160116.
Went to Oita Station today!
and you know what was great about it? :D
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO CLIMB THE SLOPE!!
WE TOOK THE BUS!
basically Japan is made out of like hills OK I SWEAR IDEK IF IT'S TRUE IT JUST FEELS LIKE IT.
THE COLLEGE WE'RE AT IS UP SLOPE, AND EVERYTHING FUN AND COOL IS DOWN SLOPE.
Going down slope is fine, the slopes are pretty steep though, and it kind of feels like I'm going to trip over in my shoes and fall at any moment.
the hard part is coming back up-slope..........
nothing is worth the slope.
nothing.
not even the 90 yen sushi restaurant that serves sushi that tastes better than like all the sushi I tasted in Singapore.
nothing.
We actually went climbed the slope twice, once was my very first Oita trip (21st Nov 2015's post, wow I actually blogged a post how did I even manage to do so that time) and the very first Aeon trip.
oh god, the slope.........
horrors.
-end of slope (sob) story-
I woke up at 8, as planned, cause my alarm was doing its job (wow I heard my alarm!) and also because I was freezing, but ys wasn't awake.
So I kind of slipped in and out of sleep in case ys was going to wake up anytime soon.
Didn't want to wake her up because I just wanted as much sleep as I can get (she's always the one waking me up, like when she wakes me up it's the furthest I can push with sleeping)
It was till 8:45 when YS called my name, told me 15 mins, and got up to go to the bathroom (she always does before me to wash up etc), and I thought like yeah, we are waking up now.
So, as usual, I lazed in my bed until I feel like it is time to go brush my teeth.
BUT! Before I could decide that the time was right, she came back (quicker than she does usually) and went back to sleep.
Turns out when she said 15 mins she meant 15mins more of sleep.
I basically wasted the time staying awake and trying not to fall asleep.
That was a good long 3 minutes more I would really appreciate.
Mind doesn't work in the mornings man.
We left the dorm at 9:27am.
The bus was coming at 9:47 am.
It was 4 degrees out.
YS was saying just in case because we don't know how the bus is like etc (though of course, japan is known for their punctuality and all)
but I went with it, it was too much of a trouble climbing back up to our room for like 10 more mins (actually doesn't sound bad but nah, tiring)
I was actually quite high in the morning hahahaha.
giggly and all.
The berries were starting to grow!!!
THE END OF WINTER IS NEAR (and that's when we're going back LOL)
and everyday is harsh man, the weather doesn't go above 12 degrees :(
The bus came exactly at 9:47 (duh),
Japan bus system is really cool.
You board the bus from the back, take a ticket from the machine (it auto dispenses it), and it has the bus stop number you boarded printed on it.
I took one, and it immediately dispensed one more.
Now that I think about it....
I have no idea how does it work :O
The ticker number gotta change with every stop yeah, how does the machine know how many to dispense for that particular stop :O
If they just dispense it automatically, do they like print the ticket with the next stop number and like the previous stop number's ticket that is printed out alr gets like dropped into the bin or sth????????
???????
i'm like confused but wow thoughts. and japan. wow.
I took one, and it immediately dispensed one more.
Now that I think about it....
I have no idea how does it work :O
The ticker number gotta change with every stop yeah, how does the machine know how many to dispense for that particular stop :O
If they just dispense it automatically, do they like print the ticket with the next stop number and like the previous stop number's ticket that is printed out alr gets like dropped into the bin or sth????????
???????
i'm like confused but wow thoughts. and japan. wow.
You can see that there's a bar code imprinted on it too!
We sat at the back, then we couldn't see the board, so we moved forward. THEN realized it was the priority seat, it was super awkward. Because everybody sitting in the front were elderly, and more elderly people were boarding ;___________;
SO we moved back HAHAHAHA.
Like playing sia.
Finally reached Oita station!
We boarded at 9:47am, and we reached at 10:10!
A train ticket is 210 yen, and our bus fare was 270 yen, so I would say the extra 60 yen to ride the bus is damn worth it.
It's quicker, and NO SLOPE!!!
Heck, if it means I don't have to climb the slope, I'm willing to pay like 200 yen/300 yen more man!
Yay for we took the bus successfully!! :D
I literally jumped when I got off the bus cause I was so excited and happy!!
You drop the money and ticket together in the machine ^^
The machine will scan the barcode or sth and yeah.
The bus driver will thank you when you alight and it's so ;____;
thanks kind and polite man.
Walked around Tokiwa (we feel like it's the orchard road of the Oita Station area) HAHAHA.
Legit inside it's the super atas shops. Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren etc.
All the huge make-up brands are there too.
We went to every level, and we're too broke to shop there, really.
Branded names aren't our thing?
We walked past the toy section tho, and it was pretty cool!!
They had this sand box thing!!
The sand is something like Kinetic sand, and yeah, the kids can like build sandcastles and whatever there.
Pretty neat!
SO we moved back HAHAHAHA.
Like playing sia.
The space between the seats are pretty.... small? ;___;
Well......
Oh and like the Japan says sumimasen (excuse me) when they want to sit next to a stranger in a two-seater seat.
Polite culture? ;-;
We boarded at 9:47am, and we reached at 10:10!
A train ticket is 210 yen, and our bus fare was 270 yen, so I would say the extra 60 yen to ride the bus is damn worth it.
It's quicker, and NO SLOPE!!!
Heck, if it means I don't have to climb the slope, I'm willing to pay like 200 yen/300 yen more man!
Yay for we took the bus successfully!! :D
I literally jumped when I got off the bus cause I was so excited and happy!!
You drop the money and ticket together in the machine ^^
The machine will scan the barcode or sth and yeah.
The bus driver will thank you when you alight and it's so ;____;
thanks kind and polite man.
Walked around Tokiwa (we feel like it's the orchard road of the Oita Station area) HAHAHA.
Legit inside it's the super atas shops. Louis Vuitton, Ralph Lauren etc.
All the huge make-up brands are there too.
We went to every level, and we're too broke to shop there, really.
Branded names aren't our thing?
We walked past the toy section tho, and it was pretty cool!!
They had this sand box thing!!
The sand is something like Kinetic sand, and yeah, the kids can like build sandcastles and whatever there.
Pretty neat!
-INTERLUDE-
10:32 PM 18/01/2016
TWITTER IS DOWN OMG TECHNICAL ERROR LIKE SAY WHAAAAAAT
I have become so reliant on social media I am actually ashamed
I was actually searching for SMAP news and then I couldn't get any search results and then that robot came on (this robot)
and before I went to search for SMAP news I was like changing my dp and tweeting that i'm kawaii (did I break twitter cause it didn't agree with me........ ok i wish I had that ability hahah!1!!!)
life has to go on without twitter..............
which is why I'm here, really.
I was just tweeting about how much I was procastinating and not blogging what I want to and then twitter broke like 16 mins later so........... oh I just received a notification I think it's back......? brb.
if I don't come back it means it's fixed.
OH YEAH IT'S FIXED
but it's ok I'm going to continue.
AND SMAP IS NOT DISBANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YAY!!!!!!
KIMUTAKU LOOKS GOOOOD.
ok
back on topic.
(btw i can hear the wind howling AND I AM ACTUALLY FEELING THE WIND THROUGH THE SHUT WINDOWS LIKE WHAT IN THE WORLDDDDDDDDD)
-END OF INTERLUDE-
Omg a Japan fair in Japan I loveeeee.
(we almost didn't go up!)
The entire mall was quite dead, but the top floor was super lively!
Guess that's where all the people gathered ^^
I naturally graviated towards the food section (won't be me if I didn't!)
And I stood, very patiently, for the people to offer me samples (he was cutting up some behind)
and I was like pretending to check out the items on sale while waiting HAHA.
So he offered me some (finally!), and IT WAS DA BOMB!
I think it's like donut balls.
Bought 3 of the original flavor balls to go :D
It's gooooood!
But it's best to eat fresh!
I left 2 to eat the next day, and it was like tough.
I left 2 to eat the next day, and it was like tough.
Chocolate > everything else any day.
Zoomed in photo!
One of the flavors they have.
I just pointed to the one that I thought looked like what I would like to eat HAHAHA.
I actually wanted to order the one above.. and I realized that I can actually differentiate which one is it from the shelves...
But I didn't realize it then!
What I got was cookies and cream I think???
It tasted like it.
It's gooooood!
The sweet potato shop :>
I thought it was real at first, then put my hand over because I wanted warmth but noooo it's fake.
HAHAHA.
YS was like "eh careful!!"
and I'm just like ~chill bruh it's fake~
Bought sweet potato chips from this store!!!
The store opposite it was selling sugar coated nuts.
I'm not really a nuts person, so I was just looking, not planning to buy anything..
Then the staff, this old lady started handing me samples HAHAHA.
Like legit she gave me the cashew one to try first, then while I'm chewing she's like come come I give you almond one also. Then when I'm chewing the almond one! She went to get the black sesame one for me.
I felt bad because she super enthu (just wanted to make a sale??? maybe??), so I bought!
Plus it was quite good too so yay, (feeling guilt-tripped and touched by the enthu lady was more of a excuse to buy it HAHA)
My Cashew Nut & OKINAWA Brown Sugar HAHA.
We saw this shop too!
They had all the mango products, and the daifuku (mochi, the big white circles there) are super cool.
Like inside has like mango bits and whipped cream etc etc etc, it was extragavant.
Didn't buy it tho.
Didn't have the feel??
We were about done, and then we saw a long line for people queuing at this store.
Realized that they are all buying the steam cake!!!!!
I'm like cool but ~_~
I went to the snacks corner to buy some Okinawa famous stuff (I suppose)
They have like lemon tea in those plastic Popsicle tube thing???? omg???
I wanted to grab a pic but my phone died and I didn't have hands to source for my charger then :(
We went down the escalator, then I'm like... should I buy the steam cake???
So we went back up, then I joined the queue while YS sat down.
It was quite long ~_~
They serve a cup of hot beverage (honey ginger tea, I believe!) to everyone in the queue!
They sold the flour to make the steam cakes too, but it would too heavy for me to bring it back :(
700g packets ;-;
The brown sugar steam cakes!!!
The proper term is Okinawa's Brown Sugar Agarasa! :D
Authentic ones man!
Everybody was buying like in bulk (why do Japanese people always buy in bulk??)
Meanwhile, I just wanted one!
It was actually quite good!
Just what I love, sweet sugary goodness.
Brown sugar + cake, I dig!
Mine! :D
We saw these tamagotchi HAHA.
They don't make them the same anymore!
I actually don't have a recollection of playing tamagotchi though...............
We headed down........ and we saw a protest.
Legit no joke.
I don't even know what were they protesting about.
(ok I saw this woman weraing with a "no war" sign, and a quick googling led me to:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/16/japanese-anti-war-protesters-challenge-shinzo-abe)
It was an... experience for sure...
We didn't want to jumble together with them (it was a huge group!!!!!!!!!)
btw there are kids so we concluded it was a peaceful protest but ya
So we crossed over the road and then walked to Oita station there.
By the time we got to the traffic light, it ended LOL.
Don't know where/when they started tho!
First stop was H&M!
The previous time we went H&M, during our winter break and it was like amazing??
SALE EVERYWHERE.
And Japan takes their sales very seriously.
LOOK AT THIS DRESS!!
300 YEN!!!
It was the last piece, and I guess it's that cheap because of the size~
I bought it for my sis, hopefully she can fit.
It's 300 yen only tho, seriously!?!?
THIS WAS 100 YEN!!
Same design, different color, 300 yen!
I guess they price the items based on popularity/possible popularity...?
all these...... for 100 yen each.
Yes that's right. 100 YEN.
THAT'S LIKE $1.20 IN SGD
FROM H&M!
100 YEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We used the coupon we got the other time we shopped at H&M.
We weren't sure if we would be allowed to use it since all the items we were buying were sale items (we can't read the t&cs behind cause we don't know how to) BUT THEY ALLOWED IT and so...
I bought 1 dress, and 4 shirts for... wait for it..... 1399 YEN!!!!!!!!!!
THAT IS actually $17 SGD converted ouch I thought it was $15 BUT STILL, $17!??!?!?!?!
FOR 5 ITEMS!!!!!!
My mum was telling me my sis just bought a tank top at H&M Singapore on sale for $14.90.
Heck, I got 5 clothing items at $17!
Was hoping I'll get another coupon but nah :(
This was from another shop in Amu Plaza,
but legit, Japan takes their sales very, very seriously.
And the clothes aren't ugly!
They are actually pretty cute and all, just not suitable for Singapore (I will look weird/kanna judged)
Like, Japan I just wear track pants (cause I forgot to change in proper pants) and my hair will be in a mess (legit random bun kind of hair) and go to shop.
........... or maybe I'm getting judged and I don't know?????
...........
I have never seen a suitation where both the mannequin and the staff wears the same item and look good in Singapore.
So, I was amused to see that the items being worn on the mannequin being worn by a stff and look so good!!
Then again, Japan girls are like *_*
Why are they so skinny
Ok so the funny thing is that.
We were just walking around...
and then we saw like the staff in this gardening store putting up time sale tags?
and I'm like oh! time sale! but I don't need plants!
then an annoucement was made to the entire mall...... counting down from 10... to the start of the time sale!!!!!!!!!
OMG LOL.
DAMN COOL!!!!!!!!!!!
Turns out they had a time sale event going on during two separate hours on 16th and 17th Jan!
1pm - 2pm (I think, can't rmb?) and 5pm - 6pm!
Food shops only had one hour at 5pm - 6pm!
It was usper cool because the moment the announcer went TIME SALE START-O!, everyone started shouting!!!!!!!!
Like it became super noisy HAHAHAHA.
Went to find a place to eat lunch!
Saw this shop, they sell like hor fun etc!!!
DAMN EX HAHAHHA.
16 SGD ++!
So interesting eh!
We walked a round around the floor, before deciding with this!
Looks damn atas right. (It is... but food damn cheap)
It is famous for their black pig pork!
Interior!
This is what we ordered!
(I don't know what is it)
I couldn't decide between tonkatsu or this!
The table next to us were all eating tonkatsu and table on the other side of us were both eating the above.
Went with this cause I thought it will look gorgeous in my photo (LOL - how does jazel decide what to eat), and have a lot of different ingredients ah.
Tonkatsu like fattening.
There was like sliced pork, tamago, mushroom, glass noodles, sweet potato, pumpkin, cabbage, carrot and the fruits (strawberry, pineapple and orange) in the wooden box.
I loved everything, execpt the cabbage cause it was like sour.?.?
The soup was black pork broth! Not bad, but salty eh!
The yellow bowl of goodness is egg strips on top, and below is mushroom rice!!
We were like thinking if this would be filling because like we thought there were no carbs.
But there was the rice hidden below the egg!!
It was damn good and filling..
and the best part is......
IT'S ONLY 980 YEN INCLUDING TAX FOR THE ENTIRE SET.
980 YEN!!!!!
That's 12 SGD!!
YS and I were saying like how this will probably cause us.... >$20 in Singapore.
LOOK AT THE GLASS NOODLES!!!!
The bill.... Legit, no kidding.
980 yen T_____T
We then went to the rooftop!
We did the first time we came to Oita Station, and I loved the serenity of it~
Still as gorgeous as I remember :')
And so I was right in my 21st Nov post, it is kind of a mini shrine!
That's a Torii in the above picture, which is usually found at the entrance of a Shinto shrine~
They had an mini ice-skating rink set up!
I saw this and I thought they are gorgeous.
Seeing a lot of shops selling them nowadays though, but I don't know the meaning behind it? >_<
It bugs me not to know exactly, cause I'm afraid of misappropriating the culture >___>
Walked to Starbucks, and they have cute Valentine's Day items!!!
I would actually love to buy this mug but I don't like the interior color :(
STARBUCKS JAPAN CAKES ARE COOL MAN.
They have like... Strawberry & Cookie Cheesecake... and Lemon Poppy Seed cake!!
I can never get these in Singapore....
ALWAYS.
and look! They have a menu!
Was complementing between bubble tea and gelato.
Didn't get both, was planning to get either one later on since I was still relatively full from lunch!
I was really thristy, don't know why the tea in the restaurant made me thirstier as I drank it????
Chanced upon this store, and there were like a never ending stream of customers!!!
Like the customers just kept coming?????
I was really really thirsty, so I decided to buy a orange x grapefruit mix!
(Seeing an old lady buying a cup was what made me buy it??? Cause I would think usually the elderly won't spend money on such things.... Stereotype??? >____>)
You order through this machine!!
There was English so yay!
Select which type of item you want, I was getting a drink so the first option!
You got to put in the money first before selecting your option!
Mine was 420 yen.
They will dispense this ticket, and you pass it to the staff and they will make it for ya.
I wanted to get a pic of the ticket but the person like asked me for it before I could so!
You can see my ticket there! Making my drink :D
The thing is... They just take the pre-prepared/measured cup of fruits, pour sugar syrup and ice and blend.
That's all.
Like legit just pure fruit juice.
I guess that's a good thing.......?
This is my receipt!
My drink~
Ah, the cup is relatively small and it bugs me to no end that it is not filled up entirely.
Nobody else's drink is filled up entirely too btw.
HAVE SMALLER CUPS MAYBE???
THE ABOVE MADE ME FEEL SAD.
Finished my drink.
Was like contemplating how much I waste money while drinking it.
It tastes exactly like what my dad makes for me at home LOL (without the sugar syrup, but rly, no diff)
But it's still good ol' fruit juice.
But I guess at least I tried and satisfied my curiosity of the machine.
EVERYBODY AROUND THAT AREA WAS DRINKING IT BTW.
I guess it's like.. the cool thing? xD
I'm cool.
Yeah.
I'm cool.
Finally walked into Godiva (it's an open storefront concept!
Kind of like the Godiva in Singapore Takashimaya but not really?
THEIR ICE CREAM HAS HEART-SHAPED CHOCOLATE CHIPS!!!!
(I saw the chocolate ones in 7-11, same price.
But I guess it's cooler if you buy it directly from Godiva????? Differnce yes no???)
They have this too!
I wanna try it, but still thinking~~
I thought their chocolate flavors looks gooooood!
(but I went chocolate shopping today and damn, I don't need no overly prived Godiva chocolate)
YS wanted to go sit somewhere, so I decided I wanted Gelato anyway!
Was craving it for the past 3 trips here already :(
Hehehe, it's damn good!
470 yen!!! Honestly I think it's damn cheap HAHAHAHA.
I tried 5 flavors so far, and all were damn good????
Above is some yogurt thing (can't put a finger to the taste, sth like pear??? I asked which were yogurt based gelatos), raspberry and mango!
I wanted sorbets so~
There was this super cute girl next to us!!!! :D
She looks super cute with her teddy bear bag.
Sat until 4:50pm so we can walk over to the shop YS wanted to buy stuff from,
We were waiting for the time sale at 5pm!!!
Just in case the store is doing a storewide sale HAHA (they weren't, just 3 for 500 yen socks become 5 for 500 yen)
Saw this coin machine thing!!!
Apparently it was always there, just that I didn't pay attention to it!!!
It's like.. You put in 200 yen, then they will melt the metal or whatever and then imprint the design I choose!
I chose C because it says Oita at the top!
Lazy take pic LOL but it turned out nice!
Saw this at the counter and just bought it even though I'm not that big of a fan/will never use it.
It's cute tho!!!
The outside of Oita Station is still decorated with the lights they put up for Christmas :')
FREAKING GORGEOUS!!
FREAKING GORGEOUS!!
Love seeing Arashi everywhere HAHA.
We had some time before the bus came, so we went to Daiso~
Saw this shop that is something like First Price or you know that shop in White Sands that sold everything freaking cheap one??
Snacks and all??
There was this biscuit I bought for 400 yen or was it 299 yen....... It was 186 yen there.
I bought two packets the previous time :(
Ouch.
And like the expiry date isn't near or anything.
T___T
TOLD YOU IT WAS FREAKING GORGEOUS!!!!!! Omg...
Boarded the bus!
Stop number 1 HAHA.
Loots from the Okinawa Fair! Missing my steam cake (which was very unsightly cause I ate like half already)
yes that packet is upside down HAHA.
Loots from H&M :D
wow I blogged it to the end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the golden disk award is ongoing now (20/1 now, but I'm going to change the date to make it look like I blogged this on 16/1 aka the day I went to Oita Station yay)
when is top going to marry me
▼ January 16, 2016 | Saturday, January 16, 2016 |