Stayed Hotel Maruchu, Tokyo review

The worse part of travel preparations is booking a hotel. Even with reviews, I’m never sure how a room would turn out.

Luckily, Hotel Maruchu in Tokyo turned out to be alright.

When I extended my business trip in September, I had to look for a place to stay. I found Hotel Maruchu online and thought that its location right next to Minami-Senjuu is great.

As a ~~miser~~ budget traveller, the 3,500 yen (US$44.5) price was what clinched the deal. In comparison, the price of a dorm bed at Sakura Hostel is 2,940 yen (US$$37.3).

The hotel was not too difficult to find. It’s just across the tracks of Tokyo Metro’s Minami-Senjuu station, and a bit more walking if you come from the JR station. There’s an overhead bridge with slopes to roll your suitcase around.

When I reached, the concierge was really enthusiastic and spoke a bit of English. I should have been ashamed of myself for not speaking more in Japanese. (Sorry mom!)

I chose the Japanese-style single room (which is also a two-person room according to the sign outside). The room is really tiny but I guess that’s what you get in space-constraint Japan.

Hotel Maruchu's 3 tatami big room — Hotel Maruchu’s 3 tatami big room

Amenities

There’s a Chinese saying, “A sparrow might be small, but it has all five internal organs.” The saying is a lot more poetic in Chinese, I assure you.

Well, Maruchu’s room is definitely has a sparrow’s innards. My room had a futon mattress, pillow, blanket fridge, TV, bathrobe, towel, a box of tissue, a table and a cushions. It also has free Wi-Fi, take that Marriott!

Hotel Maruchu's bathrobe and towel — Hotel Maruchu’s bathrobe and towel

Bonus! A clip of me rambling on about the room.

(I never managed to visit the cemetery because I got lost.)

Shared facilities

Outside the room, there’s the shared toilet and pantry.

The toilet has men’s urinals (though it will be really awkward walking in on a man peeing) and the cool modern Japanese toilets.

Hotel Maruchu's shared washroom — Hotel Maruchu’s shared washroom

Hotel Maruchu's modern Japanese toilet — Hotel Maruchu’s modern Japanese toilet

Hotel Maruchu's shared pantry and "makeup area" — Hotel Maruchu’s shared pantry and “makeup area”

Not included in the my photos is the public bath. For me, this was actually the main attraction.

Hotel Maruchu bath — From http://www.hotelmaruchu.com/pc-j/building.html

In a public bath, you take a shower and bath with other people. Some people might feel uncomfortable about this but I actually like the Japanese’s nonchalance of other people’s naked bodies. As they say, when in Rome do as the Romans.

Do note that the bath is open to women at a shorter timing than men.

Misc

There’s a nice Japanese restaurant outside of the JR station which is within walking distance of the hotel. A 7-11 is a short walk away too. The streets were quite deserted at night when I walked to the convenience store, although I don’t think it’s dangerous for a woman to walk alone.

Minami-Senjuu is near Ueno Park but it’s actually a lot further to the city center. I didn’t like the travelling.

In a nutshell
Stayed at Hotel Maruchu, Tokyo
Pros: Enthusiastic concierge, cheap cheap price, cool Japanese room
Cons: Train station is far from the city center, people who are shy about being naked with strangers might not like the public bath, small Japanese room

Being a fangirl at Gintama Land

During my trip planning for Tokyo, I was most excited about visiting the Ooedo Onsen Monogatari hot spring theme park.

It wasn’t only because I desperately wanted to soak in hot springs and to stay overnight there. It was also because my favorite manga/anime Gintama was having an event.

The onsen place and the anime company teamed up to bring us “Ooedo Onsen Suspense Theater” where visitors can participate in games to win prizes and most of all, enjoy our favorite work.

This post will be very image heavy as I want to show you everything they had at Oedo Gintama Land.

Another warning, you will probably have ZERO idea what I am rambling on and on about if you have not read Gintama.

If you have not read the series, please head to your nearest comic bookstore and buy yourself the books. If all fails, there are the *cough* pirated versions online *cough*.

Outdoor fun with Gintama cast

When my shuttle bus reached Ooedo Onsen Monogatari, I almost squealed out loud seeingthe giant blow-up of Elizabeth guarding the entrance in his yukata.

Gintama's Elizabeth in Yukata at Ooedo Onsen Monogatari — Gintama’s Elizabeth in Yukata at Ooedo Onsen Monogatari

It was close to 6pm when I arrived. The mini outdoor event would close at 6pm so I had little time to play around.

There was two photo taking stations there. One of posing with the police car of the Shinsengumi police force.

I posed with a fake bazooka and Okita’s favorite eye masks. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to get into the car.

Gin-chan’s broken down scooter was also there for photo opportunities. Too bad they didn’t have his helmet or it would make an even more awesome photo.

Gintoki's motorcyle — Gintoki’s motorcyle

Floating in the wind was Gin-san in his yukata. My inner fan girl was shouting really loud by then. The pink banner says they are selling salted red bean paste–the taste for adults–at 280 yen. I think it’s ice cream.

There was even a shop selling Gintama merchandise. Being the cash-strapped traveller, I couldn’t afford to buy the stuff which were pretty much useless even for decoration.

Shinsengumi Police Station selling Gintama goodies

I did get myself one capsule. It was Katsura in yukata with a Elizabeth-yaki. (Too many jargons in this line!)

Entering Gintama Land

After having fun with photos, it was time to head into the theme park.

Elizabeth noren decorating the entrance of Ooedo Onsen Monogatari

Another banner with Gintama characters greeted us inside. My favorite female character Sacchan was disappointingly not among them.

At the waiting area, they put up Gintama goodies. I was really tempted by the Gintoki yukata but the price was too scary for me.

I think the partnership between Ooedo Onsen Monogatari and Gintama team is perfect because the theme park pretends to be a town in ancient Tokyo (Edo) and the comic is set in a fictional ancient Tokyo.

Gintama game

The highlight of Gintama Land was “Ooedo Onsen Suspense Theater”, a game to find one of the characters.

Shinpachi’s glasses was discovered by his elder sister, O-tae. O-tae was worried about Shinpachi and asked both the Yorozuya and Shinsengumi team to find her brother.

[Note: One of the running gags in the series is that Shinpachi=glasses. And the characters would talk to a pair of glasses as if it was Shinpachi,]

As a player, you buy a glasses pouch for 500 yen to play the game. I chose to be the Yorozuya intern while others can choose to be the Shinsengumi intern.

I went around the theme park, looking for the stamp stations. It took a while to find all five because I couldn’t decipher a large part of the instructions. X_x

While walking around, I found really cool cutouts and models of the characters.

For example, at the footbaths, Kondo Isao posed in only his underwear and covered with honey. It was from the chapter where they had to lure something in the forests.

Shinsengumi's Kondo Isao covered with honey — Shinsengumi’s Kondo Isao covered with honey

The very adorable but also very sadist Sogo with a bath towel.

A poster of the aliens also appeared at the footbath. Strangely, the lines say: “When you enter the baths, soak yourself up until your shoulders and count to ten before you COME OUTTTTT!”

Oi! What shoulders, this is a footbath!

Large panels like these appear at game stations.

Mini games

Besides the search for Shinpachi, there were three mini games along the way.

I forgot to take pictures of the fishing for water balloon games but I have the other two.

One of it was the paper fan throwing game. The player kneels in front of the two Styrofoam figures and try to knock it down with a fan, I failed at it and my fan flew way off the target.

I was much better at the anpan (red bean bun) throwing game. Each beanie bag of fake red bean bun flew into the holes representing faces.

At the end of the game, you will find Shinpachi. Turns out, the pair of glasses is not his. He also says angrily, “What do you mean I am not myself without glasses? No one goes to the bath with glasses, does he?!”

Gintama stuff all around!

Besides games, there were plenty of photo opportunities for Gintama fans.

At the center of the food area were lifesize cut outs of the Gintama gang.

I would have missed out Shogun in his underwear if I didn’t look up.

The other casts were higher up on the “second floor”.

(I really miss Sacchan and her crazy masochist self.)

There were also models, for example Gintoki in cat form.

And the super huge but super cute Sadakaru.

Besides all the photo taking and games, there were also Gintama-themed food.

One example is Hijikata’s favorite mayonnaise with everything. The character loves to put mayonnaise on everything.

This poster advertising a plate of boiled ramen had to warn: “Please put as little as you can handle.”

I had a great time at Gintama Land. I wish time would freeze for me to stay there forever. But… Reality called, so here I am, back in Singapore.

Instead of moping, I should be grateful that I could be there. So I will be grateful and be wonderfully happy about the trip.

Until the next post!

-Yun Qing

#FoodFri Glutton in Kamakura + Tokyo

In case you don’t know. I love Japanese food very very much.

During my short work trip to Japan, I had a few days to roam around eating.

Instead of flooding everyone with too many yummy food, I’m splitting the meals into different days.

For today, we’re having meals from Day 1: Lunch at Kamakura and Dinner in Tokyo.

Day 1

Zaru soba at Kamakura Karari

I took a side trip to Kamakura on day 1 because my N’EX and Suica package includes the Kamakura stop.

I was really hungry when I walked on the streets of Kamakura. But I did not dare pop into casual-looking but surely expensive cafes so I wandered around.

I found several people waiting outside Karari. I entered the doors but was asked to wait outside and write my name on a piece of paper.

Kamakura soba restaurant kitchen — Karari restaurant kitchen

It was an open kitchen concept restaurant. The chefs fried tempura while the customers watched. The second floor was for tour groups so I was stuck downstairs.

The meal was great. I loved the free flow of cold tea as well.

Yayoiken at Minami-senju

The restaurant near my hotel at Minami-senjuu had coupon machines at the door (like Nakau!).

I chose a pork chop set because Japanese katsu is delicious! There’s even unlimited refill of rice if you’re hungry.

Unfortunately, my pork smelled in a bad way. At least the miso soup was ok.

Exploring Tokyo’s red light district at night

I’ve wanted to visit Kabuki-cho in Tokyo ever since reading my favorite manga, Gintama. The characters live right on the streets of Kabuki-cho in a fictional old-Tokyo period.

I managed to walk around in the morning on Sunday. The place was crowded with fashionable people and amazing storefronts.

But I didn’t dare go alone at night because of the area’s reputation. From Japan-guide.com: “Japan’s largest red light district features countless restaurants, bars, nightclubs, pachinko parlors, love hotels and a wide variety of red light establishments for both sexes and sexual orientations. Explore with caution and beware of exorbitant cover fees.”

While I wasn’t prepared to head to Kabuki-cho at night, I wanted to visit Shinjuku’s 24-hour Don Quijote. When S, one of the journalists on the media tour, asked if she could join me to the crazy store. I said “Yes”.

I told her about Kabuki-cho and found someone to go to Tokyo’s infamous red light district with.

Neon lights everywhere

Kabuki-cho at night was different from day. In fact, the streets felt even brighter when the moon and stars are out than in the day time.

There were many backlit signboards, advertising the shop’s wares.

While some shops sold innocent things (food at konbini) and services (manga cafe), a lot of the others sold more mature items.

Not sure what it is but highly suspicious

There were a lot of “Free Guide” stores in the area. I peeped into one and saw a wall with photos of heavily made up girls which makes me suspect it’s another form of touting.

One of the many "Free Guide" shops. — One of the many “Free Guide” shops.

Speaking of touts, on the streets of Kabuki-cho, there were many well dressed young men in suit with fancy hairstyles. I assume these over-the-top fashionable men were touts who bring visitors to the nightclubs.

Since I looked tourist (and poor), none of them approached me for me to check my theory.

We walked around only two or three streets of Kabuki-cho, coming across interesting shop names such as “Ninja in New York”:

As well as sex toy shops. If you look close enough, there is a piece of paper with Nobita and Shizuka from Doraemon lying down half naked. I had a hard time comprehending why anyone would want to watch Doraemon cartoon porn.

After our quick turn, we headed to Don Quijote for late night window shopping.

I end this post with a rare photo of me in front of landmarks. (The biggest downside of travelling solo is the lack of photos with me inside.)

More posts on my trip to Tokyo to come.

Fleeced sheep

Went to Ginza on Monday night for dinner.
Stopped by the Apple Store when I found out it was nearby.
Found out that the iPhone 4S is only S$770 for the 16GB model in Japan. In Singapore, the same memory is more than S$900.
Totally WTF

Tokyo, the milky way

Time to catch up on my travel blog.

Writing this post on the plane back to Kuala Lumpur. It is now 12.17am, October 26. I can’t sleep because the pilot has left the lights on.

xxx

I’ve always loved the night view of cities. Tall buildings with lights on look like the night sky.

On the way to Tokyo, I had the window seat and I had the chance to see the goegeous night view of Tokyo.

The first thought that came into my head when I saw the lights sparkling below the dark land was “The Milky Way”. It looked exactly like the stuff we see on TV, where a swirl of white and yellow and red dots decorate the pitch black vacuum.

Unfortunately, my camera skills and my camera didn’t do justice to what I saw.

I’ll still always love cities, especially the night.

reached hotel

Tokyo's hotel is cute. No WiFi but there's LAN connection.

Reached hotel at 1am++ but luckily there still was train to get here.

Ate onigiri. yummy

Back to the future

See the full gallery on Posterous

A bit of explanation required for the title of this post.
Finally, I am going back to visit Japan. Since Japan is super modern, we can say it’s the future. .:. the cheesy title.
I’m now at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal in Kuala Lumpur. My flight will only leave at 2.40pm so I have A LOT of time to think about my life.
I’m travelling with my mother who has never been there. The last mother-daughter trip we had was the KL trip in November. Hope this works out well.
I will need to keep my temper in check.
Travel plans for these 10 days are: Tokyo
– Kansai region with Kyoto as base – back to Tokyo for another day and flight back. I will be back in Singapore on a public holiday (was it unintentional?) and can rest a bit before work.
Weather in Tokyo and Kyoto seems fine, for now.