Wednesday 30 September 2015

Ueno Park Cherry Blossom Sightseeing Tokyo Japan

Ueno Park Cherry Blossom Sightseeing Tokyo Japan. This is the best place in Tokyo to see the cherry blossom trees in spring.

Thursday 24 September 2015

Roasted eel to help make babies

This is a great food to help improve your vitality. It can really increase your chances of making children. Roast it in the oven for a few minutes until crispy, and then serve on top of steamed rice.

Monday 21 September 2015

Water Shot Ride Suma Aquarium Kobe Japan

After you finish the Aquarium tour, enjoy some rides at the amusement park with your children. There are many rides such as the merry-go-round, Balloon Cycle, Anpanman Train, and the Water shot ride among others. The fee for each ride is 200 or 300 yen.

3 Wise Monkeys at Sumadera Kobe Japan 須磨寺

The three wise monkeys are called sanzaru in Japanese. They represent the Buddhism principles of "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". Please watch the video to see the monkeys cover their eyes, ears and mouth.

The Sumadera temple belongs to the Shingon Buddhism sect and was founded in 886 AD. It is my favorite religious place in Kobe.

Saturday 19 September 2015

The Sylvanian Kangaroo Family

I bought this Sylvanian Kangaroo Family for my daughter in Australia. We had fun making this video together. Watch the kangaroo family eat dinner together. This is a great video to teach kids about love between family members. Please visit Japan Daily Fun Facts to learn about the history and origin of the Sylvanian Family. There are subtitles for deaf people in the following languages.
Subtitles in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Thai and Vietnamese.



Friday 18 September 2015

Monday 14 September 2015

Surfing In Shonan Japan

Shonan is a famous stretch of surfing coastline in Japan. There are a variety of reef, beach and point breaks to surf. It is only big in a south swell, usually from a typhoon. The beaches consist of coarse black volcanic sand. This day just after the end of the typhoon season the waves were quite small. However still great for longboarding. To get here simply take the JR train from Tokyo to Shichirigahama Station. The beach is only 5 minutes walk from the train station.

Disney Sea Halloween Show Chiba

Halloween is nearly upon us again. Disney Sea located next to Tokyo Disney land in Tokyo bay currently has a Halloween show to see. It is just a short train ride on the JR line from tokyo to Chiba city.

Friday 11 September 2015

The Japan Bus Pass

A cheap way to travel between cities is to purchase the Japan Bus Pass. The Japan Bus Pass is for long distance travel in Japan for budget travelers. It allows you to travel to many cities in Japan by bus on the Willer Express network. 

 


Three or five day passes are available for use only by temporary visitors to Japan. The ticket can be used on any days of your choice within two months from the date of purchase. The ticket must be purchased online before you enter Japan at: http://willerexpress.com. A three day ticket is 10,000 yen and a five day ticket is 15,000 yen. 

If you plan your use of it effectively, it can reduce the cost of transportation to ridiculously low levels. The pass is a very good offer since it can be used on non-consecutive days and because overnight travel also reduces the cost for accommodation.


Willer's bus network is based around Japan's two major cities Tokyo and Osaka, connecting you with smaller cities across Japan. Check for terms and conditions before you purchase, as it is not valid for use on Japanese public holidays, so plan your trip carefully. Seat reservations are required for each ride, and can be made online up to one hour before departure.

Willer Express offer overnight and daytime long distance buses services. If you just want a one way ticket from Osaka to Tokyo it is only 3500 yen. It can go up to as much as 5490 yen on Japanese public holidays, so avoid travelling at these times. 

Tuesday 8 September 2015

Amalfi Dolce Cafe Shichirigahama

This is the best place to eat ice cream by the beach in Shichirigahama after a long day cycling. The shop is on the second level, offering a wonderful view of the coastline. On the outside of the shop there is an interesting ancient Hawaiian catamaran.

Cycling in Shonan

Cycling is a fun way to see the coastline of Japan. Bicycles are available for hire in Shichirigahama Shonan. Here is one of the smallest shops in Japan hiring bicycles. Simply catch the JR train from Tokyo and walk 5 minutes to the beach to find a bike hire  shop.

Cheap Alcohol Japan

Alcohol in Japan is much cheaper than in western countries. Here is a bottle of Suntory whiskey for under 1000 yen. Higher quality whiskeys sell for about 2000 yen per bottle. Avoid buying alcohol in airport duty free shops. Supermarkets in Japan are cheaper.

Yokohama Free Space




Despite Japan being a crowded place to live, large cities still have some empty land. Here is a large undeveloped block of land in the bay area of Minatomirai Yokohama. Minatomirai is one of the best areas to live in Japan. Many of Japan's top companies have their coporate headquarters located in this area.

Port of Yokohama Logo



These distinct blue Port of Yokohama logos are 
 found on sidewalks all over the Minatomirai area. It was Japan’s first port to trade with foreigners.

Dock Garden Park Yokohama


 

The port of Yokohama once had a thriving ship building industry. At the Dock yard garden there is a surviving ship yard to visit. It is called Number 2 Dock. The stone wall of the dock has quite unique looking stones that contain an assortment of colors. Afterwards you can head over to the hard rock cafe for lunch, which is located just across the street.

Landmark plaza Minatomirai Yokohama

The  Landmark plaza in Minatomirai Yokohama is a multi storey  shopping complex. It is the best place to shop in the bayside area. There are hundreds of retail shops including fashion and food. Furthermore at the top of the building is the famous Sky Garden. It was the highest Observatory in Japan up until the opening of Abeno Harukas in Osaka. 


Sunday 6 September 2015

Grape Picking In Kofu Yamanashi

Kofu City has some great tourist farms to take children grape picking. There are bus tours that will take you there. Just go early to avoid the traffic back to Tokyo.

Kofu City Grapes
Kofu City Grapes
Kofu City Grapes
Kofu City Grapes
Bus tour from Tokyo to Kofu Grape Farm
Bus tour from Tokyo to Kofu Grape Farm
Traffic Jam Tokyo Japan
Traffic Jam Tokyo Japan

Friday 4 September 2015

Fuji Xerox Headquarters Minatomirai Yokohama

Fuji Xerox headquarters are located in the famous harborside area of Minatomirai Yokohama. The building is an architectural masterpiece, featuring a cylindrical shape and mirrored windows. Many other multi national companies are located in this area. It is a great area for architectural photography.

Fishing At Pacifico Minatomirai Yokohama

Pacifico park and harbor foreshore in Minatomirai is a quiet area to relax from the busy lifestyle of Yokohama. It is also a nice place to excercise or enjoy a picnic. Furthermore at the harbor side there are fishing facilities. Many elderley people enjoy fishing here. The park is also visited by groups of school children on weekdays.

Thursday 3 September 2015

Nissan Car Museum Minatomirai Yokohama

At Nissan headquarters in Minatomirai Yokohama, there is a small car museum. All of Nissan's most popular models are on display, dating back to the 1950's. There are pretty young ladies to guide you on a tour of the cars. There is also a race car for the children to play in. Racing suits are provided for children to dress up. The best part about this tour is that it is completely free!