June 25, 2010
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Song of the Day
While browsing for Ultra Man figures in a toy store near Akihabara, I thought of this new song from Jay Chou, which literally translates to “Ultra Man Can’t Fly”…..
Tokyo – Day Two – Gardens…Temples…Cafes…DTF…Sunny skies, the air outside is cool and dry, what more can I ask for? We started the day with a must-visit spot in Tokyo – the Imperial Palace Grounds , which includes the Plaza and East Gardens. Afterwards, we rested our feet at the Boissier Cafe in Daimaru. Then, up next is the Yasukuni Shrine, with its imposing torii gate. After a quiet time at the temple, we headed out to Akihabara browsing a few electronic goodies, and had some fun at a maid cafe. Dinner at Ding Tai Fung later…..A glimpse of the palace, it is surrounded by a moat with a high wall and occupies the most expensive square kilometre in the world…..
The super spacious Plaza with its gravel paved grounds serves as a buffer separating the palace grounds from the city proper…..
High-rise office buildings on the other side….
One more glimpse of the look-out tower…..
There were quite a few office workers taking an early afternoon stroll in the garden…..
Petite sandwiches at the Boissier Cafe in the Daimaru Department Store…..
Hour glass for timing the tea brewing process, I think that’s a bit over the top…..
Standing near the Yasukuni Shrine and looking back at the huge and imposing torii (which this shrine is famous for)…..
Inside the shrine grounds…..
The shrine was built in 1869, dedicated to the souls of Japan’s war dead…..
Wishing scrolls with all the hopes and dreams written…..
One of the streets in Akihabara , or “electric town”, the world’s largest electronic center…..
Cafe maids touting their trade / exterior view of the maid cafe entrance…..
No cameras beyond this partition, what happened inside the cafe is all good clean fun / Food was reasonably priced, most dishes were around the 1000 yen mark. Our maid told us that to make the food taste good, we would all have to say “moe moe mune kyun” and make a cute pose to finish. Embarrasing but fun. The menu listed other services that were available:
- game with a maid for 500 yen (rock paper scissors or a dice rolling game)
- photo taken with a maid for 500 yen
I was then given a photo list of all the maids available and chose the maid that served us, she gave me a head band to wear and asked to strike a cute pose……
On the way out we were presented with a Level 1 – Licence of Your Majesty Card, then farwelled with the line, “When will you be back home?”
Ding Tai Fung at the Takashimaya Times Square …..
Side dishes were consistent in taste…..
Perfect in shape and delicious in taste…..
Only six per order, we get ten little ones elsewhere…..
Spicy beef noodle soup…..
Comments (37)
That close up dumpling picture is extreme food porn, hehe. Wonder what “moe moe mune kyun” mean?
lol nice polaroid pic with the maid. we were too shy to go into one so we only took pix of the maids on the street. food looks great AS ALWAYS.
I must go to ding tai fung one day. As well as Tokyo, =p
@ds0905 -
I’m glad you enjoyed the trip photos. On your next visit to Tokyo, do visit the maid cafes, don’t be shy and go early, before 3pm before the place gets crowded. There are many interesting things to watch inside the cafe, and games you can play with the friendly maids. I’d go back there a few more times if I had stayed longer in Tokyo.
@alchemystfury -
Have you been to the one in Arcadia? The one we tried in Tokyo is relatively expensive since there are fewer of those little dumplings per order.
@stevew918 -
I guess the first three words mean ‘cute + sexy” at the same time, while the last word is an expression, like a sound effect that your heart feels when something romantic happens. The girls in the maid cafe delivered the whole line in such a cute fashion, that can’t be described in words. I’ll definitely revisit this cafe on my next trip! hehe~
oh I read somewhere there are cafes where the boys dress exactly the same as the maid cafe hm..maybe they serve female clients only…..
@agmhkg -
I’d like to try that too! Are you flying Singapore Air to Tokyo?
@CurryPuffy - oh I will be flying on JL….directly from YVR…
@CurryPuffy -
Wow, I had no idea you went to one in Tokyo. I haven’t even gone to one in Los Angeles. I just know of one somewhere in San Gabriel. Haven’t gone tho
Of all places to go…why ding tai fung? :-
NOMZ!!!
Yikes to the cafe maid outside haha.
@Wangium -
Why DTF? I’d like to have some juicy bao’s and compare with the one in L.A. Also want to try the one in Taipei too.
@yang1815 -
Haha~Andy, I can totally see you enjoying your time inside the maid cafe!
i miss japan. especially the food. but why dimsum? shouldn’t you gorge yourself in all of the traditional food?
@rudyhou -
Why sandwiches too then? Ding Tai Fung arguably is the most famous dim sum restaurant in the world and they have many locations in Japan. The question is why not?
@rudyhou -
@yang1815 -
We’d like to try all the DTF’s if possible, so this one in Tokyo will be a good start. I kick myself for not having DTF in Hong Kong last December. I’m just a fan of DTF! hehe~
@CurryPuffy -
Me too. How does it compare to the other ones you’ve been to btw?
FOOD PICS! *drool!
you went to Tokyo? nice! I miss visiting Japan. Wanna go back soon – and you went to a Chinese place in Tokyo?
haha
@JL789 -
I’m glad you like the food porn! Do come back for more later. hehe~
@YNOTswim -
Just tried the Ding Tai Fung in Tokyo, I want to see how is it different from the one in L.A. The food is relatively more pricy too. Five days went by so fast!
@yang1815 -
Well, the one in Tokyo is relatively more pricy, you get less food, the taste is okay and the ambience is good. I’d love to try the big one in Taipei someday!
@CurryPuffy -
The big one? There are three. I just go to the one in Sogo haha.
DTF is all nice but i’d rather gorge on ramen noodles or sushi or any of the japanese fast food joints or even mochi. when i travel, i always try to feed myself with the traditional local cuisine to really experience the country i’m visiting. but sandwich in japan is ok. why? cause japan makes one of the best breads. their breads tend to be soft and delish
have you tried a male host? their pictures are on the billboard all over Shinjuku’ clubbing area.
they are even on the streets to solicit customers…
@YNOTswim -
Male host? Would love to try that on the next trip!
If you get a chance, watch this documentary
The Great Happiness Space: Tale of an Osaka Love Thief
http://www.thegreathappinessspace.com/
Those guys on the streets in Shinjuku look like them in the film.
That’s what I referred to as “male hosts”
Great photos!
It gives me an idea of what to check out when I’m in JP next month~
I just love the contrasts in architecture – the old and new. I’m curious where you folks stayed – it’s not easy to find affordable hotels. (well – for my budget)
@ElusiveWords -
Matt, we stayed for five days at a hotel/apartment called ‘Citadines’ in Shinjuku, this chain has locations all over Tokyo. We found this by chance through Tripadvisor. The location in Shinjuku is very convenient for us too! Lots of shopping within a short walk. The hotel costs about US$65 per person per night, because of a special offer. But the price should be about the same most of the year. I think you’ll love taking photos while walking around these little suburbs in Tokyo.
Thanks Gary!
@ikutt -
Oh, sounds good, have a nice trip!
Exquisitely beautiful photos Gary. Loved the food porn.. but the sight seeing was amazing too. Thanks .
wow i have l;aways weanted to go japan!! wahhhhhhhhhhh it seems so fun; the fun looks too delicous=_= school boring as usual…
@ZSA_MD -
Zakiah, I’m glad you like my trip photos, as well as the food porn! I’m trying very hard to get my xanga spirits back up after a very lazy summer! (And please pardon my late reply as well!)
@KaminekoXD -
Please visit later for more foodie photos! I’m trying to post more stuff in a short while! I can’t believe summer is over and school has begun!