My Engel's law

Do you know what is Engel's Law(エンゲル係数)?
Engel's law is an observation in economics stating that as income rises, the proportion of income spent on food falls, even if actual expenditure on food rises.
It is pretty known word among Japanese however It may not very known by foreigners.

My Engel's law is very high by the killer.....whose name is IMO-KENPI!!!
It is fried sweet potato stick coated by syrup.
Crispy and sweet but not too much. Mmmmm...Yummy!!!
Please try IMO-KENPI when you come to Japan!
It is easy to find in any super market and good for souvenir!
This is definitely my best snack in 2011!!!
(Incidentally,"Yuki no yado" rice cracker was my best in 2010 :P )

I really wish we will have a peaceful year for 2012.
Merry Christmas and A Happy Happy New Year!
Feliz Navidad y Feliz Ano Nuevo a Todos :)
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo a tutti voi :D

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Konnichiwa from Hiroshima HANA Hostel.
We already had snow here. FREEZING..Time for me to go to mountain for snowboarding. I went to snowboarding only 2 times this year so I will try my best to go as much as I can next year to become like a professional!!

TIME FLIES!! Another 8 days to 2012!!!
This year means a lot to me. Many changes in good way. Started working at J-Hoppers, met many wonderful guest and also HANA&J-Hoppers staff, learnt many new things from everything and everyone I met.
Hopefully I have improved myself through whole these experiences.

Many many thanks to all people who I met!!
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

My favorite in December

Hello everyone!
It got very very cold in Kyoto in this few days!
Finally winter is here!!

Here!! I really really want to introduce my favorite to everyone.
It came into my life couple of days ago.
There is a cafe called 'UCC' around Kyoto Hana Hostel. It is about 3 minutes walk from Hana Hostel.
I have been there for lunch time before, but never been there for breakfast even though I have been telling guests about a breakfast over there.
A couple days ago, because of the party, I stayed over night at Kyoto Hana Hostel. Next day before I started working, I was very hungry. Then my peep (Night staff at Kyoto Hana Hostel) who had been there many times and I finally hit the chance!!
I was sooooooooo shocked that I have never been there before although it is just a block away from Hana! I do not know what it is, but I really really really loved their coffee and a slice of toast!
Their morning menu usually comes with a slice of toast, a little salad, and an egg ( could be boiled, could be a sunny side), and a cup of coffee for around 500 yen.
It is just a regular coffee shop, however it was not for me! Since then I am sooooo obsessed about it.
If you stay with Kyoto Hana Hostel, close to Kyoto station, or even far from it, give it a try!!

This is their tomato, egg, bacon sandwich. This is her favorite!


Here it comes! My obsession! A slice of toast with a cup of coffee!!


OH MY GOD, talking about it makes me really want to have it immediately!

Karaoke night!!

HI, this is mana from Kyoto Hana Hotel!
Do you know the most popular activity that young japanese people like?
That is definately Karaoke!!

I tell you the truth I am a biiiig fun of this such a great machine!
Let me introduce how to karaoke in Japan. That is for ones who will visit to Japan and wants to try this activity:)

They usually charge 300-500yen per hour/per person,plus you have to order at least one drink.
You first choose the type of karaoke machine and sign up for the number of people you are with.
Then the shop staff will give you the room number.
For the room, they sametime have a party room for group prople and family.

In the room, there is one big screen shows the lyrics and big stereo.
It sometime show the music videos of the real artist which you sing at that moment.
This is the "finding music" contoroller. As we type the name of Artist or song, it seaches from more than 50000songs and directly send to the main karaoke machine.
Of course English/Chinese songs are available!! There is a waiting list on the conroller, veery usefull...


This is the food menu in karaoke shop. We order anything from this menu by phone which is connected to the shop staff. They bring our food to the room.

I go there twice a month when the karaoke shop do the "ladies day".
Last week when i went there with my friend, we spend 4hours in the karaoke box.

This is my karaoke mate↓　　I could tell she was enjoying the best 0f all us;)

Tamayura Trip in Takehara♪

Hi there! It has been warm in Hiroshima.
Today,I Recommend TAKEHARA town.

Takehara is a town located in Hiroshima and It takes about 2hours from Hiroshima JR station.This town has become known all over and very popular because of Tamayura (Japanese animation)which is by Hal Film Maker and directed by Junichi Sato.
Are you interested Japanese anime??
For anyone with an interest in animation ,Takeha is small but well worth a visit.

Those pictures are taken by our guest.









Don't you want to go to Takehara?
On the way to Takehara,you can see a beautiful countryside from a train!!

New Share House in Kyoto Station Area

A share house opens following last month.

A newly built (two years ago) three-storied house became a share house. There are two private rooms on the 3rd floor. Sales points are large living room and spacious kitchen.

Please visit our site http://j-stay.jp and click Nick's Guesthouse.

Those card boxes are removed tomorrow....

★My Autumn★

Hello everyone!
What do you do for this beautiful autumn?
My autumn is about FOOD!!
In the Japanese culture, we think that many of events and things are great to be done in fall such as sports, reading, and eating.
Autumn is FOOD in my brain...
Let me introduce what I have been having so far...


Thai food!!
The restaurant called KINKHAO. It is about 5 minutes walk from Kyoto Hana Hostel.
It's located by Kamo river. Their combo meals are not only delicious but also reasonable price.


Ask a riffraff is a nice modern cafe at Shinpu-kan in Kyoto.
They have lunch set meals, light meals, alcohol drinks ...etc. I personally love their french toast!!


Do you know typical famous food in NAGOYA?
Here they are!

TEBASAKI (Chicken wings) is very famous food of Nagoya!



MISOKATSU is also very famous and tasty!!
Sweatened miso with soy souse, sugar and some other ingredients matches katsu so much!!

My friend and I had a day trip to Nagoyo the other day. We had a great time there with Nagoya specialties as above!!

There are still a lot of Autumn special food which I have not tried and I want to have during this season!! What's coming next!?

☆Hiroshima HANA Hostel neighborhood☆

It's getting colder and colder in Hiroshima.
The best season for NABE (Steam pod)is just ahead of us and I can not wait anymore!

Hi its Kana from Hiroshima Hana Hostel.

Hiroshima has 2 world heritages which are MIYAJIMA and A-Bomb Dorm. So most of tourist visit only those 2 places. But there are very nice place for sightseeing near by Hiroshima HANA Hostel.

I wonder how many tourist actually has visited to our neighborhood for sightseeing as they stay here.
There is a ｇood old　Japanese traditional market which you can enjoy conversation with local people who work there for long time.





Also very nice cozy restaurants, bar and so on. I always stop by that market for shopping, eating some finger foods(which is very cheap!) and also just walking around. It is not big place but you can have great experience there.


This market is only few minutes walk from Hiroshima HANA Hostel
If you need more detail for this market please ask us!
They close on Sun. They close quite early on the weekday ,too

Let's discover something special in Hiroshima HANA Hostel neighborhood!

cilantro, 香菜, coriander

Do you like Guacamole?
Do you like Vietnamese Pho noodle?
Do you like Tom yum Goong?

What is the most important ingredient for these dishes?
YES!!! CORIANDER!!!



A few days ago, I planted coriander seeds which I brought back from an organic super market in San Francisco.
The trouble was that the size and color of the coriander seeds look exactly like... marijuana seeds.
Since there was a sign of "drug sniffer dogs are working" there,
and also I've heard a story of anus check in airport from a friend of mine,
I was super scared to pass through the customhouse of Kansai Airport.
I almost felt like I was a criminal then...



Anyway I can't wait for having guacamole with the coriander I grow!!!

Cruising Setouchi island and orange picking

We went to Nomi island about 30mins. from Hiroshima port on a sunny day in Nov.

We joined a tour hosted by HOT(Hiroshima optional tours) which is supported by Hiroshima city gov. and run by CRRC(Chugoku Regional Research Center).

HOT is hosting various tours to help travelers from abroad looking around Hiroshima.
Check their websites for detail:http://www.hiroshimatours.info/

We call "Setouchi sea" about the ocean areas between Honshu and Shikoku.
There are hundreds of islands in Setouchi areas.

We took a boat from Hiroshima port to Nomi island. It was so nice to feel the cool breeze. It was really nice weather.




After arrived in Nomi island, we went to orange farm to pick. not for labor work
We went to pick our oranges to eat in the farm. There is no time limit you can stay in the farm as long as you want and you can eat oranges as much as you want. But we have to pay when we bring these to home. no oranges should be in your pocket or backpack when you leave

It was really nice view from the farm.



We finally had about 15 oranges. after that we went to Onsen on the way to the ferry terminal.
That was soooo good. We had a wonderful holiday.