Japan 101

The recent trip to Japan was ultimately awesome. :D I learned a lot of things and I mean A LOT! Culture, history, fashion, lifestyle, health, the list goes on and on. Let me share with you some of the things I enjoyed during this trip.

SAKURA is L-O-V-E as in ♥♥♥

It was perfect timing to see sakura in full bloom. :D Ate really wanted us to visit her at that time because of this. She missed it last year and all of us would see it together. I instantly fell in love with it. It’s love at first sight. ♥♥♥ One has to see it for his/her self to fully understand and appreciate what I mean..

Get me a sakura in full bloom here in Pinas and I swear we’ll be the bestest best friends or lovers for life. hahaha! Good luck with that. ;p Seriously, it’s a sight to see..

Tokyo Fashion

Japan defines FASHION. Get inspired with Japanese as they express themselves through fashion. For some, it would be radical but radical exists in this awesome place. :D So if you’re a little bit on the reserved side when it comes to fashion, go to Tokyo or any place in Japan to explore and express a fashion statement. This was the only place I get to wear whatever I want without fearing of being branded as baduy. Lahat cool. For that, two thumbs up for fashionistas! =).

Temple galore

Buddhism is one of the main religions has a lot of temples. We visited a few and it was such a solemn place. No wonder monks can really meditate. I finally met the Big Guy, my God in a different form..

You would definitely adore the temple structure if you are a fan of architecture. Hanep lang sa pagkakagawa. It’s an amazing sight to see. :D.

Discipline and respect

I believe that for a country to progress, discipline is a MUST. I can safely say that Japs are a bunch or disciplined people. =) From trash to escalator to train seats and whole lot more..

Ang hindi ay HINDI. They strictly abide by their laws. They also have high regards for respect. Bowing is a sign of courtesy and even in their language, they are very respectful. May iba’t-ibang level depende kung katanda, mas bata o mas matanda ang kausap mo. Ibang level ang respeto sa kanila. Bow down talaga ako..

Generation gap

Japanese are hard-working people. They can be compared to bees ‘coz they work for almost all their life. The problem is they have an ageing population. Sa sobrang busy ng mga tao kakatrabaho eh kulang ang baby production. The government had to offer incentives to those couples who would bear kids. Imagine that! Dito satin, baby boom, sa kanila wala naman..

Old people still go to work. They are built that way. But babies are coming to the rescue. hehehe! Yun lang kailangan pa maghintay ng mga 18 years or more bago sila mapakinabangan pero kahit papaano eh meron ng papalit na henerasyon..

These are just a few of the things that you would love, learn and appreciate in the Land of the Rising Sun. I have so much to tell but this blog is quite long already. Besides, if I tell you everything about my trip, there’s a chance that you won’t see it for yourself anymore right? Ano, tara lets sa Sushilandia?? :D ‘til then…

Jane Mizue

The next day, we were supposed to go to Roppongi for the Easter Mass. We dropped by Mizue to say our thanks to the Miyatas and Nakayamas. Our pasta lunch wasn’t much of a success. Even ate admitted that it was below her cooking standard but we all enjoyed the pastries brought by the Nakayama couple. =) Mega cute parang sayang kainin.

Pap and Nakayamasan were having beer, it was just past 1pm, talk about sunog-baga. hehehe! Ang tatay ko matanda na dahil mabilis tamaan. He was saying Japanese words differently. The Pinays laughed their a**es off! =)) Pa, iba yung sinasabi mo.

After a few drinks, the couple left so that we could rest for a bit daw before proceeding to Roppongi. They are indeed very nice people. =D We said our gazillion thanks to baba. She was really an adorable lola. She gave us cash since she can’t afford to go out and buy us stuff, kami na lang daw. She was even apologizing. Grabe lang. Arigatou Gozaimasu baba! :D

I just can’t get enough of sakura. I had to take photos and photos of it at the park. Masaya rin yung photo op namin dahil hindi ganun kadami ang mga tao. It was cloudy again and pap suggested that we just go home rather than risk going to Roppongi, Shinjuku and all the other places we were supposed to go and get soaked up.

Though we weren’t able to go, I know that I have been blessed more than I could ever deserve. Thank you Lord! =) Jane, Mizue. I will be back for you.

Baba, please always take care of yourself, I’ll see you next year. Thank you baba! Papa Miyata, thank you very much for being so kind to ate, us and calling me bunso. I feel so baby-ish. ;p Nakayamasan, thank you, thank you, for all the help and hospitality to my sister and to us as well. Kaorusan, thank you very much for being ate’s mama there, being so kind and for the bags. I ♥♥♥ Japs! =D ‘til then…

Go Lalalala over Lalaport =)

After three days of hiatus, we back in circulation. Lalaport it was for Valencia family minus kuya and Miyata family. Lalaport, a MALL. The mall that we’ve been to felt like just a store. Sure it had a few floors but the fun part was missing and I think malls should have that. Recreation, that’s the word and Lalaport has that. =) When I saw it from the outside, I was blown away because it was big. Siguro baby MOA, ganun ang dating. Inside, it was definitely MOA vibe. Maloloca ka sa dami ng stores! Napagod na naman kami kakalakad at window-shopping. Ate wasn’t able to locate Zara. Don’t worry, you can go there anytime you’re free just take a shinkansen to Funabashikeibajo. hahahaha!

After Lalaport, we went to a better store, second-hand store baby. hahaha! I drooled over surfboards. I will have one but first I need to enroll in a surfing academy. Anyone who would like to join me?? We weren’t able to find good buys but the Miyata couple did. hurrah!

We parted ways, said our adios because we were leaving in a few days and we might not be able to see them anymore. We took a train that will bring us to Yukarigaoka…only it didn’t take us there. Ate realized we took the wrong train. ahahaha! We ended up in Chibachuo or something like that. Patawa talaga si ate. =))

We took another train, this time verifying first and then a walkathon before finally reaching home. When we got there, Ate Arlene’s cousin, Kuya Ryan was having drinks with Kuya Dante. We had dinner then watched the tv afterwards.

Weeeeee, had a few drinks with ate and the kuyas. =) I know, it wasn’t Easter yet. I celebrated a few hours earlier lang. aynaku! Humirit pa ako ng palusot. I was so excited to drink because I had my last alcoholic drink over a month ago. Rarely would ate and I drink together so that was fun bonding time. :D

What should have been one drink turned out to be four or five?? hahaha! Iniwan na nga ako ni ate sa ere eh. Mum even thought I had too much because I was red. Blush yun ma. I am seriously getting you for my birthday Kuya Ryan. hahahaha! Salamat sa yummy drink. ‘til then…

No Frills, Just Thrills :))

We woke up the next day, packed our bags for the second time and went downstairs. We had one last breakfast together and we were hoping that it was really the last. I enjoyed my vacation but I really wanted to go home already.

We bid adios one more time, this time it was short since we said adios the other day, there wasn’t really anything else to say.

Kuya Dante dropped us off to the train station and we made our way to the lift. Nakasabay na naman namin yung Pinoy. Sabi ni ate dahil may schedule ang train, talagang uso daw ang trainmates. hahaha! Galing di ba? He asked us if we weren’t able to take the flight the other day. Buti na lang at konti na lang ang dala namin.

We got in the airport, mum approached the counter and they guaranteed us seats. :D yeheeeeeeey! Not just seats but Mabuhay seats! We were upgraded baby! Economy class was full and so we were ugraded. Ang saya-saya ko! Okay na ang Mabuhay pero mas okay ang Mabuhay sa 777. :D You can recline your seat into a bed and the legroom was very spacious. Not that I needed legroom but the thought of my legs freely stretched is heaven. :D

It has been a norm for us to dress appropriately when traveling. We weren’t allowed to wear shirts, jeans and rubber shoes. Dapat laging Makati look. Even when we were kids, ate and I wore dresses with matching stockings pa! I remember going to Kalibo was the only time I was allowed to wear something casual. A shirt, cargo pants and sneakers and that was because I was off to Boracay. I wasn’t even allowed to wear shorts.

I used to feel bad because I had to look all business-like. But I totally understand everything now. Imagine if we got upgraded and we were wearing casual clothes. Nakakapanliit yun. Naengot nga kami ni Papa sa meal procedure. =)) Napaghahalataan na hindi sanay sa Mabuhay. Ako nagpapanggap na alam kahit clueless. Buti na lang kasama namin si jetsetter mama to help us out.

Solution to my problem is to fly Mabuhay more often. In short, please always upgrade us. hehehehe! Bawing-bawi ang lungkot ko sa upgrade. hahaha! Happy, happy kiddo. =D

Jane Japan! Don’t miss me too much. I promise I will be back. You’re such a beautiful place, rich in culture, a history to learn and just plain amazing. =) ‘til then…

Hype to the Highest Level

April 05, was our last day to go out and explore. So despite the gloomy weather, we still went out. Hanami with ate’s school was cancelled due to the weather. :S Too bad, I was really looking forward to it. Di bale next year na lang.

So we woke up early (don’t want to be late), had breakfast and faced the cruel cold weather outside. Despite leaving early, we still got late (pooooof!!!) but Atsuko Sensei and Kazuya Sensei were really nice to shrug it off. It’s a no-no to be late with Japanese. Instead, they were glad that we were able to see them despite the weather.

The school just had a small space but it was perfect. Kids would love it that way. I can tell ‘coz I’m a kid myself. =)) It’s very conducive for learning and a fun place to be in. I’ll have my own soon. The Nakada’s daughter, Kiara, was such an adorable girl. :D Thank God the flippies were her size and Atsuko Sensei liked the bag. Kazuya Sensei we’ll make it up to you when you visit us here. =)

After our short meeting with the Nakadas, we set off for Roppongi Hills. After days of postponing, we were finally there. The hills is the shizzzz baby! Tall towers everywhere, people walking fast, expensive houses, you bet you’re in Roppongi.

We walked for miles again. hahaha! Lakad lang ng lakad. Ate wanted papa to see the mall (or was it a tower?) showed in the television back home. Then after that, we made our way to Tokyo Tower. Holy Week was over but we were still doing our sacrifice. nyahahaha! Walking uphill is such a pain in the feet, not a** goof. ;p

After what seemed like forever, we finally reached Tokyo Tower. Okay, I thought we were just going to stay somewhere but the tickets ate bought is 150 meters high. :S I was in a bad mood since I am really a scaredy cat when it comes to heights. They should’ve left me at the lobby. Ate was in a bad mood as well since I didn’t want to go why didn’t I tell her daw. So I summoned all the strength I could get and faced my fear. I didn’t look the entire time we were in the elevator. Then it took me a while before I was able to look at the window and see how high we were. whew! I don’t mind looking at the window inside the plane which is weird that I can’t look outside the window of a 150-meter high tower which is considerably lower than 30,000 feet (plane level). haaaaay!!! But I thought it cost quite a fortune so why not enjoy it??

Fear of heights conquered. Okay, I still wouldn’t jump off an aircraft and go skydiving but I agree that it’s a different place up there. It would’ve been fantabulos to see the city lights at night. So who knows, I MIGHT go back to Tokyo Tower at night next time. =)

The Nakadas picked us up past five to have dinner. They said that since they weren’t able to take us out, hope a dinner would suffice. It was more than enough. We only wanted to meet and thank them for being sooooo nice to ate, nothing more than that. So it was really nice of them to take us out.

Shabu-shabu is lalalalalooooove. ♥♥♥ Like what I said in a previous blog, I am not a fan of Japanese food but this one, made me happy and full to the brim. :D It gives you natural high. heeeey! Not shabu! Shabu-shabu. Natural nga eh. =))

I was a bit hesitant to eat at first. At the back of my mind, I was thinking is it possible to cook your food with just boiling water? The answer is yes. For one, it’s sizzling hot and two, it was beef strips so it’s easier to cook. What a delight! Oishi indeed. =D

We headed home after our very happy dinner. What a way to say goodbye. :D We were rushing to get back home ‘coz Ate Arlene and Kuya Dante were coming home from Osaka. They finished their business pronto to see us off (I guess?) and mum wanted to cook them dinner.

When we got home, there were two pairs of shoes already. BOOOOO!!! Nauna sila samin. :S They were asleep so we went upstairs quietly. My last day in Sushilandia was very, very memorable. ‘til then…

TOGOINKS!!!

April 06, we woke up extra early because we might miss our flight. Ate Arlene and Kuya Dante were already up when we went downstairs. Apparently, they were too sleepy to be bothered by our whisper. Good thing, since we all thought that we might’ve woken them up.

They got the papers and they are married. Cheeeeeeers!!! :D Breakfast was oh sooooo yummy, the fish didn’t taste like fish at all. I should get a lot of that! =)) We bid the couple adios and said a gazillion thanks for their hospitality and generosity.

Kuya Dante dropped us off the train station like everyday when we go out. It wasn’t sad saying adios ‘coz I know we’ll all see each other again. I was excited to go home to my sizzling hot tropical weather.

The train trip was bit of a hassle. We had so many baggage and it was rush hour. You could imagine us all crammed in the train trying hard not to eat too much space. I felt elated when I saw a kababayan because we didn’t see too many Pinoys around Chiba. The only Pinoys in the hood were our neighbors so I got really excited to see a kababayan. :D

We got in the airport with so much time to spare. Mum walked over to the counter but the flight was full. So we were asked to wait and come back before they close the counter. We waited and sat at the bench. When we got bored, ate and I went to Uniqlo to look around. She ended up buying me a shirt. I told her she didn’t have to but she insisted since she bought kuya a jacket. You’re a rich preschool teacher indeed. ;p

We went back to check the status of the flight but it was still full. Apparently, everyone showed up, including a group of 200 tourists from Mao’s land. I love their race but why oh why did you pick the same day when we were leaving as well??

Mr. Smiling Face (think huggable Majinbu) was very sorry that he can’t do anything. Mamang Ricardo approached mum as well. They were really sorry that the flight was full and denied us to board. Gusto kong umiyak kasi uwing-uwi na ko noon.

Our major concern was the bulky baggage. We were supposed to store them in the baggage locker area but Mamang Ricardo said it was expensive and got our check-in baggage and stored it in their office. We left our carry-ons with us, our essentials are there. So no problem anymore except that we have to take the flight the next day or we extend our visa.

They gave us some goodies from passengers who refused to pay for excess baggage. Damage control ika ko. hahahaha!Pampalubag loob. Umuwi akong hukot ang balikat at mabigat ang loob. Akala ko sa hapon nung araw na yun eh nasa mainit na Pinas na ko.

Walked back home pulling my trolley bag. Biruan na nga lang sa bahay na nagpractice lang kami sa airport. It was a sunny day, perfect time to go out. Sana nakisama yung panahon nung dapat last day namin. I bet it, Tokyo Tower view would’ve been 5 times beautiful. Oh well.

We spent the entire day at home, had merienda and dinner together. I was just taking it all in. Come next day, I know I’ll be leaving and it would take me another year before I see it again. Ate Arlene and Kuya Dante were oh sooooo nice. :D ‘til then…

Time lipads soooo fast!

We took a breather the next day. We spent the entire day just at home. We walked a thousand miles (exaggerated) the other day, so our feet deserve a rest. I finally got to reflect on all the things God has given me the past year. This was the time that I realized that a year had passed when I graduated from college. Indeed time really flies. Over a year ago, I was in Australia with my mum and I was thinking back then what would be my life after graduation. Fast-forward to present, I never imagined that I would be a bum for this long.

It actually made me contemplate about my life plan and God’s plan for me. All my plans didn’t work out but I know, I can tell that God has a lot in store for me so I leave it all up to Him.

It was such a blessed, quiet (to the point that it was solemn) Wednesday for me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Iba talaga sa feeling na alam mo dapat sa bahay lang, tahimik pero yun nga eto lang yung time na pwede kami umalis kasama si ate. That one day wasn’t enough for all the sacrifices Christ did for us but for my part it was a day I got to reflect and thank God.

Moving on, the next day, we were set to invade Shinjuku, Shibuya and Harajuku. But when we woke up, the sky greeted us with dark clouds. BOOOOO!!! I wasn’t able to see mommy risa tuloy.

We decided not to go since there was a big chance that rain will pour (weather forecast in tv) and all our efforts would be in vain. Instead we went to the park (koen) near the place we were staying in. It’s definitely heaven for kids. Ang ganda-ganda ng park nila!

It was a sunny day in Chiba and I loved it. =) People were having Hanami while the kids played around. Lakad-lakad lang paikot ng park, picture dito, picture doon. Sakura is such a delight to one’s eyes. I tell you, see it for yourself to understand what I mean.

On our way home, we stopped by the mini-grocery for some chips. We were having movie marathon each night after dinner. Thank you for downloading the movies for us to watch. It became a bonding session. One big happy family indeed. =) Oh yeah, adorable Shayla, Ate Arlene’s niece was there and she likes me. yeeeeey! Bihira lang ako bumenta sa little tykes so I was soooo thrilled that we were friends.

April 2, was really a time-out since it was Good Friday. We had brunch and just after having it, Kuya Dante said he wanted some ramen so we went to this Ramen resto near our place. Kakatapos lang kumain, kain na naman. I know it should be fasting and abstinence. But I had it the other way around. Kahit busog, kumain ka! Seriously speaking, it was penitence for me. I’m not a big fan of eating so this was a challenge for me. So instead of fasting, inisip ko na lang ikakain ko yung mga walang makain. I’m not making sense so just make sense out of what I said. ;p

It was really tough going against the flow but I think we were able to observe Holy Week deep inside our hearts. I think that’s what matters most right? ‘til then…