Why Musk melon is so expensive in Japan???

Musk melon is the most expensive fruit in Japan, and in the world!!!

A good quality musk melon sold in a well known fruit retailer in Japan such as Takano and Sembikiya can easily cost more than 10,000 yen (100 USD) Yes, 100 USD for a small melon, isnt this is the most expensive fruit in the world!!! Let me know, if you know any fruit which costs more!!!

Even the cheapest musk melon will cost > 3000 yen (30 USD)

Shibazakura in Chichibu

Shibazakura is a Japanese word for moss, and it has varieties of species with various colors, the popular and often seen in Japan is pink, white and purple moss. These moss will bloom in spring,  it will fills the land with beautiful colors.

There are many shibazakura spots near Tokyo, but today I am going to show you Chichibu, which is north of Tokyo.

A scenic view in Chichibu with shibazakuras

Sakura in Myogadani

This is another beautiful sakura spot which is not popular for tourists, only the local will know this place well!!! 

Myogadani is just 2 stops from Ikebukuro station. You can take Marunochi Metro line and alight in Myogadani station, it is only 5 mins from Ikebukuro station. Once, you got into Myogadani, the park is just few minutes walk from the station. There are many universities and small corporation in this area.

A lot of people are doing "hanami" (picnic) during lunch time!

Nokogiriyama

Nokogiriyama is located in Chiba, Japan which is about 1 hour train ride from Tokyo station. This is another hidden treasure in Japan, which doesnt get much publicity. It has wonderful view and amazingly rich history in this place!

We took a local train ride from Tokyo station to go to Nokogiri-yama, it took us 2 hours to get there! the train ride is long, but the view along the way is amazing.

Tulip

I took this tulip in Hitachi Seaside Park, Japan last year during spring!

Okutama

Last weekend, went for a hike in Sakura-yama (Sakura mountain) in Okutama. It was 2 hours train ride from Shinjuku station with few transits. It was a long journey with beautiful country side view along the train track.

A picture we took when we are descending from the sakura-yama. The trail is beautiful with many sakura trees along the way! and now she is gone in the picture! isnt this beautiful??? peaceful!

Near the sakura-yama, there is a huge reservoir which provides water source for the Tokyo people. It is known as the Okutama water reservoir.

Having a break at the top of the sakura-yama, with a beautiful view overlooking the dam and sakura trees!

Walking at the dam wall, on my left is filled with water but on my right it is deep down valley (maybe is 30m in depth)

Okutama station is pretty old, and the station decorated with old movie posters inside the station

Shinjuku Park

Here are the pictures I took during my hanami (picnic) last week in Shinjuku Gyoen (park) in Tokyo, Japan. There are so many sakura tress of various species and also thousands of people gather in the park and to enjoy the beauty of sakuras!

This is one of the best season to visit Tokyo, Japan - beginning of April, when the sakura blooms and decorate the dull cityscape of Tokyo, with beautiful flower petals!

Sakura

Spring is here in Tokyo, Japan and the temperature is getting warmer!
Last week, Tokyo is encapsulated with beautiful sakura of various species. 

I took a picture of a sakura in Shinjuku Park, when I was having a 'hanami' (picnic)!

Tokyo Hotaru Matsuri 2013

I just went to Tokyo Hotaru Matsuri 2013 yesterday, and the view was amazing! 

Matsuri means festival and Hotaru means firefly! it is an annual event held in Sumida river which is near to Asakusa!, if you are not familiar about Asakusa, you might heard of the famous temple there name Sensoji temple, it is one of the biggest temple in Tokyo!

This is the picture that I took from the center of the bridge! there are 100, 000 of floating LEDs are released on that day for the festival! 

The LEDs are manufactured by Panasonics to resemble the firefly that flies through the Sumida river in older days! because of rapid development in Tokyo, it is rare scene to see firefly flying through it! thus, Panasonics has decided to bring back the beauty scene back! 

The LEDs light are shown below, it is powered with a AA battery! it has a high intensity blue LED and it has diffuser to spread the light. Below the light, it has 2 screws which allows electricity conduction when it touches the water!, it only glows when it touches the water else it wont!

and another interesting point, is the design of the light shape, do notice that at the bottom is flat and at the top is rounded, this allows the light to float upwardly regardless on how it orients itself on the water! it is due to the buoyancy of the light! brilliant engineering by Panasonics for providing this modern firefly!

So, on that day about 7pm, we are given the light and to throw it to the river! It is kinda interesting, it is like the modern Chap Goh Mei instead of throwing oranges we throw "fake" firefly!

Besides, the people constantly throwing the light, the organiser did release thousands of the lights! this makes a spectacular view and it lights up the river! Here is the video on how it looks like! 

Now, I will share about the travel tips for this festival! I have to queue up for 1 hour just to get the ticket and 1 hour to get in! There are thousands of people and it is so congested on that day!

Here is the official website for the festival:
http://tokyo-hotaru.jp/

You have 2 options to see the festival either you pay or you see it for free!
a) if you choose to pay for the entrance fee which costs 1000 yen for different zone
> they will give you the light and you can throw it to the river, once you have thrown it you are asked to leave the area because behind you there are so many people queuing up for it! Remember to choose the zone, which has the view of the Skytree!
> to get the ticket, you have 2 options to buy it online or to get it on that day! if you get it on that day it will cost you 1200 yen and you need to queue up for 1 hour!

b) you can see it for free! just get there early in the morning along the Sumida river (near the Asahi buidling), find a spot that you love and camp there! you got to enjoy it for free! but, you just dont get to throw the light that all!

Here is the gallery of pictures of the festival!