Celebrate New Year's Eve / Zermatt

I spent a New years eve at Zermatt in Switzerland for Snowboarding. I was staying at the accommodation near a train station and had a relax in the room with my room mate. We noticed that outside of the accommodation is very noisy such a late at night. What's the hell is going on out there? Looked out of the window, we surprised to see that many people going out and walk toward the same direction so we have decided to go out and follow them. Finally we arrived at a public square in front of a church. Many of them already got tipsy and set off firecracker but they seems to be waiting for something. Instinctively I understood this place is a New years eve count down celebration site and they are waiting for count down call.

Now, it's time to start countdown call! Everybody scream and shout "Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Happy New Year!" The priest in front of a church set fire to fireworks to the night sky! Everybody throwing their own belongings like a beanie or even the fireworks or empty wine bottles in the air. It's really chaotic in there. I thought Swiss people are shy but they got loud with big bodies. Beautiful blonde women approaching to me one after another, she guys said "Kiss me". I was surprised to hear that because basically Japanese people rarely kissed in public and don't kiss aside from their lover. I didn't have a girl friend that time but felt a bit guilty to kiss with strangers. Anyway, I accepted the offer to kiss and hug at least twenty women.

Suddenly someone grabbed my shoulder from behind me. He said that grab the
shoulder in front of you and we got together danced in a circle. Finally the party came to the climax...

A few hours later, the party is over. Everybody left at public square though. Some people lost fainted on the ground with lost consciousness. I guess those people drunk too much or bumped empty wine bottles. Electric ambulance arrived and they were carried by ambulance. Gasoline powered vehicle prohibit by protect the environment.

A lonely feeling made me just wanted to be stay there for a while...
Apparently that was memorable travel experience for me.

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TacoRico / Onarimon, Tokyo

TacoRico:http://www.tacorico.jp/

Mexican Tacos Carnitas / 350yen

Grilled Chicken Burrito / 800yen

Generally, Mexican Foods like Tacos can not accept among Japanese People because of its seasoning and is difficult to eat. But Mexican Foods which served at TacoTico are acceptable. For example, Burrito contains a lot of rice and reduce thick seasoning that makes Japanese customers satisfied our appetite because Japanese people live on rice. As for Tacos, served with a kind of paper holder that prevent the hands from staining. Japanese people dislikes being stained their hands. From such reasons, Mexican Foods which served at TacoRico might be acceptable among Japanese people. 

Mexican Foods is reasonable in America. so I often had a meal at there when I was in America and sometimes I craved Tacos very much since I came back to Japan.  

You may think that Mexican Foods in Japan are expensive, but I really appreciate that I was able to eat Mexican Foods here in Japan.

Access:

From Subway Mita Line Onarimon Station A5 Exit.

Go up a pedestrian bridge

Pass through like this and go down

When you finished to go down the stairs and look at your left!

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Isomaru Suisan

Isomaru Suisan 磯丸水産 offers reasonable lunch menu. You can choice of sea food on the top of bowl of rice. Even though it is usually expensive but you can get it cheaper than other restaurant.

カンパチとサーモンの漬丼 Kanpachi to Salmon no Zukedon:Seafood Bowl / 830yen
たぬきワカメうどん Tanuki Wakame Udon:Noodle Soup / 190yen

Isomaru Suisan is a restaurant which as if you were in an Beach Shack with lively atmosphere.

Isomaru Suisan is a chain restaurant which has throughout Japan. Most of them open 24 hours. People come to eat reasonable lunch and Have a grilled sea food over drink at night.

Now, I will show you to the Isomaru Suisan at Akihabara.

From JR Akihabara Station, Electric Town Gate 電気街改札.

When you pass through a ticket barrier, take your left.
Go straight about 30 seconds and cross a traffic light.

You are already there!

You had better take a look at menu list which contains its pictures and prices in front of entrance that very convenient for you.

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O'Tacos / Shinbashi, Tokyo

The shop which serves Tacos in Shinbashi. I had been to Mexico only nominally a half day trip to Tijuana from SanDiego. Unlike American style Mexican food, Tacos that I ate at O'Tacos looked like the one that I ate in Mexico.

http://www.otacos.org/

Access:
From JR Shinbashi Station Karasumori 烏森 Exit.
Take your right like this arrow.

Next, Take your left at KFC.

Enter a narrow alley like this arrow.

We are there!

The shop is small, This place is not so much a restaurant as a bar. You might select this place one of the option for bar hopping.

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Gyoza no Ohsho

Gyoza 餃子 is dumpling with minced pork and vegetable stuffing that contain garlic in it. It's very juicy inside and pan fried outside is crispy. Gyoza is popular appetizer here in Japan. Every time someone ask me that "What do you wanna do when you go back to Japan?" I always said that "First of all, I wanna eat Gyoza!" I want to recommend reasonable restaurant that serves Gyoza.

Gyoza no Ohsho 餃子の王将:
Gyoza no Ohsho is a Japanese style Chinese chain restaurant which has over 700 stores throughout Japan. Maybe you can find its locations near train station.

https://www.ohsho.co.jp/english/

Gyoza no Ohsho has picky about its ingredients of Gyoza which prodeced in Japan, no frozen storage in order to provides fresh meal. More over, reasonable price are tempting. I mean, Usually you orderd Gyoza which contained six dumpling at common restaurants, its price are more than 300 yen. you can eat it 240 yen for the same thing at Gyoza no Ohsho.

Fried rice + 6 Gyoza + soup Combo for 745 yen

12 Gyoza Set meal for 788 yen

Crab omelet Noodle soup for 500 yen.
It's really tasty!!

Take away Available.

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Tokyo Tower / Onarimon, Tokyo

Tokyo Tower was built as broadcasting tower in 1958. Its height is 332.6 meters.
Tokyo Tower surpassed Eiffel Tower to become the world's tallest tower at that time.

60 years later, Tokyo Tower turned over that role to Tokyo Skytree except FM radio wave. Do we still really need Tokyo Tower? We still need Tokyo Tower because the backup of the Tokyo Skytree can be prepared for Tokyo Tower caused by unexpected trouble. so Tokyo Tower will not removed.

Access:
Subway Mita Line, Onarimon Station, Exit A1.
Then take your right like this.

You can see the Shiba-Koen Park.
Please take relax under the tree in the summer.

Prince Hotel

Le Pain Quotidien:
A Bakery from Belgium which picky about organic ingredients  is open from 7:30am. The atmosphere which provided European style open cafe terrace make you comfortable at there.

Take your turn to the right When you passing through Le Pain Quotidien.

Now you can see a Zojoji Temple where was formerly used as a shooting place for a movie X-Men film series known for Hugh Jackman.

Take a walk along the arrow.

Across the road like this.

You arrived at Tokyo Tower.

Ticket for observation decks.

Souvenir Shop

In preparation for building a Tokyo Tower, durable hard steel are required. so military tanks which used by U.S Army in the Vietnam War were partially used its construction material.

・・・
Access:

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Nihonbashi / Mitsukoshimae, Tokyo

Once upon a time, All roads in Japan led to Nihonbashi Bridge.

This is a Guard Dog which protect Tokyo to built on Nihonbashi Bridge as gateway of Tokyo.

This is a giraffe, not a Dragon. Japanese people long ago never seen a giraffe. so they wrote a giraffe imaginatively like this. Giraffe means prosperity.

You can see a automobile viaduct on the Nihonbashi Bridge that was built as development for Tokyo Olympic games in 1964. However, this situation impairing appearance of Nihonbashi bridge, so that automobile viaduct on the Nihonbashi Bridge will be removed and relocated underground of Nihonbashi bridge. It is said that construction costs will be 100 billion dollars.

Nihonbashi is a old town of Tokyo, Most goods to be collected via land routes and waterways.

The Bank of Japan. The currency which manufactured at Mint all over Japan brought into there and delivered to consumer.

Mitsukoshi which established in 1673 is well known as Japan's first Department store. It is said that you are able to pass an entrance exam when you mount on
that lion.

Inside of building, like that.

Mitsui Main Building was built in 1929.

Please come to Nihonbashi that still remained Old Town atmosphere.

Access:
Subway Mitsukoshimae station B5 Exit.

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Kitanomaru Park / Kudanshita, Tokyo

Kitanomaru Park is an oasis around Downtown Tokyo area. Cherry blossom viewing in the Spring, Take a nap at shade of a tree in Summer, Reading Books in the Autumn leaves and What about basking in the sun on a lawn.

Access:
From Subway Kudanshita Station Exit2.

This direction.

Entrance here.

This LightHouse was built in 1871 to protect the boats in Tokyo Bay.
It worked as outdoor lamp as well.

Chidorigafuchi Moat:
Kitanomaru Park used to be a part of Edo Castle site which surrounded by the moat. I strongly recommend you visit there during the cherry blossom season in April because Chidorigafuchi Moat is one of the best cherry blossom viewing spot in Tokyo.

Kouraimon Gate of Tayasumon

Yaguramon Gate of Tayasumon

Nippon Budokan:
Originally, Nippon Budokan was built for judo competition in 1964 summer olympic. hence its name translates in English as Martial Arts Hall. Also, Nippon Budokan is well known as large scale rock concert venue. The Beatles made their Japanese debut at Budokan in 1966.

Science Museum:
http://www.jsf.or.jp/eng/
Science Museum has many experiencing science for all aspect of science. you can enjoy all kinds of science at one time.

Kitanomaru Park

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