Kyoto ---- Hiroshima

As some of you might know, Kyoto is not my favorite place in Japan. I find that city highly overrated. Like a big Disneyland of history. This year, I decided to do a brief stop in the city to go back to Fushimi Inari. I had some business to attend at that temple. Last year, that temple had been recommended to me. As a matter of fact, I witness first hand how lucky that temple was. So this year I decided to go say thank you for the favors I obtain and to also ask for a new favor. (Which really was the exact same thing again this year).

After my brief stop, I took the Shinkansen to Hiroshima. I LOVE the shinkansen. Oh I love train too. But the Shinkansen is amazing. So fast, roomy, quiet, comfortable. So much better than a car, a bus or a plane. You have room to stretch your legs. On my way, an old man was sitting next to me and happy to practice his English he gave me an history lesson of every city on the way (including Himeji, where he was from) Since he seemed to know so much, I also asked him about the Kumamoto Family. I really wanted to go all the way to Kumamoto this year but in order to do that, it would take me another whole day of travel time.

When I got to Hiroshima, it was pouring rain. Like torrential rain. My umbrella was useless. Nonetheless, I headed straight for the Children Peace Memorial so I could hang the origami paper crane the students did at school. I got there easily and found the place. By the time I was done hanging the birds, I was soaked. At that moment I knew Hiroshima was not going to be my best friend!

EITO RANGER: Concert report

Hard to describe the concert this year! I guess the word would be EPIC!! 

First off, we got to the venue early and try to exchange our extra pair of tickets for another performance. We failed so we just decided to sell them. We sold the tickets to an american girl for face value. She was so happy. When it was finally time to go in, we got really excited to find out how amazing our seats were!!! The show opened with Ohkura and Yokoyama standing right in front of us for Musekinin Hero.

The set list was not as great as last year, but the overall performance was much better. Unlike last year, Subaru was amazing, I had never heard such great vocal from him. Yokoyama still on his high from Quiz Show was also amazing. 

Unlike last year, there weren’t many band song. The show was a lot more mixed up in style. Within 3 hours, they went from pop-ish boys band, to hard core rock, to 50s style and broadway. But the best was without any doubt the EITO Rangers’ skit!! Last year was such a disapointment for us. For the first time they had not done an eito ranger skit. But it was worth the wait!!! This was by far the best skit they’ve ever done. I almost died laughing when they performed the dance from the West Side story famous fight-scene. Or when they did a mock up of a japanese commercial I really like.

If the show and the skit were Epic, the MC was as well. I had never seen Ohkura and Subaru talk this much in an MC. It started with Hina saying that he was as talented as any other Johnny’s and that he could take on Arashi anytime. To prove his point, he sang One Love Acapella. Then him and Yokoyama had that never ending fight as to who is the best singer between the two of them (the joke being they both suck) That’s when they all cornered Yokoyama and forced him to also sing Acapella. It was so funny to finally see all the guys get back at Yoko. Usually he’s the one abusing them during the MC!!

Last little note: Towards the end of the show, the rolling cart went between the rows so we had Nishikido right by us. We waved our canadian flag and when he saw us, he said thank you and bowed down!!!

Kanazawa

Wow. What a beautiful city!! I probably would never had been there if it wasn’t for the concert. Since we watched only one concert and made money out of the extra ticket, we decided to live large and payed our self a nice weekend. First off, we tried finding an hotel, but as expected, the whole city was fully booked, because of the concert. We finally found a cancellation not to far from the train station; we really lucked in!

So we bought bento box and had dinner while watching Nagase’s new drama. The next day we went on a mega sight seing trip! We started off with the Garden (known as the nicest one in japan) and green tea ice cream. We did a bit of shopping and then went on to the castle.

As it started pouring rain, we hoped in the closest restaurant and had some delicious sushi. Then we headed out for the samurai street! We ended the day doing some PuriKura and eating a fancy crêpe!! Then Marie and I went our separate ways: I headed out for Kyoto and she headed out for Tokyo!

Tokyo Friends

Shibuya, Family Club, Harajuku or how I met Tsubasa!

My last day in Tokyo had to be a great one! I was not going to leave Tokyo without a bang!! So I headed off to Shibuya. I walked around for a bit and was please to see that Johnny’s owned Shibuya!! You could not walk five meters without seeing giant poster or Arashi, Hey Say Jump, Tegomass, Yuma and Big Shadow, News… or Nagase, Tackey, Ryo… Even the giant screen were showing videos of Tegomass and NYC boys. I went shopping at Mandarake and then went Karaoke by myself for 2 hours.

Ani and I at the family club rigth after meeting Tsubasa!

After lunch, I met with Ani and we shopped till we dropped in Shibuya!! I bought a nice pair of shoes and some clothing. Then we had dinner together and headed off for the Family Club. As we got there, we noticed a big crowed. That is pretty unusual for the place as people usually just come in, read the messages and then go. So we made our way to the front of the room and saw a camera so we decided we should wait with the rest of the crowed. About 30 minutes later, they had us sitting down on the floor in rows of 7 people. (the room is very long but narrow) I ended up in the forth row. That’s when Imai Tsubasa (from Tackey and Tsubasa) walked in!!!! I was so happy!!! He was doing a live recording of the messages for the Family Club. He talked for a bit and then answered questions from the fan. It was so cool!! I could not believe my luck!!!

This is a screencap from the video that played a few months later. The blond curly hair, that's me

Then we headed of to Harajuku and went around a few Idols shops. We bought Marie’s birthday gift and the headed out to meet her in Shinjuku. (We had decided to celebrate her birthday since neither of us would be there for her actual birthday) so we waited for us  at the bus terminal and when she arrived, we sang happy birthday, gave her her gift and split some fancy cupcakes we had bought!! Then we said goodbye to Ani and headed off for Kanazawa on the night bus!!

Zushi!!

Great day at the beach with Lindsay!! 

She called in sick so we could spend the day together. We headed out early in the morning and got some bento box on the way. It was great to be able to beat the heat!!! 

We stayed all day, on the way back, there was a little natsu matsuri so we stopped by to eat!

NTV my love

Today I over did it. Walk, walk, walk... Today the heat was unbearable. Even th0ught I drank over 20 liters of fluid, I only went to the washroom once in the whole day!!! That's how much I sweat! My eye lids were sweating! My legs were sweating! I could feel the moisture getting sucked out of my eyeballs. Not fun.

But in the end I had a great day! First off I went back to Tokyu Hands to fill in Tristan's prescription and met a lovely old couple. We had a nice little chat, in japanese. Then I went to Harajuku to meet up with my friend Alex. We went to Meiji shrine and then for lunch. We still had some times before he had to head back to work so I dragged him to the NHK park! I love that place. I have to admit though, I've been there too often...

Gokusen Shrine

After we parted, I headed out to NTV and visited the Gokusen shrine... again. I took some pictures and bought a Fight-Oh cell phone strap!

While most tourist visit Tokyo Tower, I tour TV studios. But to break that habit... or at least to try to break that habit, I decided I should go up Tokyo Tower. Well, I got there. Was not impress by the price list and decided to keep my money in my pocket and my feet on the ground. Instead I visited the shrine around *I forgot the name*. It was great.

After that I kept walking and ended up in Roppongi. Now from Shimbashi to Roppongi that's one hell of a walk. As a matter of fact, I ended up with a hudge cramp in my calve and now I can't walk. Way to go! Yeah, me!!! My calve feels like a brick and my foot won't flex. Oh why do I do this to myself. Half way through the day it was already hurting but I just kept walking, first to save money and second because I have so little time in Japan and I want to see it all.

So now I am back home and I have to limp around the house. Cartoon Kat-tun is on TV. They are doing the super ranger training from the drama rescue.

Tokyo The Hood

Wow!! After spending so much time in rural Japan, I had forgotten how crowed the streets of Tokyo are!! But oh what a beautiful city! The green space, the lights, the architecture.  But lets go back a bit.

Yesterday, after going for lunch with Marie, I took the train for Tokyo. I got off at Ikebukuro and found myself knowing exactly where to go. Not much had change in a year and I had the feeling of getting back to exactly where I left it. I headed straight for Sunshine city and went to Tokyu Hand. I went a head and bought 9 pairs of glasses for a little under 600$. Yep do the math!!! I was so excited. The kids working at the store were really surprise so I explain to them that glasses are really expensive in Canada and not nearly as nice!! After my shopping bonanza, I walked around Ikebukuro a bit and took the Yamanote line for Shinjuku.

Shinjuku is one of the place in Tokyo I do not really care for. I mean it is nice but I much rather spend time in Roppongi, Harajuku or Shibuya. But since I am staying at Lindsay I spent my evening there waiting for her to be done work.

So I first went up the observatory up the government building and hoped to see Fuji San but once more this year: no chance!! Then I went to Kabuchiko and got harassed by Host!! Wow, I forgot how insistent they can be. Then I went to the ramen dark alley and ate Udon. Tourist always walk down that street, take picture and leave. They never end up eating there so I looked really out of place at the counter between 2 salary men.

It was finally time to meet Lindsay!!! Wow, I can not believe it had been a year!! We chatted for part of the night and then I had the j0y of sleeping on a very comfy couch!!! What a nice change from sleeping on the floor!!!

After my first day in Tokyo I am glad to say that I can still navigate without map!!! Yeah, me!

Sush-qui peut!!!

Well, my stay in Gunma is done... I now enter the second portion of my trip: hellweek. It won't be hell really, but my lazy days are over. Here is what I am looking forward to:

Tuesday to thursday: Tokyo

Friday: Yokoyama

Saturday: Kanazawa

Sunday: Kyoto

Monday: Hiroshima

Tuesday: Miyajima

Wednesday- Friday: Osaka

Saturday: Tokyo-Nagano-Matsumoto

Sunday: Mizunuma

Monday: Shop till I drop

Tuesday: Back to Barrie

That's roughly a total of 2822 KM (excluding my flight back to North America)

Gokusen the Movie

Some people go to teacher’s college, others like me watch Gokusen and learn. (I should also add My boss my hero and Rookies.) Anyway, I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since the first serie!!! I can’t believe I happen to be in Japan when the movie gets release!!! 7 years in the making. This is Epic. The expectation were high… and well the movie lived up to the drama. How to say… the movie was equally as bad as the drama!!! And off course I enjoyed it ;-) 

Now I have to say, I truly believe they had to completely changed the script when it was announced Matsumoto Jun would not take part. In some really sad ways, I think Matsumoto Jun ruined the movie!! So here is my review in point form:

• I think Kame’s part was suppose to be Jun’s part… which would have made so much more sense. They would also have been able to end the love story between Yankumi and Shin… but noooooo!! Matsumoto had to ruin it and decide to do the drama Smile instead!! Way to go Matsumoto… you ruined 7 years in the making!! As for Kame... he did a good job filling in for Shin...
• Kame finally looks like he’s eating!!!
• Gokusen is such a wealthy franchise… you would think they would hired someone to write an interesting plot!! I mean for god sake… they even built a Gokusen shrine outside of NTV!!! (Yeah, you can go and pray there!!)
• Miura Haruma is probably the best looking kid to come out of Japan since Kubozuka Yosuke. Unfortunatly, he seems to be stuck in horrible dramas. I really liked him in Koizora the movie. 
• Yankumi rocks!!!! 
• It was nice seing so many of the kids from the previous 3 seasons!! 
• I think it was a good thing Akanishi could not be in the drama.. afterall we had the Jin wanna be kid from the 3rd season to represent the both of them! 
• I was glad the plot centered arround Miura Haruma’s character!! I was afraid the Jin wanna be kid would be center stage. 
• Yeah Mitsubishi!!! (That one is for you Marie)

And for those who are interested here is a link to the movie trailer.

 

Mizunuma 5 étoiles *****

This morning, I got up a bit later than I wanted to. (8:30 am) yes, even on holiday, I like to get up early. Once more I put aside my plans to go to Nikko and started looking for an Onsen not to far from Ota. I couldn’t find anything interesting until I stumbled on some old American man’s blog. One word: Mizunuma. Less than 1 hour away from Oizumi… and even better, the Onsen is IN the train station… so no need to wonder around town trying to find it.

I was set… At 10:30 I was all packed and ready to go to Mizunuma. Although I had really liked my trip to Oigami, the onsen over there was disappointing so I was a bit apprehensive about going to Mizunuma. Oigami was suppose to be one of the best in Japan. Mizunuma is not known at all. I couldn’t find any reviews nor pictures… So blindly, I jumped on the train and kept my fingers cross that the place still existed and was open on a week day!!

The train ride was easy and required no line change from Oizumi. I got off at Aioi station and jumped on the mountain street car. What an amazing ride through bamboo forest up the mountain along an impressive canyon!!! Just the trip was worth it. Waterfall, flowers, wild birds… such a pretty sight!! I got off at Mizunuma station and as expected, stepped right into the Onsen.

The staff was a bit surprise to see me and seemed really relieved that I spoke enough Japanese to get around. I had to remind them a couple  of time to speak slower. They nicely answered all my questions through out the day ;-) So back to my arrival. They first showed me arround the whole facility.  And explain to me the different bath. Once more, this Onsen does not compare to the ones in Saitama but I must say the overall atmosphere was unbeatable. The view from the baths was simply breathtaking. The place was calm and very clean. The best part was that it only cost 500 yen for the day. (about 6 dollars)

For lunch I bought a local produce bento box for 1000 yen. It was delicious. The eating room was a traditional tatamis room and the national sumo tournament was playing on TV.

At the end of the day, my skin was so soft!!! I just can’t wait to go back. I decided to go back for my last day in Japan!!

Since Harajuku is out of the question this year, I though the Onsen will be the best departure gift to myself.

Feel free to contact me if you need more info about this Onsen in Gunma prefecture. I truly recommend it!