花見@ 上野 + かなまら祭り－The Fertility Festival

I guess lots of people are anticipating this post. XD
Thanks for the patience, ne! I'm gonna post heaps of photos and let pictures do the talking =P I'm sure everyone will enjoy them ♥ Kekeke..

- 4 April 2010 -

It was a busy, fun and fulfilling day for us. Our initial plan was just looking at Sakura, chat and have fun at Ueno. I'm so glad Bryce actually told us about the fertility festival, or else we would have missed it! (It's only once per year!)

We went to Ueno station. I was shocked by the crowd. I knew it was a Sunday and there would be many people, but I underestimated the number of Sakura viewers.

Outside the station. It's the same capacity in the station as well. くるてる, Crazy!

But after I got into the park, I guess the Sakura was really worth seeing although we had to squeeze through the crowd sometimes. They were just so pretty!

That was our Ueno group! I really like them ♥

Kat went to church so she missed the morning event =(

Bought some food to rescue my grumbling stomach. "You are getting ready for the festival!", someone said. lol. Was trying to put up a sexy face =_=" epic fail though.

Well,

Here comes the exciting part!!!

What is a Fertility Festival?
There is a short answer to that, which is - The Penis Festival.
or what I call it, The GuGuJiao Festival (Chinese people will know I'm talking about) lol.

For those who wanna more about the festival, it is available on Wikipedia -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanamara_Matsuri

This was the Kawasaki-daishi station. The festival was actually held in a kinda rural area. There were lots of foreigners and lots of people on that day though =D

I guess Japan is the only country which held this kinda festival. =D So open-minded.

Haha, many people dressed up for the festival. Mostly as prostitutes =P

Giant Penis - The Mascot!

Everything here amazed me =D They even sold penis candies lol!

It was definitely full of surprises!

(I don't know what to say, haha)

Got offered free sake by the uncle behind me. A few sips were enough to make me feel excited! XD

Yes, that was me. =P The crowd cheered when I did that XD

My friend was at the other side and she overheard a guy saying that "Can you do that for me too?".

LOL well, hell no! you wish!!!

Kids were singing for the festival. So cute!! They changed Michael Jackson's 'thriller' lyrics into "penis, penis, penis" though. =P

I ♥ this festival

Went to Shinjuku (yes, again) to get a super-cheap dinner and do some shopping ^^

And of course, PURIKURA!

It's just 400yen!!! It's amazing that we could squeezed in eight people too!

Love the photos & the people so much ♥

♥ DK WARABI 最高!!! ♥

♥ ~DK Warabi~ ♥

- 1st April 2010 -

After being so pampered for a week, I was finally moving into DK Warabi! Surprisingly, I wasn't too excited, I was just hoping that I can make good friends and live peacefully for the semester =P
I travelled with Chiharu from Shin-otsu to Nishi-Kawaguchi for about two hours (=_="), with my huge luggage + two big hand-carry bags + a paper bag full of books. Our hands and arms were so numb when we reached the station.
Yi-Ching met up with us and brought us to the dormitory. Seriously I'm so glad that I met her a few days before and she's so nice & willing to help me in almost anything! 

Walked for about 15min. At the first sight, DK Warabi appears to be like a haunted hospital to me. (Opps, picture coming soon)

But the inside isn't too bad ^^ Big common room, Big kitchen although I don't think I'll do much cooking, TV, Study room, Gym area etc.. 

I like my room too~ it's quite spacious and it's the first time that Shermayne has empty drawers in her room!!! Not just one or two but quite a few! Amazing, huh? I'm trying to keep it very clean too ^^ (Just vacuumed my room today, even moved the big cupboard just to clean everything up ♪)

View from my window

Did something quite exciting but bad when I first arrived DK. Secretly changed my curtain with someone's room, not that the original one was ugly, but I just prefer cheerful colour, just like me muahaha... Laughed so hard during the process. Yi-Ching couldn't believe that I did this, "It's such a Shermayne thing to do", she said. Well, I won't tell which room number is it, but I had fun running and laughing that my tummy hurts so bad.

I ♥ my curtain

My door! Decorated it because I don't want it to be plain. I want everything to be cheerful, which will brighten up my day too!

Door handle. People opens this door will enter a crazy world!! HAHA. ("You are crazy~" - Quote from Anna Hidano from 3rd floor)

Oh, I love my kettle & bowls & plates & utensils too!

They are so sweet! Yes? No?

Fridge is always full of sweet, nice desserts. ♥

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The Next Day

My first time to上智大学(Jochi Daigaku) aka Sophia University! It's about 1 hour away from where I'm staying now. It's considered quite near if compared to many other people!

Had orientation & briefing for exchange students. I bet most of them are from the U.S. Had not met any Malaysian at the moment. They are very cute & nice though. ^^

Orientation was boring. Was divided into groups and the leader was supposed to show us around I guess, but instead she just brought us to the food canteen. She disappeared until we had finished our food. =o=

We had our Japanese placement test after lunch. The test was FREAKING difficuly. I can't even answer most of the Kanji part. They were either too easy, or too difficult. Was trying out for the intensive course, a professor warned us that intensive course is very demanding and he urged us to take the regular ones. Well, I am here in Japan. Won't gonna have another chance like this so I guess I should grab this opportunity and learn the most out of it.

Had a welcome party after the test. I don't even wanna mention it. Was bored to the max. Food were placed on the table but we stared at them for an hour. They had speeches and performances but I couldn't see or listen well. The crowd was too big and I was just too short for that. =/

Cabut (escape) when we got the chance. Went to Shinjuku! Haha, this is what it should be! Everyone is happy again.

Cleaned my glasses in this free-specs-washing-machine placed beside an optom shop. ^^ nice~

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Third day in Dk Warabi (Sat)

It's finally Cherry blossoms season!!! The Sakura Street beside our dorm was so beautiful!!! People were sitting on the mat chatting/eating and enjoying their time. There were lots of stalls for food and games as well!! The atmosphere was awesome ♥

Look! It's my room (Second from the left)! I'm in second floor 238, very lucky number in the chinese culture ^^

花見~ first DK gathering & get to know-s. That's Anna on my left and Mario(!) on my right!

 

After our 花見(Hanami) with everyone from DK, 17 of us set off to Akihabara! Huge group! One was missing from this pic though.

Akihabara, full of electronics & anime stuff. Otaku's heaven.

Saw a few girls dressing as maids on the street. I'll try that one day. Not maids' cafe, but butler's cafe haha~ will be nice ♥

Walked pass this huge 6-7 storeys building which is filled with anime + cosplay goods!

They cracked me up ROFL.

Was definitely a freezing but fun night ♥

*Coping well in DK Warabi & I'm really glad that most people I met are friendly & nice. The dorm reminds me of my boarding house from high school in melbourne. ^^ But this time I'm in the west wing instead of the east =D

Laughed so hard and also walked a lot these few days, hopefully I had burn some calories! XD

Next post - The Penis Festival!!! Woohoo!

Last day with the Sakamoto family...

It was my last day staying in the Sakamoto house. Felt really sad because I know I might not have many chances to stay there for a long time again. University is starting soon and I'm sure everyone will get very busy. I really love the house and the people though, remind me of my own family and I felt exactly like home. Chi called me and said that the family miss me too. The house has become very quiet and she especially miss my alarm ringtone "Ohaiyooo~~~" which went on and on in the morning because I kept snoozing it.



What I've done on that day.
- 31 March 2010 -

Haruka brought me to this beautiful temple ShoMyo-ji (称名寺) at Kanagawa Bunko (金川文庫). It was my first time seeing Sakura and words simply can't described my feelings at that moment. Was extremely amazed, touched and excited at the same time.

The real scenery is definitely much better than picture.

I felt as if I were in a fairy land!!

And, more pictures =)

　

The two pictures which I love the most. Look like postcards yeah? ^^

And they just look so Japanese. Oriental~ ♥

Was trying to catch a falling Sakura from the tree. I once read from Manga which says that if a person caught Sakura and make a wish, it will come true. =D Haruka said the same thing too!

The first Sakura I caught. So lovely.

We got home after that. I wanted to seize the precious moment in Sakamoto house. Saw this banner on the way back though. Apparently there's 'CATS' in Yokohama as well. Casts are Japs and music is in Japanese though. Sounds so cool. Wonder if it's the same as Melbourne ^^

Have a walk with Rin-chan and Haruka in the neighbourhood after we got back. Rin-chan was so reluctant to go out though coz it was too cold. Lol. If my fat boy Leo is here, he would love~ to do that.

Ooo!!! I've forgotten to tell you guys that I've got a phone! Totally Jap cellphone. ♥ I'm Lovin' it! It's super-kawaii and cool! I have unlimited internet, I can watch TV, check train timetables, pay money just by putting my phone on a sensor, exchange phone details just by infrared...Lots and lots of things I can do! Trying to get used to the typing keyboard though, it's kinda different coz they are all in Jap. Have some cam-whore moments with my rosy gold cellphone ♥

Then, I helped mama to prepare dinner. Had fun making tempura etc. Mama kept talking to me and she's so cute ^^ reminds me of my mum too. Oh and also found out that mama and my mum are both twins! Nowonder they have so much in common =P

The last dinner.. =(

Can't believe I've eaten so much of them. Too good and irresistable. =_=

Bro sent a message to me saying that "I know you can take care of yourself now but please take care of your weight too". But with these kind of food, it's epic fail. XD My last night though so it's ok..

Hmm.. guess I'll miss the house a lot.  Rin-chan was unfriendly to me on the first day but throughout the week she has become like my family too. She played with me, licked me so I wake up and also sticked to me all the time.

I'll also miss the bath. Sigh. Not gonna get a chance to take bath in my dorm coz they don't have it.

And will miss the people too, especially mama who've treated me like her own daughter.

I remembered she once said to me "When you feel like coming back, we will always welcome you. Remember this is your home in Japan". On the late night before I left, she gave me a big, tight hug and kept asking me to visit them when I'm free. Arggh, she always make me wanna crying.

I woke up the next morning in a crying mood. I wish I could stay there longer but I should go out and meet more friends too because it's such a golden opportunity to be in Japan.

I'll miss crossing this road to get to the station with Chiharu everyday..Well, we always run/walk super fast though because we are always going to be late. That's a funny and cute memory ♥

Sunset at 新大津

I'll Miss You! ♥

A Day in SHINJUKU 新宿!!! ♪

- 29/3/2010 -

I was glad that I asked on Facebook (Sophia University exchange group) regarding who was free on Monday. Yi-Ching and Shizuka replied! So I went to Tokyo (YES, it's my first time in the real tokyo city!) and met these two awesome girls whom I've never seen before! =D

So, these are the two people I've mentioned above! XD Starting from the left - Shizuka Anderson,

Yi-Ching and me!!! Shizuka is a mix of Japanese and Canadian; Yi-Ching is a Singaporean!!! They are sooooo nice~ Ching and me think that Shizuka fits well in Jap magazine, and also she's currently applying for drama or tv station's part-time! I have to take more pictures of her before she gets popular!

Anyway, pictures of Shinjuku!

The busy town - 新宿

This street reminds me of XiMenDin 西門町, Taiwan.

And here's the very famous OIOI building! (pronounced as 'oi,oi' haha. just like the "Aussie, aussie, aussie, oi Oi OI!")

Well that's a lot which you can do in Shinjuku. But one of them that you can't missed is... of course! Purikura! The sticker photos! ♥











It's so cool that you can send sticker photos to your cellphone as well! That's how we did it!

 COOL right?!

Oh, and there are so many cute stuff in the purikura/game arcade.

You can even try to get Haagen Daz ice-cream! and Ritz biscuits box too!

Oh, and we passed this fruits store. How much does ONE durian cost in Japan? Look! It's 6000yen, which is like about RM205! CRAZY!

We went to dinner after that. There's a little thingy on the table. When you press the button, the waitress will come! It's so cute~ ^^

Went to watch movie after dinner. =D There are so many variety of food + drinks at their bar!

The cinema is weird though. Ticket booth on the 4th floor, but cinema theatres are everywhere from 5th to 11th floor. Our movie was shown on the 11th floor, we could only take escalator and it was tiring! Felt dizzy turning and turning~

Oh, I called mama before that though because I need to tell her that I'll be going back late. Ching said I sound exactly like a Jap-girl when I speak Japanese. XD ハッピ～ I told her that I can imitate the accent but my grammar actually sucks lol.

VS

Dusk and Night!          

So, these are the two people whom I shared my first experience of taking purikura, watching movie and visiting Tokyo! So glad to know them ♥ and they are also the first Sophians I met too! (Aside from Chiharu whom I met since 6 years ago)　きっと一緒に遊びましょう！