http://www.city-cost.comSat, 18 Jul 2026 02:19:26 +0900Level 4 in Google Local Guide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. -Gandalf the Grey Instagram Account: @xaver.13enCopyright © 2015 - 2026 City-Cost All Rights Reserved.webmaster@city-cost.com (CC Team)http://img.city-cost.com/static/blog_campaign_icon.pnghttp://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/w5j4X-living_transportation_jal_tokyo_shinjuku_ku_tokyo_shibuya_ku_tokyoTraveling overseas by plane is getting evermore convenient and safe, thanks to the efforts of the great minds behind the development of aviation technology. But credit should not only go to the developers or researchers who improve the quality of the flying experience but also to the airlines' pilots, attendants, crew and other personnel who take to their task so that no harm or trouble will come to passengers along the way.Maybe of the most traveled destination in Asia of late is the Land of the Rising Sun -- Japan. Aside from the well-developed cities and great infrastructure, the rich culture and history of Japan makes it one of the most visited country in Asia.Recently, for me to able to reach Japan, I flew with Japan Airlines (JAL), one of the leading airline companies in the world. JAL was ranked number 13 in this article on Business Insider published last summer.Japan Airlines aircraft with rainbow in the background as seen from the boarding gate with passengers disembarking after a safe flight.When the time came to board my particular JAL flight to Japan airline staff assigned to the cabin were all smiles as they greeted passengers arriving on board. It made us feel more comfortable inside the cabin as they really were on hand to assist us and all the passengers in any way they could. This, I think, is maybe one of the reasons why Japan Airlines is always on lists of the best airlines in the world.Settling down in our assigned seats, my attention switches to the on-board entertainment -- one of the things that, for me, is really important because a four hour flight to Japan is quite long and I might get board inside the plane. The on board entertainment then is a big help to let the time past as we traverse the sky toward our destination. With this JAL flight we could watch a movies or enjoy playing games among other entertainment options. Personally, I prefer to watch movies and don't worry because the movies have English subtitles and/or is itself in English.On board lunch set.It is worth mentioning that the on-board lunch set on this particular flight was the complete lunch in the sense that it had an appetizer, soup, main course/dish and, of course, the dessert -- ice cream which was served after few minutes the main lunch set was served. Aside from the fact that the JAL lunch has all the required parts, it is also delicious and comes with the sense of security that the food served right in front of you is as fresh as possible. Very good overall!Bird's-eye view. A few more minutes and we will arrive to our destination in Japan.I think one of the most fantastic views to be had is to view a city from up above, as it will give you another, and broader, perspective to the view.JAL aircraft wing with a beautiful view over a sea of clouds.Although the flight to Japan wasn't totally perfect due to turbulence up high in the flying zone, the feeling of security is there as there are enough reminders, announcements and warnings that there might be some turbulence and the cabin crew were always checking if passengers' seat belts were correctly placed for our own security and safety as well.Japan Airlines, like any other major airlines, also lets passengers earn points that can eventually be exchanged for free travel with Japan Airlines affiliates. Using different JAL Mileage cards, you can accumulate points through different ways, one of which is, of course, by traveling with them. My JAL Mileage Bank Card. You can also apply for free. Follow this link.Of course, Japan Airlines doesn't offer just international flights, but also offers plenty of domestic flights throughout Japan.This post is supported by Japan Airlines (JAL), one of City-Cost's Supporters helping City-Cost bloggers to enjoy life in Japan and engage in new experiences.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/w5j4X-living_transportation_jal_tokyo_shinjuku_ku_tokyo_shibuya_ku_tokyoWed, 27 Mar 2019 11:54:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/w5j4X-living_transportation_jal_tokyo_shinjuku_ku_tokyo_shibuya_ku_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GRv9K-living_chiba_shi_chiba_shinjuku_ku_tokyoOne of the most anticipated seasons in Japan is spring because it is the season during which the popular cherry trees are starting to bloom.Cherry blossom is indeed one of the most "to look forward to" events in Japan because you will be completely amazed at just how these flowers start to cover entire areas in to a white and pinkish vibe.Even at in its longest time periods though, the cherry blossom window usually only lasts for a week or two. Lasting for just a week or two makes you realize that you don't much have time to spend taking in the view of the blossoms.So, when the time does come, you had better be sure to get your friends or family together with you and pack your picnic materials so that you can have quality time not just with your family and/ or friends but also with these beautiful flowers.The photos I uploaded here were captured during the peak of the cherry blossom season here in Japan.Shinjuku Gyoen in Tokyo is just one of the many places you may want to visit in order to view the blossoms -- because of its spacious area, it can accommodate more visitors. It will cost you few yen for the entrance fee but you can enjoy the park for the entire day and the amazing thing is you can bring your picnic foods and enjoy eating while sitting and looking with the blossoms.Another good place for cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo is Ueno Park. Some people take to staying at the park overnight inorder to reserve a space under the trees that can be enjoyed with friends or family.Chidorigafuchi Park in Tokyo's Chiyoda ward also comes recommended. Here, you can have a different kind of experience with the cherry trees where you can enjoy a boat ride on a moat by the Imperial Palace, an experience which will bring you another dimension with the flowers along the waterside. If you are not into riding a boat, you can simply enjoy the view from the pathways above.The last location I visited for cherry blossom this year is Aobanomori Park in Chiba. Since the park is just a few minutes away from my home using my bicycle, I like to visit the park as it is not so crowded -- unlike other parks in central Tokyo during the cherry blossom season.Close up view.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GRv9K-living_chiba_shi_chiba_shinjuku_ku_tokyoTue, 19 Jun 2018 10:56:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GRv9K-living_chiba_shi_chiba_shinjuku_ku_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zaNoD-living_chiba_onjuku_machi_chibaTemperatures seem to be rising as day passes here in Japan. Every day spring seems about to end and another season is on its way to say, "Hello," to all of us. For the past months, we’ve experienced chilled to cooled temperatures and who doesn’t want that fresh feeling even though you’re out for almost a day? It's during these months that makes for the most opportune time for traveling and wandering around Japan because of the ideal temperatures. Well, be ready to say goodbye (for a few months at least) because the summer season is kicking its way to us. For many this season is somewhat of an annoying season for you can really get tired even by just walking for a minute or two under the full heat of the sun. While some people then see summer season in this way, others see it as a great opportunity to try different activities in Japan. There are several events you can enjoy during this season, like the different matsuri (literally, "festival"), across the entirety of Japan. My favorite activity is going to beach, leting the sun there kiss my skin, and enjoying some activities on the beach. During this season, my friends and I all really enjoying going to beach to free ourselves from some of the stress caused by overwork or just the stress of life itself. As we are based in Chiba, we sometimes go to one of the beaches near our apartment, which is located in the southern part of Chiba – Onjuku Beach in Onjuku-machi, Isumi-gun. Onjuku beach is a popular beach that foreigners or locals visit in order to experience its long stretch of sand. Transportation is not a problem since the beach itself is just a few meters away from the train station. Just outside the train station there is a tourist center where you can ask for directions or pick up a map or, if you are in stamps, you can stamp your pad there.As you reach the beach front, worry not if you did not bring any food because there are several stalls which offer food to eat and other services like showers and lockers together with equipment rentals like beach volley ball and umbrellas for you to use during your stay. Aside from the beach or swimming you can also get into different activities like beach volley, taking pictures of some of the spots near the beach (don’t miss the chance of taking picture of the popular Tsuki No Sabaku Memorial Statue on the beach), try surfing and of course do sun-bathing to achieve your perfect summer skin color.Statues make for great spots to take photos.You may also want to try to a barbeque party of your own to the beach and if you are really into the beach it's possible to stay overnight in Onjuku -- there are nearby hotels ranging from cheap prices to very expensive prices for overnight accommodation.In all, it is up to you as to how you are going to enjoy your stay here. The place is good and it offers a lot of things that basically can’t be found during the typical city life in Japan. I recommend to go out and enjoy the heat of the sun!Playing with the sand.Beach volley!Any comments, suggestions or question? Just asked me below in the comment section. And I would highly appreciate it. Thank you for reading my post and follow my blog!To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zaNoD-living_chiba_onjuku_machi_chibaMon, 04 Jun 2018 11:29:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zaNoD-living_chiba_onjuku_machi_chibahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MdJ7K-food_shopping_chiba_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chibaDoes anyone here doesn't want sales or discounted prices? We all love sales, freebies, discounts and any other similar deals that will give us great value for money.For some reason, supermarkets in Japan are always giving us great deals which may sometimes be given at the most unexpected time of the day, week, month or year.Postshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MdJ7K-food_shopping_chiba_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chibaTue, 08 May 2018 16:10:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MdJ7K-food_shopping_chiba_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chibahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MgPBl-living_chiyoda_ku_tokyo_hakone_machi_kanagawaCulture is a part of every nation. Every part of the country and its culture, together with its tradition, plays an important role in how the people living in that particular place act and react. Being in Japan, even for a short while, you will experience some of its unique and undeniably one-of-a-kind culture. From traditional dress to the green tea ceremony, the myriad of unique cultural experiences will make you believe that Japan is indeed a one-of-a-kind country.My new blog post here on City-Cost will feature some rituals that are part of Japanese tradition when visiting a shrine, and what to do or, indeed, what not to do. For Japan’s religion is part of its culture. In Japan there are two major religions, Shinto and Buddhism (even though some claim that Buddhism is not a religion). The shrines I visited in Japan are amazingly beautiful places, with some of them having been standing since the oldest times of Japan. The first thing to know is what we should do upon arrival at a shrine in Japan. Basically, like in any other religion, we should behave in calm manner and respect the god enshrined in that particular shrine. According to what I’ve read, you are not supposed to visit the shrine if you have some illness or you are feeling sick. This is considered as an impurity.There’s always a purification fountain (chozuya) near the shrine’s entrance. As the name suggests, it will be the first step before proceeding to the shrine itself -- you need to purify yourself. There is a proper way to use the purification fountain. Usually you can find an illustration to guide you on how to do, but in case there is none, below is the proper practice in getting yourself purified at the fountain.1.Take one of the ladles provided at the purification fountain using your right hand.2.Fill it with the water from the fountain and wash your left hand first, then transfer the ladle to your left hand to wash your right hand.3.After washing your hands, transfer once more the ladle to your right hand and pour some water into your left hand using this to rinse your mouth.4.Last step is to hold the ladle vertically to let the remaining water flow down the ladle.Please be careful to not directly rinse your mouth using the ladle. And don’t skip this ritual before going to the shrine's "offering hall".After the purification ritual you may now proceed to the offering hall. At the offering hall (and "offering box"), like the purification ritual, there is also a proper way of making an offering. As much as possible, please follow the rituals to feel how the Japanese make their offerings to their gods.1.Bow once, slightly. 2.Throw a coin in the offering box. Basically, the value of the coins to be tossed isn't so important. However, some Japanese people believe that throwing or tossing a five-yen coin (5￥) will stand them in better stead when it comes to relationships as “go-en” or "5-yen" has a connection to the term “relationship” in Japanese.3.If there is a gong (bell), ring it twice or thrice. People believe that doing so will get the god’s attention.4.Bow twice but unlike the first bow, make a nearly 90-degree bow or deep bow.5.Clap your hands twice also.6.Pray 7.Bow once more. This time deeply.What are the things to avoid when visiting a shrine in Japan?Simple things first -- being loud and noisy when speaking. Please bear in mind that Japanese people believe that their gods reside in their shrines so you must be respectful.The second thing is not to capture or shoot photos inside the shrine. Be careful and watch for the signs -- they are usually easy to understand.Long queue at the Hakone Shrine offering hall.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thoughts below at the comment section. It will be highly appreciated to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.Don’t forget to follow my blog for more articles.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MgPBl-living_chiyoda_ku_tokyo_hakone_machi_kanagawaThu, 01 Feb 2018 14:14:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MgPBl-living_chiyoda_ku_tokyo_hakone_machi_kanagawahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zVON5-living_transportation_chiba_shi_chiba_hakone_machi_kanagawaJapan has a unique language, culture and heritage, these are facts that can never be questioned. But from these facts also, some frustrations and/or disappointments while staying in Japan are inevitable. This post takes a look at the instances and experiences that occurred personally, to me. Yes, some are really frustrating but we also have to learn from these mistakes.First on my list, is when we went to Hakone. As we all know, Hakone is one of the most visited places in Japan. Since we visited during a weekend, we though were already prepared for the busy crowds that would be there. Clearly though, we underestimated the number of tourists (local and foreign). It got to the point that even the car traffic was crazy.During our tour of Hakone we needed to take a bus ride (which is, by the way, included in your Hakone Freepass Ticket), but the traffic really wasn't moving well. Things were made even worse when we decided to get dropped-off in the middle of the road that leads up to the peak of the mountain. We needed to walk for at least another 1.2 kilometers to reach our destination of Owakudani (大涌谷). I think next time we visit Hakone, we will need to pack more patience!We really need to walk to reach our destination because of heavy traffic. So crowded.My next Japan frustration will be the time I tried to ski for the first time.It was so frustrating -- always stumbling and falling down everytime I tried to actually ski.It is such a great experience to ski in real life though, especially when you come from a tropical country like the Philippines, as I do. The snow experience alone is an experience to keep and to have been able to try my hand at skiing was like a dream come true.Back to reality though. Skiing is not easy like just the controlling joystick or keypad of a game console. Effort and some kind of practice and skill development is the key, I think. Still, as I remember, I was able to enjoy it, finally, before we had to go home.I think, if it is your first time to try skiing in Japan, or anywhere, don’t rush things. You will learn the basics after a while. I know it is frustrating, I’ve been there, but one thing is for sure, you will get the hanf of it before the day ends and you can start to truly enjoy skiing.I think the third Japan frustration is happening even up to the present day, and to most of the foreigners in Japan -- that is the language barrier.I already said it, even on my previous posts, -- that no doubt, Japanese people must be among the most kind and respectful people you will encounter in your life. As such, your use of incorrect grammar is nothing for them. But we must also admit it to ourselves that even though they are kind and patient to try to understand what we tend to ask, it is so frustrating that we can’t understand each other.For example, even asking for simple directions might require and exerted effort from both parties (foreigner and the local) to understand each other. This is a common frustration for all of the non-Japanese speakers, like me.So, there are those frustrations and disappointments in Japan we have already experienced, we are experiencing now, and we will experience throughout our stay in Japan (for vacation, a short-term stay or a stay for good). But all of these frustrations and/or disappointments, I think are just so little compared to the comfort and well-worth-it experience of staying in Japan.In my personal opinion, Japan is a places where any potential frustrations are worth it for the tourist, traveler, expat to spend their here and to experience the country's rich culture and history.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thoughts below in the comment section. It will be highly appreciated to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.Don’t forget to follow my blog for more articles.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zVON5-living_transportation_chiba_shi_chiba_hakone_machi_kanagawaFri, 19 Jan 2018 19:08:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zVON5-living_transportation_chiba_shi_chiba_hakone_machi_kanagawahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Gb2XB-living_food_shopping_money_chiba_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chibaLiving in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture here in Japan is a real thrill. Aside from the fact that Chiba has a lot of attractions and tourist destinations, living here is really fun. Ward OfficeThe first thing I like about where I stay in Chiba City is that our apartment is just few minutes away from Soga Station, meaning great access to the most common mode of transportation in Japan. From our home, there are grocery stores nearby -- Maruetsu, Belq and Top Mart are among my favorite grocery stores as they often offer sale items. So, life in Japan doesn’t have to be too expensive, especially when preparing food for ourselves. What matters, and is perhaps most important, is satisfying the taste buds and staying on budget. While, for me, living near grocery stores is a great advantage the place where I stay has a lot more stores besides. The convenience store, for exmaple, which opens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, meaning you'll never go hungry.The next thing is the variety of food stores, restaurants and ramen shops in Chiba City, and near to Soga Station, where I often eat when I’m feeling too lazy to cook food for myself. The one where my friends and I eat very often is Steak Gusto, for the steaks. The food here is not so expensive but it will satisfy the hunger. There are other steak houses nearby but we are all just really fond of this plavce and always find ourselves coming back for more. There are still many other restaurants and ready-to-eat food stores near and around Soga Station. Some of the food chains we have already visited to eat at include Hidakaya (日高屋), Kagetsu Arashi (花月嵐), First Kitchen, Mojoi (もぢょい) and Asakuma (あさくま). Obviously, we love exploring and trying out new foods that the neighborhood can offer. Waiting for our turn at Steak GustoIf you are a foreigner and thinking about living or staying in Japan for quite some time, taking a Japanese class is a good way to better understand the Japanese language itself. Here in Chiba, Japanese classes are offered by the Chiba City International Association which is located in Chiba City (2 Chome-5-1 Chūō, Chūō-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba-ken 260-0013).CCIA offer a variety of classes like those catered to learners who are starting from scratch, meaning you will study the Japanese language starting from the very basics, and for just a minimum amount of payment. Or, if you already have some understanding of the Japanese language and you just want to improve the way you speak and understand in more depth the language and culture, you may take the 日本語活動 (Nihongo Katsudou, meaning "Japanese Language Activity"). This class is totally for FREE and you will even have a personal instructor where you and him/her engage in an interactive type of learning. The instructors for 日本語活動 are all volunteers and classes are subject to their availability. So, if you have plan to take up this class, you can go to CCIA and ask for them to include you in their student lists to take the class and they will find an instructor for you.Visiting historically significant places are one of the ideas that are stuck into my brain, and I am happy that, being here in Chiba City, I can turn this idea into reality. The nearest historically important place to my neighborhood is Chiba Castle. I can go to Chiba Castle by bike which is a really good thing. The best thing about the visiting the castle is that the admission fee is for the very cheap price of ... FREE. I do have a post about Chiba Castle. If you happen to be interested to read about post, click here. Front of Chiba CastleI think, one of the main reasons why I’m enjoying living in Chūō-ku, Chiba City is the number of parks dotted around the area. You can stroll around these parks for free or visit them for a varity of activities with your friends, family or even just by yourself. Activities such as running, jogging, biking and holding picnics are all great fun in the parks aroun here. The park my friends and I love to visit the most is the Aobano-Mori Park (青葉の森公園). It is a huge place where you can spend a good amount of time exploring all the areas around the park. We're particularly fond of coming here, and cycling around the park, on our bikes. During spring, the stunning view of cherry blossoms will make you love this park even more (although Aobano-Mori can really be enjoyed whatever the season).Aobano-mori Park Map My Bicycle in Aobano-mori ParkIn general, although in Chiba City you’re not living in the most popular place in Japan, exploring the area will reveal most activities to get involved in than you might have imagined. And a bike is a good way to get started. Biking in Japan is popular among all the age brackets here, so I think it is safe to say that getting a bicycle when staying in Japan will make you more of a Japanese-like citizen. And as for my personal experience living in Chiba-ken, Chiba-shi, Chūō-ku my bicycle really doesn’t let me down when I want to get around the area in which I live and get me into doing all of these things which can be free of charge.Now I think it is your time to explore your area where you live and share a little of your experience.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thoughts below in the comment section. It will be highly appreciated to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.Don’t forget to follow my blog for more articles.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Gb2XB-living_food_shopping_money_chiba_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chibaMon, 15 Jan 2018 11:11:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Gb2XB-living_food_shopping_money_chiba_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chibahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Mn5WJ-living_transportation_chiba_tokyoTravelling to Japan soon for leisure, vacation or some short to medium stay? Why don't you try these simple tips or hacks that can save you some money, time and energy.1. Train Tickets. Train maybe the most convenient and most accessible kind of transportation in Japan. It makes life easier.For short term stays, for example one to two weeks, try to buy one-week or two-week tickets/passes that can be used on the Tokyo Metro. In this way, you can save time and money because such tickets and passes afford access to a number of designated train lines in Japan. To have more idea and information about this, please go to:a. https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/index.htmlb. http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/ticket/index.htmlAnother, if you are staying for the medium to long term in Japan, to save some time from waiting for your turn at ticket vending machines, why don't you try to purchase a Suica card to save some time and money. Click here for my "Purchasing New Suica" guide.How about one day or two day passes in a certain place? Yes there are places like Hakone that offer passes to enjoy a day or two of visits in a certain place. If you are planning to go to Hakone, you can save a lot if you are going to purchase the full day pass because it includes rides on the train going to the tourist attractions in Hakone as well as discounts for some attractions. So if you are going to use public transport to some tourist attractions in Japan try to find deals like this one to save you from paying separately every time you need to ride.Last tip for train tickets is, if you have a routine of going to work or school everyday, I think the best way is to purchase a commuter ticket that can be used from the stations you are departing up to the station you are arriving. In this way that ticket will save you from constantly buying single pass tickets or charging your Suica. It will also save you some money depending on the period of ticket you are going to buy. Usually these kind of passes have a one month to one year validity.2. Knowing your route.Proper information will save you from all the stress. If you are going to Shibuya and you are coming from the Chiba area, for example, the best way to do this is to find out first what train line you are going to use, followed by what time you intend to leave or arrive at the station. Planning and knowing your route first hand is a must. There are websites in Japan like www.hyperdia.com that tells you all the information you need for your trip across Japan by train. If you don't want to wait for 15 minutes, for example, let yourself be informed as to the time of departure or arrival of the train you will use.3. Plan ahead of timeThere are so many places in Japan that are worth visiting, so in order to at least have a guide to manage your leisure time proper planning of where to go and how many days, nights or hours you are going spend on that place will save you time and energy. Instead of roaming around and thinking of where to go next an on-hand itinerary will help a lot. There are some DIY itinerary guides you can find in a Google search and even here on the City-Cost website. So plan your next trip.Some photos during my free time in Japan.UenoPurification Water at Yasakuni ShrineTo view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Mn5WJ-living_transportation_chiba_tokyoFri, 08 Dec 2017 14:22:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Mn5WJ-living_transportation_chiba_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zaNb0-food_shopping_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_tokyoJapan can boast of many tourists attractions. In fact everywhere in Japan has its own thing to offer the tourist. From the scenery of old Japan up to that of modern Japan, there's plenty to amaze everyone, tourist or not, whether it be the natural beauty, the advanced architecture or, indeed, the enhanced beauty. The country’s rich culture makes it even more fascinating. Aside from those facts, I can also add that Japan’s food and cuisine is something to look forward to. It’s many travelers' dream to make at least once visit to Japan. Having that opportunity, I should say that it is truly worth it. Ramen, sushi, sashimi, sweets and delicacies are just some of Japan's many foods on offer. One of my favorite foods in Japan, that I myself did not really expect to like that much, is sashimi. Sashimi can be found in almost any restaurants serving Japanese cuisine. I think one of my favorite sashimi bars that I've experience is the one with rotating plates, where as the plate passes in front of you, you choose whether or not you're going to eat the sashimi. In this type of bar, there is less interaction between the customer and the service crew. Aside from the choices rotating via conveyor system, you can also ask for a special order through their menu. The prices vary from plate color. The prices are usually displayed at the side of the bar where you can immediately notice the price list. Usually gold plates take the highest price mark.Trying out sashimi for the nth times. Another sashimi bar I love is the one that can be found near Soga Station, Chiba. The thing about this restaurant is they served the sashimi in a very palatable manner. You won't just enjoy the taste of the food but also your eyes will also be satisfied by how the sashimi is arranged so delightfully such that it will be so pleasing to the costumer's eyes. They offer different kinds of sashimi served in one giant bowl. My favorite is the salmon sashimi.One great sashimi bowlThe taste of fresh sashimi is the best, and where can you find fresh sashimi? Of course, at the market where fish are freshly delivered from the fishing grounds to the ports and markets. The taste of freshly made sashimi is the best for me that's why, when I have the opportunity to try one, I grab the chance. At the Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, each street offers different kinds of sashimi that you can enjoy, from sea urchins to crabs and different kind of fish. Imagine the huge amount of fish in an area where you can actually get tired and full from eating so much while enjoying your food trip. Just be patient while strolling around Tsukiji as it may be so crowded specially during holidays and weekdays because of the huge amount of people wanting to taste fresh sashimi and other food here at Tsukiji Market. You can read more about my Tsukiji Market visit here.You may find also more sashimi bars, restaurants and stores depending on your location. The thing is learn to explore and maximize the use of technology so that you can find the best of the best sashimi in Japan.Sea urchins, ready to get inside your mouth.Happy eating. Follow my blog for more articles.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thoughts below in the comment section. It will be highly appreciated to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zaNb0-food_shopping_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_tokyoTue, 05 Dec 2017 11:32:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zaNb0-food_shopping_chiba_chuo_ku_chiba_shi_chiba_chuo_ku_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GypN6-living_money_transportation_tokyo_chiyoda_ku_tokyo_shinjuku_ku_tokyo_shibuya_ku_tokyoLooking for some places to go and enjoy Tokyo but having difficulties in compressing your busy schedule? Having trouble putting your budget in line while roaming around Japan? You need not worry because there is actually a way to spend only a few yen while traveling around Tokyo for one day.Considering Japan is a country where every little corner is worthy of a visit, you can enjoy some of these places I’m listing here. If you’re having difficulty finding way on how to get to some points in Japan, you can use Google Maps or be guided by my own post.Starting off in Tokyo Station. Since we are travelling from Chiba, we decided to take the train to reach Tokyo. Dropping off at Tokyo Station, a really nice station with several shopping centers inside and outside of the gates of the station. Inside Tokyo Station, you can roam and enjoy yourself with the different merchandise you can find. Outside is a real deal where you can find a great opportunity for a photograph with the exterior design of the building. The Western-inspired bricked building adds beauty to the place. Tokyo Station is also surrounded by shopping malls so you can have yourself a treat or stay tight on budget and just let yourself enjoy the view. The station is located in the Marunouchi business district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, near the Imperial Palace Grounds – our next destination.Outer Facade of Tokyo Station.Imperial Palace East Garden. Not so far from Tokyo Station, you can take a walk here. The Imperial Palace is the official residence of Japan’s Imperial Family. Now, we are talking about Japan’s king, queen, prince and princess. A picture perfect scene outside the palace are the massive stones and moats that surrounds the perimeter. From outside, visitors can view the bridge that is called the Meganebashi or Eyeglass Bridge for it looks like a pair of eyeglasses. The inner grounds are not generally open to the public but if you are lucky enough you can enter the inner grounds during the New Year’s Greeting and Emperor’s Birthday on January 2 and December 23, respectively. On ordinary days however, all you can access is the East Garden of the palace for a very low admission fee. It is for FREE! Enjoy the wide space of garden inside the city of Tokyo and take rest before going to our next stop.Signage at the Entrance of the East Garden of the Imperial Palace and the old Guard house of the Palace.Taking the train, Harajuku Station will be our next stop. Meiji Shrine is one of the places I considered to be the most interesting I have visited in Japan. The grounds that lead to the shrine itself are made up of a large forested area deep inside the busy city of Tokyo. This makes the place so relaxing to stroll in. The walk from either of the northern or southern entrances may take 10 minutes depending on the intensity of your walk. Again, the entrance fee for the complex is so cheap for a price of ... FREE. You may just need to spend your money on some of the items for souvenirs. I also recommend taking yourself to be cleansed first by the water located before the entrance at the main hall.The walkway going to Main Complex of Meiji Shrine.After the visit to the shrine, the nearby tourist destination street is our next stop. Just near the JR Yamanote Line station, Takeshita Street is so crowded because it is a must place to experience as a first timer in Japan. Though it is a really crowded place, we made our way onto the street to try and look for some of the items that are popular here. We tried a crepe and it tasted amazing. Passing through the entire street is a real challenge. So after that we have a quick break and take some rest by looking at some shoes at the stores outside the street.Takeshita Street SignThe busiest crossing around the world. Do you know now where our next station is? Yes, you’re getting it right, we are here now at the Shibuya Crossing! It is so satisfying to watch in real life the crowds crossing at the Shibuya pedestrian lane. The feeling is so unexplainable. We didn't miss our chance to be part of the crowd crossing the street several times. At some point, aside from the crossing, there is also a good spot here to take some photos. The monument of Hachiko. We strolled around here also but the crossing and Hachiko is our key destination in Shibuya.It’s getting dark outside, but we’re not through yet. The last stop for this day is to enjoy the entirety of the city view from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku. From the 202 meter high observatory inside the building, we can see the beauty of the city lights. From here you can take a rest while enjoying the view. Looking at different angles, different popular spots can be spotted from the observatory. The admission is again FREE!.Tokyo Metropolitan Government BuildingFor train guides on how to and how much will it cost, please read my post regarding to “Fare Amount Calculation”As a summary, we spent nothing in terms of admission fees. All we have to budget for is our transportation and our food. Aside from that, we may also buy some souvenirs.Happy reading. Follow my blog for more articles.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thought below at the comment section. It will be highly appreciated to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GypN6-living_money_transportation_tokyo_chiyoda_ku_tokyo_shinjuku_ku_tokyo_shibuya_ku_tokyoWed, 29 Nov 2017 12:48:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GypN6-living_money_transportation_tokyo_chiyoda_ku_tokyo_shinjuku_ku_tokyo_shibuya_ku_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/wZP6m-food_shopping_yokohama_shi_kanagawaIs it not true that every person who comes to Japan, whether on a visit or vacation or to stay for good, looks forward to a delicious bowl of ramen? Ramen, was originally introduced in China but is now a very popular dish in Japan, and now you can find ramen everywhere in the country. Ramen is so popular that it is also present even in Japanese anime or manga. I love ramen, I even have a write up about one of the popular ramen stores in Japan, Ichiran Ramen found throughout Japan.This time, I will feature another ramen store covering almost everything about ramen. When I say everything, I mean from the history itself up to the different flavors and kinds of ramen across Japan. Where to find a great ramen deal? Well, I know one ― at the Ra-Haku (ラ博) Ramen Museum in Shin-Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. If you are a traveler in Japan, I do suggest to visit this place for it will be worth it. For just a minimal fee of 310 yen (￥310), you can have access to all the ramen dishes from different regions of Japan. Upon paying the entrance fee, they will give you a ticket and floor access guide.Ramen Museum entrance ticket and access floor guide. Tip: You can ask for English access floor guide.Upon entry, you can evidently notice the first floor is dedicated to shoppers. The different shopping stalls here sell and offer things that are related to ramen. From noodles to instant ramen and to the kitchen wares used to prepare ramen, these and more can be seen on this floor. Moving forward on the first floor is the IRIS Slot-Car Race track. It is a race track that can be enjoyed by children and the child at heart.The two basement floors are the floors where visitors can enjoy wandering around a replica of the old town of Tokyo, Japan, the time when ramen started to gain its popularity among the locals. The detailed copy of old streets, houses, posters and signage are worth capturing. Everything in this place looks perfectly like of those in the history books of Japan.Old Japan streetsIs this what Tokyo looked like before?Long queue. Waiting for their turn.Of course, visiting a ramen-themed place would not be complete without trying even a single ramen flavor. You can place your order through a vending machine that can be found outside the chosen store. You can even try a small serving of ramen so that you can try more flavors of ramen at the museum. This will normally cost you 500~700 yen at most. Normal ramen servings will have an average price of 1,000~1,500 yen. In our case we chose to try another tonkatsu (pork bone / 豚骨). As a simple reminder, sometimes, usually during weekends and holidays, you may need to wait for a few, or quite a few, minutes in a long queue due to the large crowds visiting the ramen museum. For this reason, ramen shops do not accept advance reservations of seats, to maintain fairness for all visitors, whether a local or tourist. The serving time takes 10-15 minutes, depending on what you've ordered I think, but that time will just pass without you noticing it because we did a lot of talking and sharing of our thoughts about the place while waiting.My delicious choice of ramen. After enjoying our ramen, we decided to take a little break and go out of the area so that other visitors could start enjoying their order. We then took some photos and headed to our next destination, also around Yokohama City.To find more information about the ramen museum, go to http://www.raumen.co.jp/english/.You can be guided here on how to get to the place (I don't know exactly how to get to the museum because we were assisted by our Japanese friend who took us by car during our visit.Happy reading. Follow my blog for more articles.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thoughts below in the comment section. It will be highly appreciated in order to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/wZP6m-food_shopping_yokohama_shi_kanagawaFri, 17 Nov 2017 12:31:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/wZP6m-food_shopping_yokohama_shi_kanagawahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GWPvq-transportation_chiba_tokyo_sumida_ku_tokyoIt is difficult for us tourists/foreigners to know the exact amount of fare we are going to spend when we are doing our trip around Japan. The fact that we can't fully understand what is written on some signage makes it more complicated. On some points there are write ups and articles that can guide us in making our itinerary easier. In this post we are going to make use of readily available resources to inform us of the amount of money we are going to spend on our transportation.To make this guide simpler we will make use of the Suica card. If you don't have a Suica card, then you can follow this blog to guide you on how to avail a Suica card.1. Plan your trip ahead of time. Estimated times of arrival/departure will help you a lot. If you are not sure as to what train you are going to ride, go to http://www.hyperdia.com/en/.This website is an all in one website where you can find train times for both arrivals and departures, routes, fares, additional seat fees and other useful links.2. Using the Hyperdia page, you can input your place of origin and destination, time (choose your preference, it can be time of arrival at the place of destination or time of departure to your place of origin) and click search.3. The webpage will display several options from which you can choose that which fits for you.4. Understanding the page.①Place of Origin　 （※１）②Place of Destination　（※１）　（※１）Some destinations are being displayed when typing letters at the input box③Date of Departure/arrival④Time of Departure/arrival⑤Option if time and date you provided are departure or arrival⑥Select your preferred route, f there are several routes available. They will be displayed on the result page. Routes differs from each other. One maybe the time or the type of train you are going to use. Be careful as to what you are going to follow.⑦Time of departure/arrival of train from/at the station. In between the time of departure/arrival there is an estimate of how much time the travel consumes. If there are two timetables, it means that one is the arrival time at the station where you will transfer and the other time is the departure time from the "transfer" station.⑧Route. This column displays the several routes you will have to pass in order to get to your destination. For the given example, if I am going to Tokyo Skytree and my point of origin is from Soga station, I need to go first to Chiba station then take another ride from Chiba Station to Kinshicho Station via the JR Sobu LIne Rapid Service for Tokyo. Please take note of the fare bracketing in the "Fare" column section. The bracketing will give information if you are going to exit the station before transfering to another train. From Kinshicho Station, you have to exit from Kinshicho station, take the Tokyo Metro Line and get off at Oshiage Station before heading to Tokyo Skytree. Note that I have only selected this route as an example, there are several options to choose from.⑨The fare column will display the fare amount. The fare amount is based on the standard fare of the train line. If you use a Suica card, this amount may be reduced by some percentage. Using this display, you can also choose the cheapest way to travel to your destination.⑩Seat Fare. Notice that there is a drop down menu list in this column. If you want to have a reserved seat, then you can also view from here the cost of the reserved seat.⑪There are other useful links on the website. The links are usually for maps, hotel bookings, taxis, restaurants, e.t.c.5. Using the webpage displayed by Hyperdia, you can add the total amount to reveal your travel fare expenses that are going to incur on the your way to your destination.I hope this guide helped you in having an idea on your fare amount to get to your destination. Happy reading. Follow my blog for more articles.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thoughts below in the comment section. It will be highly appreciated to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GWPvq-transportation_chiba_tokyo_sumida_ku_tokyoMon, 13 Nov 2017 12:53:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GWPvq-transportation_chiba_tokyo_sumida_ku_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MgPrK-transportation_chiba_tokyoAside from the conventional ticket passes you can buy at the train stations which vary from a single pass or to a multiple ride, you can also avail a prepaid card.Single pass tickets are good for a single ride only, as its name suggests. The fare amount will depend on how far you travel, but no worries if you got the wrong ticket fare as there is an adjustment machine where you can add an additional amount on top of the ticket you previously bought. I also have guide on how you can plan your trip including the fare calculation.Sample single pass ticket (photo on the left side) amounting to ￥140. And the multi-use ticket (right side) with the station covered and date availability of the ticket. Another common train pass is the one that can be used over and over again until the indicated expiration date printed on the front of the ticket. This ticket can be availed at the stations, just ask the staff nearby and, for sure, they will help you. They are very welcoming!Now Suica will make all these things simple, it's a prepaid travel IC card basically issued by JR East Railways. Since 2015 Suica can be used across Japan. Not only for transportation (train and bus) though, it can also be used various kiosks, convenience stores, and vending machines to make some purchases.The good thing about this prepaid card that can save you time and money (a certain percentage of discount is being given when using a Suica card instead of a single ticket pass) is the very easy way of getting possession of the card. Below are the steps in availing Suica card:1. Find a multi-function ticket vending machine.2. If you can't understand kanji so well, then touch the "ENGLISH" button to change the language from Japanese to English. In doing so you can able to read what is being displayed on the screen properly.3. Select the "Purchase new Suica".4. Now, here is the important part in availing a Suica card. Upon selecting the "Purchase new Suica" option there are three options to choose - MySuica, Suica and Charge.If you choose "MySuica" you will need to fill in some of personal data such as name, birthday, gender, telephone number, and confirm the information you've provided. In this option this will take some time, maybe five to ten minutes. But the best advantage in choosing MySuica is if your card is lost, then you can ask for a replacement for it while your credit balance on your original card is transferred to your new card. So, I highly recommend this option over the next option which is the "Suica".Selecting the "Suica" option will make your transaction way faster. You won't be asked for personal details and confirmation. But the disadvantage is when it comes to the replacement of a lost card. The balance on the original card won't be transferred to your replacement as your replacement Suica card will be considered as new purchase of a Suica card. I don't recommend this option, but it's up to you which you're going to avail.The third option is "Charge" this one if you are going to add credit to your exisitng card. So for now, you won't need this one.5. After choosing the option that best fits your preference, now you have to pay for you new Suica card. You need at least 1,000 Yen to make the purchase. Your 1,000 yen payment will be divided into two. 500 yen will serve as a deposit fee for the Suica card. This means when you return the Suica card, for whatever purpose, at JR East Green Service Counter (みどりの窓口, midori no madoguchi) they will give you back your 500 yen. The other 500 yen will be your initial charge/balance to your Suica card. After this you can get your ready-to-use Suica card.6. Now you are ready to go around Japan. Now you won't have any worries in buying single journey ticket passes everytime you ride a train.My personal Suica Card. The name appears on the card because I use MySuica option during the process.I hope that you have no problem in buying your own Suica card. And I hope this blog post can help you.For more information, please go to http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.htmlHere you can find more information and the all regions where you can use you Suica card.Note: In some cases like paid seat tickets, aside from the Suica, you will need to purchase additional tickets on board.Happy reading. Follow my blog for more articles.If you have any comments or suggestions to improve this article just add your thoughts below at the comment section. It will be highly appreciated to improve my article and make it more useful to the expat community.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MgPrK-transportation_chiba_tokyoWed, 08 Nov 2017 11:28:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MgPrK-transportation_chiba_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MJ9P2-living_shopping_howto_chibaBuying online items nowadays is the new way of shopping hastle-free and sometimes more convenient than going to physical stores.Amazon Japan is one of the most popular online shopping networks in Japan. It has everything you need, is easy to access and easy to use, too.Being an alien resident in Japan makes some things complicated, not to mention the common problem of all - the language barrier. Since I'm having difficulty in learning the Japanese language I find buying online is some sort of relief on my part in reducing the effort to speak the language. In this post I will show you how to easily buy an item online using Amazon Japan.First thing to do is to have an Amazon Japan account. Creating your account is just as simple as counting one to three.1. Go to Amazon Japan official website. Click here. Upon redirecting to the Amazon Japan official website find the image with some kind of globe on top to change the language to English, making it more readable for those of us who can't fully understand the language. Look at the picture below for a clearer guide.1. English option language.2. To Login or sign up.2.Begin looking for the item you want to buy using the search box. Using the “All” department filter will show every item relevant to what you’ve searched. If you want to find the item quickly you may try to narrow down your filter at the left side of the window. You can also adjust how you want to things to be sorted. You can sort items by relevance, price (low to high/high to low), average customer review, and newest arrivals.Refining your search using the "Sort" at the right side and the options at the left side of the page.3.If you already found the item you're after, you can now add it your virtual cart, by doing so the page will be redirected to another page wherein you can glance once more your item. On this page you will have an option to “Proceed to check out” or “Edit Cart”. If you are sure of your order then click “the proceed to check out” button. Otherwise, edit your cart at your own pleasure.At the right side of the page, the shipping option/fee. There is also information on the page as to what will be the approximated time of delivery.4.Upon proceeding to check out, you will be asked once more to log-in to your account for security purposes. After signing in, you will be asked to where and to whom the item will be delivered. The instructions for address input are also on this page. Delivery of items has two options, one is the door to door basis where the item will be delivered at your doorstep or the other one is the pick up item at the nearest convenience store. The second option of delivery is not always applicable for all items. In this section also the option for payment will be selected.The proceed to check out and edit cart page.5.The second to last step, is the option to gift wrap. And the last thing is placing your order. After placing your order, a confirmation email will be sent to your registered email address. And after all of these steps, all you need to do is to wait for your item to be delivered.Happy shopping!To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MJ9P2-living_shopping_howto_chibaThu, 02 Nov 2017 14:20:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MJ9P2-living_shopping_howto_chibahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MPOjW-living_food_shopping_money_transportation_tokyo_taito_ku_tokyoAsakusa is indeed one of the most visited places in Tokyo. Aside from the famous Skytree, there is still more you can do while in Asakusa. I've listed my favorite things to do when I am in Asakusa.Try a ride via "Jinrikisha" (rickshaw, a man-powered vehicle). You can explore Asakusa by foot since you can feel safe and sound while exploring this part of Tokyo, but if you are looking for some experience that can be truly amazing, you can try to ride the rickshaw. This ride will guide and bring you around the Asakusa area. Don't worry, rickshaw and their drivers can be easily found because they are everywhere near Sensoji Temple.The man-powered vehicle which will take you around Asakusa.Food and souvenirs at Nakamise-dori. This street is full of something you can try and buy. From local foods and delicacies, to amulets and souvenirs, they have it all to complete your Asakusa experience. Expect huge crowds strolling around this street everyone on the hunt to find some great deals and souvenirs. Take this dori straight and it will lead you to Sensoji Temple, a Buddhist Temple which is Asakusa's main attraction (I think).Sensoji Temple. This temple has passed through the ages and yet is still standing, amazing visitors with its beauty and rich history. The temple is popular not only with foreigners but also with Japanese visitors who come here with their friends, family or just by themselves. Inside the temple I can say it is truly beautiful. Many people go to the temple to pay respects and pray to their gods. As a tourist, I also tried what others are doing inside Sensoji - pay my respects at the temple and, of course, I tried to get my fortune. You can try this at the "Omikuji Station". Just drop 100 yen in the box then draw a stick and at the tip of the stick there's a corresponding number (written in kanji, if you can't read it, better to ask someone or look and try to memorize the characters written and search for the same characters at the "drawers") and then look for the corresponding fortune slip. If you get some good fortune, you can keep it, otherwise there is a pole nearby and you can tie it there so that the bad fortune won't follow you anymore. When I tried this fortune telling "scheme" at the temple, I got some bad fortune that's why I tied it over the pole nearby the Omikuji Station. We also had the chance to witness a game where a child faced to another child and the first one to cry lost the game. We tried some foods inside the compoundm too. The shaved ice is great to quench your thirst! I intentionally blurred the characters on the stick.Bad fortune? No problem, tie it!Sensoji TempleI think, my best experience when I had a chance to visit Asakusa was the Asakusa to Odaiba river cruise. We were able to catch the last trip going to Odaiba from Asakusa. I got a whole lot of different experiences of Tokyo while exploring this side of the city. (You can read my blog post here about Tokyo by the water). Before going on a cruise, we've waited for some time. While waiting for the specified time on our ticket, we tried to capture some beautiful views near the river. From the Sumida River, you can easily see Tokyo Skytree. Group photos were taken for us so we could have a personal souvenir of the place. It was a wonderful experience cruising from Asakusa to Odaiba.Panoramic view while waiting for our Tokyo cruise.Next time you visit Asakusa make sure to try some of the activities I tried myself during my trip and share them also here on City-Cost.Thank you for reading! To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MPOjW-living_food_shopping_money_transportation_tokyo_taito_ku_tokyoWed, 18 Oct 2017 19:06:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/MPOjW-living_food_shopping_money_transportation_tokyo_taito_ku_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/z1AA5-living_transportation_tokyo_bunkyo_ku_tokyoStrolling around Akihabara? We all know that Akihabara is very popular to its very good deals when it comes to gadgets. What we sometimes forget that there are still some places near the area that are worth paying a visit.Aside from the Kanda Myojin Shrine, Yushima Seido Temple is quite popular for it is a Confucian Temple. As the name itself it is a temple dedicated to Confucius. The ability of people to improve through endeavor is a way of Confucianism that's why Confucianism greatly affects the philosophical aspects of Japanese which influence them the way they think and act. Making Yushima Seido Temple important.The compound has a peaceful ambiance making it so great when looking for somewhere in city to have a peaceful and quiet place to stroll or think of something in deep.Inside the boundaries of the place, you can find a bronze statue of Confucius.The Bronze Statue of Confucius.Before walking inside the courtyard of the temple, you will pass through a gate at the top of the steps leading to the temple courtyard. Passing through the gate, you will immediately notice the black building which is the main building in the temple, the Taiseidan. The building was basically black with some details at the ceiling and roof. The temple was frequently visited by students who are praying for the success of their exam.The gate leading to the courtyard and main buildingThe main building in Yushima Seido Temple, the Taiseidan.The Yushima Seido is open from 9:00 up to 17:00 (16:00 during winter). The main building or the Taiseidan is open for public viewing on Saturdays, Sundays and all public holidays.The nearest train stations near the Yushima Seido are Ochanomizu Station, Shin-Ochanomizu Station and the Akihabara Station. Next time you visit Akihabara try to visit Yushima Seido Temple.Feel free to drop a comment below and follow me to get my latest post here at city-cost.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/z1AA5-living_transportation_tokyo_bunkyo_ku_tokyoSun, 08 Oct 2017 16:13:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/z1AA5-living_transportation_tokyo_bunkyo_ku_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GoxxA-food_shopping_money_transportation_kisarazu_shi_chiba_kanagawaThe 4th longest underwater tunnel in the world is situated in Japan - the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line. It connects Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture and Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture. At the point before you enter the tunnel there is an artificial island where you can find some stuff. There are also restaurants, shops and even an amusement facilities so that if you decided to take a break first before continuing your journey you can take some rest here. Aside from the shops, you can also find some good spots to take some photos at the middle of the sea. There's also an information where you can find one of the actual tool drill which was used in digging the tunnel. It is written in both English and Japanese, so less worry. You can also take peek at the middle of the sea using the telescope which will be operate upon dropping 100 yen to its coin slot. From the telescope you can find the some great views like the windmills and even the ferris wheel in Odaiba.The giant drill!Next time you visit Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, drop by here and take a look from the middle of the sea.Feel free to add comment below and follow me.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GoxxA-food_shopping_money_transportation_kisarazu_shi_chiba_kanagawaSun, 08 Oct 2017 14:58:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/GoxxA-food_shopping_money_transportation_kisarazu_shi_chiba_kanagawahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/wXYLM-living_shopping_transportation_chiba_tokyoDisney Resort is among the top themes park around the globe. Disneyland is perhaps the top destination in the Tokyo Disney Resort but for us grown ups we prefer to go to DisneySea, the other half of the Disney Resort in Tokyo.DisneySea has a lot of things to offer. From the beautiful views and attractions, food inside the resort is also something to look forward too. Here are my personal top and crazy things to do when visiting Tokyo DisneySea.First to do upon arrival at Maihama Station - after a few minutes walk you can already see the Tokyo Disneyland signage where you can take photos for FREE! Be sure to arrive early so that you can avoid the number of tourists taking a photos and "selfies" at this popular spot.(1st photo. Disneyland Signage Photos) From Maihama Station, you have two options on how you to reach DisneySea. First is on foot which will take about fifteen minutes and the second option, which will give you another unforgettable experience, is by riding at the dedicated line around the Disney Resort which is called the Disney Resort Line. The cost for one way travel (full loop) on the line is 260 yen for adults (12 years old and above - see *1 below). The ride itself is amazing because you will ride on a train where you can see Disney-inspired design and as well as take in the whole view of the resort.(2nd photo. Disney Resort line train.)And there you go! The DisneySea entrance. For entrance tickets we used the 1-Day passport ticket which cost 7,400 yen (for ages 18 and over - see *2 below). At the moment the resort is opened, a welcome song will give the vibes that you are indeed inside the Disney Sea Resort. The band played the song so well. In front of the stage where the band held their performance is a globe. Don't hesitate to take a picture.(3rd photo. Inside the Disney Resort. Disney Sea Ticket, band welcoming the guests and the picture of the globe + fast pass tickets)Inside the resort there are lots of things to do. We headed first to the "fast pass lane" to minimize our waiting time, using it initially for Toy Story Mania. After getting a fast pass ticket you need to wait for, I think, two hours before you can avail another fastpass ticket again. While waiting we tried Tower of Terror. The name of the attraction is also the proper description for it. It was truly a tower of terror. I won't spoil other details!After the Tower of Terror, we then moved to other spots in the resort. Taking lighter attractions after Tower of Terror was our next move which included going to the magical world of Aladdin, discovering Sinbad's Storybook Voyage, and conquering Triton's Kingdom. Taking the DisneySea Transit Steamer Line allowed us to pass the time while taking a short rest after our lunch.After these light attractions we then moved again to another adventure, the Indiana Jones Adventure. It was really fun. Can I spoil some details? Of course I won't! Then continuing the adventure, we went on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You can discover the mysterious world under the sea in this ride. And uncover secrets at the Fortress of Exploration.After this, we started enjoying three fastpass tickets begining with the Raging Spirits ride. A breathtaking ride indeed!We then took Toy Story Mania and to get to the attraction faster we rode at the Disney Electric Railway. Toy Story Mania will unleash your competitive side in 3D world. After playing like children we then tried, again, the Tower of Terror. You know now how interesting this Tower of Terror is that we dared to try it again. Thinking that it would be our last ride, we had a go on the Nemo and Friends Sea Rider. It was fun, for kids I think. It is a 4D-world attraction. Opps, no more spills!Before ending our trip though, this, I think, is the best ride we took -the Aquatopia. Since it was truly fun and a good stress reliever we dared to repeat the attraction. Can we say our day was over? I think not, because we didn't buy souvenirs yet. Buying souvenirs will take up some of your time because you have many items to choose from, so my tip is to buy only what you really do like.And that was the end of our fun trip at DisneySea. To sum it up, and sort by rank (personal preference) the attractions we took in, here is my list.10. Aladdin and Triton's Kingdom9. Sinbad's Storybook Voyage8. Disney Electric Railway7. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Nemo and Friends Sea Rider6. Indiana Jones Adventure5. DisneySea Transit Steamer Line4. Raging Spirits3. Fortress of Exploration2. Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania1. AquatopiaTips:a. Plan your trip, including attractions to take in beforehand. Planning ahead will make every minute of your stay in the resort worthwhile.b. Book your ticket ahead. If possible, buy your ticket online so that you can avoid long lines at the ticket counter. NOTE: Buy only at the partner travel agencies or directly buy from the Tokyo Disney Resort website.c. Plan your fastpass. d. A Plan A and Plan B are necessary.*1: Fares of Disney Resort Line*2: Park Ticket Price*3: Tokyo Disney Resort Official WebsiteTo view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/wXYLM-living_shopping_transportation_chiba_tokyoFri, 29 Sep 2017 10:35:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/wXYLM-living_shopping_transportation_chiba_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/z4gqM-money_transportation_chiba_kyonan_machi_chibaLooking for something different? Thinking to escape from the noise of the city? I have a good place to suggest. The Mount Nokogiri.It is very accessible as it is a train away from Chiba Station or Tokyo Station.From Tokyo Station take JR special express “Sazanami”. Get off to Hamakanaya Station and from the station it is just few minutes walk to reach the ropeway. Or if from Chiba Station take a train going to Kizarazu Station and from Kizarazu to Hamakanaya Station or take a train which will pass through Hamakanaya Station station without transferring to another train.Ropeway is very convenient in reaching the top of the mountain. For oneway ride of ropeway, it will cost you 500 yen and 930 yen for round trip ride. I suggest to take a one way ride and just walk when you will get off to the mountain because it is not so difficult to walk down.Hiking around the mountain the mountain is a little bit challenging. There are several attractions around the mountain. The Giant Buddha Statue curved at the side of the mountain.Go here to view the Tokyo Bay from the top of the mountain.Nice view.There are still more places you can go around the mountain. Just try to visit in here and you won't regret visiting the place. It is quiet, peaceful and beautiful. A nice way to escape the noise of the city.For more information. Click here.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/z4gqM-money_transportation_chiba_kyonan_machi_chibaThu, 28 Sep 2017 19:23:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/z4gqM-money_transportation_chiba_kyonan_machi_chibahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/w2Q3G-living_transportation_chibaOne of the most accessible castles near Tokyo is located in Chiba Prefecture.The castle is open to public from Tuesday to Sunday. If Monday is a holiday observance in Japan, the castle opens its door for public and be closed on the following day. There are no entrance fee for the place. Absolutely free of charge.Inside the castle holds the history of Chiba prefecture. There are actually several floors and each floors have their things to display the history and culture of Chiba. Artifacts and other antiques that were preserved until this very moment are also displayed inside the castle.Transportation is not difficult. If coming from Tokyo, take JR Lines and drop by either to Chiba Station or Hon-Chiba Station. From Hon-Chiba Stations it is just 10 minutes away by walk.More information about Chiba Caste. Click here.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/w2Q3G-living_transportation_chibaWed, 27 Sep 2017 16:35:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/w2Q3G-living_transportation_chibahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zKykw-food_chiba_shi_chibaFood is something to look forward to in Japan. Sushi, sashimi, tempura, yakitori and of course ramen. There are lots of foods to look forward to in Japan but the star for this post is my favorite which is the latter, my favorite ramen. Ramen comes in different flavors. I’ve tried some flavors from different ramen stores. I've even gone to the ramen museum to try ramen flavors which are popular across Japan. But I think my favorite ramen is the ramen served at Ichiran Ramen.(First photo. Ramen Museum Pass. Ramen Museum （ラ博） at Shin-Yokohama.)Ichiran Ramen stores are not so difficult to find for I think it is indeed popular in Japan. Ichiran Ramen serves only one type of ramen which is tonkotsu (pork bone / 豚骨ラメん. For me less is more. It will save you from consuming too much time in choosing from the many variety of ramen that can be served. All Ichiran Ramen stores have a standard vending machine (for me it is a good thing because for someone who can’t speak much of the language, vending machines at shops or stores like this will save you) where you can insert your money and pick your corresponding order. The standard ramen will cost you I think 790円 and there are also additional bowls of noodles, egg and so on for an additional cost. After you pick your dish, a ticket will be dispensed at the machine and be ready for your order.At the seat proper, you will immediately notice the wooden divider in between costumers' seats to reduce interactions between diners so that they can fully enjoy the richness of the original Ichiran Ramen. As you seat they will give you a sheet of paper where you can encircle your ramen preference. And by the way, if you cannot read Japanese characters (日本語) you can ask for an English menu (英語). You will encircle your preference from flavor strength, richness, garlic, sliced pork, Ichiran’s Original Red Sauce and noodle texture. After choosing the best ramen of your preference you will need then to press the button for them to prepare your order.(Second Photo. Seat at Ichiran Ramen with my friends)After a few minutes had passed, my mouth watering ramen was served. I ordered extra egg for I was hungry at that time. From the time it was served you can imagine how the taste is going to be. Presentation was good, you can smell the richness of the flavor and the redness of its original red sauce will make you hungrier.(Third photo. My own order of Ichiran Ramen. I was too excited to order so I really forgot to take a photo of what I’ve encircled on the order sheet. But If I were you, you must explore and find your own personal taste with this one)Without any further ado, we started eating our order without uttering a word to fully enjoy and satisfy our hungry stomachs. After finishing our ramen, we silently got out of the store in order for the other costumers not to be distracted. Outside we laughed and saod that it was indeed a delicious ramen.I tried Ichiran Ramen not only for one try, not even two or three. There are many times that I have experienced the magical ramen, trying different combinations and preferences to challenge my taste. I have some pictures showing different levels of Ichiran Ramen’s red sauce.(Several Photos. Trying out different levels of red sauce)As a conclusion, I think it is a must try ramen if you are in Japan. It won’t disappoint you because I think it is delicious in taste. You should try this one!For complete information of menu in Ichiran Ramen please visit their official website at https://en.ichiran.com/ .Any comments, suggestions or question? Just asked me below in the comment section. And I would highly appreciate it. Thank you for reading my post!To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zKykw-food_chiba_shi_chibaWed, 13 Sep 2017 14:21:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zKykw-food_chiba_shi_chibahttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/G6jVG-living_chiba_onjuku-machiIt’s more fun under the sun when you are with friends. It is much funnier when you’re all enjoying the sun at the beach. As the heat of the sun rises in Japan, our desire to unleash that heat at the beach also rises. We never tasted a beach experience this year (2017) in the Philippines because of staying here in Japan for six months for our training. Being here for months without the summer beach experience makes us hungrier for the sun-kissed skin feeling at the beach, so we decided to push through with a beach experience plan in Japan.Since we are all staying near Soga Station (蘇我駅) in Chiba the nearest beach resort is located in Onjuku (御宿). From Soga Station, we took a local service train going to Awa-Kamogawa via the Sotobo Line which took an hour and ten minutes of travel for￥1,140. If you want a shorter period of travel, you may take a limited express train going to Awa-Kamogawa which will take 46 minutes but for ￥ 2,790. Both fares are good for one way only. Either train will stop at Onjuku station where you will get off. If you are not sure where the beaches are, you can go to the tourist information center, just a few steps from the Onjuku Station, to ask for the direction (don’t worry, they can speak English) upon asking they will point you in the direction of the beach and they will also give you a map (NOTE: There is a stamp here, so don’t miss the chance to add this stamp to your collections).And there you go, the beach! We can notice the wooden bridge before reaching the beach side. You can snap some photos here, like we did, before going to the beach. Other things you might notice are the crescent moon and the camels at the beach side. These are really a great aspect to capture while here at Onjuku. The beach side. Since we came here not so well prepared, we rented two umbrellas for ￥1,000 (I think, not sure anymore because I am not the one who payed the rent) and a locker at ￥1,000 with unlimited bath usage in the shower room. If you don’t want to rent a locker room, you can pay for the shower room for ￥500 per shower (I do recommend to rent a locker to have unlimited use of the shower, you can save more by doing so). If you are hungry, there are lots of food options to choose from so don’t hesitate to explore the area.A beach experience is not complete without any beach activities, so aside from swimming (technically and basically, we were here for that) we had fun at the beach side. We built sand castles and burried one of our friends and made him a "merman".We also managed to play beach volley. We rented the ball for ￥500 but upon returning the ball, they also returned our￥500, so it means the ￥500 is actually for the safety deposit only, not an actual rent. We had fun and created lots of memories. It was a day of stress-free life.In all, having a beach experience in Japan is as much fun as we’re having in the Philippines (or maybe the same also in your country of origin). I think the point is whether you’re in your country or not you just need to enjoy the moment with your friends and have fun with what you’re doing in that particular place. Remember that it is you who will create the moment, so why not just enjoy and create more memories to cherish with your friends.PS. We all rented the locker, shower, umbrella and ball at the first store you will find when get out of the station (I can’t remember the name of the store).Some Photos:a. Wooden Bridge. This is the bridge before you actually reach the beach side. b. Beach Volley Jumpshotc. Crescent Moon and Camel Credits to Bethel, Melmar and Kifer for the photos.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/G6jVG-living_chiba_onjuku-machiWed, 16 Aug 2017 17:45:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/G6jVG-living_chiba_onjuku-machihttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Gly2w-transportation_tokyoAs part of our long break from stressful work we decided to explore some parts of Tokyo. We went to Akihabara to look for some cheap deals on gadgets, then to Asakusa and Odaiba. We traveled from Asakusa to Odaiba via Tokyo Cruise. There are five lines to choose from. The first one is the Himiko Line which travels from Asakusa to Odaiba Seaside Park and vice versa which will then pass through Toyosu. This trip will take about 50 minutes. It is 20 minutes from Odaiba Seaside Park to Toyosu and another 40 minutes from Toyosu to Asakusa. The second one is the Sumida River Line from Asakusa to Hamarikyu to Hinode Pier which will take 40 minutes for the total journey. Third is the Odaiba Line. From Hinode Pier to Odaiba Seaside Park this cruise will take 20 minutes. Fourth is Tokyo Big Sight, Pallete Town Line. This line has two options - one is from Hinode Pier to Tokyo Big Sight (Ariake) and the other from Hinode to Pallete Town to Tokyo Big Sight (Ariake). And of course our trip takes the Hotaluna Line which will pass through Hinode Pier and has a travel time of 40 minutes and, from Hinode Pier to Odaiba Seaside Park, another 20 minutes. For more information about the route and payments please go to their website at http://www.suijobus.co.jp.The Hotaluna Line wil cost you ￥1,560 and will cruise along the Sumida River and Tokyo Bay. I think it is very affordable for a 60-minute ride from Asakusa to Odaiba Seaside Park. Our time of departure I think was the last departure for that day. This is a perfect moment if you want to catch the sunset while on a cruise. You can continue to amaze yourself at the Seaside Park.Arriving at Hinode Pier where some passengers from Asakusa end their cruise while others start from here. The second image, I think, is another cruise ship which has a pirate theme.What to expect? Of course we must, and we did, enjoy ourselves while on the boat although it was a little bit windy that day.The feeling is magical, it is as if you are free of worries and problems and, at least for a moment, we can find ourselves free from negativity! We're breakin' free! Soaring high!Silhouettes of the buildings of Tokyo as the sunsets. Tokyo Tower is there! This side of Tokyo is a 'must see' view from Tokyo Bay!And there you go, we are almost at our destination. Now passing the famous Rainbow Bridge which has a perfect viewing spot from Odaiba Seaside Park. Aside from the Rainbow Bridge there are more bridges you will pass through during the cruise. Azuma Bridge, Komagata Bridge, Umaya Bridge, Kuramae Bridge, Ryogoku Bridge, Shin-onashi Bridge, Kiyosu Bridge, Sumidagawa Bridge, Eitai Bridge, Chuo-ohashi Bridge, Tsukuda-ohashi Bridge, Kachidoki Bridge and Tsukiji-ohashi Bridge.A few more minutes and we arrived safely at Odaiba Seaside Park. From there we took some photos of Rainbow Bridge as the night was falling. It was truly amazing experience to cruise along the river and bay and witness the other side of Tokyo. It is a highly recommended activity for tourists like me who want to experience some other sides of Japan.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Gly2w-transportation_tokyoMon, 19 Jun 2017 11:05:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/Gly2w-transportation_tokyohttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zDxyz-food_shopping"Tsukiji Nippon Fish Port Market has basically two main parts, the Inner Market where wholesale deals and processing of fishes takes place and the outer market (jōgai-shijō) where you can find retail shops for kitchen wares, groceries, seafoods and many restaurants." (Wikipedia).Ok, this is what I experienced in this market. I am not a fan of sushi and sashimi because for me cooked food is still the best. But I think this market makes the difference. Sashimi here is very fresh, as in you can witness how they will slice the parts of the fish to turn it into delicious sushi/sashimi. The price is reasonable for some delicious food, not bad at all. If you are in Japan, don't miss the chance in tasting this mouthwatering food because this one is exceptional! Aside from the delicious sushi/sashimi, you can also try out some noodles around the street.Pictures below are captured in the outer market.1. The Entance. Nice view from the outside.2.Who wants sea urchins? Well I don't love sea urchins, especially when I am enjoying myself at the beach and suddenly an urchin stings you and forget how to relax for the day. Its payback time! You can eat some urchins here for a reasonable price. Taste was good. 8/103. Everyone loves lobsters! Try them! If you do come here to the Tsukiji fish market make sure to prepare your stomach, because it'll be your CHEATDAY!4. "Hey there, are you enjoying yourself?" Yeah, I know right, it's tasty and delicious. Fresh from the market, then eat! No additional preservatives added. 100% fresh!Overall I enjoyed visiting this place, trying out some raw food, and some strange food as well, in order to experience how to eat this food in Tsukiji market. Even though I typically don't eat much of these kinds of foods, I still found this experience unique and awesome. For sashimi lovers, Tsukiji must be the perfect place to taste authentic sashimi from Japan. Even if you really aren't interested in trying this kind of food, this is a place anyway as admission is free and there's a lot of things to window shop and buy, like Japanese kitchen 'tools'.Access is easy using public transportation because the market is just above the Tsukiji Shijo Station on the Oedo Subway Line.If you are coming from Tokyo Station take the Marunouchi Subway Line from Tokyo Station to Ginza, and from Ginza change your line to the Hibiya Subway Line to reach Tsukiji Station.If coming from Shinjuku Station, take the Oedo Subway Line from Shinjuku Station to Tsukiji Shijo Station.The closest JR Line station is Shimbashi, from there you can walk to the Tsukiji market in about 12-15 minutes.Reminder:Visitors/tourists are not allowed into the inner market (wholesale area) during peak business activities (before 10 in the morning) so as to avoid interference with the workers and potential accidents / unnecessary events. After these peak hours though you are free to roam around the area and capture those moments that will make this trip complete.To view the full contents of this page visit www.city-cost.comPostshttps://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zDxyz-food_shoppingFri, 16 Jun 2017 11:08:00 +0900https://www.city-cost.comhttps://www.city-cost.com/blogs/Aeon/zDxyz-food_shopping