BobbyJenny's Reviews Page 16/76

One of the most eye-catching sights on the streets of Shinjuku is the hugely popular giant 3D cat! Look up and you'll see it on a massive screen high above the street. The image is so three-dimensional that it looks as if the cat might jump out of the screen at any moment, and even its fur and movements look incredibly lifelike.

The most interesting part is that the cat stretches, yawns, and pokes its head out to look down at the street. Combined with the glasses-free 3D effect, it feels as if a giant cat really lives inside a building in Shinjuku.

When visiting Shinjuku, besides shopping, don't forget to look up and find this adorable cat and experience the unique appeal of technology and creativity coming together on the streets of Tokyo.

Kabukiage is a classic Japanese rice cracker. It looks simple, but it's packed with flavor. The round rice crackers are fried until crisp and coated with a sweet and salty soy sauce seasoning. First you get the crunchy texture, and then the soy sauce flavor slowly spreads, making it hard to stop eating.

I like its simple, familiar flavor without too many fancy seasonings. It's easy to finish the whole bag, one bite after another.

When visiting Osaka's Umeda area, Hankyu Sanban Gai is a great place to shop. The mall is close to the station and easy to reach, with everything from clothing and general goods to restaurants. Walking around, you can really feel the bustle of central Osaka.

What attracts me most is the wide variety of stores. As you walk around, you'll come across interesting little shops, so you can eat and shop all in one place. The underground shopping area connects to the surrounding malls, so even rainy weather doesn't affect your plans much.

When you get tired from shopping, you can sit down at a restaurant for something to eat before continuing to explore the Umeda area. Rather than rushing around to specific attractions, casually wandering like this also lets you experience a more everyday side of Osaka.

Tokyo Station has always been an important stop on trips to Tokyo. From here, you can travel in every direction around Tokyo, and it’s also a major Shinkansen hub for reaching other cities. Every time I walk into the station, I can feel the crowds coming and going, filling the place with the rhythm of travel.

The Marunouchi area offers scenery different from what you see inside the station. The red-brick exterior of Tokyo Station stands alongside the modern high-rises around it, blending classic and contemporary architecture into a distinctive cityscape.

It’s also a great place to shop for souvenirs, with Tokyo-exclusive sweets, popular gifts, and all kinds of specialty products. After browsing the shops and picking up souvenirs, hopping on a train to the next stop really feels like traveling in Tokyo.

At the Yokohama Anpanman Children’s Museum, we saw a huge Anpanman standing at the entrance as soon as we arrived, and my daughter was absolutely delighted. There were so many cute things inside, and we also bought a few Anpanman bath bombs. Even the packaging was so adorable that we almost didn’t want to use them.

After seeing the museum exhibits, we bought red bean cream bread, chocolate cream bread, and some cute melon bread. Each one was shaped like Anpanman or one of his friends. They were detailed and adorable, and everyone happily enjoyed them.

The only slight disappointment was that we didn’t get to eat the udon this time, so we couldn’t bring home the cute Anpanman bowl. We’ll just have to save that as a reason to come back next time.

This time, I specifically chose to visit Takeshita Street in Harajuku at night, and it had a completely different feel from during the day.

The streetlights were on, and young people gathered in small groups, giving the whole street a lively, youthful atmosphere. Walking around here always reminds me of Ximending in Taipei, with lots of little shops that young people enjoy browsing, packed with clothing, accessories, general goods, and all kinds of interesting items.

The most interesting thing about Takeshita Street is that you don't need a particular destination. If you casually step into a small shop, you'll often discover something unexpected, making it feel like a treasure hunt.

The Shinkansen goes directly from Tokyo to Karuizawa, making the trip fast and comfortable without having to keep changing trains. After enjoying the scenery outside the window along the way, we arrived at Karuizawa Station in no time.

This time, we stayed in a cottage at the Karuizawa Prince Hotel. A hotel shuttle was available right outside the station, so we didn't have to worry about finding our way while pulling our luggage.

Getting from central Tokyo to Karuizawa was much more convenient than expected. After arriving at the station, we got on the shuttle and made it smoothly to our cottage in the forest. The noise of the city suddenly faded away, replaced by trees all around us. Just the journey there made us start looking forward to the stay ahead.

Osaka's Doguyasuji is a place that anyone who enjoys browsing household goods shouldn't miss. The entire street is lined with stores specializing in restaurant supplies. You can find everything from pots, knives, and plates to takoyaki makers, food models, store signs, and kitchen supplies. There is so much variety that you can't help but keep looking. The most interesting part is seeing all kinds of restaurant signs and food models displayed along the street, giving it a distinctly down-to-earth Osaka atmosphere. Compared with a typical shopping street, this feels more like a street created specifically for the food service industry. It is very distinctive to explore and offers another look at Osaka's food culture.
After exploring Osaka's Doguyasuji, we continued along the nearby Sennichimae Shopping Street, where the atmosphere became lively again. The arcade has restaurants, snack shops, drugstores, and all kinds of general goods stores. Eye-catching signs line both sides of the street, creating a classic Osaka streetscape. You don't have to worry about the weather under the covered arcade, making it comfortable to walk around and browse. Compared with all the kitchen supplies on Doguyasuji, this area feels closer to everyday life, with everything from food to shopping conveniently available. As we walked all the way toward Dotonbori, we could feel Osaka's distinctive liveliness and down-to-earth atmosphere throughout the area.

Shimogamo Shrine is tucked away amid Kyoto's greenery. After entering the shrine grounds, the first things to catch the eye are the vivid red wooden buildings. The vermilion pillars and roofs look especially beautiful among the trees, giving the area a strong sense of Kyoto's historic capital atmosphere.

Shimogamo Shrine has a very long history and still retains the appearance of an ancient shrine. Walking through it gives you a sense of Kyoto's deep historical heritage. Compared with bustling tourist attractions, it has a greater sense of tranquility and solemnity, allowing you to better appreciate the charm of old Kyoto.

When I visited GiGO at Hareza Ikebukuro, I especially wanted to try a Japanese claw machine. The place was filled with all kinds of cute plush toys, and Anpanman caught my eye as I looked around. After choosing my target, I started the challenge, carefully watching the position of the claw and adjusting the angle again and again. I finally managed to get Anpanman! The moment the plush toy dropped into the prize chute was so satisfying. I originally just wanted to try a Japanese claw machine, but I unexpectedly got to take my favorite Anpanman home. This small prize also gave me a cute memory of Ikebukuro.