Enoshima Electric Railway

Now Japan is in Rainy Season which last until around the middle of July. Almost Everyday people carry an umbrella(Girls favour an all-weather one because we need an umbrella even in good weather to prevent strong sun lights).

But we still have some pleasure even in Rainy Season.

One of Rainy Season's pleasure is going to see beautiful hydrangeas at scenery location. So I decided to go to Hase-dera temple in Kamakura. Hase-dera is known for beautiful view and hydrangea path.

It takes about 1 hour from Tokyo to Kamakura by JR Yokosuka line.Yokosuka line has "Green Car" which give us more comfortable seats. Green Car fee is only 750yen for weekend.

JR Kamakura station

JR Yokosuka line's Green seats

In Kamakura, I changed to Enoshima Electric Railway(Enoden). Enoden is a small, cute train which links Kamakura and Fujisawa. You can enjoy mountains and coastlines from a window of this train.

Hase-dera's nearest station is "Hase" which 3 stations from Kamakura.

Well, let's enjoy Enoden's short trip!

route map, time table and facilities location map in front of a ticket gate.

a standard painted car

a colourful painted version

A Door to Somewhere Else

Sometimes a girl feels, she wants to go to somewhere. Somewhere, not here, a place where she never been to.

Far away from a daily life.

Far away from people who have known her.

But she doesn't know where she is going.

Sometimes she feels as if she is in a narrow path.

Or she is in a field where there is nobody.

Or she is in the dark.

But if she just believes that she will be given the best things for her, she would realize that she can manage her life easier.

It's so simple.

Let's sing a song "The First Noel",
THEY LOOKED UP AND SAW A STAR...

A star is always there even if she can't see.

The thing is, she just needs to look up the sky.

She would find what she hopes in her life.

A door has been opened, now she know.

Men In Black 3

Finally I went to a theater to watch "Men In Black 3"!

So sad, there is no Frank the Pug(but actually there is Frank's photo in J's bedroom! ).

In this time, Agent J(Will Smith) must save K(Tomy Lee Jones)'s life in his past 40 years ago...

And J found young K was a cheerful man not reticent and poker faced. K has changed. But what happen? J would find at last.

Story is simple and not so many (crazy)aliens this time. But after everything was happen between J and K(oh, I was exactly filled with tears), I feel happy to see them working together again.

Pieces of Japan (9 June 2012)

This time I collect scenes around "eating", but there is no restaurant. All of them is "fast food"(except the last one).

"Fast food", I mean, quick, easy, good price and delicious!

"Gyudon(a beef bowl)" is said "Japanese fast food". Actually I love gyudon shop! A beef bowl with miso soup(290yen) and salad(100yen),  this is really enough for lunch.

tokyo-chikara-meshi.
gyudon(a beef bowl) shop.
usually a beef is simmered, but fried in this shop.
always full of students and businessmen inside.

a food court in a shopping mall.
texas steak shop on the right side
and quick pasta shop in front.

other choices in this food court.
you can eat noodles(ramen, udon, champon), curry rice
gyudon and ice cream.

or you can eat "bento" which you can buy at supermarket in the shopping mall.
green vegetable juice: 380yen.
pork bento: 498yen.

at the table of RINGERHUT.
special Nagasaki champon-noodle shop.
not only students/businessmen but also girls love this noodle shop
since champon is cooked with lots of vegetables.

negi(long onion)-shio(salt)-chicken burger by LOTTERIA.
shrimp burger and cheese burger is also popular.

something extra; this is not a fast food shop, but a bar.
I love this one. a signboard of bar(uma-no-hone bar: a horse's bone bar).
a skeleton says, "I hear that bar's entrance is in back of this building."

A Rose Garden

It is a rose garden in a suburb.

"Keisei Rose Garden" locates in Yachiyo-city(Chiba). The nearest station is "Yachiyo-Midorigaoka"(Toyo Rapid Railway), and we need to walk about 15 minutes from the station or take bus at the station.

This garden has an area of 30,000m2 and 1,000 varieties of roses. Because roses were in full of blossom that day, the garden was filled with people.

People enthusiastically took pictures in everywhere. Most of them came to the garden with their family, friend, girlfriend or boyfriend. They chatted, smiled, enjoyed ice cream.... they seemed to be so happy. Unexpectedly I started to feel uncomfortable. Roses were so beautiful. But I didn't to have any person to share this moment.

And then I noticed a woman. She also came alone. She was not young. She walked slowly and really enjoyed herself. Sometimes she stood beside roses for a moment and smelled. It seemed like she kissed roses. Oh, it's beautiful.

She didn't have any company, didn't take photos either.

Slowly she passed.

I was impressed truly.
Simply, I decided to enjoy by my way.

"I am in the garden filled with colourful roses. This is really sweet!"

this station is about 40 minutes from Nihombashi station.

AEON shpping mall and TOHO cinemas are next to this station.

a pedestrian overpass from the station.

people in a row.

start to walk from a modern rose area.

Well, let's enjoy roses!

There were many roses. Red, white, yellow, pink, orange, purple, even black roses!
Small and big, noble look and cheerful one.
They are like girls who dress in very different way.
Maybe you can find "someone" who want to be your friend!

From A Haven

I was in a haven yesterday.  Well, technically that haven is in an old, small building. Is it sounds odd? Do you know what kind of haven I mean??

Try to guess!

The answer is, I had a traditional Thai massage.

In week days, I don't have any time for myself, I work, work, work, just work. My private time is only for  listening music on a train  while sleeping, or watching sports news on TV at midnight.

My whole body was screaming, too tired. So, I decided to enter that old building for the first time. This is one of my strong point... I'm a challenger. Trying to do new things everyday.

Thai massage is a combination of stretching body. I needed to move every parts of my body. Honestly sometimes I feel pain because of my stiff body. But after massaged, I really felt good and realized I was comfortable in my body.

Maybe we need to have an opportunity to listen our bodies voices sometimes. If they say that they are so tired, it's better to take some rest or do something good for body.

Tune up your body and soul, after that, you can walk again for tomorrow.

a hydrangea. a symbol of rainy season.
rainy season will come soon.

a treatment room.
distant voices from a street, incense and flower scent,
a cheerful Thai therapist,
all of them remind me Bangkok.
a small haven is here.

I came down to the earth from a haven.
AEON Shopping Mall, I went there to buy some foods.
then, went home.

Vietnam Kitchen 999 at Ginza 5

If I want to have a lunch in Ginza, there are so many choices.

But If it is a beautiful sunny day, I will choose spicy Asian food.

Ginza 5 shopping center locates opposite to Marion bldg. and you can directly access using underground passage from Subway's Ginza station. there are 9 restaurants and 3 cafes ( include Starbucks) underground floor. Restaurants include Hong Kong, Japanese, Italian, Korean, Indian, Thai, Vietnam food and a burger shop. 

It's like night market in Asia, small and casual place and food is cheap and delicious. This time I chose "Vietnam Kitchen 999".

This is a set lunch menu 1,500yen. (If you bring a handbill, you can get 1-free drink. A handbill is placed at the entrance).

appetizer: "goi du du"(green papaya salad) ,
"cha gio hai san"(fried spring roll),
"banh mi tom"(shrimp toast)
green papaya is one of my favorites.
I used to eat green papaya with spicy & sour sauce.
green papaya is not sweet, but really fresh taste.

"pho" with lime and chili.
rice noodle soup with beef.

"banh xeo",  like mix of omelet and pancake, sprouts inside.

Spicy and sour flavor with much leafy green and herbs, Vietnam food is so lovely!

Do you want to try?
I'm pretty sure that you'll never be disappointed!