Fuji-san and Shibazakura Matsuri Mai 2014

After almost 1 year that I've been in Japan I finally went to see Mount Fuji (富士山). I went towards the end of May.

Once a year from the end of April till beginning of June, there is a Festivity called Shibazakura Matsuri.

Shibazakura is a type of "cherry blossom" that grows from the ground. It comes in different types of pinkish colors.

Unfortunately for us the wether wasn't on our favor. It was really gloomy and cloudy that day... From time to time it was also raining. At the beginning I feared that I wouldn't be able to see Fuji-san at all. Luckily he decided to show up sometimes.

In the Fuji-san area there are 5 different lakes. We went to one lake in the area Yamanashi, Fujikawakuchiko, Motosu lake.

To get there we went on the train and had to change several times. The last station was Kawaguchiko. From there we took the bus to go to Motosu. We bought in Shinjuku an all-day pass that was around 4000 Yen. It's really worth buying that pass. From Saitama or Tokyo it takes almost 2 hours to get there!

We also went to the Kawaguchiko lake before leaving.

... we had to hurry up since it seemed like a storm was coming...

I still got some really nice pictures despite the gloomy day...

All in one I loved it!!! The nature around Fuji is just magical. It was one of the best experience that I had since coming to Japan. It's definitely worth going near Fuji-san.

Let's get some foodporn here!!! They had all Sakura themed food there!! I ate Sakura Ramen!! Ouuu yes!!! That was some delicious ramen!!

Sweets paradise!!! Everything just looked sooo delicious!!

Sakura flavoured cake!!! I wish I could eat it again!!

Disneyland Resort in Tokyo

The place where fairy tales become reality. Since I can remember I always wanted to go to Disneyland.
Last May I went for the second time to Disney in Tokyo. I love that place!!

The entrace fee was 6400 Yen for 1 day-pass. It's quite expensive if you consider that only the roller coaster are for free. Then again considering the maintenance cost for the park, it's understandable.

Even thought Easter was already over, the park was still Easter-themed. The decoration was really really pretty! I heard that on Easter they actually had an egg hunting! How cool is that?!? =)

For roller coaster they actually have some really cool ones. There is  Pirates of the Carribean right next to the entrance and also a hounting castle and many more.

Disneyland has by far the bestest food ever!! I wish food would be included in the entrance fee. Since all I do in Disney is eating. Not that I don't do that when I'm not in there.. haha.. Oh well.. xD

Micky-shaped cookies and other delicious goodies... Not to mention caramel popcorn!! Literally the bestest popcorn in the entire world!!

As for souvenirs I got myself another micky-shaped macaroon lookalike pillow!! xD I already bought one in pink the first time I went. This time I purchased a minth-green one.

 

As for other things they had a lot of easter-themed products and so much more. Basically you can spend the entire day buying souvenirs.

Beside Disneyland there is also Disney Sea on the other side. The parks are not connected to each other. It's a separated entrance for each park. I've never been there but I heard that Disney Sea is more for grown-ups. The roller coasters are scarier, not that actually roller coaster in Disney are scary, but you know what I mean... right? xD

What I really like about Disney is that when you are there you just forget about everything and enjoy the moment. Everybody is so happy and it's just contagious. You literally just become happy yourself and everybody always greets you. It really feels like a little perfect world without worries. It's just the moment that matters.

Sakura has bloomed in the first week of April 2014

The Sakura right in front of my home - Kita-Toda

It's my second time to be able to see the beautiful sakura in Japan. It usually blooms towards the end of March until the beginning of April. This year it was in the first week of April. The Winter was longer than usual so it bloomed quite late.
Usually in the south of Japan it blooms earlier than in the north.

I personally think the blooming time is one of the most magical moments in Japan.
Last year I saw the cherry blossoms at the Ueno Park. This year I was able to see them at the Imperial Palace and Ichigaya.

Ichigaya

Imperial Palace Chidoya

 

They say the cherry blossoms at the Imperial Palace are the most beautiful in Tokyo. Indeed I spent a very magical day there!!

This beauty last for a couple of days until...

 

... the blossoms fall and the trees grow leafs.

It's definitely worth seeing a beauty like this live!!

Penis Festival in Kawasaki 2014年４月６日

Once a year near Tokyo in a town called Kawasaki which is about 20 minutes from Shinagawa, takes a weird festival place.
It's the so called Kanamara Matsuri or also known as the penis festival.

The event takes place at Kawasaki-Daishin. Right near a station there is a small temple. Unmissable since so many people are going. Not only japanese but also many foreigners.

The festival starts around 11 o'clock, but the actual parade only starts at 12 o'clock.

Around this temple there are many stands with food and drinks offered. Most of the foods are in a penis form. Ex. ice cream, lollipops, sausiges, ...

They also offer amusement activities.
There was a group of japanese women dancing and some wooden penis riding.

This little cute monkey was an attraction too. Honestly this only broke my heart seeing him like this!! ='( I don't think he actually wanted to be there. He looked quite confused and probably felt uncoｍfortable around so many people!!

Honestly I don't really know what to think about this event... It was really crowded and we were barely able to see anything. Once you saw it there was nothing holding you there anymore.
We didn't stay long there. We went through the sweets section and saw the beginning of the parade. That was enough for us and we left.
I was quite surprised at how many people actually went there. I imagined that there wouldn't be that many people, but it was really crowded.

How to get a job in Japan with a Student visa / Hello Work

First of all you need to apply for a working permission. You can request it directly at the airport or at the foreigner embassy.
For requesting it at the airport I received from my school a sheet where I had to sign it and turn it in at the airport control counter.
At the embassy you have to fill in more papers and wait for 2 weeks till you get the permission.

With this stamp on your residence card you are allowed to work in Japan

Remember that with the student-visa you can only work 28 hours per week!!

The CV

Here in Japan they use printed forms for your CV!! You can buy them in every Conbini store.
They have 2 different kind of CVs. For Part-time job and for full-time job.

Part-time job CV パート、アルバイト

You have to fill it in by hand and you can't copy them. Passport pictures are also needed for it.

Hello Work

Hello Work

What is it

All my friends at school recommended me to go to Hello Work. It's a work agency that helps you in finding a job.
It's charge-free and until now no one ever told me, that they didn't get a job and basically half of my school found their job through that agency. I also found my part-time job there.
They also have English speaking officers.

Office Location

The office worker are all really friendly. The office is located between Shin-Okubo and Shinjuku's Kabuki-chou. Right at a main road next to the train station.

Hello Work Shinjuku (Kabukicho Branch) 1F, 2-42-10 Kabuki-cho, Shinjuku-ku

Keep in mind that it takes almost 3 hours at the first time you go there. The earlier you go, the better. The office opens at 9 a.m. You can also call and ask for an appointment.

What they do

After they saved your informations in their files, they immediately look for any type of jobs in their data bank or also for the job that you want to apply for.

If you are interested in that job they will call for you and rather you have an interview or you can send them your CV.
If they found 2 or 3 places that are interesting, they will send you away. If it didn't work out you have to go back again and they will look for further places.

I went twice there until I got my part-time job at a restaurant.

Other ways


There are also different types of websites to find a job and also one special one for foreigners. It's called Gaijinpot.


Good luck!! =)

The Zoo in Ueno - 上野の動物園

Tokyo's zoo is really famous for its Pandas. The zoo is situated in Ueno, right next to the JR station. For some reason Pandas are really famous here in Japan. They have some kind of cuteness effect.

Beside Pandas they have other animals as well. They have elefants, monkeys, birds, small animals, ecc.

I've been at the zoo twice already. Once in Summer and once in Winter. Everytime I went there they were restructuring something and some accesses were close.
It's a big zoo, there are a lot of animals and you need an entire afternoon to see the entire place. Be careful in Winter closing hour is at 5 p.m.

I really like how they organised the zoo and it's in a really pretty surrounding. There is a lot of green and nature, unusual for Tokyo.

I personally would recommend to go in Summer. It was pretty cold when I went last February. Nice was that there weren't many people around. They don't put the animals in hibernation during Winter.
During Summer it's really crowded and depending on which month pretty hot and humid. 
The perfect season is probably in Spring, April to June.

The fee is not that expensive. It's 600 ¥ for adults.

Right next to the entrance of the zoo there is a little pizza place. The name of the place is "Pizza Savoia". They sell small pizza which are super delicious. Give it a try if you are already there.

Pizza Margherita