minamimusings

This was originally part of my Accommodations post, but seeing as it got too long, I'm using it as a separate entry. Yay! More blog posts! So, how to choose where to stay? Here's what I think: 1. Choose a place near a railway station. Wherever you decide to visit, my key recommendation, owing to the nation's advanced, extensive, and hugely efficient transportation system, is to stay near a railway station. If you are near one, you can basically get anywhere. An added plus is that Yamanote Line (the train that goes around Tokyo) stations usually have affordable dining options nearby. 2. Map out your itinerary and see where you find yourself spending the most time in! Railway tickets can get pricey--the minimum you'll pay for a stop on Tokyo's Yamanote Line is 130Y or about 65PHP--so it might also be best to map out the exact tourist spots you plan on seeing, or seeing more of, and look for a good place to stay nearby. For example, when we're in Tokyo, m...

Because it's almost spring in Japan and the cherry blossoms are again going to be in full gorgeous bloom, I thought I'd bust out some of our sakura photos from 2007 in tribute. These were taken in the park in the Imperial Palace. Carpet of fallen sakura blossoms.

Because it's almost spring in Japan and the cherry blossoms are again going to be in full gorgeous bloom, I thought I'd bust out some of our sakura photos from 2007 in tribute. These were taken in Ueno Park. I miss Tokyo. Still hoping Paul and I can go back there soon.

Among the things that made my first time out of the country memorable was that, for once, I went with something I loved, and chose to go to Japan where most would opt for the U.S. Another was the presence of my husband (then, boyfriend), Paul. It was fun because, while we weren't strangers to traveling, doing so without tour guides and just one other person for company was new, especially for me. We found that the first 24 hours was already a wealth of experiences. Our flight was delayed leaving, which is normal for the Philippines, I think, despite the plane being Cathay Pacific. Naturally, we had to disembark and take a connecting plane in Hong Kong, but since we were late, by the time we got there, it was about to leave and we were two of the few people it was waiting for. The ground stewardesses at HK International hurried us to our next boarding gate. Paul and I headed directly for the sign that read ECONOMY PASSENGERS. As we ran through the jetway, we looked at the windows ou...

10. Kimonos. Part of my initial checklist when we went to Japan was to buy one. I even set aside a "budget" for it, knowing that it would be so expensive. But when we were there and I saw just how much it cost, and read through the net how difficult it would be to keep and wear, well, I had to reluctantly give it up. I settled for buying several yukata instead. :P With matching obis, of course. They're just as pretty, won't be as hard to put on, and cheaper. They're also usually the summer version of the kimono, so they're perfect to use in weather like ours. 9. Real, authentic, Japanese-made, Japanese food. Yes! Japanese food really tastes different when you're in Japan! :P Ev en the Yoshinoya beef bowl tasted different. Paul and I were lucky enough to eat at a small restaurant near our hotel that specialized in tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) and the servings were quite big. On one of our Akihabara days, our friend Aaron took us to a Yoshinoya-li...