Ata Bag

Obi Wan Kenobi [Personal thoughts]

Obi is a sash that normally worn with Kimono in Japan, but this one is mine that I worn with a dress. On the personal thought side of the story, this year I have determined to declutter my life, which means:

• I am cleaning it from unnecessary relationship that is not beneficial for both party
• More focused on the the subject of minimizing my house--in terms of keeping what is necessary and it could mean that I am back to basic but happy life.
• Focused more on work and task in hand

All of the 3 above seems so simple, but trust me its a handful most of the time!

Decluttering in work area and home are great ways to start reducing the clutter and stress in my life! I have learned that for a long time, but never put it in practice!

Tokyo JAPAN (not a must list, but seriously...)

If you’ve been to Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, you would have encountered the gigantic spider in Roku Roku Plaza. The ten metre bronze sculpture called Maman is the work of French artist Louise Bourgeois who passed away in May 2010 at the age 98. She was born in Paris and later moved to New York. Known for controversy in some of her works which have been inspired by her childhood experiences. Her series of spider sculptures have featured around the world. If you see closely in the body of this statue, it carries eggs. :)

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You can spot this in Asakusa area, on top of Tokyo's Asahi Beer building is the famous kin no unchi, Japanese for “Golden Turd” (Locals also call it the unchi biru or the "poop building") The 300-ton stainless steel sculpture designed by French architect Philippe Stark was meant to look like foam rising from a beer mug... :D

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Asakusa Ekimise is a building linked to Tobu SKYTREE. EKIMISE revives the Neo-Renaissance architecture of the original structure completed in the early Showa period (Des 1926 – Jan 1989). The symbolic grand clock has made a comeback, too. EKIMISE comprises a total of 177 stores, including Matsuya Asakusa, which enjoys a presence there since the original building first opened, and 52 new shops. The biggest attraction is East-Tokyo Market Wanoichi, on the seventh floor. It features a collection of varieties items representing quality design and honoring the tradition of Japanese craftsmanship. Be sure to check out the rooftop terrace, offering good views of the nearby Tokyo Skytree.

Ok, wait. This is a compulsory photo opt, behind me is a major Japanese character shop, at Ekimise ground floor. :D

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TOKYO SKYTREE is designed in an original color "SKYTREE White", representing harmony with the surrounding scenery, its name and the design concept: "The creation of city scenery transcending time: A fusion of traditional Japanese beauty and neo-futuristic design". It is an original color based on "aijiro", the lightest shade of Japanese traditional indigo blue. The color of SKYTREE also replicates the technique of indigo dyers, with a hint of blue added to the white color, giving a delicate pale blue glow, like that of white celadon ware.

Colors created by indigo dyers represent the legacy of Japanese traditional craftsmanship as conserved in the downtown area housing the tower. Encounter the tower and this artisan culture will become the starting point for the creation of a new culture. Dressed in "SKYTREE white", the new tower will stand tall against the blue sky in downtown Tokyo and transcend time with eternal brightness. (source here)

Perang Pandan Desa Adat Tenganan (Bali Aga)

Perang Pandan at the village of Tenganan in Karangasem, East Bali, is an age-old tradition unique only to this well-preserved Balinese village in East Bali. Also referred to locally as 'mekare-kare' and 'megeret pandan', Perang Pandan is a mass coming-of-age ritual, dedicated to the Hindu god of war and the sky, Indra, which sees friendly duels between all male villagers, who bout each other armed with a small rattan shield in one hand and a tied packet of thorny 'pandan' leaves in the other. The event is held annually, adhering to its own local calendar. This 2017, Perang Pandan is held on July 11 in the villages of Tenganan Pegringsingan and Tenganan Dauh Tukad.

Beach Culture

Kotoku-in & Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kamakura (Kanagawa Perfecture, JP)

Walking from Hase-dera towards Kōtoku-in,  a Buddhist temple, renowned for its "Great Buddha" (Daibutsu), a monumental outdoor bronze statue of Amida Buddha, one of the most famous icons of Japan. 

And from there we walked to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu

Hase-dera (Kanagawa Perfecture, JP)

We were taking the train outside of Tokyo and went for an hour ride towards Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture. Kanagawa is a prefecture located in southern Kantō region of Japan.

For anyone who is interested in my post here, Kantō region is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 45 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain. The rest consists of the hills and mountains that form the land borders. In official census by the Japan Statistics Bureau, the population amounting to approximately one third of the total population of Japan.

Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Kanagawa Prefecture is home to Kamakura and Hakone, two highly popular side trip destinations from Tokyo.

Yayoi Kusama: My Eternal Soul (NACT Tokyo JP)

I am obviously a sucker for art! Yayoi is one of my fave, among others... Visiting the National Art Center Tokyo for Yayoi exhibition is definitely one of the highlight from my Tokyo trip,

The "My Eternal Soul" series, begun in 2009, is an ongoing project currently comprising over 500 paintings. In the early stages of production, Kusama used several sizes of canvas, measuring 162×130.3cm, or 162×162cm. Later, the size standardized to a quasi-square canvas measuring 194×194cm. The series is marked by astonishing variety, incorporating abstract patterns as well as natural forms. It represents the essence of Kusama’s art, and is an embodiment of all the elements of her corpus of work.

Mutekiya Ramen (Tokyo JP)

This is not an advert, this is because Mutekiya is worth the visit...

http://www.mutekiya.com/world/english.html

I must say, best ramen thus far...

Sensoji Temple & Asakusa Nakamise (Tokyo JP)

Sensō-ji temple is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, the Asakusa Shrine.  The Sensoji Kannon temple is dedicated to Guanyin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, and is the most widely visited spiritual site in the world (over 30 million visitors annually).

Disneysea Tokyo (Tokyo JP)

I honestly don't know where to start! So just enjoy the picture after the jump, as all I know I am having so much fun the whole day at Disney Sea. Highly recommended!!