富士急の旅

On 25th Nov. 2012, our Japanese colleague bought us to Fuji Q Theme Park, this is one of the most top famous theme in world, in here have the world steepest Roller Coaster and 1 top ten roller coaster in world.

After 2 hours drive from Shiojiri, the 1st scene to welcome us is the Mount Fuji (富士山). I always wanted to see the mount Fuji, but knowing that it is very difficult as it is very far from where I stay, so before today, I only saw a small part and blur Mount Fuji from Suwa Lake, but today I can see her so closely, is so majestic and beautiful.

富士山

After taking many photos with Mount Fuji, we proceed to our destination - Fujikyu Highland.

 Today, is the day of breaking record, I seldom ride roller coaster, but today, I ride 3 roller coaster and all are world record coaster --> Fujiyama, Takabisha and Dodonpa.

1st Let see the world Top 10 Roller Coaster Fujiyama.

Fujiyama - World tallest coaster in year 1996 & 1997

Ready to go!!!!

Very Funny Poster in the Fujiyama Coaster center

In the ride, it just like what the poster show, we all become the member of chorus, we can only hear "Wow!!!", "A....." in the ride.

But it is so beautiful when reach the top as we can see the Mount Fuji so clearly.

Kamisuwa Trip on 21 Oct. 2012（上諏訪の旅）

1st Sunday in Japan, my manager bring us to sightseeing in Suwa Lake (諏訪湖) area and which is the city of my Company HQ is.

Finally I here, come to my company's HQ

But some members want to go others activity, so only 4 person go Suwa Lake...... and this is the 1st time I take train myself......luckily my I know some Kanji and understand some Japanese words, although again we miss the train and wait for another 15mins, but we all arrived Kami Suwa Station safely and meet my manager there.

Train Schedule form Midoriko towards Kamisuwa 

The 1st place we go is the Suwa Lake, one of the famous lake in Japan, the lake is very beautiful. and lot of people joking around the lake.

In Japan, even is 12noon, we still don't feel hot, so we can see people picnic even sleep at the lake side.

We wanted to try the swan boat, but the timing is not preferable, so we plan to come next time.

As the time we come is autumn time, so we can see the leafs start change colour, this is first time to experience season change in life, feels so amazing, my manager say if we come another 2 weeks time, the leafs will all change to red/ orange color.

After walked around the lakes, we go to the nearest shopping center for lunch.

Initially wanted to lunch at a small restaurant next to the station, but the restaurant is packed of customer, so I think this restaurant maybe a famous restaurant as there are so few people on the street and there is not only one restaurant, but it is full at lunch time, so we just went shopping first.

This shopping is the only shopping center near to the around the Kami Suwa Station(上諏訪駅), but the main supermarket has been closed down, so we though there shall not have anything can shop, but surprisingly, there still have few restaurants, second hand shop which you can find anything you want in your life include motherboard and graphics card, 100 yen shop and some local product shop. At the top floor, we can saw there are a few tea house, art center and antiques shop, there are some local artist promote their art piece at this floor.

After shop a while, we go to the restaurant again, but the shop is stop serving as their stock was sold out, I could only say WOW, so fast, just about 1 ~ 2 hours, all sold out, so bring a disappointed mood, we go back the shopping center restaurant for lunch, initially though that this shop foods may just normal as only 2 customer inside, but surprisingly, their tendo is serve in such large size and is very delicious, but I just remember to eat, never check the shop name, but in future, if going to this shopping, you can go the 1st floor and this shop is at corner lot next to a wet market.

After the lunch, we take train go back to our hostel at shiojiri, as the time still early, so we choose to drop at Midoriko Station, a village station that near our hostel. But when we on the way back, suddenly 2 young girls come to us and ask us direction as they drop at wrong station, but our Japanese Language is so limited and they mistaken that I' m a local people since nobody will though foreigner will come to such rural area, so after trying explain to them the correct direction with my broken Japanese Language, I think they still cant get what I means, but they are politely thanks me and say they understood, so we just go back and left them at the station, so when on the way back, we look back and found they still asking people the direction, what I can do is pray that they can reach their destination safely.

Japan Training Trip (Week 1)

On 14th Oct. 2012, the plan come to execution.

at about 4pm, all the trainees and business trip members gather at the company lobby waiting for the final instructions from the admin and we take the bus to Singapore Changi Airport.......take flight to Japan, a place I wanted to go but very difficult to arrange.

This time is the longest flight time I ever take in my life so far, but thanks God, with his blessing, the plane take off and arrived in Tokyo safely after 7 hours of flight, the time we arrives is about 6am in the morning, but the sky was so bright, then I just realise their light time become early in the Autumn time.

Tokyo Hanaeda Airport

 I saw the only advertisement along the arrival hall corridor

Waiting train in Shijuku Station

We use to see and heard Japanese walk very fast, 1st day in Japan I can experience it, when we reach Shinjuku station, one of the busy station in Tokyo, we can saw many people running or walk very fast in the station to rush for work or school. 

Super Azusa Inner View

We take the express train to Shiojiri, their train is well keep and there is train service in the train, so we can buy drinks or food in the train.

The trip from Shinjuku to Shiojiri by express train need takes about 3 hours, I could imaging if we take normal train, how long we need......

The hostel we going to stay for 2 months

On 20th October, my first weekend in Japan, our managers bring us to Matsumoto City for sightseeing.

This is my first time to take normal train in Japan, and knowing that their railway is share for all types of train, so only the normal train will stop in every station, others will only stop at specific station.

Train Schedule at Midoriko Station

To take train in Japan is not a easy things, we must know the train schedule and know where the train heading to..... some small station, if you miss the train, you may need to wait for 10mins to 1 hours.....

The 1st time, we miss the train......and need wait about 30mins..... but good experience to train us be punctual, and surprising how trustworthy and discipline Japanese are, their small train station (Usually in village area) only have the ticketing machine and not gate, so you can go up to train without the ticket (if you plan to drop at another small station......But we all buy the ticket la......

Matsumoto City is one of the big city in Nagano Ken, in here, have one of the oldest Castle in Japan ---> Matsumoto Castle, but due to our schedule, we only reach their gate to take few photos.

We also eat their famous bento here, the restaurant we went is very near to the castle and know from local, this is one of the famous restaurant in town.

The restaurant we went

Our lunch in Matsumoto

Although we have no time go into the castle, but I will come again.

Others than the castle, we also move around in the city, so that we can familiar with the city, then  we can come ourselves next time.

Another stop point we went is the Timepiece Museum, in here, we can see the history of time and timepiece history in Japan, even my boss ask me how understanding on the timepiece since our main product is watches.