Arashiyama : The “NEW” Old (Bamboo Groove Illumination & Kimono Forest)

Having been to Arashiyama few years back didn’t quite prepare me for this trip. There were a few “NEW” old places that I rediscovered in this trip, namely the Bamboo Groove and Kimono Forest.

Truthfully I am rather impress with what the Kansai Tourism embarked in ensuring the return and growth of local and domestic tourist. An act I hope that our Tourism Malaysia will consider and perhaps consider to implement in Malaysia, I am sure it will be greatly welcomed by us Malaysian and tourist alike.

Bamboo Groove Illumination / Arashiyama Hanatoro 2015

Arashiyama celebrates Hanatoro every December for a duration of 10 days whereby lanterns and spotlights were placed at the Bamboo Groove pathway and lit up at dusk. During this period, the visiting hours are extended to greet the tourists. It created a magical and whimsical feel thus became a crowd puller every December.

I like the idea of how Tourism Kansai regenerates crowd interest by creating a new feel of an existing attraction. It increases the demand for the shops and restaurants to open till late hours that translate into business growth and high profit.

Kimono Forest

Located at Randen Tram Station on Kyoto’s Keifuku Arashiyama line, Kimono Forest stood beautifully still. It is a collection of kimono textile selected by Yasumichi Morita, places in a lit up cylinder-shaped pillars. It is best viewed from dusk till dark.

The objective is to create awareness on Japanese kimono art, giving the train station a new and unique ambience and feel, plus generating interest among the younger generation to appreciate Japan greatest icon, identity and heritage; Kimono.

As you can guess, we can do the same in Malaysia with our batik print, batik canting, pua kumbu print etc. Perhaps around KLCC or Masjid Jamek.

Interesting right? I will share more on activities in Arashiyama in my next post.

Teaser | When Kansai is more than Osaka and Kyoto!

In general, when one says he or she will be visiting Kansai or Kansai region it usually means the 2 famous and popular cities; Osaka and Kyoto. Of course then there's Nara, Arashiyama and etc, but how many have venture out of the places mentioned, such as Kinosaki - a town famous for its onsen and crab (Yes! Crab!!!) or Kannebe Highland - to trek in a volcanic crater. How many visited Kobe and tried Kobe beef? And how many of us know that Kobe is famous for shoes? Or perhaps experience riding Kobe's night cruise?

Here, I would like to share some of the pictures I capture during my trip, will be penning my experiences next week. In sha Allah. Enjoy the pics!

Stay tune for more stories.

Love at the First Sight. #ILoveOkinawa, Japan

You can say it as love at the first sight for me.
(The video explains everything)

Portraying the greatness of both world; the subtropical weather and an ancient culture, Okinawa have everything to offer, from water sports to longevity diet to friendly islanders, what is not to like here.

It has always been my dream to visit Okinawa and this increases after I passed by diving license last year, including the earlier 2 visits to Japan. Enchanted by their history, culture and custom, I set to search for other interesting places in #Japan narrowing it down to flower power Sapporo and obviously the beautiful island of Okinawa. Boasting the title of having the most centenarians is a street, island and country, I embark on a knowledge cruise to seek their fountain of youth (read: Okinawan diet formula).


Okinawa Food

Critical to their famous healthy diet, Okinawans practices 'Hara Hachi Bu' or 'stop when you are 80% full' which resulted in eating lesser calories. Aside from this, their main intake is vegetable, low-meat diet, rice, tofu, bamboo shoots, seaweed, pickles etc pair with Japanese green tea.

Every prefecture in Japan have their famous food for the soul and made from 100 percent wheat flour, Okinawa soba is the clear winner for Okinawa prefecture. Being told that it is usually homemade and serve with love, travelers can visit the 'soba-kaido' area where more than 60 soba shops can easily be found.


Longevity Formula

Do you know that Okinawans are more likely to reach above 100 years old? It is believe diet, exercise and lifestyle that blessed the Okinawans to have life longevity. How I wish to experience their lifestyle, and one do not even need to drink water from the fountain of youth, adopting their lifestyle might do the trick and you'll live to be a centenarian.

Coupled with having an Okinawa gene and a healthy life style are two of the contributing factors for longevity. Family upbringing, daily activity, weather etc plays an important role in their living life quest.


Lifestyle

Grow old gracefully is widely practiced here, fortunate to live in a non-stressful surrounding and having a positive attitude, great social support group and Japanese strong spiritual beliefs help keeping their youth intact. As an islander, the Okinawans are accorded with the typical fresh island air and sunshine year round thus making exercise easy.

For you traveler out there, you might just go ‪#‎iloveokinawa‬ like me after learning their culture and visiting this beautiful island. There are a contest running where the prizes are unique and brought to you all the way from Okinawa. Visit https://beokinawa.net/my today to participate.



Step by step

‘Like’ Visit Okinawa MY -> Select 3 photos out of the 20 -> Click 'like' on the 3 selected photos -> Winner will be picked and announced through email at the end of the contest

(NEW 2013) Japan Visa for Malaysian holding Biometric Passport

** Above for those too lazy to click on the link given on Facebook or Twitter **

Click HERE (Embassy of Japan in Malaysia).

Exemption of Visa for Malaysian Nationals holding biometric passport with an embedded microchip that is compliant with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards starting from 1 July. ~25 June 2013~

1. From 1st July 2013, the Government of Japan has decided to abolish the requirement of short-term visa for Malaysian Nationals who hold ordinary biometric passports with embedded microchip that is compliant with ICAO standards(issued since February 2010) who wish to enter Japan for short-term stay.

However, this visa exemption only apply to Malaysian Nationals holding ordinary biometric passport with embedded microchip that is compliant with ICAO standards. Malaysian Nationals who do not hold ordinary biometric passport with embedded microchip that is compliant with ICAO standards are remain advised to obtain a visa to enter into Japan.

When you plan to visit Japan, please kindly check if your passport is a biometric passport with embedded microchip that is compliant with ICAO standards.

For checking method, click HERE or picture sample below (Please check you passport before booking your flight ticket).

2. In accordance with the above visa exemption, the duration of stay in Japan to be given to Malaysian Nationals at that time of entry inspection will be for maximum 90 days. (Those who plan to stay for more than 90 days or work in Japan, remain requested to obtain a visa as before.)


3. When you enter into Japan, your entry permit will be issued at the entry point by the Japan immigration (This is the same for those who enter into Japan with a valid travel visa). Please take note that you might be asked about your purpose of visiting Japan or requested to submit necessary documents (For example: Return flight tickets & etc.).

Please be aware that you might be denied entry if you are entering Japan for short-term stay but the total duration of your stay in Japan in a year exceeds 180 days.


4. If you have any enquiry, please contact the consular section of Embassy of Japan in Malaysia at the phone number below.

Consular Section, Embassy of Japan in Malaysia Tel: 03-2177-2600

#TravelTips | Japan - Flower Power

So, Flower Power huh.

Bet you guys (note the word guys not gals) is kinda curious when I say flower power, is it gonna be about FLOWER or GIRLS?

And if it is on girls, is it going to be on girls or GIRLS *hint hint*? Right right right? Well, it is actually about flower. Iyeee... BUNGA!

With Malaysia Airlines ongoing 24hours Osaka flight promo, I thought I should share with you the Furano flower season in Japan for those interested and kinda wanna leverage on this promo/trip.

Malaysia Airline Promo, click HERE.

Furano Tourism link, click HERE.

This is what Furano famous for.... flower power. (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Please take note that FURANO is NOT located in OSAKA nor KYOTO.
You can fly to Hokkaido via Air Asia Japan from Narita or Nagoya.
Current (todate) promo for flight to Sapporo, Hokkaido via Narita is Y4680 = RM153
By then, I believe visa is no more required to fly to Japan (click HERE for The Star online news on Japan Visa)

So, where is this Furano place right?



Kyoto Travel Tips (Part 1)

I am going to make this short, sweet and simple. My hope is that this will aid you around Kyoto easily.

1. Transportation link (hyperlinked)

japan-guide.com
- Access to Kyoto via highway bus, air, car & local trains (quite comprehensive)

Kyoto City Web
- Kyoto City Bus (most of the time I ride [twice to be exact]) cost around Y220

Kyoto City Bus Travel Map
- This gives you detail in terms of shorter time, lower cost, fewer transfer count plus map

2. Kyoto Sightseeing Map

All the maps are the few version I received (hardcopy scanned) or downloaded that helped me during this trip. The hardcopy scanned version can be emailed to you upon request, to do so; prompt me on my comment box.

3. Kyoto Visitor Guide

This site also furnishes you with tourist information centre, medical contact, annual event, shopping etc.

That’s about it for now.

Enjoy your trip!

For more info, you can visit Chawanna's blog on Japan Tidbits

Day 7 | Kansai Airport - Gempak!

 This is what I had for last day breakfast and can you see? That's the camera case that I have purchased.

As usual, in Japan; there are few things that fascinates me.... below are collections of stuff I saw near the hotel and at Kansai Airport. Above is parking for bicycles, machine operated... if we have this in Malaysia, it will be spoiled within a week.

After breakfast, we went back to hotel to get our luggage and get a taxi to Sakai Station for the airport train.

Trolley dolly, mine is the one in green (me favourite colour) and orange for sis (her favourite colour).

Their taxi accepts credit card and comes with GPS.

Otoman menyerang tanpa disedari, mana Sami to the rescue nih?

This is the route to the airport and port. Berapa line dah tuh?

For those going to Osaka,  Air Asia located at aisle B, from 1-8.

Otoman nye train. Changgih or not this express train.

We arrived at Kansai Airport, most of the toilets in Japan comes with the specification. Am sharing the interesting stuff I saw at the airport... it was fun going around toying with them.

Baby chair for Sami and Aqilah.

So, that you pants or kain don't get wet and you need not bend down that much.

 Sami's & Aqilah's diaper changing table, Sami need not anymore kot.

Mind you, all these are in Kansai Airport, the outside of the washroom indicates amenities available.

This is for disable and needy folks. I thought it was very thoughtful and disable friendly of them.

If you must need to refresh, they do have area for that with norminal fee. The Kid's Space is free if am not mistaken. 

Kit Kat options available.

We then need to take a monorail to another gate to reach our flight... I was thinking Icam would love all these train ride.

  

Till next Japan trip.

Summer in Furano, here we come!