Nagano Trip

My husband and I thought of celebrating our Christmas in Nagano last year without telling the kids about the plan because we wanted to give 'em a wonderful Christmas present~ a nice and fun childhood memories. We wanted them to play more outdoors which they can't do much here in Fukushima and aside from that, it's the second time around ( went there last summer, same place) and we love Nagano! Many Winter Olympic events were held there and has many winter resorts. Well anyway, since it was a secret getaway for the kids, we bought 'em some snow gears ( snow boots, caps, blah,blah) the time the kids were at school and put all the stuffs inside the cars trunk day before the trip. It was hard to plan an secret getaway but it was all worth it! You should see their reactions when they saw lots and I mean LOTS of powdery snow the time we reached Nagano from 5 hours driving by car! They have no idea of where we were goin' and we just told them that we'll have a 'long fun drive today' and even though it was really a long drive,the kids enjoyed taking trips to the service area coz from there, they'd get a souvenir stamps available at the service area where we took some rest ( toilet, drinks and foods) and didn't get bored.

We reached at the resort and check-in, we told the kids of the plan next day, we enjoyed our Christmas dinner at the resort of course and relaxed ourselves at the onsen( hot spring). Our kids were worried coz they don't have snow gears to wear but when they opened the other bag with their snow gears, they get all excited!

Next day, we took our breakfast, we took or sled, our shovel then Wakaba and Haruka enjoyed playing a lot of snow outside, the sleigh rides, built a snowman, built a kamakura ( an igloo-like snow house~that's why we brought our shovel with us) and we had snow ball fights and enjoyed to the fullest!

I really love seeing them playing around, playing with us! It is such a great experience for them I'm sure! I hope that my girls will always keep these memories in their heart^_^

Winter Resort in Nagano
Japanese Style
White Christmas in Nagano
Lucky Haruka build snowman together with new-found friend that we met at the same resort that we were staying at.
Wakaba can being pulled by her Dad
Haruka chan, enjoyed snow balls fight with me^_^
Wakaba chan posed for me ^_^
Like mother, like daughter LOL!
Yours truly ^_^
Took a photo of the snowman we made before we left
Christmas dinner at the resort

Happy Fun Rides At Mobi Park

What I love during our short stay at Twin Ring Motegi is that they have fun, friendly rides for kids and for the whole family to enjoy. Wakaba and Haruka had fun racing with each other and they looked like a real racers for a day lol! I was pleasantly surprised when I tried the Acro-X together with my kids and since I didn't know how to drive a vehicle, I can't figure out of how to drive smoothly without crashing the sides and the kids were laughing their hearts out because of that lol! They said that I can't be a driver( LOL) but it is nice to be able to ride together^_^

The kids rides are terrific and the kids enjoyed being able to go on rides by themselves and had fun riding it!
Haruka, racer for a day!
Wakaba tried her speed at Quick Racer

Acro-X Fun ride with Daddy
The machine looks like so heavy because of their Dad lol!
With Kochira Kun, Twin Ring Motegi's mascot

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Aya Ikeda's Mini Concert

Tadaima and it's great to be back in blogosphere! We have enjoyed our summer vacation and you will find me for sure blogging about it here at Kizuna ^_^

It was 35 degree C in Fukushima City when we went to the place to watch Aya Ikeda's mini concert held at Ito Yokado, Fukushima branch. Aya Ikeda has sung the theme song for the anime Heartcatch Precure and the ongoing Suite Precure ( my kids is so fond of the Pretty Cure anime series) and when we heard that she will be having a mini concert, we can't miss going out to see my kids idol. Too bad that videos and photographs during the concert is not allowed but the kids had a lot of fun singing and dancing at their seat. We bought our kids Suite Precure cd and dvd and let the singer signed it.

Here's my kids favorite anime sung by Aya Ikeda


Heart Catch Precure opening song


Suite Precure ending song


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Mitsui Outlet Park, Sendai Port

The city of Sendai suffered tremendous damage from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and have been completely restored ( except at the coastal area ). Our family went to Mitsui Outlet Park at Sendai Port recently and it's been awhile since our last visit there. Although we're not a person who goes for branded goods and stuffs, our family likes to explore factory outlets here in Japan most especially at Mitsui, it is the largest factory outlet in Tohoku Region. Mitsui is the place for shoppers who enjoys bargains and it is an open style shopping mall with nice surroundings and great foods. Sendai is one of the place we love to visit ~ read some of my Sendai posts here

Mitsui Outlet Park

A haven for shoppers most especially who likes branded apparels, bags and etc.




My GAP girls ^_^

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Manga Artists Visited Fukushima

Our family went to Fukushima Airport last month coz we heard that famous manga/anime illustrators will be visiting Fukushima for an event to cheer the Tohoku people with their Joint Work Illustration plus a Paper Airplane Project. Manga artist displayed some of their works, comics, T-shirts and postcards, they also signed autographs to fans and had fun games during the event . No matter how much I would like to feature the persons behind the manga but with all respect, I just can't...

My husband and I have been a fan of the manga 彼女のカレラ ( My Favorite Carrera ) and we were excited to see the face behind the manga and finally met Kia Asamiya in person! I brought my manga with me and let him signed of course~ it was enough for me to have seen him person and to my surprise, he drawed Reina Todori ( the manga's main character) at the back of the books cover with his sign on! It'll be my ' takaramono ' ( treasure ) forever and he also gave me a signed postcard. Wakaba and Haruka however enjoyed making their paper airplane and was given some gachapon and candies.

The game portion was fun and exciting~ fans will have to request the illustrators to draw something in one minute! The best illustration that will be chosen and will be given together with a sign and the worst illustration will be displayed at their 'worst display whiteboard' for everyone to see till the event ends. It would be embarrassing for them but no matter how pro they are, they still have some weaknesses just like when a kid requested them to draw ultraman, lady illustrators had difficulties of drawing it and of course it was displayed as worst lol!

Fukushima Airport
Kia Asamiya sensei's work
Works of famous manga illustrators
Wakaba chan
Haruka chan showing off her paper airplane
Wakaba chan had fun over gachapon
Display of worst illustration chosen by fans
Fukushima Airport's Souvenir Shop
Nagatsuki Misoka
My kids~ sketched by Nagatsuki Misoka sensei

I would like to thank the following manga illustrators who came in Fukushima

麻宮騎亜先生 Asamiya Kia
岩本佳浩先生 Iwamoto Toshihiro
こうの史代先生 Kouno Fumiyo
ときた洸一先生 Tokita Kouichi
とだ勝之先生 Todakatsu Yuki
長月みそか先生 Nagatsuki Misoka
杜野亜希先生 Morino Aki

and guest 天神秀貴 Tenjin Hidetaka

ありがとうございました。



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