Nihonbashi is part of the 23 wards of Tokyo and is easy to get to if you're staying in places like Shinjuku, Shibuya and Harajuku (aka main city Tokyo). Maybe the place isn't as popular among tourists as a place to go, but I think that's why I gravitated towards the place as it's not too busy of a place to go to . The following places take place near the Mitsukoshimae station which is basically apart of Nihonbashi . You'll be surprised when you first encounter this place as it seems like a huge Central Business District area, but regardless there's actually plenty to do in this underrated place ! So first to start off:

Flowers by Naked

Flowers by Naked is an amazing art installation that takes place at the beginning of the year . This year it took place at the department store of Mitsukoshimae station, known as COREDO . Flowers by Naked was first started in 2016, and it seems like it will continue to do so from the start of February to the end of March, it's around 1400 yen (approx. $14 USD) for an adult ticket . For anyone who's into art and photography, I definitely recommend you go and check out this art installation . It really is beyond gorgeous and will leave you amazed and fulfilled by the end of the exhibit .

Though the overall theme is flowers, the light shows and displays of the exhibit make you feel as though you've stumbled upon a scientists lab who experiments with flowers and plants rather than animals and chemicals . The display is a mix of ethereal, magic and flowers; with a strange feeling that you're in the water . This installation gives all sorts of fascinating feelings and experiences, especially when some of the exhibits encourage touching and interactivity . One of the displays only appear if you open the lid of the 'tester', another lets flowers appear as you touch it and fade away when your hand leaves the display, and another encourages you to blow on a large daffodil to see the lights fly and flurry around . All in all, if you're a fan of amusement park displays and would like to see it come to life and fruition, I definitely recommend you check this exhibit out if you come to Tokyo during the months of February and March . (Also, here is the link to the official Flowers By Naked site)

Edo Waterways Tour

By the river close to Mitsukoshimae station, there's a waterways tour that guides you through the same places that the Edo period once used as a form of transport . So for anyone that's a history nerd (hand up) or likes that period in Japan where they had samurais and warring states, then you might be interested in taking this tour . It's around 1000 yen and even though the tour is in English only, the tour guides are more than happy to take you in and show you around the place, and I do feel as though they were very sweet and accommodating . It runs once an hour and starts at every o'clock though, so you may have to wait another 45 minutes if you miss the tour .

The tour itself is around 45 minutes and takes you around places like the Sumida river, and the sea ways of the Tokyo city in general . To be honest I thought it was going to be a bit of a Gondola ride as it was described as 'a way to travel the same as the Edo period', but instead of riding a small boat with someone to paddle, you'll actually be on a fair sized boat with other people . Regardless, I still really liked this tour as it was a nice mix of narrow water passageways, going under several bridges, and also going through a big wide river and seeing Tokyo Tower . If you're a fan of being on the water on a nice sunny day, you'll definitely enjoy this nice and relaxing trip .

Enjoy having a nice and relaxing time in the CBD of Nihonbashi

It's surprising to see that even though Nihonbashi is actually quite the CBD, the things to do there are actually really nice and relaxing . I think because a lot of people come to Nihonbashi and Mitsukoshimae to work, it's a fairly relaxing and quiet place to go and sightsee around the metropolitan area of Tokyo . If you are the sort of person that likes photography, quietness and just a generally more relaxing time, I definitely recommend you check out these spots in the busy but quiet city of Nihonbashi .

So how about you, what would you like to see ?

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

Omotesando; the boulevard of designer dreams

Hello hello~ I'm sorry I didn't post last week . >.< I've suddenly got completely obsessed with BTS and last week it was so out of control ._." LMAO . I've still been watching BTS videos but now I think I got it more under control now LOL . or so I say ANYWAY I decided I wanted to do this post because I was pleasantly surprised of my visit to Harajuku ! I knew Harajuku was quite a popular tourist destination but when I first visited the place I kind of felt...underwhelmed ? (I wish I didn't sound so savage haha ><) It was because when I first went there it was only go to Yoyogi park and I had to get some stuff and it was SO hard to find a convenience store there and I was like what is this ?? haha XD" Anyway in hopes that you guys don't repeat the same mistakes that I did here's a bit of tourist information on this place and some good stuff to know !

About Harajuku and why you'd wanna go there

Harajuku is one of the main metropolitan cities of Tokyo alongside Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara and Ikebukuro . To outsiders, it's often known as the place where the crazy Japanese fashion spawned from, but this city is famous for a variety of reasons amongst the Japanese . First and foremost it's a good place for youngsters as it has shops for what's currently hot and trending . In general Harajuku actually serves as the fashion and art district of Tokyo and it has a lot of wonderful fashion stores as well as art galleries . 

Even though this isn't really said about Harajuku, I also think it's a really good foodie district as well . Walking around Harajuku I saw a lot of familiar and popular franchise from back home such as Max Brenner and Guzman y Gomez . A lot of my students have also told me about popular restaurants such as Eggs n' Things, Cinnabon, Pancake House and various crepe stores that reside in the heart of Harajuku . To be honest when I was walking around Harajuku and found out about all these food stores I couldn't help but feel a little emotional actually haha . Japan in general doesn't have a lot of foreign food outlets apart from the common fast food chains like McDonalds and KFC, and back at home in Sydney one of my favourite things was trying good quality cuisine from various cultures . If you're missing home a bit Harajuku is a good place to visit as it encompasses quite a lot of the trending culture from Japan to the rest of the world . In short, this city has a lot of different charms to it that will definitely give you a day full of things to do !

Harajuku LOVES:

• fashion
• rich people fashion (LOL)
• good food franchises from around the world
• current pop culture
• art and aesthetic
• CREPES

Places to go in Harajuku

Unlike other cities, a city in Tokyo is more than just a city-and Harajuku is no different . This city actually has a lot of train stops and a lot of other famous names attached with it . So just remember, that Harajuku isn't the only name for this big and trendy metropolitan !

Omotesando

Omotesando is what I like to call the 'rich district' XD . It's so rich that it also has its own train station even though Meijingu-mae's  station exits is also on this street haha . Originally this is a large boulevard that spans Harajuku with designer fashion and brands . This place was fascinating to me when I first saw it because whenever I saw designer streets they always seemed to be really quiet, which made it kind of scary to just walk around and observe those sorts of places . But Omotesando is a bustling street and just walking and window shopping in itself is fun to do since it's a place that also spills of wonderful aesthetic value . 

What most people overlook about Omotesando though is that even though you probably can't afford anything along the boulevard, I think it's a good central place to observing Harajuku . I think the only downside to this place though is since it's the rich boulevard, finding a convenience store is literally next to impossible . Regardless, it's probably what I think the heart of Harajuku city is and takes you to many other interesting places such as...

Meijijingu-mae

The easiest way to describe where Meijijingu-mae is, is that its like the side streets of Omotesando . Located near Meijijingu-mae station (surprise surprise), this area is also riddled with good and diverse food (you know all those food franchises I said before ? Most of them are either located here or on Omotesando) . Meijijingu-mae is the gateway to the artsy culture that Harajuku brings to Tokyo's cities . Meijijingu-mae has serveral side streets that have really cool little fashion boutiques and it is (uncharacteristically of Tokyo,) a very quiet and calm area to walk around . It's around this area that you'll find brands like BAP, Supreme and OBEY . Whether they're real or not though I can't really tell you XD" (I'm pretty sure the real BAP store is located here though) . This place is excellent for street fashion, snap backs, varsities and hella lit shoes lol .

one of the ways Meijijingu-mae stores advertise

Meijijingu-mae is also the place where Design Festa Gallery is, and the way the stores advertise on these small little side streets are really creative . From the outside space to the buildings, the stores located in Meijijingu-mae really embody the concept of Street fashion and Street art (and not in a dangerous might kill your sort of way either, which is always a plus .)

An AMAZING Eggs Benedict meal from Eggs n' Things

Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street)

Conveniently located near Harajuku station, this street is the epitome of foreigner madness and it is always packed . If you like impulse shopping and pop culture though, this place's walk through hell is definitely worth it . What amazed me about Takeshita Street is the fact that whichever pop culture your into, you'll be able to find something you'll want to buy on this street . Whether it's anime, street fashion, cute stuff, K-pop, J-pop, popular characters from Disney to Sesame Street- this place has it all . It's no wonder that it's also the location of the biggest DAISO store, which is a Japanese 100 yen store that sells both outrageously useful and fascinating stuff .

When you hear about what Harajuku's famous food is, people say that it's crepes . Crepes aren't actually located everywhere in Harajuku though but are mainly located on Takeshita Street or near it . I have seen crepes here and there scattered around the other cities; but they are definitely not as decorated as the ones you'll see in Harajuku . I also think Takeshita Street is also like, a lowkey sugar lover central haha . Not only does it have many crepe stores, but it's also the location of Pompompurin cafe, and boasts of big confectionary stores along the street as well . This place is a paradise for buying things you never knew existed or needed haha .

And cue, the amazing little desserts offered at Pompompurin cafe .

Harajuku: The city of current culture

Harajuku pleasantly surprised me as I roamed around it . Originally I only went there for an exhibition, but as I came to the city more I realised there was a lot more to do there than what I had initially thought . 

It's an excellent place to gather some creative inspiration especially from an interior and fashion perspective . If you came to Japan to buy stuff because you're a sucker for character culture; this should also be on your list of places to go to . Because it's a big city and people just say HARAJUKU, it's hard to find its charms at first . But once you get to know this city bit by bit, you'll realise that it's a labyrinth of pop culture .

And on that note, what are some things you want to see or do in Harajuku ?

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .

Hanbey is an izakaya which is basically a Japanese style bar . My favourite thing about any and every izakaya is the vast amount of cheap drinks and food available . The stand out points of izakaya's are always: cheap food, snack food, and cheap drinks . In terms of Hanbey though, it has another interesting little twist to it...

Hello Hanbey !

The Hanbey izakaya chain are awesome Japanese-retro themed joints, and yes, there's more than one of them . However I've heard that they're always packed though so it's best to get a reservation .  Considering the fact that it's featured in famous tourist book line Lonely Planet it can't be helped, but it's definitely worth checking out . This place was absolutely decked out in retro toys and even sold some free old school sweets, snacks and toys ! The walls are also completely covered in vintage and retro posters and advertisements; and to top it all off, the music plays all the classics . While we were there the Astro boy theme and a Japanese version of the Godfather theme played too . XD In addition you can also get an English menu as well .

The Hanbey we went to is in Shinjuku and is close to the Shinjuku station East exit . It's also pretty close to (or basically in) Kabuki-cho . So if you see Roppongi or the IMAX Godzilla, then you're pretty close by haha . Also it's on the the third floor so it's not actually visible outside and is a bit difficult to see . But from memory it's right next to a Hungry Jacks and you can take the stairs to get there .

But if that isn't enough to convince you, not only is the food cheap . It is also, absolutely, freaking wild .

First off I'll start off with the more tamed stuff . So the flagship themed drinks either have this gorgeous gradation or have something interesting added to them . The Mighty Atom drink (the Japanese title of Astro Boy) had popping rocks and some other candy at the bottom and it actually really made the drink taste so nice . Another interesting drink to try is the Secret of Ako-chan and that includes a light-up ring ! XD My ring was just put on straw but I've heard that they also put it in your drink as well .

Now the food . Ok . If you like to try different things then Hanbey will definitely not let you down . At their cheap izakaya prices you'll be able to try things such as frogs legs and locusts . Both of which aren't too bad, by the way . I want to explain the flavour but I have a feeling that it'll ruin the experience for you . But what I can say is that those absolutely wacky stuff is definitely worth trying and is honestly not too bad . Plus the portion isn't too much so the flavours wouldn't be too overwhelming for you either . If that's too much though you can try some other out of the box stuff like their cheese and bacon wrap, deep fried ham, and cheese and tofu . The best part about this place is that it has everything from the ordinary to insane .


This place was definitely a whole new sort of experience, and if you don't feel like being a pig you can try many things at reasonable price (we did double orders so yeah it was a bit expensive) . I just want to give a warning that as a lot of Japanese places, this place is a bit cramped . Also remember to reserve also it'll be near impossible to get in if you're in a group . Also all you can drink is available, however either everyone in your group must get the all you can drink option or none of you can get it . Plus like most all you can drink options you have a really limited menu and can't try specialty drinks like the Mighty Atom and the Secret of Ako-chan, so pick your poison wisely !

So what's the most craziest food you've eaten ? Or willing to try hehe .




Signing out,


-THE TEACOAST .

Ban Xeo Saigon is an awesome Vietnamese restaurant based in Shinjuku, Tokyo . From what it seems there is a popular restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City and this seems to be its Japanese counterpart of it . Even though the restaurant is popular for this sort of savoury crepe we didn't eat it at all lol . XD" However I'm writing about this restaurant because this is a really freaking good restaurant . Like seriously . *.* To be honest for me it's been pretty difficult to find more international foods, which was a bit of a shame for me because I grew up in a super multi-cultural city (known as Sydney haha) and I really missed the variety of food that was available there . I mean Japanese food isn't bad and a lot of food in Sydney was Japanese, but like it's Japanese food . all . the . time . Even the lasagne tastes Japanese, and I can't help but crave something else . ^^"

Ban Xeo Saigon is at the South exit of Shinjuku station and is a short walk from there . The interior is sooo gorgeous and I regret not taking a picture of it ! However the place is rather small . ^^" I think that's ok though because the place is in a pretty hidden place so it wasn't very busy when we went there . Anyway, another reason why I wanted to talk about this place was of course, because the food was freaking amazing . There's a lot of Vietnamese food in Sydney but it's usually some sort of rice and meat, or of course the wonderfully famous pho lol . So this menu was quite a delightfully amazing surprise . The price of the food here is more expensive than the usual price of Japanese food, but I think the servings are quite generous . And also compared to Sydney food prices it's rather cheap considering the fact that I got food, drinks and a dessert . Just be aware that all the meals here are best shared as the servings are, as I said before, are definitely generous lol .

So the food we ate here was pork belly, cuon thap cam (the assorted Vietnamese rolls you see on the right) and I got this fairy floss dessert with ice-cream at the bottom and you pour straight 'Vietnamese' coffee on the top . The drink was also really cool because it definitely has this South Easter flavour to it, and the 'table water' is this sort of Vietnamese tea that tastes both refreshing and exotic . The variety of the rolls were not only tasty but really gave you a big selection . From vegetarian rolls to deep-fried meat spring rolls (which I really missed and absolutely love !) . The dips are a bit spicy but not too overwhelming, luckily . My favourite part of this lunch though was the dessert . On upon first receiving it it seems really simple, but when you pour the coffee on it, it is surprisingly so freaking awesome . When you pour the coffee in the fairy floss the little coffee liquid looks like it roams around on the fairy floss as it deflates, and it kind of looks like little Studio Ghibli coffee bugs running around until the fairy floss melts, it is so charming .

If I go there again (and fingers crossed I will !), I'll definitely make sure to show you guys a video of the dessert, not only does it look cool but it tastes wonderful too . ^^ The pork belly was 3 massive portions and boy was I glad that I didn't eat it by myself lol . Anyway I definitely recommend this place and it really gives a variety of things to choose from which impressed me . I feel like my knowledge of Vietnamese food was widened-oh and did I say that it's freaking delicious ? lol .

What's your favourite Vietnamese food ? Don't you tell me pho and spring roll LOL .



Signing out,


-THE TEACOAST .

This year I learnt many things about travelling than I ever did before . Prior to this year I had done a lot of travel. However this year was the first time I was ever really by myself and I had to go through many trials and even more errors to make travelling not such a pain . Considering how different my past experiences have been to how it is recently, I'd like to think that I've learnt from my mistakes and think it'd be for the better to help people if they ever come across travelling alone . Since this is a post that also included how to travel with your cosmetics it was pretty close to becoming a Beauty 101 blog . But since there are other important tips that I think you guys would need to know I decided to just include it under the general Lifestyle blog .

I don't know how it came to 5 tips, but when I was writing down the most important points it just happened to be that number . XD" Anyway even though the upcoming tips may seem trivial, I noticed that when I packed with these tips in mind, travelling became much less of a inconvenience . Admittedly I can't stop the jet lag or the sleepless night flight no matter how much research or travel experience I've conjured . But I know that if I didn't keep these things in mind, I think I'd hate travelling far more than I usually would . Actually I didn't want to fly back home originally because of how much I hated travelling, but now it's pretty tolerable LOL . Anyway~

1. Use a backpack & bring a tote bag .

For a long time when I travelled I used a hand bag . This was when I was with my family or I travelled in a group . But when I first travelled alone and had to bring along that hand bag as well as my huge carry-on AS WELL AS my baggage...I did not fair too well from my home to the airport . The flight from your location to the destination is already difficult enough, why make it harder on the way there ? If you're lucky to go to the airport in a car then it may not be so difficult, but when you're taking public transport to and from the airport you'd best believe how convenient using a backpack is while you travel . 

And why did I say using a tote bag ? When travelling I used to want to bring several hand bags and leather bags but the thing is, they take quite a lot of space . You can either use it as one of your carry ons or you can stuff things IN your bag to try and make the most out of the space in your baggage, OR you can use tote bags . The thing about tote bags is that they're so easy on your luggage in terms of packing and weight . They're thinner and lighter than most of your clothing, and not only that but also really fashionable and can hold a lot . However do take note that countries in Europe and South East Asia are a bit dangerous so it'd be a good option for you to get a tote bag that can be zipped to protect your belongings from being stolen...or just use your backpack . X)

But keep it simple, keep it sweet . Have a carry on backpack and pack a tote bag . 

2. Your ticket and passport are lovers .

Get a mini organiser to put your ticket and passport, since they're often asked for at the same time in the airport . In terms of your ticket and passport I mean anything from:

• Check-in ticket (often printed and the thing you get when you buy your plane ticket)
• Actual tickets for boarding
• Passport
• Visas

Have them all in the one organiser . These are the things that I have in my mini organiser thing, actually . Even though you think that shoving all those papers in your passport is enough (like I once did), the fact that losing any of those documents could literally cost your flight really gives you some unending paranoia . Using travel organisers gives you that much needed peace of mind and honestly makes everything easier to hold . You can get passport pouches or mini organisers at places like the dollar store, daiso, or stores that specialise in stationery and/or luggage . I found my organiser thing at Tokyu Hands in Tokyo Japan . You can try passport pouches but I personally feel as though a file organiser suits my needs and is easier to open & close . Not only that but I also place a pen within the organiser since paper and pen naturally goes hand in hand (oh, and don't forget to have a pen always with you when you travel as well !) . Later on I'll add a picture of my passport organiser to get an idea of what I'm talking about haha .

Get those tickets, visas and passport in their own lil travel wallet or organiser ! Also on the topic of organisation...

3. Pouches & containers . Pouches & containers everywhere .

Where there are small things there should be containers, and where there are cords there should be pouches . People have said that putting your cables in containers is efficient but honestly speaking, estimating how big your chords are for a matching container is difficult . With my chords I've basically ended up putting the USB chords and chargers in one medium sized pouch and my laptop charger in something that's basically as big as a pencil case . I put the laptop charger and other cables separately because ultimately it's easier, especially since I tend to use my laptop charger far more . You might be thinking "why not just leave it in your bag as is ?" but essentially when you chuck your passport, ticket, wallet, and water bottle into the mix...it can leave you feeling a bit flustered when trying to find stuff .

Just trust me, put your laptop charger in a soft case .

In terms of your jewellery, necklace and luggage keys; I like to keep them in those pill containers for each day of the week . This just makes it so convenient to travel and not worry about losing any jewellery, and this has seriously worked wonders for me . I used to actually put my small stuff with my cables in the same pouch but yeah...no . LOL . It's far more better to use a small container for such small objects and you also don't get anything tangled so it's far more easier to manage .

You can even put your small stuff in compartments as well !

Remember ! Cables and chargers in pouches, with your laptop charger in a different pouch . Make sure to keep the smaller stuff like jewellery and baggage lock + keys in pill medication containers . While talking about jewellery...

4. All that airport fashion hype .

I know . I know you see those airport fashion pictures around especially of Korean idol stars . I have a fashion and skin care blog too you know !! However believe me when I say wearing your best dressed in your prettiest, tightest jeans is not worth it especially when you have 24 hours worth of plane flight with one to three transfers . Sounds terrible right ? Because it is . Whether you want to go completely comfortable and wear track pants is up to you . But I personally love to wear a long flowy A-line skirt since it is super comfortable, easy to move in, and still helps to make you look absolutely wonderful . Not only that but most shoes you wear fit them quite well .

One thing you need to remember though is that whatever you do, don't go wearing loads of jewellery . In fact, try your best not to wear any at all . When I rock up to the airport I only wear my watch and my earrings, simply because it is just such a pain to take it off for customs, just to put it back on again, and then wear it while you sleep on an overnight flight . Comfortable and practical right ? Of course not . Not only that but you feel kind of bad holding up the line while you take off each itty bitty thing just to put it back on . I used to put all my jewellery on to avoid putting it in containers and stuff like that, but obviously while you're in the shower or while you're sleeping you'll have to put all your little stuff somewhere . Trust me, it makes life easy when you wear next to no jewellery at the airport, just leave it in the containers until you go site seeing in that beautiful country over on the other side . 

Wear something comfortable and if possible stylish . Also keep your jewellery to a minimum if not at all ! And talking about what stuff to put where..

5. Let's talk about liquids & cosmetics .

For me packing cosmetics and liquids was the biggest learning curve in travelling out of all the topics covered so I thought it'd be best to leave it until last . If there's anything you need to know, liquids in your carry ons can ONLY  be in containers of 100mL or under or else it will be automatically confiscated . Honestly speaking a lot of countries are lenient with this but if you're too lax that product you paid money for is taken away in an instant . Your other options with cosmetics is to put it in your baggage . However that's of course, super dangerous especially when your cosmetics are in glass containers . 

For me I do my best to get travel friendly cosmetic containers which is easily found in your dollar stores, or stores like Daiso and Muji . I often leave my day creams in the container as is, but for things like my serum which are often stored in glass containers, I use smaller plastic containers . In the scheme of things it just helps for easing the amount of stuff you have in your baggage as well as not having to worry about whether your cosmetics have made it out alive from the trip.  

Make sure to put your liquid carry ons in a clear bag like a sandwich bag !

In terms of liquids in my carry ons, I really limit that to very few since the average carry on weight is 8kg and sometimes they do weigh it . Also I put my laptop and camera in my carry on since it's basically not allowed to be put in your actual luggage-which essentially means I don't have much weight left to work with . Essentially I only bring 3 liquid carry ons with me; my perfume, hand cream, and mouthwash . My perfume because I can't take it out of the container which is made of glass, hand cream since my hands get dry easily, and mouthwash since my flights are often overnight and it's easier to do than brush my teeth . But if there's anything that I can transfer to a smaller plastic container, I do it . Because even though it may seem like a HUGE hassle, it will definitely help to ease weight from your baggage, as well as your state of mind lol .

So yes . Plastic containers for your baggage and only stuff you need for the flight in your carry ons ! Keep in mind that your carry on liquids must be under 100mL . Save those sample bottles for your flight .

Hope you travel free and better !

With these suggestions I really hope you travel happier and better, as these tips are trialled, tested and true . Of course, you don't have to follow everything I just described since some of these are admittedly for comfort first, but buying all those small containers and pouches are definitely worth the easy organisation . Unless of course, you are a celestial travel being that has no problems with going through those gates . X)

Anyway do you have travel secrets ? What are your biggest problems when you travel ? 

Signing out,

-THE TEACOAST .