Around The World

Recently, I've been much in love with Cinderella after watching Cinderella movie on the big screen. Been on a lookout for Cinderella dress but haven't been able to find the perfect one so far. I'm always visiting disney stores in states hoping to find some nice accessories but most of them are designed for kids and I'm too old for those. Japan seems like the perfect place for disney lovers! 

Headed to Shibuya's Disney store! It's the only store in Japan with the Castle like exterior - feels like I'm in Disneyland without even stepping into one. 

My favourite princess and her merchandise. I spent a considerably long amount of time deciding between their accessories, weighing between practicality and my love for it. 

Disney loaded merchandise for the grown up kids - HP cases, pouch, earphone plugs, bag charms, bracelets, pens, stationaries. Too much of goodies I couldn't really decide what to get.

It's a 3 level building, with the 3rd floor selling disney park passes. 

Happy to chance upon the pompompurin Cafe in Harajuku. It's at the 3rd floor above Sanrio Vivitix Shop. Arrived just after the lunch crowd so it wasn't as crowded as I expected. The queue moved quite fast and I got in within 10 minutes of waiting.

The entrance is too cute! Every part of the restaurant down to the exterior is filled with this furkid. I'm not exactly a fan of Pompompurin but it's too cute to miss! There's always a thing about Japanese characters, they always look very cute - round face with face and mouths made of dots, lines or curves.

Main course and dessert menu. Surprisingly it's a pretty affordable cafe probably due to their target market being the younger crowd. 

Ordered the Taco Rice in a Friendship cup. It's too cute I couldn't bare to destroy it! They must have taken painstaking effort to create these dishes, the food doesn't come fast but at least I know the chef has been putting in considerable time effort to mould this perfectly! Thumbs up!! 

Caramel cream dessert which came in a super cute glass jar and a chocolate cap with a teeny weeny pot of caramel sauce. 

Cute Interior. This whole place is just so cute I felt like a kid once again! If I live in Japan, I would probably be a never-grow-up kid with all these cutesy stuff all around me.

Shopping corner in the cafe selling cafe exclusive merchansise! 

Staff's outfit - kawaaii! 

I have always wanted to have some photos of myself taken in a Kimono. It's Spring and I initally wanted to have pictures in the cherry blossoms and kimono. Sadly, very little sakura had bloom at this time.

There are many studios in Asakusa that offered kimono experience and photoshoot. I managed to find a reasonably priced one. It's called Sakura photo Kimono. http://www.sakuraphotokimono.com/english/

They have a few packages

Simple Plan - 3000Yen

Basic Plan - 5000 Yen

Luxury Plan - 10000 Yen

Photo service at another 5000 yen.

The difference between the simple and basic plan is the waist band and the Basic plan was definitely more elaborate and complicated. You can walk around with the kimono till 5pm, so its pretty worth it. For Luxury plan, it was only an hour of walking around.

I took the package which was 10,000 yen - includes the Basic Plan kimono and a 1 hour photo cum walking tour.

I only made up my mind one day before the photoshoot. I did ask some colleauges if they were interested in it but they don't really seem interested. Then this girl told me this kinda thing have to do it with friends. So I was thinking, yea it's true, they are just colleauges which I wouldn't see in future so I probably prefer my personal portrait. It was late at night after dinner, I emailed the lady, Sakura and the next morning she replied that my timing wasn't possible. I gave her a call and somehow it was possible! It was quite impromptu and I'm glad it managed to work out.

Putting on the Kimono was rather tedious. There was 2 aunties putting on layers of cloth on me and tying it with a string. Then I chose my kimono. I was contemplating between a few design but decided on one that Sakura recommended. The waistband tying took up quite some time as the 2 aunties put on layers of bands, twirl the colourful strings around, and folded the back sash into an elaborate pattern! I was impressed. The whole process took about 20 mins.

The photographer is Hiroshi and he basically walked though Asakusa with me and explained the history and culture of Asakusa. Asakusa is a very old and cultural place full of history so it was interesting to know more about it.

It was quite funny how while he was snapping pictures of me, other tourists especially the China peeps all started taking pictures of me. I felt like I was an exhibition item.

The photos took 2 weeks to edit and process, and I'm super pleased with the turnout!

I always make it a point to make a trip to Japan during the sakura season. I wasn't able to catch the full blooms but I still managed to capture some of the early blooms.

My favourite park is still Shinjuku gyoen over Ueno Park. Ueno park is way more crowded and touristy while shijuku gyoen is more of a local picnic place. More space to breathe and enjoy the blooms. Just pretty annoyed with the troops of chinese tourist stealing my photo spots and loitering in my background. I'm pretty anal when it comes to photobombing.

I was still pretty happy I managed to snap some nice shots.