Asakusa Diary - The Staff Blog

It was sooo great event and I enjoyed a lot though I didn't have enough knowledge of
this traditional dance.
All geiko-san were dancing very gorgeously with beautuful kimono.
It looked not so difficult but must be so hard!

I went there with Tomo and Yaeko(cleaning staff).
Geiko-san threw tenugui (towel) from the stage and Tomo and Yaeko got it from them!
What about me?

Taking pictures was not allowed during the performance...this is the theater↓↓

Thank you, Eiro!

You may think it's difficult to buy a ticket from the machine at stations.
Even Japanese sometimes make a mistake:(

In the morning, we are often asked how to buy a ticket to the Narita Airport.
But please don't worry:)
Direction is available next to each machine at Asakusa station like this↓↓

It's only three steps!
Touch "English"→Touch "Keisei Line"→"Touch 1060 "

Then, you can go to the airport without being afraid of closing the gate♪
Easy;)

Look at this evidence photo.

These two drawers are Naoto's.
They never close to the end because they are too full.

All of us except for Naoto have only one drawer for each. Only he has two because his first drawer was too full and he needed another one.

Look at the evidence photo No. 2.

This is our time clock with Naoto's card still in it. He always leaves his card there after he punched it, and the next person has to take it out and put it back to his place.

Super untidy guy Naoto and his super patient friends.

Recently, I bought a new TV for a good price.

Well, let's watch some TV dramas on it (because I haven't bought a DVD player yet...)

What are TV dramas like in your countries?

In Japan, a TV drama is usually a series of 10 to 12 episodes
and appears on the TV for 3 months (one episode per week).
If you want to watch this drama, you have to sit in front of the TV
at 9:00PM on every Monday, for example.
One episode is one hour including CMs. "Including CMs" is important.
The actual story in an episode is only about 40+ minutes
and all the rest is commercial messages.

(Popular titles from this year and last year)

You will see the same story novelized and filmized if it is successfull
as a TV drama, and vice versa.
When you have such a popular actor, you will see him
in two different TV dramas at the same time.
He plays a simple elementary school teacher on Saturdays
and a poor farther with 3 kids on Tuesdays, like him ↓↓↓　

Wow, how busy he is.

Yusuke Kamiji (We see him on TV everyday this year.)

Quiz for those who have visited our hostel before.

What is new on this photo?

The answer is.....

The new noren curtain (^-^)b

Me and Tomoe found this noren curtain on our way back home
one day in Asakusa and bought it for the hostel.
What is painted on it is the old view of Sensoji Temple of Asakusa.

We have a pagoda on the left side of the Sensoji temple now.

But before everything was burnt down during the war, they had the pagoda
on the other side of the temple.
We heard this story from a gentleman who sold the curtain to us.
You can see the pagoda with its old position on old paintings like ukiyoe.
Our new curtain is one of them.

Hello, my name is Shogo. I am one of Sakura HOUSE staff
(our branch Guest House and Apartment Agency).
Just visiting here, Sakura HOSTEL ASAKUSA, and exploring the atmosphere of our Hostel.

It is very interesting and exciting that many people from oversea are here in Tokyo
and sightseeing and/or studying Japanese culture and coming across the foreign climate.

When I first visited the U.S., I had almost no idea how to speak in English (But I enjoyed lots).
And, for the 2nd time, I still did not know how but have to learn things in English.
Later on, I have gradually been able to express/convey my thoughts and feelings
in English (in some ways).

I believe that many visit foreign country for once or several times in their lives.
Although the stay itself may be for a short period of time,
most become intrigued to its culture and learn more
by experiencing the different "tones" of the country.
After visiting the different country (spent the part of your life oversea),
the experience will be grown in you (in a good way, of course).

I truly hope everyone enjoy staying in Tokyo, and taking her/his great experience as a souvenir!

You might have had Unagi (eel) in Japan.
It looks weird but you'll like it once you taste:)

Then, how about Dojo(loach)?
It also looks like a snake↓↓

My friend ate this Dojo nabe (dojo pan).

I had this Yanagawa nabe. (loach and egg-boiled-in-pan dish).

At first, I thought it would be smelled fishy but it didn't at all.
Also, not so expensive as Unagi, you should try it when you come;)
Actually, it is one of a local dish here.

From 18th to 26th, we have Tokyo International Film Festival at Roppongi Hills
and Shibuya Bunkamura theatre.
This year, “Ecology = Preservation of Earth’s Environment” is the main topic
and they had a Green carpet which is made of recycled plastic bottles instead of a red one.

Many films are available for this nine nights and tickets are still available for some films.
You may see some actors and actresses;)?

How do you understand what Geisha girls are?
I don't know much about them.
Eiro's mother is a teacher of Geiko and he sometimes tells us about them.
Geisha is formally called Geiko and
you may be able to see them around Asakusa town.

On the 28&29th of Oct, they have a big event, "Asakusa Odori".
Beautiful geisha ladies show their skills.
You can see their traditional performance with a reasonable ticket:)
Reserved ticket is \6,500 and unreserved one is only \2,000!!

Tomo and I am going there;)
Would you like to go with us?

You might have seen this golden dragon dance on this weblog several times.

I think I can say it is a kind of symbol of Sensouji temple.
It's very heroic and gorgeous dance and worth to see once☆

This coming Saturday, we'll have a big event and golden dragon will be there!
Also, parade of local kids would be cute;)

I'm going to take a good picture of it!

One of my friend is leaving to Korea soon to start his backpacker's life.
He's gonna travel all around Asia, Africa and Europe for a year and then,
move to Australia for working holiday for a year to make money
for another year to travel around South and North America.

If you are or used to be a backpacker. please give him some tips.
Anything is okay like "must-see " or "must-go".

I hope he'll have a great time and return safely★
Bon voyage!!

These girls are staying with us right now and dressed up like this everyday☆
How lovely!

This morning, they gave us lots of sweeeets;)
Danke schön!!

Eiji, who is the staff of Sakura House was working with us as a personal exchange today↓↓

He had lived in New York for 11 years, so his English is very fluently but a little bit shy (I think).
He seemed to be enjoying himself here♪

Everyone is welcomed to our hostel;)
Who is coming as a personal exchange?

On the next day, 7th of Oct, I worket at Sakura Hotel Hatagaya for one day.

As the guests who stay there were different from ours,
I could enjoy the other atmosphere.

I found cute baloon at the reception and she↓↓ made it for the halloween.

And she told me how to make it:)
This is my work↓↓

Now, I can make it by myself!

It was my turn to do a perssonal exchange.
On the 6th, I worked at Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro.
I was a little bit nervous at first but I was happy to see Sariko there.
She was training with us at sakura hostel asakusa before she started to work at Ikebukuro:)

At lunch time, I had this cute lunch box at Sakura cafe.
It's cheap (640 yen), heartly and of course tasty!

Actually, I wanted to eat sweets there but I was too full to have it...
I gotta go there again!

Let's start cooking♪

Two girls from Sakura house already chopped vegetables and now, we were wrapping↑↑
As we had more than 10 guests, we made about 250 damplings!!

This is only small part of them and ready to cook!

Oops...I forgot to take pictures before eating:(
It was so good, anyway;)

By the way, I made some sweet gyoza which had chocolate&banana in it.
Everyone asked me to stop to cook but once they tasted, they loved it:)

Tomo is holding a dumpling party tonight.
I think she is in preparation right now and I'm going there soon with Naoto to help her.
I like normal dumpling but I wanna make some sweet ones
such as chocolate&banana though Tomo doesn't like it.

Cheese&avocado also sounds good!
Hmmm...I can't wait!

He's back!!

I heard that Tsuyoshi and Naoto found our old bicycle
around Hanayashiki amusement park(one minute walking).
We have no idea why he was there...but anyway, it's good to see him again.
Now, we have two bicycles here!

She still doesn't know where she left him...

Unfortunately, they are ours but you can rent a bicycle at Tsukuba Express Asakusa station
for 200 yen/day.

We often go shopping and always buy in large amount.
So, a bicycle is necessary for us but one day, Tomo left our old one in front of the restaurant:P
She went there by bike and after she got full, she forgot about a bike aｎd came back on foot.
To be surprised, she didn't realized for a couple of days!!

Naoto went to Akihabara to get a new bike today↓↓
It's cute♪

Tomo, please don't forget about this cute bike anymore;)

It was difficult to predict the result of the top 10 countries most visited from in Sep. 2008.
This is it↓↓

Welcome back, AUS:)
Where is Korean flag?

I want to see Thai flag...