With the Style, Artistic Californian Resort Hotel in Hakata/Fukuoka

August 11, 2007 - 11:39 am by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

If you’re seeking a most sophisticated hotel in Hakata (Fukuoka), my recommendation would be With the Style, an artistic Californians style resort hotel near Hakata Station. You can stay or just visit for lunch to escape from the city’s heat wave.

Food is wonderful, with the Western look and Japanese taste.
(Hakata/Fukuoka is on the sea, gifted [...]

World Peace Praying Sites of Nagasaki; as one of the two A-bombed cities following Hiroshima & `White Light/Black Rain’

August 8, 2007 - 6:27 pm by akko@hakata in Travel  

August 9th is the special memorial day for Nagasaki, for it is one of the two A-bombed city in the world, following Hiroshima in 1945, at the end of WW2.

To remember the tragedy of war, to decide not to make that happen again, praying for the eternal world peace, there are two memorial parks, [...]

Sweets Theme Parks

August 7, 2007 - 6:34 am by akko@hakata in Culture, Food, Others, Travel  

For many women in Japan, Sweets Theme Parks are paradice! It’s like an amusement park of sweets, offering not only cakes and puddings, but also the place to relax and talk!
During summer season (-Aug.31), they offer special varieties to cool us. Each shop is competing very hard to attract customers, with beautiful looking, delicious sweets, [...]

Shibamata

August 4, 2007 - 10:16 pm by kiokitok in Travel  

Located in the northeast of Ueno, Shibamata still preserves the atmosphere of old Tokyo. Getting off the Keisei line at Shibamata station, you walk through Sando, a tiny street leading you to the major temple or shrine. A lot of old buildings, most of them from the 1950s, are preserved along the street. [...]

Antenna Shops of Hakata; foods, cup-sake, Glico @ Canal City Hakata

- 12:43 pm by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

Here’s another Antenna Shop. It’s in Canal City Hakata, the largest and fashionable shopping mall in Fukuoka, Kyushu.
It deals with, of course, Hakata local foods,

Not only that.

Glico sweets, and variety of Japanese specialities are also available,

including fashionably bottled sake.

We call the transparent ones especially `cup-sake‘.
It used to remind us of tired businessmen, for [...]

Shopping in Ginza 2; Toys, Hellokitty…find coolest Japanese souvenir

August 3, 2007 - 12:32 pm by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

Experience Japanese latest culture with cute characters!

1. Japanese Toys and Games

Not only Michel Jackson, but many celebrities secretly have visited this special toy shop in Ginza, Hakuhinkan.

They sell;

-Latest Character goods (like KiddyLand) (1F)
-Dolls, stuffed dolls, music boxes (2F)
-Childrens’ toy, including railway minitures (3F)
-Video games, card games, Rubik’s, others (4F)
-Rika-chan, Japanese Barbie Dolls (B1F)

*open [...]

Shopping in Ginza 1; find finest Japanese souvenir @ Kyukyo-do (fan, paper, incense), Kimuraya bakery, and Mitsukoshi (sweets and more)…

- 11:24 am by akko@hakata in Food, Travel  

1. Writing material and Incense

Kyukyodo is the traditional (since 1663) and most popular shop.

They sell;
-traditional Japanese writing material, ink, brush, inkstone, special paper.
-Japanese caligraphy (Shodo) material
-letter set, postcards
-little envelope (Noshi-bukuro), to give money for celebration, such as giving New Years’ pocket money to children.
-Beautiful Japanese papers for craftwork (or for wrapping, book-cover)
-Japanese seasonal [...]

Naginata boko of Gion Matsuri in Shijo-dori Street

July 28, 2007 - 4:02 pm by Yuk in Culture, Travel  

In Kyoto, the middle of July is the rainy season yet. So there are a lot of rainy days. However, when July comes the town in Kyoto is alive with something, and people begin to get excited somehow. It is because “Gion Matsuri” that keeps coloring through the one month the town in Kyoto starts.

The [...]

Memories of the Battle of Okinawa

July 25, 2007 - 5:06 pm by marsh in Travel  

July 22 (Sun), 2007. Special Interest Tour on “momories of the Battle of Okinawa site”.

I received a special request from a gentleman who had a special interest in visitting the Battle sites in the southern part of Okinawa, namely Baten Ko in former Sashiki town (now: Nanjo city), suicide cliff in Itoman city and [...]

Foreign Credit Card is now acceptable @ 12,000 Seven Eleven Banks

July 24, 2007 - 7:31 pm by akko@hakata in Travel  

On July 11(Seven Eleven!), the ATM machines of Seven Eleven Banks started to deal with foreign credit cards, master, visa, American Express, JCB. Now you can draw Japanese Yen with your credit cards anytime at nearest Seven Eleven.

Throughout Japan there’re more than 12,000 Seven Eleven Banks in each Seven Eleven Shops, the most popular convinience [...]