Hello all dear readers, i haven’t written in this blog for so long! Yes, my lab work is really really consuming my time. But thanks God i enjoy it! 🙂 Right now in this fine saturday, actually I’m still inside my laboratory waiting for the incubation of my screening method.
Although seemingly it was a bit out-of-date (since school has started for 2 weeks), as i mentioned in this post’s title, i will write about my winter holiday!
Okay, winter holiday in Japan is only 2 weeks and as i have seen it seems like only university has the official winter holiday for 2 weeks. On my first week of holiday, i still saw school children that has to go to school, even on Christmas Day!
During this holiday, i didn’t go far away from Tokyo, nor play ski, but i think this holiday was decent enough for me, because of good food and also Japan has fashion sale everywhere!
21 December
First day of holiday!! Me and my room mate went to a shopping center at Mizonokuchi! There is 0101 and No City. And we were really pleased, the shopping mall was quite huge and it was all girl’s store (clothing, accessories, shoes, and even a special shop that sells thing to make your own necklace! They have Zara and Gap but not that big.
Make your own Neklace!
and anyway i don’t really like Zara’s style here, it’s a bit too mature (those formal black executive looking), not like in Indonesia or even Spain, where it was originated. Here, Forever 21, H&M, boutiques at Harajuku, and Honeys is my top choice! 🙂
How about Muji and Uniqlo? Uniqlo remains the best choice for buying basic clothings and i find Muji here is a bit too “natural-style” and not cute enough ^^
I went crazy by buying a medium-size light brown hand bag (which was discounted from 6000 to 3400), (grown-up enough) pink color boots with 7 cm heels (but surprisingly comfortable to wear), and a real rabbit fur scarf (the price was crazy, but whatever i’ve saved money for this kind of scarf. and sadly, last sunday i’ve lost the scarf)
And anyway, i really recommend this shopping center, just a few steps away from Mizonukuchi Station! Go crazy girls! 🙂
23 December
That day was special because it was Japan’s Emperor Birthday! And there was an open access for public to the Tokyo Imperial Palace located in Chiyoda-ku. So me, Siming, Daniele, Shuyin, Richard, and Mika decided to go there in the morning since this was a rare opportunity. Tokyo Imperial Palace is only opened twice a year, 23rd of December (The Emperor’s Birthday) and 2nd of January. And actually if you go there there is a strict entering time and the Emperor will give speech 3 times. More information about this please go here.
So, people were gathering in front of a building with glass window (they said to be bullet-proof) where Japan Emperor and its family member (wife, and children) would appear, bow, wave, and the Japan Emperor would give a speech.
Me and Siming, waving Japanese Flag at the Courtyard, waiting for the Emperor! 🙂
Emperor Palace vs Modern Tokyo!
There were quite loads of people and accepting the reality that i am only 1,45 m tall so actually i could not see clearly what’s happening and could only hear the speech (and of course i only understand about 10%). From my friend (that has passed N1 of JLPT) i knew that this year the Emperor had undergo surgery and he thanked everyone for concerning about him and now he’s already okay.
It seems like Japanese really paid respect to their Emperor 🙂
After that we walked around the East Garden of Imperial Palace, which was vast, too vast.
see, how vast was it?
And we went to Harajuku and saw the Meiji Jingu Shrine. Due to the limited time we only can visit the biggest temple (main temple) however the temple was big and great and we also saw a couple get married in a Japanese way (with all of the outfits)!
The entrance of Meiji Jingu, like a forest ^^
Main Temple
けっこんする！
On the way back home, me and Siming bought a pack of rock candy at The Candy Artisans Harajuku. The shop was unique like a candy shop in a movie, where you can see the candy was being made by the worker and directly taste it! 🙂
24 December
I spent the day with Deasty and Rizka and some other Indonesian Friends from Osaka University (Hilda) and TUAT (Leoni). At first we decided to meet at Tsukiji fish market but later on we changed the meeting place to Asakusa.
Tsukiji Fish Market Layout
Tsukijishijou Station (literally means Tsukiji Fish Market Station)
At Asakusa we saw the Kaminarimon Gate, of course, first time for the Osaka Girl but also first time for me and Rizka (poor Tokyo girl). We walked around the Senso-ji Market and Temple, and finally ended up eating on a very delicious Udon Restaurant just in front of the temple’s complex that also sell Melon Bread (i believe this restaurant is quite popular, because i saw a lot of Trip Advisor sticker everywhere) 🙂
Kaminarimon Gate!
Bandung Institute of Technology class of 2009 Japan Team!!
In the end we decided to walk from Asakusa to Tokyo Sky Tree. We believe that it was in a quite reasonable walking distance because we can actually see the Tokyo Sky Tree from Senso-ji temple, but believe me, it was quite far! Anyway on the way we found a really good photograph spot place, it was a beautiful red bridge with Tokyo Sky Tree and Asahi Company Headquarters as the background. Perfect!
Sky Tree and Asahi Headquarters Office
On the red bridge with the beautiful background 🙂
Tokyo Skytree!
25-26 December : i went to Atami with SJCI Class , you can read the post here.
28 December
Hakkeijima Sea Paradise!! Finally i had the chance to see an aquarium at Japan! I went there with Jung A, Siming, and JZ. It was a quite long way from Fujigaoka Station to Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, but it was worth it. You can see the information about this aqua park here.
At first we watched the sea mammal show (actually it was just so-so, the dolphin cannot solve problem like Dolphin at Gelanggang Samudera Ancol). But it was arranged so nicely and they also collaborated sea lion, walrus, and dolphin together. I was quite surprised by the fact that the animal trainer have to go inside the water to perform the show (at this freezing temperature). What a dedication.
Sea Mammal Show!
Sea Lion 🙂
Dancing Walrus
Beluga Whales, so cute :3
Jumping Dolphins!
After that i went around the aqua museum. I saw polar bears, penguins, fishes, and other sea animals. One of the most remarkable thing that i saw was jelly fish and finally i saw the enermous Japanese Spider Crab at Japan (last time i saw it was at Sydney Aquarium).
Huge Whale Shark 🙂
Walrus :3 what are you doing?
Polar Bear, why are you swimming like that?
Main Aquarium Tank, we can go through passing escalator 🙂
Penguin!
Beautiful Jelly Fishes 🙂
Pretty!!
Stingray 🙂
After lunch we went to the Dolphin Fantasy Exhibition. And i saw dolphin couple swimming together, what a sweet creatures 🙂
Me and Dating Dolphins, help, i need my boyfriend now!!
Last thing was Fureai Lagoon (a friendly circle where you can touch sea mammal). I touched dolphins and walrus. The walrus was just like a ball of fat, so bouncy and fat :3 Actually i really wanted to take a photo, feed, and being kissed by Beluga Whale (because they were so white and has a friendly face) but we have to pay extra for that. Actually i don’t mind to pay extra but it seems to be so childish and none of my friend did that :p
My love, beluga whale 🙂
Dolphin, craving for food 🙂
Fureai Lagoon 🙂
It’s such a valuable experience to touch you, walrus :3
And actually Hakkeijima Sea Paradise also has a amusement park ( if you like adventure ) and quite lot of choice of shopping. And (of course) i bought a doll, this time was a plushy whale shark!
The mighty whale shark swimming the ocean of… Afifa Ayu’s Bed ^^
Anyway i’ve just realized that this post has reached 1570 words and for reader’s convenience i think it’s better to split this post into two posts.
Why it is so hard to me to make a short blogpost? I’m always being too descrpitive, this is the demerit of being a microbiology student of Bandung Institute of Technology (where you have to write 4-6 pages of experiment report every week)
Catch you later on the next post!
Afifa Ayu Koesoema
