Category Archives: Place

{  Soramachi – Tokyo Skytree  }

Soramachi - Tokyo Skytree
Soramachi - Tokyo Skytree
Soramachi - Tokyo Skytree

The hottest spot to check out in Japan right now is Tokyo Skytree & its new shopping town area called “Soramachi”. Tokyo Skytree opened on May 22nd, 2012 and its been featured all over the media here in Japan. I personally wasn’t planning to check it out for a while but now that the initial craziness has calmed down a little we decided to visit it and we were pretty impressed.

The new shopping town called “Soramachi” is beautifully done. There’s been so many new malls opening in Tokyo lately such as the Tokyu Plaza in Harajuku/Omotesando, Hikarie in Shibuya, and Diver City in Odaiba but this one is among the best. (Yes, I’ve gone to all of them!) It’s packed with everything Japanese and there’s so many places to eat, dine, snack, shop, you can spend all day here. If you want to know where we ate here, check out my other post on Rokurinsha.

Just for your information, the tickets to go up to the observatory is open to the public on July 11. It’s probably going to be insanely crowded all over again but if you are coming to visit Tokyo from out of town, this is the place to go! Even if you can’t get tickets to the observatory, you’ll enjoy the scenery and Soramachi. For online ticket information, check out: http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/reservation/

Address // 1-1-2, Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 0570-55-0102
Website // http://www.tokyo-solamachi.jp/english/




{  Tokyo Skytree from Above  }

Tokyo Skytree from Above
Tokyo Skytree from Above

I had the opportunity to fly over Tokyo on a helicopter last year and fly right next to Tokyo Skytree before it was done building! It was my first time on a helicopter and it was amazing. As you can see, Soramachi was heavily under construction and I had no idea what it was going to turn into. This is a fun way to explore Tokyo if you’re not scared of heights :)

xo,
Maki




{  Tenguyaki in Takaosan  }

Tenguyaki in Takaosan
Tenguyaki in Takaosan
Tenguyaki in Takaosan

Did you know that there’s a 3-star michelin rated Mountain in Tokyo? It’s called Mount Takao (Takaosan) and it’s hard to believe that such a beautiful mountain is just an hour or two away by public transportation from central Tokyo. It’s a nice getaway from the busy city life and the best part is they have many trails to choose from so all different age groups and levels (from beginner through advanced) hikers can enjoy this mt. Even the ‘Inariyama trail,’ which is supposed to be the most strenuous, is hiked by everyone from elementary school kids on field trips to grandmas & grandpas, so it’s a great way to get some exercise surrounded by nature without going on an all-day hike. If you are not that into hiking but still want to go to Takaosan, you can still take the tram and reach the observatory for a nice scenic view! On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji from the top and it’s a great way to experience nature in the massive metropolis of Tokyo.

I love hiking — I’ve climbed Mt. Fuji and Half Dome in Yosemite, but Takaosan is one of my favorite hikes in Tokyo. Just a tip, I would try avoid climbing Takaosan during major holidays like Golden week as it gets really packed and difficult to navigate. Also, bring a large ziploc bag/trash bag with you as you will have to take your trash home with you. For advanced hikers, you can continue from the top of Takaosan to the Mt. Jimba Trail to extend your hike.

Anyhow, at the top of the tram station is where you can find the delicious treat pictured above called “Tengu Yaki” for 130yen. ‘Tengu’ means a long‐nosed goblin and that’s what the shape is based off of. It has a sweetened black soybean paste inside the crispy waffle and it’s tasty. Surprisingly not too sweet and it’s a perfect snack to pick up on the way. Go on this hike with your family and friends on a nice weekend :)

Takaozan’s English website:
http://www.takaotozan.co.jp/takaotozan_eng1/index2.htm

Address // 2205, Takaomachi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 042-665-1808
Website // n/a

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{  Shibazakura  }

Shibazakura Festival
Shibazakura Festival

Just wanted to thank everyone who has been following my blog, liked us on facebook, emailed me, tweeted about us, gave me restaurant recommendations to try, etc. Very excited to hear from my readers and appreciate all the support :) Gives me the motivation to keep posting!

Today, I wanted to share with you a beautiful Shibazakura Festival that is going on in Yamanashi-prefecture until May 27th. (It was supposed to end this weekend but it got extended due to the late blooming of the flowers). Unfortunately it was overcast on the day we went… so we couldn’t see Mt. Fuji, but if you go on a clear day, it should be an amazing view with some great photo opportunities. If you get hungry, they have some food options there but not a whole lot of selection.

PS: For those of you who live in Japan or who are thinking about moving to Japan, check out this awesome site which has some great articles about Japan: survivingnjapan.com.

Address // 212, Motosu, FujiKawaguchikocho, MinamiTsurugun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 0555-89-3031
Website // www.shibazakura.jp




{  Kamakura  }

Kamakura
Kamakura
Kamakura
Kamakura

Went to Kamakura over the Golden Week Holiday and wanted to share some photos from my favorite places and shops in the area :)

Here’s a brief guide to the photos above:
01. — The beautiful and famous shinto shrine, Tsurugaokahachimangu
Address // 2-1-31, Yukinoshita, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 0467-22-0315
Website // http://www.tsurugaoka-hachimangu.jp

02. — The famous hato-sabure cookie store from Kamakura – these cookies are sold all throughout Japan, but this is the original headquarters (本店)
Address // 2-11-19, Komachi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 0467-25-0810
Website // http://www.hato.co.jp

03. — Delicious vanilla soft serves from gyuusha
Address // 2-12-27, Komachi, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 0467-84-9179
Website // http://www.npf-ryokuen.com/kamakura.html

04. — Kurumikko — delicious caramel walnut treats (本店)
Address // 1-12-4, Yukinoshita, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa, Japan (map)
Phone Number // 0467-22-3492
Website // http://www.beniya-ajisai.co.jp

If you want to see a great lunch spot in the area as well, check out this post.
Hope you all had a lovely holiday!