Introduction!

Konnichiwa! I'm Gua.

I'm a Japan fanatic, or rather, a Tokyo fanatic.

I love visiting Japan, but particularly Tokyo and I've always wanted to create a blog about Tokyo (mainly about shopping, Disney...) thinking that I might get sponsored to Tokyo because of this blog. HAHAHA.

My parents brought me to Japan when I was 2 years old. When I was a teenager, we travelled to Japan almost every year for family trips because my dad deals with Japanese suppliers. 2008 was the last time I went to Japan with both of my parents. I don't know why we did not returned during 2009 and 2010 (maybe because they were busy taking care of my niece) but I know I was dying to go back. And then, the big earthquake and tsunami happened in 2011. Dreams of returning burst because my family was super concerned about the radiation problem. Thankfully, my boyfriend made 2 trips to Tokyo 2011-2014, bringing me lots of gifts and videos of the Disney Parks to feed my empty soul. (LOL) But I was extremely jealous of everyone who went there and very angry that I couldn't return to where I thought I belong. HAHAHA. It was end of 2014 that I decided to travel to Tokyo again despite all the warnings and rumours I'm told. I could only trust my guts. Since then, I've been visiting to Japan 4 times straight in a row, Tokyo once every year.

Why do I love Tokyo so much? I'm not too sure... Every trip made before 2008 has became pretty vague. But there's just something about Tokyo that make me desire to visit it again and again and again. This explains the name of this blog: "Itsudemo Tokyo!" "何時でも東京!" which means "Anytime, Tokyo!"

Other cities in Japan are just not as charismatic to me. I love immersing in the various shopping districts and buildings in Tokyo, admiring at all the cute stuffs they sell. I usually shop till I drop or do some people watching while resting. Haha. And of course I have to mention the food, the convenience stores, the vending machines etc...

I also love visiting the neighbourhood parks at various areas like Inokashira Park, Hanegi Park, etc. Its funny as I'm always a city > countryside person who is never into scenic spots or nature reserves. Perhaps it is because these parks have a unique human touch to them.

Hanegi Park

Inokashira Park

Back to the subject of shopping in Tokyo which will be the main focus of this blog, there is simply one word I can't resist:

Character Merchandising

They simply do it too well. Even though they did not created the Disney Characters, they redesigned Disney characters into various versions like the Tsum Tsum and Ufufy and created their own line of adorable merchandises.

Ufufy (disney.jp)

Tsum Tsum

And there is Sanrio, where they progressed from creating cute characters to creating cute and relatable character like Gudetama and Retsuko. It is hard not to fall in love with these characters.

Gudetama © SANRIO CO., LTD

Retsuko © SANRIO CO., LTD

They are so genius, I find myself just attracted to the physical products but also to their unique character culture as a whole.

Lastly, I would like to list a few of my interests which will be appearing on this blog:
Tokyo Disneyland, Disneysea, Gashapon, Sanrio, UFO catchers, Amusement Game Center, Harajuku, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Convenience Stores, Neighbourhood Parks, Cosmetics etc etc

This blog is created to share my experience and information about all the things I'm into. I believe that somewhere out there, there are a group of people who shares the same interests and I'll be glad if this blog is any help to them.

I hope I have time to keep this blog going and consolidate my past trips to Tokyo into blogposts!