shukketsuichigo: Finally the rest of my pictures. Roppongi, Ghibli museum in Mitaka and more..

shukketsuichigo (

shukketsuichigo) wrote,
@ 2006-12-24 12:14:00

Current location:	Québec city (mom's home for x-mas)
Current mood:	must.go.pee.now
Current music:	some noise from the kitchen
Entry tags:	cute japanese signs, ffej, ghibli museum, isakaya, japan, mitaka, roppongi, tokyo, watami

Finally the rest of my pictures. Roppongi, Ghibli museum in Mitaka and more..

A cute japanese bus ^__^

Proof that "Nyappy" wasn't an expression invented by An cafe :P

Smoking is prohibited in many areas in Tokyo they created places like these (this picture was taken in Roppongi)

be careful! don't get stuck between doors!

pikachu train! (and i clearly remember taking this picture in the Takadanobaba station where they play the astroboy theme song all the time :)

once again i'm sure i've seen this girl somewhere before! (is she also from the gothic lolita bibles? darksunmoon recently found out that one of the girls i met in Harajuku *see the previous posts* is Maki, Angelic Pretty's designer!)

the Colonel Sanders and i :P (isn't it a framer?)

haha..

Mcdonald's is much more appealing in Japan.. such cute girls working there (and the uniforms are way better than here). Too bad the only picture i took turned out to be blurry.

Chicken and Shrimp nuggets, Salad, Ebi filet (Shrimp burger), Teriyaki burger, Fries, Ketchup (The way the sauce cups are made is brilliant.. they should have that here too. You just bend the cup in two and it creates a small openning and it pours the sauce perfectly.. there's no way you could splash yourself. No more stains on your favorite dress! :P)

nice poster in the train station

かわいいねえ！ Ffej sangquicoule and some cute Pachinko parlor add.

Fake food! It's very common for restaurants to have window displays like these. The food you see is made of wax.

An add for a meido cafe

a cleaner toilet than the first one i saw (AND YES! TOILET PAPER! honestly i haven't seen any cabins lacking toilet paper.. they only lack towels to dry your hands but most of the time they have powerful hand dryers.. so the rumor about people distributing packs of tissues in the street because the public restrooms lack toilet paper isn't true.)

Ghibli museum ^__^

Ffej & I with the legendary Totoro :)

Totoro & I ♥

Totoro is love ♥

Ghibli museum from outside (unfortunatly we weren't allowed to take pics inside)

I wanted to take pictures of the streets in residential areas (here's the Mitaka area) to show you how it's different from downtown Shibuya or Shinjuku.

::the next pics are cute signs that we saw in Mitaka (lots were made by children from primary schools)::

minna de asoboo minna de kaeroo (rough translation: we play together, we comeback home together)

kuro neko yamato no.. black cat something.. i think it was some delivery service add ?

lost cat? ;__;

kodomo hinanjyo (Translation: kids shelter. I think it might be like Canada's safety network Block parent/Parents secours but i'm not too sure. Can someone clarify this for me?)

kids shelters have strange decorations.. o__O; oh! bat-kids' shelter? :P

abunai to omottara oogoe o dasoo. rough translation: if you're in trouble scream loudly　to get help!

go(5)ji ni wa o uchi ni kaerimashoo! = 5pm we go home!

ennai ni inu ya neko o irenai de kudasai. i think it means: don't walk your cat or dog here.

seems to be the same kind of thing as above.. i don't know enough kanjis to translate.

haha.. communist party isn't it?

Watami restaurant (the food is amazing there!) here's Ffej posing with a poster of the delicious tako rice salad. mmmm.. (you can find the restaurant's menus here: http://www.watami.com.hk/eng/menu.asp)

the real tako rice salad

i took many pictures so you'd understand how D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S it was.

an other great thing: tako wasabi! (oh by the way tako means octopus)

i don't remember what it's called.. but it was obviously good.. else i wouldn't have taken a picture. :P

lemon sour mmm..

best cheesecake in the whole wide world! just looking at it makes me hungry.

Well guys... i'm sad to announce that these were the last pictures. sorry it took me so long to update.. Maybe i just wanted to make the fun last longer. But don't worry i'll update this journal again when i go back to Japan (i promise i won't make you wait too long ;)

Ja Mata!

Maki ♥

(16 comments) - (Post a new comment)

	toona 2006-12-24 08:17 pm UTC (link)
	Haha, there was no toilet paper ANYWHERE in Korea, so... I think that that's not TOTAL lore... maybe not necessarily in Japan, but in other places toilet paper is harder to come by... I think the squat toilets are more sanitary than regular public restrooms. You don't have to touch ANYTHING. But yayyy... Japan pictures!!! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	shukketsuichigo 2006-12-24 11:45 pm UTC (link)
	Oh really? Do people distribute packs of tissues in the street there too? I love squat toilets too. It's so easy when you're wearing a skirt! :D sniff i'm nostalgic.. can't wait to go back! (Reply to this) (Parent)

nav
2006-12-24 09:20 pm UTC (link)

You just bend the cup in two and it creates a small openning and it pours the sauce perfectly.. there's no way you could splash yourself.

yeah well mission accomplished :P je m'étais acheté une salade dans une épicerie et le contenant de sauce était du même genre et bref comme je savais pas trop comment l'ouvrir j'ai gossé dessus et ca a fini par toute me couler dessus :P

moi non plus j'ai jamais vu de toilettes sans papier de toilette, mais j'ai vu plein de toilettes (incluant toilettes de restaurant) sans savon pour se laver les mains ! eew en tout cas on espérais que les employés en avaient du savon eux !

joyeux noel :D

(Reply to this) (Thread)

shukketsuichigo
2006-12-24 11:42 pm UTC (link)

Hahahahaha! Trop bonne celle-là! :P Mais bon cé le genre de niaserie qui nous arrive toujours avec les trucs simples.. on est trop habitués que les choses soient compliqués. hihi

ouach pas de savon.. pourtant les japonais sont vraiment fort sur la propreté des mains et tout (ma prof en parlait justement l'autre jour et elle disait que les chinois cé le contraire. mais les japonais sont dédaigneux si il s'agit de manger sans avoir les mains propres etc..)

クリスマスおめでとう！

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	embuscade 2006-12-24 10:01 pm UTC (link)
	les toilettes par terre je trouve ça chouette mais est-ce que les murs vont jusqu'en bas? sinon tout le monde peut voir! pis la bouffe a l'air vraiment bonne (même celle en cire), miam! j'ai trop faim! :D (Reply to this) (Thread)

shukketsuichigo
2006-12-24 11:38 pm UTC (link)

oui oui les portes vont jusqu'à terre! aussi quand on entre dans la toilette il ya un détecteur de mouvement et donc quand qqun entre ça déclenche un faux son de flush (pour éviter que les gens vous entendent pisser, faire du bruit while doing a #2 ou vomir..haha. c'est bien pour les gens qui on ce que j'appelle le "shy bladder syndrome" :P)

pis ouiii la bouffe est tellement ÉCOEURANTE AHHH!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	luli_loplop 2006-12-25 02:40 pm UTC (link)
	you went to the ghibli museum!! lovely lovely pics!! someday I'll go there ^^ (Reply to this)

	sojiro_chan 2007-01-06 03:48 am UTC (link)
	WOW,LE GHIBLI MUSEUM je veux y aller ;_; (Reply to this)

	filmnoir 2007-03-15 04:09 pm UTC (link)
	I come back to this journal all the time to look at the photos again! I'll be going to Tokyo in two weeks and I am so excited. Do you have any tips? Do you mind me asking you a question? I will be staying in Ikebukuro, do you know if this area is okay and is it close enough to other main areas of Tokyo? I hope the metro is easy to use! (Reply to this) (Thread)

shukketsuichigo
2007-03-16 03:36 am UTC (link)

wah! well first of there is no real "main" areas in tokyo. like you cannot say "i'm going downtown" coz many areas are like.... times square multiplied by a thousand. everywhere you go on the Yamanote line is pretty much huge buildings. I'd say if you stay on the Yamanote line you won't have problems coz it's a line that goes all around tokyo...goes to the main touristy areas and the metro announces stations in english and japanese and there is a little screen that shows you what station you're at and what's next..etc. Also in main stations like Ikebukuro you can find free maps in japanese or english that you can take for free. You can also print them from their website before leaving for Japan so that you don't get lost from the airport etc.

a good thing to know is that in Japan when you put your ticket in the slit (i was gonna say the turnstills but it's not turnstills..it's movement detector..but you know what i mean) to get in the metro.. your ticket comes out after you pass... you have to take it and keep it..coz you will need it to get out too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z94dK1yuNCQ oh here's a good video to explain. oh and by the way usually ticket machines have the english option. and to know how much you need to pay... you just have to look up above you and check which station you're going and it's gonna tell you the fare from where you are to where you're going. so you put the money in, take the ticket and your change. :)

http://www.tokyometro.jp/kabegami/img1024/rosen01.jpg here's the map

The Yamanote line *main line for main stations and tourist attractions and stuff* is the black and white stripped line

Ikebukuro is where the yellow, red line and yamanote (and some short brown line also cross on the top left.

Then if you look down a bit following the Yamanote line (bk/white) the first station before the thick green line is Harajuku. :) Go there on sunday! ;)

here's a printable english map (but be sure to have adobe acrobat coz it's a pdf file)

http://www.tokyometro.jp/rosen/rosenzu/pdf/rosen_eng.pdf english map

i recommend you print both english and japanese.. so that you can check on both maps when you're trying to figure out kanji and stuff.. it's useful.

oh by the way subway stations are HUGE. Some have like over 50 exits (but the average has 5 to 10 exits..so don't worry too much..though it's even hard sometimes with only 3 exits LOL) anyways if you wanna get out of a station it's easy.. follow these kanji:

that stands for "deguchi" which means exists. if you're ever lost ask someone: DEGUTCHI WA DOKO DESS KA? and they will point or something.

Do you speak a little japanese? Or are you going with people who speak? Coz japanese cannot speak at all. I mean they understand but i swear they might run away from you and totally pretend they don't understand sometimes. They kinda freeze when it comes to speaking even though they studied it.

Here's phrases you must learn:

but first you must know that "R" and "L" doesn't exist in japanese. SO when you prounounce the words i'm showing you if i wrote an R it's actually a sound between an R and an L..closer to an L usually. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XycFXWBboIk this might help you. :)

sumimasen : excuse me

go-men nasai: i'm sorry

arigato gozaimass: thank you very much

arigato gozaimashita: thank you very much (for something that's already done)

to-i-le (to as in tomato, i pronounced like "e" in english, le as in lesson) wa doko desu (dess) ka (like kah and not kay) so: to-i-le wa doko dess kah? which mean where's the toilet.

ikura? (prounounced "e","koo" "r/la" with intonation like when you're asking a question) which mean how much?

shashin o tot-temo eeee dess kah? (can i take a picture)

hai (prounounced like hi) : yes

iie (eeeyeah): no

kore kudasai (this please *good at the restaurant when pointing the menu*)

If you have any questions don't hesitate! :)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

filmnoir
2007-03-16 12:42 pm UTC (link)

WOW. Thank you so much! This is so so helpful. Every time I learn something new about Japan I get a little more excited and a little less nervous about going there, I'm mostly nervous because I am flying on my own.

I'm meeting my boyfriend there and he studied Japanese for a little while, I wonder if he will remember any of it! Hopefully he will.

I'm going to print all those things out and also print your comment to bring with my in my Japan book, I think it will all come in useful.

Thanks again so much. Is there anything you would like me to get for you? I could post it to you in Canada when I get home.

xo

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

shukketsuichigo
2007-03-16 05:59 pm UTC (link)

I dunno if you have a japanese phrasebook to bring along but i recomend the one made by Lonely Planet (it's small and orange) it helped me learn a few useful phrases.

Oh one more thing.. if you ever try on clothes in stores you must know this: remove your shoes before entering the cabin. Also most of the time they have this paper thing that looks like a bag to put over your head when you try shirts (to prevent clothes from putting static in your hair or getting stuck in earings or glasses etc) and be careful with the shoe thing.. especially if you go to someone's house. remove your shoes when entering and line them up properly and use the slippers they offer you or stay in your socks (watch out for holes in your socks/dirty/stinky socks LOL) and when you go to the bathroom sometimes they have different slippers for there.. you have to switch slippers. LOL. Also never walk on a tatami (you know bamboo mats on the floor) with any slippers. I'd say watch what people are doing around you. Look for lined up shoes.. if you see them at the entrance of a restaurant you must remove them to enter. If you're going to a temple the chances you have to remove your shoes is 99.9% :P

Also when shopping don't give the money to the cashier directly. Put it in the little bowl or plate they have. It's to avoid touching it (money is the dirtiest thing ever when you think about it..and in Japan they are careful not to catch diseases) If you get sick, wear a surgery type mask. Wash your hands alot. If you see people with eye patches (and i'm sure you will at some point) it's because they got eye surgery (usually beauty surgery..to have bigger/rounder eyes like caucasians. o__O)

Oh and when shopping you will hear "Irrashaimaseeeeeeeee" alot when you enter a store. Everybody will say it to you. Don't freak out it just means "welcome" and it's a very important policy for employees to say it.. so maybe 15 employees will tell you at the same time or when they pass by you in the store. When you get out you'll hear "Arigatou gozaimashita!" too. Oh and when you go to the combini they might ask you questions... usually they ask if you have the correct change or if you want a bag. If they offer a bag and you don't want it you can say: eeeyeah kek-ko dess. (no it's ok.)

OH I ALMOST FORGOT: learn this sentence

NIHONGO O HANASEMASEN. I DON'T SPEAK JAPANESE.

there's a clearer version which is: Nihongo o hana suru koto ga dekimasen. But you don't really need it. It means "I cannot speak japanese" the verb dekimasu means "being able to" and "dekimasen" means i'm not able. i can't.

you can also ask: EIGO O HANASEMASS KAH? (do you speak english?) but most people will tell you no..or just run away from you. but in big companies you might find people who speak a liiitle bit.

IF YOU'RE EVER LOST AND FREAKING OUT OR NEED ANY HELP: GO TO NOVA SCHOOLS. IT'S EVERYWHERE.. IT'S AN ENGLISH SCHOOL. They've helped me when i was in trouble. Their mascot is a pink bunny.

it's usually so huge you can't miss it (i'm sure you can find it in my picture ;P)

Also recommendations:

Places to visit:

Harajuku (Yoyogi park) on Sunday

Shibuya (theme restaurants, karaoke, cool arcades, hachiko statue *just outside the station*.. shibuya is mostly party & gals town)

Shinjuku (SHOPPING! YOU MUST GO SHOPPING AT MARUIYOUNG) here's the map:

Akihabara (videogames, electronics, mangas, maid cafés and sex shops! the geek town!)

Asakusa (for the food but be careful where you buy your souvenirs coz if you don't check the prices before buying you might find the same stuff in an other shop 2mins later for a cheaper price. There you can find Ninja shoes, Kimonos, etc and the food is amazing)

Ueno (the zoo is next to the station and there's also lots of cool shopping centers!)

Ginza: rich town! lol.. it's classy and all.. but you can find an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant! http://www.diamond-dining.com/alice/index.htm their website!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

shukketsuichigo
2007-03-16 06:10 pm UTC (link)

Oh for Marui Young in Shinjuku.. it's actually the red square identified as OIONE on the map. :)

And wow.. i would sure loooove you if you sent me something from Japan *misses it dearly*

Well if you go to Akihabara PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try to find Mailish cafe (my favorite place in the entire world)

here's the map with road from the Akihabara station to there

Any memorabilia bought there would make me SUPERRRRR HAPPY. Especially if it's Maid Arisa's memorabillia. (btw if you go to maid cafes don't take pictures inside, it's not allowed *to protect the maid girls you know*)

and if you can't find it.. well any maid cafe stuff would make me happy. ^__^ OR KITKATS CHOCOLATE! The flavors we don't have here (like sakura, banana, green tea, fruit cream etc..)

here's my adress:

Maki-chan
1038 Moffat
Montreal, Quebec
H4H 1Y9 CANADA

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	shukketsuichigo 2007-03-16 06:14 pm UTC (link)
	ps: conbini means convinience store (lol i'm so used to typing it conbini/combini) (Reply to this) (Parent)

shukketsuichigo
2007-03-16 03:39 am UTC (link)

ps: in most stores you can't pay by credit card or debit cards.. and i dunno about your cards but canadian visa cards don't work in ATM machines (even when they say they take visa card it's usually the japanese ones) coz canadian credit cards have 5 digit for the pin number.. and japanese have 4. The ONLY place i could get money out was at Citi Bank (they prounounce it Shiti Banku) there's one in Shinjuku and Shibuya. So be sure to always have enough money on you to at least take the subway and go to these places.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	shukketsuichigo 2007-03-16 03:43 am UTC (link)
	you should also call you credit card company before leaving telling them you're going to Japan. Coz if you don't tell them they might block your card thinking it's been stolen if they see transactions done from Japan. Oh and you can also widthdraw money from your credit card if you go to post offices. :) Good luck! (Reply to this) (Parent)

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