Walking around Kagurazaka Tokyo

normally by this time of the year we are spending golden week holiday at kusatsu gumna ken,unfortunately due to my son's tight soccer competition schedule,and we we're in the middle of little DIY project at our home.(i miss hot spring,the stroll and the good food at kusatsu)but we have to cancel the short vacay to gumna this year.then spend the last day of holiday strolling around tokyo instead.the good side of it is we dont have to worry about getting stuck into massive holiday traffic.see lets practice to appreciate the bright side of any situation right.we never have been to kagurazaka before although ive been hearing a lot of good rave about this place we never had a chance to Visit.we are lucky the wheather is good today The temperature is warm almost hot actually.well i guess today is the perfect timing for a lovely walk.we are looking forward for kagurazaki experience.

First stop for some refreshment and quick bites to keep our energy for a lot of walking.

kagurazaka has a lot of traditional restaurant's coffee shop's shop's and bar's we had a lot of fun getting lost in the alley

finding way out of the alley we saw this cafe with a long queue of waiting costumer to be seated.we feel the need to stop and try this cafe out of curiousity

this cafe is called Cafe-Creperie　Le Bretagne

that serve up authentic Brittany-style crepes made from buckwheat.im glad we did try they serve the most delish crepes.after we finish that lovely crepes we are now fueled up and ready to continue our walk.eventually we found our way to the temple of Zenkoku-ji buddhist temple or more locally known as Bishamonten gate.

namuuuu!!!happy kids found game center. we let them play for a bit as a reward to for walking with us without any complains.good boy's im the luckiest mom

.after the kids play we walked again

we are now hungry and looking for a place to have lunch.we found this chic french restaurant that serve lunch course.but unfortunately there last order is 2:30 pm were 15 minutes late to much of strolling ha!

maybe next time ill make sure to be here early.by the way we decided to eat here

the food is not as good as we expected not bad though.im sure theres a lot of good restaurants in the area that serves great food with more reasonable price.as i told earlier "next time" we surely coming back here.kagurazaka is now one on my list of favorite place to visit just to enjoy walking,strolling and eating (ano pa ba) you do you have your own list of favorite things to do?and place to visit? with your family?

Samukawa Shrine Visit.

today we went to shimukawa shrine one of the old and prestigious shrine in japan.to offer our "HAPPO-YOKE" prayer's that are said to remove bad fortune and prevent negative energies from entering person's life.instead of going there by car we try to commute by train from tokyo shinkoiwa station jr line.it took us 2 hours to reach

miyayama station 5minutes walk to the shrine.

lantern of the tori gate

the pond found right at the tori gate.

they said that if you visit the pond and walk the bridge upon entering the shrine it will bring you good fortune,and succes.we did visit the pond before entering and seat in the beach right next to the pond it was so calming and peaceful there.

temizuya the ritual before entering the shrine to purify your body and soul.

inside samukawa shrine.

"komainu"lion like creatures that guards the entrans and inner of the shrine.

look at this amazing hoi-ban compass for happo-yoke guardians for protection of 8direction of the compass.

i saw one of the kannushi coming out from the main worship hall.kannushi "god master"is the person responsible for the maintenance of the shrine as well as leading the worship.

EMA wishing wooden plate for 500yen.

someone is loving the shrine visit.by this time its almost 1:30pm we feel super hungry so after we recieve our renewed "ofuda" and kiddos "omamori"

we leave the shrine to look for some good restaurant that serve sushi.(because we love raw fish)

lunch is served so good fresh sushi.till next year samukawa shrine...

Weekend getaway: Team Otani goes to HAKONE JAPAN,

its weekend so to hakone we go.hakone is 2hours far from tokyo by car(without traffic) and an hour and a half by densya(train) we leave the house 6:00 in the morning.we only have a day to explore hakone.so we dont want to waste out time stucking into traffic.since its still so early in the morning we dont have appetite Yet to eat proper brekky hubby bought freshly baked bread instead. so that the kids can eat in the car.

We made it into our destination around 9:30am yahoooo!!!


But feel dismay the moment i saw this sign

Its say no video and photography allowed inside this hotel.huwaaatttttt??????? Pano na Ng post ko????? May hotel palang ganon??? i ask there staff why picture taking is not allowed inside?i mean hakone is a tourist spot? Pano na mga tourist na gusto I document by pictures about there trip? She politely answers me na there priority is to there customers to feel as relax a possible and maaachieve lang nila un sa quit environment.(dapat pala sa sementeryo sila CHOS lang po un)nway dahil matigas ang ulo ko ng burberry lite.

Tadaaaa!!!sorry pix ng hallway way in front of our rented room ang nakunan.but there you are its up to you to imagine ang kabuuan ng hotel.

the highlight of our trip today was this was view.so relaxing to listen to the sound of flowing water from the river

Share din daw sya ng view nya.(pagbigyan na even my dungaw pose ginaya na)

Beauty of Cherry Blossoms At Night

its aprilll the long cold and freezing winter season is saying goodbyee to us.(the cold does bothers me anyway)but before mag summer!enjoy muna natin ang spring

my favorite season.at pag sinabing spring eh!bida ang bet na bet ng lahat cherry blossoms viewing(hanami) hanami is a long time japanese tradition of welcoming spring.people gather under blooming cherry blossoms for food,drinks and chikahan galore while admiring the beauty of(sakura)cherry blossoms.this year my boy's and i decided to went for a nightime hanami viewing 'YOZAKURA' is what they called it.

look how pretty cherry blossoms are all lit up for a night viewer.

we went at ROPONGGI MIDTOWN TOKYO i believe tokyo midtown has some 105 trees of the the somei yoshino and other varieties also commands a view of the 44cherry trees.the blossoms on sakura-dore street are illuminated at night for a romantic view in the heart of tokyo.lakas maka romantic i feel it wink!!!

bz ang crowd sa selfie including the lady on a big hat sa likod.i think she's having a hard time taking her selfie in the dimlight

after a couple of hours walking and picture taking the kiddos were hungry so we decided to eat dinner inside midtown.

tongkatsu teshoku for tonight.so so good.after a filling dinner its time for some dissert

we bought macarons for take out so that we can enjoy this yummyness under the cherry blossoms tree.yes gorabels sa labas to take more photos and to enjoy our macaron while sitting on a bench