Instagram in Japan part 1

I was digging around in my computer folders and found some very interesting shots I took with my iPhone 4 instagram app. I thought to share some with you so I uploaded couple to my flickr site ! I hope you like them and please comment.

In front of Harajuku station.

Nippon Banzai !!!

My fridge in Japan at it’s normal state, full of Asahi super dry ,casis and healthy food in general.

Couple of normal metro photos, I so love being in the underground in Tokyo , rush hour or not I love it 😀

These lines make the metro more interesting for me for some reason 😀

From one of my favorite bars in the World.. at Monzen-Nakacho, it’s name is Zero but since there is a bicycle on the window I always called it “jitensha” as in bicycle in Japanese. Very nice small place with a great staff and good drinks! I once tried to talk to them when I was drunk, since they didn’t speak English , I spoke in the little Japanese I knew and learned few new things.

Waiting for my girlfriend to get off work and playing with my new ipad 2 , I think I bought that only few days ago before I took this photo.

I do hope that all of you like my weird little blog here. soon as I get back to Japan I will start making more “travel tips” for everyone , of places to visit and why and of course with photos.

Visit my flickr site to see more photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/picsoflife/

First time in Tokyo part 2

Hey hey !

I’d like to continue from where I left off in my last post and show you some of my favorite photos I took in Japan and a little bit of the stories behind them 😉

One of the last days in Japan last June I was walking in asakusa trying to find some temple but then I saw a “business” man leaving a can of cat food to the ground and I sat down to see if there would come someone to eat it and after couple of minutes she came 😀 She did not like I was spying her like this tho!

Amazing view in Monzen-Nakacho , I love so much Monnaka (Monzen-Nakacho) that I do trully wish that someday I could live there forever.

I’m sure all you know Ginza line! one of three of the lines I used the most with Tozai and Oedo line 😀

These flowers are so beautiful, even tho I was leaving Japan that week, those flowers cheered me up a little !

High tech samurai… even tho I gave him my DSLR and he had no idea how to use it 😀

Oh my god ! the Deathgods are going to kill us with their pose !  cosplay from the anime Bleach.

Full blown Hanami time in Tokyo, I like this photo a lot !

Ueno Park is absolute mad house when Hanami is going on but I loved it , I feel like home in Japan so I feel comfortable in this kind of events too 😀

I’m happy there wasn’t much people in the Hanami at Ueno 😀

Well to be honest that was my Trip in Japan at very short version , you can read more about my life in Japan by reading my old blog posts or watching my flickr photos from Japan, or my videos in You tube , but only 5 weeks left and I’ll be back and I promise you’ll be getting weekly updates and daily photos from there, and by following my facebook “fan page you can get more updates of my life there, don’t worry I don’t spam 😀

 

First time in Tokyo part 1

Hello Everyone !

I’ll show you some of my favorite shots I took in Japan last spring in this post. I was in Japan last spring for 3 months, it was the best time in my life. I already have flights back to Japan for the Autumn of 2011, which is in about 6 weeks and then you can read more about my life in Japan and see much much more photos ! but I’ll tell you more about my plans for that trip later 🙂 let’s now enjoy these photos!

Roppongi Hills, Mori tower is such an amazing place ! in there I got a feeling of joy and happiness that now, I’m truly finally in Japan.

People who read my blog surely remember this cute cat ! found her guarding a temple near ikebukuro.

Everybody who been in Japan sure have their own favorite beer brand, mine is Asahi Super dry ! Missing the taste of it !

Begin of the Sakura (Cherry blossom) time in Tokyo, it was so magical to see those flowers everywhere, in my flickr site I have own folder for Sakura because I took so much photos of them. this was taken in Shinjuku park.

This park is one of my favorites, it’s near Tsukiji but can’t remember the name right now , but it sure is a site to see ! I came here often just to relax and listen music.

The famous Rainbow bridge ! It Brings back many great memories, two specially. The first time I met a girl who is now my girlfriend, we walk together from Tokyo tower to Odaiba and we walked through that bridge, it was an amazing feeling 😀 . Other good memory is when I went there to take photos but it felt like the strong wind would have blown me away to the water !

He surely loves that bambu! That morning I was in my home at Monzen-Nakacho watching the morning TV when I noticed that today was the day they reopened the Ueno Zoo. I quickly packed my camera and went to the park and then I saw a crazy long line of people. I walked around Ueno park a little see if the queue would get smaller but it just grew longer and longer, then I started to circle the zoo to see if there is another entrance and yes there were ! I got in right away ,no waiting at all ! but when I wanted to see this cute Panda I had to wait in a queue about 50 minutes give or take 😀 but it was worth it and right after I saw them I went back to the queue to see them again fast!.

After that visit to the Zoo I saw these beautiful sakura trees that of course I had to see!

I went on a little cruise on this very “anime” style ship that I loved ! Himiko is it’s name !I went from Odaiba harbor to Asakusa, was great little trip !! I recommend highly !

This is a normal view in Asakusa that probably all tourist have taken a photo of !

Then in the evening I went to relax in Ikebukuro Sunshine 60 tower ! great view! second best in Tokyo if you ask me !

Japanese people and their phones ! Got a love it when the sakura time started and all the Japanese people took photos of the sakura with their phones, business men taking photos of sakura while they are walking to work.

My first real Hanami ! Sakura house/sakura hostel organized this and it was great fun ! met many new friends who became good friends to this day. Sadly it started raining after 15minutes but after that we went to the Sakura hostel asakusa for drinks and after that to a Samurai bar!

I was going to Takao mountain that is in Tokyo technically, a day trip that I recommend to everyone ! there is 3 ways to go up, this way I did or walking or railway. but have to say the way I did it was the most interesting 😀

Had to eat one of these when I got up ! Odango very delicious !

my very first Udon in Japan that I ate on top of a mountain with a view of Fuji mountain.

Went to Hooters in Tokyo with my friend Ko who I met in that Hanami I said earlier! ps. Hooters tokyo delicious food among other things !

Like everyday waiting for the train 😀

Beautiful temple near Tokyo tower as you can see, Zozo-ji temple ! a place you have to see in Tokyo!

Took this in Akihabara after a long shopping day ! that Crepe booth just opened and everyone is thinking what to get, I love them so much ! deliciouuusss !

@ the Tokyo metropolitan building, Great view but not the best tho!

Always fun at the Izakaya! from left to right Mizuho, Ari(me) ,Yurika and Anthony

Sat (in the middle) with his Strange look 😀 that’s how Brits pose for the camera 😀 great dude !

This is how Americans pose ! (Anthony and I in the background)

Waiting to get my iPad 2 at ginza, Took me couple of hours but got it 😀

Sooo cute !! saw her in Yokohama!

One piece event in Tokyo dome ! was great !! yes I love Anime !

Poor little cat 😀 everyone taking photos of her so of course I had to take too !

Odawara Castle , near Tokyo , if you go to Tokyo you have to see it ! it will blow you mind ! My girlfriend took me here and I was in shock of the beauty of it !

My girlfriend and I , with my Samura gang ! 😀

Best way to park cars 😀 Space saver!

Every morning I saw this view and it was amazing ! Monzen-Nakacho

I could continue this for a long time 😀 I got so much photos ! if you want to see more , visit my flickr page and facebook pages !

Food in Japan

To start with, I love japanese food.Before I went to Japan I did not know much of Japanese food culture other then Sushi and Ramen ( which is actually chinese but still).

So when I went to the first izakaya and I ate that very delicious izakaya food, it opened my eyes to a whole new tastes.

My normal tradition is when I go to izakaya, is that when I sit down I put my Marlboro pack and lighter to the table and order too Pints of beer (preferably Asahi super dry). In the first months when I got to Japan I used to go to Izakaya with my girlfriend (who wasn’t my girlfriend at that time) every weekend, it got so normal that we had been all day together so what should we do now, of course izakaya.

That pizza looking dish is actually Korean pizza and it was deeelicious !

I sure love those salads in Izakayas !

In this photo you can see that the night was at a good stage, we had eaten and now table is full of drinks and beer!

But that is enough of Izakayas for a while ! I promise next time I’m in Japan I will take much more interesting photos of food and izakaya nights!

Udon ! it’s so delicious that it makes my mouth water !

I also ate burgers in Hard rock cafe Tokyo and Hooters tokyo they were deeeeelicious ! to think that I come from a country that doesn’t have any big food chain then McDonalds.

Hard rock cafe.

and Hooters Tokyo ( which is great place to visit ! )

Also these little festival foods are very good !

The most cutest dog in the world !

I absolutely love this dog! well all that shiba inu race !

when I move to japan I will get one.

Just wanted to update my situation now as well!
I’m now in Finland, I came back from Japan in June and last week I got my flights to fly back to Japan in the begin of October.
More updates soon to come !