A snow capped Mount Fuji stands tall behind beautiful Lake Ashi

Oooo look-y look-y what we have here! An actual blog post about my adventures in Japan! How utterly unexpected of me!

Since Monday was a national holiday (勤労感謝の日, Kinro Kansha no Hi, Labor Day) a few of my good friends and I decided to celebrate the long weekend with a girl's getaway to Hakone! We really wanted to escape the city for a few days, and let me tell you now, Hakone is a beautiful place to escape to! It was my first time being surrounded by such breathtaking scenery. Everywhere you look in Hakone there are mountains and autumn leaves and glistening lakes. The air was also so clean and fresh on the mountains and it made me feel like I was home in the countryside of Canada again (so long as I avoided catching a whiff of sulfur air...P.U.!)..

In case some of you are considering Hakone as your go-to travel destination while in Japan, I'm going to list what I got up to on my vacation, where I stayed, and what my recommendations are so you can make the best out of your time and money!

Hakone FreePass

I can't say enough good things about the Hakone FreePass! It was around 5.000 Yen (50$ Canadian dollars) for one of these passes, but it was transportation and entertainment all in one! By using this pass, we were able to leave from Shinjuku station and get all the way down to Hakone-Yumoto in about an hour and a half without forking over thousands of yen. The only confusing part about this pass was trying to navigate through Shinjuku station in order to find the ticket counter and then find the corresponding train platform. It can't really be helped though. Shinjuku station is a well known garish nightmare. Even the most seasoned transit takers get lost in the poorly designed abyss that is Shinjuku station... 

Once we were in Hakone, I was so surprised by how fun taking public transportation was! The trains were more tourist friendly with tables and comfy chairs and all of the tracks weaved intricately around the mountains so you could catch a glimpse of some really beautiful scenery. Another thing that makes the freepass an amazing travel must-have is the fact that you can ride the cable cars and the tourist pirate ship cruises around Hakone and its all included! All you have to do is flash your pass all Men-In-Black badass style and you can hop from a train to a ship seamlessly.  

One of the cable car routes was unavailable due to volcanic activity.... Made for a cool smokey picture though!

Cable car station up on the mountain top

Riding up the mountainside in these nifty cable cars was definitely one of my favourite adventures in Hakone. From the car you can see a lot more of the mountains and the forests. Luckily, we were in Hakone at the perfect time and we could enjoy a sea of red, orange, and yellow leaves. These cable cars also had these hilarious selfie props that we made quick use of being the selfie obsessed twenty-somethings that we are.

Pirate ship ahoy!!

The pirate tourist cruise is also a must-do on any Hokane travel bucket list. With the freepass, we could explore all four levels of the ship, but we couldn't go into the first class area which was at the very front of the ship. Other than not being able to reenact the classic scene from Titanic, we weren't bothered too much by that. This ship is a great way to see all of Lake Ashi, and as a lake formed in a caldera around 3000 years ago, it's quite a sight to see. Unfortunately, seeing Mount Fuji from this cruise is not as easy as they make it sound. Any small amount of clouds or fog will completely wipe poor Mt. Fuji out of view.

Gora Park

We emerge from Gora Station ready to face the mountains!

On our way to our ryokan, we stopped in Gora to visit one of its famous parks. This park is such a hidden gem. From Gora station, you have to trek uphill for a few blocks until you happen upon a large Parisian garden with fountains, rose gardens, cafes, and greenhouses. I got a chance to see the last of the roses and for some bizarre reason, there was a steel drum performance at the fountain when I was there so that was an added bonus. Another really amazing part of this park is that there is a quiet, old school Japanese tea house nestled in with the trees. I didn't get a chance to try it out, but the sign said only 500 Yen (5$ Canadian Dollars) to have traditional tea and snacks and the atmosphere was so serene there that I can only imagine it would be well worth your time to check it out.

Beginning the hike up to Gora Park!

There is a small cafe on the left, steel drummers in the middle, and a beautiful mountain scenery in the back. What more could you ask for?!

I'm obsessed with roses. I'm so glad these blooms held out for my visit!!

The main path in the rose garden.

With our freepass, entrance to Gora Park was free, but without the pass I think the cost is around 500 Yen (5$ Canadian Dollars). Depending on what season you go (spring would probably be the best with its cherry blossoms and azaleas) I think the park is well worth the price you pay.

Ryokans and Hot Springs

Without a doubt, onsen visits are a must when you travel outside of the city limits. A lot of travelers are uneasy about going to hot springs in Japan, but it's really not all that embarrassing. Once you get over the fact that you are naked with a bunch of random Japanese people, there really isn't anything left to worry about. After that you can finally enjoy the relaxing and healing hot spring waters of Japan!

In Hakone, there are many well known onsens to choose from. You also have the option to just do a sort of "day visit", or you can stay at that onsen overnight and enjoy the traditions that go along with spending the night at a ryokan.

Our ryokan was called Hotel Musashiya and I would definitely give it 9 anime thumbs up out of 10. The place itself isn't in tip-top condition as it is a bit older, but what it lacks in novelty, it makes up for in hospitality. I can boldly say that I've never stayed at a more welcoming and friendly place.

The onsens in this ryokan weren't very large and they are definitely geared more towards a family audience. However, their baths look straight out onto the lake and you can soak outside whilst gazing out into the reflection of the moon over the mountains. It's beyond picturesque!

Hanging out in our room in Yukatas, drinking tea and getting ready for the onsen!

One of my favourite moments from our overnight stay was when all three of us girls completely gaijin-failed at putting our yukatas on. We fumbled with the obis for a while and even tried to follow a youtube video, but in the end we decided just to throw our senses of pride out the door and phone down to the front desk. Within minutes of explaining to the lady at the front desk that we didn't know how to properly wear our yukatas, she was at our door ready to dress us like the little children that we were. It seemed like the staff was always at our beck and call as they called us out for our meals, served our tea, and put out our futons, It was definitely a royal treatment!

This is our lovely lake view room

This is the view from our ryokan. The lake was stunning in the morning

No matter what country you're in, a girl's night will always be a good time guaranteed!

Sengokuhara Grass

If you enjoy hiking, nature, and feeling as if you were smack dab in the middle of a Studio Ghibli film, then this is the place for you! In autumn, the once green hill of grass changes into a sea of gold. It was honestly one of the most therapeutic hikes I've ever trekked. This area was rated as one of the fifty best sights to see in the Kanagawa prefecture and I definitely have to agree! A word to the wise, the trails are very rocky and a bit uneven at times so be sure to go prepared with proper footwear.

Grass, mountains, forests, oh my!

The start of our hike into the field of silver grass!

Hakone Shrine

This was the first time for me to see a torii gate in water. During the day time, it reflects so beautifully off of the lake, and at night, spotlights light up the torii so it can be seen from almost anywhere along the waters edge. I wasn't able to learn a lot about the history of this shrine while I was in Hakone (the whole lost in translation dealio...), but when I got home I did some digging and I found out some pretty cool information about it! Apparently, this shrine was once at the summit of a neighboring mountain, but was moved down to lake Ashi in order to pacify the nine-headed dragon living in the belly of the lake. Now, I didn't see any nine-headed dragon while I was there, but I think the story is fascinating just the same. 

Looks like a portal into another world!

Is this the nine-headed dragon they were talking about!?!

The main road leading up to the shirne

Alas! This concludes my little exposé on Hakone. As a quick last mention, I also recommend that you visit the Open Air Museum and eat lots and lots of onsen-manju when you go. I hope that when you get the chance to explore this area of Japan, you will have just as much fun as I did scaling mountains and sailing through lakes! 

Bye bye for now~!

I tried Tokyo on for size and instantly fell in love
(made with black ink)

Well, well, well... Here we are at the same predicament once again. It's been weeks since my last blog post and I am way too unmotivated to write anything substantial. Do I at least get some points for honesty here? No? ...oh...That's cool...
I know that these doodle posts don't really help you get a sense of what I've been up to in Japan, but a lot of my drawings are inspired by things that I've seen in Japan so I guess that has to count for something. I guess I'm weirdly telling you to live my Tokyo adventure vicariously through my pictures instead of my words. 

(made with black ink)

 This little "Tokyo Train Kids" sketch was inspired by two kids I saw on the train on my way to Shibuya station. People watching in trains is honestly one of my favourite activities here. You will always see someone or something interesting! Take these two kids for example. They were probably no older than fifteen and they looked as though they had jumped straight out of a manga. The boy was so tiny but he was wearing such poofy pants that he looked like he was swimming in fabric. The best part? The pants were littered with images of fruit. Who sells poofy fruit covered pants? Better yet, who buys poofy fruit covered pants?! I'll tell ya, this kid does, and I'm glad. His girl friend beside him made the perfect sidekick. She was so tall and impossibly lanky. I remember she kept pulling out a mini comb and brushing her already impossibly perfect hair. She was rocking awesome Neko headphones plus a gigantic New Balance sweater. I wish I could have talked with these guys because they seemed like pretty cool cats.

(made with black in and grey charcoal)

 I worked on this charcoal sketch near Halloween. I started out just wanting to sketch a sugar skull, but the more I walked around Tokyo, the more I wanted to incorporate its insane skyline with a skull. I really love the zone you get into when drawing really fine lines as you work around negative space. It gets you into such a trance!
A quick, funny story about this picture! Normally, I stick all of my completed drawings up on my closet door in front of my bed just to jazz up my room a bit. However, I woke up one night to have this picture staring me down from the foot of my bed. In the daylight, it doesn't look even a little bit spooky... but in the dead of night the skull is VERY skull-like. Needless to say, it has been moved to a position where I can't see it at night.

Sorry, this is not the droid you are looking for
(made with charcoal)

 On my way home from work I was scrolling though my phone and I saw this T-shirt for sale (I believe it was Look Human... and if you are thinking how that is by far the coolest clothing line name, I agree 100%). I really don't know why I am so obsessed with drawing skeletons but c'est la vie... or la not vie... cause skeletons aren't.. y'know... alive... (That was a lame joke, but I'm just going to leave it there because I'm a few glasses of wine in and there's no going back)
Anyhow! I'm really trying to get better at working out textures in clothing so it was good practice for me.  

(made with black ink)

 I had a lovely day weekend just enjoying the sunshine on the Tama River and I thought I would make use of my relaxation time by having a little fun drawing. This is a tribute to one of my favourite video game characters of all time, Holly Summers from No More Heroes.

(made with black ink)

This last piece is a bit more special to me. Here is what I wrote to go alone with this drawing:

Lately, the world has been haunted by nightmares. Families are homeless, bombs continue to drop, and war rages on. When we are confronted by this darkness, it's easy to point fingers and fall into a place of hatred, fear, and vengeance. But these nightmares aren't the wrongdoings of one race, one religion, or one country, and that's what's really terrifying. Nightmares are beyond rational thinking; unpredictable and sublime. So how can you shape what is shapeless and destroy what is indestructible? I couldn't say... But maybe with love, with unity, and with compassion we can overcome these nightmares and dream a better reality together.

TAH DAH! I'm quite happy that I've been able to churn out six new pieces in the last little while. Hopefully I can keep up the pace and maybe that motivation will inspire me to keep up with this blog a bit more! Sorry again! I've actually just returned from an amazing long weekend in Hakone which I would love to do a little blog review about! I'll start berating myself to write about it now!  

The Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku is a prime example of Tokyo's crazy side

Allow me to start today's blog by wishing everyone a Happy Halloween! I know it's a bit early but I've been doing non-stop Halloween themed games and activities at school for my students so I'm really in the spirit of the spooky season!

Since Halloween is a time to embrace all things wicked and weird, I thought I should dedicate a blog to exposing the skeletons hiding out in Tokyo's closet. As you probably already know or have heard, Tokyo is definitely an otherworldly place full to the brim of bizarre oddities. However, the strangeness of this metropolis goes beyond the typical talks of panty vending machines and deadly puffer fish sushi (yes, those are real). Every single day there is a guarantee that I will stumble across something that will make me say, "What in the world is going on in your head Tokyo?!". I realize as a foreigner who doesn't know many things about Japanese customs and cultures, many of these things may in fact seem normal to Japanese people, but I just can't seem to wrap my head around them. Be warned that this list may have some "uncomfortable" moments so I'm just going to go ahead and tack a PG-13 warning on it right here and now. Also, know that I'm not trying to insult Tokyo in any fashion. I just want to invite you into the weird, wacky, and wonderful world that I get to experience every day!  

Kooky Commercials

Commercials in Japan are honestly the most entertaining tidbits of TV that I have ever seen. I could honestly be happy just watching a string of commercials instead of the actual program. On the trains right underneath the map, there is always one television screen playing a random commercial while the other screen shows the route. My commute to work always seems to go by in a flash because I am too busy laughing hysterically (doesn't help my crazy foreigner image...) at the bizarre commercials. My favourite commercial out of everything so far is this one here:

I die laughing every single time I see this weird commercial! I might just have to pick up this hand mist (I don't even fully understand what it does) just for the sheer hilarity of it.

Then there are the commercials that catch you completely off guard. These good ol' "double-take" commercials usually sell the most bizarre items you will ever see. These commercials are barely half a minute long but I find myself still wondering about them hours later. You'd like an example? Well BEHOLD. The Facial Fitness Pao:

Wasn't that the most confusing 30 seconds of your life?! Who are all of these foreigners? Why do they need fitter faces? Is this device going to help me take flight like Dumbo ears or am I just supposed to bounce around like an idiot?! So many questions... little to no answers. 

Lastly, there are the strangest celebrity appearances in Japanese commercials. Some days I'm just minding my own business passing all of the blinding billboard sized TV screens in Shibuya when I catch a glance of a familiar face out of the corner of my eye. Usually I see a lot of Lady Gaga or Brad Pitt, but recently my favourite celebrity commercial is this lovely gem right here:

Oh Tommy Lee Jones, what are you doing in a Japanese coffee commercial? Also, why are you the most badass sensei that I have ever seen in my entire life?!  

Pervy Moments

Unfortunately, when you have things that are "good-weird" you must also be stuck with things that are "bad-weird". Like any other country, Japan has it's pervy moments. By this, I do NOT mean to say that all people in Japan are perverts or anything of the sort because that would be incorrect, insensitive, and stereotypical. Most people are shy but friendly, and I feel quite safe everywhere I go in Tokyo, but there have been a few cringe worthy moments with some "unsavory" characters... Today I'll share two of my stories with you just so you can kind of get the idea about what kind of naughtiness some suspicious types get up to over here.

Story One: The Upsy-Daisy Oopsie-Daisy

Once upon a time, an innocent gaijin princess was riding the escalator down to the train platform in Shibuya. As she descended, she noticed this peculiar sign on the wall.

She thought to herself, "Goodness! How drôle! Upskirting?! How utterly retro! I bet no one even does that anymore!" She chuckled and chortled as she continued her descent into the belly of the station, This is when she noticed something peculiar happening on the escalator beside her. A man was crouched down on the stairs and the innocent gaijin princess wondered if he had dropped something or if he was hurt. The next moment is when all innocence was lost. She realized she was wearing a skater skirt and the man was crouching down in order to get a better look at what might be underneath. She had just been upskirted promptly after she had been scoffing at the thought of its existence. The End.

Story Two: Rub-a-Dub-Dub
Once upon a time, at the stroke of midnight, a gaijin princess caught the last train home from a party in Shinjuku. She was feeling quite exhilarated by the fact that she would not have to pay an exorbitant taxi fare to get home, and because of that, she let her guard down. She let herself drift off into a place of sunshine and smiles until she felt a very strange sensation on her arm. She slowly turned her head to find a not-so-very-gentle gentleman rubbing his arm up and down her own arm. She instantly wanted to move away, but the train had become so crowded that she had no escape. She decided to endure it until something unbelievable happened. The man on her other side started to rub his leg on hers. The gaijin princess had been transformed into a pervy sandwich... The End.

This is a perfect time to talk about the beauty of the "Women Only" train <3

Crazy Train

*Please insert your own witty Ozzy Osborne joke here*. While we are on the subject of train shenanigans, I would like to take a moment to appreciate just how wonderful, yet weird, the trains are in Tokyo. They are honestly everyday lifesavers that transport you from home to work to shopping to friend's homes and then back home again. However, in a city like Tokyo where the streets are always lit and the clubs stay open well into the am, I have to wonder why in the world does the train stop promptly at 1 am? It just seems so strange to me. At many popular holidays, they extend the hours of operation, but in my opinion they should just have the train running round the clock.

Another bizarre fact about the metro is that instead of waiting for the next train to peel around the corner in 3 minutes, people will fight until their last breath to get on the train. I imagine that they have their lives scheduled down to the minute... If you don't believe me, please enjoy this video depicting the regular occurrence of "train pushing":

Actually, this video was taken at Naka Meguro which is very close to where I live and work! Gives you an interesting look into how I get to work every morning LOL!

One last bizarre tidbit about Tokyo's trains is concerning the good ol' white collar workers. These salarymen work harder than any other group of people. They put in long hours and they always look quite dashing in their business suits. However, sometimes I have witnessed a salaryman enjoy one too many beers after a hard day's work and the result is somewhat of a tragicomedy. Behold, the "I'm-so-drunk-but-I'm-on-the-train-and-almost-home" guys:

"The Electric Slide" Sleeper

"The 3 Seat Sprawl" Sleeper

And last but certainly not least! "The Clothes Line" Sleeper

Fashion... Forward?

It should come as no shock when I say that I am in love with fashion. Every chance I get I love to adventure out to Harajuku or Omotesando to check out the latest trends or to catch a quick fashion show. However, there has been many times when I've seen an ensemble and wondered, "Is that stylish or is that just freaky?" I fully endorse dressing however makes you feel cool or beautiful or what have you, but sometimes I just can't wrap my head around how certain fashions thrive here. 

One of my favourite fashion fad in Tokyo so far is "Decora Fashion". If I had to describe this fashion style, I would say that it is like you cracked a giant unicorn egg over your head and let all of its rainbow-y goodness run down your entire body.

 One fashion style that simultaneously intrigues, yet terrifies me is "Gyaru and Gyaruo Fashion". I kind of enjoy how this style isn't just for the ladies! Guys get into it just as much as the girls do. I'm also fascinated by the fact that an entire lifestyle comes with this fashion choice. While I'm sure not all "Gyaru and Gyaruo" enthusiasts have the exact same lifestyle, it is said that many of these ruffians with their dark skin, crazy hairstyles, and gritty clothing have quite the reputation for partying.

Watching makeup tutorials for this kind of fashion is my new obsession by the way. It's so mind boggling that I end up binge watching hundreds of girls get into their "Gyaru" characters. Also, I just can't figure out how they can do their makeup without stabbing themselves with their giant nails...

Lastly, the fashion I've learned the most about since coming to Tokyo is "Lolita Fashion". From walking down the streets of Harajuku on a bustling Saturday afternoon and from chatting up a few girls all decked out in their Lolita outfits, I've come to realize that there are many different types of Lolita styles. Gothic Lolita, Sweet Lolita, Old School Lolita, the list goes on and on! If I had to give this fashion a slogan it would probably be, "Victorian petticoats on LSD".

Well that's all for today's adventure through the weird and wonderful ways of Tokyo! If you are interested in learning more about Japanese fashion, please visit Tokyo Fashion which is where I got all of these beautiful fashion photos. I'll be sure to make another post about other strange sightings soon because I didn't even get halfway through my list of odd tales! See you soon and once again, Happy Halloween!