We paid 2,100 Yen to enter Tokyo Tower including the Guinness World Records Museum Tokyo, a wax museum and a chance to watch a 3D short flick. The Tokyo Tower’s Main Observatory is 150 meters from the ground whereas the Special Observatory is 250 meters. Definitely a tad high for those with fear of heights. Fortunately I’m not one of those people who are afraid of heights. I’m the girl who can’t get enough of scary carnival rides that throws you around.

The view of Tokyo from the Tokyo Tower is simply amazing. Tokyo is a beautiful modern city. I’m sharing with you some of the many pictures I took from the observatory of the Tokyo Tower.

The Tokyo Tower has what they call “lookdown windows” where one can view the ground from 150meters up the tower.

I definitely realized all the more how high up the tower we were when I saw the view from the Lookdown Window. Everything else looked so small from where we were. What a sight.

I loved being in the observatory of the Tokyo Tower. I really did.

I ended up buying two souvenirs from the Tokyo Tower shop. One is a key chain in the shape and color of the tower. I use that kitchen nowadays. I feel that a little bit of Tokyo is with me all the time while I have that key chain. The other souvenir I bought was a miniature model of the Tokyo Tower to display in our living room at home.

As night came, more and more people lined up to go up the observatories. Tokyo by night is even more breathtaking. It’s the same city as it is during the day except more relaxed.

The animated 3D cartoon we watched was funny and really right for 3D. The only catch: It was in Japanese so we didn’t understand most of the dialogue. We still enjoyed it though. It was action-packed and indeed action speaks louder than words.

The Guinness World Records Tokyo and the Wax Museum were not unlike their counterparts in other parts of the world. There were wax figures of famous political figures, scientists and artists. Also wax figures of the Last Supper and some famous movie characters like Yoda.

1.  It’s going to be summer in Japan when I go there so the clothes should NOT be thick and winter-y.

2. I’m going to do a lot of walking in Japan so pants are better options than skirts.  Shoes should be manageable to walk in and to stand in while riding trains. My favorite stilettos are therefore out of the running instantly. Wedges and flats, in. No heavy shoes either.

3. I’m going to be staying in a single occupancy room.  Clothes that need zipping from the back and the like are not recommended. Asking to be zipped and unzipped by my classmates from the next door rooms is not an option.

4. Clothes that are light and not prone to wrinkling are best.

5. Shirts and other casual clothes for weekends, semi-formal to corporate looking clothes for weekdays.

In the end I made it with more than the 20 kilos allowed by JAL.  I managed to have the excess baggage waived, thank goodness.  Mine was a whopping 27 kilos. 27.5 if you want to be accurate.  Those were NOT all clothes and shoes, mind you.  My contact lens solutions (I brought big bottles, I  don’t know why) weighed a kilo.  My perfume was half a pound.  Other toiletries weighed a kilo all together. Add my bottles of vitamins and other medicines as well.

As I said in my earlier post, I manged to get by without having to repeat clothes save for jackets and sleepwear.  I think I once repeated a T-shirt I wore just for an hour and a half  the day before as well.

I ended up packing two wedges (one black, one brown), thong sandals and slippers.  I wore my trusted Lacoste sneakers (with velcro straps) on my flight.  I made the right decision as walking was not a problem for me at all during my stay in Japan.  The wedges looked chick enough and yet helped me stay comfortable as I stood in trains for about half an hour at a time. On the average I probably spent an hour walking each day I was in Japan.  Usually more.

I wasn’t able to photograph myself with all the outfits I wore in Japan.  There were quite a few cropped jackets and boleros that I wore over shirts or tanks.  I brought a lot of black trousers, capris, sweats.  Blue jeans. Lots of shirts, a couple of them ruffled. One sundress.

I didn’t get to plan outfits as I normally do as I was faced with the limitations and challenges I listed above.  Crazy outfits were out of the question.  Simplicity was the theme.

I ended up wearing two outfits that were similar on two separate days.  On the first day of the formal lectures, I wore a black cropped bolero over a red lacy tank and a black knee-length skirt.  On the last day of our lectures, I wore a cropped brown bolero over a black knitted tank and a brown knee-length skirt.   My black wedges completed the attire both times.  I realized their uncanny similarity only as I skimmed over the photos.

Knee-length skirts were the way to go for me then.  Long skirts would have been difficult to walk in especially when it was raining.  Short skirts would have looked out-of-place in what called for a corporate setting.  It also would have made things difficult as we were constantly walking, climbing stairs and riding trains.

I actually admire the Japanese ladies who are able to ride bikes, walk non-stop and stand in trains without losing their footing in high-heeled stilettos.  Wow was and is all I could say to those ladies.

Another good wardrobe selection was for me to wear pants the day we decided to go to the Tokyo Tower after class.

Not only did my monochromatic brown ensemble matched the interior of Tokyo Tower and complemented the Orang-y facade of the tower, it also enabled me to kneel down and do other poses by the look-down windows.  I couldn’t have done the same so well in a skirt.  I’ll blog about the Tokyo Tower on my next post or so.

Weekends were my favorite as I could slip on my sneakers or sandals and jeans or sweats.  I brought a lot of shirts with me.  In my posts about Sanrio Puroland you’ll see me wearing my black shirt with my name Aileen in beads.  I wore my Mickey Mouse pink shirt when we went to Disneyland.  Incidentally, I got that pink Mickey Mouse shirt when I went to Hong Kong Disneyland last year.

Harder was packing as I was to go back home.  Souvenirs from new friends, souvenirs for loved ones and friends back home and items shopped for myself were added to my luggage.  No, I didn’t go 30 kilos.  It was still 27. How? Well, I left most of my toiletries and my giant contact lens solutions with my new friend in Tokyo.  Oh, that and I shipped my lecture materials and other stuff to myself.  Ten kilos of books and notes with a pair of shoes and some junk.

Packing for winter would have been harder.  Winter clothes are thick and bulky.

I just can’t resist sharing my photo wearing the limited edition Hello Kitty shirt I bought from Hard Rock Cafe in Roppongi. It was sold in children’s sizes  but the medium fit me so I bought one.

The Kinakakuji Temple is a sight to behold. Pictures do not do justice to the place’s beauty.

The golden bird on top of the temple pictured above (a phoenix) is made of pure gold, according to our guide.

We were fortunate that it did not drizzle during our sightseeing tour. We were able to appreciate the Kinkakuji Temple all the more.

Some of my classmates bought good luck charms and the like at the store in the temple. I was tempted to buy a couple as well but being Roman Catholic, I opted not to buy any of the said charms. I don’t by any means claim to be a model Catholic girl. I just didn’t feel right about buying the said charms for myself or for my family and closest friends who happen to be Catholic as well (most of them).

After the fashion show, we proceeded to Kiyomizu Temple.

It was a Friday the day we visited the two temples in Kyoto. There were many people at the temples.

Kiyomizu Temple area is much bigger than that of Kinkakuji Temple. We spent around an hour touring the area, taking pictures, appreciating the scenery and for some of us, praying.

Green is not a color I like for clothes. But I’m all for green when it comes to Mother Nature. Up there the air was cool without giving me chills. It was also windy. We were all smiles there as we took photos of one another.

The lush greeneries around the temple are really spectacular. The people cannot take enough pictures with the green background.

One of the main attractions of the Kiyomizu Temple are the love stones that sit 20 meters (60 feet) apart from one another. Our Japanese coordinator said that a single lady (cue no to Beyonce’s All The Single Ladies) who wants to marry a particular person must go to one stone, touch it, close her eyes and then make her way to the other stone without help. If she reaches the other stone with her eyes closed then she will marry that particular man in her mind. One lady in our group did that. She promised to let us know if she ends up marrying the man she was thinking about as she made her way from one love stone to the other.

When I googled the love stones, a particular site said differently from what my Japanese coordinator told us. The site mentioned that someone looking for true love should do what I just described above. And if able to do so true love will be hers. Someone else can help by giving directions (left, right, straight) but then that would mean a go-between will be required for that true love to be yours.

No, I did not do that love stone thing though I’m a single lady. I just didn’t want to do that to myself. I don’t need those stones to find true love. I didn’t want to do it even just for fun. Enough said.

We had one more stop before our visit to the Kiyomizu Temple ended. We had to take a sip of the kiyomizu or clear water. Mizu is water and kiyo means clear.

The water from the three channels of water (or three streams as some call them) behind me in the photo to your right is said to have a therapeutic effect. The three channels of water symbolize wisdom, health and longevity.

There are only about a dozen or so long-stemmed cups for everyone who falls in line. However, after drinking you put the cup down in some contraption (dishwasher?) that is labeled sterilized. None of the people who fell in line for a drink were too worried about the then feared AH1N1 virus.

I’ll blog again next time about the other places I visited in Japan.

After we got off the Shinkansen, a bunch of us girls walked around and saw an Italian place called Amici.

We looked at the window and found the food okay looking with prices not exceeding 1,000 Yen per order so we dove right in. When all esle fails, go Italian. Pasta and pizza the Italian way are supposed to be universal. Five of us girls went in: two Filipinos, one Thai and two Vietnamese. The other Filipino girl and I were thinking of splitting a big bowl of seafood risotto. We later found out though that every person who enters Amici has to have an order. Two people cannot just split one single order. What the other Filipino and I did then was to go ahead with our seafood risotto order and then just add a side order of garlic bread. We thought we were being smart. Only, the menu didn’t come in English. My halting Japanese didn’t seem to convey our order clear enough and we ended up with seafood pasta instead of risotto. Oh well. It was okay tasting. Nothing special though. Nothing to encourage me to seek Amici in Kyoto if (and when) I go back there.

I managed to take photos of the parts of the menu written in English. The food? No, we were all rushing to eat when the food arrived. It took quite some time for it to get there. In fairness, the food was hot and freshly cooked.

I was a tad disappointed by my Amici Kyoto experience. In Metro Manila, there is also an Italian pizza pasta gelato and more restaurant called Amici. I simply love Amici in Tomas Morato. The gelato is creamy (a second cousin once removed of mine even once asked the person manning the register point blank: what’s the difference between ice cream and gelato? The Amici staff was armed with this answer: Sir, gelato is compressed ice cream), the white vongole is exquisite and the four cheese pizza is delectable in Amici, Metro Manila.

Putting Amici aside, my second dining experience in Kyoto took place in Gion. Our Japanese coordinators and our lovely interpreter wanted to have what they described an authentic Japanese meal for dinner. Several of us went with them to experience the so-called authentic Japanese meal.

We were quite a big group as we entered the restaurant. We filled four tables. The Japanese coordinators came up with the idea that since there were four native Japnese people there, they would sit in four separate tables and be the guide for their non-Japanese companions. The other Filipino girl and I sat with our male Japanese coordinator and an Indonesian guy. Some reshuffling took place as the female Japanese coordinator noticed that people are always seating with the same people. The other Filipino was yanked from our table so I was left with the Japanese coordinator and the Indonesian guy.

Okonomiyaki is a a Japanese pancake. It is said to be mainly associated with Osaka or Hiroshima but is available all over Japan. The name okonomiyaki s derived from the word okonomi, meaning “what you like” or “what you want”, and yaki meaning “grilled” or “cooked”.

I was convinced by my two tablemates to try okonomiyaki. I chose shrimp. The batter you see in the picture below is how my shrimp okonomiyaki looked before it touched the grill. The three batters cooking in the other picture are three different “flavored” okonomiyakis. Mine was shrimp and it’s the one in the middle. The one to the left was beef and the one to the right was octopus. Other options included chicken and pork. Aside from shrimp, the only other choice I considered was beef. Some of the men had beers. I just had soda.

I didn’t know we had to cook our own okonomiyaki when we ordered them. I might have ordered something else had I known. I don’t cook and I guess my salty (too much seaweed and salt seasoning) and burned okonomiyaki is testament to that. Sigh. My Indonesian tablemate explained that my okonimyaki was most brown becase mine was at the center where the fire was strongest.

Despite the salty quality, the oknonimiyaki was okay. I did not finish mine though and my tablemate ended up finishing my okonomiyaki. That was to set the theme of our dining experience as my tablemate ended up finishing all my food that night.

Our coordinator was of the opinion that I did not eat enough okonomiyaki and hence, he ordered riceballs for me. I wanted to refuse but I could not have done so gracefully at that point.

The riceballs tasted good, actually. I just didn’t want to eat anymore at that point. I ended up having my tablemate finish my food again. He was already complaining that he would gain back the pounds he lost walking around Tokyo just by sitting with me that night. Unfortunately, our Japanese coordinator was again dissatisfied with my eating habits and ordered more food for me. I vowed to finish it that time no matter what it was and how I found it.

Finishing the food the third time around was easy since the food was bite-sized. Other people wanted to sample it too so I had help. Mostly, my tablemate who by that time I was treating as my elder brother ended up finishing most of the food again.

All, in all I enjoyed my authentic Japanese meal experience. I know now not to put too much seaweed and salt on my okonomiyake and to avoid the center of the flame. My tablemate was surprised that I didn’t know how to cook. He even asked me “Why?”. It started a discussion about how many women nowadays don’t cook and often rely on instant meals, take out, delivery and the like. I was unapologetic about my lack of culinary skills. I’m not proud of it but neither am I apologetic about it in the whole. Sure, there are times when I wish I could do a Martha Stewart but those times are very rare. Mostly, I’m happy with what I can do even if cooking is not among those. I’m also aware about the consequences of my lack of ability and interest in the culinary arts. Translation: I have to pay to eat (other options are to convince, cajole, coerce or beg others to cook for me).

So that was all about my authentic Japanese meal in Gion. In the menu above you see the prices. Inexpensive by Japanese standards.

The next morning we had our complimentary breakfast buffet at the Urban Hotel Kyoto. The food was good. In fact, a classmate of mine said it was the only decent breakfast he had in Japan and that the eggs tasted like eggs there. I had my typical Japan breakfast of bread, scrambled eggs, sausage, fruit and milk that day. Nothing special but definitely tasted good.

I did not get to have another full meal in Kyoto after breakfast. We went on a sightseeing tour and then headed straight to the train station to catch the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. However, I got to eat a yummy ice cream around the vicinity of Kiyomizu Temple.

The sesame ice cream my classmates and I ate came highly recommended by our Japnese coordinators. And boy, were they right. It was said to be nutritious and good for the skin. At the same time, it was also delicious. I would have one again anytime. The ladies manning the shop where we bought ice cream don’t speak a drop of English. Luckily that time, my Japanese was good enough. I was able to converse with the ladies. They even asked where I was from and what I was doing in Japan. I actually managed to answer in Japanese in a manner they clearly understood. Whew. I guess I wasn’t as hopeless as I thought I was with my Nihonggo.

My other Filipino friend and I bought take out from McDonald’s at the train station. We ate our burgers and fries during our Shinkansen ride back home. Some of my other classmates bought lunch boxes. After our Gion authentic Japanese food, I was okay with the universal taste of McDonald’s for lunch.

More food blogs another time.

In any case, we made it to Tokyo station and got on the Shinkansen without incident. We had reservations and had specifically assigned seats for the group. It was a more than two hour ride (I almost said flight as the Shinkansen at some point felt like a plane) to Kyoto. Around three hours, if I remember correctly. I even managed to catch some zzzzz on the way.

The bullet train also felt like a plane the times my ears popped the same way it did during my Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo. In any case, the times when the Shinkansen was not in an upward dark tunnel, the view was amazing. Mt. Fuji was visible from the Shinaksen. I love that photo of Mt. Fuji that I managed to snap. In fact, I like it better than my pictures in Mt. Fuji itself (I’ll blog another time about my day in Mt. Fuji).

We arrived in Kyoto around noon. We had our lunch in the train station. There were numerous restaurants and fast food places there. I am saving my post about food for another time so I won’t be discussing what I ate in Kyoto here. After lunch and touring the many souvenir shops around the station, we all boarded a bus and had a mini-tour on the way to our visit to a local Japanese company. From there we proceeded to Urban Hotel Kyoto.

Above are photos of Kyoto I took from the bus. Kyoto is so green. It’s also rural compared to Tokyo. Kyoto has this old school appeal to it. I know it’s the former capital of Japan. I’m glad I got to visit Kyoto.

After freshening up in our hotel, we all took the train to Gion. I was excited to go to Gion because I love reading about geishas. I read Mineko Iwasaki’s Geisha, A Life, as Arthur Golden’s Memoirs of a Geisha (the book Golden based on Iwasaki which prompted the latter to write her autobiography to correct the wrong impression created by Golden that geishas are prostitutes) and Sayo Masuda’s Authobiography of a Geisha.  Every time  I’m at a bookstore I search for books about geisha, fiction or autobiographical. I hope to run into another book as such soon.

Allow me to deviate from my main blog topic and tell a story I suddenly recalled. I remember when I was a legal assistant awaiting the bar results and working for the late Sen. Raul Roco’s law office. During a lunch, Sen. Roco asked all of us lawyers and lawyers-to-be in the table what the last book we read was. We all had to answer one at a time (Sen. Roco or RSR, his initials, as we called him in the law office was fond of small recitations over lunch). When my turn came, I proudly said Memoirs of a Geisha was the last book I read. Sen. Roco laughed and asked me: “why would you want to read about geishas?” I simply replied: “because I am very interested in Japan and its culture, geishas included.” RSR was a man revered in the law office (some might even call it “feared”) but when I answered him that day, it was without a hint of nervousness. I wasn’t ashamed of my reading preferences and fascination with Japan and all things connected to it. I would defend the same if I had to. I didn’t. RSR simply smiled and turned to the guy next to me to quiz him about the last book he read.

Back to Kyoto and Gion. It so happened that it was the Gion Festival when we were there. There were festivities and a lot of people.

Gion is appealing in a quiet fashion. It’s not so in-your-face unlike major cities. Speaking of fashion, I was still in my “corporate” or semi-formal clothing as we toured Gion. We were told to dress as such for our company visit to a screen manufacturing company that afternoon. What I had on was actually a cropped black jacket with whte collar edges, a black knitted shirt and tailored black pants.

In Tokyo, I was already used to the streets being safe. I was slowly unlearning my habit of clutching my shoulder bag as I walked along the streets (In Manila it is prudent to clutch your shoulder bag even if it’s already strapped to your shoulder). In Kyoto however, our coordinator warned us to watch our bags and beware of thieves. I was suprised because I was under the impression that Japan is the safest place on earth. Apparently, even Japan has dorobos still (dorobo is the Nihonggo word for thief). So we did just that. We guarded our bags (and what was left of our yen) with all our lives. No one in our group encountered any problems related to stolen property, thank goodness.

In case you’re wondering why I haven’t posted photos of my classmates and other people I met in Japan, it’s because I respect their privacy. I’m not certain if all of them are okay with their photos splattered all over the net. It’s out of respect for my classmates that I haven’t posted their photos yet. I will eventually post a group photo where all of us looked formal and respectable. I’ll just avoid posting random photos where someone was not his or her respectable corporate self. I’ll only such photos of myself (if I can find one. I’m such a ham that I rarely get photographed not posing) and those I have express permission to do so.

I had a very interesting dining experience in Kyoto but as I said earlier, I’m saving that for a blog devoted to food and cuisine. Gion at night was even prettier, if that’s possible. It has this quaintness to it.

A group of my classmates went souvinir shopping. Some went to a shrine. I ended up staying with a group mostly made up of Japanese people including our ccordinators, interpreter and a guest professor.

Having read Memoirs of a Geisha (and having watched the movie adapatation which I found lacking as most adapatations are), I was particularly tickled pink to have my photo taken in the exact spot mentioned in Golden’s book. A scene in the movie was also filmed in the exact location where I stood to have my photo taken. I was even teased by the Japanese professor we were with that I was “Sayuri”, the protagonist in Memoirs of a Geisha.

Well, if I were a geisha I would not want to live Sayuri’s life. I probably would not survive living with and growing up around Hatsumomo. Not that I haven’t encountered my fair share of Hatsumomos in life. I just haven’t tried living with them and growing up having them around.

Speaking of geishas, we saw a couple of honest to goodness working geishas. Really. Geishas who earn a lot in an hour. Geishas who are unlike Golden’s depiction of them as prostitutes. Our male coordinator even said that his monthly salary will be spent just for an hour or two with a geisha. And that’s an hour or two of conversation and music, not sex. Wow. I managed to snap a couple of photos of the real geishas of Gion. There aren’t a lot of them nowadays, mind you.

The geishas we saw were more or less 5’2 in height and quite curvy. They didn’t look at all like Miss Universe 2007—Japan’s Riyo Mori or Miss Universe 2006 First Runner Up—-Japan’s Kurara Chibana. Incidentally, I actually find Kurara-san prettier than Riyo-san.

In the photo above with me are two people from India and one from China. The girl peeking in the middle is also Filipino. There. I already posted a pretty photo of some of my classmates.

We made our way back to the street of our hotel past 10 in the evening. Some chose to go back to the hotel and call it a night. A bunch of us went for drinks. But as that’s no longer in Gion, the same does not belong to this particular post.

I enjoyed my Gion experience. I really did.

A kimono is a traditional Japanese garment.  Casual summer kimono usually made of cotton is called a yukata. Even in this modern age and time it still is not uncommon to encounter Japanese ladies wearing kimono.  During my stay in Japan I would see at least a couple of ladies wearing kimono each day.

The gray kimono was the first kimono that walked across the stage.  I don’t particularly like the color.  It’s not something I would wear for special occasions.

The back view of the gray kimono is shown above. What I particularly like about kimonos is the use of obi belt.  Here is a more formal definition of a kimono from Wikipedia: Kimonos are T-shaped, straight-lined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Kimonos are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial), and secured by a sash called an obi which is tied at the back. Kimonos are generally worn with traditional footwear (especially zori or geta) and split-toe socks (tabi).

The printed red kimono looks cheery to me.  Or at least better than the gray kimono.  It certainly is more eye-catching at least. Still, it’s not my first choice if I were to wear a kimono myself.

I couldn’t resist having my picture taken with the stage behind me as the fashion show progressed.  Behind me here is the model wearing a blue kimono I quite liked.  The checkered obi belt also caught my eye.

The entire fashion show lasted about fifteen minutes.  It was a fun fifteen minutes though.  It was the first time I ever saw a kimono fashion show.

Watching the fashion show encouraged some of my classmates to buy yukatas for themselves or for their loved ones back home in their respective native lands.  A yukata for an adult cost around 2,000 yen in Kyoto.

The peach kimono with green obi belt looked stunning as it made its way down the runway.  The photo doesn’t do it justice.  It was very feminine and girly.

The cream kimono actually looked baby pink as I saw it.  It was very pretty and feminine.  Girly indeed.  I would have worn it as well if I could.  The tabi socks of the models are cute as well.  They never fail to catch my eye as I take in the whole outfit.

At that point in the fashion show I was wishing I was up the runway wearing those fabulous kimonos myself.  The kimono models weren’t by any means amazons in height.  They couldn’t have been much taller than me.

I particularly like this white kimono with prints.  The back view is simply stunning. The kimono is elegant. It’s not trying too hard.

The final kimono to make it across the runway was this red one with assorted prints. I find it okay though I like some of the other kimonos better.  I wonder if it was the finale kimono because it was supposed to be the star of the collection?

Fifteen minutes went by so fast.  I still wish I could one day wear a kimono complete with obi belt, tabi socks and the traditional footwear. Also with the corresponding hair style.  For that day however, I had to make do with watching the fashion show and posing with the Japanese models behind me as they took the stage together in the end.

How about you? Which kimono did you like best?

Another super typhoon was supposed to hit Metro Manila again today but the typhoon changed its course.  Other parts of the Philippines were not so lucky to be spared.  Indeed times are hard.  My heart goes out to the people. In my own way I tried (and still continue to try) to provide aid to those I can help.

Videos, news and photos about the super typhoon Ondoy could be found in youtube and countless other blogs.  I prefer not to blog in detail  anymore about it.  Instead, I want to write about happier times and pleasant things.

However, if you are reading this, please do take a moment for the victims of Ondoy.  And if you have the capability to help, please do so in the way you best can.

More photos here.  Above is my photo  with the giant ribbon.  Hello Kitty is 35 years old in 2009.  She’s been enticing her adoring public for that long.

Princess Kitty in the parade was among the last to come out.  My Melody and the rest came first.

Prince and Princess of the Sanrio family.  All eyes were on them during the parade, including mine through my camera.

Kitty waves to her adoring fans.

The parade was colorful and elaborate. There were dancers, acrobats and all sort of performers.  It was quite a sight even for non-Nihonggo speaking audience.

Having my photo taken as the parade starts.  I also took a few videos of the parade.  I’ll try to upload them another time.

More photos here.  Above is my photo  with the Happy Birthday Hello Kitty backdrop.

I just couldn’t resist having my photo taken with this cute Hello Kitty in gold.

The side of the entrance to Puroland already looks enticing and colorful.

Riding the Hello Kitty style car felt good.

The shade of pink the gates are painted suits Hello Kitty.

Holding my cute Sanrio plastic bag as I exit Puroland.

Till next time, Puroland!

Here are more photos taken in Sanrio Puroland.  I’m new to this site hence the odd arrangement that resulted as I inserted pictures here and there.  I’ll try to edit later.

Being an indoor amusement park, Puroland is not affected by rainstorms and UV-rays from the sun.

There were hundreds of people the day I was in Puroland.  Everyone seemed to be having a good time though.

Everything there is just so cute or in Japnaese: totemo totemo kawaii desu!  There’s really not much to say aside from that. Oh, except for totemo takaii or very expensive. The souvineers for sale were also very expensive. But then again, everything in Japan is expensive for tourists such as myself. I’ll blog about that soon. However, a friend of mine who has been working in Tokyo for two years said that the prices of good are proportional to the income of the people.

The boat ride line was extremely long. So many people wanted their photos taken with the Sanrio characters at the end of the boat ride.

Puroland gives kids (and kids at heart or kids for the day, at least) the illusion that they are in a magical place. The castle-like setting as you see in the picture helps.

The temperature in Puroland suited me just fine. It was neither warm nor too cool. This despite the hundreds of people there.

There are countless attractions for in Puroland.  Hello Kitty Black Wonder is one of them. Kids love Hello Kitty Black Wonder as they get to borrow plastic pumkins that serve as their flashlight as they explore in a dimly lit room.

For those on a budget and want to skip attractions such as Hello Kitty Black Wonder, it is possible to purchase just a general admission pass.

There were also free sideshows.  In the photo where only the back of the Kitty is visible, children flocked to watch Kitty perform with back-up dancers to boot.  The narration, however, was in Japanese.  What else do you expect as it’s in Japan.

What is it exactly about Hello Kitty that makes children and girls of all ages fall in love? I’m not exactly sure.  There’s just something about Kitty.  Parade pictures next time.

Going to Sanrio Puroland required several train rides from TKC. Another Filipino residing in TKC gave me specific instructions as to what train to take from Kita-senju station and where to transfer to what train till we get to Keio Tama Center where Puroland is located.

Puroland from outside looks magical even for an adult such as myself.  If I were eight years old I probably would have felt like I was in heaven. Puroland is much smaller than Disneyland or Disneysea but it was an indoor amusement park. Folks who avoid UV-rays such as myself will definitely find that a plus.  I loved Tokyo Disneyland as well but  I was always bothered when the sun got too hot to handle at times.

My two classmates who went with me to Puroland were not as excited as I was to be there.  One has already been there once and one only went there to pass time when our trip to Mt. Fuji had to be postponed. They were also older than I was. One was older than me by about fifteen years and the other by six years.

I must have taken a dozen photos just at the entrance. I couldn’t help it. I was in kittyheaven.

Admission price varies. It depends on whether or not you want access to all the booths and programs inside. Also if you want to have your photograph taken with the Hello Kitty mascot and with the  images of the Sanrio characters  at the end of a boat ride.

Sanrio Puroland gets crowded on weekends and holidays.  My classmate who had already been there as part of a tour group said it is always better to go on a weekday. Tourists should gun for weekdays. I just couldn’t have gone on a weekday last July because I had classes on those days.

It won’t take one long to explore Sanrio Puroland.  It took us just two hours to explore the whole bit, stop for picture takings and even buy souvinirs at the expensive souvinir shops.  Parents, I warn you that kids could easily go gagah over the cute (totemo totemo kawaii desu ne!) merchandise available there. Everything is imprinted with Hello Kitty. Shirts, cups, folders, keychains, you name it. Even the signs to the restrooms had kitty symbols.

I was all smiles in nearly all my photos in Puroland. I just couldn’t help being hopelessly girlish. Ladies, I think you can understand.  While I was in Puroland I was just a little girl once again.  It sure felt good to be just that again even for a little while.

There were few Sanrio characters available for photo opportunities when we were there.  I managed to take photos with two of the characters though.  The only trouble I encountered was how to squeeze in and have my photo taken when there were so many tykes around. Fortunately, there came a time when the characters were quite free so I grabbed the opportunity.

I also played a game where you pay 500 yen and pick a prize. I won A Hello Kitty salad bowl and a bunch of Hello Kitty hankies. I was gunning for a black Hello Kitty baby shirt though but I didn’t get it. There were no shirts like that for sale so it made it all the more special.

There are fast food  places within walking distance of Sanrio Puroland. There are also malls nearby. When we got hungry, my classmates and I went out and ate at a nearby Mr. Donut shop.  We simply had invisible stamps (visible only using this special light used by Puroland employees) placed on our wrists so we could return after our meal to catch the Parade.

The Parade featured all the Sanrio characters.  I don’t know all of them, I admit. I only know a handful including Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, My Melody, Kerokerokeropi, Bad Badtz, Cinnamon. They were all cute though. Tons cute.

I’ll be posting a part2 about Sanrio Puroland. It will feature mostly photos I took when I was in Puroland.

I would suggest dropping by Sanrio Puroland if ever you’re in Tokyo and whether or not you have kids with you. It’s always better to go with a group though or at least a friend. Why? So you could take photos of each other.  Being in Puroland is something to document.

Will I go back? Sure. When I have my own kids I also want to take them there. Preferably when they are between the ages 7 to 9 though. The magical effect will be at its best then.