8 months ago, Huan and Sharm arrived in Japan for work assignment - "Don't get me wrong, we'll not talk about work in this blog."😄 Instead, we will share to you the highlights of our first month escapade in Japan.
Even before we arrived in Shinagawa (as of the writing we're already in Osaka), we messaged our friends in Tokyo to plan on how we're gonna celebrate the Springtime in Japan. Top of the list is to experience Fuji Shibazakura Festival and have a great view of Mount Fuji.
Fuji Shibazakura Festival at Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi, Japan
See that mountain behind the clouds? 😂 That's Fuji.
Prior to Shibazakura, we decided to go to Odaiba to experience the digital art of TeamLab Borderless as it was announced that they will close (as of the writing, TeamLab Borderless in Odaiba is permanently closed).
On April 29 (Friday), we went to Kawasaki area to meet our friends Eki, Kesay, and Sam so that on the next day, we can go to Odaiba as a group. It's a sleepover at Eki and Kesay's place, so the boys spent the night playing Valorant, and the girls did the cooking and watched Miss Universe Philippines.
In the morning, Kesay did a great job cooking "monggos" (mung bean soup - Filipino style) paired with baked scallops. Monggos paired with baked scallops match perfectly IMHO. For dessert, we had yummy strawberries because why not, springtime is season for strawberries, so we ate a lot of strawberries while the price was still affordable. 😂
Moving on. Our first destination is TeamLab Borderless. "Mah man, I tell you, the experience is awesomely mesmerizing!" The lights and sounds are artistically put together to bring that magical art experience. Hats off to the artists behind TeamLab Borderless.
Sharm in the Forest of Lamps at TeamLab Borderless, Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan
After the mesmerizing art experience at TeamLab Borderless, we got hungry so we went to the nearest Saizeriya (a Japanese food chain among others like Sukiya, and Matsuya).
After getting recharged, we went straight to Odaiba plaza to meet another twin sister of Lady Liberty and the iconic Gundam. The plaza's beach front (Tokyo Bay) also offers a good view of the Rainbow Bridge. "Of course, it's not yet a 'rainbow' bridge until night time." 😄
Replica of Statue of Liberty at Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan
Ginyo Force and Gundam at Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan
They said Odaiba transforms during night when the lights are lit-up. Even the lights are lit-up, you will "lose yourself" to the night time beauty of Bridge of Dreams.😄 Unfortunately we had errands to do, so we did not stay until night at Odaiba.
On May 3 (Tuesday), Huan and Sharm took the subway to Yokohama. This time, we met Manoy Yumyum (Sharm's cousin who lives in Japan) and his Japanese wife, Ate Sayaka. Sharm has not seen Manoy Yumyum and Ate Sayaka for more than a decade, so it was a good opportunity to meet them again in person and catch up on what they've been doing. The highlights of our Yokohama adventure aside from the great catching-up conversation are the lunch at a Tempura restaurant which name I forgot and the Nissan Showroom that excites Huan the most. Finally, Huan is able to seat on the cockpit of Nissan GT-R that he once drove in "Need for Speed Underground" (a street racing video game).
The heart of every Nissan GT-R at Nissan Showroom, Yokohama, Japan
On May 7 (Saturday), we rode a bus from Kawaguchiko station going to Fuji Shibazakura Festival. This time, we were with our college friends Kesay, Eki, and Sam. We scheduled our Shibazakura adventure after the Golden week to avoid the crowd. Now, we understand why Shibazakura is very popular. The experience is very majestic. Different hues of pink scatter all over the field. Being surrounded by the mountain phlox (the flowers on the field) reminds oneself that we are one with nature and life is beautiful. On the contrary, it also reminds oneself that beauty is short-lived like the mountain phlox.
