From Hinode Station, we traveled back to the train station at the World Trade Center. The train station was underneath the huge building. We alighted the train and went out of the station. We looked for places to eat around the area.

Nice touch.

Around the block, we found this restaurant with a table of foods lined up outside. There were Filipinos looking at the menu and talking aloud to the manager/waiter. They were actually making a bargain, asking if they could share one plate and which plates would they choose. It was a bit funny because we know exactly what Filipinos do when they eat out in a group. Since Japanese food is pretty costly and the servings are big, then why not share if you can right? Well, we could not wait any longer and the food did not fit our liking so we ended up looking for more.

We ended up eating in a restaurant inside the train station. The food was delicious. If I could remember it right, I ordered tempura. Or was it tonkatsu? Haha! I honestly could not remember.



Since Dad had to go to a gathering with his fellow convention attendees, so the "youngsters" (haha) traveled to Odaiba to see the famous Gundam and to look around the area as well. We alighted at Shimbashi station. Then went out of the station to walk towards the Yurikamome line. It was the line that took us directly to Odaiba. Pretty fast. But the train ticket was around 300 yen one-way.


Odaiba was an artificial island in Tokyo. It is mainly filled with plain colored buildings. Minato, Koto and Shinagawa districts were situated in it. It is also filled with shopping and entertainment areas.

Mini Liberty

Light shines on.

Let me introduce to you ladies and gents, the Gundam... the Fan and well, the Tourist. I could also pass for a Viewer due to the lazy afternoons I spent with my brothers watching the show. But not the entire show, I guess.

I opened my lesson slots in RareJob tonight, not knowing what I was in for. I had three students. One was a 38-year old man, a Mechanical Engineer who lives in Nara Prefecture. He designs the stirring system of cars. He is married and has two sons. He and his wife lived in Yokohama four years ago.

We talked about my recent trip to Japan last October. He asked me about the sites I saw in Japan. The Tokyo Tower was the first thing he mentioned. I expected it a bit because it was one of the main attractions in Tokyo. But it came to me as a surprise tonight. Then he mentioned the Sky Tree. I said I only saw it but I haven't visited it yet. He said he hasn't been there too. But according to him, the Sky Tree was better due to its good antenna. I asked him more about the Tokyo Tower.

Me: Did you like the Tokyo Tower?
The Tower Man (Let's call him that.): Yes... I like ..very much.. I... like it.
Me: You can also say, "I like it very much."
TTM: Ah... I like it very much. Yes, I like it very much.
Me: Why?
TTM: Very beautiful.
Me: It is very beautiful.
TTM: Yes. My wife.. first date.. in Tokyo Tower.
Me: My first date with my wife was in Tokyo Tower. Is that right?
TTM: Yes. It's beautiful.
Me: Was it memorable for you?
TTM: Yes. I remember it well.

Then I told him that my Skype picture was in the Tokyo Tower. He was surprised because he could not remember. Maybe because he was too focused on his future wife at that time that he forgot about the view. Aww, love.

This is one of the reasons why I enjoy teaching in RareJob. It teaches me about a lot of things that I do not expect to know. I get inspired because of my students' stories like what happened tonight.

Talking to my students from a different culture and seeing that I can also share similar experiences or views with them makes our world smaller.


Oh, Japan. One day, I will go back to you and I will relive and make more memories.

Asahi Beer Headquarters.

Rainbow Bridge

No man's an island.

We could have alighted at Odaiba Pier where we were really headed. But we alighted at Hinode Pier and walked towards Hinode station. Dad had to go to a meeting so we had lunch in a tonkatsu restaurant in the train station which was connected to the Yurikamome line through Shimbashi station. There were also other piers where the ferry/water bus could stop. Check them out here.

Keep walking.

We were walking a lot in Japan ever since we arrived. I just could imagine the lifestyle people had here. Japanese were definitely a fan of walking since riding cars were not that popular. Driving a car is useless when you can arrive to your destinations on time by riding a train.

By the way, I have no problems with walking.

Next: Odaiba and Minato-Mirai

Asakusa station

Asakusa was our first destination. Towards Asakusa station, my Dad and I took the subway Ginza line from Shimbashi station. During the train ride, I noticed that there were many people who rode from the Ginza station. But as the train got closer and closer to Asakusa, people were getting fewer and fewer. I guess not all people were up early for a temple run. Who would when you could rise up from the bed late and enjoy a holiday? I thought that Japanese would. But unexpectedly, many people still alighted the train in different stops. We mixed into the crowd as we entered the ticket gates in Asakusa station.



Dad and I waited for Erik at the lobby. While waiting, we took some pictures of ourselves and of other people who were busy staring at the ticket booths or patiently waiting like us.

Tourists studying the train maps

Everywhere you go in Japan, there is a taste of its culture. Everything seemed organized and helpful, especially to tourists. If tourists know the language, the task of navigating will become much easier. But there are enough instructions around that can help a lot.

When Erik arrived, we went out of the station and into the massive mixture of tourists. Around the corner, we found a Ghibli Museum gift shop. I could not control my happiness. Because I know I would develop the desire to buy everything, I quickly looked around with a big smile on my face.

A Kaonashi (No-Face) is holding our one peso coin. (((:

A long array of tourist shops aligned the path toward Sensoji Temple or also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple. This shopping street is named Nakamise. I was surprised to see that most of the tourists were following two lines. One line on the right were all going toward the direction of the temple. The line on the left were the people who were going back from the temple. But of course, there was a mixed-up once in awhile because some of the people were curious to look at the shops on both sides.

In our school, the character trait for the month of March is courageous. In class, we are currently talking about being brave and courageous in different settings.

In our church, we are also talking about being so afraid. I told my class a story about the video shown to us in church last Sunday. One man wanted to jump off a cliff and swim in the lake but his fears were stopping him from doing so. A friend who encouraged him caused him to jump. They jumped off the cliff together.

We discussed the story. Then I had them write down their fears on a sheet of paper. Some wrote a list of their fears. Others drew them. I also write mine. When they were done, each of us talked about it in front of class. Then I asked them, at the count of five, to tear their lists of fears as a start of braving out and saying goodbye to them. We did this together, all at the same time.


Except for one child. I was surprised that one child could not say tear his paper. He said, "I don't like tearing my drawing!" He had tears in his eyes. I kept on explaining to him that it was not because we did not like the drawing but it served as a sign of saying facing our fears and saying goodbye to them. It served as a sign of courage and bravery. He thought about it for awhile then he slowly tore his drawings. He even hid some in his pockets so that they would not be thrown away. I told him, "Leave nothing behind. Let it all go. Give all your fears to God." He smiled, hesitating at first, emptied his pockets and threw the torn pieces of papers in the trash.

In my mind, I thought that I am sometimes similar to this child. A picture of myself caving in and being afraid came to view. This happens to most of us. We sometimes get wrong notions about what will happen in the process of tearing our fears down. If we do tear some of them, we still hide in order to avoid some. Why? Because we are afraid of the uncertainty that we might not be able to handle it and still end up more afraid.

If you are like this child, like me, you are not alone. I am also afraid. But there is a promise to all of us, if we believe. "The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1