It’s almost the end of the summer and what’s a better way to say good bye than by watching the fireworks light up the last of the summer night sky? One of the most popular firework events is Yokohama Sparkling Twilight, so that’s where we headed out. Though our main reason for coming to Yokohama was watching fireworks, we couldn’t miss the chance to explore this picturesque city, so we got there a bit early to look around. We started out with a walk across the boardwalk and the pier so we could enjoy the view of the famous Yokohama cityline that featured the half-moon shaped hotel, Yokohama Grand Intercontinental,…
Yukata & Summer Festival at Shinagawa Shrine
The summer has been ruling Tokyo for awhile and along with it all the summer festivals! Usually, other bloggers write about all the major festivals, so sometimes it’s easy to forget the not-so-major-yet-unique local summer festivals. There is this cool place located in Shinagawa, called Shinagawa Shrine, though not so widely known, it boasts a few unique features, including the Shinagawa Mt. Fuji, an artificial mountain built to imitate Mt. Fuji! The view from the top of the shrine is truly breathtaking! (Check out my video blog Part 2 for the walkthrough the festival.) Of course, summer festivals in Japan are associated with colorful traditional yukatas, really, you shouldn’t attend…
Intro to Japanese Sake: The Basics
I think it’s about time that we talked about Japanese sake! Since there are so many varieties in Japan and most of them are written completely in Japanese, it might get overwhelming when we try to decide which one would suit our palate. Let me introduce you to a few basic sake readily available at convenience stores and liquor stores here in Japan! Liquor Store Sake ■Jozen Mizunogotoshi An ideal introduction sake. Smoot, light and fruity with a pleasant aftertaste. Alcohol content 14% ■Sawanoi Daikaraikuchi A true dry sake(+10 dryness). Super dry and light. Alcohol content 15% ■Urakasumi Junmai A smooth and fruity sake with a hint of roasted nuts.…
Tokyo Station Ramen Street
So… Let’s talk about food ramen! We are back at JR Tokyo Station to explore the highly-praised Ramen Street! So pretty much it’s a section of Tokyo Station which features different types of ramen from all over Japan! Though there is no English Guide Map to locating the street, it’s very easy to find! Take Yaesu Central Exit Walk straight till you see the stairs going down to “First Avenue Tokyo Station” Take the stairs down and turn right Follow the signs And there we are! Ramen street features ramen from different parts of Japan and you can choose the one you like from the menu/map located by the entrance!…