5 posts tagged “japan”

YEEH!  Finally iPhene is coming to Japan, on July 11.
I’m surprised that the price will be very low.

Japan is known as “Galapagos Island” for its closed mobile phone infrastructure, which has developed in its own way, isolated from other countries.

For a long time, we have been longing to use iPhone in our country.
Now, finally the time has come!

Ever since iPhone was released, we have been very curious which of the 4 careers would form a partnership with Apple.

A while ago, it was announced that Softbank Mobile is the one.

Now, people around me, whose mobile phones are not Softbank, start thinking seriously about changing their careers.  I use docomo, and I’m really thinking about quiting it, because I really want iPhone!

いぇーぃ！ついに携帯ガラパゴス、日本にiPhoneがやって来る！7月11日に！
しかも値段が安くで驚き。

iPhoneが世の中に出てきてからずーっと私たちは日本でいつ使えるようになるのか、って首を長くして待ってたし、もしそうなればどのキャリアが獲得するのか興味しんしんだった。

そして、とうとう開国のときが来た！ペリー来航だ。

少し前にはSoftbankがキャリアになると発表されたから、私のまわりのSoftbankを使ってない人は、私を含め、乗り換えるべきかもう少し待つか等々、真剣に話し合ってる状態。

私もSoftbankにするかなーー。やっぱりすぐにiPhone使いたいじゃん。

This is about the Hakone tour, too.  To get to Hakone, I took Shinkansen or Bullet Train from Nagoya and changed to Odakyu-line.  I saw beautiful Mt.Fuji from the Shinkansen.

From Tokyo, it’s much easier to get there.  Just hop on the limited express train called RomanceCar at Shinjuku, and that takes you straight to Hakone-Yumoto station, which is like a hub station for the spa resorts.  There are many versions of RomanceCar and the new ones are very stylish and comfortable.

The name RomanceCar still sounds funny to me.  I didn't know about the train when I first moved to Tokyo.  When I first heard the name, it made me laugh.  People grow romance in the train? Or the train that creates romance between you and me?  Anyway, It’s been called that way for decades.  But I’m not still used to it.  I'd like to know how non-Japanese people think about the name.

箱根旅行続編。私は今回は名古屋から新幹線で小田原まで行き、小田急線に乗り換えというコースで行きました。新幹線からはきれいな富士山が見え、思わずパチリ。いつ見ても感動するな。

東京から行くなら新宿からロマンスカーで、もっと便利で速いよね。もっとも、東京に来るまでロマンスカーって知らなくて、初めて名前を聞いたときは笑ってしまいました。だって、電車の中で客がロマンスをはぐくむの？あなたと私のロマンスを作ってくれる電車なの？って感じで。まあ、何十年もそう呼ばれてきたんだけど、いまだにその名前に慣れません、私。ロマンスカーって聞いて外国の人はどう思うのかなぁ。

Believe it or not, it was my first time to visit Hakone, one of the most popular onsen or spa resorts near Tokyo. I wanted to stay at a traditional Japanese style inn, but my mom and aunt-in-law had booked “Hyatt Regency Hakone Resort and Spa”, which opened a year and a half ago.

Anyway, the hotel was great as I had expected. It was small, relaxing, cozy and hospitable.  There was no big lobby or lounge.  The food was very good, too.

If you want to relax like you are staying at a western hotel but experience a little of Japanese style, you should stay there.  A little bit of Japanese style -- you can go out of your room with yukata or cotton kimono, and geta or Japanese slippers on, of course you have to bathe in the hot spring naked.

GWに箱根旅行に行ってきました。なんと、初めて。本当はベタな日本旅館に泊まりたかったけど、母と母の義理の妹がハイアットリージェンシー箱根リゾート＆スパに予約してしまっていた…。

とはいうものの、やはり期待どおりすっごいよかった。でかいラウンジとかロビーとかなくて、こぢんまりしていて居心地がいいしフレンドリー。食事もとてもおいしかった〜。

当然外国人が多くて、ベタな日本スタイルの宿だとリラックスできないから、欧米のようなホテルに泊まりたいんだけど、でもせっかく日本の温泉に来たんだから日本旅館風なエッセンスも味わいたい…という温泉初心者？のような外国人にぴったり。ハイアットとはいえ、ゆかたと下駄で館内歩いてもいいし、もちろん温泉は裸でつからないとダメだし。外国人の方には、『温泉の入り方』みたいな紙を渡しているとスタッフの方が言ってました。「温泉は裸で入ってね」とか「バスタオル巻いてつからないでね」みたいなことが書いてあるんでしょうか。

Sakura, or cherry blossoms season is here again!
We Japanese await & start expecting their bloom when March comes.  Now that they are in full bloom, we are ready for feasts, eating & drinking under cherry trees all day or all night long, during the limited time at the end of March and the beginning of April.

花見の季節がやって来た。ちょっくら散歩に行きました。

Finally, the project which started in August have finished at the end of January.  We've done it fine and had a little dinner at the place called “Yamakoya”, which means “lodge” in English.

The place is a little izakaya (tavern) located near our office, Daitabashi, Tokyo.  The building is very old and small, but unlike the way it looks (sorry!) the food is really really good!  Their menu includes lots of grilled stuff, pasta & handmade bread. I love their pesto spaghetti & homemade bread with apple inside.  And don't forget to order extra hot sungan.

If you had a chance to come near Daitabashi, try Yamakoya.  You would love it!
See the pictures at the bottom.

ようやく8月からずっと続いていたプロジェクトが無事に終わったので、山小屋（やまこやと読む）という、事務所の近くにある居酒屋でささやかな打ち上げディナーを行いました。この山小屋はとても古くて小さい民家のような建物なんですが、見た目とは違い（ごめんなさい！）料理がすっごくおいしいの！　グリル料理やパスタ、手作りパンなどがあり、私はバジリコパスタと、りんごを入れて焼いたりんごパンというのが好き（でらうま）。そして、火吹きメンマを忘れずに。

もし代田橋の近くに来たら寄ってみて。