Japan several days in..

[rkold]

I've now been in Japan several days though it doesn't quite feel like that because I've been going to bed at 8 pm lol

Some fast thoughts for those curious...

Tokyo is WAY colder than when I was here in February 2008. I keep wanting to just spend the day sitting in the onsen at the hotel. It makes me really look forward to Hakone and Takayama where I might just spend a good portion of my day soaking in an onsen.

What have I bought the most of so far this trip? If you answered tea you would be right. I've now hit up Muji, Karel Capek and Lupicia. I think everyone I know is now doomed to get tea as a gift. The Muji tea is for my own consumption though they of course had tons of V-day LEs.

Speaking of V-day most awesome free chocolate samples ever. ♥

Have I mentioned I am freezing cold? Yes, I know I will not get sympathy from most people I know as it is worse where they are. I seriously need to discover how to turn on the heat in my room. The first night I was boiling but since then I've been so cold!

My hotel has a really nice little onsen set up. There is a tiny outdoors ones, a bigger indoors one, and a sauna. HAPPINESS!

One nice thing about not having a rail pass is it makes me more likely to use the subway.

I can now spend only 1 hour looking at doujinshi at say K-books and make it through everything I really want to go through.

Current Pocky LEs appear to be pocky coated in various bits of cookie and such. PLMK if anyone wants any. Kit kats are for now are raspberry and passionfruit (though soon disappearing) and soda is chocolate!

twotone does English Lupicia offer all the seasonal LEs Japan Lupicia does? The new green tea strawberry LE smells divine!

Comments

[rkold.livejournal.com]

The hotel is lovely, I've stayed here before, but didn't spend as much time in the baths so I hadn't remembered how nice they are.

I also admit to loving the location, about 5 minutes from a lot of subways or 10 minutes from Tokyo Station.

It's passionfruit and raspberry and I don't know what sort of coating (whether chocolate or something weird) they have since I've not bought one yet, I've just seen the display. >>;

I've managed to get a seat on the subway which is lovely. I wish I had one of those books like some people who live in Japan have which tell you which cars are best for different transfers in Tokyo.

I'm really looking forward to the more authentic onsen. I am soooo tempted to try to make it to Kyushu again just because it is bound to be warmer there.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

lol right now the heat is lovely! :D

Would you like one of the kits kats, I'm happy to get one for you.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

Wow, the lab just keeps offering more and more. I'll have to look at the list, I've been a bit busy.

I saw the two flavors of KitKats you shared pictures of on your LJ for sale here now. I'm not sure if they are the old ones or the replacement for the Valentine ones.

Have you tried the Maple? I need to find a 100 yen combini to see if they have the sweet potato minis.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

OK cause I just saw them for my first time here and was not sure if they were the new March flavors or what.

Sweet potato was Fall so if I find it, it will be in one of the Lawson 100 yen shops :D Maple I've not tried yet but I bought one because maple! :D

[twotone]

Thank you for the tea and the info on all the LEs!

I'm not sure if Lupicia USA offers all of the Japanese seasonal LEs. My suspicion is that they don't. They certainly don't seem to carry the Valentine's LEs... I think possibly they only carry the Christmas LEs, since those are more of a sure thing.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

PLMK if you want any others. :D

Is the 2010 Green Tea Tiger one available in the US and the other one is this amazing strawberry green LE. I think I saw some other LEs but those were the ones that I know I bought and most stood out. (Other than regional LEs and the Valentine's Day set.) I think there is also a 2010 year of the Tiger black tea. I know I saw some others, I wish I could remember them all. Roppongi had a much better selection but Harajuku has all the regional LEs. I am grateful for them for saving me some trips to try things.

I don't usually like marron but the chocolate marron was just lovely.

The Valentine's LEs or at leas the ones with cute tins are super super popular particularly the Pengu one, which should make you happy. :)

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

Haha I bought a Christmas LE in the tin (I wanted the tea regardless but the tin is more) because the picture was cute xD.

[rkold.livejournal.com]

The tins are always incredibly pretty. I'm not sure what I will store in mine when I finish the teas but I will find something. (Possibly seeds >>;; )

My Christmas LE is not in a tin but the Valentine's tins are the cutest things ever.

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

We have Lupicia at my mall too <3 <3 <3. I dunno what the Japan LEs are but if you want I can check it out on Monday?

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure unless there are other LEs not listed on the English website, that most of the Japanese LEs are not being exported to the US market.

[pure-trance.livejournal.com]

Aww lame!

[spazzygirl19.livejournal.com]

Glad you're able to do lots of onsen!

If there's a Pocky that's like chocolate chip - I'd be interested (remember please, as long as there are no nuts). Otherwise, just go by that email I had previously sent. Muchas gracias! ^_^

[rkold.livejournal.com]

I can tell if there are obvious nuts, but not if there is like nut oils since I can't read Japanese. ^^;; Most of your previous list I've seen no sign of. I'm mostly just seen regular and men with the occasionaly strawberry. I will continue trying to visit combini.

I want to say the ones I saw were like chocolate crumbles a la oreo cookies or the crunchies from Carvel cakes.

It's not a true onsen as I think the water is artificially heated but it's part of my hotel and that makes it all worth it. :)