Suginami-ku, Tokyo, the location for many companies related to animation production, is known as an anime town. The Suginami Animation Museum is a center that provides a fun and systematic way to learn, experience, and understand anime. In addition to diverse exhibits on the history of Japanese anime, an anime production workplace, and the latest digital production technology, the museum also invites professional creators to give talks, and organizes workshops where you can actually experience producing anime. Moreover, in the library filled with a rich collection of anime-related materials, you can browse through books and watch DVDs.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Japan |

If you find yourself in Singapore, I highly suggest that you make it a point to stop by the Singapore Science Center where you are assured to of a day filled with discovery, wonder, adventure and fun. Yup, you’ve read that right. FUN!

The highly acclaimed Science Center and Museum was established back in 1977 and has been known to be an institution that is committed to increasing awareness of science of technology. It has a remarkable display of over 1000 interactive exhibits that touch on various fields like robotics, astronomy, aviation, the human body, etc. which all aim to show how wonderful science really is. Aside from being educational, these interactive exhibits are quite entertaining as well. There are videos to watch, experiments to try, and displays to tinker with.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Singapore |

It is hard to miss the Hong Kong Space Museum if you happen to find yourself at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in Kowloon Island and walking along Salisbury Road. Its interesting and unique egg-shaped dome would surely catch your eye and this is the main reason why this 8,000 square meter museum remains to be one of the popular landmarks in Hong Kong. It is also the first ever planetarium in the country when it was completed in 1980.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Hong Kong |

If Mount Fuji is the natural symbol of Japan, then Tokyo Tower may very well be its modern symbol. Seen in innumerable movies and anime, a view of the orange and white steel behemoth through a window means the setting is invariably in the Japanese capital. Indeed, a good view from any Tokyo hotel would include the tower resting splendidly high above the buildings.

Tokyo Tower was conceptualized in the 1950’s during Japan’s post-war economic boom. Easily inspired by Paris’s own Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Tower was built at the cost of ¥2.8 billion and weighs 4000 tons, making it the tallest self-supporting iron structure in the world. It is painted orange and white to fulfill a requirement from the Civil Aviation Board, an easily seen color combination for aircrafts. The tower serves as a transmitting antenna for major networks, as well as a major tourist attraction.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Japan |

Being the largest continent on Earth, Asia naturally has the most number of natural landmarks on the planet. Ranging from the highest mountains to the most breath-taking marine environments, Asia has enough physical attractions to satisfy the naturalist in all of us.

Here are 10 great natural landmarks in various Asian countries:

1.    Mount Fuji

The highest volcano in Japan at 3,776 meters, Fujiyama has been celebrated in poetry and art for as long as there is a Japanese empire. Located at the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures just west of Tokyo, Mt. Fuji can be seen from Central Tokyo skyscrapers as well as Yokohama on a clear day. You can best view Mt. Fuji on board the bullet train (Shinkansen) from Tokyo to Osaka or Nagoya; you can also climb up the slopes during the months of July and August via tour bus starting from Tokyo.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia, Attractions |

Everybody has seen, or at least heard of Astroboy; with his large eyes, characteristic hair, rocket boosters on his legs, a cannon on his arm and the machine gun from his rear. This character is the brainchild of one Osamu Tezuka, also known as the “God of Manga“. Astroboy is just one of the beloved and well-known characters to come to life from Osamu Tezuka’s pen in the span of his career as a manga-ka (comic artist). He was known to have invented the “large eyes” style of Japanese animation. He based it on cartoons of the time such as Max Fleischer’s Betty Boop and Walt Disney’s Bambi and Mickey Mouse. As an indication of his productivity, the Complete Manga Works of Osamu Tezuka comprises some 400 volumes, over 80,000 pages; even so, it is not complete. His complete works includes over 700 manga with more than 150,000 pages but most of his work was never translated in English. With a manga-ka of this caliber and greatness, it’s only natural to pay homage.

Welcome to the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum of Japan!

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Japan |

Ginza means ’silver mint’, and this upmarket part of Tokyo was once a bustling center of the silver trade way back during the Edo period. When a huge fire destroyed its wooden establishments back in the 18^th century, Ginza became one of the first areas of Japan to embrace the European style of architecture. Today, this 8-block neighborhood might as well be paved with silver, as a square meter of land can cost up to USD 100,000, making Ginza one of the most expensive real estates in the world. All the elite brands have boutiques here, from Louis Vuitton to Gucci, as well as upscale restaurants, cafés, movie theaters, and department stores.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Japan |

Legend has it that back in the 7th century, two fishermen found a statue of Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, in their nets while on the Sumida River. Taking it as a sign, the local populace built a temple in honor of the discovery. Despite repeatedly burning down throughout the centuries, the temple, called Senso-ji by the locals, has always been reconstructed into a bigger and stronger structure, thus making it the oldest temple in Tokyo.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Japan |

Every day in Siem Reap, thousands of people trek into the vegetation to witness the sun rise amidst ancient stones and religious sculpture. As the light slowly illuminates the ornate towers and carved walls, a sense of awe descends upon the waiting crowd, as they become humble witnesses to a rediscovered wonder of a long-dead kingdom.

Welcome to Angkor Wat.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Cambodia |

There are so many wonderful things to see and to experience in the Lion City of Asia, Singapore! In previous posts, I shared my adventures at the Singapore Zoo and at the Night Safari.

But those are not the only places where you can experience Singapore’s wild side. You can also head to the Jurong BirdPark and be prepared to be fascinated with 9, 000 colorful birds that belong to over 600 species.

If you plan to visit the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and the Jurong BirdPark during your stay in Singapore, I highly recommend that you avail of the special Park Hoppers tickets that are valid for one month from the date of purchase. These tickets will grant you admission to all these three parks or any two for a discounted price. The 3 in 1 Park Hoppers tickets cost S$40 while the 2 in 1 Park Hoppers tickets cost S$30. You can purchase these special tickets in any of the three parks.

It is advisable to allot an entire day for the Jurong BirdPark most especially if you have kids with you. More time would allow you to savor all the attractions in this 20-hectare open-concept park which proud locals claim to be the largest of its kind in the Asia Pacific and the best in the world. Since this park is well known in Singapore, it would be best to avoid going there on weekends and holidays to avoid big crowds.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Singapore |