While walking around, I came across the capsule toy shop gashacoco and was drawn inside before I knew it. After carefully considering my options, I tried the Moomin tabletop mini alarm clock series. The quality is quite good, and it costs only JPY 500, making it a nice decoration for the office. I also accidentally got a Snoopy umbrella charm. Although it really is a useless little trinket, it's still very comforting. Don't forget that you can also redeem a beautiful pair of chopsticks here!
gashacoco Ikebukuro | Review by Linda Liao
Other Reviews by Linda Liao
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Shirakawa Joshin Main Store
Shirakawa Joshin Main Store, located near Nagoya Castle, is a long-established restaurant famous for its hitsumabushi-a renowned Nagoya specialty featuring grilled eel, cut into small pieces and served atop rice.
I specifically added Shirakawa Joshin Main Store to my itinerary just to try the eel rice I’d been looking forward to for so long! Watching the chef repeatedly brush on the secret sauce passed down through generations and grill the eel until the skin was slightly charred, crisp, and fragrant while the meat inside stayed delicate and tender made me hungry just looking at it~
Once it’s served, don’t forget to try the classic “three ways”: first, enjoy the original flavors of the eel and white rice; second, add toppings like nori, green onions, and wasabi to experience different layers of flavor; finally, pour in the dashi broth to turn it into a light, easy-to-eat ochazuke. Each of the three ways has its own flavor. The meal was very satisfying and became one of the most memorable meals of the trip.
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Yamanami Highway
The Yamanami Highway is the nickname for Prefectural Route 11, which runs from Beppu in Oita Prefecture to Ichinomiya in Kumamoto Prefecture. The route offers a refreshing drive with sweeping views of the majestic Kuju Mountain Range and other stunning scenery.
Taking a trip to Aso is, in my opinion, a great way to get to know Kumamoto. It doesn't take too long to get there from the city—after about an hour, the scenery outside the window gradually begins to change, slowly shifting from familiar city streets to endless green grasslands and mountain views, as if you've entered another world. The scenery along the way is soothing and relaxing, making you want to slow down and fully take in Aso's natural beauty. Looking down from the mountain road, the cars traveled neatly one after another along the winding road, looking as cute as little Tomica cars from a distance! We also happened to see a helicopter flying across the sky in the distance. Together with the traffic on the ground, it created views from different heights. I imagined that looking down from the air at Aso's magnificent volcanic terrain and grasslands must be beautiful too.
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Ferris Wheel Kururin
The Ferris wheel Kururin has a diameter of 45 meters, and from the ground to its highest point spans 85 meters. It has also become a new iconic symbol of Matsuyama.
This landmark Ferris wheel is located on the ninth-floor rooftop of the Iyotetsu Takashimaya department store in Matsuyama, with its highest point about 85 meters above the ground. It offers 360-degree views of the Ehime cityscape, Matsuyama Castle, and the Seto Inland Sea. At night, colorful lights illuminate the sky, creating a romantic and enchanting atmosphere.
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