GODIVA chocolate drink

Hello! How are you doing?

It has been humid since rainy season starts here.
Cold drinks taste very nice for this time.

Today, I will introduce very very sweet drinks you can get when you come to Shinjuku!

Have you ever heard "GODIVA"??? Yes, its very famous chocolate company!!
Do you know they also provide drinks???

Of course there are some shops that provide chocolate drinks but easy access one in Shinjuku station when you come to Tokyo!

Before showing you how to get shop, let's see what kind of drinks you can get there!!

Look at these lovey drinks!! Of course lots choco tips in the drink!
http://www.godiva.co.jp/items/chocolixir.html

I got Dark chocolate one for this afternoon!! Of course its sooooo lovely taste!!

Let's check it out when you look around Shinjuku especially hot day!!

Shop is just get out of West gate of JR. Shinjuku station!



Shop Data
Godiva Shinjuku station West exit
Open:08:00〜22:00
Mon. to Sat. including holiday.
Sun. Off.
Tel:03-5322-8464
Website:http://www.godiva.co.jp/

Green Tea Sweets!!

Hello! How are you doing??

"Maccha (Green Tea)" can say one of famous taste of Japan.
There are lots foods that tastes "Maccha (Green Tea)" around tea season May.

Of course lots Japanese love "Maccha (Green Tea)" sweets.

Today, I will introduce one of famous "Maccha (Green Tea)" sweets shop today.
How about to check it out when you are not sure what you will buy gift or souvenir?

Look at these beautiful sweets!!

Product INFO.

Shop INFO.

Cafe and shop
Address: 41 Uji Wakamori, Uji-shi, Kyoto
TEL : 0774-23-1111
Time : 10:00～17:00(L.O)
Tuesday off as of today.

http://tabelog.com/kyoto/A2607/A260701/26005593/

Shop
TSUJIRIHEI Hankyu UmedaTEL：06-6373-2250
Time ：10：00〜22：00

The others
http://www.tsujirihei.co.jp/img/tujirihei_catalog.pdf

TSUJIRIHEI Website
http://www.tsujirihei.co.jp/

Internet Shop
http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/tsujirihei/

  

KONACHA, Green tea at SUSHI restaurant

Hello!! KONNICHIWA!!

How are you doing??

Green tea is known as Japanese tea in the world, but usually taste a little bit different when we drink out side of Japan... do you notice that??

Some of my friends who come and visit to Japan, always become like Green tea even they didn't like green tea in their country. That is also reason quality or taste of tea is different.

So I always bring tea bag of Green tea when I stay long another country because I miss Green tea taste.

Also lots of my friends love green tea at SUSHI Restaurant, have you notice different with normal green tea?? They are powder tea not leaves.

This is normail Green tea.

This is powder tea at SUSHI Restaurant.

Amazon.co.jpで詳細を見る

Powder one is taste strong and making very easy, so I always recommend to bring back in their country when my friend leaving Japan.

Somebody who miss Green tea or powder tea at SUSHI restaurant, you can buy from Amazon anytime!!

SAKANA KUSHI, Fish stick

Hello! KONNICHIWA!!

How are you doing?

Spring time in Japan is meeting and parting season because school finish in March and new year start in April also in company.

You will see lots people having party in IZAKAYA(bar) or restaurant everywhere in Japan.

What is SAKANA KUSHI?

My recommended IZAKAYA restaurant of today is "SAKANA KUSHI (Fish stick)"!!

Can you see these lovely looking?

Surprising thing is this is very good price!!

1 stick with  7 fishes is 210 yen without tax.

Of course there is not only fish also vegetables on menu and deep fry and BBQ style.

Location of restaurant

At this moment they don't have English website but look below.

Menu

TORAYA CAFE, AN (Red bean paste)

Hello!! KONNICHIWA!!

How are you doing??

As you know Japanese foods are very popular for good diet in the world these days.

Then naturally some of my friends start to change eating behavior by trend.

Do you know "AN(Red bean paste)"??

I wrote about "OSHIRUKO" that is sweets used "AN" before.

 http://japanesephilosophy007.blogspot.jp/2016/01/japanese-food-oshiruko-sweet-red-bean.html

"AN(Red bean paste)" is used lots for sweets and known as low calorie and low fat in Japan.

So some women choose them when they want to have sweets for healthy eating behavior.

TORAYA is traditional Japanese sweets company makes lots "AN(Red bean paste)" product and they are very popular here long years as one of high class Japanese sweets company.
These years TORAYA started cafe style business that use "AN(Red bean paste)".

TORAYA  opened 3 cafes in Tokyo, Roppongi Hills, Omotesando Hills, Aoyama then They will open new cafe in Shinjuku in next weekend!!

People who loves Japanese sweets or want to try something new, Don't miss it!!


TORAYA CAFÉ・AN STAND

Opening day ; April 15th, Fri 2016

Adress ; 5-24-55, Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

TEL：03-6273-1073 ※from April 15th

Open ：9:00〜22:00 (21:30 L.O.)

※ You can also take-out

※Access：JR Shinjuku St, New South exit (Shin-Minami guchi) 2F in NEWoMan.

https://toraya-prd.s3.amazonaws.com/__/_files/toraya/pdf/press_release/20160229_234.pdfv

 

Tokyo Skytree

Hello!! KONNICHIWA!! How are you doing?

Tokyo Skytree has opened for 4 years in March.

Have you ever been there?

http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/

Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower in the world, full height 634.0m, so you can see it between buildings when you walk in Tokyo area.

Unfortunately it was a bit cloud when I visit Tokyo skytree, so I couldn't get nice view from top but lots shops and restaurants in there, so still you can enjoy inside of buildings for sure.

They have ticket counter for foreign customer, so if it's very crowded there, it's better to use there.

Up to semi-top by high speed elevator.

View from Top

Clear floor!! 

Night time looking

OHANAMI(HANAMI), Flower viewing

Hello!!Konnichiwa!! How are you doing??

Spring has come in Tokyo.

Have you ever heard "OHANAMI(HANAMI)"??

If you google "OHANAMI(HANAMI)" you will see lots cherry blossom pictures.

"OHANAMI(HANAMI)" is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the transient beauty of flowers, especially cherry blossom. 

From the end of March to early May, cherry blossom"SAKURA" bloom all over Japan, usually from the island of Okinawa. 

"OHANAMI(HANAMI)"  means looking cherry blossom"SAKURA" but lots Japanese people enjoy party or picnic with looking them under trees in day or evening.

But unfortunately cherry blossom season is not so long, just only last a week or two. so if you come to Japan around end of March or early April, let's enjoy OHANAMI!!

SAKURA in Yoyogi Park in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

SAKURA festival in Yasukuni Shrine

OHSHO Chinese dumpling restaurant.

Hello!!  How have you been???

Chinese dumpling, GYOZA in Japanese is one of popular food in Japan.
I am going to introduce GYOZA restaurant in Tokyo today.


You will see OHSHO sign somewhere when you walking street....

This is biggest chain restaurant and very popular here.
Also Osaka OHSHO is kind of their brother or sister.

When you want to try GYOZA easily, OHSHO is kind of the best choice for first time!
You can see menu from website and of course menu in the restaurant is with picture!!
http://www.ohsho.co.jp/menu/index.html

Why do I recommend OHSHO??

1. OHSHO is all over Japan!!
As you will find out their restaurant is everywhere in Japan, so once you become like them you can try wherever!!

2. Good Value!!
You can have them like first food, McDonald price!

3. Flexible!!
GYOZA become main dish with rice or noodle, also you can drink beer with GYOZA.
So GYOZA is sometimes for lunch, sometimes for dinner, or drinking!!

OSAKA OHSHO restaurant location
http://www.osaka-ohsho.com/store/

OHSHO restaurant location
http://www.ohsho.co.jp/shop/index.php

Foreign visitors to Japan in 2015 reach record 19.734 million!!

Hello!! How are you doing???
I just saw internet news about foreign visitors to Japan in 2015 reach record 19.734 million!!!
The article is below.
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/foreign-visitors-to-japan-in-2015-reached-record-19-734-million

Foreign visitors to Japan in 2015 reach record 19.734 million

NATIONAL JAN. 19, 2016 - 04:00PM JST ( 30 )TOKYO —

A record 19,374,000 foreigners visited Japan in 2015, a 47.1% increase over the 13.41 million who visited Japan in 2014, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Tuesday.

The JNTO said spending by foreign tourists amounted to around 3.48 trillion yen, compared with 2.03 trillion yen in 2014, Fuji TV reported.

The highest number of visitors were mainland Chinese who accounted for 4.99 million, up by 50% over 2014, despite political tensions between the two countries. South Korea was next with about 4 million, followed by Taiwanese tourists at 3.68 million. The number of visitors from the U.S. was also up by 16.6%, surpassing 1 million.

Tourism officials attribute the hike in tourism numbers to the weak yen, more international flights in and out of Haneda Airport by low-cost carriers, as well as the easing of visa regulations for countries in Southeast Asia.

Japan’s target for 2016 is 20 million tourists, but government officials say this will depend on what happens with the Chinese economy. 

Japan Today

 Yes, we have seen lots non-Japanese people in Tokyo especially since last year... but wow lots people came to Japan!!

I just started to introduce about Japan, but I hope this blog helps somebody!!

Cheers!!

SNOW in Tokyo!!!

Hello!! How are you doing??
It was snow in Tokyo area in the last Monday morning!!

Of course we have few snow in the winter, but it become less by less cause of global warming or some reason in central Tokyo.

Every time when we have snow here, one of biggest worry is transportation!!
Lots people in Tokyo use train or subway go to office or school, so trains not working means dead of social activity here!!

But as we worried, lots trains delay or stopped and lots people fulled at station or town...
Some people who left home much earlier than usual like getting the first train, they got office on time but if we left home usual time some people took hours more than usual.

I will show some of example.....

It started rain Sunday night.... then about midnight rain changed to snow.....


5 a.m.

news about Tokyo snow.



















6 a.m. at Shibuya by twitter

7:28 am in Keio line from twitter.

described this picture like zombies on this train lol

7:38 a.m. at Denen Toshi line

This person waiting to come inside of station...
described this situation as if people are waiting on queue in comic market!

8:24 a.m in Machida station??

This picture described waiting people behind rope like starting point of horse race.

8:35 a.m. at Mizonoguchi station on Denen toshi line

9:25 a.m a station on Denen toshi line

9:32 at Kokubunji station

10:10 at Chofu station

others

The end of waiting line in the supermarket next to station!

Until next station..... 70mins on Chuo line!!

Next train is 17:46 after 9:40 !!!

Weather forecast says this Saturday also snow.... if somebody want to see these, morning train!!
Of course weekday morning is recommended but lots people upset with this..... so be careful!! lol