Need to Make a Phonecall?

 

A really ancient-looking phone booth outside the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.

Spotted this dilapidated phone booth in Takayama, Gifu.

A Walk in the Clouds

This is the view from my window when I was on the plane on my way to Tokyo last Septwmber 9, 2014, one day after my 26th birthday. God beautifully sculpted the clouds to welcome me as I pass by towards the land of my new beginning. 

Cookies from my Student

        One of my students, a retired old man, in my English class today brought me some really yummy cookies from Tully's. How nice of him to remember me before he came to class. The last time, he gave me a really cute Disney Towel featuring Minnie and Mickey Mouse as a souvenir because we thought it was going to be the last time I'd teach his class. Unexpectedly, he became my student again in another class. 

          

          The Japanese people might seem shy and stoic some time, but I tell you, there are a lot of nice, thoughtful ones out there.

The View of Tokyo from Mt. Takao

Outside the Palace Courts

guardhouse in edo castle

This beautiful traditional Japanese architecture greets you at the gate of the Imperial Palace. Every year, during Emeperor Akihito's birthday on December 23, the palace gates are opened to the public and the emperor makes a public appearance.

FilJap's Magazine's February

          My article published on FilJap magazine's February issue titled, "When Women Make the Move: Valentine's Day in Japan," is out now! To see the online version of the issue, please click here or here.

A Potential Horror Scene?

 

     The sight of empty trains comforts me.

     Riding jampacked trains everyday is always a hassle, this is why, getting on an empty train relaxes me. Although, I have to warn you that this is a very rare occasion. It only happens if I am traveling in a very unholy hour (like very early in the morning -when I say "very early," it literally means "very early" like taking the first train at about 5:00 in the morning). It also depends on which train line I am using. There are train lines that are jampacked as early as the first train and I hate taking them. I love taking the local train to and from Kotesashi, Saitama because the trains, no matter what time of the day it is, are usually almost empty. 

     There is a sense of peace in riding an empty train, a sense of solitude, a sense of comfort. But at same time, it instigates a sense of fear too. Because being in an empty train is so rare (at least to me), it appears like a potential setting for a Japanese horror scene, doesn't it? In a moment like this, the protagonist is sitting all alone on an empty train. A bloody girl starts crawling on the ceiling of the train as tiny red drops of blood fall on the untarnished silver floor. When a drop falls right in front of the protagonist's feet, she wonders what it is and then slowly looks up and finds the bloody girl dangling upside down from the ceiling with her disheveled hair swaying right in front of the protagonist's face. 

     Sounds like a good scene? The next time you ride an empty train in Japan, do not let your guards down. It might be a comforting sight, but it could be something else.

    

Mulled Wine on a Snowy Night

 

          It was snowing hard in Tokyo so my friends and I were all stuck in the dorm. While the snowstorm was blazing outside, we were watching Frozen and eating a steaming bowl of instant noodles! After that, we went out and walked on the snow-covered streets and took a random video of ourselves. To top it all, we ended the day with a tasty cup of mulled wine! How good can a snowy day get? These simple pleasures of life are totally priceless. These are the things that I will totally miss when I move out of the dorm. Warm friends warm the heart.

Finally Here: Waseda Vs. Keio Baseball Match

 

     This is the moment when it struck me that yes, I am finally living my dream. 

     It has been my dream for the longest time to study at Waseda University. It took me six long years of tormenting wait, frustration and internal battle to finally fulfill it. I only used to like and reblog Waseda photos on Tumblr before, silently praying in my heart to be a part of it one day. But during this moment, when I was there to watch the Waseda Vs. Keio baseball match for the first time, I was singing and cheering for Waseda, not just as a fan, not just as an aspirant, but finally as a student. 

     At that moment, while belting out the Waseda hymn, I realized that finally, the dream had come true. I was watching the match with my own two eyes and taking photos with my own camera. And now, I'm posting this photo on my own blog and not just reblogging someone else's.

     *** To read my article on the Waseda Vs. Keio Match originally published in Pinoy Gazette, the pioneering Filipino newspaper in Japan, please see this online link.

A Reminder of God's Promises

 

     This beautiful rainbow reminded me that God is a God of fulfilled promises.

     God made the rainbow as a covenant to man that never again will he destroy the earth with flood. For thousands of years, he has fulfilled this promise and he continues to do so. This rainbow is not only a reminder of this promise but a reminder that God never breaks his promises. Ever. 

Places to Visit in Tokyo: The Official Giants Store

          I chanced upon the Official Giants Store when I went to the Tokyo Sky Tree, and oh boy, I totally went crazy upon seeing it! The fangirl in me literally went nuts at the sight of the words, "Official Giants Store." Who would have thought that this fiery orange store is actually a shop selling all kinds of merchandise related to one of Japan's strongest baseball teams, the Yomiuri Giants. At first glance, this shops looks like a toy store to me, or maybe a franchise of some hyaku yen store. Good thing, my senses were good enough to immediately process what it really is.

 

     

          At the entrance of the store is this large board with information and news about some of the members of the team. The board is even designed with these cute hearts as Valentine's Day lurks around the corner. 

          Also on display are some of the trophies won by the Giants in the recent years. A few autographed baseball bats are also on sale but I did not bother to check how much they cost because they might cause me my whole fortune!

          There are a lot of different merchandise in the store ranging from the more popular ones like the Giants uniform and gym bag to the smallest ones like key chains. There are also uchiwas, stuffed toys, pencils, bookmarks, post-its, name it, they have it. I honestly cannot remember all of them. There are so many cute stuff I honestly don't know what to buy! I just decided to bring home a plastic folder for souvenir, which cost me only Y315 yen. Of course, it features my favorite Giant, Sakamoto Hayato # 6!

Tokyo Sky Stree

High and Mighty

      Walking to a friend's house in Kinshicho provided me with an opportunity to say hello to the Tokyo Sky Tree.

An Afternoon at Cafe VG

    The company of my favorite notebooks, colorful pens and a cup of coffee never fails to zap me into another world especially when I am in a cafe as nice as this. I was on my way home from Waseda University when I chanced upon this coffee shop, Cafe VG. I do not usually take this route to the station, but since I went to the Takata Library, I had to take this street.

     I found this random cafe while walking from Waseda University to Takadanobaba Station. It is a hidden gem, in a literal sense, because the cafe is along the road, but cannot be easily spotted. Would you believe it, this beautiful cafe is hidden behind a tall wooden fence! The only evidence of its existence is a small signboard on the side of the road that bears its name and its operating hours. On the side of the road is a large vacant lot (I can't remember if it's a parking space or just an empty spot waiting to be useful). On the side is a very narrow pathway that leads to the cafe behind the fence. As soon as you set foot on the stone path, you can sense how much the owner loves pets because it is designed with these little paw prints(the stones are so cute you wouldn't want to step on them).

     At the door of the cafe, a cute orange dog statue welcomes you with this "open" sign. From the window you can take a peek at the cute counter lined with bottles of wine (i think?). As I open the door, a loud bark greeted me from a very adorable, curly haired black and white dog (I don't know what breed it is though, sorry!). It has a bright yellow collar and a stylish dog shirt on.

     
Outside the cafe are some tables, which would have been a nice place to hangout at during summer, but maybe not in a cold winter day like this.

     The interior of the cafe is very lovely! The cafe looks like an old log cottage. All the furniture are made of wood. I am so much into wooden furniture, so I totally dig this place. The photos in this post fall short in showing how lovely it is (please see this link for a more video of the place). I also like the fact that each table is partnered with mismatched chairs.I found beauty in that variation.

     I also love the displays in the cafe. They put these intricate details that create such a vintage-like feel. I love those old postcards and vintage telephone. I was tempted to play with them the whole time I was there!

 

     The menu is also designed with some cute paw prints and dog photos. I ordered the VG Blend, which costs around Y500. It seems like an ordinary black coffee at first look, but it tastes different. There is a distinct flavor that stings your taste buds, which I honestly didn't like. For me, it tastes sour (or something close to that effect). I was only able to finish half of the cup. I would love to try the other kinds of coffee next time I visit, maybe I would love them better.  

     This is indeed an unexpected find as I walked along a route I don't usually take. I enjoyed hanging around the cafe for several hours especially when English dance hits (from J.Lo and Miley Cyrus) are playing in the background.  The owners of the shop (a couple, I think) are also very hospitable in attending to my needs. I guess, I will keep on coming back to this cafe, especially, when I have tons of books to read or papers to finish.

Tokorozowa, My Home Station

     I took a photo of this simple because I just want to remember that "once, I lived here."

Snow Outside my Window

It is my first time to see snow falling outside my window.

    

         I had been to a snowboarding trip to Niigata a month ago, so technically, this is not the first time that I actually saw some snow. The experience is totally different though. Going to a place to see snow makes you feel like you don't own the snow there.  It feels like you just borrowed a moment in time to experience the snow. But seeing the small white flakes fall beautifully right outside the window of your room gives you a surreal feeling, contrary to how natural the falling of the snow appears to be. The snow is falling right outside my window, not in some other place that I have to go and visit. It is falling right on right on top of my roof, just outside my balcony, out on my street in front of me. This time, tt is definitely mine to claim for all I want. This gives me a sense of ownership to the snow, to the experience.

        I honestly had no plans to go out today, but since it is snowing, I went out and let the flakes stain my purple coat and hot pink uggs. The simple pleasures of life make us realize how blessed are. We don’t need grand moments, just a quiet simple moment like this, and you realize how blessed you are for being able to see something as beautiful and as natural as this all for free.

On the Other side of Nishi-Waseda

     Today i tried walking on the other side of Nishi-Waseda. It is less crowded and a lot more peaceful than the road I usually take to the station, which is always filled with students walking and biking, trying to move past one another in a hurry. This other side is less commercial, not totally residential but there are mostly mansions and less stores. And today, for the first time in four months, i finally saw the Toden Arakawa Line, one of the few remaining streetcars in Japan.

Going Thai

     My friends and I were supposed to have pizza night at the dorm today, but we decided to just eat out and explore some of the interesting places near our dorm. We came across this Thai restaurant along Prope Dori, a street on the right of the Tokorozawa Station exit. There is a large welcome sign that bears the street's name so you will definitely not get lost if you are looking for it. The restaurant is on the second floor of one of the buildings near the end of the street. If you are coming from the station, it is on the left side.

     The food tastes very good, there is a very authentic Thai taste to it. We ordered the red and yellow chicken curry. At first, the serving looked kind of small but we were not even able to finish the whole dish. I prefer the red curry because it is a little spicy. It is not spicy to the extent that your tongue is numbing and you cannot taste the food anymore. The spiciness is just right to increase your appetite and make you want to eat more with every bite.

     We also ordered the Pad Thai, a famous stir-fried noodle dish, and of course, how can we miss the spring rolls! The Pad Thai has a very big serving, we even had some left overs. On the contrary, there were only four small spring rolls on the plate, which appear to me were only two pieces and were only cut into halves to make it four. I like the Pad Thai very much. The noodles may seem a little difficult to chew at first because they are a little hard as compared to the more common Italian pasta, but you will eventually get used to the chewing. The more you chew, the more you get to taste the flavor it has.

     The ambiance of the place is not that bad. The interior of the restaurant is not that cozy, but it stays faithful to the Thai feel. There are these cute low Thai tables that require you to sit on the floor. I would have loved to try that table, but my friends wanted to take the regular ones. There are also these colorful round lights overhead that are cute but do not totally brighten the place. The place is a little dim, but in a very good way. It sets the mood for a long, nice chat with your friends or a few bottle of beers.

     To get there, take the Seibu Shinjuku Line (bound for Kawagoe, Hon-Kawagoe or Shin-Tokorozawa) or Seibu Ikebukuro Line (bound for Hanno) and get off at Tokorozawa Station. It takes around 30 minutes from Shinjuku and the fare is Y360. It is more advisable to take the express train when going to Tokorozawa to save time.

Places to Visit in Tokyo: Ebisu Garden Place

     "Ebisu Garden Place, Clock Tower Square, one o'clock." This is how famous manga, anime and now drama character Doumyouji Tsukasa, played by famous Johnny's Entertainment idol and Arashi member Matsumoto Jun, in the famous Hana Yori Dango series asked Makino Tsukushi, played by Inoue Mao, for a first date. 

     Though this place also looks beautiful in the day time, it has a different appeal when visited at night. Not only is this place a popular site for shooting Japanese dramas, it is also a famous tourist site for visitors who want to taste authentic Japanese beers from any of the restaurants and traditional Japanese bars, knowns as izakaya, around the area.
 

Hakone: An Unexpected Winter Wonderland

***originally published in the January Issue of Pinoy Gazette

Also published on Pinoy Gazette`s official blog: pinoygazetteofficial.blogspot.jp

View of Mt Fuji from Hakone

“Snow ba ‘yon?” Tanong ko sa kaibigan ko habang parehas kaming nakasilip sa bintana ng cable car sa Hakone, isang bayan sa Kanagawa prefecture. Akala ko noong una, mga maliliit na puting dahon lang sila na nalaglag sa mga natitirang damo sa gilid ng riles ng tren.
Pero habang papaakyat kami sa bundok, dumarami at kumakapal ang mga puting sapin sa kalsada. “Ah, snow nga.” Bulong ko sa sarili, sabay ngiti.

Para sa isang laking Pilipinas, “magical” ang makakita ng snow. Napapanood mo lang dati ‘yon sa pelikula pero hindi mo nararamdaman kung gaano sila kalamig at hindi mo nahahawakan kung gaano sila kapino. Nakakatuwa rin na tumambad sa amin sa Hakone ang isang hindi inaasahang “winter wonderland” na may magandang tanawin ng Mt. Fuji, Lake Ashi at iba’t ibang shrine na mayaman sa kasaysayan!

Hakone Ropeway

Para makatipid, bumili kami ng Hakone Free Pass sa may Odakyu Line sa Shinjuku station na nagkakahalaga ng ¥5,000 at maaaring magamit ng dalawang araw kung mag-stay ng overnight sa Hakone.

May additional na JPY850 kung sa Odakyu Limited Express Romance car sasakay at mas mainam kung may reservation. Mas kumportable ang upuan dito at mas mabilis ang byahe na tatagal lamang ng 85 minuto dahil diretso na ito hanggang Hakone.

Kung gamit ang ordinaryong trains, tulad ng ginawa namin na masasabi kong maginhawa naman, may minsanang transfer lang sa Odawara Station bago makarating mismo sa Hakone. Kasama na rin sa pass ang unlimited na gamit sa mga bus at train lines sa Hakone pati na ang boat cruise at ropeway na magdadala sa’yo sa iba’t ibang magagandang sights dito.

Pagdating namin sa Hakone ay sinubukan agad naming sumakay sa Hakone Ropeway na nagdala sa amin sa tuktok ng bundok. May magandang view dito ng Mt. Fuji na hindi matatawaran. Kitang-kita ang puting-puti snow caps ng Mt. Fuji na dati ay nakikita ko lang sa mga postcard.

Nadaanan din namin ang Owakudani, isang volcanic valley, na nagbubuga ng sulfur kaya makikita na umuusok ito. Maaari ring masubukan dito ang isang local delicacy, ang kuro tamago o black egg, isang hardboiled na itlog na niluto sa hotsprings ng Owakudani. Sinasabing nakakapagpahaba raw ng buhay ng pitong taon ang pagkain nito.

Hakone Sightseeing Cruise

Isang hindi matatawarang experience sa Hakone ang pagsakay sa Hakone Sightseeing Cruise na siyang naglibot sa amin sa Lake Ashi. Makaluma ang disenyo ng barko na tila isang replika ng barkong pampirata. Malamig ang simoy ng hangin sa observation deck pero sulit na tiisin ang lamig sa ganda ng tanawin. Mga namumuting bundok ang nakapalibot sa malinaw na lawa at makikita sa pampang ang iba’t ibang shrine, templo at ilang mga naglalakihang hotel.

Japanese Food Fiesta

Pagkatapos ng cruise sa Lake Ashi, kumain kami sa isang restaurant malapit sa port area. Restaurant Torarato ang pangalang nakalagay sa labas nito. Medyo old-fashioned ang design ng restaurant pero masarap ang pagkain. Nagkakahalaga ng ¥1,500 pataas ang set meal at ¥700 pataas naman ang mga noodles. Umorder ako ng pork with ginger na may kasamang rice, salad at miso soup. Hindi ako nagsisi dahil masarap at malaki ang serving ng pagkain dito.

Hakone Shrine

Sumaglit din kami sa Hakone Shrine, isang historical site. Sinasabing minsang nanalangin dito si Minamoto no Yoritomo matapos siyang magapi sa labanan sa Ishibashiyama. Siya ang unang shogun, noong Kamakura Shogunate at naghari mula 1192 hanggang 1199. Ang shrine na ito ay minsan na ring sinunog ni Toyotomi Hideyoshi, isang heneral na naging susi para maitatag ang Tokugawa Shogunate, noong nagkaroon ng labanan sa Odawara at siyang muling ipinagawa at ipinaayos ni Tokugawa Ieyasu, ang unang shogun noong Tokugawa Shogunate na nagsimula noong 1603. 

Marami pang ibang interesting na lugar na mapupuntahan sa Hakone tulad ng Odawara Castle, Hakone Open Air Museum, Hakone Check Point, Hakone Detached Palace Garden at marami pang iba. Hindi mauubusan ang Hakone ng mga bagay na magpapamangha sa’yo sa winter man o sa kahit anong season ng taon. Hindi sapat ang isang araw para libutin ang lahat ng ito kaya marami pang dahilan para bumalik at ulit-ulitin ang adventure na ito!

A Visit to Vantan Design Institute

 

     Today, I went with my friend, Ron Vy, to the Vantan Design Institute to inquire about their Japanese language program because she is planning to enroll this April. Vantan is only among the many fashion schools in Tokyo, but what is good about their program is that they are offering Japanese language courses that can be taken independently or in conjunction with the fashion courses. See Vantan's website here.

     Vantan requires N2 level of Japanese to enter the fashion courses and since I am still on N5, I will have to wait several years before I can enter the fashion program, that is, if ever I have the time to do so (and the money to afford it, since I need to save at least a million yen for a year's worth of tuition for the weekend classes). I took a fashion styling class at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines when I was still in Manila, but it is really my long-time dream to get into a fashion school in Tokyo. This dream seems a little far at the moment, since I am still in the process of entering the Ph.D program in Waseda University, but at least, I am not that far from it as I used to be.

The Moon in a Five Yen Coin

 

     Amane Kaoru once said that you can fit the moon in a five yen coin, and guess what, I tried it one night and it really does! I guess, that is how faith also works. You just have to believe that some things, no matter how impossible they may seem to be, can actually happen. The moon may seem too big for the five yen coin, but it is just a matter of looking at it. It is actually not the size of the moon that makes it possible to fit in the coin, it is actually how you are looking at it.

     Amane Kaoru is a character played by actress Sawajiri Erika in the Japanese drama, Taiyou no Uta (Song of the Sun) shown in 2006. Amane has an incurable disease known as XP or Xeroderma Pigementosum, a skin condition that does not allow her any form of exposure to the sun because her skin easily burns. Amane, a struggling musician who sings on the street at night, meets Fujishiro Koki, played by actor Yamada Takayuki, a young man who had almost forgotten his passion for music. At one point in the series, even though it is totally impossible for Amane to go out in broad daylight because of her condition, Fujishiro made it possible! He made her a specialized pink outfit, which awkwardly looks like a fusion of an astronaut suit and a power rangers uniform, that she can wear outside. And that is not all, he made several of these costume for himself and their friends so they can all go out together in that same outfit without Amane totally feeling like a freak.

     If there is a will, there is a way. If there is faith, then nothing is impossible. No matter what kind of moon you are faced with right now, remember, nothing is too big for a five yen coin!