♡ Captain Ari

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I'm Ari.
I'm a new mommy to a cute baby girl. Here I write about my life in Japan, being mother, my adventures and my hobbies.


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My Japan Dream list~~Jan 25, 2016


Today I decided to get a bit personal. I decided to share my Japan "dream list", or as some others would call, "bucket-list". I explained it before but the reason I call it a "dream-list" instead of "bucket-list" is because I think the unofficial meaning of "bucket-list" is a bit morbid. So therefore I decided to stick with "dream-list"! "Japan dream-list" to be exact, since most of the things on the list requires me to be in Japan.


I have just 2 months and 4 more days left before school starts in Tokyo. Honestly I can't contain my excitement! So that's what encouraged me to share my list! (or at least a part of it)


I would consider myself dichotomous when describing my interests. As I absolutely love luxury hotels, fine cuisine, posh bars, onsen resorts, and beautiful gifts like; a big box of Rosehire roses, Godiva chocolates, etc. Yet at the same time- I can have a great time; bar hopping at places like Golden Gai, having zero beer and grilled squid in a park, hiking and getting lost in a rural town, playing video games at home, biking and working up a sweat, etc. 
I bought the mantra of work hard, play hard and enjoy living it up! I also believe in saving and investing but we can't take our income to the grave so I like to splurge on nice things now and then. I'm sure my mindset will change in a few years once I'm ready to settle down, become more responsible and get married but I would still like to enjoy life and have fun with my husband and kids. 
But for now, I would like to show people my interests through this list.  







#1. Hanami *EDIT: Completed*
(flower viewing)
Hanami is basically flower viewing and primarily takes place when the cherry blossoms bloom in Japan. Normally around the end of March to the beginning or middle of April. I want to experience Hanami with one other person or a group and have a picnic under a cherry blossom tree.



#2. Make Cherry Blossom Pendant*EDIT: Completed*

During the Spring I want to catch a few cherry blossom petals before they hit the ground and I want to put them in a resin mold to make a necklace pendant. 


#3. Attend the Kanamara Matsuri


"The Shinto Kanamara Matsuri (かなまら祭り), "Festival of the Steel Phallus") is held each spring at the Kanayama Shrine (金山神社 Kanayama-jinja) in Kawasaki, Japan. The exact dates vary: the main festivities fall on the first Sunday in April. The penis, as the central theme of the event, is reflected in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decorations, and a mikoshi parade.

The Kanamara Matsuri is centred on a local penis-venerating shrine. The legend being that a sharp-toothed demon (vagina dentata) hid inside the vagina of a young woman and castrated two young men on their wedding nights. As a result, the young woman sought help from a blacksmith, who fashioned an iron phallus to break the demon's teeth, which led to the enshrinement of the item. This legend in Ainu language was published as "The Island of Women" by Basil Hall Chamberlain." (description from Wikipedia)

I think if I attended this matsuri, it would really take me out of my comfort zone. Which I think would be a good idea for a change.




#4.Yokohama Cosmo World:Underwater Coaster

I want to ride Diving coaster: Vanish at Cosmo World. 


#5. Make Homemade Bento & go on a Date *EDIT: Completed*

 I would like to make a homemade bento and go on a bento date in a nice park somewhere. I had brought a bento from a store and gone on a date before but this time, I would like to make them myself!



#6. Take a Kimono Dressing Course


#7. Ride the Diamond and Flower Ferris Wheel *EDIT: Completed*

As those who are close to me know, I absolutely love Ferris wheels. So the first time I came to Japan, I was blessed to be able to do really amazing and fun things. Like ride a helicopter cruise, go to Tokyo Disney, get any gift I wanted at Shibuya 109..I also got to visit the Diamond and flower Ferris wheel but when we got there it was already closed. The purikura machine underneath it was still open so we got to take some pictures but I really wanted to ride that Ferris wheel. So even though I have been to Japan since then, I still haven't gotten the chance to go. That's why I added it to my dream list! Hopefully I can visit it again and ride it!




#8. Visit Tokyo Disney Sea *EDIT: Completed*

I got to visit Tokyo Disney but I didn't get to visit Tokyo Disney sea. I want to do that!




#9. Visit the Skytree: Tembo Deck



#10. Haunted Hospital: Fuji-Q Highland

This article is a great explanation of what the haunted hospital is all about. Recently I found myself obsessed with Japanese haunted folktales and ghost stories but I still can't bring myself to watch a scary ghost movie. This is another activity that will bring me out of my comfort zone but it could also be pretty fun! I would really like to try this but I need to go with a strong fearless partner. (.__.)

こわい！(.__.)



#11. Visit the Eshima Ohashi Bridge

"The Eshima Ohashi Bridge is a Japanese rigid frame bridge with an unusually high span that–from certain angles–makes the structure look like a roller coaster for cars. The bridge’s high span is designed to accommodate boat traffic, as Sakaiminato is a major fishing port."

I want to take pictures of it!
                                                 

                                              Photos via The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images

#12. Visit a Planetarium *EDIT: Completed*


#13. Enoshima Island Spa

 I want to get at least a full day pass here. Or find a small hotel nearby and get a 2 day pass!




 #14. Ring the Enoshima Love Bell

 If you read my blog article: My Trip To Enoshima Japan! ~Love Bell~, then you will understand why I have this on my dream-list. They say if you ring the Enoshima love bell with a lover, that you will have good luck in your romance. It's also a tradition for couples to write a message on a lock and leave it locked at the site.



Me back in 2013.

#15. Visit Hitachi Seaside Park

"A large flower park known for its gently rolling hills planted with millions of flowers. The park, located in the town of Hitachinaka, has several seasons that are popular including the blooming of its 4.5 million baby blue eyes or 1 million daffodils."





#16. Explore Chiba City for a Whole Day


#17. Take a Japanese Cooking Course

#18. Ashikaga Flower Park

 A flower park in the town of Ashikaga in Tochigi Prefecture with large displays of hanging Wisteria that are occasionally illuminated at night.





#19. Dress in a Yukata & attend a Hanabi (Fireworks) Festival *EDIT: Completed*

"Originally used to ward off evil spirits, fireworks (花火, Hanabi) have a long history in Japan and are an integral part of Japanese summers. Hundreds of firework shows are held every year across the country, mainly during the summer holidays in July and August, with some of them drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators."





#20. Take a Photo of the heart of the Tokyo Tower.
*EDIT: Completed*

On TV they said that every evening until x-mas (I'm guessing for the month of December? Please correct me if I'm wrong.), Tokyo Tower will be lit up with a heart in the center of 
the tower from 7:30 - 8:00 PM… once Christmas comes back, I want to do this!




#21. Send a Box Full of Goodies From Don Quixote to my Family 

This one pretty much speaks for itself. I did something like this back in 2013 but I ended up eating most of it. So I'm going to do it again and this time I'll send a big box of Japanese snacks and goodies. Maybe I'll make it a monthly thing? I need to get a good part time job once school starts. 



#22. Visit the Beach!

Summer and winter! 



#23. Study Flower Arrangement 


#24. Visit the Tokyo Rainbow Bridge 

& take photos of course!! :p





#25. Visit Owl Cafe~ Mohumohu

I want to take photos and drink tea with owls in Shinujuku's owl cafe!








#26. Sky Duck Tour- Take a Boat Bus Tour

Information about it here~!








#27. Visit Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku *EDIT: Completed*

"As the name gives away, this new café, opened right by Laforet Harajuku,. It's packed with elements drawn from all things kawaii. With interiors done by Harajuku heavy-hitter Sebastian Masuda, it's a fantastic merry-go-round of super-cute elements, and offers four types of appropriately OTT seating in areas labelled Mushroom Disco, Milk Stand, Bar Experiment and Mel-Tea Room. If you're easily overwhelmed, best steel yourself before heading over. " - Timeout.com 






#28. Visit At Least 5 Bars On "Time Out's" List Of Best Tokyo Bar's With a View

The list is here: http://www.timeout.com/tokyo/bars-and-pubs/best-tokyo-bars-with-a-view

Bar's like, R Restaurant & Bar:




or Star Road: 





#29. Visit Okinawa


#30. Visit Osaka


#31. Visit Kyoto *EDIT: Completed*



#32. Visit Hokkaido *EDIT: Completed*




I really want to visit the annual ice festival!! That's been a huge dream for me!!


#33. Visit Nagoya *EDIT: Completed*



#34. Go to Cake Buffet *EDIT: Completed*





#35. Stay at Tokyo Disneyland Hotel

This is something I always wanted to do since 2011. It just seems like it would be a wonderful and exciting experience!







There are many more things I would like to add to my Dream list but this is all I can fill in for today. 
I will update with more once a little more time passes. 
Hopefully some of the things on my list will encourage you to write up your own dream list?



Have a good day!



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