Golden Week in Busan!

During Golden Week (a time in Japan were three public holidays are back to back, and everywhere in Japan is bedlam) Kohei and I decided to take a trip to Busan, a first for the both of us.

The evening we arrived was spent wandering around the Jagalchi and Nampo area, famous for its bustling markets and street food. BIFF Square and Gukje Market had such a similar feel to Myeongdong in Seoul that it was easy to forget where we were. 

I’ve been craving strawberry daifuku in Japan for weeks now, but the season has already past, so I was utterly delighted to see a stall selling the same red bean and strawberry filled mochi balls. We also tried something that can only be described as a soft, sweet, egg-y bread with bacon. So wrong, but so right. The next day we also ate “Quattro-cheese topokki” which was practically life changing.

Brown Hands Café

Somewhere I’d stumbled across while stalking cute locations on Instagram, this café is hidden in the back streets near Busan station amongst some random nightclubs.  It’s located inside an old converted hospital, providing one of the most hipster settings to a café I’ve ever been to. Coffee (and more importantly the banana smoothie I had) were good too.

Centum City

Deemed the largest department store in the world, we had to take a visit to Shinsegae in Centum City. The food court is an experience in itself, and the abundance of every type of Korean and some Western foods will have your head on a swivel. Nearby is Café the Box, another quirky little joint overlooking the river with cardboard leaves on the walls and a chocolate block ceiling.

Another café we visited was The Pancake Epidemic in Haeundae. Although the pancakes were magical judging by Instagram, they were sold out by the time we arrived. The store itself is pretty cool, overlooking the beach and is also connected to a pretty cool clothing store which is worth a visit. I even bought a hat.  

Gamcheon Culture Village is a must-visit when in Busan. What is commonly referred to as “Korea’s Santorini” is a favela like area, given an update and is now one of the most quirky areas I’ve ever been to. Art installations are everywhere, hidden along tiny paths in backstreets, or brazenly painted on any surface in view. I didn’t truly appreciate the abundance of colours until looking at the pictures afterwards. I’d love to go back and explore when it’s less crowded and get a change to fully delve into hidden gems I’m sure exist. However, if you’re not a fan of creepy birds with human heads perched on buildings because it’s “artsy”, this place may not be for you.

That night we headed to Gwangalli Beach just after sunset and spent the evening wandering along the beach, drinking beer and soju, and watching the infamous lights adorning Gwangan Beach in the distance. Although we went to Haeundae Beach the next day, there’s something a little more special about Gwangalli as there are less tourists flooding the place. Even better, you can sit, watch the lights on the bridge, hear the waves and see people setting off fireworks.

 While I’ve been to Seoul three times and will inevitably always have a return trip planned, Busan was a completely different experience, but also so similar. I missed the famous lantern festival by a few days, and also never got to do some of the beautiful coastal walks because of the weather… Let’s be honest though, like I need more of an excuse to return; the Korean BBQ alone does it for me.

 I’m proud to say that Kohei and I didn’t want to kill each other either! It won’t be long Busan, and maybe I’ll squeeze in a trip to Jeju too. Although I do need a Korean skin care intervention, it’s getting out of hand.

Taiko Festival time!

Back in October, I briefly mentioned how I’d just started taiko drumming with Chloe and Kim. Our group actually dances Eisa (エイサー) which is the traditional performing art originating from Okinawa. There a three types of drums; odaiko (the big one I play), and two smaller handheld ones, shimedaiko and paranku. 

I’ll admit, after weeks of practicing our posture and form, the basic foot work and the correct arm placements for hitting the drum, I felt like a big girl when I got handed a drum and told to put it on. Needless to say I felt like I had a temperamental child strapped to me that neither did what I wanted, knocked me off balance and threw itself in the opposite direction.

Fast forward to almost 6 months later, having just performed for the first time at the Ryukyukoku Matsuri in Oita. Don’t get me wrong, I was nervous as anything, especially since they’d decided to change the formations 3 times in the week leading up to the performance. 

Extra pressure was added when they announced how the Kumamoto team had three ALT’S; like I needed more eyes staring at me and my glowing whiteness.

That was an ongoing theme of the day though, since being the only foreigner does make you stick out. However the children whispering “gaikokujin”, seeing me smile, asking me if I understood and freaking out when I replied were actually pretty cute.

Despite the killer early morning meeting at 4:30am, the entire day was something I’m so glad I got to experience. Especially since now the younger members of the group have warmed to us, rather than staring at us petrified like they once did. We only performed one song being the novices we are, but we’re being taught more routines as the weeks go on, so maybe next time we’ll get to show off our skills a little more. 

I’ll admit that despite feeling like a pretty cool Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle all day, I’ve never been happier than when I could finally take my tabi off (which I’d been taped into might I add). Cankles don’t exist in Japan, that’s something I’ve had to come to terms with.

Idyllic Itoshima.

Last weekend, Kohei and I took a mini road trip to Itoshima, a beachy area in Fukuoka prefecture. Despite having a few issues with the SATNAV (by that I mean “reaching our destination”, but in fact being in the middle of an empty field), we had the BEST day visiting all sorts of quaint locations along the way.

 

Bistro&Café TIME

There was some ominous fog when we arrived, so much so that it looked like a plotline to a Pirates of the Caribbean sequel; the paddle boarders venturing into the fog, only their board washing back to shore, and skeletons appearing from the waves. However, when the fog cleared it became a truly beautiful brunch spot. The café only serves two dishes of the day, one meat and one fish, which we both tried. I would completely recommend this place, especially for the fact it sold ginger ale which I’ve not had in the longest time, and the pork just melted in your mouth.

London Bus Café

My home away from home, although obviously London isn’t a patch on Scouseland. The last thing I expected to see along the coast of Japan was an actual bus, converted into a café, selling gelato. It provided super adorable photo opportunities though, and I’ve just made their authenticity go through the roof from having an actual British customer.

 

Café JASPER

Indoor palm trees, surfboards and trinkets galore. A little café on the ground floor of the owner’s house with the most refreshing homemade lemonade. I’ll definitely be going back to purchase on the quirky mugs decorating the place. They’re not for sale yet, but being the magpie I am, I’ve got my eye on a beautiful little iridescent one.

One of my favourite locations was not one of these places, despite them all being so wonderful. It was in fact a little beach where we just sat and watched the world go by. The bonus being the super picturesque swing between two palm trees for us to enjoy. The amount of stares Kohei and I get from Japanese girls is quite hilarious too. We do get sneaky pictures taken of us sometimes, but hey, I guess that’s just another gaijin problem I have to get used to.

Drip drip drop, little (by that I mean relentless) April showers.

My parents recently visited Japan for the first time, and I was able to join them for all but one part (Tokyo) of their whirlwind journey. We visited Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Miyazaki prefectures, all in the space of 9 days. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

The only place I hadn’t been to before was Hiroshima, and what a beautiful place. My parents had timed their visit to coincide with the cherry blossom, and once we arrived in Hiroshima, the sakura were in full bloom.  Hiroshima itself was somewhere I’ll definitely be returning to soon. It had such a relaxed vibe, and that, along with hundreds of people enjoying hanami (cherry blossom viewing) along the riverbanks, made it utterly beautiful despite the greyness.

Visiting the Atomic Bomb Museum was a solemn one, as you’d expect, however I’d recommend anyone to go to the museum in Nagasaki instead. While Hiroshima is still the more well-known of the two atomic bomb targets, that is seemingly its downfall, as I felt like I was being hurried through the museum without any time to reflect.

The day we took a trip to Miyajima was the only day we weren’t soaked. It’s somewhere I’ve wanted to go for a while to see the Great Torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, and it didn’t disappoint. We also took the cable car to the top of the moutain, and the view was just stunning. Momiji manjyu is now one of my favourite local delicacies, and the fried version, age momiji, is something else.  

I also had the most hilarious food experience after going to a recommended ‘hole in the wall’ Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurant. After explaining to the elderly woman working (doing everything alone might I add), that my mum wasn’t a particularly adventurous foodie, she proceeded to practically shove things in my mum’s mouth to prove it was okay and cook away at 100 mph.

Never did I see the day I’d be taking my parents to purikura, but we took some hilarious photos there. The one I chose in Hiroshima apparently gave my dad a sensory overload, much like the pachinko parlour I told my mum to just pop her head into.

My parents have vouched to return to Japan again, and I can only hope they decide to take things easier. Here’s me, over a week later, still catching up on sleep after Japanese-ing to within an inch of my life. 

All in all though, I’m happy they actually got to see what my life over here is like, especially after meeting Sheridan and Clare, and spending a few evenings in cute little Kumamoto. 

They got to meet Kohei too! Even if I did have to spend a day nursing him to recovery, I’ll give him credit where credit’s due… he attempted to keep up with my dad’s bourbon drinking, not a feat many would take on. 

So here's to next time, when their new found love for Kumamon and fancy Japanese toilets will have hopefully blossomed even more. またね！