Snow!! Visiting the Grandparents...

So this past week I went waaaay up north (in Japan) to visit some relatives for the holidays. In Japan, Christmas isn't really a big deal the way it is back home. Yes, they go crazy with decorations and it seems oh so Christmasy here, but really, it's just a day for couples and a day to buy and eat a Christmas cake. Hey, most of them are not Christians, so why would they celebrate it, right?

The big deal here is New Year's day! That's the family get together day full of tradition and (I guess religion in a way too cause they visit shrines/temples)

So the last three years I spent my New Years with my family, but this year my trip was to be cut short because of my mother's work schedule... So I spent New Years at home, which was weird cause usually my family took care of the decorations, food, all the things and I just relaxed and enjoyed it all... This year, I tried to do it here too, unsuccessfully by the way, to make the "toshikishi soba" (passing of the year soba noodles), mochi, and all that stuff. At least visiting the temple was nice... I got a bad fortune...as usual... and traded it for one that was a bit better (lol!!)

Anyway, seeing that it doesn't snow here in the Tokyo area, I was happy to be in the snow and the quiet country side... I loved it, it was so quiet and white all over.

outside my grandparent's house

I even went to an onsen (hot spring bath) at night. For those of you who don't know what an onsen is, it's like a public bath house. Theres a pool like tub full of water from the hot springs (do you see all those mountains in the back of the pic? oh yeah, lots of hot springs!!) and there are mini shower stalls where you first clean your self, then go in the onsen to enjoy the benefits of the hot spring water that's supposed to be good for your skin.

Some have different types of saunas too, but the one we went to was a small one. This pic was taken outside the door of the onsen.

Luckily for me, there were only two people in when we got there and they both left soon after, so I didn't have to look at naked old ladies too long lol... (it can be awkward in the beginning. I'm kinda used to it now) So.... I know... I was bad, but I tried to sneak some shots of the view. It was so nice. Unfortunately, it was so steamy in there, my lens just fogged up and everything was a blur. 

But if you can see, there are huge windows that let you see outside when you sit in the bath, and we had a pretty view of a garden covered in snow =)

I really wish I could have stayed longer.... Then again, I was freezing my butt off..... lol, anyway Happy New Year everyone!!! Hope you got to spend this holiday with your loved ones and had a great time.

Till next time, 

Nia~

Only in Japan...

Wow, what kinda hot dogs are those, you ask?  

Well on the top left, we have the plain hot dogs, and on the top right we have salsa hot dogs. 

But check out what's next: tuna cheese dog.... what the heck is a tuna cheese dog??

it sounds really gross.... and next to that is a bacon egg dog... (why not just make it a sandwich?)

and lastly, double cheese dog.

When I saw that tuna cheese dog, I was like, "EW! Who would get that?!?!" So I said to my mom, jokingly, "Mom, wanna try that one?"

sadly...she was like, "oOo, that looks good." 

She really is Japanese. I forget that sometimes....

What in the www?

I figured it has been a while since I did one of these, "what in the whole wide world" pics. 

So here we go. Today we have more train fails...

Here is the first guy, with hair bigger than his whole head. I can't figure out if he's trying the "ikemen" host look or a jigger look. The shoes and hair call for two different styles in Japan...

This one was really clear. We had the Japanese cholo crew on board. It was weird cause he kept looking at me so I finally just took a pic and pretended like I was asleep.

This was just funny cause no one wanted to sit next to him lol... Those two seats were empty but ppl would rather sit next to me, a foreigner. Maybe they were scared.

Oh my gosh... This is something that happens way too much. Girls wearing short skirts and not closing their legs when they sit. WTH?????? No wonder there are so many pervs here in Japan... Ugh!

Fall in Japan

I love living by a river in Japan. 

I've lived in a few areas in Tokyo, and two of those places have been near the river. 

What's great about it is that they have trees lined up around it that are so beautiful during all seasons. 

In spring, we have the cherry blossoms that cover the river in light pink petals. 

Fall (although the leaves have started falling off) sort of looks like this:

These pictures are old and the leaves already started falling off...

But the colors got deeper and it was SO beautiful. It was too cold to stop and stare for a long time though, so I usually just sneak a peak and walk home =P

Anyway... It's really feeling like winter here, I can't wait for summer!!!

Updates and previews...

This is what I feel like my past months have been...

I haven't had time for anything else really, just school work...school work... and work. lol.

Anyway, I have a few videos I've been working on and just need to finish up a few things.

I had a request on making a purikura video, that I feel so bad that it took me this long to do... and also some nail videos. 

and some of the nails I had done but not edited the videos for...

hope you guys stick around for those... probably in the next few days lol. 

Bwaaaah! Now back to my papers that are due this monday. (-_-)

Xmas...chicken?

We don't really eat turkey here in Japan. In fact, it's really hard to find it and would probably have to go to costco or something to get some. So for Christmas (not that they really celebrate it) they usually just have cake and go on dates with their girlfriend/boyfriend.

That being the case, I was really shocked to see KFC(..yeah I know...) advertising for Xmas meals! Usually even convenience stores like 711 and Lawson are advertising Xmas cakes that you can pre-order. But KFC had this one:

Now the thing that bothers me most is how that chicken is only $56!!! Lol, actually more than that when you add the exchange rate... What the heck Japan! I bet you it's extra small too...

Oh yeah, and also you can buy beer in KFC lol...

that's it on the top shelf...smh...

Finally, some Halloween Pics!

Haha, Ronald totally looks like he's perving at me in the last picture!

Anyway, so it's been a while. Busy with school work and trying to sort some schedule conflicts for next year. But anyway, for now I'm just glad that the semester ends soon (-_-)

Anyway, Halloween was ages ago, and because I was working I wasn't able to take much pictures, but here are some of them:

I was yuki onna, some snow spirit lady that well kill people lost out in the snow or something horrible like that, but when I put a full white face, it looked a lot more scary I think so I tried to tone it down.

Of course, I gotta hold my Rilakkuma. P.S. I didn't have a pure white kimono or yukata, so it looks a bit silly but oh well... It was a kids halloween party lol.

Us being silly, lol. Luv the aloha even though she's dead lol.