Hello! I brought Cheesiepetits to Bali for a 2-week-long resort holiday last month, and many people have been asking me how I pack for the kids when I travel, so here it is!

Ok I’ll be honest. When I was asked to review a wrist wear brand, I was a little hesitant. Frankly I’m not very much a watch person for several reasons.

1. I don’t feel a need for it. I’m glued to my smart phone and I won’t need a watch to tell the time.

2. I am very conscious about my skinny wrists. It’s extremely difficult to find a wrist-wear (including bracelets) that will look good on them.

3. I think good watches especially branded ones are very expensive and I don’t want to pay that kind of price for one. read more

Finland is the first new country I’ve been in the last 5 years.

I have probably flown more than 80 times in the last half decade with or without Cheesiepetits, but this was the first time that it was not (anywhere in) Japan, Bali, or Gold Coast. It was a new challenge. Maybe even the start of a new life I had been thinking about.

Given the chance of a lifetime to be a #RovaniemiSummerAmbassador, I had spent 6 full days in the official home of Santa Clause, experiencing the true Lappish nature and wilderness, under an almost eternal sunshine. read more

Today I’m introducing one of my favorite airports in the world – Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport).

Living in Singapore for 3 years while traveling to Japan every so often makes me feel like I’m one of the luckiest people ever, because I’m commuting between the best two airports in the world! I depart from Changi, world’s No.1 airport which I love so so much, reach Haneda which is heaven for travellers, and come back again via these two world-class airports. It’s really having the best of both worlds. It also makes flying so much more enjoyable. read more

A small getaway from Tokyo.

People who live in Tokyo always say they are tired of Tokyo. I guess I can understand how they feel, because Japan is SO HUGE, when you’re in Tokyo alone you feel like you are missing out the ocean, the far-reaching meadows, the vast farms, the human intimacy that’s not in the form of a crammed rush-hour densha.

This.

I took a short break off the internet and my usual routine last week alone in Japan. Just meeting people I like, eating nice food I deserved, drinking a little (hopefully to wean for real this time), and seeking courage, truth, liberation, and love.

And I think I found them all. Pieces by pieces.

First post of Aomori here.

Continuing from Hakodate….

We left Hakodate and bound for Aomori again, because it was the first day of Nebuta Matsuri Festival!! More on that later. ^^

To board Junya’s favorite shinkanse, Hayabusa. <3

This post is a brief account of our family trip to Hakodate!

This was summer 2017, almost a year ago.

The more I get out of the city, the more I develop a longing to try living in the suburbs.

I recently just finished reading the best-seller – Ikigai, the Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. The book introduces the island of Okinawa, whose residents live longer than people anywhere else in the world. Many of them lived as long as over 110 years old.

Many people have told me that some of their favorite blog posts from all the 2000 over that I have written, are from the “The Meaning Of…” series. I have written a few so far:

1. The Meaning of Itadakimasu

2. The Meaning of Mottainai

3. The Meaning of Umami

These are some of my favorite too. Recently I read the trending book called Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. I have my very own definition of Ikigai, but let’s reserve that for another time. What I want to say is that, sometimes I really learn so much from just researching about one single Japanese word that carry such profound, sophisticated meaning. read more

Disney time!

Junya and I have been to the parks in Tokyo a few times (including when he was in my tummy!), but this April was our first visit as a family all together!

Kanazawa, the capital city of Ishikawa prefecture, is best known to be culturally rich and its beautifully preserved historical townscape.

The most touristy of all, is probably Higashi Chaya (東茶屋街), a well-preserved traditional district that used to serve as tea houses in Edo period where the geisha performed.