Monday, October 6, 2008

My visit to Japan(Part III)..

I had a rare opportunity amongst all the youth exchangees when I was in Japan. My host family actually brought me to Tokyo and I had a three fantastic days there.

Tokyo is not a small city which can be fully explored in 3 days. I only managed to see part of the 'must' and famous places.

We took Shinkanzen(Bullet train) from Shizuoka, Nagoya to Tokyo. When we reached there, the train station itself is one of the major historic places in Tokyo.

As what I have been told, it is the oldest train station in Japan. During the second world war, suprisingly, it was not destroyed where as the buildings around it were bombed into pieces.

Next, my host family brought me to Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is the main residence of the emperor of Japan. I do not know how big it is but all the royal families and relatives stay in there. Besides, the visitors are not allowed to enter the castle compound. We can just loitering around outside the castle.



Tokyo Tower probably is the most famous building in Tokyo. It is something like KL Tower in Malaysia. The similarity between them is both buildings are one of the tallest buildings in the country. Besides, we can actually see the whole Tokyo city from the air.. Even though it was not as interesting as I thought it could be, it is still a must to go. How can you go to Tokyo without visiting the famous landmark, right!?


Not forgetting, there is a maskot for Tokyo Tower. I cannot recall his name due to my weak memory but I remember the meaning of it's name, which is 'tall', if I am not mistaken.

Then, we went to the Japan's oldest temple, Sensoji temple in Asakusa. The main gate is called Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate).

After getting into the compound, you need to walk for around 200 metres to reach the temple. Along the road, there are a lot of stalls selling Japanese souveniors and snacks. The path is called Nakamise. The road is always packed with people. It is something like 'Pasar Malam'(Night Market) in Malaysia. The only difference is that Nakamise operation hour is from day to night.

Normally when we pay a visit to temples, we go there to pray and get some sort of "fortune-telling-paper"(Tilik-nasib-paper, I do not know what it is called in English) which will tell you about your luck or path or destiney, you name it for the following year. Of course, just for the sake of trying, I paid 100 yen and get a paper.

Unfortunately, it was a bad-luck-paper. From the kanji, I predicted that I will be facing a lot of difficulties and numerous obstacles in everything I do. Besides, my mind will be challenged and it will make me emotionally unstable. Lastly, I might get involved in a huge fight.


But not to worry, there is always a remedy for every problem. If we picked a bad luck paper, we just need to tie it to the rack so that the bad luck will stay there and eventually, your path of life will be changed.

I guess that's the reason I did not get any trouble in the following year.

When we were walking in Shibuya towards our hotel, I saw a Pachinko shop and I actually tried it. I did not and still do not understand how it works. I just simply play and in 5 minutes, my one thousand yen gone. I can't really remember how to play as well, it is wayyyy past tense.

Then, we went to one of the most expensive area in Tokyo which is Ginza area.

There were a lot of people walking in the city. I do not know why but when the pedestrian light is on, the streets will be full of people, as in a lotttttttttttttt of people. Have a look~~


These are the few buildings in Ginza area.



A photo speaks a thousand words. On the following day, we went to~~

Lets talk about Disneyland in my next entry~~
.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Those are some lovely pictures. It seems like you had a great time in Japan.

Anonymous said...

いいしゃしんですね。

Stacy said...

I like your しやしん! I tried to play pachinko once, too, and it is a giant mystery to me.

Hyeran Hong said...

はじめまして。わたしはコロンビアだいがくのがくせいです。なまえはヘランです。にほんごがおもしろいからまいにちにほんごをばんきょうします。

あなたのブロクはほんとにおもしろいとたのしいです。わたしもにほんへいきたいです。

どうぞよろしく。

Stacy said...

何月何日ににほんいきましたか。

Anonymous said...

Wah~So envy...hope that i have a chance to visit Japan too!!

p/s: I think i have to learn Japanese first...since other people comment look so 'pro'...haha..

Anonymous said...

next time shud show me ur pics taken in Japan la...tats nicer than ur secondary sch pics la...

Anonymous said...

hey~nice blog...
i'm looking forward for your Tokyo Disneyland stories...

Anonymous said...

i like 2 read ur stories in Japan...interesting...write more ya...

Little Star Group said...

JJ, you look like very young when you go to Japan, and I like the Tokyo Tower the most

Anonymous said...

yo...next time be my tour guide at japan if i go there...remember share ur experince wif me when we meet...haha

Anonymous said...

lol jiajian u looks so man now
anyways, nice pic huh?
and SOUVINER tq~

Anonymous said...

the pachinko game looks fun. i wonder how it swallow your one thousand yen. haha

JJTan said...

Susanna: Thanks. I did have a great time in Japan. By the way, I believe you are a lecturer from other uni. Am I right?

Han Dexi: Thanks. Haha, great minds think alike.
わたしはにほんに2ねんまいの2006ねん12がつにいきました。

Hyeron Hong:
はじめまして。わたしのなまえはタンジアジアンです。
(Hi, My name is Tan Jia Jian-just call me JJ)
おもしろい? ありがとう。
(Interesting? Thanks for the compliment.)
コロンビアだいがく? どこですか。
(Columbia Uni? Where is it?)
わたしはMalaysiaじんとUSMのだいがくせいです。
(I am Malaysian and I am studying in USM)
にほんはとてもきれいです。にほんてしましょうか。
(Japan is very beautiful. Wanna go together?)
くわえて、あなたはきれいです。
(Besides, you are pretty.)
どうぞよろいしく。
(Nice meeting you)

JJTan said...

Daphne: Haha, I am sure you will be there in the future. Talking about japanese, you can learn it next semester by taking option..Hehe..

Seow Yin: Cant show you now as most of the photos are in KL. Too bad. But, you will be seeing it someday, it's a promise.

Siew Ping: Disneyland, why am I not surprise??

Sy: Will try but lately as you know, project deadlines are drawing near. Sigh sigh..

Little Star Group: Haha, of cos, it was two years ago btw.. Tokyo Tower?? Hmm~~

Hong: Sure. no prob.. Wait till we meet and we need to do a lot of catch ups.

Tatamigal: Thanks. But, since when I am not manly enuff!???

YinNee: It's something like a slot machine in the casino. Just that it's not my game. Totally do not understand the game.

Anonymous said...

i envy you..seems like a pretty awesome trip that you had! (: but your memory still serves you well after so long! i'm impressed! (:

AhKenn said...

He's probably bullshitting his way through as usual. HAHA, I'm actually kinda glad that he actually knows that he's a lousy singer!! Hey, next time I see u JJ, u better be able to sing in Japanese. At lest some nursery rhimes. LOL!

JJTan said...

Suleen:
Haha, it's a memorable trip. Eventhough I cannot rmb the names, yet I rmb the things that I do in most of the places I visited in Japan.

Kenn:
Lousy singer!? Urgh~~ When you are back in Malaysia, I will still continue singing when we r hanging out together.. But Jap Songs?? Hmm, will try my best~~