久しぶり日本語

久しぶりですよね。シンガポールに帰って、もう一年ぐらいですね。この頃にも日本語の勉強全然やってない。。

帰国したの私、日本語の使い時間全然ないし、それとも、人々に言っても、多分誰も分からないと思う。。

でも仕事のおかけて、日本語の翻訳仕事やってるから、まだこの機会に日本語を使える。。

あぁ、どうしようかな。。。まだ日本に戻りたい。。

One of the Best Leisure in Osaka - Singing Karaoke !

Karaoke in Japan is a huge phenomenon that is extremely popular among everyone in any age group. It can be a past time for retirees, a hobby for students or just for working adults that need to take the stress off. There is no way you can walk down a street in the city without seeing numerous karaoke stores or staff on the streets handing out flyers, advertisements or holding a signboard yelling out the latest promotions.

The karaoke room you get varies from the number of people you have in your party. It also depends on the peak hours and whether the karaoke house is full up or not. You are also allowed to smoke in the rooms, so don't be surprised if you smell smoke while walking through the corridors.



Songs are very up to date and they have a huge selection of English, Chinese and Korean songs too. Also, if you get hungry or you need a drink, be it alcohol or not, karaoke rooms also have menus that are quite affordable for food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Usually if you have a package, non-alcoholic drinks are free.

Have A Small Budget for Dinner in Japan ? Try Their Kaiten Sushi (Sushi Belt)

Kaiten Sushi or a Sushi Belt is a budget small sushi shop with seats that are close together, usually having restricted movement. Being a budget sushi shop does not necessarily mean it's low in quality, on the contrary, a lot of the better sushi places I've stepped foot in, a Kaiten Sushi usually provides some of the best experience and sushi that I've had.



In a Sushi Belt store, while sticking with the traditional sushi flavors, they also tend to have modern ingredients such as beef sushi, duck sushi or even ham and mayonaise sushi. Some stores might even surprise you with western ingredients on sushi. The chefs are usually in the center of the belt, replenishing the sushi fresh onto the belt.

If you order from the menu, the food usually comes quicker than a restaurant. However, the main experience is choosing what you want from the Sushi Belt, hence the name. It is a great concept for hungry and busy Japanese people who need to eat fast and full.



Sushi is also usually priced at a relatively cheap range like 100YEN~300YEN. Other side dishes like Onigiri or Chawanmushi is usually around the same range as well. Going to a Kaiten Sushi store is certainly an experience for anyone at any kind of budget. Most of them even have English menus as well, so there's no need to be hesitant or daunted stepping in.

Popular Japanese Desserts

Desserts are a huge popular food culture in Japan and the Japanese definitely have a sweet tooth. Here are some of the more popular Japanese desserts that you have to try if you are in Japan.

1) Parfait


A delightful rendition of an icecream sundae that boasts layers of icecream, fruit, cream, cereal, chocolate and biscuits. The Japanese often have eating competitions of who can finish the biggest bowl of parfait. A very popular dessert for all seasons, parfait also comes in a variety of flavours. Although some may claim that eating too much parfait, particularly because of the large servings of cream, will eventually make you sick.

2) Crepes


Probably originating from Europe, Crepes have quickly made its mark in Japan and burst into popularity with two types, the savoury and sweet type. A thin pancake that is filled with ingredients of your choice be it bananas and fresh cream or even teriyaki chicken and lettuce, it is then rolled into a handroll that you can eat on the go.

3) Mochi/Daifuku


A sticky rice cake that usually has red bean or strawberry filling. Traditional shops have seasonal ingredients like chestnut, sakura or even yam and it usually eaten after a meal served with tea. It also can come in an array of shapes and colours, sometimes packed into a bento-like box to be enjoyed on picnics or events. There is also an ice cream version now which is also very common in Japan.

These are only but a small percentage of the wide variety of desserts that Japan has to offer. If you walk into any supermarket or cafe, there is sure to be a maze of desserts for you to choose from. They also make their own renditions of european desserts like gelato and macarons that are highly favourable among the masses.

Stay tune with the latest food reviews at my new food blog, Fooding Singapore !

Kaiyukan Osaka 海遊館

The Kaiyukan is located in Osaka that boasts one of the biggest public aquariums around the world. They have a huge walk-around tank in the center that displays many habitats like whales, sharks, schools of fish all in one area.



If I remember correctly, the entrance fee is 2000YEN which gains you entry into the aquarium where you can stay as long as you want. Besides the large main tank, if you go in the winter season, there are usually penguins outside with snow that the public are allowed to touch and take photos with.


There is also a huge ferris wheel which you have to pay 700YEN to ride on and it shows you a top view of the area which is truly amazing. So if you are in Osaka, be sure to check it out!