Japan Grad Trip - Day Trip to Koyasan

One of the must-visit places we had in mind for our Grad Trip was Koyasan, and the experience was definitely worth the day trip there. I'm not one for temples and historical stuff, but I still enjoyed myself because of the amazing photo opportunities. Also, it helps that the weather there was still pleasantly spring-ish in May while Kyoto was already unbearably hot. 

We took the Nankai Koya Line (limited express) from Namba station to Gokurakubashi station and then changed to the cable car line to Koyasan Station. We used the Kansai Area Pass (5200 yen for 3 days) to cover the train journey there and the bus routes within Koya area, and paid additional to use the Limited Express service. 

Koyasan Cable Car from Gokurakubashi Station to Koyasan Station. It's a car built on a slant!

Bali with the EY interns

Ended my last semester in SMU with a trip to Bali with the crazy bunch of EY interns. I'm a city person so I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much as I did. Turns out that I had boatloads of fun in the sun.  For four days we lived and feasted like kings on mind-shatteringly tender pork ribs, chilled Bintang beer, ridiculously cheap Magnum, and all manner of local delights. I went water rafting for the first time, experienced my first beach with crystal clear waters, and got pummelled by a waterfall . I returned with no souvenirs except two pairs of funky tasseled shorts at $4 a pair, a slight tan, and a ton of photos to edit. Never have I shopped so little yet felt so happy post-trip.

Lunch in a hut overseeing paddy fields

Leaving Saiwai-ku

Just feeling a touch sentimental now that I have moved out of the dormitory into my airbnb for my last four days in Japan. I have to say that I didn't really like where the dormitory was located at first, but as time went by, I grew to appreciate it for its laidback and sub-urban feel. I'm not sure what prodded me to dust the camera off and lug it with me on the day of my Pokemon adventure, but I'm glad I did it anyway. I would never have found this verdantly green angle of the town I had been living in for four months otherwise. 

Unlike Singapore, Japan (or what I have seen of Japan) is less about manicured, government-planned landscaping than unexpected pockets of wild greenery or the colourful blooms cared for by a green-thumbed neighbour. Where I lived, residents grow flowers by the sidewalks out of styrofoam boxes. In most places in Tokyo there is not much of a footpath to speak of, much less grass patches shouldering roads. This isn't a discussion about which style is better - I think both intentional neatness and organic haphazardness have their charms.

View from Yumemigasaki Zoo Park

Yumemigasaki Zoo Park 夢見ヶ崎動物公園

Last Friday, Pokemon Go took me to the zoo near my dormitory, a place which I would not have visited otherwise.  I have to admit I went there more for pokemon than animals, but I still managed to take breathers from virtual pokeworld long enough to take photos in the real world. I'm not that kind of a pokego addict yet. For a free zoo, it was very quiet for a Friday. Aside from the zoo's caretakers, I was probably the only human soul there that day. Not that I'm complaining. 

Yumemigasaki Zoo

Review: Sushiro Sushi

Regine, my exchange buddy and fellow food addict will never be able to eat at the sub-par kaiten sushi joint right below her apartment ever again (not like we have much time left in Japan though). We have Sushiro スシロー to thank for raising expectations. 

To 'bribe' her to help lug some of my books back to her apartment for shipping home,  I treated her to lunch at Sushiro, where we stuffed our faces for a blissful two hours.   

Sushiro is one of many kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi chains in Japan. Every plate costs 100 yen before tax (108 after tax) with the exception of some premium items. Singaporeans should not confuse this with the similarly named Sushiro in Singapore famous for its affordable chirashi dons, but the Sushiro here deserves just as much recognition for serving great sushi at a great price.  

Plates of deliciousness