So not too long ago, I was in Kagoshima, the southernmost prefecture on Japan’s four main islands. It is a rather backwater place despite the abnormally large role it played in Japan’s contemporary history, but it is very beautiful.

Kagoshima is also the location of Nishi-oyama Station, Japan Railways’ (JR) southernmost train station.

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Post tags: japan, japan railways, kagoshima, kyushu, trains, trip

So I am finally back in Singapore. Experiencing post-trip lethargy as usual. I figure I should get started on blogging now before it becomes impossible for me to return to my usual weekly schedule and I fall into the eternal dark void of procrastination.

Nagasaki was the first city in Kyushu I really visited, not counting a short transit at Fukuoka, and it was pretty awesome.

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Post tags: atomic, japan, nagasaki, night view, peace, trip

Gunkanjima, officially “Hashima”, is a tiny island just outside Nagasaki Bay. Consisting mostly of man-made concrete-covered landfills, the island was a coal-mining operation run by Mitsubishi Heavy Industry and once boasted the highest population density in the world. Today, the only way to land on the island is by forking out 4,300 yen for a cruise tour that departs twice everyday from Nagasaki Ferry Terminal.

I was there a few days ago and took some pictures.

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Post tags: gunkanjima, hashima, japan, nagasaki, trip

It seems like I’ve been going to Japan every year for the past few years due to various reasons, so I guess this should not come as a huge surprise. Yes, I am flying to Japan again. Yes, I will be there for Maaya’s “You can’t catch me” 2011 tour, specifically the one in Osaka.

Come to think of it, this trip makes my waxing lyrical last year seem a lot less meaningful. Heh.

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Read the rest of Japan Trip 2011 (523 words)

© DarkMirage for Ramblings of DarkMirage, 2011. | Permalink | 12 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: japan, japan rail pass, kansai, kyushu, shinkansen, tokyo, travel, trip

I was in an apartment somewhere in Malaysia, sitting on the floor of an under-furbished room with two vicious felines plotting the death of my sleeping bag. The stench of cat feces permeated the air, but fortunately my nose was blocked.

You have read the event coverages of DaiCon, the anime convention held in Cyberjaya, Malaysia last weekend. Now you can read the exhilarating story of how I spent my weekends at DaiCon and saw Minori Chihara live, based on the true story of the past three days of my life.

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Post tags: cats, concert, convention, daicon, malaysia, minori chihara, trip

In addition to my Comiket 75 shopping spree, I also contributed diligently to the wider economy of Japan in numerous ways, no doubt single-handedly helping the island nation escape the brunt of the on-going global recession and the collapse of our century-old debt-based financial institution. I’m kidding of course: the economy has long passed the point of no return.

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Read the rest of Japan Trip 2008 – Damage Report (1,047 words)

© DarkMirage for Ramblings of DarkMirage, 2009. | Permalink | 35 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: japan, maaya sakamoto, nana mizuki, secondhand, trip

I’m finally back in Singapore. It’s really hot even in my air-conditioned room. Gah. But anyway, here’s my damage report for Comiket 75. I didn’t buy much. Really.

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Read the rest of Comiket 75 – Loot (565 words)

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Post tags: c75, comiket, doujinshi, heart work, hiro suzuhira, japan, t2, trip

We interrupt the much-delayed Comiket coverage to wish you a belated Happy New Year! 新年明けましておめでとうございます！ While saner people were enjoying the company of their family and friends on New Year’s Eve in the comfort of their homes, I was wandering around Sensouji (浅草寺) to have a look at the infamous midnight queue of people hoping to be among the first to perform hatsumoude (first shrine visit of the year) at the shrine.

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Post tags: asakusa, hatsumoude, japan, omikuji, pictures, sensouji, temple, trip

The three-day long holy celebration of otakuism that is the Winter Comic Market came to a close yesterday. This is my second Comiket, and probably the last one in a long time. I am still in Japan right now, so I may not have time to blog about the last three days in greater details until I get back, but here are the cosplay photos for now.

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Read the rest of Comiket 75 – Cosplay Photos (362 words)

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Post tags: c75, comiket, cosplay, japan, pictures, tokyo, trip

Washinomiya Shrine (鷲宮神社) is the oldest shrine in the Kantou region of Japan. It also happens to be one of the setting locations for Kyoto Animation’s Lucky Star, the very shrine that Kagami and Tsukasa work part-time as shrine maidens. I paid a visit today and took some interesting pictures.

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Read the rest of Washinomiya Shrine — the real Lucky Star (468 words)

© DarkMirage for Ramblings of DarkMirage, 2008. | Permalink | 27 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: lucky star, saitama, trip, washinomiya