302

URL: Healing Villa Inzai
Inzai, Chiba, Japan
10 am - 12 midnight
1,500 yen (About $13)
RELATED LINKS: Looking for heavenly Springs

A happy new year, 2007!
Paul + I just got back from Japan over the weekend :) It was definitely good to visit home, but we were all physically exhausted from helping my family move back into their renovated house.

So, we decided to go to this Onsen/Spa resort near our house to relax and treat ourselves. It was heavenly, and Paul even enjoyed Japanese Onsen this time too :D

We had some time, so we decided to go out to Tokyo.
Our first stop was Nezu Jinja (Shrine). Ever since I've known Paul, he has always talked about this place since it was right by the very first place he had stayed in Japan back in 1997. It is a very small shrine compare to some other shrines in Japan, and it seems to blend right in with local's life style and history. It felt very cozy :)

After visiting the main Nezu shrine, we took a walk all around the park. And we met this cat "NEZU" strolling right along the side of this old man. NEZU was like a little dog, he listened and followed his master wherever he went. Very Cute!

Overall Rating (+++++up)
food (+++++up) | ambiance (++++) | service (+++) | price ($$)

ADDRESS: (MAP)
1-15-12Michinobe Honcyo
Kamagaya Chiba, Japan
PHONE: +81 (047) 445-7811
URL: HAKASE Noodle

HAKASE noodle "HAKASE RAMEN" is the world's best ramen (in my opinion)!!!
We've been back in LA from Japan for little over a week, and we already miss their ramen. During our short 2 weeks visit to Japan, we managed to eat there 3 times! Yes... We love their ramen that much :D

Overall Rating (+++++)
food (++++) | ambiance (+++++) | service (++++) | price ($$$)

ADDRESS: (MAP)
1-1-1 Kabukicho
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
PHONE: +81 (03) 5292-2933
URL: Cha Cha Hana

I received a phone call from my good friend in Tokyo about a restaurant we used to go in Hiroshima... :) And that got me thinking about "Cha Cha Hana".

We met up with our friend Chig, Chig's sister Sanae, and her friend in Asakusa. I love going to Asakusa and feel the air of SHITAMACHI which is Tokyo's traditional downtown. This town is kept pretty much retro and traditional unlike modern Tokyo in other areas.

URL: Parrots | Abbey Road
RELATED LINKS: NPR
ADDRESS: (MAP)
Roppongi Building Annex B1
4-11-5, Roppongi,
Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032
PHONE: 03-3402-0017

The Parrots rocks!!
Just the other day, we heard about The Parrots on NPR on the way to work. The parrots is the Beatles tribute band in Japan, and we thought it would be fun to check them out while we were in Japan.