Showing posts with label asia trends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label asia trends. Show all posts

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Traveling to Japan

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For the past few weeks I've been planing a trip to Tokyo and Sapporo. One of the best airline ticket price finder I used was sky scanner. With sky scanner, you can set up air ticket price alerts to be sent to your email. You can even have them alert you if the ticket your looking for reaches a certain price you have in mind. You have the control when to be alerted.
If you haven't been to Japan, just know Japan doesn't offer free wifi everywhere. Renting a pocket wifi is the best and cheapest way to get convenient internet while vacationing there. This trip I rented a pocket wifi from Global Advanced Communications. When I was looking up companies that offered pocket wifi rentals, several companies came up. I'm always weary about giving information and sending payments to a company overseas. I can assure you that this company is legit. I took a chance and ordered my pocket wifi, I even had it sent to my hotel. Upon check-in my wifi was already here, super convenient. The two week rental cost me around ¥7,650 (about $76.50) this includes the prepaid envelope to send the pocket wifi back. I love it and glad I got it. Follow me around the next 14 days as I will be traveling around Tokyo and Sapporo.

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Thursday, February 27, 2014

2NE1's Album "Crush" Sweeping Music Charts

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The all girl group 2NE1, released their new album "Crush" on February 27, 2014 online only.  In a record time "Crush" was sweeping the music charts, and has achieved an all-kill status.  (ALL KILL : adj.; term used to refer to a song that has managed to reach the #1 spot on the 7 major music site daily charts in Korea simultaneously according to kpop dictionary).  Although, 2NE1's track “Come Back Home,” made a clean sweep on 10 real-time online music charts including: Melon, Bugs, Mnet, Naver Music, Daum Music, Olleh, Cyworld Music, Soribada, Monkey3 and Genie.  The other eight tracks on the album are not too far behind, most are already on the top ten charts.  March 7, "Crush" will be released offline, following 2NE1's first two concerts "All or Nothing" World Tour which begins March 1 and 2 in Seoul Korea.  

Their music video has not been released yet, but you can hear their all-kill song "Crush" from kpopMar Tube Hot

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OODTt2kahI0&w=560&h=315]

2ne1-minzy-crush-image 2ne1-dara-crush-image 2ne1-bom-crush-image 2ne1-CL-crush-image





 














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Hinamatsuri Japanese Girls Day Festival

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="350"](お雛様) A picture of some Hina dolls for hinamat... (お雛様) A picture of some Hina dolls for hinamatsuri with a lamp. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

March 3rd is Girl's Day also known as Hinamatsuri or even Momo no Sekku (Peach Day).  Some may wonder why peaches are part of this tradition.  A little interesting history of this event is that before the 19th century Japan followed the Lunar calendar, which during this religious event peach blossoms were in bloom, around early April.  Today Japan follows the Gregorian calendar, so peaches are no longer in bloom during the Hinamatsuri festival, but are still symbolic of the festival.  Momo no Sekku during the latter half of the Edo period had evolved into the festival we know today.  A day to celebrate and wish for happiness and health for the young women in their families.

Hinamatsuri is an ancient Japanese custom called hina-nagashi.  It was once believed that dolls possessed the power to contain evil sprits.  During the hina-nagashi, dolls where made with straws and are set afloat down a river to the sea, taking with it troubles or bad spirits.  The origins can be traced back to China.

The custom of displaying beautiful dolls representing the Emperor, Empress, and attendants, in traditional court dress began during the Heian period (794-1185). Today, families with young girls start displaying their dolls in February, to celebrate the well-being and happiness for them in the future. They arrange these traditional dolls in Heian court attire on a five or seven-tiered platform covered with red carpet. These dolls are immediately put away after the festival, a superstition says that if the dolls are on display past March 4, your daughter will marry late in life.

Honolulu, HI

Shirokiya 

San Jose, CA

Japantown

Los Angeles, CA

Japanese American Cultural and Community Center

Philadelphia, PA

Sakura Pavilion



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Saturday, February 15, 2014

Blogs with 200 followers or less, lets come together

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="320"]Liebster Blog Award Liebster Blog Award (Photo credit: ObscuredDreamer)[/caption]

Hello, hello all bloggers!!  I recently got nominated for the Liebster Blog Award.  I have to say I am honored to have been nominated, but it was difficult to find blogs with 200 followers or less to nominate.  Not that none are out there, but it wasn't easy to find.  It took some effort.  So, I thought it would be easier for any one that has 200 or less followers to post your blogs here for others to find and follow.  Maybe your blog will be the next one nominated for a blog award.  Please nothing inappropriate.  I will make the discretion to remove or allow a site to be shown on my post.  So go ahead and add your blog in the comments. I will review them ASAP.  Enjoy the camaraderie!

Dont forget to follow me for your latest and trendiest Asia Trends.  I will follow you back too, just be sure to let me know you followed!  You should let your fellow bloggers know that you followed them and to follow you back.  Im really excited!  I'll start off by sharing the first blog that has less then 200 followers.

eyeonjapan.blogspot.com


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WTH is The Liebster Blog Award? Because I got one….

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What the heck is The Liebster Award…..? Apparently, this award is given to bloggers from bloggers.  Liebster in German means kind, sweet and beloved.  Like a chain letter, this award is passed on and it seems no one knows of the origins or when this award began. The rules are simple and has varied over time. If your blog is nominated and you accept the award:

Display the award on your blog, the simplest way is to save the image and then upload it.

Recognize and link back to the blogger that nominated you

Answer the set of questions (asked by the blogger who nominated your blog)

Nominate 10 other bloggers with 200 or less followers (not as easy as it seems)

Ask your own set of 10 questions

Finally, let your nominees know you nominated them for the award. You can do this by going on to their blog and notify them.

The choice is yours if you would like to accept the award or not.  In my opinion this just a way to discover and recognize new bloggers and welcome and encourage them to our world of blogging.

With that being said, I feel very honored to have been nominated for the Liebster Blog Award.  Thank you onlyinthebay for the nominee.  Wow, what an honor!!  I have never been honored in any such way before.  Thank you very much. Its been an amazing 3 months back into blogging.  My wonderful friend Keito, from Keitochansays.com has also been an amazing friend that encouraged me to start back into blogging again, every time he saw me.  No matter how much excuses I had, Keito had a reason why I needed to stop giving excuses.  Thanks Keito!

Recently, I've had wonderful comments on my posts, I've had coworkers tell me they follow my blog, I never even told them I had a blog, that makes me feel so honored.  Thank you all for the encouragement, thank you for pushing me and thank you for sharing and retweeting. Now for the questions my nominee onlyinthebay asked me:

1. What got you to start blogging?

For me, I wanted to share my love for my culture.  Im half Japanese and I've always been proud to be Asian. I want to be recognized as an Asian American Blogger

2. How long have you been blogging for?

I started blogging in September 2012, I believe.  After a few months, I stopped.  I just started blogging again in December 2013 so technically about 6 maybe 7 months, just not consistent.  This award helps to encourage me as well.  

3. What do you have a hard time with in terms of writing?

I have the hardest time thinking what I should blog about.  I start writing many times and I change my mind half way through, thinking it may not be a topic anyone would like to read about. 

4. What kind of movies do you like?

Oh boy, movies…… I like adventures and comedy the most.  

5. What is one dish you can not live with out?

Rice, I think for me it would definitely be japanese rice.  

6. Is there a specific spot you like to be when you write? if so where?

I usually sit on the floor in the living room, using our Ikea footstool as my table.  

7. If there is one place in the world you would like to go to right now; where would that be and who would you bring with you?

Thats easy, Japan.  Sapporo, to be exact.  I'd bring my husband and children of course.  

8. If you were to go to a deserted island, what three things would you bring with you?

I'd bring my husband, a blanket and a knife

9. What is the strangest food you have ever tried?

Fried plantation

10. Have you ever been nominated for a liebster award before?

No, Never. Many thanks again for the nominee and for this opportunity, onlyinthebay.

Now for my 10 nominees for The Liebster Award:

atouchofjapanese.wordpress.com

tenstarsorless.com

selftaughtjapanese.com

makeup-bakeup.com

lenapera.wordpress.com

beausandbows.wordpress.com

naomitalksbeauty.com

eyeonjapan.blogspot.com

sophielouiseanne.blogspot.co.uk

fiveleveninety.blogspot.com

My set of questions are:

1. Please tell us what made you want to start blogging?

2. If you were famous what would it be for?

3. What makes you smile?

4. What advise would like to share with other new or newer bloggers?

5. Do you have a favorite blogger or blog to visit and why?

6. Who or what inspires you and why?

7. If you could vacation anywhere, where would you go and why?

8. What is your favorite meal?

9. Is there a beauty product you can't live without?

10. Favorite animal?

It was hard for me to find blogs with 200 or less followers.  Its not always easy to discern how many followers some blogs have.  So, if you have more than 200, my apologies.  No one is obligated to accept this award.  I know some blogs may not except awards, that is not always easy to discern too.  Again, my apologies if I included your site.

I was also thinking of just starting a post for anyone who has 200 or less followers to just leave their blog post for others to easily recognize and follow.  Stay tuned, I may be doing something like that in the near future…...

Don't forget to follow me for the latest asian trends….

This is all in fun and thank you.


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Saturday, February 8, 2014

Sapporo Snow Festival 2014

[caption id="attachment_2414" align="alignnone" width="300"]20140208-154235.jpg Photo Credit: www.gramfeed.com/umicafe_k[/caption]

The Sapporo Yuki Matsuri is held annually in Japan's Northern Island of Hokkaido.  The story of the first "Yuki Matsuri" began in 1950 with six snow statues made from local high school students, drawing in 50 thousand people. Today millions of visitors come every year to see these gigantic snow and ice sculptures that line Odori park, Tsudome and along Susukino.  Last year was a record high of 2.36 million visitors.  This year the snow festival will be from February 5 - 11, 2014.  I've been to Sapporo too many times to count, but I have never been able to see these wonderful life-like sculptures.  It is definitely on my bucket list.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqezNJ1OaGE&w=560&h=315]

See how the sculptors are made.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-td87IvEyCw&w=560&h=315]

[caption id="attachment_2418" align="aligncenter" width="300"]20140208-155846.jpg Photo Credit: www.gramfeed.com/hattam[/caption]

For more information please see Sapporo City's official yuki matsuri site and Sapporo City's official visitors site. You will be in absolute awe.

The videos in this post are not mine, please see Sapporo City's official visitors site and Sapporo City's official yuki matsuri site for more videos about Sapporo.



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