Asakusa Diary - The Staff Blog

Today was last day for Arai-san, our cleaning staff for 8 month.
She is always cheerful and nice to everyone.

Giving beautiful flowers like Arai-san.
Please do not care about Naoto's funny face. lol

Beauty and the flowers

She lives just 10 mins walk from our hostel, so please stop by anytime just say hi.

Thank you for giving me advices of good place to eat around Asakusa.
Here is Arai-san's recommended restaurant,

Name of restaurant: 'Koyanagi' (Unajyu or Unadon,
a Japanese dish with sliced eel served on a bed of rice)
Location: Near from Star's Plaza Asakusa Public Hall

Otukaresamadesita!!!

Hi, how are you doing?

Do you know which tower is highest in Japan?

"Tokyo Tower!!"

No...no more...lol
It was the highest one but Sky Tree went over 333M today!

It's located in Sumida ward so we can look it in front of Sakura Hostel :)
This familiar landmark is already 338M but still under construction and it be 634M in 2012.
We can't enter the tower yet but you can see progress of Sky Tree and take photos like her ;-)

Have you ever done drinking outside? Some countries are illegal but not in Japan!
Now, we are planning to have Hanami party next week.
We will have a short trip to the Sumida River where cherry blossoms are blooming nicely every year.
This is how Sumida River looks like.

Meeting Place and time:
2:00 PM on April 1 st (Thu) at Sakura Hostel Asakusa

Let's play music and drink outside together while watching beautiful
cherry blossoms from middle of the day.
It is going to be so much fun i bet!

Are you chocoholic? Try one of Japanese popular chocolate snacks, 'Koala's March.'

What's Koala's March? It a bite sized cookie snack filling with chocolate. Their shape has lots of variety of Koala's pattern, like this Koala bear with Mt. Fuji.

We have an original one and a strawberry flavored one. We sell them for 150 yen each.
Everyone loves this snack! It's definitely worth a try!

It's been a week since Yuri left the hostel. We had a farewell party for her last week at a cozy Korean restaurant in Asakusa.
It's very rare to get together and have dinner like we did last week.

We sure had a great time getting together outside of work.

We gave her dish sets as a wedding gift.

Last night, she sent us an email with a photo.

Look, she's already making use of our gift!　（＾o＾）/
The meal looks so good! I didn't know Yuri can cook.

Anyway, we are happy for her and hope that they have a great life together.
Come visit us anytime, Yuri, the staff and our guests are waiting for you☆☆

Go to Meguro River Sakura Festa 2010!
You can enjoy watching cherry blossoms at the banks of Meguro River while watching live jazz music and having nice wine and stone oven baked pizza.

Admission is free.
Date: March 27 (Sat) & 28 (Sun)
Time: 12:00-18:30
Place: Meguro River Funairiba
Near station: Nakameguro

Look! Our cherry tree is just started to burst.

We got one blossom. Good start so far.

Ahh, I can't wait to see this cherry tree will be in full of blossom.

3 days off weekend is just started! Do you guys have any plan?
There are some events in this weekend.

Oedo Antique Fair
The largest antique market in Japan.
March 21 (Sun)
9:00-16:00
place: Tokyo International Forum (JR Yurakucho Sta)

Shinagawa Intercity Flea Market
March 21, 22
10:00-16:00
Place: Shinagawa Intercity (Shinagawa Sta)

Seibu-en Amusement Park
March 20
10:00-20:00
You can get a FREE ENTRANCE TICKET on that day!
Place: Seibu Yu-enmchi Sta or Yu-enchi Nishi Sta (Seibu Shinjuku line)

Have fun :)

Rikugien is one of Tokyo's beautiful landscape gardens and it was build in Edo period.

From today, Rikugien just started lighting up the sakura trees
(the cherry blossom trees) at night.
You can see the lighting up event until March 31,
There sakura trees are still in bud, but they are almost ready to burst.
If you understand Japanese, you want to call 03-3941-2351.
You can check up blooming of Rikugien's sakura 24/7. ?

Once you decide the date to go there, bring this ticket with you,
and you can get a discount of entrance fee (300 yen→240 yen).

This ticket is included other gardens in Tokyo, like Hama-rikyu Gardens,
Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens and so on.

This ticket is available at our hostel. Get it hurry before running out.

Rokugien Garden
Location: 6-chome, Moto Komagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Access : JR, Tokyo-Metro Nanboku-sen line, Komagome Station, 7-minute walk.
Toei-Chikatetu-Mitasen line, Sengoku Station, 10-minute walk.
Open hours: 9:00-20:30 (closed at 21:00)

Hi, sakura's weblog readers!!
I know it's short notice but this will be my last post and I hope you'll enjoy;)

I'm leaving Sakura today and getting married;)

To tell the truth, it was a bit painful for me to write something for this weblog
almost everyday...:P
But gradually, it became one of my habits and I did enjoy sharing some stories with you!!

From now, I'll give my title as "blogger" to Ryoko☆
Please keep checking as usual;)

I love all of our guests and our great staff here!!
I have many things that I wanna say to you but anyway,
Thank you sooooooooooooooooooo much(>з<)!!

Bye-bye♪

2006?

2007

2008

Last Monday was Yuya's last working day.

He got a present! yay!

What's inside.....?

Naoto chose a Sakura pattern underwear for Yuya's last day gift. What a good taste. lol

Don't forget us & stop by anytime! Ikemen boy like you are always welcomed!

Have you ever watched Japanese national sport, Sumo?
I have great information about sumo today.

In 1869, a sumo wrestling exhibition was held at Yasukuni Shrine in the occasion of the establishment festival of the shrine. Since then, exhibitions involving all professional sumo wrestlers, including grand champions or yokozuna, take place at the Spring Festival almost every year. The facility is filled with many people who enjoy the matches free of charge.
This exhibition is very popular therefore we recommend you to go there earlier so you can take nice seat.

●Details●

Date : 9th April (Fri) 2010

Time : 9:00-15:00

Place : Yasukuni Shrine Sumo Ring (outdoor)

Price : Free of charge

Occupancy load limit : 6000 people (on a first-come-first-served basis)

Program : 9:00 Ring entering ceremony (Dohyo-sai)

10:40 Match (Torikumi) start
Shokkiri / Sumo Jinku / Yaguya taiko(Japanese Traditional Drums)

13:30 Sumo Society members, Yokozuna and sumo wrestlers show up

14:00 Break time (Nakairi)

15:00 Closing

●Access●
JR
10 minutes walk from Ichigaya and Iidabashi stations (Sobu Line and Chuo Line)

Subway
5 minutes walk from Kudanshita Station (Tozai Line)
5 minutes walk from Kudanshita Station (Hanzomon Line)
5 minutes walk from Kudanshita Station (Toei Shinjuku Line)
10 minutes walk from Ichigaya Station (Namboku Line)
10 minutes walk from Ichigaya and Iidabashi stations (Yurakucho Line)

City bus
One minute walk from the Kudanue stop served by the Kudanshita-Takadanobaba and Shibuya-Ochanomizu lines

3-1-1 Kudankita Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8246
Telephone: (03) 3261-8326
URL: http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/

Mai
　　　　　　

How many times have you been on TV, Tomo??

Now, you'll never get nervous even it's a live TV show!
I WAS nervous when I was watching that program on last Sunday.

You can check it out from facebook↓↓
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=359620997667
She introduced some new menu available at Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro Cafe
and they got good reputations among the casts☆
Good job, TOMO!!
Actually, I've already tasted them and I loved Banamaste the most;)

March in Japan is graduation ceremony season.
Female college students wear 'Hakama' (= a traditional Japanese cloth) like these girls.

These are men's version of Hakama.

Until Edo period, Hakama is worn by men only. However, female college students have started to wear Hakama since Meiji period as a school uniform.

When you see students wearing Hakama, you should say to them 'Sotsugyou Omedetou Gozaimasu' (Congrats for graduation).

Tomorrow, March 14 is White Day. Only Asian countries
(Japan, Korea, Taiwan) have such a custom.
Back in 1980s, the National Confectionary Industry Association
started having a White day. They wanted to sell their confectionaries more.
So they set up White day as giving a gift back to the girl who gave
chocolates or some other gifts on Valentine's Day. Candies, Marshmallows,
and white chocolates are common gift. White day's 'White' came from sugar.

Guys, this is the time for you showing how much you love your girl. If you
got something from your GF on Valentine's Day, you must give her back something.

Still not get anything?
Get off your ass right now!
You still have 24 hours left.

Mick is leaving today. He can't bring Rirakkuma (Relaxing bear) with him, because there is no space left for Rirakkuma.

So sad... We have to be separated....ahhhh....

after a while...

He is already relaxing in our office lol
I hope Mick is not going to be stressed out after getting away from Rirrakuma.

This morning, Johrel told me that our guests went to Roppongi for clubbing
last night wearing these costume↓↓

At first, they were four but one of them who put on Winnie-the Pooh was separated...
Have you found a big yellowish drunk bear around Roppongi last night?

For your information,,,
They said that if you wear these costume, you'll become more attractive to women:P

Our Ikemen (nice looking guy ) staff, Yuya is leaving soon.

He has been working with us for about 7 months as a night shift staff.

Though it is sad if we can't see you, we all hope your success in a new field!!
Good Luck☆and come to see us anytime;)

We gotta find another Ikemen now!!

Sweeeeeeets!
I mean, their coming back;)

Jack and Johrel have just came back from abroad with many sweets!!

Jack was in Korea for more 2 weeks to attend his sister's wedding ceremony.
Yuri : How's your vacation?
Jack: I ate meats too much and don't want to have them for a while...

Johrel had stayed in Cebu island for a week after Tokyo marathon.
Yuri: You didn't get a suntan at all!
Johrel: I put on a heavy layer of sun block☆

By the way, this title sounds familiar ...
http://www.sakura-hostel.co.jp/blog/2009/07/tomo_is_back_to_the_real_life.html

I am obsessed with Onion Rings!

Try this onion rings at Watami
(Watami is one of Japanese Izakaya = drinking bar)

This one is different from any other onion rings.
Why? This is much thicker like American onion rings,
and you can taste little bit of curry spice.
I think this is the best onion ring in Japan.
Even tho you are not that big fan, it's worth just trying!

What's your obsession?

Hi, How are you doing?
My name is Mai :-)
I started working here, SAKURA HOSTEL from March 1st.
I was in Philippines and United Arab Emirates before i came here.
I studied Hospitality service in my college therefore i decided to work at Hotel in U.A.E. then transfered to Philippines.
I came back from Philippine last Dec then i encountered this job. I'm happy to work at the accommodation again because i love to meet people from all over the world...

I'm glad to seeing you soon!

Thank you,

Mai

Kevin's first trial of peeling off the plastic wrapped Onigiri

Having a struggle time...
Don't mess up.

You made it! Omedetou!

Hi, guys!

Julien(rightmost) , who had stayed with us about 3 years ago, just came back to
his second home in Tokyo (Here)!
http://www.sakura-hostel.co.jp/blog/2007/04/julien.html

He brought us some sweets and his friends this time:D

Though we knew that we had a reservation under the name of "Julien",
nobody expected that it was him.
I was so surprised when I saw him but was soooooo happy to see him again♪

He is an expert traveler because he had been to everywhere in Japan except Hokkaido.
Yes, he knows about Japan much more than me!

I tried both of their new Sakura menu on the other day.
Sakura Flappuccino has Sakura chocolate on the top.
Hot one called `Sakura Steamer.` Personally, I like Sakura Steamer better. I am not that big sweets fan, so that one is less sweet and I can taste Sakura flavor a little bit. Sakura flavor is perfectly matched with hot milk.
This week is going to be raining all the time. If you feel blue by this rain,
go to Starbucks and you can feel spring little bit earlier.

Today is Hinamatsuri. Families with young girls celebrate a girl's
festival with displaying doll sets.
Normally, we have `Chirashizushi` (sushi rice topped with raw fish,
shrimp, a lotus root, and shredded egg on top) and clam soup.
According to an old tradition, a shrimp means long life, a lotus root
means better prospect for future. Clam shells are the symbol of
a perfectly matched couple, because a pair of clam shells fits perfectly,
and no pair except the original pair.

And also we decorate Hishi-mochi (diamond shaped rice cake).
Each color has meaning, like top red color means get rid of evil,
white color means pure, and long life, green color means good health.
The another interpretaion is that those 3 colors show spring.
A new sprout (green color) is waiting for coming up from under
the snow (white color) while peach flower is in bloom.

Have a nice 'Girl's day' :)

The biggest anime event is coming soon! A large group of `cosplay`
(dressing up as anime characters) people will throng the halls to
promote the anime show. And also one of popular animation,
'One Piece' has 10th anniversary celebration.

If you are a big anime freak, don't miss it!

Tokyo International Anime Fair
March 27 (Sat) & 28 (Sun) at Tokyo Big Sight
Admission for adults is 800 yen in advance and 1000 yen at the door.
Opens at 10 am-6 pm

I always arrive at hostel at 7 in the morning.
Normally, there are a few people in the lounge and most of our guests are still sleeping.

BUT, when I came here this morning...

Our lounge was like this↑↑

More than 10 people were in front of the TV and watching Olympic ice hocky game:D
It was Canada VS USA☆

I was just wondering if they were staying awake all through the night or
got up early this morning...

Anyway, Canada won and got the gold medal!!
Congratulations.

I can hardly wait for the next Winter Olympics.