Halloween Madness in Tokyo

Tokyo is known to be one of the fashion capitals of the world. For the past year and a half or so of living here, I have observed how conscious Tokyo-ites are about the little details in their everyday look. They match their outfits to their umbrellas, take time to style their hair in braids or curls, and really stick to the fashion for the season (for example, once it's autumn in the calendar, expect them to be in sweaters and jackets even if it's still warm). If you go to the Disney parks, you would see groups of matching outfits, often times Disney-themed.


Given all this, I did not expect Halloween to be so intense when I first experienced it last year. 

The Turista Series: Proper Japanese Etiquette

The Japanese (more often than not) adhere to the norms of society. I think most people would agree that they are very polite and organized people. That being said, it is very easy for foreigners to stand out when they're visiting the land of the rising sun. So before your trip to Japan, it's best to equip yourself with some basic Japanese etiquette!

The Turista Series: Getting Lost in Japan

It is fairly easy to get lost in Japan. The train system, although very efficient, is also very complicated with a lot of transfers and exits. Shinjuku Station in Tokyo alone has about 200 exits (yes, TWO HUNDRED. It is the world's busiest train station after all); some trains even switch lines or skip stations, so if you're unaware, you could miss your stop easily (mind you, it's happened to me plenty of times). Then, of course, there's the language barrier. Planning where you're going and how to get there can easily save you a lot of time and money.

The Turista Series: Transportation Tips in Japan

Japan is presently opening up to the world and is attracting more and more tourists, especially since it will be hosting the 2020 Olympics. Living here for a year, I can say that it's a good destination to explore as the culture is so rich and yet you'd be fascinated by Japan's advancements in technology at the same time. Not to mention, the food is awesome and it's a shopping haven. One thing you have to expect though-- transportation can be quite pricey.

But! Have no fear. For the budgeting traveller--I have a few tips on how you can get around more (mostly in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka) for less. 

The Magic of Mount Fuji

I'm only 5 feet tall but there I was, 12,000 feet high! Climbing Mount Fuji has been one of the most challenging, tiring and overly amazing things I've ever done in my life. It's definitely not an easy feat, but it was all worth it.
NOTE: This is going to be a long post. But... I have pictures and loads of information so I do hope you read on!

Central Perk in China

If you've watched even just a couple of episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. then Central Perk is going to ring some bells! Obviously, the TV series was filmed in NYC, but if you happen to be in Beijing, China, you might want to visit a quaint, little replica of the famous cafe.



The owner did a pretty good job in copying the original and it's got the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. vibe all over the place, with framed photos of the cast on the brick walls, cupcakes named after the characters, a guitar to release your inner Phoebe and even a cat called-- you guessed it-- Smelly Cat. 

Culture Lessons

Not a lot of people know that I have moved to Tokyo, Japan. In fact, by tomorrow, June 29th, it will be exactly 3 months. I feel bad about not being able to update this blog as much as I should and want to, but I'm pushing myself yet again to change that (and hopefully, keep it consistent). I can't promise that things will be chronological around here, as I would love to share both recent and past adventures. It's better late than never after all!

Tokyo is actually known for having a lot of museums, and my first museum experience was at the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, which features the British Museum's "A History of the World in 100 Objects". It was very interesting as the objects wove a story of how human creativity and innovation developed over 2 million years. What was more interesting, however, was the experience going through the whole museum with Japanese locals.

It was a Saturday, and the exhibition is only until the 28th, so it was expected that the place will be packed. And indeed it was, but it wasn't bothersome at all.

People were actually lined up in a very organized manner, going from one object to another. Nobody asked them to, they just did, and it was a very effective system. Everybody talked in hushed voices and patiently waited for their turn to view. To add, before entering the exhibition room, we were told that taking photos is not allowed inside, and I swear, I did not see a single soul defy this rule. There were even kids inside the museum and they weren't unruly or restless at all. The museum offers drawing boards to children so they can walk around to doodle the things that they see.

I am utterly amazed by the Japanese people's discipline and courtesy. Here, they stop and patiently wait for you to take a photo, voluntarily move to a different seat if your friend is sitting next to them so that you two will be seated together, keep their phones on silent mode so as not to bother others, wear masks when they have a simple cold or cough, follow traffic rules such as slowing down when there is a pedestrian lane, and always bear in mind to say polite words like "I'm sorry" (gomenasai), "excuse me" (sumimasen), "please" (onegaishimasu) and "thank you" (arigatou gozaimasu). I could go on and on but I'll probably just write more about this as we go along.

On a final note, as we embark on another busy week ahead, let's not forget to stop and be considerate to others. There are always little things that you can do to make this world a happier place. Goodnight, everyone. :)