Note:
Ironic, because i’m still in Perth. Flying back tomorrow 6am i wanna die. So sleepy. Too busy to update so this is a pre-written post about Tokyo.
On Day 6, i woke up at 6am in the morning as i had to catch the 8am train back to Shinjuku, Tokyo.
This was the last meal i had in Yuriko’s house.
And the last time i had her mentaiko topping on rice. T_T
It was a cold morning. Yuriko sent me to Matsumoto train station.
Sent me all the way into the train.
And we had to part at the station. Those are other student’s host family. Everyone got teary-eyed. Most of them were sobbing in the train after the train had left.
I know i would have described Yuriko’s cooking as rather tragic, but there’s one thing i didn’t tell you. Well i actually did. I said she was a creative cook. When her kids refuses to eat, she would play with them. She would pick up the piece of egg or veg or whatever the kids refused to eat with chopsticks, and then pretend to do the aeroplane thing and fly the food into their mouths until they giggle and swallow their food willingly. Great patience, i thought. If i became a mom, i would either let my kid starve until they pick up and chew on a dead lizard on the floor or shove the damn carrot down their throat.
But that wasn’t what i wanted to say! I wanted to say, there’s this thing Yuriko did that made all other homestay students on the train green with envy (while they were busy comparing with each other, who receive a more expensive kimono, whose mom showered them with more gifts, brought them to more places etc etc etc sien).
Because Yuriko makes the best bento.
I didn’t know how it looked like until i opened the paperbag.
I mean, basically it was still all the same stuff, veggie pickle, sausage, strawbie, potato salad and all, but it was the effort that totally melted my heart.
T_T
And that was really my last meal from Yuriko. I can’t say i don’t miss it even a tiny bit at all.
3 hours later. We arrived in Tokyo.
Tokyo tower!
An entirely different world from Nagano.
We got down at Idabashi and checked into a Youth Hostel nearby. Albeit its name, the hostel is actually for anyone to stay. Sorta like backpacker’s.
5 of us in a room. Tokyo is crazy expensive. I think a night in this kind of place still cost about 3500Yen a night. And it was quite nightmare because they only have shared bathroom. Meaning you go in naked and just shower on the spot with plenty other naked young girls. I know it sounds like a dream paradise to whoever ticks M on the gender box but trust me it was quite traumatic. Imagine people queuing behind you looking at your ass while you wash your ahem.
And they got curfew!!! Doors closed after 10 and all lights off at 11. Cheesus crust. It’s like school camp all over again. Or MDG.
Apart from the inhumane kid-like treatment to a wonderful grown-up tourist like me, and the incredibly sour face fluent-in-English Japanese receptionist, the room was really really decent. Each bed had it’s own individual curtains and fluorescent light. So after lights out, you can still read if you want. Or you can pull the curtain and sleep if everyone else wanna read.
It has got quite nice view.
Oh. You have fold your futon the way they originally had it when you wake the next morning.
There are more tragic stories about the hostel, but i will leave it for later. I just want to tell you all to better book your hotels look it up carefully online. Don’t make it end up disastrous like mine. One site i would recommend is Hotels Combined . There are hundreds of hotels for you to choose from, in Tokyo city alone, ranging from as cheap as RM200+ to four figure, if you plan to splurge. There are lotsa detailed reviews on that site about the hotels, and i love how everything is shown in RM.
Now we are going to Akihabara. I was kinda upset i didn’t get to tour around anywhere else except Akihabara, which, is really nothing much. Unless you are like some hardcore Otaku or some pervert. Because they have a nine-level adult shop.
To Akihabara.
Some costume shop.
Everyone is using those kind of transparent ella ella e!!! Reason being, since it doesn’t concern the sun, might as well make it see-through so you can admire the sky! Which is quite a cool idea. If you are lost you can still look up and spot the signboards without getting wet.
AND IT SNOWED!!!
No la. I’d love to lie but it was rain that looked like snow. It was crazy and not fun. Was wet and raining and cold as hell (if hell is cold la.)
So we had to buy the ella ella e also. It was 300Yen. I think it is really cute! But I don’t think it is of any use in Malaysia. So i left it in Disney the next day.
At one of the HUGEEEEEEEE Pachinko center. It was so funny. Bear and I went to this mall wanting to shop, only to realize it’s a Pachinko mall. And all the hentai old men were staring like us like one kind!!!
Ok this has to be your favorite shop in the world.
B1-AVs and Porn books.
1F2-AVs and Porn books.
2F-Original goods. (God knows what that means. I’d prefer original to used goods. Thanks.) (Then again i realized some of you might have a penchant for very used goods. *shrugs*) Hole. (HOLE!!! What turf.) Ring & Sack & Power Up. (errrr)
3F– Vibe, Roter (whatever turf it is), Condom, SM, Anal
4F– Lingerie and Costumes
5F-Costumes
6F-Used video
7F&8F– Office
No goods no life. Lol but of course.
There’s this thing about this shop. You can try on any costumes you like (if you are a girl la), and you know how normally they don’t allow you to take picture one.
HOWEVER!!!
If you allow them to take picture of you in certain costumes, you get like, 30% off the costume or something. It’s crazy how many girls would go that extra mile to save a few thousand yen.
O.o
After that we went for dinner. That was like the BEST dinner i’ve had since i arrived japan. Seriously.
Tendon. I don’t mean like, beef ligament tendon, though there’s memang such thing as beef tendon. But tendon as in Ten-Don (天丼). A rice bowl with Prawn and veg tempura.
Wa can you see the blurry edge of the photo? It was the steam!!! Damn shiok on a cold night!
Bear was content.
Anyway, after that we went back to our hostel to sleep.
Night.
Morning. And i went to the canteen and queued up to have the most atrocious breakfast in my life.
Breakfast was included in the program, but if you’re an individual tourist you gotta pay 400yen for it. Which is like, RM16. Behold what you can get for RM16.
I couldn’t believe it.
Congee. And some atrociously scarmbled egg. And some… grass. The plate was shallower than a guy who thinks with his penis.
Other guests got to have some ambiguous looking chicken, but we couldn’t have the chicken because our group consist of mostly Muslims. No meat for them.
T_T
To illustrate its atrocity more clearly, here’s a closer photo.
I was freaking hungry, so i managed to cajoule myself to down it with a mix of magnificent stoicism and great reluctance.
But no matter how stoical i braved myself to be, i couldn’t tahan the grass. leaf. Whatever.
In fact, nobody could.
That was the most atrocious breakfast I ever had in my life.
Next up: Disney Tokyo!!! 😀
PS: Perth update later la ok. Too many things to blog. And the weather here is making me sick. VFest today was great! Snow Patrol and The Killers and whatever. Ok god i’m so tired and i need to pack my luggage T_T. Bye Perth.
PS2: Ok bloody hell, just confirmed the grass is called Mizuna. Hate it.
EH! I went to that hostel in Idabashi too. Reason being I checked out of my capsule hotel and I can’t find a locker to keep my luggage! They charged me 2900 yen just to store my luggage wtf.
Oh and tell me where’s the 9 floors of porn. heheheh
wtf. why u never go wtf FIRST111666 one? 🙁
eh wtf. lets talk on MSN.
I never seen such breakfast (grass) before in Tokyo. LOL! I mean all the time I had breakfast was like buffet style with sushi, sashimi, nattou, salmon, rice and etc. Or Western style like Sausage, eggs, tomato, salad, bread and etc. That restaurant will bankrupt soon…
Anyway, sorry couldn’t send the pictures to you.
what the hell why so lucky got those kinda things for bfast
and what the hell both of you now in japan
Nice pic !!! I love Tokyo very much !!! :p:p
Gambateh!!!
Thank you!
ur avatar looks like an electrocuted crab.
awwww… Yuriko is so sweet~ That bento is simply lovely 😀
I think that grass/leaf thingy is called rocket. Looks the same as the one I had, served on pizza when I was in UK =_=”
definitely not rocket, i love rocket and it has a lovely unique scent. this grass just taste like, grass.
Hihi Cheesie! Wow didnt know u came to Perth! Hope you had a good time here! (I must say pretty boring compared to KL tho!) Would have offered to show you around but was working all wkend! Should have scheduled it next weekend as Fri + Monday is Easter and everyone’s got the long wkend off!! 🙂 Maybe next time! Remember to express check-in + print ur boarding pass if ur flying off by Airasia tmrw morning! Can arrive later and no need to queue so long =P hehe 🙂 Anyway been a long time follower of ur blog and a quick msg to say keep up the good work!
Cheers
wtf too late. damn regretted lo because queued for a looooooooooong time!!!
^^ so nice. and will miss u! ^^
awww. miss you too sweetheart
#1 the bento looks gorgios and why u use double negative, confuse me onli T__T
#2 so cute the umbrella! mr keju can get me one pls. tankiu.
#3 one question: did u get the 30% discount from the shop then?
#4 HAH! ROCKETS ON PORRIDGE WHAT ATROSITY!
it’s not rocket.
Er…that’s mentaiko too? It doesn’t look like yours at all…
The bento and the tempura really made me hungry…but then the congee took my appetite away. lol The grass/leaf/whatever looks so weird…are you sure it’s supposed to be edible?
mentaiko got many types one ma. haha. takkan it is just garnish kan, so stupid.
Oh ya I remember you ranting about that stupid fucking hostel.
What turf lahh got curfew tiu.
Think you’re like 10years old meh?
Would like to stay with you all though wtf.
hahaha come la. u can pretend to be a chick ma.
Green leaves is mizuna if i’m not mistaken 🙂
is it. dunno what mizuna is wtf.
its that grass lo..but its supposed to have a peppery taste wor.
Ok bloody hell, just looked it up. i think that is it. fucken Mizuna. Pui.
Ahh! Thats why there was soo many pictures of random girls on that wall! I was there last year and ran into that wall with all women in costumes. Just thought that women liked to do that kind of thing lol.
That breakfast with grass….. hmmmm reminds of breakfast in china when i was studying there. I remember we stayed at the toyoko inn and everytime were had yummy musubis and miso soup!!
what is musubis!!!666
oh musubi is a rice ball
The plate/bowl looks like those beggar’s bowl I usually saw in TVB drama lol.
:/
i bought the transparent umbrella too, it’s cute! :p
105 Yen onlym, hehe.
bloody hiao.
Akihabara was weird. ‘Nuff said. 😐
haha not weird enough for me leh
chessie! i love ur pix & blogs abt japan. and nw u r in perth. so jealous!
no liao lo. look at my flag.
haha, atrocious breakfast, but japanese rice is pearly precious, it’s so good i could eat it plain lol…
I’m jealous : (
AHAHHAHAH LOOK WHERE U ARE!!!
And I’m not in Australia WTF *points at flag*
we are fated to be together.
The (care package) Bento is so so heartwarmingly CUTE!!! so sweet of her!
i know right!!!
How much is a night in capsule hotel?
The take-picture-and-get-30%-off idea is great. Maybe can try it here, LOL…
i didnt go to capsule hotel.kenny did. maybe you should ask him.
I remember Akiba and the 10,000 types of toilet seat cover they sell!
wa good for you la! didnt buy meh
I have always wanted to use that kind of umbrella. I only saw it in MV before.
haha hot until u die ah!
Hi cheesie! I’ve been stalking your site for ages now and it cracks me up so much to read about Yuriko’s meals! AND I WANT THAT TRANSPARENT UMBRELLA!
haha, now only you read meh! 😛
y u look different when u were in Nagano & Tokyo?! is it yr hair agen~?? ^o)
hair parting baby.
wow. i want a transparent umbrella too.
0.0
haha ask rihanna for it
Sounds like a really funny trip to tokyo
even though it is really a pity that it rained
I actually wouldnt have a problem with those showers, but you already predicted that 😛
the umbrellas are pretty funny, but what is the point in looking at the sky when it is all cloudy and dark 🙁
admit it you went to the erotic store because you wanted to 😉 and if i would go there i would see your picture 😉 😀
jk jk
still i would be so emberrassed visiting an erotic store >_>
wtf is with that breakfast thats not a breakfast
it looks like food you would give somebody who just lost all of his teeth
it looks a little like baby-mush 😀 HAHA
btw i have some turkey friends and they are muslim
they arent allowed to eat pigs and not to drink alcohol, so when ever we eat meat they ask us to buy chicken, so that they can eat it
Ringo,
Tokyo was quite an adventure for you. You are just so cute, pretty, kawaii, use any word, and it seems you cannot take a bad picture. The pictures of you in the rain, and the ‘night’ pic you took of yourself are just so so cute . . .! ! !
Have a safe journey home!
David
リンちゃん~ Yuriko and you looked like mother and daughter in the train pic. ほんとに..
I oso want bento set! never tried one before…I mean the real type in Japan. T.T
I love your fluffy white colour hat!!! suits you with your pink jacket… I oso wan!!! can i get it from uk? 😀
Haha i dunno!! i got it from SHanghai!
More…more…more story… (lol…I am enjoying myself). Thanks for the tour!
🙂
HAHAH..wthell..GRASS..i finished dat THING=-=
anyway…
*rolls…havnt talk to you for a long time..
o..btw..the pic i took!!1 XD…
(sorry la..but its lk so rare i take a nice picture=-=)
haha yes sweetheart. apparently this ivan guy from melaka said he knows yoU!!
yaya!..he told me that also..
he told me he had photoshoots with you
he’s my friends’ friend..
o.m.g.
the ten-don looks gorgeous!!! i am so jealous!
do you rmb the name of the shop where you had your dinner?
its gonna go on my must-go to places when i go to japan!
i dont really remember, but it’s just right outside Akihabara station! 🙂
Well, aside from the view, seems like the Tokyo hostel you were at was awful and meant for minors with that ridiculous curfew. What was it called so that I could avoid it in future? Was that part of the homestay package? The night is just starting up at 2200!
I’m getting ready to fly back home. Long day ahead. Sapporo-Narita-SFO. Japan trips are never long enough!
It’s the Tokyo Youth Hostel.
Their website seems pleasant enough, but your food review and more importantly, the curfew, definitely puts me off. Too bad; it seems like a nice place with a view.
Hello there, I stumbled across your blog by chance. Loads of pictures, and pretty hilarious posts to boot! (: By the way, I was wondering where did you apply for the Japan exchange programme. Is it from the Japan Foundation?
try Titanplanet.net.
They are going Hokkaido in Aug. 🙂
Thank you! The link was helpful. I shall check it out. (:
Wahh.. the hostel really horrible lor … I would rather not bath 😀