If given a choice, I think most people (especially Malaysians and Singaporeans) will avoid traveling to Japan in summer as they often have the image of Japan in this unbearable heat during the season. I was one of them.

I had been to Japan in summer several times, late June/early July. It was as hot as KL/SG, but as a traveler you often feel that the heat is worse than the tropical cities because, well, back home we are mostly staying indoor all the time or hide inside a mall.

So yes, I had to agree that, summer was probably not the ideal season to visit Japan if you are not a fan of sweaty activities and hot climate. I avoided visiting Japan in July-September as much as I could. read more

When I was 14, I had a dream. My dream was to visit Japan.

However that dream was held on for 10 years. One whole decade. I was 24 when I first visited Japan. And the reason why it look me so long was that Japan was way too expensive for a regular Malaysian fresh grad like me.

Yearssssssss later, I still get people telling that they are putting Japan on hold as their travel destination because it is too expensive to travel to.

So today I would like to change a little of that misconception, because nowadays, honestly, I sometimes think that certain things in Japan are so insanely cheap that I feel worried for them. Gyudon chains are rivaling to bring the price down down down down, supermarkets are all fighting to offer the lowest price. Want more customers? MAKE IT CHEAPER!! read more

Finally! Writing this post makes me so happy ❤︎

This is a photo post on all the breathtaking pink blossoms in Japan this spring.

Osaka Castle

Number76 Company Trip I

For 4 years in a row, Number76 has been organizing their annual company trips to Japan! I didn’t get to join the first one in 2014 because I just gave birth to Junya. For the first 3 years they went to Tokyo, so this time they decided to do it a little differently and travel to Osaka instead, during the sakura season!

The group was huge (80 over staff!!) so they split into 2 batches at different timing, and I was so lucky to be able to jojn both ❤︎ read more

Yummy post today! Here are two weeks worth of Japanese noms during our trip to Osaka (and a week in Tokyo).

OSAKA

Ichigo

The first thing I hunted for was Ichigo.

A box of White Ichigo from Kuromon market for only 400 yen.

Sakura’s first.

Nom.

Hakata Amao. Soooo huge!

Spamming all the Ichigo pictures.

Ok last one!

Ramen

Kinryu Tonkotsu Ramen in Osaka! They say that Tonkotsu soup in Osaka is a lot lighter, so if you are used to the rich taste in Tokyo it’s gonna taste too light. I agree. Still love my Ichiran! read more

Quick omiyage shopping haul post! The usual every time I come back from Japan ^^.

Most of the items are from combini, Akachanhonpo (baby products), Don Quijote!

First there’s world yummiest granola – Furugura from Calbee. The usual version is sold in Singapore but I have not seen these editions yet. On the left is 20% less carb version and on the right is a seasonal edition Tropical Coconut flavor.

Everyone’s favorite snack Cheeza in diffrent cheese flavors.

Hunted for this eye cream for a friend as she said it is quite good, so got myself a tube too. It’s only 1000+ yen!! read more

After 2 years of missing the blissful clusters of pink everywhere in Japan, I am back.

2012

2013

2014

2015

Didn’t make it to Japan in spring due to the danna’s work commitment.

2016

Didn’t make it for cherry blossom because it would be too near my due date with Sakura. But I did manage to catch the one and only early bloomer in Shinjuku gyoen.

2017

Hanami on Tuesday in Osaka. This time with Sakura.

Still the best thing ever ♥

This post is about Tokyo Station. Yes there’s a railway station called “Tokyo Station” in Tokyo, and it is the busiest train station (with most trains – the one with the most people is Shinjuku Station) in Japan with over 3,000 trains operating everyday! How crazy does that sound!

Well, Tokyo Station is more than just a station. It is a small city on its own. Even if you are not using it to move to another city/prefecture, it is worth traveling all the way to Tokyo Station just to spend an afternoon eating and shopping. read more

I have always wanted to go to Cupnoodles Museum by Nissin, because once the danna told me about the story of Ando Momofuku, the person who invented the very instant noodle that is now eaten around the world, and also the founder of Nissin, and I was very touched by it and became a fan of Ando Momofuku (and Nissin).

The danna grew up eating a lot a lot of Chicken Ramen (the first ever instant ramen created), so instant noodle holds a very special place in his heart. He remembers that in one interview, Ando Momofuku was asked how he feels about being the founder of a company that creates something that is not very nutritious or beneficial to health (obviously everyone has the impression that instant noodle = unhealthy), and he answered that it was not healthy food he aimed to create. It was to make a change in people’s lifestyle and save people during a time of emergency. Be it a hungry student on a super tight budget studying for exam in the middle of the night, a employee rushing for a project who doesn’t have time for lunch, a mother too tired to cook herself proper food after settling her kids and the house (or too lazy to even go downstairs to tapao food)… yeap the last one is me. read more

Here’s a yummy post!

Things we ate last December:

Ichigo Binge

Ichigo. I basically binged on Ichigo every day until cannot. Because once we get back to Singapore, everything would be 3 times the price XD.

Usually at the ichigo section in supermarket they also sell condensed milk (in a tube) and recently a new way of eating it is with sweet milk powder for extra calcium. I tried but I still prefer eating Ichigo on its own! Japanese strawberries are too sweet to be laden with more sweet stuff. read more

Have you ever wished you can drive in the comfort of your own car and say hello to free-roaming wild animals in close proximity?

Fuji Safari Park lets you do just that.

I love the zoos and Junya even more so, so I try to bring him to see all the animals. Having been to the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, it is quite hard to top them, but Fuji Safari exceeded my expectatation of a safari. As usual I thought we have to line up for the tickets, then go on a caged jeep and drive by to spot animals from far away. read more

Haro! Brainwash time again!

So so so! Today I want to talk about how awesome Japanese packagings are, I took a few months to collect all these pictures so I can compile them into this post.

Even if you have not been to Japan before, I am sure you have seen/bought/received Japanese products with packaging so awesome that it makes you wanna hang it on the wall lol.

And I’m not even talking about packaging like this:

I am talking about packaging that is not just attractive/cute/almost redundantly elaborated, but packaging that shows the thoughtfulness of the person who designed it. Everything is made for the convenience, comfort and happiness for the person who is using it. It is made with heart and love (and some mad creative skills). read more

Food post come liao!

Here are some of the food we ate during our previous trip!

So on the first day the TV was showing a buffet special feature and I saw this…

Super luxurious hotel buffet, unlimited foie gras and caviar with wagyu steak and many other delicacies for 6000 yen… (about $80). T__T.

After watching this I got a little 心理不平衡 (emotionally unbalanced) because we couldn’t go to eat and was in the mood for luxury right in the comfort of our own home.

So… Hokkaido fair it is. read more