Akiba Mart Blog

iPad On Sale In Japan

On May 28th, Apple’s iPad finally started to sell in Japanese market. As it was in United States, Apple Store In Ginza was crowded like a carnival. I was not in that crowd, however I got my iPad from online Apple Store

My impression in this device — this is really a breakthough device and great invension that Apple had made. Some people say that iPad lacks USB interface and other features that notebook PC’s have, but those ridiculous things are not needed. Apple had really focused on the simplicity that 2 year old boy and 100 year old grand father can also use this device. This is really cool.

I’ve written this article from my iPad, and was stressless for me. This great device, I think this changes the world. But this does not mean you should through away your notebook PC’s. What Apple succeded is that they made up a market between notebook PC’s and smart phones. All of these devices will continue to live together.

Other posts you might be interested

• Congratulations on Japan Win the WBC!
• Count Down for Akiba Mart Launch
• 2010 New Year Sale!
• New Year in Japan
• Matcha Flavored Chocolates

2010 New Year Sale!

Akiba Mart had just started the “2010 New Year Sale” having discount up to 20% in Uji Tea and Tea Sets. Also for orders over $90 for Tea and Tea Sets, free shipping (including EMS international shipping) will be available.

It will be a great chance to try our best Uji Tea available. I believe you will be delighted with its taste and aroma. For the Tea Sets, these are worth having one at your home. Best to extract Uji Tea at your home, but also best for gifts to your important person.

Other posts you might be interested

• New Year in Japan
• Recommended Magento Plugins
• Tea Incense Burner (Cha Kouro)
• Akiba Mart Is Open Today!
• Once upon a time…

New Year in Japan

Happy New Year!

I was pretty busy at the end of last year through January this year. I spent couples of days with my parents and friends in Osaka and Kyoto. Ways of spending new year are like:

• Eating Soba (buck wheat noodles)
• Eating Osechi (special menu only eaten when celebrating new year)
• Eating Zouni (soup with rice cake)
• Going to Hatsu-moude (going to temples and shrines to wish good fortune)
• Giving Otoshi-dama (giving children some money)

Pretty neat huh?

Other posts you might be interested

• 2010 New Year Sale!
• Udon Is My Best Noodle
• Autumn in Mount Takao
• iPad On Sale In Japan
• Beautiful Festival in Japan

Autumn in Mount Takao

Cherry blossoms in the spring is the best season to visit Japan, but I would say autumn is another great season you can fully enjoy in Japan. Leaves in the trees changes its color from green to yellow and red, which is so beautiful that any painter can not copy in their paintings.

Just an hour ride on a train from Tokyo, Mt. Takao is the best place you can visit to enjoy this natural painting. Mt. Takao marked 3 stars in the Michelin guide, one of the world’s famous tour guide book. And yes, 3 stars is well deserved.

When you imagine Tokyo, what color do you see? I believe most of the people will not say green. Mt. Takao will break that! Full of nature, gourmet and shrines. This place preserves ancient Japan, not filled with skyscrapers like now a days…

Other posts you might be interested

• Udon Is My Best Noodle
• Black Boiled Egg in Hakone
• Beautiful Festival in Japan
• 2016 Olympic Games to Tokyo
• Zekkei The Main Gate of Nanzen-ji.

Typhoon Hits Mainland Japan

Early today, Typhoon Melor (18th typhoon this year) landed mainland Japan and according to the forecast, this typhoon will trace the mainland of Japan having strong wind and rain. Last time when large typhoon hit mainland Japan, it was two years ago. I do remember that transportation system stopped and water flooded on the street at many places in Tokyo.

Same as last time, today many trains stopped by this typhoon and people on the way to the office stuck in the train stations. Well, I decided to work at home

There is no reason to go outside when typhoon is raging.

Other posts you might be interested

• 2016 Olympic Games to Tokyo
• Autumn in Mount Takao
• Tea Incense Burner (Cha Kouro)
• Swine Flu and Masks
• Motorcycle Life in Tokyo

Matcha Parfait

Today in Japan, a matcha parfait which is one of desserts using matcha powder is becoming very popular.  So,I went to the cafe “IYEMON SALON” which is run by Suntory , famous for their product ” Iyemon Cha bottled tea “. 

I ate pretty gorgeous parfait whose price was 930yen.

IYEMON Parfait

 And when you order tea ,Tea and Houhin-teapot come and you make tea yourself.

Houhin and Tea

» Read more about this topic.

Other posts you might be interested

• Took a Video of Matcha Tea
• Matcha Flavored Chocolates
• Genuine Uji Tea
• Zekkei The Main Gate of Nanzen-ji.
• Beauty and the Japanese Tea

Zekkei The Main Gate of Nanzen-ji.

This picture is scenery from San mon, the main gate of Nanzen-ji.

The View from Sanmon

 This is the place that Ishikawa Goemon who was a legendary bandit in Japan exclaimed “What a view (Zekkei kana)! What a view (Zekkei kana)! The spring view is worth a thousand gold pieces, or so they say, but it is too little, too little. These eyes of Goemon rate it worth ten thousand!” in the kabuki ,” Kinmon Gosan no Kiri” (“The Golden Gate and the Paulownia Crest”).
I came up there, then I agreed this is a wonderful view.

The gate of Nanzenji temple

» Read more about this topic.

Other posts you might be interested

• Genuine Uji Tea
• Udon Is My Best Noodle
• Choosing Ecommerce Application
• Autumn in Mount Takao
• Matcha Parfait

Dawn on Mt.Fuji

Last weekend, I went to Mt.Fuji for climbing and to watch sunrise from the peak. Mt.Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, and also is the symbol of Japan. Fuji is 3,776 meters high, so it will be really tough to conquer this mountain.

We drove a car for about a half of its way to the peak and then started to walk then. As altitude getting higher and higher, temperature will get lower and lower. Not only temperature, but density of air will be thinner and thinner that some people will suffer from altitude sickness. Climbing Mt.Fuji is not so easy.

But when we overcame this challenge, we can see the most beautiful sunrise

Other posts you might be interested

• Oasis Will Be Playing in Fuji Rock Festival’09
• Ice Extracting Gyokuro Tea
• Count Down for Akiba Mart Launch
• Swine Flu and Masks
• Another side of Obama City

Rush for Eels!

What is your favorite Japanese food? Sushi? Tempura? Well, those are very delicious, but ask the same question to Japanese. Maybe you can hear surprising answer. Japanese like to eat eels. I do love to eat eels too

In Japan, there is a culture to eat eels in “Doyou no ushi” day. “Doyou no ushi” day is a day defined in Japanese traditional calender. This year, July 19th is the day. In this day Japanese people rush to eel restaurant to have eels. Exciting, isn’t it?

This culture is made by Gennai Hiraga, a famous inventor in Edo period. People in Edo period did not eat eels in summer, and so the owner of eel restaurant asked Gennai how to sell eels in summer. Gennai’s idea was to make advertisement saying “Today is ‘Doyo no ushi’ day”. By this advertisement, people rushed to that eel restaurant believing that eating eels in “Doyo no ushi” day will help to gain power to overcome hot days in summer.

Today, it is proven that eating eels really help to gain power. Eels contain vitamin A and vitamin B a lot. So let’s eat eels and be healthy.

Other posts you might be interested

• Japanese Green Tea Is Natural Supplement!
• Why Japanese Toilets So High-Tech?
• Beauty and the Japanese Tea
• New Year in Japan
• Beautiful Festival in Japan

Beautiful Festival in Japan

I went home to Kyoto to see the Gion festival (Gion Matsuri) from July 16th to the 19th .  If you say Kyoto’s summer, we say, “Gion Matsuri”.  Soon after the Gion festival,  the rainy season ends and humid summer begins in Kyoto.

The Gion festival is one of the three main festivals of Japan. And it is most beautiful festival of Japan! The festival peaks on the 17th July, when 32 beautifully decorated floats (Yamaboko floats) parade through the city. These Yamaboko floats are described as a “moving museum”.

Though I repeated visits to this festival, every time I am impressed by this festival’s beauty . If you visit Japan in summer,please visit the Gion festival in Kyoto!

The scenes of Gion festival at the corner of Oike and Shinmachi streets.

Other posts you might be interested

• Oasis Will Be Playing in Fuji Rock Festival’09
• 2016 Olympic Games to Tokyo
• New Year in Japan
• Another side of Obama City
• Rush for Eels!