station | Blue Lapis Road

DAY 7 (1/7): DEPARTURE IN THE RAIN, Ainokura (相倉) to Kanazawa (金沢), Japan, 2018.05.31

After a good night’s sleep, we woke up to another misty and rainy morning in Ainokura. It was time for us to move on. In order to catch a direct bus to Shin-Takaoka Station (新高岡駅), we had to catch the 7:45 bus from Ainokuraguchi (相倉口) bus stop. Before breakfast, we took a final stroll around the village. Walking around the tranquil rice paddies and fields of drying reed, and breathing in the moist mountain air fixed with the fragrance of the woods and soil gave us a peaceful finale of our sojourn in the Japanese Alps. The breakfast at the minshuku was once again a hearty feast of small dishes in the traditional dining hall. After breakfast, the minshuku owner gave us a ride out to the Ainokuraguchi bus stop, sparing us for braving the elements with our backpacks.

The hour long bus journey north to Shin-Takaoka was as peaceful as our stay at Ainokura. Only four passengers including us were on the bus. The bus took us past the villages and towns in Toyama, including Johana Station (城端駅) where most buses throughout the day would end the journey for tourists to transfer for a local train. Soon our bus went up the expressway over to the city of Takaoka.

From Shin-Takaoka, it was just a 15 minute train ride on the Hokuriku Shinkansen (北陸新幹線) to Kanazawa (金沢), our final stop of this Japan trip before heading back to Tokyo. We felt a bit strange stepping out of the modern Kanazawa Train Station after staying several days in the mountains and countryside. Designed by architect Ryuzo Shirae in 2005, the century old train station of Kanazawa received a modern makeover, including a wooden gate inspired by a traditional Japanese torii. We took one of the many buses leaving the station for Omicho Market (近江町市場) at the city centre. Our hotel was just a block away from the famous market. With a small ground floor cafe, the sleek and modern Pacific Hotel was like a world away from the Gassho-style thatched roof minshuku of Ainokura.

We woke up to another wet day in the mountain village of Ainokura in Gokayama.

Before breakfast, we made a final stroll around the tranquil rice paddies of Ainokura.

Passing by the fields of drying reed reminded us the traditional way of living in Ainokura is still going strong.

Breakfast at Gassho Minshuku Nakaya (合掌民宿なかや) was again a delightful feast for us.

It was very kind for the owner of Gassho Minshuku Nakaya to drive us out to Ainokuraguchi (相倉口) bus stop in the rain.

The bus ride to Shin-Takaoka took a little over an hour.

Opened in 2015, the Shin-Takaoka Station (新高岡駅) in Takaoka (高岡) is a modern interchange station for the Hokuriku Shinkansen high speed railway.

There are Hokuriku Shinkansen high speed trains coming from Tokyo stopping at Shin-Takaoka on the way to Kanazawa.

In less than 15 minutes, we arrived at Kanazawa Station.

The wooden torii gate at Kanazawa welcome every visitors entering the city by train.

The modern and clean Pacific Hotel near Omicho Market offered us a comfortable resting place for our stay in Kanazawa.

A small reception counter of Pacific Hotel also doubles as a coffee bar.

DAY 2 (4/4): EBISU YOKOCHO (恵比寿橫丁), Ebisu, Tokyo, Japan, 2017.06.15

Small alleyways of tiny izayaka (居酒屋) and eateries situated a block or two away from train stations, yokocho can be found in many districts in Tokyo. From 6pm to sunrise, yokochos offer a relaxing venue for drinks and snacks after work. We knew it would be chaotic, cramped, noisy, and messy, but we loved to have a yokocho (橫丁) experience during our Tokyo stay. We picked Ebisu Yokocho, a popular indoor alleyway just a block away from Ebisu Station. Since 1998, Ebisu Yokocho has successfully converted the declining Yamashita shopping centre into a popular venue for food and drinks. Just like other yokocho, eateries in Ebisu Yokocho serve different Japanese cuisine, from sashimi to yakitori. As soon as we entered the covered alleyway, we were overwhelmed by the smell of cigarette, sake and grilled meat in the air. Entering from the relatively dark and empty street, the warm and crowded yokocho felt like a completely different world. We were lucky to find a table available at one of the eateries. The food wasn’t as cheap as we thought, but the experience of enjoying beer and small dishes of Japanese food in a crowded alleyway was pretty interesting.

The main street entrance of Ebisu Yokocho is just a block away from Ebisu Station (恵比寿駅).

It was about 20:00 when we arrived at Ebisu Yokocho. It was still early in the night but the place was already quite packed.

Most visitors were locals, but there were also some foreign tourists enjoying the local cuisine and sake. There is however no English menu at the eateries and most staff don’t speak English.

Most yokochos in Tokyo are outdoor. Ebisu Yokocho on the other hand was established in the former Yamashita Shopping Centre.

Many visitors seemed to be groups of colleagues having a break after work.

The yokocho was cramped and noisy, but the atmosphere was energetic and fun.

There are two other entrances from side streets into Ebisu Yokocho.

Slot window and a wall mural illustrating the floor plan of Ebisu Yokocho.

Colourful neon signage of the eateries.

A man walked by the colourful side entrance of Ebisu Yokocho.

July 22, 2017 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Ebisu, food, izayaka, Japan, restaurant, station, Tokyo, yokocho, 居酒屋, 恵比寿, 恵比寿駅, 橫丁 | Leave a comment

DAY 1 (1/6): ARRIVAL IN SHIBUYA, Tokyo, 2017.06.14

A brief Tokyo holiday in Mid-June 2017 was an ad-hoc decision after consecutive weeks of exhausting overtime work in April and May. With so much to offer as a cosmopolitan, Tokyo is an ideal destination that always delights us in various aspects from design exhibitions, novel fashion, seasonal delicacies to a simple cup of coffee. For five splendid days in the supposedly rainy season, we were fortunate to enjoy three full days of sunshine, and encountered only an hour or two of heavy rain on the last day as we were about to leave the Japanese capital on the Narita Express train.

Famed for its scramble crossing, youthful fashion and glittering neon lights, Shibuya (渋谷) of Tokyo also has a tranquil side lying just a block or two away from its vibrant shopping and entertainment scenes, and that was where we stayed for four nights at the periphery of the 24-hour vibrant actions of Shibuya. Since the morning when the Narita Express train brought us directly from the airport after our red-eye flight from Hong Kong, we immediately found Shibuya an excellent base within walking distance to the surrounding neighborhoods such as Harajuku (原宿), Aoyama (青山), Ebisu (恵比寿), Daikanyama (代官山) and Nakameguro (中目黒), and a super convenient hub for public transit, where the JR Yamanote Line (山手線) intersects with several other Metro Lines and Private Railway Lines.

Our Tokyo journey 2017 began in Shibuya, in the midst of magnificent urban dynamic where the stylish young generation flock to the trendy fashion shops, where the locals gather around the statue of Hachikō (the loyal Akita dog (秋田犬) that continued to stay in front of Shibuya Station to wait for its owner for nine years after the owner’s death) to meet their friends, and where exciting tourists would stand in the flock of people at the scramble crossing for selfies in between traffic lights. A slight drawback on staying in Shibuya was the intense construction works surrounding the station due to the upcoming Olympics Games. With the new additions of commercial towers, underground shopping streets, and a beautiful new railway station, we anticipate a dramatic transformation of Shibuya before 2020. The current hoarding around construction sites, temporary walkways and directional signs enhance the maze-like character of this world’s fourth busiest railway station. After all, we came to Tokyo to experience its magnificent urban vibrancy and dynamic cultures, and we were more than happy to call Shibuya home for five fantastic days.

Even during a weekday morning, the scramble crossing of Shibuya is still teemed with pedestrians.

The advertisement billboard of Kis-My-Ft2, the seven-member Japanese boy band, was the first thing we saw as we stepped out Shibuya Station after the two-hour Narita Express train ride.

The wall of Shibuya Railway Station is decorated with relief of Hachikō (the loyal Akita dog (秋田犬) that continued to stay in front of Shibuya Station to wait for its owner for nine years after the owner’s death). The bronze Hachikō statue nearby is a popular meeting place for the locals.

Our hotel Sakura Fleur Aoyama was five minute walk away from Shibuya Station.

We passed by the concourse of Shibuya Hikarie (渋谷ヒカリエ) every time we walked between Shibuya Station and our hotel. Shibuya Hikarie is a mixed use tower comprised of offices, theatre, exhibition spaces and retail.

We also frequented the footbridge between Shibuya Hikarie and the station.

In the evening, the plaza in front of Shibuya Station is full of life.

While most come to meet up with friends for shopping or dining, some Shibuya visitors would go beyond and come dressed in costumes. We saw a young man dressed up as if Finn (played by John Boyega) in the Star Wars.

In front of the station plaza is the iconic scramble crossing surrounded by LED advertisement screens and neon lights.

In front of Shibuya Station Plaza, a couple on a bicycle stopped at the crossing.

Every few minutes, a change of traffic lights would allow pedestrians to pour onto the tarmac crossing from all directions. In midst of the crowds, there were always people (often tourists) standing still to take photographs of themselves and friends in the sea of people.

Some selfie takers were quite serious and creative about their Shibuya Crossing photo.

The vivid colours of advertisement screens and billbroads at Shibuya Crossing were often complemented with visitors dressed in outstanding outfits.

The legendary Shibuya 109 was once the hub of youth fashion and styles.

The iconic Shibuya Hikarie (second building from the left) may soon to be covered with new commercial towers.

On the 11th floor of Shibuya Hikarie there is a sky lobby that allows visitors to have a birdeye’s view of central Shibuya.

view of the scramble crossing from the sky lobby at Shibuya Hikarie.

In Shibuya Hikarie, a display model of Shibuya of the near future clearly shows the upcoming additions (highlighted with internal lighting) to the already lively area.

Near Shibuya Station, narrow Yokocho dining alleyways are some of the hidden gems in Shibuya.

A few blocks away from the railway station and crossing, Shibuya has another side of low key tranquility.

Just a few minutes walk from the vibrant scramble crossing, wandering in the peaceful streets of Shibuya almost felt like an otherworldly experience.

June 24, 2017 | Categories: 2017 Tokyo, Japan, Tokyo | Tags: Akita, crossing, 秋田犬, Hachikō, Japan, Japanese, Kis-My-Ft2, Sakura Fleur Aoyama, scramble, Shibuya, station, Tokyo, Yamanote, 渋谷, 渋谷ヒカリエ | Leave a comment

DAY 5 (3/3): FAREWELL KYOTO, Kyoto, Japan, 2016.12.07

After we came back from Fushimi Inari Taisha, we thought it would be a good idea to find a place for lunch in Downtown Kyoto. There was still a few hours before our 18:30 flight.

We opted for a revisit of Nishiki Market (錦市場), the five block long market street known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen”.

For the past few days we didn’t really have a decent meal of sashimi. We ended up sitting down at a sashimi restaurant Nishiki Daimaru Yoshi (錦大丸). The restaurant was hidden behind its fishmonger shop.

At this popular restaurant, we were the first customers sitting down at the long counter in front of the food preparation area.

There was only set lunch available. We wouldn’t mind as long as the sashimi was fresh. The set included sashimi, tempura and grilled fish.

The washroom at the restaurant was small but full of character.

After lunch, we went outside of the Nishiki Market and arrived at the back side of Daimaru Department Store. There was a small vendor selling farmer’s produce. We couldn’t resist but bought a few items to bring back to Hong Kong.

Then we headed back into Nishiki Market for another stroll.

We passed by a vendor selling all kinds of traditional sweets and snacks. We picked up some regional roasted peanuts.

There were quite a few shops selling Tsukemono (漬物, Japanese pickled snacks). Many items were seasonal.

Then we passed by the chestnut shop where we bought some delicious local chestnuts before.

At the end of Nishiki Market, we arrived at the entrance of Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine, a Shinto shrine conveniently located at the heart of the downtown.

Another shop worth noting in the area was Tamaru Inbo (田丸印房), a Hanko shop, a store selling traditional stamps and seals made of wooden or stone blocks. With over a century of professional reputation, Tamaru Inbo was a great place to check out Japanese hanko.

From Shijo Dori, we walked east to the Kamo River (鴨川). We decided to walk south along the river for a final stroll along the peaceful river.

The weather was perfect for a relaxing stroll.

Like us, many preferred to take the route along the river instead of the city streets.

We passed by many restaurants facing the river. Hopefully next time we would be able to enjoy a meal at one of the many waterfront dining patios during the summer months.

We left the riverbank when we reached Gojo Dori Street. We decided to get a good cup of coffee before leaving for the airport.

We landed on a cafe called Efish just south of Gojo Dori, at Kiya-machi Dori, a small neighborhood street sandwiched between the Kamo River and Takase River (高瀬川). Unlike several blocks up north where Kiya-machi Dori represented the vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene of the city, here the narrow street became a laid-back neighborhood alley.

Efish is great for its relaxing atmosphere by the river. Other than refreshing food and drinks, Efish also showcased cool design housewares inside the cafe.

On our way from Efish to Kyoto Station, we walked past Umeyu Rakuen (サウナの梅湯), a retro 80-year old bathhouse. In 2015, 25 year-old Yusuke Minato, a long-time devotee to traditional bathhouses, took over the declining bathhouse and transformed it into a hip venue to promote traditional bathing, as well as occasional gigs and flea market. We didn’t have time for a soak and would have to save it till next time.

After another few minutes of walk we could see Kyoto Tower from a distance. A big crow on the treetop over our head was making loud noises, as if yelling out our parting wishes with the ancient capital.

Minutes later we reached the futuristic Kyoto Station once again. We took the escalators down to the basement to pick up our backpacks at the lockers and hop on a Haruka Express for the Kansai Airport. As the train leaving the station, we were already planning for a return trip sometime in the near future. Kyoto was and always will be the perfect venue for us to dwell in the power of heritage, nature, and spirituality whenever we were overwhelmed by the dull and routine work lives.

This concludes the record of our 5-day Kyoto trip in December 2016.

***

March 12, 2017 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: サウナの梅湯, cafe, chestnut, 田丸印房, Efish, 錦市場, 高瀬川, 鴨川, food, Japan, Kamo, Kyoto, market, Nishiki, pickle, sashimi, Shrine, station, Takase, tamaru Inbo, tsukemono, Umeyu Rakuen, 京都, 漬物 | Leave a comment

DAY 4 (6/6): RAMEN & CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, Kyoto (京都), Japan, 2016.12.06

It was already past 7pm when our Kintetsu express train arrived at Kyoto Station from Nara. We decided to check out the Kyoto Ramen Koji (Kyoto Ramen Street) on the 10th floor of the station for a quick dinner. We took the escalators up to the famous Daikaidan (Grand Staircase). The Daikaidan stretched from 4th floor all the way up to the sky garden on the 15th floor. Architect Hiroshi Hara specifically provided a stage on the 4th floor, while the staircase would become an enormous amphitheater. There was no performance when we were there. Instead, the stage was occupied by a large Christmas Tree. The lights changed colours according to the background music.

The big Christmas Tree occupied the open space on the 4th floor.

From the Christmas Tree we walked up the Daikaidan (Grand Staircase) to the 10th floor for our ramen dinner.

There was a strip of LED lights at the nosing of each step. The lights changed colours constantly.

With the LED lights on each step, the entire staircase became a giant screen of festive animations.

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We entered the building on the 10th floor, and could immediately smell the pork ramen and feel the warmth of the atmosphere. Here at Kyoto Ramen Koji (Kyoto Ramen Street), there were about ten different ramen restaurants, representing the ramen style from different parts of Japan. We ended up picking Masutani (ますたに), a Kyoto based ramen restaurant established since 1948.

We queued in front of the restaurant for about 20 minutes and then ordered our ramen from the machine by the entrance.

Once inside, we handed the tickets to the staff and sat down by a wooden counter.

After several minutes, our hot and delicious ramen arrived, a perfect answer for the chilly night!

***

After the tasty ramen, we didn’t want to go back to the hotel yet. In front of Kyoto Station, we hopped on a night bus bounded westwards. Our destination was the ROHM Illumination Festival 2016. With 800,000 light bulbs lighting up 82 trees along Kasuga Dori, ROHM Illumination is the biggest annual Christmas lighting event in Kyoto since 1995. ROHM, a Japanese semiconductor manufacturer based in Kyoto sponsored the event annually to light up the immediate area of its office in town. The light show was smaller than similar events in other large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, it did however transform a tranquil neighborhood into a romantic, glittering and festive promenade of lights.

The entrance of Kasuga Dori was guarded by the two Yamamomo Trees (Chinese bayberry) covered with dazzling lights.

The Yamamomo Trees were round in shape, perfect for turning into spheres of lights.

Kasuga Dori was lined both sides with 20 metasequoias, all dressed up with tiny light bulbs to create the luminous promenade.

With the lighting, the yellow crowns of the metasequoias appeared as if on fire.

Two types of light bulbs were used, small LED and twinkling incandescent lights.

The lights transformed the small Nagura Park into a romantic public venue.

Families and kids were having fun in Nagura Park.

Under different music, the LED balls on the ground and the 13.5m (h) by 9m LED screen made use the lawn next to the Nagura Park to put together the “Ensemble of Light”.

Kids had a good time at the playground and the light show.

Antique cars somehow blended in well with the ambience of the light festival.

At 9:30pm, we turned back to the entrance of Kasuga Dori and had a final look at the two for the trip’s last day.

***

March 2, 2017 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: ますたに, bulb, Christmas, daikaidan, Ensemble of Light, Festival, food, Hiroshi Hara, illumination, Japan, Kasuga, Kasuga Dori, Koji, Kyoto, Kyoto Ramen Koji, lights, Masutani, noodles, railway, ramen, ROHM, station, Yamamomo, 拉麺小路, 京都 | 1 Comment

DAY 1 (1/6): ARRIVAL AT HIGASHIYAMA (東山), Kyoto (京都), Japan, 2016.12.03

Our departure schedule to Kansai International Airport (関西国際空港) was far from ideal. It was a red-eye flight departing from Hong Kong at 1:50am and arrived in Japan at around 6:30am. At the airport, we picked up our pre-ordered Haruka Express ticket from the JR ticket office and rushed to the platform for the Kyoto bound express train that was about to leave. The train sped past towns and suburbs along Osaka Bay and reached Osaka in about 40 minutes. From Osaka, the train took another half an hour to reach Kyoto. Opened in 1997, the current Kyoto Railway Station is a futuristic building made of glass and steel trusses, with an enormous atrium and a huge stepped plaza reaching multiple storeys up to the sky garden 70m above ground. We stepped out the station for a quick peek of Kyoto Tower, the city’s tallest structure opened in 1964 coinciding with the Tokyo Olympics. Together with the modern railway station, the tower often comes as a surprise for tourists who come to Kyoto expecting to see an 1200-year-old ancient city.

We took the escalators down to the subway, topped up our Icoca cards that we kept from our previous Kansai trip, and managed to board the train with our suitcase and backpack. Our designation was Higashiyama Station (東山駅) on the Tozai Line. We reached Higashiyama Station at a peaceful residential neighborhood sandwiched between two of Kyoto’s popular tourist areas: Northern Higashiyama (Nanzenji, Ginkakuji, etc) and Southern Higashiyama (Gion, Kiyomizu-dera, etc). At Higashiyama Station, we purchased a city bus pass for the day and picked up a handy bus map. We crossed the street and walked into a quiet alleyway right beside the crystal clear Shirakawa River (白川). We reached Eco and Tech, a 2-star budget hotel that we would call it home for the next five days. After checking in, we immediately headed out to the bus stop near Sanjo Station (三条駅) and Kamo River (鴨川). Before arriving in Japan, we had already decided to begin our Kyoto visit at the northwest part of the city where the cluster of three famous temples Ryoanji (龍安寺), Ninnaji (仁和寺) and Kinkakuji (金閣寺) are located. According to online updates of the autumn foliage at Kyoto’s main attractions, Ryoanji (龍安寺) and Ninnaji Temple (仁和寺) were two possible places where we might still encounter peak autumn foliage. Because of the recent cold weather, the autumn foliage of 2016 came earlier than usual. By the time we arrived on Dec 3rd, the fall foliage at most places had already passed the peak. The bus ride took over half an hour. It was sunny and we took a brief rest on the bus under the late morning sun.

Our plane landed at Kansai International Airport (関西国際空港) at about 6:30am. Despite a sleepless night, we were very excited upon arriving.

We left the airport and over to the railway station for JR’s Haruka Express train.

Upon arriving at Kyoto, we were overwhelmed by the steel trusses and overhead catwalks at the huge atrium of the futuristic Kyoto Station.

A large Christmas tree on the organic shaped platform looked small under the huge atrium roof.

Across the street from Kyoto Station stood the tallest structure in the city, Kyoto Tower.

Advertisements on the subway train reminded us that the special night visits to a number of temples were available during the autumn foliage season until 4th of December. Arriving in Kyoto on the 3rd of December, we made just on time for the night visits.

Many Kyoto’s attractions can be accessed only by public bus. We picked up a bus map from the ticket office at Higashiyama Subway Station, which proved really handy over the next few days.

We managed to carry our suitcase up the stairs and finally reached the exit of Higashiyama Station.

Following online instruction, we crossed a bridge at Shirakawa River (白川) on our way to our hotel.

A local couple dressed in traditional costumes were taking photos on a stone bridge at Shirakawa River (白川).

Eco and Tech Hotel is located in a quiet residential neighborhood away from the tourist crowds.

Eco and Tech Hotel.

We checked the website http://souda-kyoto.jp/travel/koyo/ for the autumn foliage at Kyoto’s main attractions almost daily for at least a week before departure. We decided to head to Ryoanji Temple on our first day because of its peak colours.

We walked to a bus stop near Kamo River (鴨川) and Sanjo Station (三条駅) for Bus 59 heading towards Ryoanji Temple (龍安寺).

***

December 29, 2016 | Categories: 2016 Kyoto and Nara, Japan, Kyoto and Nara | Tags: Architecture, bus, 白川, Eco and Tech, Haruka, Higashiyama, Japan, Japanese, Kamo, Kansai, Kyoto, railway, Shirakawa, station, Tower, train, 東山, 京都 | Leave a comment

DAY 26 (4 OF 4) – LUZ STATION AND AREA, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL

The Luz area was once an important commercial area of Sao Paulo during early 20th century when coffee was still the single most dominating business in the city. Since then, most of the commercial activities, including the coffee barons, had moved elsewhere in the city. Today the Luz area awaits for its turn of revitalization after decades of decline. Historical buildings and churches in Luz all seem a little neglected and most were vandalized with layers of graffiti. In recent years, the municipal government began to regenerate certain spots in Luz, including renovating the Luz Station, the Pinacoteca do Estado, and the Jardim da Luz.
Before heading to Luz, we stopped by the newly built Praca de Arte, a cultural complex in the heart of the old downtown Sao Paulo. The project represents another effort to revitalize the downtown of Sao Paulo. 15-minute walk from Praca de Arte got us to the Luz Station. The Luz Station was the most important railway station in Sao Paulo when the coffee industry dominated the area of Luz. Now, it houses a museum and serves a few commuter trains to the suburbs. Designed and fabricated in England, the Luz Station and its clock tower was an icon of Sao Paulo in early 20th century. Across the street from the station stands the Pinacoteca do Estado, Sao Paulo State’s oldest art museum that underwent a renovation by architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha in the 1990s. The adjacent Jardim da Luz also went through a significant transformation in recent years from a seedy area where drug dealers and prostitutes hang out to a relaxing sculpture garden adjacent to the art museum.

Praca de Arte and area (below 4 images)