Asakusa Diary - The Staff Blog

Sumo Tour is now one of the most popular hostel event.

2011 January Grand Sumo Tournament has just started !!
It is from January 9th (SUN) till 23rd (SUN).

We have Sumo Tour twice during this season.
The first one was held on Jan 12th.
This time,
20 people participated in this event.

Because it was a beautiful sunny day, we didn't take a bus, but walked to Ryogoku.
It's a bit long walk. About 40 minutes.
Walking along the Sumida River, we enjoyed talking with new friends.

At the entrance of KOKUGIKAN ( Sumo Stadium )

We ate CHANKO ( Sumo wrestler's food ).
♪?(*´∀｀*)??(*´∀｀*)?♪ Yummy

< Yokozuna Grand Champion ring entrance >
The champion claps his hands and stamps his feet, drawing spirited calls from the crowd.
His name is HAKUHO.

There were some breath-taking close games.
Everybody seemed to enjoy watching the games.

Thank you for participating in Sumo Tour.
We are very happy to spend wonderful time with you.
(o*｡_｡)o…Arigatou…o(｡_｡*o)

Why don't you try to visit beautiful autumn mountains? It's the best to go now.
From Asakusa it takes around 2 hours by train to get to the famous places like NIKKO, TSUKUBA and TAKAO.

Lake Chuzenji - NIKKO

Mt.Takao

Of course you also enjoy autumn in Tokyo.

Aoyama area

Dont't forget to bring your warm cloths with you so you can enjoy autumn without cold.

Peace!

We had September grand sumo tour of the second times on Septemner 22nd.
This time, Ebi and I (Agu) were in charge of it.
It was sunny and very hot like summer.
It's too hot to walk to Ryogoku, so we went there by bus.

In front of Kokugikan, many sumo fans were waiting for their favorite sumo wrestler coming.
When we got to Kokugikan, we saw a young sumo wrestler.

We took photos at the entrance.

with sumo mascot, SEKITORI-KUN.

We ate Chanko, which is stew-like dish traditionally served to sumo wrestlers.

Some people went to Edo-Tokyo Museum until the ring entering ceremony started.
We call this "DAIMYO KAGO", which carried the feudal lord and prince from place to place.

The ring entering ceremony

Hakuho won!!
His record reached 60 successive victories on Sep 24th.
If he wins on Sep 25th, he will be a champion in September Grand Sumo Tournament.

I'm really happy to have great time with them.
Thank you guys!!

We had farewell party for Ryoko last night.
She worked in Sakura hostel for a half year, and took charge of our staff blog.
I think you enjoyed her blog a lot.
Now, she decided to start her new life in the U.S.
She will work in Disney Land in Florida for a year!!
We believe she do a good job over there as well as in Sakura hostel.

Here are some photos we took last night.

with her best friend Enocchi

Sakura Girls!!

We gave her message card.
Was she so happy that she couldn't help crying!?

We will miss you, Ryoko!!
Come to see us when you come back to Japan!!

Are you allowed to drink beer when you drive a car in your country?
Japanese law prohibit to take alcohol when you drive a car.
That's because driving while slightly drunk causes serious traffic accident.

When you go out camping with your friends in your driving,
it's only you who are not allowed to drink beer while your friends enjoy BBQ with beer?
Can't you stand such a situation??

Have you ever heard of non-alcohol beer?
Recently, non-alcohol beer began to be put on Japanese market.
The taste is a bit different from original beer.
I think bitterness gets mild.
Anyway, Alcohol 0%
There's no problem as long as you drink this beer!!

About myself,
somehow I felt getting drunk a little bit, even though it's 0% alcohol.
I don't drink alcohol so much, and I'm not accustomed to the alcohol taste itself.
Maybe, that's why I felt drunk.

Now, do you want to try this beer?

Today is my last day working here.
Time flies so fast these past 6 months.
I really liked the international atmosphere here.

I'm glad to work with awesome Sakura staffs.
Everyone has interesting characteristics;
Tsuyoshi=Looks scary, but warm hearted

Naoto=Not only just a crazy fighter, but a laid back & generous guy
Tomoe=Shy and indoor image at first, but friendly, active, and surprisingly beer lover

Ebi=Sensitive guy in contrast to his wild appearance

Jack=Supportive and gentle, but keeping a gang sta mind in secret

Johrel=Fashionable and peaceful, but scared at a cockroach

Enoki=Serious and organized, at the same time, funny and hilarious

Instead of me writing this blog, new staffs, Agu and Aki will take care of it.
They'll give you lots of info about Japan from their different perspective.

I'm going to the States for a year to work as a cultural representative.
Working here at Sakura gave me good opportunity to share my own culture
and customs with guests from all over the world.

This place is the second home for guests, but for me at the same time.

I'll definitely stop by sometimes to say hello.

See you then!! Muah!!

''What is your blood type?''

Westerners might think that this question sounds a little bit creepy.
However, for Japanese people, blood types carry significance and are similar to horoscopes.
Each person with a certain blood type are commonly known to have specific
characteristics and traits.
There are four blood types: A, B, O and AB.
If you don't know your blood type, Japanese people will be shocked.

According to the blood type assessment,
A-type people are regarded as calm, polite, responsible, sensitive,

Type A Enoki

Type A Ebi

but also they are perfectionists, anxious, nervous and over cautions.

Type A Ryoko

B-type people are strong, creative, outgoing, optimistic, flexible,
more laid-back who do things at their own pace, but eccentric and selfish.

Type B Jack

O-type people are curious, generous, romantic and tolerant.

Type O Tomoe

Type O Johrel

Type O Naoto & Ben chan

They love to be the center of attention and appear very self confident.
They don''t always finish what they start.

AB-type people have both types of A and B, so they are shy and outgoing,

Tsuyoshi B side
They easily switch from one opposite to another.

Tsuyoshi A side
They are trustworthy and responsible, but can't handle it when too much is asked of them.

Most Japanese are type A while most Westerners are type O.

The reason why Japanese like linking blood types to personality is that
Japanese are group-oriented.
Japanese do not like to be isolated to do things differently from others.
They are fond to stick together: eating, working, or traveling in a group.
Being with people of the same ''blood'' gives them a kind of carefreeness and joy.

Are you getting interested knowing your blood type???

Are you enjoying the 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP?
It has kicked off in South Africa.
Many guests staying with us were watching the games yesterday.

Today's schedule is ...

I'm so happy to watch the games everyday, but I can not get enough sleep.

Tsuyoshi got national uniforms, and all staff wear them for FIFA world cup next week!!!

England!

Argentina!

Brazil!

Cameroon!

Portugal !

Spain!

Germany!

France!

We are waiting for your arrival with passionate heart.

Why don't you try betting on a horse race?

Today, the biggest horse racing, Tokyo Derby was held in Tokyo.
The Tokyo Derby is the biggest Japanese thoroughbred horse race.
There is a big building, called WINS where you can buy a trifecta.

It's just one minute walk from our hostel.

Weekends are usually crawded like this

Tsuyoshi and Jumbo Shrimp got a trifecta.

There were 12 races, and each race took just 3 mins.
Intense moment...

Oh nooooooo

When you lost the game, just rip off the trifecta. That makes you feel little bit better. lol

Once you start watching a horse race, you will be hooked on.
Tsuyoshi and Shrimp def will try another round to revenge!

May sickness happens after you've accomplished a major goal,
such as a school entrance, or if you've just gotten a new job.
It also happens when the relationship that started in spring time doesn't work out.
Or when you feel disconnect between ideal and reality.

The symptoms include lethargy, apathy, and even a mind depression.

Sakura Hostel got 2 infected patients.

While Tomoe and Ebichan is working hard core...

These sickies are playing games.

Tsuyoshi: I feel lethargic...

Naoto: I don't feel like doing anything~.

They are infected with the May sickness even though they are not a freshman anymore.
Work hard, men.

On the next day of all-in-one party, we had the other event at 300 bar in Ginza.
Our Ebi-chan was invited as a DJ and played with Mr Paul Dateh!!

How cool he is!
Unfortunately, I couldn't see him playing at that night
but I definitely go the next time;)

Mitsuru(Shrimp)!!
Unfortunately, you are not working today...
Let us celebrate your birthday here;)

We went an ice-cream shop after work☆
Let's go there again!

It's very busy in the morning.

You look.....scary:P

with huge sake cup♪

......?

I hope you are having a great time now.

This post is irresistible for his fans;)

Finally, we make our original uniforms:D
How do you think??

Front side↑

Back side↑

They look like models:P
It suit you♪

Left: Ebi-chan
Right: Naoto

Tomoe designed them!
Great job!!

Don't worry, anyone can be one of our members☆

2000yen at the reception;)

Last night, Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro had a party
and Shrimp (ebi-chan) joined it before working.

As they changed the menu, participants could enjoy new meals♪
Please click here to check their new menu!

They are putting Tanzaku (small piece of paper) with their wishes☆

I hope my wish comes true!

I've found our latest guestbook completely worn out on the table. It's almost broken...
I believe that it's the 5th or 6th one since we had our first guestbook.
It's always fun for us to read what our guests left on this book.

Ebi-chan is trying to fix it.

Doesn't know how.

You can write whatever you like on it. But take a good care of it for the future readers, please:)

Ebi-chan and Johrel were working over night and this morning,
Johrel showed me this picture above↑↑

Can you guess what happened to him?

He tried to eat an eclair this early morning but cream inside was spilled out....
and he could eat only half of it:P

Hahaha:D
I like this his shy face;)

Ebi-chan(middle) won at the horseraces today and treated us some snacks:D
Tomoe and I got ice-cream and Naoto got cupnoodle♪

It was the last race in this year and the biggest one (called Arima Kinen) in Japan.
I've never played the horses but it looked fun!
Maybe, I'll try next year and give something back to Ebi-chan★

FYI, Naoto lost:P

A few days ago, Ebi-chan and I went to have an ice-cream after work.
There are many ice-cream shops around sakura hostel (how nice!)
and the one we went was relatively new, I guess.

The name is “Shiro Ichi” and they only have one flavor, Milk.
Easy to order!
It's not too rich taste and good dessert especialy right now☆

Ebi-chan came back from Thailand last week.
He traveled to Bali in Indonesia and Thailand for 10 days in total,
and came back with his face suntanned and refreshed.

This is one of the souvenirs that he brought us. It's a tapestry with cute elephants.

It is a common understanding that Japanese employees cannot take a long vacation.
But! Sakura Hostel wants to be an exception because we all like traveling.
10 days is not long at all for Europeans, I guess, though.

Koji went to Hokkaido by motorbike in June.
Tsuyoshi is currently driving all around Japan with his new GPS.
Tomoe is also on her vacation and is somewhere in Japan.
It will be my turn next :)

These are also something sweets from Thailand↑↑

It's (March 17th) is Saint Patrick's Day in Ireland.
Have you ever heard about it?
I knew it this morning.

According to Wikipedia, it commemorates the death of Saint Patrick,
who promoted Christianity in the country in the early fifth century.
↓↓Saint Patrick.

It saids that people put something green on and celebrate it.

Ebi-chan holds green sake bottles, Tomo holds green tea and I hold green staple and scissors;)
I was wearing green shirt today by chance!

In Japan, Halloween is not so major event but it is true that it's getting popular.
As you can see decorations here and there,
we try to enjoy this interesting event, espesially at kindergartens.

Ebi-chan is no exception.↓↓

Isn't it too early to blow up a baloon??

Some of you may have seen him before at Sakura hostel.
He used to work here as a trainee just like Teru
and moved to Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro.

↑↑Looks bashful??
His name is Mitsuru, but we call him "Ebi-chan" because his family name is Ebihara.

Oh, by the way, if you forget to put "chan" after "Ebi", he will become a shrimp↓↓

Ebi means shrimp!!
おかえり、えびちゃん♪