Japan Trip 2016 Updated! Finally

I have finally updated and uploaded all the blog posts for our Japan Trip 2016. 
For the ease and convenience of your reading, here are all the links for each day of our Japan Trip 2016. Enjoy. 

Japan Trip 2016: 2-14 Dec 2016
Japan Trip 2016: Day 1 2 Dec 2016 Fri
Japan Trip 2016: Day 2 Part 1 3 Dec 2016 Sat - Senso-ji Temple, Asakusa
Japan Trip 2016: Day 2 Part 2 3 Dec 2016 Sat - Tokyo Tree, Sumida
Japan Trip 2016: Day 3 Part 1 4 Dec 2016 Sun - Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Japan Trip 2016: Day 3 Part 2 4 Dec 2016 Sun - Shibuya & Harajuku
Japan Trip 2016: Day 4 Part 1 5 Dec 2016 Mon - Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Japan Trip 2016: Day 4 Part 2 5 Dec 2016 Mon - Ginza & Tokyo Station
Japan Trip 2016: Day 5 6 Dec 2016 Tues - Tokyo DisneySea
Japan Trip 2016: Day 6 Part 1 7 Dec 2016 Wed - Shirohige's Cream Puff Factory
Japan Trip 2016: Day 6 Part 2 7 Dec 2016 Wed - Temari no Ouchi Cat Cafe
Japan Trip 2016: Day 6 Part 3 7 Dec 2016 Wed - Mitaka Forest Ghibli Museum
Japan Trip 2016: Day 7 Part 1 8 Dec 2016 Thurs - Owl Cafe, Harajuku
Japan Trip 2016: Day 7 Part 2 8 Dec 2016 Thurs - Meiji Jingu, Harajuku & Shibuya
Japan Trip 2016: Day 7 Part 3 8 Dec 2016 Thurs - Ronppongi Illumination
Japan Trip 2016: Day 8 Part 1 9 Dec 2016 Fri - Nozomi 317 & ibis Styles Kyoto Station
Japan Trip 2016: Day 8 Part 2 9 Dec 2016 Fri - Nishiki Market, Teramachi & Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcades, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 9 Part 1 10 Dec 2016 Sat - Nijo-jo Castle, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 9 Part 2 10 Dec 2016 Sat - Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 9 Part 3 10 Dec 2016 Sat - Ginkakuji Temple, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 9 Part 4 10 Dec 2016 Sat - Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 9 Part 5 10 Dec 2016 Sat - Ramen & Starbucks, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 10 Part 1 11 Dec 2016 Sun - Teramachi-dori, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 10 Part 2 11 Dec 2016 Sun - Arashiyama, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 11 Part 1 12 Dec 2016 Mon - Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 11 Part 2 12 Dec 2016 Mon - Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 11 Part 3 12 Dec 2016 Mon - Gion & Hanamikoji, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 11 Part 4 12 Dec 2016 Mon - Pontocho, Kyoto
Japan Trip 2016: Day 12 Part 1 13 Dec 2016 Tues - Nozomi 124 & Shinjuku Washington Hotel
Japan Trip 2016: Day 12 Part 2 13 Dec 2016 Tues - Shibuya & Shinjuku, Tokyo
Japan Trip 2016: Day 13 14 Dec 2016 Wed - Narita Airport & Home

We are definitely going back to visit Tokyo and other parts of Japan in the near future. 

Merry Christmas 2016

Merry Christmas 2016! 

May we always be young at heart! :)

(Source: Studio Ghibli https://www.facebook.com/TheGhibliFamily/?ref=br_rs)

Happy Winter Solstice 2016 (冬至快乐!)

Winter officially starts today, with the fewest hours of daylight in 2016. 
Winter Solstice or 冬至 is one of the more important festivals celebrated by Chinese and East Asians. It is a time of reunion for families. My mother, originating from Taiwan, made the glutinous rice balls from scratch. This year, she made both sweet and savoury glutinous rice balls. For savory glutinous rice balls, she made minced meat and mushroom fillings and cooked the rice balls in chicken broth. For the sweet glutinous rice balls, she made them plain and cooked the rice balls in brown sugar and pandan syrup. 
Happy Winter Solstice 2016!

Savoury Glutinous Rice Balls with minced meat and mushroom filling

A glorious orange sunset to celebrate winter solstice (冬至)

PS. With my food poisoning, my mother only allowed me to have one savoury glutinous rice ball in case my stomach couldn't take it. Oh well, still better than not eating any!

Japan Trip 2016 Update

It will take a while before I can post our Japan Trip 2016 on the blog. I am slowly putting up the post(s) for each day of the Japan Trip 2016. Please bear with me. Thank you! :)

Japan Trip 2016: Day 13 14 Dec 2016 Wed - Narita International Airport & Home

This is our last day in Tokyo, Japan. We have really enjoyed ourselves and it seems too soon that the holiday has come to an end. :( There are places that we have yet to visit in Tokyo and there will definitely be other visits! :) 

We checked out just before 11am and walked to Takashimaya, Shinjuku, the first place we visited when we arrived in Tokyo 12 days ago. It is a fitting closure for us. We went round the food hall of Takashimaya and bought our lunch. 

The underground walkway to the hotel

We took the airport transfer to Narita Airport and arrived just before 3pm with plenty of time to spare for our flight JL711 which departs at 6pm. We bought more munch munch at the duty free shopping. We shared a ramen before boarding our flight. 

I am still amazed with Japan Airlines' punctuality. We departed on time. We both watched "Your Name (Kimi no Na wa)" and were thrilled to recognise some of the places in the movie. :) Snacks and dinner were served and we absolutely loved our dinner. It was delicious and Juliane's child meal (the last time she can order such meals) is simply adorable!

Farewell, Tokyo

Rice crackers served before dinner

Juliane's ADORABLE child meal, delicious too!

My seafood meal, prepared differently from the other seafood meal I had

More snacks

We arrived back safely in Singapore at 1am, 15 Dec 2016 Thursday. 
Once again, we really enjoyed our trip to Japan and we are already planning for our next trip! :)

Home!

Goodies bought at Narita Airport

Japan Trip 2016: Day 12 Part 1 13 Dec 2016 Tues - Nozomi 124, Tokaido Shinkansen & Shinjuku Washington Hotel

It is our last morning in Kyoto and it is drizzling. At least the Kyoto Station is just opposite ibis Styles hotel, across the street and we would not get too wet. We took our time to have breakfast before checking out at 11am.

With plenty of time to spare, before our Nozomi 124 departs at 11:36am, we bought our bento lunches. It was really difficult choosing one because there were so many delicious looking bento lunch boxes to choose from!

As usual, the train arrived on time and departed soon after. We settled in our seats and I started taking photos of the scenery. As it is a cold day, there was low cloud cover and the scenery took on a romantic surreal look.

My tempura bento lunch box

Juliane's teriyaki chicken bento lunch box

We arrived at Shinagawa Station, Tokyo and took a train to Shinjuku Station. We managed to arrive at Shinjuku Washington Hotel, just after 2pm for check-in. Unfortunately, when I booked the room, I didn't check and actually reserved the Economy Double instead of the Standard Double which we stayed in during our earlier leg of our Tokyo trip. The Economy Double is a real TIGHT squeeze for two persons with three check-in luggage and two carry-on luggage. Actually, there is no room to move about at all. :( Reminder to self: Always double check the booking details.