Allo! Ça va?
Aujourd'hui, je voudrais donner une nouvelles.
Petit magasin de souvenirs a ouvert récemment.
Si vous avez oublié d'acheter des souvenirs à vos amis, vous pouvez compter sur elle. Par exemple, vous pouvez acheter des baguettes et des sachets de thé japonais.
Notre petit magasin de souvenirs ouvre de 24 heures aussi.
HASHI(chopsticks) is one of the Japanese culture.
If you have never used chopsticsbefore, you can master the use of chopsticks!!
How to hold chopsticks
1,Hold the upper chopstick with the index finger, the middle finger, and the thumb.
2,Put the other chopstick between the bottom of the thumb and the tip of the ring finger.
3,Move the upper chopstick only when you pick up food.
Bad manners
1, Waving chopsticks above food dishes.
2, Sticking chopsticks into food instead of picking them up.
3, Picking up a cup/bowl with the hand that is holding your chopsticks.
4, Sucking chopsticks.
5, Sticking chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice.
6, Passing food from your chopsticks to somebody else's chopsticks.
We sale chopsticks at the sakura hotel hatagaya.
300 yen/ made in Japan
Use chopsticks properly !
Summer is coming in Tokyo.
Early summer in Japan is the rainy season, but it is also the season of fireflies.
There is a spot in neighboring town of Tkyo city, where you can see and watch the flight of fireflies.
The spot is Kasayato-Shinsui park in Inagi city.
From 4/Jun to 13/Jun only, you can meet these fragile and beatuiful lights of fireflies in that park.
The park's nearest station is Wakabadai Station on Keio-Sagamihara Line.
From Hatagaya Station which is the nearest station of our Sakura Hotel Hatagaya,
you can reach Wakabadai Station within mere 40 minutes.
From Wakabadai Station, you can go to the park simply following the signboards, like these.
Fireflies need unspoiled running water.
So, seeing them in the midst of Tokyo Metropolis is very exotic.
Let's go and enjoy their pale green signaling lights.
But, Inagi city is one of the residential suburbs of Tokyo,
and so the surrounding area of the park is full of common houses.
To keep its quiet atmosphere, even if you get excited with the scenery full of fireflies,
do not be noisy please.
They are cute guests from Germany, Diana-san and Marco-san ♪ Nice to meet you--!
Their suvenior, Betty is so cute♪
They love Japanese people, and town, and enjoyed for shopping around Harajuku station!
Diana-san bought many clothings at Harajuku, and watched some performances and fasioned people at Yoyogi Park, like this.
(*this picture is from http://jp.makezine.com/.)
They planned to stay at Kyoto, and serched the nice hotel, so I introduced some hotels&hostels in Kyoto.
Ikoi-no-ie, Kyoto, is one of the nice hotel in Kyoto.
These are blochers of Hotels in Kyoto, we always stock for guests!
If you want to stay Kyoto, Osaka, or other hotels, we will help you!
Anytime, please ask to reception!
Enjoy your trip!
You can see performance for the masses.
It's consisted of songs, dances and actings!
Shinohara music hall in Jūjō (Saikyo Line)
The evening 18:00 to 21:30 (weekdays)
Part of the day 12:30 to 16:00 (weekends and national holidays)
The evening 18:00 to 21:30 (weekends and national holidays)
Adults 1,500 yen
Children 800 yen
Chair Rental 200 yen
More reasonable price than Kabuki!!
Audience and performers close distance, hilarious! Cry!
Story is different every day.
After performance,you can take a picture with the actors.
A lot of guests from abroad try hard to lose weigh when their check-out date comes close.
Why do you think they do that?
It's not because of Japanese food.
Let me show you the secret.
I'm writing about the weight of their suitcase not bodily weight.
If it exceeds the limitation, they have to pay surcharge.
That's why they are keen to do packing.
I think someone tackle with managing to lose their suitcase somewhere today.
We can help you by lending scale or eating snacks lol.
カフェから見えるアジサイの花が色づき、もうそろそろ梅雨の季節がやってくる。この花を見ると、雨の季節も悪くはないと感じるのは、私だけではないだろう。
鎌倉の明月院はアジサイ寺と呼ばれるほど有名な場所である。幡ヶ谷は京王線沿線にあるが、京王線沿線にもアジサイの名所がある。高幡不動尊や、八王子の東京サマーランドである。雨の日に、わざわざ出かけるだけの価値はあると思う。
Are you interested in "Sento"?
Sento is a type of Japanese communal bath house where customers pay for entrance.
If you would you like to go to Sento, there is "SENGOKUYU" 3 minutes walk from sakura hotel hatagaya.
You go out of the sakura hotel hatagaya and turn Left.
Then you take the first right.
(There is ampm-convenience store on the corner.)
Go straight down this street.
(Nishihara street)
SENGOKUYU is on your right!!
OPEN 16:00 to 24:00
Monday closed
430 yen
There are coin laundries also!!
After taking a bath.......
drinking ice coffee‐flavored milk is one of the Japanese culture.
You must drink it!!!
We got Special beer which from South Africa!!
You can drink at our cafe !
Do you know where South africa is??
Japan↓
South Africa↑
I would love to visit there,but I have work during world cup !
Our cafe open 24 hours,so we can watch FIFA world cup togethereven midnight.
I am sure I will drink South africa beer with our guests♪
We are waiting for you!
You can watch fireflies in Tokyo.
Last year I went watching fireflies with my coworkers.
It's so good!
That's why we came up with the idea that we took our guests there.
It is unfortunate that there is not fireflies but raindrop in this picture.
We cannot express their charm by the photo.
So I strongly recommend you to go watching fireflies!!
Phote
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38154034@N02/sets/72157621364443823/
Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo
10 minutes walk from Edogawabashi Station on Yurakucho Subway Line (use exit 1-A)
From June to mid of July.
Free! !
~
Cherry Blossom season is over in one month ago in Tokyo.
Usually Cherry Blossom is bloom from the south to the north in Japan,like starts from Okinawa and end it Hokkaido.
Normaly it is takes about one month and half.
But this year,earliest bloom was march 2nd and slowest bloom was Yesterday in Hokkaido.
It is takes 73days.
It was the longest days sence 1953.
Will this be an influence of Global warming?
By the way, the one from Africa has increased to the rose sold in the flower shop, too. The main one is from Kenya and from Ethiopia, etc.
Incidently, the Japanese likes octopuses. The octopus is selling in the supermarket and the "Tsukiji fish market", and most is from Africa Morocco and Mauritania, etc. it
Sakura Cafe Hatagaya's English Page is launched on 17th May 2010.
http://www.sakura-cafe.asia/hatagaya/english/index.php
If you arrive early and it rains, you can relax with a cup of coffee or tea till check-in time.
Would you like to see a menu?
http://www.sakura-cafe.asia/hatagaya/english/menu/world-tea.php
Doyou know you can walk toYoyogi Park from Sakura Hotel Hatagaya?
Meiji-jingu Shrine (in Harajuku) and Harajuku is very close to Yoyogi park.
This is information of Yoyogi Park.
http://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/english/index.html
The way is not so difficult, if you have the map to reach there, from Hatagaya area.
I went to Yoyogi park on last Saturday, by bicycle, during my breaktime, because it was sunny day!
Today, I'll introduce you how to walk to Yoyogi Park
This is the start point!
Nishihara Shopping Street. 
You'll be at the end of the road then turn left. Riquor shop on your left.
After 7 minutes walk, you'll find this green-colored coffee shop "Darjeeling", then turn right.
Please go through under this bridge(see picture on the right.)
↑This is Yoyogi-Hachiman Station (Odakyu Line's station).
Please keep left ,of the station.
After 5 min...
You'll find this SOBA restaurant, and on the right, there is a railroad crossing.↓
←After you passed this railroad crossing,
YOYOGI PARK IS IN FRONT OF YOU!!
It takes just 20-25 minutes to reach there!
If you want to walk to Yoyogi Park from this hotel,
please ask to the staff anytime!
Many staff often walk(or ride a bicycle) to there for their healty!
To Harajuku station: 30-35 minutes by foot.
To Meiji-jingu shrine: 30 minutes by foot.
To Yoyogi Park:20-25 minutes by foot.10minutes by bicyble.
Are you looking for cool night clubs?
You should check this out!
http://www.clubberia.com/clubs/Tokyo
Spend a special night out!!!
went to Tokyo Tower to see 『MICHAEL JACKSON The Official NEVERLAND Collection』 last week.
There is over 280 mements from his mansion "Never Land" of State of California Santa Barbara.
The gate of "Never Land" made from black marble.
If interested in, You must go to Tokyo Tower!!
The exhibition opens until July 4!!
Last week, I took a short trip to Kyoto with my mother for Mother's day.
We headed to Arashiyama where famous of bamboo grove. Unfortunately, it was rainy all day. Rain creat a magical atmosphere throughout small bamboo aisle. Kyoto local calls it "graciousness" and they value graciousness in kyoto culture.
This is the place you should visit once in a lifetime.
Most people who already have ever been in Kyoto, visited Kiyomizu-Temple where famous of great landscape.
Beside main street of Kiyomizu-temple, many Japanese souvenir shops. However, it always packed and touristy. If you prefer more quite, Kyoto-ish place, go to 2 nen-zaka street.
Pass through Ninen-zaka, head to Kodai-ji(Temple) where Nene (queen, wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi is enshrined.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyotomi_Hideyosi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nene_(person)
Koda-ji has beautiful garden and near to this, there is the grave of Sakamoto Ryoma.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakamoto_Ry%C5%8Dma
Many Japanese style cafe which ownes beautiful garden and small lovely pound around this street. If you walk through from Kodai-ji, you will arrive to Yasaka-shrine where is located in Gion where Maiko-san, and Geiko-san live and work.
Enjoy you Kyoto back street walk!
The archery player from foreign countries sometimes comes to the SAKURA HOTEL HATAGAYA. Moreover, there is a sportscenter near Hotel, and it is here also the martial arts place. The people who are doing archery might sometimes be seen.
By the way, Meiji Jingu was in the place where it was able to walk here, was here the archery place, and was held the world archery rally the other day. It might be a French team that won the championship, and, to our regret, a Japanese team be a fall of the preliminary contest though known by news.
Famous William Tell is made the expert of the western-style archery (crossbow) by a legend hero in Switzerland. It is not too regrettable though the home of "Kyudo" is Japan.
Design Festa vol.31 is going to be held in Tokyo Big Sight this weekend.
http://www.designfesta.com/index_en.html
Design festa is the international art event that is held biannually since 1994.
You can get admission free ticket at the reception of Sakura Hotel Hatagaya
or Sakura Cafe Hatagaya http://www.sakura-cafe.asia/hatagaya/.
Which one ?! There are more!!!
どちらを選びますか？ まだまだたくさんありますよ！
Today I will advice you some usuful discount tickets for sight seeing.
Tokyo Explore Ticket(900 yen)
The Tokyo Explorer Ticket combines a discounted Keio round-trip ticket with the One-day Economy Pass of Toei Transportation.
Round-trip ticket for Keio new Line (from Hatagaya station to Shinjuku Station) and Toei One-day Economy Pass (Toei Subway Lines, Toei Buses, Toei Streetcars)
Tokyo free ticke (1,580 yen)
Tokyo One-Day Free Tickets allow unlimited use of Toei subways, Toei buses, the Toei Streetcar (Toden) Arakawa Line, and the Nippori-Toneri Liner, as well as Tokyo Metro and JR East trains within Tokyo's 23 wards for one day.
Pasmo
PASMO is a convenient transportation system using an IC card which allows repeatedly use of a single chargeable card.
A single PASMO card allows you to travel on rail and bus in the metropolitan area and can also be used for payment as electronic money when making purchases at participating PASMO electronic money stores!
Enjoy your trip with convenience tickets!!!
As Tokyo city has sent cherry trees to Washington, Washington city also has sent flowering dogwood trees to Tokyo.
They were planted in Inokashira Park.
Unfortunately, the dogwoods are not at their best anymore, but you can still enjoy the park.
Inokashira Park is famous not only for its botanical garden but also for its zoo.
And the park is like a green oasis in the midst of Tokyo metropolis.
From here Sakura Hotel Hatagaya, you can easily reach the park.
Nearest station from our hotel is Hatagaya station of Keio New Line, within 2 minutes or less walk.
This Line connects with Keio Inokashira Line at Meidai-mae Station.
So, you should change to Keio Inokashira Line at the station.
Inokashira Koen station(that means Inokashira Park station) is placed on the Keio Inokashira Line.
Near this Inokashira Park, there is Mitaka Ghibli Museum, too.
http://www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/
If you are interested in Japanise animation, visiting there is a good idea.
few days ago,when I had dinner with my American friend who lives in Japan.
He was talking about how safe state Japan is.
For example,
If you asks Japanese people "Somewhere in this photograph is a iImitation",
all the Japanese will answer "It is not imitation."
How do you think?
Probably, your answer is, 
"An uninhabited vending machine cannot be in such a place!"
However, there is not imitation photograph.
Japan is such a safe and peaceful country.
That a vending machine is very safe if it becomes in the night.
So, Please enjoy sightseeing in Japan!!
May 5 is Children's Day. Children's Day in Japan to make carp"KOINOBORI", in the city, but it was observed recently.
KOINOBORI
Do not you ever seen a windmill in the town recently? . Garden apartment near the SAKURA-CAFE we can see the unusual wind. The image of a vertical wind turbine is not known because it is used as garden lighting. Called for large wind turbine, which seems to have problems such as environment and landscape, this is what Not really.
How are you?
It' a beautiful sunnyday!!
Yesterday I went to the MATURI .
They carried a mikoshi portable shrine in a festival.
I like MATURI style!!!Wasshoii!!!
she is Irina (sakura hotel Jimbocho staff)
The sounds of drum and flute made me happy during the MATURI.
The MATURI was over and everyone was tired but look happy.
Thank you very much!
From May 10th, Tuna Auction section at Tsukiji market will reopen!
Tsukiji market becomes world famous market, and top list of tourist visiting place.
They have been closed bacause people beyond the bounds of capacity visit auction area, and it be an obstacle of workers operation.
For this time, they will limit 140 people for a day, and divide into 2 gruops.(70 people each)
To enter Auction area, you will be required to register at infromation center which located next to Kachidoki gate entrance.
Registration starts from 4:30 AM, only 140 people in order of arrival.
Please check more details at Reception desk.
Although you cannot see Tuna Auction, its really worths to go. I highly recommend to go early morning, and you can see why this market called as "Pantry of Tokyo Kitchen"
Feel high energy from people working in Tsukiji, and taste great food.
From 5 in the morning, people make long line in front of famous Sushi restraunts for 1 or 2 hours. Some of you hate to wait for so long time just for food, but waiting on long line is a part of trip you cannot avoid.
Enjoy Tsukiji, Everyone!
Have you ever made "origami crane"?
This is the picture.
Almost all Japanese can make this easily.
Yesterday, 2 british guests, Kim-san and Carl-san find this crane on the front counter, and asked me, "do you know how to make this?".
"Sure! I can make it!"
They wanted to make it, so I showed how to make it.
During this lesson, a german guest, Matthias-san, joined the lesson!
They practiced many times, created some cranes to remember the way.
And.....
They did it!!
We all joyed of success. Bravoooooo!
Next, why don't you teach origami crane with your family and friends??
This how to make origami crane.(from website)
http://折り紙の折り方.com/2007/10/post_6.html
At last week,I wrote about outlet shopping place 『MISTUI OUTLET PARK』 in MINAMIOSAWA.
In the neighbor of 『MISTUI OUTLET PARK』 ,there is food theme park for meat lover!!
It is call 『TOKYO MEATREA』.
In the 『TOKYO MEATREA』,7 different kind of meat dishes specialty shops.
Sparerib shop
Hamburger steak shop
Pork cutlet shop (with pork cutlet dessert!!)
OYAKODON shop (A bowl of rice topped with chicken and eggs)
Porksteak shop
YAKINIKU shop (Korean barbecue)
NIKUMAKI ONIGIRI shop (meat wrap rice ball)
Personally,I like NIKUMAKI ONIGIRI is best!!
You should try it!!
We have a sister hotel in Jimbocho (Sakura Hotel Jimbocho).
They take part in local festival with their guests at this time of year.
You can carry portable shrine and share atomophere in Japanese local festival.
You can get more info there↓
http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/index.html
It might be a precious experience for you, I think and I hope.
If you have a plan to visit Tokyo in late September, you can join local festival and carry portable shrine with us.
The below is the article about last year's local festival in Hatagaya.
http://www.sakura-hotel-hatagaya.com/blog/2009/09/mikoshi.html
By Hirotaka on May 31, 2010 6:34 PM
By Sakura on May 31, 2010 3:11 PM
By Miwa on May 30, 2010 8:34 PM
By Keiko on May 30, 2010 8:24 PM
By Yoshiaki on May 27, 2010 11:34 PM
By Ai on May 25, 2010 2:48 PM
By Nory on May 24, 2010 6:38 PM
By Hiroki on May 22, 2010 3:27 AM
By Kozu on May 15, 2010 12:00 PM
