Chilling under the Cherry Blossom Tree →

The cherry blossom flowers were on its peak of bloom a few weeks ago, and I managed to go hanami, appreciating cherry blossom flowers, to several places. One of the places is Shinjuku Gyoen, which I always go every year. There are wide fields where we can sit with friends and chat while viewing the beautiful landscape filled with pink. I love how the matcha frappucino that I bought matches with the pink scenery, and I think this photo turned out pretty decent.

Enoshima Island →

Two weeks ago, I went to Kamakura and Enoshima Island with my friend for the first time. Since we live in Tokyo metropolitan area, we rarely see the beach or any other natural landscapes. It was a very refreshing moment. To go to the island, we had to walk for about 20 minutes from the station, but it didn’t feel tiring at all as we can enjoy the seaside throughout the road. The sea breeze was also chilling with a “just right” temperature. On the island itself, there are various attractions that tourists can try. One of them is the Sea Candle, which is a sightseeing spot to view the landscape of Enoshima from above. We spent the evening there while watching sunset.

Driving under the stars

I love hanging out by car in the evening, when the rush hour is over. It feels extremely peaceful and relaxing. My favourite dinner is actually “drive through”. I enjoy eating in a car with my own private space.During Corona time, this hobby seems to help me avoid crowded restaurants and trains as well

Pillow of Sweetness →

My friend introduced me to a delicious pancake menu in a cafe at Ikebukuro Japan. Recently, the cafe named Espresso D Works was circulating in social media trends, like Instagram and Twitter. We ordered their limited edition menu, which was a chocolate and strawberry combination. Although it was a bit pricey, the taste is completely worth it. Not only the sweetness and freshness of the strawberry and cream were at best, the texture of the pancake was also sending us to the clouds - as they call it in Japanese, ふわふわ fuwa fuwa.

A Day in Meiji Jingu Gaien

I really like photography. Last week, I went to Meji Jingu Gaien with my friend to take some last photos of this winter. The place is famous for its yellow leaves in autumn, but also looked very beautiful in winter. The weather was nice so it was a nice day to go out and take some photos. I will definitely comeback again for more beautiful shots.

Winter Sport

My very first winter sport is snowboarding!

Last Saturday, I have finally tried to snowboard in Gala Yuzawa. It was challenging at first but my instructor was so patient in teaching me. At the end, I was able to ride the beginner course. It was so fun!

The two lessons I learned in snowboarding are: 1) sometimes we need to stop calculating all of our moves and to just do it; 2) if you focus on where you want to go, life will lead you there.

Alice in Ikebukuro →

Did you know that there is an Alice in Wonderland concept restaurant located in Ikebukuro, Tokyo? If you like Disney and Alice in Wonderland aesthetics, this place is totally recommended! It has lots of beautiful decorations and photo spots. The name of the restaurant is 古城の国のアリス which translates to “Alice in an old castle”, you can find the direction on Google. I went with a friend, and we took almost 100 photos in total, wow! We ordered salmon creamy pasta and it was pretty good, but there are also course menu and colorful desserts that you definitely must try!

Raising a Kitten

I have a kitten. She was a stray cat rescued by my friend then adopted by me and my partner. As a baby cat, she is very active and curious. Raising a kitten is not easy. We have to give her a lot of attention every day.

-Jane-

Commuting by bike

My bike is one of my most cherished belongins. Although sometimes I take her for granted and don’t treat her right (she could use some polishing at the moment), I am thankful for how easier and cheaper my life in Tokyo got once I started commuting by bike. Owning a bicycle allows me to save around ¥10,000 of public transportation fees each month! Considering how much it cost me, it may have been one of my best investments so far. I ride it to the supermarket, to the train station, to work, to friends’ places and, most importantly, I ride it everyday to university. Sometimes I just ride it for fun: when there’s a nice weather outside I like to go explore remote areas far from where I live. I like to think that if you pedal fast enough it counts as a healthy workout. Of course, I can’t ride it when the rain is too heavy.

Do you own a bike? How often do you use it?

Graphic Design

One of my hobbies is graphic design. I am using a wacom tablet to draw. It was challenging yet so fun. I learn graphic design by myself through Youtube videos. I hope I can be a graphic designer in the future.

Workspace

I like to keep my workspace bright and organized. I only put things that I usually use on the table. Sometimes, I like the decorate it with some flowers. A nice workspace gives me inspiration to work.

Motorbike

I love riding motorbikes. It is very convenient to use when you want to go somewhere that is not too far. The best time to ride a motorbike is during summer and in the evening. The cool air during summer feels perfect while you are riding your motorbike. However, now it is winter, so it is a bit cold for this hobby.

Latte Art

I used to work as a Barista in a restaurant in Tokyo. Here I learned the latte art. It is a method to create a pattern or drawing on top of the coffee using milk foam. Making the milk foam correctly is the most important step. Just a small difference in the texture can change the style of the coffee.

Rock-climbing

Do you know rock-climbing, or bouldering? I love rock-climbing. You need to use a lot of strength of your arms and legs to play this sport. It might be difficult at the beginning, but it is a very fun sport to play. I love the fact that I can find many rock-climbing centers in Japan.

Winter Illumination →

あけましておめでとうございます！ Happy New Year 2021, everyone! During the last day of 2020, I went to a really beautiful spot of illumination near Ropponggi Station. The name of the area is Tokyo Midtown. I have not heard of that area before, but I just looked up on Google, the best places for illumination and it got recommended. So I thought, why not trying to visit there? And it turns out to be way better than what we expected. The illumination area is pretty wide, and there is even an ice rink! Moreover, you do not need any admission fee to enter the illumination area. As seen in the photo, there is also a unique snow globe that you cannot find elsewhere!

Winter

I am a person who came from a tropical country, hence, the winter season always fascinates me. I am happy to look at the icy trees, roads and houses. The snow is a sight to behold. The mountain views are also amazing.

However, my favourite winter activity is a snow fight with my friends. I have yet to try skiing so that makes me excited for winter trips! How about you, what is your favourite winter activity?