres.

We love the Japanese women - they are all so beautiful and petite and reading www.skinidreviews.com makes me wonder what else the Japanese women would go to - just to stay petite from head to toe.  For example I hear of a unique J-Body resculpting massage technique that is supposed to shape and shift your bones to make it smaller.  Japanese women also focus on shrinking other parts of their bodies, even their faces, with this face mask in the drugstore’s body-shrinking section.

I’ve written a lot about Akihabara, a popular tourist destination for both visitors who are on vacation and those from other parts of Japan as well.  But now you can listen to a guided tour from Tokyo Realtime that sells from $12, this  seo software is a narration of the cultural insights and sounds of Tokyo/Akihabra on CD.  Pretty interesting if you asked me.   All you have to do is to transfer the audio program to a mp3 player, which includes a map and you are ready to go on your walking tour with it. You’ll visit all the must-see shops, gain historical knowledge, cultural insights and learn insider jargon like otagei, moé, itasha and more.

Oh boy! the best friend in Japan just told me that she saw Susan Boyle performed in Japan during the New Year celebration.  Now how could I have missed that one!  but Susan Boyle is definitely going places - i bet she didn’t think she would be traveling to Asia in this lifetime eh.  She did look good and seems very happy but she must be using the best under eye creams because she sure didn’t have those luggage under her eyes like the ones she had when she was in the singing contest.  She sang I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables in a NHK programme - which celebrated its 60th anniversary with the most popular singers of the year but most of the guests were Japanese.

So Valentine’s day came and went in Japan and like usual - it’s the men who gets to received all sorts of presents and chocolate goodies.  It is quite a big deal in Japan too because the crazy gals can shower love to the guys they had been eyeing at for a long time and haven’t had a chance to tell them.  So this is the best way to show them that you are interested in them - the girls gets their share a month later.  So if you are thinking of getting a blackhead extractor for your girlfriend in Japan - wait for a month eh on the White Day - that’s what it is called.

Krispy Kreme is not the only famous donut place in Tokyo - there is another place for special donuts like the ones above - it’s the Barieta Donuts.  The blueberry creme cheese one has creme cheese in the middle and glace with blueberry on top - now who can resist that right?  When i stayed in Japan - I’m always envious of my co-workers because they are all super slim and they eat stuff like that all the time - i bet they have some secret diets for quick weight loss that they weren’t sharing though.  While the rest of us grew fatter and bigger - they stayed so petite .. you wanna shake them around a bit at times.. hahahha!  So yes - if you are in Tokyo - try ou the Barieta Donut.

Japan is an amazing place - recently I found out that my girlfriend who had Anchorage homes for sale went to Japan for a long break.  She had called to ask where she must visit.  In which i replied the Okinawa Churami Aquarium. It is also known for being the world’s second largest aquarium behind the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

The aquarium is made up of four-floors, all sorts of sea creatures can be found there - from tropical fishes to sharks and coral and it hold up to a total of 77 tanks.  Water for the saltwater exhibits is pumped into the aquarium from 350m offshore 24 hours a day.

The main tank called the “Kuroshio Sea” holds 7,500-cubic meters (1,981,290 gallons) of water and features the world’s second largest acrylic glass panel, measuring 8.2 meters by 22.5 meters with a thickness of 60 centimeters. Whale sharks and manta rays are kept amongst many other fish species in the main tank.

I was pretty worried about some friends who are living in Japan permanently when i read about the Earthquake that hit japan on today.  For those who are not aware of this.. Japan is a country very prone to Earthquake - some 10 years ago,  an earthquake in Kobe killed thousands.  Even if everyone in Japan had a car with gps i doubt they can get out to safety quick enough.  I love Japan .. but mother nature is not at all kind to this country.   This time I heard a Tsunami warning was issued but was lifted shortly after an hour later.   My friends are safe..  for now .. but what about the next time.