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Pompompurin Cafe: Spend an Adorable Afternoon with Pompompurin and Friends!


A cozy evening at the Pompompurin Cafe
If you know me, it's obvious that I love cute things (and not just Disney things!). When I was living in Yokohama, I knew I had to visit the Pompompurin Cafe at least once, and was more than pleased with the results!

The cafe is situated outside the station but in a very out-of-the-way location you won't find without a little bit of exploring. Sadly I was a bit short on time during my last month in Japan and had to squeeze this in after work one day, which was a chilly, rainy day. Thus I was at the cafe by myself, and also it was pretty empty inside, so it was a different kind of experience than visiting during peak hours. Luckily for me I have no qualms about solo-adventures, so I still enjoyed it thoroughly.

For those of you who don't know, Pompompurin is a Sanrio character made to look like Japanese purin, or pudding (which is topped with caramel sauce and similar to flan), and is actually a Golden Retriever. He has a girlfriend named Macaron and his friends are cute little animals with names like Custard, Bagel, and Scone.

626 Night Market in Orange County


At the annual 626 Night Market in Orange County, CA
It's official! I'm back to my roots in sunny California. This blog started off as a way to document my travels and fun in Japan, but that doesn't mean I have to put down the pen just because I'm back in the states. Hence, here I am at an annual event held on certain weekends throughout the summer: the 626 Night Market, basically a collection of all things Asian from art vendors to food! I went for the first time last year and loved it so much I ended up going twice (in part because they had okonomiyaki, one of my favorite Japanese foods!). The event itself costs $5 to get in, and prices vary by vendor inside. "Dishes" typically run around $7-8 dollars per item, which makes going in a group the best strategy to try as many things as you like.

Exploring Disney Sea Part 5: Omiyage (Souvenirs)





Of course no trip to a Disney park, especially an overseas one, would be complete without omiyage, or souvenirs, to remember your special day (or more, since admission to Tokyo Disney parks costs only about 70 US dollars, a third to a fourth of the price of what you'll pay in the states!). Naturally there are plenty of places to get everything from plushes, hats, jewelry, popcorn buckets, stationary, home decor, and more all around Disney Sea.

Exploring Disney Sea Part 4: Food!

Disney Sea offers some amazing food!


One of my absolute favorites of Tokyo Disney, besides the amazing souvenirs, is all the awesome food! I have to admit, after noshing around Tokyo Disneyland and Sea, Anaheim Disneyland fell pretty flat for me. Aside from the Dole Whip, monte cristo, and the most amazing chocolate swirl ice cream cone at the California Adventure pier (whose awesomeness was probably 50% contributed to the heat), there's not a lot of stuff I get excited for here. I'd say some of that has to do with the fact that Tokyo Disney always features changing menu items throughout the year. Case in point, when I discovered a Disney magazine in Japan I always studied it carefully before going to the park so I would know exactly what to eat and what to buy. Let's face it  a day at Disneyland is not a day to be on a diet! There is so much good food at Tokyo Disneyland and Sea I recommend eating light throughout the day so you can try everything!

First off, let's talk about popcorn. Because popcor is a big thing at TDL/S. You'll even see Disney popcorn bracelets attached to young people's bags and wonder what the big deal is. This is not your standard buttered popcorn! TDL/S proudly features a tasty array of popcorn flavors, from savory to sweet: soy sauce and butter, curry, salt, BBQ, caramel, milk chocolate, honey, and even strawberry.

Get a popcorn bucket for free refills on all popcorn at Disney Sea, including milk chocolate.

A Breakdown of Chinese Food in Japan


A full spread of typical Chinese food in Japan.

I happen to love chuuka ryori 中華料理, Chinese food (who doesn't?). From upscale PF Changs, to humble Panda Express, I love it all. Just like Americans (and basically everyone else on the planet), Japanese people love Chinese food, too. Chinese restaurants are as abundant in Japan as Mexican restaurants are in California  you can find one virtually on the corner of every street. Of course, every country foreign cuisines adapts to its own tastes  hence, you will find that Chinese food in Japan is very different from what you're used to in America. You won't find any beef with broccoli, general tso's chicken, kung pao chicken, or even orange chicken on the menus here (you'll have to go to the Panda Express located in Kawasaki for that). That being said, I think you'll find that it is much closer to authentic Chinese dishes (having never been to China myself, I'll leave this up to the pros to decide).

Here's a look at the Chinese dishes served in Japan. Eat your heart out (or not, on some of these items).

1. Subuta 酢豚
Subuta