Tokyo 東京 Trip (2)

Ponyo!

There are soooooo many things to buy see in Tokyo (cannot afford anything due to stupid lame currency), but for me, just seeing "them" makes me happy. FINE I admit I'm kinda sorta maybe probably a geeky anime fan, so Akihabara will be your heaven ~ but I think generally for guys, cuz the 3C stuff there is infinite!

The whole 12 floored building sell Techno stuff.

A city of games, manga, anime, figuring = Akihabara/ heaven

Any of these building is worth a visit. Here's a funny story.

So me n a fren stumbled upon this manga/comic building, yes the whole building sell only comic! But the funny part is when we reached 3rd or 4th floor, we saw there's a notice saying that only 18 and above can go up, LOL. By then we were just curious, it's comic afterall right. First it was a lower level, the comic girls showing more skin, then as you go up to next level, more are revealed. haha we were like WTF the whole way up. THEN! left one floor, so were thinking should we or should we not, then I thought we were already this way up, why not. When we reached the last floor, only Japanese guys in black suits were quietly standing reading the comic, they all turned and looked at us, cuz we were the only girls!!!! Because last floor is the ultimate, the comic involves clear depiction of a female body PLUS some actions tooo.....you know...

porno movie theater ?!

Ok another shocking discovery, when I walked past this mini theater, I saw naked woman poster, then I was like WTF? just by the effing roadside, what if parents with kids walk by and the kid says "hey mom look at her boobs"
Sometimes I don't understand them, they can be so conservative (infinite bowing) but sometimes they are so ... open like this, and when they were all naked during onsen/hot spring time(another shocking discovery).

haha enough with the porno talk, let's move on to matsuri 祭/Japanese Festival.

so sweeeet

The real Takoyaki 

Then the countless toyyysssss

my fav Hayao Miyazaki's all productions

Till then, matta ne!

Tokyo 東京 Trip

Finally a Tokyo trip on the weekend.
I think there was a holiday, so we (the Summer programme exchange students) decided to make a trip down to Tokyo. Luckily for foreigners ONLY, we get to buy these special passes for transportation (just go to any tourist centre and ask & remember your passport), so we went to Tokyo from Akita by the ever-so-amazing Shinkansen, it was insanely fast!

See we should so learn from them, everywhere, every station there is this designated smoking area which keep the place clean and no second hand smoker!

designated smoking area

Due to budget constrain (student ma), we picked a backpacker's hostel which is surprisingly cheap (RM50+ per night), but it's a shared dorm. PLUS, it's very near to the famous Senso-ji & subway station as well. So after exit from the station, you'll see Senso-ji first, then the iconic Asahi building.

Senso-ji at night

Asahi building (Sky Tree building at the back)

almost there

Finally! Asakusa Smile hostel

So there's a reception/bar when you first entered (hang out place for fellow backpackers). Here is the link AsakusaSmile I like it cuz it's cheap and it's at a convenient location.

So settled down and what's next is FOOD! In Tokyo everywhere there will be restaurants like this where the food is ok but cheap. So to be cheap, they replaced waiter with the order machine. After paying you will get a small order ticket, hand it to the chef at the counter and voila! food is served (you don't even have to talk, so no worries for those who don't speak the language), just 'talk' to the machine and feed him money!

order machine

Well another thing about Japan is that there's nothing spicy! Don't be fooled by the name "curry" rice, it's absolutely uncurry XD When I saw the option to choose the level of spiciness for my curry, I was pretty excited, being in Japan for a few weeks now and I do miss curry (Japanese food are generally plain), so I go for the most spicy and guess what...it turned out to be SWEET! fine... but yummy nonetheless.

my fav not-so-curry-curry rice

 Next stop, the Meiji Shrine

 It's just walking distance from the Harajuku Station. Apparently it's also a popular shrine for wedding as well. gosh I just love their costumes.

Ok, some Chinese might think, oh my gosh, black and white on wedding? WTH. For the Japanese, it's perfectly normal, in fact, it's more polite to wear black/white. (for Chinese, it's only during funeral that we wear black/ white)

Next stop, the crazy Harajuku

It's a very interesting place to hangout, just to look at people, often you will find teenagers dressed like a doll/ cosplay and some crazy unique people as well.

Friends with the cosplayer

stalking the pretty dolls

the very "unique" UNCLE, yes he's an old guy

Craaaazy crowd

Then, Shibuya

very fashionable district and equally crowded as well.

Shibuya 109 (expensiveeeee)

the crazy crossing

the "hipster"

street .. performance

Lastly, Tokyo tower

walked a long long way and finally saw this mini-Eiffel Tower-look-alike-Tokyo tower =P ok at night it's really beautiful.

Sweat like hell....walked like $#@$#$ but very interesting indeed! I do like the clear sky on Summer, but the heat o.o!! well at least not as humid as Malaysia.

Till then, adios! or sayonara ; )

Japan - Akita International University (AIU)

Having studied Japanese Language for a year, I knew I HAD to go to Japan. 

I have always been a die hard fan of this amazing Land of the Rising Sun. 

After a month of excruciating-pain-in-the-ass documentation (tons of applications, letters, visa etc), finally I got myself in this Summer Exchange Programme in AIU (One of the greatest decisions I have ever made), not to mention it's my first time flying out of Malaysia.

I absolutely ADORE the whole university's architecture with the green concept of nature.

Cafeteria at the back

"pretending" XD

The library

There are trees and flowers everywhere within the campus.

One of my favourite places in the uni, the reading room - perfect view, maximum sunlight.

My room in the hostel. Every foreign student will stay with a local Japanese student. (thoughtful isn't it), they get to learn English and we get to improve our Japanese, win-win situation!

One thing I dread about is garbage disposal. 

Description of how to segregate your garbage and what day to dispose which category of garbage. YES they are crazy and No, this is absolutely normal for them.

Another favourite place of mine, the library. It's ALL made of wood, the whole building, even the rooftop!! It's like a living building, you will actually hear sounds of the building breathing. No I'm not crazy and No there's no ghost.
Due to the temperature differences, the wood expands and contracts, thus the subtle creaking sound when you listen carefully. AMAAAAZING (ok it just so happens I am obsessed with wood, architecture and library)

Elevator inside the library for the disabled  T_T

Multimedia room where we can watch endless Japanese movies with English subtitle.

how they incorporate wood and concrete in the building, brilliant!

Best university, best programme, period.

Till then, adiós.