Faith Kim's Blog, page 2
July 26, 2018
Okinawa Day 2
Watch my second, sun-filled day in Okinawa here!
NAMINOUE BEACH:
Naminoue Beach was about a 15 minute walk from our hostel. We woke up a little earlier than usual, around 8:30AM, to bright sunshine so we headed out as soon as possible to ensure that we would get to the beach with plenty of sun. We were worried the typhoon wasn’t over yet but it turned out that we had nothing to worry about. The sun stayed bright and hot throughout the day.
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You can see the sectioned off portion of the water, marked by the floaties as well as the highway that went directly over the beach.
The water was beautifully clear and the temperature was perfect. However, there was only a small section of water that visitors were allowed to swim in and when Sarah and I tried to move outside of that section to take pictures, we were scolded loudly. The scenery was also interrupted by a massive highway that cut directly across the horizon.
I know that Okinawa has much prettier and bigger beaches so I would definitely try a different beach the next time I happen to be in Okinawa.
FUKUSHUEN GARDENS:
After swimming and sunbathing, we headed off to Fukushuen Gardens. Entrance cost 200 yen for adults and it is a miniature price to pay to wander in the majestic gardens. It is a traditional Chinese garden, created to celebrate the ties of friendship between Naha and Fuzhou, China.
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A relaxing scene from the Spring location.
There are several beautiful ponds and springs all sprinkled with glimmering koi fish and for 100 yen, you can buy a box of food to feed them. There are also lovely footbridges to cross but the main area of the garden is the Soaring Rainbow Bridge and Mount Ye and Pavilion of Ye located in the “Colors of Autumn and Winter” section. There are three parts to this garden and each is meant to depict the scenery of one of the four seasons. There is the Autumn and Winter area, located by the main entrance and next comes the Summer location followed by the Spring location. All are beautiful and have unique Chinese architecture, which makes sense considering that all these pieces were ordered from Fuzhou, China.
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The iconic figures from the Autumn and Winter area.
The Soaring Rainbow Bridge and Mount Ye and Pavilion of Ye are the most iconic landmarks of the Fukushuen Garden. The Rainbow Bridge crosses in front of the waterfall that splashes out beneath the pavilion that sits on top of the manmade mountain, made to imitate Fuzhou’s own Mount Ye.
Fukushuen is a massive garden that stretches out for 8,500 square meters so there is plenty more to see than the things I mentioned. These parts were just my personal favorite and because it was so hot the day I went, there weren’t very many people so I was able to peacefully enjoy the sounds of water splashing throughout the garden. I would highly recommend visiting this place when in Naha, Okinawa! It is also very close to the Kenchomae Monorail station so very easy to access.
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The view from the Mount Ye Pavilion.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post!
July 24, 2018
Okinawa Day 1
Watch my first day in Okinawa here!
Hi everyone! So sorry about the lack of updates, I’ve been in Okinawa and didn’t bring my computer with me. But I’m back and ready to share my adventures in Okinawa!
GETTING TO OKINAWA:
On Friday, I had to wake up at 5AM to catch my bus to Narita Airport. I was accompanied by my friend Sarah (who you will see a lot of in my vlog) and we arrived at the airport fairly early. We ate lunch at the food court (I ate one of my favorite Japanese meals: udon with tempura) and then caught our Jetstar flight to Naha, Okinawa.
ARRIVING IN OKINAWA:
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Cleanest hostel by far!
We checked into our hostel, Guest House Umikaji, and were pleasantly surprised. This was not only the cheapest hostel I’ve stayed in during my time in Japan but it was also the cleanest one I’ve seen yet! It was also right next to the monorail station which made getting around the city very convenient.
After locking our things up in the provided lockers, Sarah and I took to the town to find a place to eat. We found ourselves at the Kokusai Street Food Village and ended up in a fantastic okonomiyaki place. The restaurant was very small and only about 7 people could fit in it all at once. The Street Food Village itself is very narrow so you have to do a lot of squeezing by people. Every restaurant had a Japanese, English and Korean menu so for those who are worried about ordering food, do not fear! The menus also come with pictures just in case the word “okonomiyaki” doesn’t mean anything to you. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake-like dish and the word literally translates to “Grilled as you like” so there are many ways to eat it. I ate the very typical Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki with batter, cabbage, and pork but there are so many more variations of this dish that I have yet to try!
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Once more people come, this places gets really packed!
DAY 1 IN OKINAWA:
A typhoon was scheduled to hit Okinawa and hit it did. Saturday was filled with ominous looking clouds and strong wind. So instead of heading to the beach, we decided to shop around in the different tourist shops. Every few hours, it rained really hard and Sarah and I had to quickly escaped into different stores to avoid getting soaked.
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A giant beni imo tart display. That purple is the same exact color of the tart itself!
While in the shops, we tried a belly-bursting amount of beni imo snack samples. What is beni imo? Only the most beautifully colored purple sweet potato ever. There were so many shops sprinkled all over Naha dedicated to this wonderful sweet. I made sure to buy several boxes of the treat for my host family.
After sampling until we were about to explode, Sarah and I escaped from another sudden downpour into a Don Quijote, a discount chain store known for its overwhelming amount of goods and loud music and announcements that never cease. We wandered around for a while before finding PINK hair dye. So of course, I bought it and immediately rushed back to the hostel with Sarah to try it out.
Long story short, I’m pink now!!
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Huge thanks to Sarah for helping me turn into my favorite color! Ft. hair curler.
Stay tuned for Okinawa Day 2! The weather cleared up the next day so we were able to do and see a lot more!
As usual, like and subscribe. I really appreciate it, thank you!!
July 19, 2018
Drugstore Shopping
Join me as I struggle to find contact solution at the local drugstore!
There is a drugstore called Maruto Power Drug that is located just down the street from my house. Maruto is also a supermarket, which is right next to the drugstore.
I knew that I was bound to end up in the drugstore one day throughout my time in Japan and that day came sooner than I expected when I realized I only had a few drops of contact solution left. I really enjoy shopping in Japan, whether it’s at the mall, outlets, or supermarket but I always run into the obvious issue of not being able to read anything around me.
When I went to the Maruto drugstore after a quick trip to the beach (it’s so nice that I live so close to the beach!), I thought the shopping excursion would take me a couple of minutes. I ended up being in there for almost an hour! It was because I couldn’t find what I needed. (I was also fascinated by all the things I could get at the drugstore).
DRUGSTORES IN JAPAN:
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So many hair products!
Girls in Japan have two choices when buying beauty products: beauty stores or the drugstore. Both are good options and both sell high quality goods. I was in awe of all the hair products, makeup, and other beauty goods the drugstore had. Shopping for beauty supplies, hygiene products, and other such items can be done in the local drugstore with no problem! It was a little strange for me since I never shopped for my things at a drugstore in America.
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My favorite circle lenses! I am definitely coming back to get some soon…
After wandering around the drugstore for about 45 minutes, I finally had to ask one of the ladies at the cash register for help (in really bad and incorrect Japanese, but you can watch my vlog to hear that). Once I was shown the contact solution, however, I realized that the one I wanted did not have a price tag on the box nor did it have one under its section on the shelf. So I had to improvise and start comparing the characters on the box to the characters on the different tags on the shelf…
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Trying to decipher the characters to find the price of the contact solution.
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The characters look the same…
Eventually it worked out and I found the correct tag for the solution I had! It was only 450 yen which is about 4.50 USD, super cheap!
I would highly recommend checking out a basic drugstore in Japan, not only are they super cheap but super fun to look around in. I wandered around for 45 minutes because there was just so much to see!
(There will not be a post this weekend because I will be in Okinawa. I will definitely be taking videos and writing about my time there so be excited!)
July 17, 2018
Capsule Hotel & Shibuya & Tokyo Station
Check out my vlog to follow my Sunday adventure around Shibuya!
CAPSULE HOTEL:
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There was even a TV in the capsule!
After Disneysea, my friends and I sleepily stumbled our way to our capsule hotel. We hurriedly checked into Capsule Inn Hamamatsucho and were given a toothbrush, towel, and a yukata robe with a belt. Unfortunately, we couldn’t all shower immediately as the hostel only had 1 women’s shower. Women from other floors were traveling down to our floor to use our shower. There was also no wifi anywhere but the lobby.
Once I showered, I climbed up into my capsule. I always compare the look of a capsule to a morgue but if a morgue feels like a capsule then I don’t mind dying. It was comfortable enough and never got hot in my capsule. While the capsule could have been cleaner, I was thankful to finally get some rest.
Check out was at 10 AM and there was an announcement 10 minutes before to warn visitors. It was a little hectic trying to check out because the lobby was tiny and there were so many people also trying to leave.
SHIBUYA:
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Conbini meals are actually pretty tasty! I highly recommend everyone try it at least once if in Japan.
Sarah and I headed to Shibuya after we checked out. We ate a quick breakfast from the nearby conbini (convenience store) and boarded the train. Busy trains are a very real thing and Sarah and I soon found ourselves smashed into our seats by the crowd of riders. Our conversation was overheard by the woman sitting next to us named Yumi who spoke to us in English. We quickly connected and learned that she and her husband are interpreters living in Hawaii. A while ago, they had evacuated Kyoto because of the floods to go to Hokkaido. We had to quickly part ways at Shibuya Station but the little time we spoke to her was great.
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Oh Hachiko, your story makes me cry every time I hear it.
Sarah and I saw the Hachiko Memorial Statue upon exiting the station and then moved on to the famous Shibuya Crossing. It was pretty fun being in the crowd of people under the tireless sun and definitely made for an unforgettable experience.
The only non-food purchase I made in Shibuya was a month set of circle lenses. The night before, I had lost a single contact. So before wandering into the first store we saw, I was basically walking around blind (my eyesight is atrocious and Sarah was severely worried for my safety). I took a wild stab in the dark with the prescription but turned out to be right! It was good to have sight again.
We wandered aimlessly around Shibuya and looked at every the shop because 1. the fashion is so fun to look at and 2. air conditioning. Tokyo is one of the hottest cities in Japan and this weekend was pretty brutal in terms of heat. Sunscreen is your best friend if you don’t manage to sweat it all off!
TOKYO STATION:
I have been to Tokyo Station several times during my time in Japan and it never gets old. Not only is it a station, it’s also a massive shopping complex. The lower level has so many character stores, so if you like an anime or character, you’re bound to find it in Tokyo Station. My favorite store was the Ghibli Studios store! I bought two Kiki’s Delivery Service charms from this store.
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A timeless icon – Totoro!
If you’re in Japan, you’re bound to end up in Tokyo Station at least once. It’s definitely something to experience!
July 15, 2018
Tokyo Disneysea
Check out my vlog to see the magic of Tokyo Disneysea!
Japan proves that anything it touches, it can make better. There is no better example than Tokyo Disneysea. Not Disneyland but SEA! The entire concept of the park is water exploration adventures and it has 7 “ports” to explore. The park begins in Mediterranean Harbor and, going clockwise, leads to the Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, then American Waterfront.
MEDITERRANEAN HARBOR:
Based off of Venice, Italy. This beautiful harbor has the Hotel MiraPosa built into the meticulously designed city to add to the feeling of being in a real Italian city. There are also fantastic Venetian Gondolas that park goers can ride. Each gondola has 2 gondoliers and one of our gondoliers spoke English so I was able to understand everything the other gondolier was saying! Be sure to close your eyes and make a wish under the special bridge before your arrival back onto the harbor!
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Mediterranean Harbor
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND:
Based off of the island in the book The Mysterious Island as well as the island from the movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Despite its name, the Mysterious Island is not really an island but is actually constructed into the side of Mount Prometheus, DisneySea’s most prominent landmark. The style of this port is Victorian steam-punk and, in my opinion, one of the coolest themes of the entire park.
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Mysterious Island
MERMAID LAGOON:
Based off of The Little Mermaid. Most of this port is indoors to mimic being underwater (it’s also nice on a hot day because of the air conditioning). The port has wonderfully designed seashell-inspired architecture and truly gives viewers the feeling of being in a mystical undersea palace.
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Mermaid Lagoon
ARABIAN COAST:
Based off of the movie Aladdin. I loved the ride Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage which distinctly reminded me of It’s a Small World from Disneyland in California because of the art and animatronics.
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Arabian Coast
LOST RIVER DELTA:
Based off of ancient ruins of an Aztec pyramid. Raging Spirits and Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull are located here and let me just say, Indiana Jones is probably the best ride in the entire park. This ride has a similar setting to the one in California’s Disneyland but is longer than it’s American counterpart.
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Lost River Delta
PORT DISCOVERY:
Based off of a marine institute, this one holds the fictional Marine Life Institute. My friends and I unfortunately did not spend much time at this port. We did however take the overhead trolley from American Waterfront to here.
AMERICAN WATERFRONT:
Based off of Cape Cod and New York. The moment I walked into this port, I felt like I was back in America. This port has the famous Tower of Terror however the lines were too long to tempt me.
FOOD:
My friends and I ate lunch at the Zambini Brothers’ Ristorante. The penne was a little small and cost 750 yen (~$7.50), it was also a little undercooked so the penne was hard. But pretty tasty nonetheless.
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A Mickey Mouse churro!
Next, we snacked at the Sultan’s Oasis. My friends got the soft cream with shaved ice and strawberries and milk (which was great!) while I ate the Maple Cream Balls with soft cream. I made the mistake of eating the hot Maple Cream Balls on a sweltering hot summer day so my soft cream melted in a heartbeat. However it was delicious and something I would definitely eat again.
Finally, I had to get a churro. Of course! The churro was delicious, as to be expected of a Disney churro. It was also shaped in the form of Mickey Mouse!
When night came, we watched the Fantasmic! water show at the Mediterranean Harbor. It sent chills down my spine. Complete with special appearances from Mickey Mouse, several Disney princesses, fireworks, fire (curtesy of a giant dragon), and a GIANT DRAGON, this show is definitely worth watching.
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A GIANT DRAGON!
July 13, 2018
Trying Unagi for the First Time
Check out my vlog to make yourself hungry!
It’s summer in Japan and it’s hot. So what do you do when you’re in Japan and the sun is sweltering hot and the humidity is draining all your energy? You eat unagi! Unagi is the Japanese word for saltwater eel and it is usually eaten during the summertime. There are several ways to prepare unagi but the only ways I have tried so far is Unaju and kimosu.
ABOUT:
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The shop master turns on the grill.
Unaju is a traditional Japanese meal comprised of roasted unagi on a bed of rice. The unagi is dipped in a special sweet and salty sauce and then is roasted over fire. The unagi becomes crunchy and sweet on the outside while turning melty and soft on the inside. It is delicious.
MY EXPERIENCE:
My lovely, lovely, lovely host parents took me to the number one unagi shop in the area and we were all excited – none of us had been here before. The first thing I saw when I entered the restaurant was the shop master cutting into a whole fresh eel. Every part of the eel was used, down to the liver. My host family and I took seats right in front of the shop master’s cutting board and were able to watch him carefully slice several eels right before our very eyes, an experience that not many people get to see in this shop since the shop owner usually prepares his eel before the day begins, he told us. Today was special however, he had a party coming in the next day and wanted to spend today preparing for it.
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Watching the shop master prepare our food made waiting fun.
We watched the shop master cut, skewer, dip, and cook the eel. He occasionally spoke to my host parents and asked them questions about me and whether I would like the food or not. They reassured him I would definitely enjoy whatever he decided to put in front of me, I’m not one to ever say No to food!
First, we were given some marinated eel with wasabi and short after, he gave us our unaju, beautifully roasted eel placed on white rice packed neatly into a gorgeous black box with red flowers decorating it. The box is called a jubako and it is used for food and is fancier than a bento box.
The shop master also gave us kimosu, a soup that uses the liver of the eel. The liver was tougher than the main part of the eel and the soup was salty rather than sweet. Everything was delicious. The eel was cooked so well that the center melted into my tongue the moment I bit into it, leaving a sweet taste behind. The rice was also covered in the same sauce used on the unagi and the sweet rice with eel made for a very filling and beyond satisfying meal.
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The gorgeously prepared unaju. It had the most heavenly aroma and taste.
I cannot thank my host parents enough for taking me to experience such a wonderful thing. I ate well and was able to see how a master prepares their eel. This is definitely one of the best meals I have had in Japan so far, probably the best meal I will ever have in my life, and I am eternally grateful to have experienced this.
July 11, 2018
Kashima-Jingu
Check out my vlog to see just how beautiful the Kashima-Jingu really is!
DEITY:
The Kashima-Jingu is dedicated to Takemikazuchi, the ancient god of thunder and martial arts. After the Father of Japan, Izanagi, beheaded his own son as a punishment, it is said that Takemikazuchi sprung from the blood that splashed onto the rocks from Izanagi’s sword. With Takemikazuchi, Futsunushi was also born. Both gods are revered and respected as gods of martial and military arts.
ABOUT:
This shrine is the oldest shrine in the entire Kanto region and is one of the Three Shrines of the East in Japan. It is assumed to have been founded in 660BC, during Emperor Jimmu’s first year.
The entrance of the shrine, the Romon, is one of the largest gateways in Japan! It is also considered to be an important cultural property and is one of many important aspects of the shrine. There are many historical artifacts stored within the treasure hall inside the shrine. One of the artifacts is Japan’s longest and oldest sword. Unfortunately, I was unable to go into the treasure hall so I didn’t get to see the sword.
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The bright red gateway showed us exactly where we needed to go.
In some parts of Japan, deer are considered to be messengers of the gods and are admired greatly due to their significance in the Shinto religion. Deer are sacred animals and can be found in the “deer park” in the Kashima-Jingu, among a few other places around Japan.
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The deer park in the Kashima-Jingu Shrine.
After wandering around the shrine and immersing yourself in the natural beauty that surrounds the shrine, you can buy an amulet (omamori) as a lucky souvenir. The ones I saw said “Traffic safety” and “Good luck on exams”. The omamori are made by women who work at the shrine. At the Kashima-Jingu, they wear the traditional styled clothing of the red skirt and white top.
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Even more omamori! Buy all the luck you can!
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Just a few of the omamori I saw! You can see the uniform the shrine worker has to wear in the back.
I hope you enjoyed this post! I will try to be posting every other day so follow me to keep up with my adventures in Japan!
Kashima-Jingu Shrine
Check out my vlog to see just how beautiful the Kashima-Jingu shrine really is!
DEITY:
The Kashima-Jingu shrine is dedicated to Takemikazuchi, the ancient god of thunder and martial arts. After the Father of Japan, Izanagi, beheaded his own son as a punishment, it is said that Takemikazuchi sprung from the blood that splashed onto the rocks from Izanagi’s sword. With Takemikazuchi, Futsunushi was also born. Both gods are revered and respected as gods of martial and military arts.
ABOUT:
This shrine is the oldest shrine in the entire Kanto region and is one of the Three Shrines of the East in Japan. It is assumed to have been founded in 660BC, during Emperor Jimmu’s first year.
The entrance of the shrine, the Romon, is one of the largest gateways in Japan! It is also considered to be an important cultural property and is one of many important aspects of the shrine. There are many historical artifacts stored within the treasure hall inside the shrine. One of the artifacts is Japan’s longest and oldest sword. Unfortunately, I was unable to go into the treasure hall so I didn’t get to see the sword.
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The bright red gateway showed us exactly where we needed to go.
In some parts of Japan, deer are considered to be messengers of the gods and are admired greatly due to their significance in the Shinto religion. Deer are sacred animals and can be found in the “deer park” in the Kashima-Jingu shrine, among a few other places around Japan.
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The deer park in the Kashima-Jingu Shrine.
After wandering around the shrine and immersing yourself in the natural beauty that surrounds the shrine, you can buy an amulet (omamori) as a lucky souvenir. The ones I saw said “Traffic safety” and “Good luck on exams”. The omamori are made by women who work at the shrine. At the Kashima-Jingu shrine, they wear the traditional styled clothing of the red skirt and white top.
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Even more omamori! Buy all the luck you can!
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Just a few of the omamori I saw! You can see the uniform the shrine worker has to wear in the back.
I hope you enjoyed this post! I will try to be posting every other day so follow me to keep up with my adventures in Japan!
July 9, 2018
Tanabata Festival
Have you heard about the romantic Tanabata (Star) festival in Japan? Check out my vlog to see more!
ORIGIN:
The Tanabata festival celebrates the reunion of the celestial spirits Orihime the Weaver Princess and Hikoboshi the cow herder, who are allowed to meet only once a year – on the seventh day of the seventh month. On that day, the lovers cross the Milky Way on a bridge made of magpies to be together for a brief time. This bittersweet story is celebrated during what is now known as the Tanabata festival.
HOW TO CELEBRATE IT:
The Tanabata festival is known for the bamboo sticks with colorful papers called tanzaku tied to them. The tanzaku are wish papers and people usually write their wishes to tie to the bamboo stick in the hopes that the gods can answer them.
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Choose your kakigori flavor! Choose one, choose all!
FOOD:
You can usually find kakigori at any summer festival. Kakigori is just shaved ice flavored with syrup, perfect for those hot and humid summer days!
The food stands lined the street as far as the eye could see and there were an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. The smell that wafted from all the food being cooked, fried, and baked was enough to bring any heavenly deity down to earth to try some!
Just a few of the foods I saw at the festival:
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A food vendor selling taiyaki!
Karaage (fried chicken)
Chocolate bananas
Takoyaki (fried ball-shaped snacks filled with octopus)
Yakisoba (fried noodles)
Cotton candy
Ringo ame (candied apples)
Taiyaki (fish-shapped baked snack filled with either red bean, chocolate, and more!)
GAMES:
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Yo-yo tsuri! My clip broke off but the man running the booth still let me take one home.
While the Tanabata festival certainly did have its fair share of common festival games, it also kept Japanese tradition alive through some of the one-of-a-kind games that leave you coming back for more.
Yo-Yo Tsuri involves fishing for water balloons in a small kiddie pool. The catch is that the “hook” you’re given is just a “W” shaped clip attached to a piece of tissue paper, once the paper gets wet, it dissolves and the clip drops to the bottom of the pool.
Kingyo Sukui, also known as goldfish scooping, where participants use a paper scooper to attempt to scoop goldfish out of a pool into a bowl before their scooper tears. There are several versions of this game using either bouncy balls or even turtles!
July 7, 2018
Living in Japan
Hello everyone!
I hope everyone’s summer vacations are going well. My summer break has definitely been wonderful and I want to share my experiences with you all!
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Asakusa is definitely a must-visit! There’s a gorgeous temple, shops as far as you can see, and so much to eat!
During the winter break and going into the new year of 2018, I applied for a summer internship at the Ibaraki Christian University in the city of Hitachi located in the Ibaraki prefecture of Japan (what a mouthful!) and, much to my surprise, I got the internship! On May 24, I flew from Busan, South Korea (I wanted to see Korea again before starting my internship) to Japan! My first week was a whirlwind of new information, new people, and new sights to be seen. I met the other interns I would be working with throughout the summer and I met my beautiful host family, whom I love with all my heart.
My job at school is to help English learners practice their English skills and to answer any questions they might have. I have met so many people and made so many friends. I have also traveled a lot with my newfound friends, we have visited many local sights and far locations together and I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity.
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Japan is gorgeous! Be sure to take in all the sights, even the local and less metropolitan ones.
It’s now been well over a month since I have arrived in Japan and I have about 2 more months left in Japan. I have adjusted nicely to the country and each day, I find more reasons to love it even more than I did when I first arrived. The food is incredible (though I do recommend having an open mind to trying new and strange foods for the ultimate experience), the people are kind, and the country is gorgeous. Visiting Tokyo is a short 2.5 hour bus ride from Hitachi so I have gone a few times already. Harajuku is one of my favorite places to go because I love the bright and vibrant one-of-a-kind fashion found only in this area. I do have more plans to see more of Japan so stay tuned to hear about that!
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My fashion attempt at fitting in while exploring the shops of Harajuku. (I crammed everything I bought into one shopping bag because I was embarrassed that I bought so much stuff!)
When people say that the humidity in Japan is not a joke, they aren’t lying. The rainy season is relatively cool but once that rain stops, the heat settles in. The best advice I ever got was to wear tank tops underneath all my shirts to soak up the sweat (a gross reality of choosing to come to Japan during the summer).
I also highly recommend carrying enough cash whenever you decide to go anywhere as many places in Japan only accept cash. And unlike the U.S., Japanese coins can go up to the approximate equivalent of 5 USD so don’t try to quickly get rid of your coins like I did because of habits from the States!
When I first arrived in Japan, I naively assumed there would be plenty of English like there is in Korea, but I was incorrect. Navigating is a little difficult considering the significant lack of English but nothing is impossible without technology! The Google Translate app can translate any written signs while the Papago translating app can more accurately translate phrases you want to convey to another person.
I have much more I want to talk about but I’ll leave it at that for now! I also am starting a vlog series about my life in Japan, so be sure to check that out here! I’ll be posting every other day.


