Japanese Language Blog

1.) Buying drinks from vending machines: I love those vending machines 自動販売機 (ji-dou-hanbai-ki). You can find them everywhere and the variety of drinks they sell is amazing. I heard there are also vending machines that sell bananas バナナ(banana). That’s so crazy. According to the internet they are named “Bobby Banana” and are sold by Dole. The next time I’m in Tokyo 東京, I definitely have to visit the 自動販売機 and take a lot of pictures 写真を撮る(shashin wo toru) (although I hate bananas).

2.) Going to Disneyland and Disneyland sea: Sometimes I have to release the child inside me. In Japan Tokyo Disneyland (東京ディズニーランド) is a very popular 人気 (ninki) dating spot for couples カップル (kappuru). The difference between Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea (東京ディズニーシー) is that TDS has more rides for adults 大人(otona) and of course that it only exists in Tokyo. I love the whole atmosphere in disneyland as well as the disney themed stuffs and foods.

3.) Visiting tsukiji: The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market (東京都中央卸売市場 Tōkyō-to Chūō Oroshiuri Shijō), often shortened as Tsukiji market, is one of the biggest fish market in the world. At this market you can find the freshest and most delicious sushi 寿司 and sashimi 刺身. I love to stroll through the market and to be amazed by the numerous amount of fish 魚 (sakana) and seafood 魚介類 (gyo-kai-rui) they sell.

4.) Singing karaoke: To be honest I’m not that kind of person who likes to sing 歌う(utau), especially in front of people. Maybe that’s because I’m really not good at singing. BUT since the karaoke bars in Japan do have cabins where you only sing in front of your friends, I kind of love to sing karaoke カラオケ. Although most of the songs are japanese, there are also a lot of western songs.

5.) Fashion in harajuku: I’m kind of fashion addicted. I love to read fashion blogs ブログ (burogu) and fashion magazines 雑誌 (zasshi) and since Tokyo, especially Harajuku, is known as the fashion capital of the world it is on top of my to-do list. I recommend お勧めする (osusume suru) the Takeshita-doori 竹下通り where you can find all sort of fashion, unique styles and cute shops.

6.) Enjoying the views: One thing I love about Tokyo is its skyscrapers 超高層ビル(chou-kousou-biru). I love the view of the skyline from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices building 東京都庁舎 Tōkyō-to Chōsha, often shortened as Tochō (都庁). Especially the after-dark view is fascinating and stunning with all the pretty lights. The panoramic observation decks are free of charge 無料 (muryou).

7.) Food-walking: Besides the japanese fashion, I’m a huge fan of japanese food (that is kind of obvious). Of course we have Sushi 寿司 and Makis in Austria but there are also so many other delicious dishes. Every time I’m in Japan I try to eat many different foods, but on the bottom line I always end up eating okonomiyaki お好み焼きand yakitori 焼き鳥.

8.) Visiting cat-cafes: The so-called 猫カフェー is a cafe where you can watch 見る(miru) and play 遊ぶ (asobu) with cats 猫 (neko). It’s the perfect opportunity for people who love cats but who are not allowed to have them in their apartments.  As I love cats, I have one named Tora 虎, japanese for tiger, and as a cat-person I visit the 猫カフェー a lot.

9.) Coffee, coffee, coffee: I have to admit I am a coffee-junkie. If you just want to absorb the atmosphere in Tokyo I recommend the Starbucks スターバックス in the Tsutaya building right across the Shibuya station 渋谷駅 (shibuya eki). I love to sit there with a cup of coffee and observe the crowd. If you want a quiet atmosphere with not so many tourists around you, I recommend the Nezucafe ネヅカフェーin Minami-Aoyama 南青山 because of its fantastic view onto the beautiful wooded garden and its relaxing atmosphere.

10.) Purikura: Purikura プリクラ are sticker photo machines, which are very popular especially among students and couples. You can decorate the photos via touch screen with messages　 メッセージ and glitter and all the cheesy stuff. But the most important point is that everyone looks better on the purikura photos. I love taking purikuras because every time I take a look on these photos they remind me of how much fun I have in Japan.

It’s been my pleasure to share my stories, pictures, and videos from my two trips to Japan with the readers of this blog over the past few months. Unfortunately, I’m fresh out of all of the above. Seeing as how I haven’t seen much of the Land of the Rising Sun beyond the capital city of Tokyo, I’ll just have to go back again. Hopefully next time I’ll have more than a week, as there’s so much more of Japan that I’d love to explore. In case you’ve missed out on some of the posts I’ve made, here’s a recap:

• Introduction: The first post in my series here on Transparent Japanese, this post introduces my two trips to Japan and gives a basic rundown of everything.

Tokyo's night scene from above.

• Temple Hopping: Check out some of Tokyo’s most famous temples – Senso-ji and the Meiji Shrine – in this post.

Inside of the Meiji Shrine.

• Tokyo Wards: Tokyo is actually a bunch of small cities within a massive city. Learn about the details of this mega-metropolis and some of the most notable wards here.

The madness of Shibuya.

• Sumo: Sumo wrestling is Japan’s national sport, and you can catch a huge tournament in Tokyo three times a year. Thankfully, we were fortunate enough to see an afternoon of it on our last trip.

Sumo mural outside of the tournament.

• Sushi and Fish Market: If sumo is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japan, sushi is probably the second. This post teaches about the history of sushi and explores the hectic Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.

A tasty plate of raw fish and rice.

• Hakone Intro: There’s more to Japan than Tokyo, and we were fortunate enough to get out to explore the country a little bit with a trip to Hakone, a mountainous area a few hours from the capital.

Stunning scenery of Hakone.

• Ryokan: In Hakone and many other areas of Japan, you have the option of staying in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese style inn. Learn about the history and traditions of these uniquely Japanese accommodations here.

Inside a traditional Japanese ryokan.

• Onsen: One of the main draws for Hakone (and many other tourist destinations in Japan, for that matter) are onsens – natural hot springs. This post introduces this important part of Japanese culture.

Green tea hot tub at Yunnesun in Hakone.

• Hakone Sightseeing: In Hakone, you can buy a “free pass” that grants you access to the cable car, buses, ropeway, and even a pirate ship. There’s plenty to see out there, so all of these transport options come in handy. Take a brief tour of Hakone in this post.

Cruise around Hakone on a pirate ship.

If reading isn’t your thing, and you’d rather watch a video, you can check out all of my travel videos on our YouTube channel. Here’s my personal favorite of the handful of videos that I made, which highlights the ryokan where we stayed in Hakone, along with the incredibly cool onsen themed water park:

Although both of my trips to Japan were far too short, they were both incredible experiences. I’ll never forget how amazed I was the first time I visited Tokyo – how such a massive, crowded metropolis could be so clean and efficient, and how the people could be so friendly and helpful. On my second trip to Japan, I was enchanted by the natural beauty of Hakone and the hospitality of the ryokan owners who, despite our language barrier, did their best to make us feel right at home. From the insanely busy streets of Shibuya, to the peaceful calm of an outdoor onsen, to the raucous sumo tournament, to the tranquil temples, I enjoyed every minute of my stays in Japan. A big thanks is in order to the wonderful people of Japan for being so hospitable to us, Transparent Language for giving me the chance to share my experiences here, and last but not least, all of you, our dedicated readers. In case you didn’t already know, you can follow us on both Facebook and Twitter, where you can learn new Japanese words, check out interesting links, or post your own questions and comments. Hopefully I’ll be back on this page sooner than later with more tales and videos from Japan, but until then, you can always find me over on the Chinese blog. Until next time, ありがとう!

Ryokan breakfasts are a great way to start the day. After that, getting around Hakone is a breeze, thanks to the Hakone free pass. Head up to the top of the ropeway for a stop at the “Hell’s Valley” before heading down to enjoy a cruise on a pirate ship across Lake Ashi. Finally, top the morning off with a trip to the Hakone checkpoint.