Onsen-ning in Oita

Since we would be away from each other on both of our birthdays, Kohei and I decided to go on a little road trip to Oita. From the beginning, I decided that Oita is probably one of the most beautiful prefectures I’ve been to so far. It could have just been the timing, but the lush green mountains and rice paddies were in abundance. 

I’ve never seen so many rice paddies in my life, and I’ll give the farmers credit, they’re very innovative using space. By that, I mean even small areas between the forks in roads were growing rice.

I got a chance to eat some local delicacies, with Kohei taking me to a hidden local joint for some toriten, tempura style chicken popular in the prefecture, before heading to get a special type of pudding cooked using the steam from the local onsen. Creamiest pudding I’ve ever eaten, and the views weren’t bad either.

The Hells of Beppu were beautiful, and wonderfully hell-ish in the heat, but being able to stop at a footbath and cool down was delightful. Kohei almost fell head first into a lily pond too, not that I tried to help or gave him any sympathy. I think he was actually a bit shocked at my true colours coming out when I was instead crying with laughter.

I’ll tell you what the highlight of the drive through Beppu was though. Stumbling across a Jurassic Park themed love hotel that I’ve vowed to return to.

I’ve always wanted to stay at a ryokan, and the experience is one that everyone should have at least once. Upon our arrival at the little hot spring town of Yunohira, we were greeted with sounds of the nearby river, and a cobbled street reminiscent of many years ago. After checking in to our beautiful little tatami room, we went for a little wander (beer in hand of course), then both dressed in yukata and headed for dinner, a rather varied array of tsukemono.

After dinner, we took a little stroll down the street, by which time was lit up by the most beautiful red glow from the lanterns. It truly felt like I’d been transported back in time. Later we headed to the private outdoor onsen, which was so relaxing and an amazing place to clear your head, even if it was just too bloody hot at times. We even got to take another bath the next morning after breakfast, and now I really wish I lived close enough to a hot spring to take a dip every day.

The next day we took a drive to Yufuin, visited the famous floral village and had a mooch around all the little stores. On the way home, Kohei agreed to take me to Sanrio Harmonyland, earning himself some major brownie points. It’s definitely a family theme park, with Kohei and I being the only people there without children (I guess you could say he was chaperoning one of his own all day). I actually really enjoyed myself though, with the simplicity of the ferris wheel, carousel, little teacups and the boat ride adding to the chill vibe of the weekend. I even got to meet Hello Kitty herself, which has been more than a little overdue!

 

Driving home Kohei took me on a little detour to his childhood town, around to his high school and some other spots. We didn’t have time to really explore, but I realised how much of an inaka (countryside) boy he is at heart, especially when he told me as a kid he’d catch frogs near the rice paddies. My heart melted at the thought, and I honestly can’t wait to get a chance to go back to Kanda and have him take me to all of his favourite spots, including his Grandad’s little farm. Wish me luck on that one, I’m sure I’ll end up kitted out harvesting some in-season fruit when I next go.

My Birthday & Bangtan.

Last week I finally turned 22, so I threw myself a glitter themed wine party, because that’s just me. Everyone looked fabulously sparkly, and Kohei, Sheridan and I even unintentionally matched. There was body and hair glitter everywhere, and I’m astounded I didn’t blind myself with any of the craft glitter I put on my eyelids. It was like a 90’s girls dream. All I needed was butterfly clips, Groovy Chick stationary, and some roll-on perfume and I would have been set.

It was actually a very adult birthday that didn’t feel like one at all.  However, some of my students at junior high school that day made me feel super loved, running up to me to give me hugs. 

The next day at one of my elementary schools, my teachers gifted me a beautiful towel, whilst some 8 year olds surprised me with origami and the cutest rendition of Happy Birthday during English club.

I’ve been away for a birthday before, but this was totally different. Nevertheless, I feel super grateful for being surrounded by so many people who made it special in a different kind of way. Gone are the days of BBQ’s in my garden back home, instead my birthday was filled with dinner dates with my Kumamoto darlings. 

At my party, Kohei surprised me with the cutest Winnie the Pooh ice cream cake, then a few days later, Sheridan made me pavlova and drunkenly decorated it at the dinner table. Both very different, but equally as thoughtful.

Bringing my birthday “week” to an end, Ruth, Chloe, Kim and I headed to Fukuoka to see BTS. Full title of the concert? 2017 BTS Live Trilogy Episode III. The Wings Tour – Japan Edition. Bit of a mouthful, I know. The venue was smaller than the past concerts I’ve been to and the atmosphere was so much more. They did everything from solos, to singing old stuff, to using a mix of Korean and Japanese versions which I actually really preferred.  

It was hands down the best concert I’ve been to because, damn, those boys don’t half put on a show. Jimin nearly killed me from being so beautiful and dancing how he does too. I mean, I expected it, but not that much. I’m still saddened my dream of them finding us mid-show and inviting us for a night out in Fukuoka didn’t happen, but at least now Kohei knows where my true loyalties lie.

It really sucks that you aren’t allowed to take pictures or videos, especially because I’m definitely watched by security more being a gaijin. Needless to say, I did manage a sneaky unfocused and muffled video by inconspicuously sticking my phone into the waistband of my shorts. 

I’ve now earned the coolest teacher award for sure. My students were all running to me for an update on Monday morning, followed by a chorus of “いいなあ” after telling them all about it. Even funnier was how they all knew the reason why I had no voice (I’m looking at you, Jimin), but kept that one of the down low for me. It’s like I have my own little BTS posse and I’m the ringleader.

36 hours in Taipei

Clare and I recently went on the most whirlwind trip possible to Taiwan. Taipei has always been one of those cities I’ve wanted to visit, but I honestly couldn’t pinpoint an exact reason why.

YongKang Street was the first area we headed to, still laden with our backpacks, to make the most of our time there. We could have spent hours exploring, as every alleyway was filled with hidden shops selling a variety of what my Dad likes to call “tat”.  It had a very similar vibe to the lesser known areas of Hong Kong I enjoyed just as much.

Whilst here, we visited 3 amazing little places. 8% ice cream sells an array of crazy flavours, with me getting Lemon Pop Rocks, and Clare smashing out both a Chocolate Earl Grey and Honey Basil. Yu Pin Bubble Tea was definitely a local favourite, with so many seasonal varieties to choose from it was pretty difficult to pick just one. If you’re a fan of xiao long bao, or magic little soup dumplings as they shall now be known, head to Hao Gong Dao. What seems just like a roadside vendor turns in a quiet family restaurant on the 1^stfloor, with the dumplings being made and steamed fresh on the roadside and making their way to you via a dumbwaiter. Hands down best xiao long bao I’ve ever eaten.

Afterwards, we made our way to Taipei 101, more endearingly known as the stacked noodle boxes. It’s only of the quirkier skyscapers I’ve seen, but we were truly able to appreciate it after we’d hiked up nearby Elephant Mountain to catch the view just at sunset.  We were staying near the famous Red House district, and it was easy to think you were walking through Myeongdong in Seoul. It was super bustling and a very fun way to end our super tiring first few hours in the city.

The next morning we took a leisurely train ride to visit the areas of Shifen and Juifen, a little more hidden in the countryside. First though we found a glorified shack to eat a traditional breakfast to-go at, one that specialised in Chinese omelettes, soft rolls and hot soy milk. 10/10 would recommend.

First on the list was Shifen, a little village with only a train station and waterfall to its name. The train still runs through the old street now, so a few times an hour the street is cleared, and the train passes within inches of people on the pavement. Somewhat of a tradition in Shifen is to release a lantern into the sky after writing wishes on it. Clare and I chose colours symbolic of our current journeys; mine being career and happiness, Clare’s being bright future and study, in reference to her starting law school this September.

I chose two quotes that resounded well with me. The first, for happiness, being “If there comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart… I’ll be there forever” from good old Winnie the Pooh. Living abroad and away from a lot of people I love isn’t an issue to me anymore, because I know that no matter what, they’re really not that far away. Even now, I have my own sense of family in Japan, and I know that when we all eventually go our separate ways, the same will apply to them.

The second, for career, was “夢、希望、前進、前進”, which roughly translates to “dream, hope, move forward, move forward”. This comes from a song that holds special memories to me. Not only that, but it came at a time when I was dealing with the transition of imminently graduating from university, and going into a job I didn’t really know what to expect from, but I was throwing myself all in to. It’s a simple reminder to me that all you can do is keep your dreams alive, hope they go well, and if shit hits the fan at any point, brush it off and move on.

In the afternoon we headed to Jiufen, a beautiful old mining town in the mountains, that was the inspiration for the classic film, Spirited Away. Its alleyways were filled with numerous street-food hubs and trinket shops. Teahouses are in abundance, so we found ourselves relaxing with some tea overlooking the bay, with the impending thunderstorm crawling towards us in the distance. It was truly beautiful.

All in all, thank you Taiwan, for almost turning my blood into bubble tea and making me even more motivated to learn how to make soup dumplings at home. Next time I go, it will be a completely different trip entirely, which true to form, will involve all of the cutesy stuff: Hello Kitty bubble tea, café and shabu shabu restaurant, Gudetama, Kumamon & Lego cafes,  the “Modern Toilet” restaurant, and not to mention a bar called “That Fucking Place”.

Until then, I’ll be reminiscing about this trip for a while, or at least as long as the many mosquito bites I acquired up Elephant Mountain continue to bother me.

Camping in Amakusa

Although we’d decided to do this trip before it got too hot, last week started pushing 30 degrees daily and I can already feel my reverse seasonal affective disorder kicking in. It was my first time properly camping, so armed with sunscreen & mosquito coils (along with too little clothing for the windy evening on the mountain top, might I add) I was ready for the adventure.

 

I think we deserve a medal for a) carrying the entire car load up part of the mountain in one trip, and b) managing to put up the tent for the first time, in the pitch black, with no real issues. Cue us starting our little BBQ of veggie skewers, yaki onigiri and mochi with seaweed. Breakfast was equally as simple with soy milk oatmeal, and I even brought along stuff for us to have smores over our “campfire”.

We didn’t do a whole lot during the weekend, but it was the first trip that Sheridan, Clare, Eleesa and I have been on together… long overdue since Clare is leaving to go back to Canada in a few months. Sticking to my promise to embrace being out of my comfort zone, I even joined in on an early morning yoga session ran by Eleesa in our underwear. Definitely not something you could do back in our apartments.

Despite being absolutely knackered and having the busiest week ahead, I definitely needed the time away from the world to fully relax. The views driving along the Five Bridges of Amakusa were beautiful, and I can only hope I can spend more time exploring that little part of the prefecture that is a cool haven compared to Kumamoto City. I’m a city girl at heart, but you can’t beat waking up to this view in the morning.

Tokyo Disneyland: A double date!

A little while ago, Sheridan and I decided to bully our other halves into going on a double date to Tokyo Disneyland this month. She’s a resident pro, having been about 8 times, and I was more than willing since it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Disney in Florida. 

Tokyo Disneyland is very different from other Disney parks, as visitors really get involved and often wear themed outfits, couple t-shirts, and go all out when buying merchandise. Obviously I took this as an invitation to embrace my love of fancy dress again; since there is a Monsters Inc. ride there, I couldn’t resist dressing up as Boo, and letting Kohei be more subtle with a Sulley shirt and token Toy Story Vans. In preparation, I even got the best Winnie the Pooh nails a girl could wish for.

That definitely made the whole experience so much better, and I honestly think it had a better atmosphere than any other Disney park I’ve ever been too. I almost cried when I saw a little baby dressed as Sulley, but thought it was best not to steal a sleeping baby just for a photo, no matter how cute it would have been.

The first ride we went on was the teacups… never again. I think we collectively thought we were all going to vomit afterwards, and the video we now have of Sheridan screaming her lungs out is pure gold.

I was so hyped for two rides I’d heard so much about: Pooh’s Hunny Hunt and Monster’s Inc. Ride and Go Seek. Obviously I’d taken my Pooh Bear to Disney with me, so having that be his first ever theme park ride was quite apt. He sat inside the honey pot with me as we went on a little adventure around the Hundred Acre Wood and got to meet some Heffalumps. 

I did have a mild heart attack though when posing for a photo op, he almost ended up in a lake, but hey he must have been too excited to contain himself. Monsters Inc. was super fun too, although I’m very disappointed you couldn’t score points, because I know for a fact I won.

Sheridan managed to grab us the best spot to watch the electrical light parade in the evening, where all of the characters outfits and floats are covered in hundreds of lights. I’ve never seen anything like that, and it definitely had the Disney Magic.

Tokyo Disneyland is known for its weird and wonderful food, like Mickey Mouse shaped churros, Mike Wasowski melon bread, along with many random flavours of popcorn. So many of the foods are themed, and you can even get burgers and chicken nuggests shaped to be Mickey's head. I was so disappointed because I've been wanting to try the infamous Little Green Alien mochi ice cream dumplings from Pizza Planet, but sadly that was closed. Looks like I'll have to grab some next time when we plan to head to Tokyo Disney Sea in July

Kumamoto Sake and Shochu Tasting

A few weeks ago we’d been asked if we wanted to attend a sake and shochu tasting event in the city, and even though we didn’t expect much from it, we thought we’d give it a go. Sheridan and I walked into said event both wearing Birkenstocks, while everyone else was in suits. We’d seriously misjudged the evening, but that’s what the term “gaijin smash” is for. 

Chase also joined us, and somehow got roped into being one of the select few who got to dress up and break the barrel of sake with a hammer. From that moment on, everyone was greeting us, giving us their business cards, and one man even offered us a visit to the onsen at his hotel near Mount Aso for free. 

We also had a very jolly man at our table who wouldn’t let our glasses go empty. I’d like to say it was purely his fault for the states we ended up in, but I’ll admit we did our fair share of tasting at the stalls before the event even officially started. I’ve found a new love for all kinds of sake and shochu, a heavenly plum wine, and even a magical orange liquor. All of which are made by breweries in the prefecture, so they’ll be my go to presents now for people back home wanting a bit of Kumamoto in their lives.

Speaking of which, Sheridan had a mild heart attack and convinced herself Kumamon was going to attend. To all of our disappointment, he didn’t, but we did meet Miss Sake, a super nice girl around our age, who spent the evening looking pretty and presenting the raffle. 

Typical me, I didn’t win a baldy thing in the raffle, and felt seriously left out when both Sheridan and Clare did. Cue Clare giving an impromptu and unnecessary speech (much to the delight of the crowd and embarrassment of us) but hey, that’s why we love her! Major thanks to the random man who gifted Sheridan a bottle of plum wine though, it was my favourite one of the whole evening, even if it was seemingly a pity bottle when she gave it to me.

Look out for us this week on TV and in the newspaper; judging by the amount of cameras shoved in our faces, we’re bound to be somewhere. Let’s just hope they don’t decide to use their interview with me... failing to know how to describe how the sake tasted smooth, I proceeded to do an action that ended up being a tipsy body roll. Not how I expected my Thursday evening to turn out at all!