Hello Japan! (part 4 - food)

OK, Valentine's Day has come and gone and I must say I have never been as withdrawn from this commercial "holiday" as how I was this year. Maybe I am getting old and jaded but I am sure many will agree with me that it is an absolutely meaningless day, or at least not one that deserves this much attention. Well enough whingeing and let's bring on the next set of my vacation pictures.

What is a vacation without plenty of great food as well as the discovery of new tastes and new ways of eating. I also tried things that I haven't before during this trip and I have the pictures to prove it.

A walk through the food halls of department stores is always an eye-opening experience. Who knew chicken skin can be the wrap of choice for dumplings and lotus roots can replace buns for burgers? And those sushi rolls were ginormous!

The famous fruit shelf at Takashimaya. The selection on display looks completely fake and at more than AUD$100 a melon, they better not be!

This is one food item that tastes exactly the same as other parts of Asia, even Australia. It's Takoyaki from Osaka, the birthplace of this wonderfully-gooey snack.

Happy hour with the most awesome view. This is at a bar on the top floor of the Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. Champagne will never taste the same again at ground level.

I saw this menu item on my first night in Japan and I swore I would garner enough courage by the end of the trip to try it. Yep, that's horse sashimi. To add to the irony of it all, my Chinese zodiac sign is horse and I had the sashimi on the eve of the year of the horse.

One thing I missed out on was a good kaiseiki ryori (Japanese degustation). There were many really nice restaurants scattered amongst the Kyoto shrines that served it. At about AUD$60, they are a steal! Well there is always next time.

Japan is the land of vending machines and the city is packed full of them. You cannot throw a stone in Tokyo without it hitting one of these boxes that never sleep! They spit out both cold and warm drinks which was really amazing. I heard there were ones that even vend fresh vegetables and fish!

But these machines sometimes offer rather dubious drinks. This "cider" is actually nothing more than flavoured soda water.

It was raining the night I was at Osaka and the best way to spend a cold rainy night is to stay indoors and have hot pot! The one I had was an everything-in option (mixed meats, seafood and vegetables) and was very reasonably-priced.

This is my favourite fast food restaurant and needless to say I must try something from MOS Burger in its country of origin. In Tokyo, they have rice burgers with steamed fish in miso sauce as well as onion rings, two of the things I got to savour.

Is this the smallest martini or what? But it was potent I tell you. At AUD$8 a pop, you can't go wrong.

 

This elaborate yet simple meal I had in Nara costs only a little more than AUD$20. You can never find Japanese food of this quality and price in Australia. Unique to the region is the leaf-wrapped steamed sushi (bottom left of the picture).

I was super impressed with the convenience stores of Japan as they actually sell delicious food that I would want to eat. Bentos of restaurant-quality could be found in these stores littered all over the country (they are almost as plentiful as vending machines).

Rows of fried delicacies (left) and oden (right—various food items cooked in stock) could also be found in the simplest of convenience stores. The Japanese sure know how to eat and how to eat well in the most efficient manner!

Can you tell that this is a replica? Japan boasts the most realistic food replicas often found in restaurant display shelves.

Hello Japan! (part 3 - spirituality)

Japan manages to achieve a unique balance between spirituality and hedonism—look at this picture where a quite shrine (bottom) can be found nestled amongst the crowds of Harajuku (top). Another good example was when a gay person I spoke with told me he first went to the shrine to pray on New Year's Day at midnight (like most other Japanese) and then proceeded to a gay dance party. During my trip, I dropped by numerous shrines, temples and palaces and here are some of the pictures from those visits.

At Asakusa, the contrast between the traditional and the new becomes as clear as day. I particularly like this shot with the Senso'ji Temple standing majestically in front of the Tokyo Skytree.

This place would be swarming with extreme crowds when it turns midnight on New Year's Day. Well I am guessing as I was busy partying then.

Is that a giant slipper in the rightmost picture?

Scenes of praying and fortune-seeking. Also, it is believed that you will receive good blessings from the smoke of the burning incense.

The grounds of the Kyoto Imperial Palace can only be accessed via a free tour that needs to be booked in advance where you'd have to register your personal particulars. Because of this, it is extremely peaceful and serene. It makes you pause for a moment to imagine how it was like back in those days when the emperor was still living there.

The Todai'ji Temple in Kyoto is a UNESCO Word Heritage Site and is the largest wooden building in the world. I was very impressed by its architecture and its sheer size. Just look at those ant-like figures at its doors!

Kyoto is dotted with countless little shrines and though I am not a spiritual person, the quiet ambiance there was amazing and very refreshing.

These shrines are a photographer's heaven.

You can find these mini shrines in tiny alcoves by the streets of Kyoto. I heard there is a shrine in Japan for almost every thing one would want to pray and wish for.

Hello Japan! (part 2 - other areas)

In this second set of my vacation pictures, I will be introducing some sights from places outside of Tokyo. I planned for a two-week Japan trip on purpose so I can not only fully-explore Tokyo but also spend some time out of it.

This is the view of the sulphur hot springs from the cable car in Hakone (1.25-hour train ride from Tokyo). Yellow bits of sulphur and the smell of rotten eggs filled the lightly-snowing air that afternoon. Hakone is a good place to visit for a day trip.

At the open area of the Ten-Zan hot spring in Hakone after a really relaxing few hours. This onsen is a little out-of-the-way but it is very authentic and is highly recommended. At 1200 yen per visit, you can't go wrong. There were so many naked see-no-touch hot young muscular guys around and they got me so bothered that I had to visit some see-and-touch establishments back in Tokyo that very night!

This is the famous Nishiki Market in Kyoto (2.25-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo).

Visiting markets is one of the must-do things during all of my holidays. Having lots of free samples available for tasting is just one of the many reasons why.

Things on sale at the market can be as intricate as carved root vegetables (top picture) and as unknown as the stuff shown in the middle picture.

The wonderful thing about these market stalls is how specialised the goods on sale are, be it pickled vegetables, tea, seaweed or steamed egg rolls!

Kyoto is the old capital of Japan and these (refurbished) streets have been done up in a way to mimic the olden days—definitely a different feel here compared to the oft-claustrophobic metropolis we call Tokyo.

Monks seen at a Kyoto subway station. What you can't see from this picture is how disciplined their actions and movements are (think military precision).

Don't be fooled by this huge Christmas tree at my Kyoto hotel lobby. Japanese are not big with this Christian holiday—them taking down the festive decorations before midnight on Christmas Day is a dead giveaway.

The nice little creek that runs through the city gives Kyoto a very peaceful feel. And where else can you find seat cushions at a bus stop?

In the top left you can see queueing directions on the small floor area of an ATM booth (how uniquely-Japanese) and in the bottom left a solution borne out of a lack of space. Top right shows a little garden that pops out of nowhere in the shopping district and bottom right shows mannequins found nowhere else but in Japan, the most polite country in the world.

If you want to see the most temples and shrines in the shortest amount of time, Nara Park (1-hour train ride from Kyoto) is the place to go. Deers roam wild there and create their own little problems, both to the visitors and the cleaners.

It was a rainy night when I was in Osaka (0.5-hour train ride from Kyoto). This is Doutonbori, one of the hipper places. The transparent umbrellas are the flavour of the day and I bought one too.

The longest shopping street in the country (Tenjinbashisuji) can be found in Osaka. 2.6-km of pure retail joy and some of the things on sale have really misleading labelling!

Love hotels are quite commonplace in Japan and this one in Osaka is very aptly-named.

Due to a lack of space, a lot of businesses (particularly bars) set up shop in apartment blocks and thus a block can house a lot of bars (note: "2F" means 2nd floor), some of which can only have 5 or so people in them at any one time. The one pictured above is from Osaka (straight joints) but I have been to the ones in the Tokyo gay area (Shinjuku Ni-Chome)—they are a must-see for all gay visitors!

Hello Japan! (part 1 - Tokyo)

Late last month I spent almost two weeks in Japan, a land I have never stepped foot on and two of the biggest unfounded fears I had before the trip (ie. it is going to be expensive and it is going to be difficult not knowing Japanese) can now be laid to rest. I urge every one who has not been there to take that journey for it will open your eyes to a new way of life, one that works and works very well. Even an Asian person like me from a highly-urbanised and efficient country was impressed with this seemingly-perfect balance of traditional and new, as well as spiritual and commercial. Lots of pictures and videos were taken during my much-needed vacation and in a series of weekly posts, I will share this most wonderful experience with you.

Akihabara is a place where all things electronics are sold. The entire street was freed of traffic the night I was there.

Winter in Tokyo is really mild and I had many perfect days there. My day at Asakusa was one of them.

Asakusa is touristy but I love the long shopping streets as they are the best places to learn about the culture of the land. Those umbrellas in the form of samurai swords are cute, aren't they?

Cute kittens that stay perched at the same spot for tourists to pose with and interesting modes of transportation in Asakusa.

High-end shopping in Ginza. Thankfully I am not one who seeks branded goods otherwise I wouldn't be able to enjoy the nice outdoor atmosphere. Once again the street has been freed of all traffic.

This is Harajuku (Takeshita Street pictured), where Japanese youth culture and commercialism exude from every corner. And then you chance upon this quiet shrine right in the heart of the bustling shopping district which totally transforms your perception of the city.

Tokyo Bay on yet another clear day. Although there aren't many interesting sights other than malls and game arcades in Odaiba, this picture alone is worth the train ride there.

The famous crossing at Shibuya (not as impressive at ground level and in the day). This place boasts endless criss-crossing streets of shops and eateries where you can spend hours on end to explore.

The day/dusk/night view of the Tokyo skyline atop Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. I recommend spending that extra 500 yen to go on the Sky Deck for an even more awesome experience.

The famous Tsukiji Fish Market and a sample of the seafood on sale.

Although the tuna auction is closed to public this time of the year, the out-of-this-world crowd at the outer markets will blow your mind. You can't really shop with this many people but the electrifying local atmosphere was what I was looking for that day.

This is another crazy market called Ameyoko in Ueno. It is less crowded than the Tsukiji Fish Market and sells much more than seafood and produce (replica guns for example).

Ikebukuro is a major metro interchange and it has 43 exits! Can you imagine how many exits there are in busier stations like Shinjuku?

I was fortunate enough to experience New Year's in Tokyo. Ikebukuro seems to be where all the action is.

Other parts of the city were practically ghost towns on New Year's Day. It was a breath of fresh air to see Nihonbashi (Tokyo CBD) and Ginza void of the usual sea of people and the cacophony that comes with it.

Musical journey (42)

Hey hey I am back! It has been almost a month since my last post and boy has it been a crazy month. The stress of work over the last week has more than used up the relaxation points I have earned over my three-week holiday (two in Japan and one in Singapore).

To add to this, several international opportunities have popped up over the horizon, namely China and UK. The latter is my first choice but I would need to waste no more time and quickly apply for a spouse visa (my partner is a UK citizen) to enhance my chances of getting picked. The competition is really fierce as work is scarce in Melbourne right now and every one is clamouring for the glamorous UK opportunities. I just got off a phone conversation with the manager of the London office and it looks like an interview is in the works in the next two weeks or so, which might be the time when I have to confirm if I am going to take up the China gig for sure or not. Nothing is concrete at the moment and I seriously don't think I will be lucky enough to be in a situation where I am given both positions but still fingers crossed.

If I get the London role, it will be yet another huge move for us but it will be an extremely happy one as I have dreamed of living in Europe for the longest time (think of the amount of travelling we could do!). I think it is also a case of been-there-done-that with regards to Australia and it is time for a change in scene I reckon. It is an exciting time for us indeed.

I have tons of vacation pictures and videos to sort out before I can post them here so in the mean time, let me share with you a cover I did during my recent holidays at a bar called Shuffle in Singapore. I lost my voice from a lack of sleep over the "gruelling" holiday period (still hasn't gained it back yet) and it is obvious from the clip that I was struggling with the already-reduced high notes. Nevertheless it felt so good to be on the stage once again in front of an audience, something that I will never ever get tired of.

When two become one

I have not met anyone who makes me feel the same way I feel about you.

When we first met, I was already a complete person.

But I slowly discovered over the years that there is this other part of me that I didn't know existed.

And now after seven years of being together with you, I am still a complete person yet you make me feel so comfortable and at ease that I cannot imagine living my life without you.

I don't really know what that makes me other than a really lucky person, someone who is actually physically more than complete.

That is what you make me, more than complete.

And for that I want to thank you.

I know today's ceremony isn't much and is also kind of rushed but every thing that happens here today is not any bit less important or true.

And I want us to remember this moment forever.

I love you so much.

And I promise I will continue to love you this much for the rest of my life.