Our Tokyo, Japan 8 nights 9 days Itinerary

I've been blogging some of the highlights of our Tokyo Tour this summer. I figured why not share the whole itinerary to help those who are going plan their trip.

Google Maps is our best friend when traveling. We used it to navigate and know what establishments are near us. Also, we made our own 8 nights / 9 days itinerary but we did a lot of research before our trip. 

Here are the links that really helped us with our ultimate Tokyo itinerary :)

• Japan Guide
• A lot of Japanese don't speak English. So, you also need to learn some basic Japanese words so you could interact when you're in a restaurant or just ask them if you need help with directions. I like this Japanese phrases you need for a travelling video that Currently Hannah did.
• For recommended restaurants to try per area, Paolo From Tokyo's videos helped us a lot. He's a Filipino based in Japan and he has lots of great videos about Japan

 

Day 1 - Walk at Shibakoen, Minato City

For our Day 1, we just walked around our hotel area which is Hamamutsucho, Shibakoen and Tokyo Tower.

• Arrival at Narita Airport
• Check-in at Hotel Mystays Hamamutsucho (Passed by Shibakoen going to Zozoji Temple. Here you can find a lot of establishments like McDonald's, Yoshinoya, Matsuya, Gindako (one of the most famous Takoyaki places in Japan, Mo's Burger, Starbucks, and a lot more )
• Zozoji Temple
• Tokyo Tower
• watch our Tokyo Japan Day 1 video here.

Day 2 - Explore Western Tokyo

• Sunday Mass at Catholic Hatsudai Church
• Yoyogi Park
• Meiji Shrine
• Harajuku / Tokyu Plaza / Cat Street
• Roppongi
• Watch our Tokyo Japan Day 2 video here.

Day 3 - Full Day at Odaiba

• TeamLab Borderless Museum
• Toyota MegaWeb
• Venus Fort
• History Garage
• Diver City
• Aqua City (where you can see the Rainbow Bridge and Statue of Liberty)
• Click to watch our Team Lab Borderless and Odaiba Day videos.

Makeup Schools and Classes to Choose From in Metro Manila

Most of us makeup addicts started learning about makeup application and get inspiration through our favorite Youtube Gurus. But the entire makeup techniques topic is very broad and applying it to other people will take a lot of practice in order to master. So, if you want to take it to the next level, having formal makeup classes and be updated on the trend is the best way to go.

Below is the list of the best makeup schools to choose from here in Metro Manila:

1.) HD Makeup school Academy

I had to make this first because this is where I got my HiDef Beauty and Makeup, Airbrush, and Bridal and Fashion Hairstyling Certificates. They helped me start my makeup career! 

The HD Makeup Studio and Academy specialize in hi-definition (HD) makeup and precision haircutting. They offer intensive classes in conventiona, airbrush makeup and even special effects to help build a foundation for those who want to do makeup professionally.

Suite 1217, 12/F AIC Burgundy Empire Tower, ADB Ave. cor. Garnet Rd., Ortigas Center, Pasig City
0917-828-8483/0922-887-8921/02-915-5874

www.hdmakeupacademy.com

facebook.com/manilamakeupschool

IG: @HDMakeupAcademy

2) Center for Aesthetic Studies (CAS Philippines)

This makeup school which is one of the pioneers is located in Makati. They're a TESDA certified aesthetic school that offers basic makeup, an intensive one-on-one course, or a masterclass that focuses on a specific technique like airbrush makeup. 

Unit 103 1st Midland Condominium Gamboa St. Legazpi Village Makati

www.facebook.com/centerforaestheticstudiesph

IG: @centerforaestheticstudies

3) Maquillage Professional (MP School of Makeup Artistry)

http://www.mpschool.com.ph/contact.php

Location

Unit C, Upper Ground Floor, F1 Hotel,

32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City Taguig, 

Metro Manila, Philippines 1634

Phone:+632 8052514

Mobile:+63 917 3449904

Email: info@mpschool.com.ph

4) SOFA Design Institute

Well known as a great fashion design school, they decided to offer makeup as part of their short courses already. They are located at G/F 399 Enzo Building, Senator Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City. 478 4611 

5) The Makeup Secrets School

Unit 12D, 8 Adriatico Condo 

Padre Faura Street Corner Bocobo Street, 

Ermita Manila

Tel : 632-5862951

These are the active makeup schools that I know as of this writing. Feel free to comment if you want me to research on a makeup school you have heard of.

Being a Professional Makeup Artist is not as easy as some might think. You need to put a lot of passion, hard work and patience in every projects you do. It's also continuous learning. It doesn't stop on getting a certificate from a makeup school. But if it is your passion, you will surely have fun for the rest of your life.

Authentic Taiwanese Restaurant in the Philippines, Mazendo

My husband has been raving about an authentic Taiwanese restaurant in Makati, Philippines that he tried with his workmates. He said that he's sure I'm going to like it because it's authentic and it's my kind of food and the best thing is, it's included in Zomato Gold 1+1. Yey!

Tips when going to Tokyo Disney Sea with Kids

Tokyo Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea? Where would you want to go if you have kids with you? We did a lot of research about this. Some say Tokyo DisneySea is not for kids as most of the rides there are for adults. But DisneySea is something you can find only in Japan. Some say Tokyo Disneyland is just the same as the other Disneylands in the world. Since we have already been to Hongkong Disneyland, we figured it's best to go for the latter instead. We just made sure to plan everything before going there so our kids won't get bored. Here are some tips I can share if you're scheduled to go there with your family:

1. Book your tickets in advance. You don't want to spend a lot of time lining up just to buy your tickets there. The line for the advance ticket purchase is way shorter. We book ours via Klook, it's where you can get tickets for Theme parks and tours in advance and most of the time at a lower price.

2. Bringing outside food inside the Tokyo Disney Sea is allowed. As you know, theme park foods can be very expensive. If you're on a budget like us, buy a lot of Onigiri, sandwiches and even chips at convenient stores nearby. There's an All Day convenient store at the station before riding the Mickey Train so stuff yourself first with food and drinks and buy snacks before you go and enter the park.

3. Plan the rides you want to try in advance. Planning is the key to making the most out of your Tokyo Disney Sea day. Most of the famous rides offer FastPass, which you can get every two hours. As soon as you enter the park, line up for your desired ride. We lined up for the Toy Story Mania! first, because that's what adults and kids could enjoy the most. It's also the most popular ride at Tokyo Disney Sea and yes, it was so much fun! Look, it was the first fastpass and the schedule we got was around 7pm already. But don't worry you won't get bored waiting as there are so much to see and do there.

Here are the rides I recommend for kids in Tokyo DisneySea:

DisneySea Electric Railway - One trick to avoid the long walks is to ride this Railway. You can see the view of the beautiful Tokyo DisneySea and take pictures of the Volcano then get off at the other side of the park. Going back, you can ride the train again.

Mount Fuji Tour via Klook

The highlight of our Tokyo, Japan trip last summer was Mount Fuji. It was really beautiful. Though, we only saw it in the morning as the mountain decided to hide behind the clouds in the afternoon, we loved every bit of what is included in the Klook travel tour:

Matcha Experience at Shikido

Lake Kawaguchiko

Fifth Station (it's the highest point of the mountain reachable by bus, you can actually the snow left)
A sacred pond called Wakuike

Gotemba premium outlet

Booking the tour was hassle free. We studied our options and it turned out to be cheaper than if we go there by train. Our tour guide was chinese but I am very happy with her as she tried her best to explain to us everything in English.

Overall, the Mount Fuji tour via Klook is highly recommended!

Boracay Trip 2019

It took my sister and her family 5 years to go back here in the Philippines. That's why when she asked if we wanted to go to Boracay with them, we didn't hesitate since we wanted to see the "New Boracay" after it was rehabilitated. Check out the video of our entire Boracay trip here:

We went there 2 days ahead of our companions since we wanted to spend our weekend at the beach already. The first hotel that we booked was Boracay Holiday Beach Resort. It's just beside Azalea Hotel in Station 2 and it will take around 3-5 minutes walk to the beach. We chose it because it as a big pool and one of the most affordable hotels in Boracay. You will really get the value of your money.