The mints have strange names in Japan...

Nikko

Nikko, just outside Tokyo, is like a mini-Kyoto, with temples and shrines aplenty. If, like me, you're wondering what the difference between a temple and a shrine is, temples are for Buddha and shrines are for praying to the Shinto Gods.

Jamie's Rocky moment:

To keep this temple in good nick, they built a gigantic warehouse around it. Only in Japan...

Ravenous fish, nakedness and a cultural faux pas

With my tattoos all plastered up, we visited the hot springs of Oedo Onsen, the biggest of its kind in Tokyo. I managed to commit a sin before we even left the changing room, by tying my yukata gown the wrong way. Apparently, it signifies death as it's what happens to people when they are buried...oh well.

It's pretty touristy insdie, decked out like an old Japanese Edo era town, but it was worth a visit, if only for the experience of fish eating our feet!

Dinner time:

Tokyo Sky Tree

Some pictures from my recent trip up the Sky Tree, the tallest building in Japan at 634 metres. Interestingly, the building is 634 metres high because the traditional way of saying these individual digits (6,3 and 4) is pronounced in a similar way to 'musashi', a famous samurai known for his great strength.

It was a clear day and the views of the city seemed to go on forever, underlining just how mindbogglingly massive Tokyo is.

Getting out of the city - Mount Takao

I needed to escape Tokyo so I walked up 600-metre high Mount Takao. Here are some pics:

Fuelling up on soba noodle before the walk.

Cheating part of the walk by taking the cable car.

Half-way up.

Green tea.

A better drink.

Wooden placards people buy in the hope that they give them good luck.

Part of the Buddhist temples at the top of Mount Takao.

A faithful owner carrying her tired dog up the mountain.

Great branding

Spotted this in on my colleague's desk:

Cuddly toys = very Japanese

I recently visited LINE, a mobile messaging service where you send each other cartoon characters that represent different emotions (happy bear, sad bear, angry bear etc.) And , after a serious business discussion, I stopped off to have my picture taken with two of their popular characters, much to the confusion of those in the meeting.

Don't stroke the pussy, stroke the rabbit

You probably know of the popularity of cat cafes in Japan, but have you ever heard of a rabbit cafe? I checked one out and it was a pretty bizarre experience. Rabbits jumped around while we sipped coffee and Japanese girls squeaked 'kawaii!', which means 'cute'. 

The idea is that you relieve your daily stresses by chilling with the bunnies, minus the responsibility of owning one.

The one we went to is called 'Ra.a.g.f', which stands for 'rabbit and grow fat':

Anyway, here are some pics:

The rabbit whisperer.

'Figaro'.

The staff showing us how it's done.

An innocent-looking rabbit, just after it peed on Alex's foot. All part of the experience, we were told.

Alex, relieving his stress.