Chiba, Japan - 11th January 2009
By: kiskis
Hi Mom!
I'm going to write about New Year's Day this time like I said.
We went to 成田山新勝寺(Narita-san Shinsho-ji), the temple nearby, for 初詣(Hatsumoude). The temple is one of the 3 best shrines/temples that gathers the most people for Hatsumoude. Hatsumoue is the first visit to a shrine/temple of the year, by the way. People are supposed to go there on New Year's Eve and spend the night there, listening to 除夜の鐘(Joya no kane, the sound of temple bells) but it was so cold and kiskis was a bit busy so we went there on New Year's Day anyway.
It was so crowded that the police was there to control how many people to enter the temple and such. Can you see the gate? It was impressive with those carves but I couldn't take a good picture of it because the police was ushering people in, telling us not to stop.
There were more people inside the gate, waiting to go upstairs where actual temple is.
The beautiful 3-storied pagoda. I wish you could see the details. It was so beautiful! If I have a chance to visit there again, I will take a better picture.
There were so many stalls on the street. We had ジャガバタ(Jagabata), a potato with butter, and it was so good.
It's one of those stalls that sells お正月飾り(Oshogatsu kazari), the Ne w Year's decorations. Aren't they impressive?
It was so crowded but I had so much fun! Hope you had a nice New Year's Day, too, Mom!
Oh, by the way, we have a new TV here, Yuki!
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Posted Jan 11, 2009, 7:21 am
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Chiba, Japan - 26th January 2009
By: kiskis
Hi mom! Sorry for not updating much recently.
kiskis has been busy planning her wedding. She's going to have her wedding shinto style. It's been her dream.
She showed me the website of the shrine she's going to have her ceremony at. It's the first shrine they visited together. It's in the center of Tokyo and it's one of her favorite places.
She is buddhist but she told me that not much people have their wedding buddhist style even though most of Japanese are buddhist. Because shinto wedding had been popular before buddhist wedding was first done. And most of people don't want to have their wedding nearby gravestones.
Well, she's going to visit the shrine to have some details discussed and she might take me there with her!!
It's just a quick update but I will try to update more. See you!
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Posted Jan 26, 2009, 3:28 am
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Nagoya, Japan - 4th February 2009
By: kiskis
Hi mom! I went to Nagoya, Aichi
It's the moat of Nagoya Joh castle.
The statue of the man who was in charge of building the moat.
The map of the castle and the park around it.
The east gate. There we bought tickets.
Nagoya Joh is one of the 3 best castles in Japan. It's famous for its golden end tiles in the sape of a shachihoko, an imaginary sea animal with the head of a tiger and the body of a fish.
Before 名古屋城(Nagoya Joh castle) was built, there was 那古野城(Nagoya Joh castle, the same pronounciation but different writing), where Oda Nobunaga was born. On the ruins of 那古野城, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun, who was originally from Aichi, built 名古屋城 for his 9th son.
It was burnt down in WWII but it was re-built in 1959. (Some parts of the castle is still under construction.)
Now inside of the castle is a museum.
It's the famouse golden Shachihoko.
It's pretty huge!!
Those are shachihoko that were found in the ruins of Edo Joh castle in Tokyo. Not known which roof they were on.
Kago, a palanquin. You can see Tokugawa family crest on it.
Yoroi, the armor. It looked pretty scary.
The castle was pretty entertaining and I loved it!
After the castle, we went on shopping.
And we met Super Mario!
And we found Obamasks. It's weird but they are selling well.
Nagoya has pretty unique food culture and it is called Nagoya-meshi.
This is Dote-ni. Stewed beef guts and konnyaku with Hacchoumiso, the unique miso from Nagoya. It sounds weird but it was tasty!
Those are Tebasaki, fried chicken wings with spicy sauce. They are soooo tasty! Aichi is famous for its chickens; Nagoya cochin and Mikawa dori.
This is Hitsumabushi. You can usually see eel hitsumabushi but this one is chicken hitsumabushi. First, you have it without anything. Second, you have it with yakumi, spices. Third, you have it with soup. And finally, you have it the way you liked the best. I liked it with spices.
Well, there are more Nagoya-meshi but I couldn't try any other. I was so full and had so little time I want to visit there someday again!
On our way home, we saw Mt.Fuji from Shinkansen, the bullet train!
Can you see it? I was so happy!!
Well, I'm going to Thailand! kiskis has been there once and told me that it's such a exciting place and that she loves Thai food. I can't wait! I will update from there next time. See you!!
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Posted Feb 4, 2009, 3:00 am
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Central Rama II, Bangkok, Thailand - 14th February 2009
By: natt
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Posted Feb 14, 2009, 11:37 am Last edited Feb 14, 2009, 11:57 am by natt
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Wat Pak Nam, Bangkok, Thailand - 15th February 2009
By: natt
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Posted Feb 15, 2009, 12:12 pm Last edited Feb 15, 2009, 12:20 pm by natt
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Wat KarnJaNaPhiSek, Nonthaburi, Thailand - 22nd February 2009
By: natt
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Posted Feb 22, 2009, 3:09 pm Last edited Feb 22, 2009, 3:40 pm by natt
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Bangkok, Thailand - 26th February 2009
By: natt
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Posted Feb 26, 2009, 2:16 pm Last edited Feb 26, 2009, 2:20 pm by natt
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Natural History Museum, Thailand - 8th March 2009
By: natt
**Hi again~ Mom
**We went to Natural History Museum too..It's in Pathumthani province near the national science museum..(Picture 1, 2, 3)..Lots of good stuffs there..People did studied about insects!!..The grasshopper wears Muay Thai suit..
**For dinner, we stop by and have some Japanese food at Future Park Rangsit Department store..(Picture 4)..It's a self service Japanese restaurant (which is very rare in Bangkok)..Quite good
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Posted Mar 25, 2009, 3:09 pm Last edited Mar 25, 2009, 3:58 pm by natt
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Space Needle, Seattle, Washington, United States - 22nd March 2009
By: natt
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Posted Mar 25, 2009, 3:54 pm Last edited Mar 25, 2009, 4:01 pm by natt
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Khanom, NakornSriThammaratch, Thailand - 13th April 2009
By: natt
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Posted Apr 18, 2009, 9:06 am Last edited Apr 18, 2009, 9:51 am by natt
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